NORTH FERRIBY UNITED (Church Lane)

For the second Saturday in succession, it was to be the rain that would have the biggest influence on where I would be heading for today's action. Fortunately, the east coast usually gets off lightest when it comes to iffy weather, so a quick call to the secretary of North Ferriby to confirm the game would go ahead was met with a firm yes, so it was along the M62 I trundled.

North Ferriby is a small village 8 miles west of Hull and the football team is well established in the Northern Premier League, after being promoted in 2005. Burscough were relegated from the Conference North last season after finishing second bottom. This season has been indifferent for both teams The Villagers were in 10th position on 23 points (but with games in hand) whilst The Linnets were a point behind in 12th (but having played 3 games more).

The actual game was a pretty insipid affair, which was settled by a goal from Gary Bradshaw on the half hour. The striker slid in to challenge the 'keeper, who looked to have the ball comfortably under control, but he allowed it to squirm from his grasp and Bradshaw was left with a simple tap in. This was no more than North Ferriby deserved after totally dominating the first half, but unfortunately their attempts at goal caused more trouble to the spuds in the allotments behind the goal than it it did to Linnets custodian Kyle Clancy.

The heavens opened at half time and the second half was played in driving rain and, to be brutally honest, was total rubbish. The Villagers had a couple of chances to extend their lead but Clancy saved well. Any chance Burscough had of salvaging a point disappeared when Thomas Moore was sent off for a needless elbow.

You can't have a good game every week, but my run of not seeing any 0-0's this season continued and with the bad weather I was just happy to get a game in.



The Humber Bridge in background

Saturday 14th November 2009

Northern Premier League

North Ferriby United 1-0 Burscough

Attendance: 226

WEALDSTONE (Grosvenor Vale)

A "brucey bonus" today as there was a chance to sample some cup fever in North London, Ruislip to be exact. Wealdstone were taking on Football League Two side Rotherham United, but due to the high profile nature of the game, it was switched to the sunday which meant I was all over this like a rash!! This was Wealdstone biggest game in years and their first big game at Grosvenor Park, since taking over the tenancy from Ruislip Manor after being homeless for nigh on twenty years.

Rotherham were expected to easily see off The Stones, who play three league below in the Isthmian Premier League. Hey, this is cup football and you can't take anything for granted and the majority of the 1,638 crowd were hoping for a big upset.

It so nearly turned into a momentous day for the Stones, but sadly they fell just a little short. The opening half an hour was nip and tuck as both teams sussed each other out, but obviously Rotherham looked the bigger and fitter side.

It was an absolute fluke how they eventually took the lead on 33 minutes. Wealdstone goalkeeper Sean Thomas took too long to clear a back pass and it was chased down by Adam Le Fondre and as Thomas eventually got his laces on the ball, Le Fondre was there and the ball hit his arse and looped into the empty net. This was harsh on The Stones who were just beginning to find their feet.

The goal knocked the stuffing out of them and Rotherham took control. A few minutes later Thomas picked up a back pass and the referee awarded an indirect free kick 8 yards out, but the Stones survived this scare. However, it was no surprise when Rotherham did bag their second goal just before half time when ex-Chester man Kevin Ellison fired home from 20 yards. This would appear to be game over for Wealdstone.

The second half was a real non event for the first 15 minutes as Wealdstone huffed and puffed but Rotherham always had them at arms length, as the Millers looked to see out the game. However this all changed with half an hour to go when Danny Spendlove was introduced as a substitute. He almost turned the game around as he tormented Rotherham with his skill and pace. On 62 minutes he played a great pass through to Ryan Ashe who fired home to reduce the deficit. Wealdstone discovered the fighting spirit and Rotherham were on the backfoot. Another Spendlove pass sent Mark E'Bayer through and he should have levelled, but he fired just past the post.

Totally against the run of play Rotherham added a third with 9 minutes left, through a Drew Broughton header. This was incredibly cruel on Wealdstone and although Ryan Ashe bagged his second in stoppage time, it wasn't enough. There was still one last chance for the home side as a scramble from a corner hit a post, but with that the chance of an upset had gone. The home side left the field to huge applause and can feel justifiably proud of their efforts.



Sunday 8th November 2009

FA Cup 1st Round Proper

Wealdstone 2-3 Rotherham United

Attendance: 1,638

LEEK TOWN (Harrison Park)

Today was one of those days, a groundhoppers nightmare...the dreaded torrential downpour! This meant waterlogged pitches galore, which meant lots of postponements, which meant very limited options. Bad times. Eventually the fickle finger of fate landed on Harrison Park, the home of Leek Town who were playing against the worlds oldest club, Sheffield FC.

I have actually visited Harrison Park before, a couple of years ago, when I seen the grounds other residents, Leek CSOB, play. The ground hasn't changed one iota! Considering the rain that was falling the pitch was in great nick and a decent game of football was eagerly anticipated. I wasn't disappointed.

Both teams have had a fairly decent start to the season with Sheffield currently sitting top of the pile, with Leek handily placed not too far behind, having been the early pace setters themselves. Sheffield started the brightest with pace on the break and two big target men to aim for. The only surprise was that it took them until the 29th minute to finally take the lead when a cross from the right was headed home by Ben Leonard. They had another decent chance through a Greg Wright shot before Leek levelled six minutes later with their first meaningful attempt on goal. Dan Cope got his laces on the end of a Leon Ashman cross and the ball crept across the line and into the net. This lifted Leek and they had the better chances in the final minutes of the first half but the score remained level.

The second half continued where the first left off as Leek continued to force the play but on 56 minutes Sheffield regained the lead when Matthew Roney rounded the 'keeper before firing home from a narrow angle. Instead of pushing on Sheffield seemed to be settling for the 2-1 lead and slowly handed the initiative back to Leek, but it wasn't until the 88th minute that Leek got their second equaliser they richly deserved, when a cross from the right was allowed to be kept in play and turned back across goal for Paul McMahon to fire home. There was four minutes of added time and Leek went for it and almost snatched a dramatic winner but Sheffield held out and a draw was a fair result.

All that was left now was to jump in the car and head to the Echo Arena in Liverpool for a great evenings entertainment watching Morrissey....pass me that pint pot!!

Saturday 7th November 2009

Northern Premier League Division One South

Leek Town 2-2 Sheffield FC

Attendance: 307

SCOTTISH 'TREBLE' WEEKEND

COWDENBEATH, ST JOHNSTONE & DUNDEE UNITED

Yet another journey to Bonnie Scotland, and a "wee" treble. The games on offer this weekend were simply too good to refuse, so to speak, as they involved some of the longest treks north (for me anyhow) and they are usually very difficult to "double up" nevermind "treble up" so it made perfect economical sense!

12.00pm Saturday 31st October 2009
Scottish Football League Division Two
Cowdenbeath 2-1 East Fife
Attendance: 733

Let me begin by explaining why this game has an unusual midday kick off. A knock-on effect of Livingston’s escape from liquidation was that they were demoted from division one to division three of the Scottish league. As a consequence Airdire and Cowdenbeath were promoted to division one and two respectively. Cowdenbeath’s ground, Central Park, doubles up as a stock car racing track and today was the big autumn meeting. When the original fixtures were announced, Cowdenbeath were away to avoid a clash with the stock cars. When Livi were demoted and Airdrie promoted, Cowdenbeath simply took over Airdire’s fixtures. This now gave them a home game, hence why we are here today!!

The game, as luck would have it, is a big local derby against their rivals from Methill, East Fife. Cowdenbeath have had a good start to the season and are currently up in third place in the table whilst East Fife are just four points behind them in seventh.

The ground, to be brutally frank, is a tip! Obviously you have the stock car track around the pitch, so you are quite away from the action. There is a terrace on one side of the pitch, where most people congregate, and on the other a large seated stand, which is in two parts. Half is the original main stand and the other half is the modern replacement for the bit that was destroyed by fire in the 1990’s.

The game was a cracking full blooded end to end Derby. Both teams looked shocking defensively but great on the attack. The Blue Brazil (honestly that’s Cowden’s nickname) struck first inside two minutes when Brian Fairbairn fired home to give them the lead. East Fife player-manager Stevie Crawford then levelled on fourteen minutes before Jon Robertson restored ‘Beath’s lead two minutes later. Cowdenbeath had chances to extend their lead before half time but were very wasteful. They almost came to rue those misses.

The second half was a different story as the Fifers took control of the game and reduced the home side to playing on the counter. How they never levelled, I’ll never know. East Fife had plenty of possession but could not find an equaliser. The best chance on 70 minutes, when a David Muir header was pushed away by 'Beath 'keeper David Hay before Muir picked it up again, and his shot from 3 yards was again blocked by the keeper. The home side held on to take the three points.



It was then a mad dash up the M90 to....

 3pm Saturday 31st October 2009

Scottish Premier League

St Johnstone 2-1 Falkirk

Attendance: 4,423

St Johnstone’s McDiarmid Park was one of the first of the “new” grounds to be built in Britain, replacing Muirton Park in 1989. It is basically four identikit stands, with a variety of coloured seats. Even though it is relatively modern is does feel a little dated, maybe that is due to the style of build I don’t know, but it didn't feel as bland, even though it is, as your more recent new grounds.

The stand behind the goal was not open today, not surprising given that the opposition today was bottom of the table Falkirk. St Johnstone are not doing much better themselves but the crowd, who were mostly congregated in one stand, did create a good noise.

St Johnstone’s problems on the pitch recently have been an inability to score or when they have scored, to finish teams off. They got off to a flying start today when Collin Samuel netted after two minutes. The Saints created a few good chances but couldn’t put the ball in the net, Samuel (twice) and Jody Morris going close but worst offender was Liam Craig who missed a sitter from three yards out. Falkirk had a couple of little sniffs on the break and there was a nagging feeling the Saints problems would re-surface.

Indeed that was the case three minutes after the interval when Falkirk scored an equaliser when Carl Finnigan volleyed home past the advancing 'keeper. The home crowd quickly turned on their team, which possibly may explain why they struggle at times. However, they were soon cheering again as two goals in two minutes. A Chris Millar cross shot (64) and a Murray Davidson header (66) wrapped up the precious three points for Saints and leave the Bairns rooted to the foot of the table.

12.45pm Sunday 1st November 2009

Scottish Premier League

Dundee United 0a1 Rangers

Attendance: 9,834

After a few beers in Perth on the Saturday night, it was onto the final leg of the journey and a 35 mile trek up the M90/A90 to Dundee. Tannadice Park was the final destination to witness Dundee United take on Rangers. I knew, obviously, that the two Dundee grounds are the closest professional grounds in Britain but until you actually see it for yourself, you don’t realise how close! Quite literally it is about 100 yards between them...

 

Tannadice is a mish-mash of stands but it does have a proper old fashioned feel. We were sat in the front row of the rather grand George Fox Stand. The game kicked off in absolute monsoon conditions but both teams produced a frenetic end to end game, which belied the difficult conditions.

Dundee United dominated play and carved out some great chances Paul Dixon and Mihael Kovacevic both hitting the crossbar, but after 29 minutes they were sucker punched by Rangers when Steven Davis netted after he was left free when United tried to play an offside trap.

The conditions were getting worse and the ball was holding up in the surface water. A half time inspection by the match officials left them with no real choice but to abandon the game. This was only my fourth abandonment in my years of hopping joining the illustrious list of Y Felinheli, Stalybridge Celtic and Lydney Town. I'll leave the final word on this game to The Blessed Walter who, with his team leading at half time was "disappointed" with the abandonment. Old Wally disappointed? some things never change.

All that was left was a five hour journey home to contemplate the rather damp end to an otherwise enjoyable weekend's proceedings.