Bank Holiday Monday's action began at Treflan in Llansantffraid. Treflan, for people who don't know, was the former home of Welsh Premier League side TNS before they decamped over the border to Oswestry. Having visited this ground on many occasions, usually when TNS did battle with old foes Rhyl, I decided to give this game a miss.
By all accounts I missed a very one sided 1-1 draw (crowd 245). Llansantffraid were playing Welshpool, a former Premier League side, and champions as recently as 2002, who have had a dramatic fall from grace in recent seasons, and it was only the heroics of the Welshpool goalkeeper that earned his side a point.
Despite visiting this ground before I never took any photographs, so I arrived to see the last 15 minutes of the game (where I did witness the Welshpool goalkeeper pull off some of his saves!) and used the opportunity to take some snaps. Apart from needing a lick of paint, the ground hadn't changed much since my first visit back in 2003.
2.15pm Monday 29th August 2011Mid Wales League Division Two
Attendance: 212
It was a short journey 7 miles down the road to Meifod and the football ground is located at the rear of the Kings Head public house. It is just a field with railing down one side and, arguably, the best stand of the weekend. It was and old converted trailer. Some hoppers wondered if it had been towed up the road from Kerry, who had a similar stand when visited in 2010.
The standard of football was not the greatest, one wag describing it as "farmer football" but whatever the merits of the players' technical proficiency, it was a game packed with goals and incident and certainly made up for the drab 0-0 draw in the reverse fixture last season.
Four Crosses carved open the Meifod defence at will and found themselves 6-1 up at the break and 8-1 after 49 minutes. Goals from Chris Bishop (15, 20, 33 & 39) Andrew Webb (37) Paul Hughes (44 & 48) and Gary Jones (49).This was after Meifod took the lead through Haydn Langford after 13 minutes.
At this point Four Crosses decided to take their foot off the gas and let Meifod back into the game. They hit the bar, the post, missed two open goals, had one headed off the line and a goal disallowed. They did score through Sam Jones (76 & 86) to reduce the deficit but Four Crosses could've added another to their tally but Hughes missed a chance of hat-trick, from the penalty spot, in stoppage time.
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| My favourite stand of the weekend |
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| Meifod just about foil another Four Crosses attack |
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| Phillip Hughes in the Meifod goal holds his head in his hands as Chris Bishop's shot goes through his legs to make it 5-1 |
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| Andrew Webb blasts a free kick high and wide |
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| Chris Bishop, four goals for Four Crosses |
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| Paul Hughes misses from the penalty spot and is denied his hat-trick |
5.30pm Monday 29th August 2011Waterloo Rovers 2-4 Montgomery
Attendance: 333
The final part of the hop took us to Welshpool and Maes-y-Dre, the home of Waterloo Rovers. This ground is part of an area adjacent to the A483 which is home to Rovers, Welshpool FC nee Town and the cricket club.
This was a re-visit for me but the ground was looking better than did having been given a lick of paint and now boasting hard-standing all around the pitch.
The first half was not the best but Montgomery found themselves 2-0 up at the break with goals from Tom Evans (32) and Ross Harris (37). The game came to life in the second period and by the hour mark Waterloo were level after Steve Jones (53) and Scott Holley (59) scored. The game was now wide open and it could've gone either way. Gary Bromley restored Montogomery's lead after 67 minutes but Rovers continued to press for an equaliser.
The game was finally sealed in favour of the visitors when Evans bagged his second in the 87th minute. This result meant Montgomery finished the weekend sitting top of the Division One table.
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| The stand at Welshpool, a hefty goal kick away from Waterloo Rovers' ground |
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| I wouldn't normally, but the faggots and peas were superb! |
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