SIKH HUNTERS 0 - 2 GORNAL ATHLETIC

 

WEST MIDLANDS LEAGUE, DIVISION ONE

Huxley Logistics Stadium, Long Lane Park, Essington, WV11 2AA

18th February, 2023       3:00 pm Kick-Off

Well, another dull winter Saturday afternoon in the West Midlands is forecast and I have decided to go a ground (Long Lane Park) that I visited once before on a sunny afternoon in May, 2016.That was for the West Midlands League, Premier Division Cup Final which saw a young Smethwick Rangers defeat the hot favourites, Wolverhampton Sporting by a single goal.

Now this ground is the home of Sikh Hunters FC,  a club founded in 1964 by 3 Indian football players originally from the Punjab who wanted to carry on playing the game in their new country. The club started life in the Sunday leagues and after some success, a few seasons later made the switch to Saturday football. 

I have watched this team in action before on 2 occasions, firstly when they played at the former Oldbury United ground in York Road, in Rowley Regis and then when they played at Wolverhampton United (now a defunct club).

Today they host the current league leaders of Division One, Gornal Athletic, while Sikh Hunters themselves are lying in 13th place in an 18 team division.

My journey from New Street station is at first an uncomfortable one, as Aston Villa have an early kick-off game today v Arsenal at 12:30pm. Even though 2 trains have been laid on at this time, both trains are chock a block with fans, making for a hot stuffy ride for 3 stops. It's good to see though that there will a big crowd for this match against the league leaders.  

When I get to Walsall, I first have a look around the Art Gallery but there is not much to interest me there today apart from the permanent collection which has some good paintings and sculptures.

Later on I have a meal of fish and chips at a local cafe and then catch the number X51 bus, ultimately destined for Cannock.  I find out that the West Midlands Travel website (from the night before) has given me some duff information about from which stop to start my journey and it takes me about 20 minutes to find out where to catch this bus.

When I do catch it, the journey takes about 20 minutes, just over the border into Staffordshire up the A34, where I get off near the turning for Long Lane in the village of Newtown. Then I walk 15 minutes up this road past the Wyrley United FC ground (another one to visit) on my left close to the railway line and then crossing over the canal I soon find Long Lane Park on my right.

I walk in to the car park and then go past the club house where the entrance to the pitch is to the left of it. I have made it with just 7 minutes before the start of the match. The pitch lies in front of the 100 seater stand while the team dug-outs are situated on the opposite side.

When the teams troop out, the hosts are decked out in their current first team strip of all grey with black trim, while Gornal are in their usual colours of yellow shirts, green shorts and socks.

After early pressure from the visitors, Sikh Hunters have the first real effort on goal when in the 7th minute their No.3 goes on a good long run down the left and has a shot saved at the near post.

Gornal are the next to threaten when they too attack down the left hand side and see a shot turned around for a corner.

They take the lead soon after, when they have a free kick and the Sikh Hunters keeper spills the resulting shot and the ball is eventually scrambled away for a corner. However they are awarded a penalty and I think possibly there was a handball during the melee.

The spot kick is comfortably dispatched and they double their lead when there is a misplaced pass in the home defence and the Gornal N0.7 takes advantage of this and slots the ball home from the left.

I'm now wondering if this game is going to follow the same path when they played at Gornal's, Garden Walk Stadium earlier in the season when Sikh Hunters lost 0-6? Their early season defensive frailties don't appear to be a problem now as they are definitely showing some fighting qualities in this game.

In the 35th minute, their N0.6 and captain, Sanjay Malhi, slots through a ball for their speedy No.7 to shoot past the advancing Gornal keeper but it's quickly disallowed for offside.

Half-time arrives with no further score and the home side have a lot of work to do to get back in to this match today.

During the interval I ask a guy who is writing at the back of the stand if he is writing a match report but it turns out he is assessing the performance of today's referee. He also tells me that he thinks he's doing a decent job of it so far.

At least half of the supporters in the small crowd today, appear to be from Gornal Athletic. Although they sit in first place, Saltley Stallions are just 2 points behind them in 2nd place and the favourites, Allscott Heath from Shropshire are 5 points adrift but with 4 games in hand.

For the second half I have decided to stand by the goal where Gornal will be attacking now.

In the 19th minute, the Gornal Athletic No.7 clatters in to the Sikh Hunters No.10 and eventually gets booked for his efforts, even though he keeps asking the Referee ,'How was that a foul?' To be honest I don't think it was anything malicious but he is quite a robust physical player.

    Gornal go close after 22 minutes when their No.11 goes on a good run down the left but sees his shot saved by the keeper. 7 minutes later and the visitors No.5 heads straight at the Hunters keeper from a free kick.

In the very next minute, a Gornal player breaks through and pushes the ball past the out-coming keeper in to the net but is in an offside position.

Right near the end of this match, Gornal attack down the left and a good ball is played in and their No.10 races in to shoot but over the bar.

The visitors win 2-0 and despite Sikh Hunters putting plenty of effort in to this match, have not been able to create many chances. They certainly have given the leaders a fight today and will be looking to improve their league position.

Gornal Athletic are worthy winners but they will be looking for Allscott Heath to slip up before the end of the season to have any chance of lifting the title.

Match Attendance:             40 (approx)

Entrance Fee:                      £5  (£3 concessions)

Match Programme:            none available

Match Entertainment:       7/10

  

 

NORTON CANES 2 - 1 SIKH HUNTERS DEVELOPMENT

 

 WEST MIDLANDS REGIONAL LEAGUE, DIVISION TWO

           Pride Park, Hazel Lane, Great Wyrley, Walsall, WS6 6DL

                            16th April 2022,   3:00 Kick-Off

I was looking to go to a new ground this week and I decided that the Pride Park ground of Wolverhampton Sporting FC would be a good one. Earlier in the season I had intended to see this club play against the runaway leaders of the MFL Div One, Atherstone Town but that fell through for a reason I can't recall now.

Wolves Sporting are not at home today, so it's a good opportunity to see a new team as well, in the shape of Norton Canes, who are playing their first season in the West Midlands Regional League and ground share at Pride Park.  They were formed in 2001 and had previously been playing in the Birmingham & District League. Norton Canes is a nearby former mining village, located in the old and now defunct Cannock coal field.

Again like last week the forecast is a good one and I make my way to Walsall by train, have time to look in a few shops and then have a fish & chips at the local Tesco Cafe. I then take the train again to Landywood, which is just 3 stops away and it's just a 15-20 minutes walk to Hazel Lane where Pride Park is located.   

I am greeted just outside the entrance by the father of Ryan Horton, who is the Secretary and 1st Team Manager too. I had emailed Ryan on Thursday about my impending trip and he said I was most welcome to come and take photos for my Blog and that I could watch the match for free! A very nice gesture. Ryan had briefed his father so he let me straight through.

Pride Park is certainly a nice little ground, with a Club House and bar upstairs in the building behind the nearest end of the pitch. Underneath are the changing rooms. Either side of the club house are 2 stands for seated spectators, with the one nearest the entrance having benched seating and the other having individual seating. Both at a guess have room for 100 spectators each.

On the northern side of the grass pitch is located another covered area for standing spectators and the opposite side are the team dugouts. There is hard standing and railing on all sides.

After buying a cup of tea from the friendly bar maid upstairs I make my way to the pitch side to get settled and ready for the match. 

The 2 teams duly come out on to the pitch, with both in their first team colours. Norton Canes in orange shirts, blue shorts & socks while 'The Hunters' are in their all royal blue kit.

The Ref seems to start the match about 3 minutes early and it's the visitors who go closest to opening the scoring in the 7th minute when they attack down the right and have a shot that goes across the goal and wide of the left hand post.

Norton Canes look the more dangerous team after this and take the lead after 15 minutes. They are awarded a corner on the right and their No.8 delivers a great cross for their giant No.5, Brad Grice, to nod home at the far post. I think he probably scores a few goals at set pieces!

A good start for the home side and they nearly double their lead a few minutes later, when their No.10, Keenan Powell, is put through but sees his shot blocked by the keeper's legs.

A bit later, the Sikh Hunters keeper seems to get upset by the Ref and has to be told to calm down by the Hunter's No.4 and Captain. He gets booked for this but does not cause any more trouble afterwards.

The visitors go close to equalising when their No.14 hits a post with his shot and then the same player, from a good position in the 40th minute has a shot saved, as it was not hit with enough power.

Just before the interval, Keenan Powell of Norton Canes has a another shot blocked by the keeper's legs but they deserve their lead as they have generally looked the more dangerous side so far.  

The weather is holding up although there are cloudy intervals since the game kicked off.

The second period commences with the home team on the offensive. Their No.2, Sheldon Malcolm, goes on a good run down the left and crosses for one of his team mates to head wide of the right hand post.

Sikh Hunters get back in to the game in the 59th minute when their No.10 comes in from the left to slot home a shot for the equalising goal.

Their lead barely lasts a minute however as Norton Canes re-take the lead with their next attack. 

It's their No.2 who again goes down the left to pass inside for striker, Keenan Powell, to shoot home. 

                 (The build up for Norton Cane's second goal)

That's a good come back from Norton Canes. There is a funny but hairy incident later on when the under pressure No.3 for Sikh Hunters turns to pass back to his keeper but gets it wrong and sees his pass gently hit the right hand post and in to the keeper's grateful arms.

There is still time for the home sides No.11 to go close for goal number 3 after they attack down the right.

So a win for Norton Canes as they look to finish their inaugural season in this league on a high. They also have a Div 2, League Cup semi-final to look forward to too.

Sikh Hunters have contributed to a good contest and it's certainly been a clean game with not many histrionic episodes from the players, which makes a nice change.

When I am leaving the ground, I see one of the guys who have been doing some repair/building work on the entrance side of the ground. I tell him 'I hope they are paying you well?' He replies by telling me ' Pay me, I own the place! then proceeds to tell me that he and his fellow helpers are trying to rectify the damage incurred when Virgin had installed one of their cables in the road just outside. It had badly affected the drainage and as a consequence the car park area has been badly affected by flooding since then. Also Virgin had graciously declined to pay any money towards the repair costs. I'm sure that would break Mr. Branson's bank account.    

I hope the work goes well as the game needs clubs like Wolverhampton Sporting and Norton Canes at the grass roots end of the game! 


Match Attendance:      20

Entrance Fee:             none today 

Match programme:     none available 

Entertainment Value:  7.5/10