STRATFORD TOWN 1 - 0 COALVILLE TOWN

 

SOUTHERN LEAGUE, PREMIER CENTRAL

The Arden Garages Stadium, Knights Lane, Tiddington, CV37 7BZ

15th April, 2023            3:oo pm Kick-Off

The season is rapidly coming to a close and the excitement mounts with the different battles being waged for promotion and relegation across the different league competitions.

I have opted to watch an intriguing encounter between Stratford Town and Coalville Town, with the visitors sitting at the top of the Southern League Premier Central and looking to cement their quest to be crowned champions. 

Stratford Town on the other hand are looking to make sure that they avoid relegation, which looks likely after their resurgence of form in the last few weeks.

I make my way by train from Birmingham with no problems and soon I am stepping out of the station at Stratford and walking down Alcester Road into the nearby town centre. There is a market taking place, as it does on every Saturday and I am soon buying a Manchester City enamel pin badge, as I lost my previous one a few years ago (I started liking this team many years ago, before the Premier League was ever thought of). 

It's a good quality market with interesting things to buy and delicious looking food items for sale too.

I then find a great fish & chip shop and restaurant where I have a steak & ale pie and chips. They are proper chips too, thick and tasty, with no grease. I then have time to have a browse around some shops before wandering down to the river and the canal basin.

(View of the Canal Basin with the Royal Shakespeare Theatre in the background, on the left)

I don't have much time to stay around here and so soon I am making my way across the bridge over the River Avon and turning left on to the Tiddington Road. It takes me 30 minutes to reach this village and even though it's on a main road, it's a pleasant walk, with the beautiful houses lining both sides. Most of them I suspect are worth seven figure sums I'm sure. Also the weather is good, mainly cloudy with the occasional sunny interval and a temperature of 13 degrees.  

The turning for Knights Lane is on my right and five minutes later I'm walking down the drive to the stadium.

I pay my entrance fee and buy a programme inside the ground but unfortunately they have sold out of badges. I'm sure this happened to me when I last came here about 10 years ago and again it had been their last home game of the season. 

I decide to stand at the west end of the ground where there is a covered standing area. The main stand lies to my left and on the opposite side of the pitch are the team dug-outs, with a small covered stand with seating and either side of this are larger uncovered seating areas for spectators. At the opposite end of the pitch there are no stands or seating. 

The teams soon come out onto the pitch with the hosts in a very smart looking kit. Orange shirts with a vertical white stripe on the left, navy blue shorts & white socks. 'The Ravens' of Coalville Town are decked out in black & white shirts, black shorts & red socks.

'The Bards' of Stratford go straight on to the attack and their forward, Callum Ebanks goes down the right and manages to get in a shot that goes just wide of the goal. 

From a corner in the 13th minute Stratford defender, Lewis Ison sees his header pushed over the bar by keeper, Paul White.

It's certainly entertaining end to end football for today's big crowd, swelled by the hundreds of supporters from Coalville. 

Their team go very close to breaking the deadlock in the 24th minute when danger man, Tom Mc.Glinchey sees his shot hit the bar and over.

The visitors go very close again when Luke Shaw hits the right hand post right at the end of this half.

So it's still 0-0 at half-time with still everything to play for. During this half I have been standing close to one of the club's 2 photographers, Paul Grant, and he tells me that it's thanks to some good recruitment of new players that's helped his team to move away from the relegation zone. Iv'e noticed that the experienced defender, Paul McCone, who I saw playing for Halesowen Town last season is in their ranks and he's been having a fine game so far.

I move down to the other end of the ground for the second half and I hope it's going to be as good as the first 45 minutes?

Again the home team come fast out of the blocks and go ahead after just 5 minutes. After a good break down the left, Callum Ebanks shot comes back off the left hand post and Kyle Bennett is on hand to steer in the rebound.

The Stratford fans go nuts and the players are jubilant too!

The rest of this half sees Coalville having plenty of possession but the Stratford rearguard are in inspired form and they are not giving away many chances.

'The Ravens' have plenty of corners and free kicks but just can't find a way through.

They are even being helped by the referee who adds on an extra 9 minutes of time but it's to no avail and Stratford have pulled off an unexpected victory today. With Coalville's nearest rivals playing against each other today, Tamworth earn a 3-1 home victory over Leiston, which sees them reclaim the top spot after being there for a large part of the season. 

Stratford have had their biggest crowd of the season today and they will be looking to build on this performance for the next league campaign, while Coalville will be looking to see if they can exploit any possible slip-ups by Tamworth in the last 2 games.

I have really enjoyed my visit to Stratford and I don't think I will wait another 11 years to visit this stadium again.

Match Attendance:           1038

Entrance Fee:                    £10 (£8 concessions)

Match Programme:          £2

Match Entertainment:     9/10

  

ALVECHURCH 2 - 1 ILKESTON TOWN

 

SOUTHERN LEAGUE, PREMIER CENTRAL

Lye Meadow, Redditch Road, Alvechurch, B48 7RS

1st April, 2023       3:00 pm Kick-Off

Today I'm heading south down to Worcestershire, to the village of Alvechurch to see their match against Ilkeston Town, who still have a very slim chance of making the play-offs but to do this, they will probably have to win all their remaining league games. Alvechurch are heading for mid-table respectability after languishing in the bottom half of the table due to a back log of fixtures induced by a good run in the F.A. Cup, reaching the 2nd Round and eventually going down 1-2 at Forest Green Rovers.   

This will be my first visit to Lye Meadow for about 12 years, when I witnessed their last league game of the season in the then Midland Alliance, Premier Division, losing 0-9 to a rampant Coalville Town, who were crowned league champions that day.

The forecast is for a cloudy day when I set out on my journey. I make it to Alvechurch rail station with no problems and I decide to have a quick look at the Worcester - Birmingham canal that is close by.

There is a marina and boat yard located here, with a shop for supplies for passing boats.

I then make my way back past the rail station and 15 minutes later arrive in the village square where I decide to have a meal in a nearby cafe. It's not until I sit down after ordering a toasted sandwich and coffee, that I see across the road is the Tudor Rose, fish & chip shop, which would probably have been better value.

Some of the visiting Ilkeston supporters are outside the shop tucking into their takeaway meals. The cafe I'm in is nice enough but the meal is not a filling one and when I eventually make it to the ground, order a bacon bap to curb my hunger pangs.

Lye Meadow is on the southern edge of this village and it feels like you are in the countryside.

When I get to the turnstile, there are plenty of visiting supporters waiting to get in and it's good to see that they are willing to travel this distance to follow their team.

Before the game starts, I decide to stand on the western side of the ground at first where the main stand is located. On the other side are the team dug-outs, with the club house and changing rooms behind. At the northern end, there is a smaller stand for standing spectators while there is no cover behind the goal at the southern end of the ground.

Alvechurch F.C., despite being a village team, have a great history and in 1974 even managed to reach the 3rd Round of the F.A. Cup before losing to Bradford City. One of their former players, a certain Alan Smith of Arsenal fame even scored the winning goal in their 1994 European Cup Winners Cup team.

When the teams come out, they are both decked out in their usual first team colours. Alvechurch in their yellow shirts, black shorts and yellow & black socks while Ilkeston Town are in their red & white striped shirts, white shorts & socks. 

Both teams go close to scoring in the early stages, with the keeper's making smart saves, Jezeph for the hosts and Foulkes for the visitors.

          (Alvechurch's , Ben Cassidy, sees his effort fizz over the bar)

It's Ilkeston who take the lead in the 16th minute, when from a corner on the left, Finn Delap sees his effort come back off the bar and Remaye Campbell is there to slot it home into the net.

Alvechurch come back strongly and their No.11, Jamie Soule is twice denied by Harrison Foulkes.

 In the 28th minute, Ilkeston have a good shot from the left blocked by Dan Jezeph and just 2 minutes their experienced No.9, Leroy Lita, misses a good chance with a header from a cross from the right. It just grazes his forehead and goes wide.

The visitors create 2 more chances before their captain and No. 6, Kieran Fenton, makes a great tackle to deny the oncoming Jamie Soule who looked likely to score.

An exciting finish to an exciting opening 45 minutes, despite being played on a challenging muddy pitch and it's very hard to predict who will come out on top. 

During the first half I'd had a quick chat with one of the home supporters and he'd told me that the building of his club's new ground near the Worcestershire / Birmingham border is on hold as Birmingham City Council have not yet given the go ahead for this. He reckons it won't be decided until this coming June.

Play resumes for the second half and there are not so many chances being created this time but I don't think both teams could have kept that pace going on a heavy pitch.

In the 56th minute, Alvechurch have a shot cleared off the line but 10 minutes later equalise through No.9, Danny Waldron, who dives to head in a great cross from Jack Concannon from the right. A few minutes later and Concannon himself is played through and scores their second goal.

Alvechurch No.3, Brad Burton puts in a good shot from the right but keeper Foulkes makes an equally good save, to deny 'The Church' from running away with this match.

Ilkeston Town can't find a way through though and Alvechurch take the 3 points and deny the plucky visitors any chance of an unlikely play-off spot come the end of the season.

It's been a great match and also a great atmosphere,  largely helped by the good natured visiting supporters who are a great advert for their club. I wouldn't mind visiting their ground next season for one of my longer trips to the East Midlands.

Alvechurch will be playing for at least another season at this cosy little ground and I hope that their new stadium is built soon to usher in a new era for this historic club.

Entrance Fee:                      £12 (£8 concession)

Match Attendance:             366

Match Programme:            £3

Entertainment Value:        8.5 / 10