MIDLAND FOOTBALL LEAGUE, U-21 DIV (WEST)
King George V Playing Fields, Briar Mill, Droitwich, WR9 0RZ
15th October 2022 10:30am Kick-Off
As I will be out this evening in Birmingham, I have decided to go for an early kick-off and what better match than the top of the table Under 21 clash between Droitwich Spa (2nd) v Stourbridge (first)?
Also it's an opportunity for my first visit to Droitwich's new/re-developed ground. I have heard good reports about it and the first team have been pulling in very good sized crowds there too.
Weather wise it's a gorgeous sunny Autumn day as I make my way to my local railway station at Spring Road and I'm taking the 8:53 am train for Droitwich. It's on time and there's plenty of room too as you'd expect at this time on a Saturday.
Later on when we have passed through Stourbridge I look at and appreciate the beautiful countryside of my home county of Worcestershire, with a view of the Clee Hills (I guess) in the distance.
I like Droitwich Spa with it's old buildings in the town centre, the canals and nice parks too. It's a place that I always enjoyed visiting when I lived in nearby Worcester.
I have time to grab a coffee at a cafe close to the railway station and then make my way to the ground through a housing estate and soon I am walking on a path by the rustling reed beds of the canal. I find the footbridge which takes me to the other side and there are some football pitches close by and then there is the new 3G pitch of Droitwich Spa FC and just beyond it lies the newly built ground of the first team.
The entrance is close at hand and I go through the open gate in the perimeter fence and pay my entrance fee to Mark Roberts who is the Secretary of the Under 21 side.
He tells me that the Droitwich Youth set-up is not actually part of Droitwich Spa FC but is affiliated to it and use their facilities, while the Under-21 team is the entrance point to the first team.
I make my way to the left of the entrance and decide to start the game at this end of the ground, especially as the sun is shining over my shoulder.
On the right hand side of the pitch looking down is a seated stand, which I think can hold 100 spectators and on the opposite side are located the team dug-outs.
Before the game starts I have time to have a quick chat to Matt Mason who is the main photographer of the football club. He tells me that he's going to be busy today, as he's been asked to umpire a ladies hockey match at the nearby club before this game finishes and he's also been asked to play in a football game too this afternoon.
The 2 teams come out with Droitwich in their usual colours of red & black striped shirts, white shorts and red, black & white socks. The visitors are in their change strip of all blue.
It's the home team who are pressing strongly for the first 10 minutes of this game, especially down the left, with their No.9, Louis Mitchell proving to be a handful and he has a shot saved by the keeper.
After this early scare, Stourbridge are starting to get more into this match and in the 17th minute take the lead, with a shot by their No.10 I think, from the edge of the penalty area.
The visitors are starting to dominate the game now and in the 31st minute they double their lead, when from an attack down the right, the ball is passed inside for one of their players to neatly flick the ball into the net.
Just 4 minutes later, the Stourbridge No.8 is left unmarked at a corner from the left to plant a header into the goal.
Droitwich Spa unexpectedly reply a minute later, when their is a mix-up between the visitors keeper and a defender, allowing Louis Mitchell with an open goal and he duly scores.
Unfortunately for Droitwich, this is just a small respite as in the 42nd minute, following a cleared Droitwich free kick, the ball is quickly moved downfield for their No.10 to slot the ball home.
The scoreline is made more unreal when in injury time the live-wire Stourbridge No.7 shoots past the home keeper in to the right hand corner.
'The Spa' are trailing 1-5 at half-time and now they need to re-group and somehow restore some pride in the next 45 minutes. Stourbridge on the other hand must be wondering, by how much can they improve their goal difference today?
During the latter part of the first-half I have been talking to a guy, who is watching his sons play in the Stourbridge side and he is originally from Cyprus. They are Kyri and Michael Kourouyianni and Kyri is the captain too. He also tells me that his eldest son plays for Tividale and he scored a goal last week in their win at Worcester City. Quite a family football dynasty in the making there!
When play resumes, a defensive mistake on the right lets in the Stourbridge No.7 who shoots in to the side netting.
They go close again when one of their players pushes the ball past the keeper but his shot is blocked by a defender and I wonder if a penalty should have been awarded as it looks as if it struck him on the arm.
They are eventually rewarded when they get a penalty in the 70th minute and their No.6 places it into the left hand corner of the goal.
Although Droitwich are much more in the game now, Stourbridge still look dangerous on the break, especially down the right.
2 more chances are created for the home side but not converted before they are awarded another penalty for a hand ball in the area.
This is converted and then in injury time they score again when the ball is taken round the keeper and slotted home for the 4th goal.
Droitwich Spa have run out of time though and Stourbridge come away with the 3 points that they nearly messed up.
A spirited come back by The Spa and they must surely rue their first half defensive lapses. Stourbridge keep their 100% record and must be the hot favourites to win this division.
It's good to have finally made it to this new ground and next Tuesday it will be hosting the much awaited local derby between Droitwich Spa and Worcester City in the First Round of the Worcestershire Senior Cup. That could see yet another record attendance.
This redeveloped ground is certainly an improvement to what was here before and the sloping pitch is a thing of the past. The grass pitch apparently had been a bit threadbare at the start of the season when there had not been much rain but it's certainly looking good now.
Entrance Fee: £3
Programme: none available
Match Attendance: 40 (approximately)
Match Entertainment: 7.5/10
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