Damage in the Box!

BATH CITY (Twerton Park)

First and Foremost, I hope all my blog readers had a very Merry Christmas, even if the snowman bringing the snow did ruin it for most ground hoppers! After what seems an eternity, due to said weather, I finally got a chance to "tick" my first new ground since 11th December.

Inbetween i've lost a game on the 18th, surprisingly/shockingly a visit to Goodision Park on the 26th and a "double header" on the 27th. The only live football i've managed to see was a re-visit to Woodley Sports, who had a game on their 3G pitch beating Cammell Laird 2-0. That was just to get out of the house and get some fresh air in my lungs.

Today was due to be a visit to Morecambe's new ground, but that bit the dust 24 hours previous. That left very few options but fortunately the thaw began in the South West and Bath City's Twerton Park became playable. That meant their (Somerset v Gloucester) derby against Forest Green Rovers was going ahead. GAME ON!

Twerton Park is a fantastic old fashioned ground. Many of today's Sky generation fans would say it's a shithole, but I say it's a gem. A ramshackle dump with a rickety old main stand, plus a smaller new one for the away fans, lots of terracing, uneven in parts, pylon floodlights and a wee slope in the pitch. I loved it!

The club and the fans did a great job getting the match on and they were rewarded with a bumper crowd of (to be said with your finest Richie Benaud impression) 1,222. As a devout paper chaser though it was disappointing not to get a proper programme, as they never produced one as they thought there was no chance of this game going ahead, but I perfectly understood why. Some very sad hoppers would've insulted the seller and sulked off home at this point! They gave a free four page programme to everyone and, to me, a free copy of their last issue, which was appreciated.

The game turned out to be very entertaining. Forest Green took the lead inside 3 minutes when a free kick was swung in and Adam Quinn ghosted in unmarked to head home. Bath looked useful on the attack, with journey-man Kaid Mohammed causing most of the problems, however they looked very suspect in defence.

Rovers had clearly done their homework and were getting men behind the ball, soaking the pressure then hitting the soft under belly that was the centre of defence. It seemed only a matter of time before their lead was extended, but on 24 minutes Bath were level. A needless shove by Quinn in the box resulted in a penalty and Mohammed levelled.

The joy didn't last long as Rovers went on the attack and from a free kick Luke Jones headed home, again the marking was nowhere to be seen. Deep into stoppage time Rovers went further in front, a long ball out of defence was allowed to bounce by the centre half, as he must have thought the goalkeeper was coming out to clear, but Reece Styche nipped in to volley home.

Speaking to a Bath City fan at half he said that they normally have to go two goals behind before they wake up and start playing. How accurate that proved to be as the second was virtually dominated by City. Forest Green had clearly decided that 3-1 was enough and were going to defend it, time waste and generally use spoiling tactics. They nearly came unstuck. Mohammed went on mazy run down the wing and his cross found its way Lee Phillips, who shot home,to bring the home side within a goal.

However with 12 minutes to go, as Bath piled forward, they got sucker-punched as Ross Dyer had the freedom of the City half to run through on goal and slot home to seal the win. In the last minute of stoppage time, as Rovers were down by the corner flag doing the time wasting routine, frustration got the better of Luke Ruddick and he lunged in leaving the referee no option but to issue a straight red card.

Very happy to get a game in today, but there was one tiny disappoinment, namely the fact I was saving a visit to Bath for the train so I could pay a visit to the legendary Royal Oak, but as I was in the car this wasn't to be. Maybe in the future i'll get the chance again!

Kaid Mohammed levels from the spot. The joy proved short lived.

Tuesday 28th December 2010

Conference Premier

Bath City 2-4 Forest Green Rovers

Attendance: 1,222

CEFN DRUIDS (The Rock)

Once again I stayed local this week and, with the thaw in North Wales, there were plenty of games to choose from. I opted for a visit to 'The Rock' the new home of Cefn Druids.

Their old ground at Plaskynyston was sold off to a supermarket chain and, once planning permission for this was given, it set the wheels in motion for the new ground a mile up the road. The clearing of the land began in April 2010 and the ground started to take shape in June before being officially opened in August. The first competitive fixture was a 4-2 win over Penrhyncoch in September.

As new builds go, I was rather impressed with the set-up. The ground is a typical new build, with only a large seated stand but it's the location of where the new ground has been built that adds character. The ground was built on the site of a disused quarry, so the rock face dominates the ground, hence the name. As I found when I visited Plaskynyston on many occasions, the welcome from the Druids officials is still as warm as ever.

The home side took the lead after 8 minutes when Ashley Wilson tapped home after a good cross from Tom Obasi. Overall though the first half was pretty even. The Druids had plenty of opportunities to extend their lead, likewise Llandudno had chances to level, including hitting the upright.

The second was dominated by Llandudno as they sought an equaliser, though they rarely troubled the home 'keeper with their attempts. One effort that was on target, a superb turn and shot from Alec Williams, crashed the underside of the crossbar and bounced out to safety. Eventually they got their reward as Tony Cann levelled. A shot was saved by the keeper but it spun up, and was probably going to roll in, but Cann got the final touch to the ball before it went over the line, just to make sure.

In the final few moments both sides had chances to nick a winner, but i'd say a draw was a fair result.

Saturday 11th December 2010

Cymru Alliance

Cefn Druids 1-1 Llandudno Town

Attendance: 121

BRO GORONWY (Cae Nerys)

With the appalling arctic conditions which brought the sporting calendar to a shuddering halt over the last seven days, there were very, very few options to choose from today. Fortunately, the Isle of Anglesey appeared to have it's own little micro-climate and, with Bro Goronwy's website saying as early as thursday there wouldn't be any problems with the game being on, it was down the A55 I headed.

Bro Goronwy are based in the village of Moelfre and play at Cae Nerys, which is basically an enclosed, railed off (sloping)pitch sandwiched between a school and a farmhouse. Unsurprisingly there was no programme, but there was someone collecting an admission (£2) at the gate from the 33 hardy souls that had gathered. The visitors today were the reserves of Holyhead Hotspur, who are currently top of the Gwynedd League with Bro Goronwy tucked in behind them in second place.

I have no idea of the standard of the Gwynedd league but I was surmising it wasn't particulary high, but as i'm finding out recently, if you have no idea of what to expect then you usually end up with a stonking game. Today that proved the case. My words probably couldn't do justice to what a great cup tie this was.

With a place in the semi-final at stake, Bro flew out of the traps, going close in the opening 10 ten minutes. The homesters took the lead on 18 minutes when the goalkeepers clearance, from a bad back pass, was charged down and Alex Jones rolled the ball in the net from 25 yards. Three minutes later Sam Carter doubled the lead with a diving header from a throw in. Bro had further chances to extend their lead but were wastful in front of goal. How they would come to rue those misses.

Hotspurs got themselves back in the game after 34 minutes when Adrian Cousins tapped in at the far post, after an initial shot was spilled. On 40 minutes Holyhead were level, ironically from a Bro free-kick. The kick was whipped in and a header was pushed away by the keeper, then the follow up shot was blocked and the ball broke and Hotspurs were on the attack from which they equalised, Jason Owen's massively deflected shot finding the net. Right on the stroke of half-time Hotspurs found themselves unbelievably in the lead, Cousins tapping in when unmarked at the far post. I like most of the spectators was baffled how Bro went in 2-3 down. Holyhead had netted with their only three attempts on goal!

Holyhead appeared to have sealed the tie in the opening 10 minutes of the second half when, first, Matthew Thomas (47) turned a shot into the net after the ball dropped for him in the box and then, second, Cousins (55) used his height to head home a cross and complete his hat-trick. Bro kept attacking but looked vulnerable on the break, as you would when chasing the game, but they got back into the game on the hour when Alex Jones broke through and rounded the keeper to finish, for his second of the match.

On 70 minutes Bro made it 4-5 when Pat Roberts tapped in from a great cross. The home side had the whiff of a astonishing comeback, but Ricky Lavelle finally broke the hearts of the homesters when he chipped the goalie in the last minute to dseal the tie. Amazingly there was still time for Roberts to slot home to reduce the deficit once again to a single goal but saly it was too late. Holyhead marched on into the semi-final and both teams will meet again next week in the league. What odds on a boring 0-0?