Today was billed as non-league day and a campaign was launched to encourage people to get out and support grassroots football. To coincide with this, The Conference had arranged for three games across their three leagues to have staggered kick offs so supporters could 'hop' from one match to the next, and complete a rare hat-trick of a game from each of the Conferences' divisions.
As luck would have it, I needed a visit to two out of the three grounds on the hop (having previously visited Chelmsford City some years back) but, as a further act of kindness, the FA Cup draw had thrown up a cup tie within 6 miles of the first game, so I could get in an alternative game inbetween. It was therefore in the direction of Hertfordshire and Essex I pointed the car full of happy hoppers...
Conference North
Bishop's Stortford 0-1 Boston United
Attendance: 661
Due to Rushden & Diamonds going into liquidation, and the reprieve of Southport, the geography of Bishop's Stortford (the furthest north of the southern clubs!) meant that this season they would be plying their trade in the Conference North.
Woodside Park, 2 minutes drive from J8 of the M11, was opened as recently as 1999 and is what you would expect from a new-ish ground as this level, with covered terraces behind each goal, a large main stand on one side of the pitch and another smaller seated stand on the other side. There was a bonus though of a guest ale in the clubhouse and the St Austell Trelawny was very well received!
The game was the usual
Stortford probably had the better chances, they missed two one-on-ones, and they played the last 20 minutes with 10 men when Phil Anderson was shown a red card for violent conduct.
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| Boston's Mickey Stone heads for goal |
3pm Saturday 3rd September 2011
FA Cup Preliminary Round
Stansted 4-0 London APSA
Attendance: 90
FA Cup Preliminary Round
Stansted 4-0 London APSA
Attendance: 90
It was a quick dash up the road to the village of Stansted Mountfitchet and to Hargrave Park, the home of Stansted FC.
Stansted won the Essex Senior League in 2010, and, but for a points deduction, would have won it again in 2011. They were denied promotion to the Isthmian League due to issues with the ground, mainly the fact that it can't be enclosed as it is shared with the cricket pitch. However, these issues aside, I thought it was a tidy little set-up and the small woooden stand looked very picturesque in the late summer sunshine.
Todays FA Cup tie was against fellow Essex Senior League side London APSA and it turned out to be a very comfortable afternoon for the home side. Andy Reed gave them the lead after 10 minutes with a low shot into the corner, and this remained the score until the break. In truth though Stansted should've been well out of sight with the chances they created.
In the second half they began to convert them and the tie was over within 8 minutes of the re-start. Tyrone White side-footed a low cross on 51 minutes then, two minutes later, Scott Forbes scored the goal of the game when he finished off a superb passing move. Graeme Turner completed the scoring in the 73rd minute when he tapped in after a shot was spilled by goalkeeper.
It was a quick dash up the road to the village of Stansted Mountfitchet and to Hargrave Park, the home of Stansted FC.
Stansted won the Essex Senior League in 2010, and, but for a points deduction, would have won it again in 2011. They were denied promotion to the Isthmian League due to issues with the ground, mainly the fact that it can't be enclosed as it is shared with the cricket pitch. However, these issues aside, I thought it was a tidy little set-up and the small woooden stand looked very picturesque in the late summer sunshine.
Todays FA Cup tie was against fellow Essex Senior League side London APSA and it turned out to be a very comfortable afternoon for the home side. Andy Reed gave them the lead after 10 minutes with a low shot into the corner, and this remained the score until the break. In truth though Stansted should've been well out of sight with the chances they created.
In the second half they began to convert them and the tie was over within 8 minutes of the re-start. Tyrone White side-footed a low cross on 51 minutes then, two minutes later, Scott Forbes scored the goal of the game when he finished off a superb passing move. Graeme Turner completed the scoring in the 73rd minute when he tapped in after a shot was spilled by goalkeeper.
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| The teams get ready to enter the arena... |
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| ...and oblige with the customary handshakes |
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| The committee room |
7.00pm Saturday 3rd September 2011
Conference Premier
Braintree Town 1- 0 Lincoln City
Attendance: 1,182
The final game of the day was a "top flight" game between the respective new boys, promoted (as champions) Braintree and relegated Lincoln City.
The game was not a good advert for this level of football. The only moment of true quality was when The Irons' Andy Yiadom fired home the winner from 25 yards after 31 minutes. Braintree were solid and their two strikers caused Lincoln lots of problems and the home side should really have extended their lead, especially early in the second half, when Ben Wright hit the bar and the re-bound was put wide.
On this evidence it is going to be a tough season for The Imps and I imagine they will find it tough to bounce straight back up, as they did in 1988. This result drops them into the bottom four and even at this stage of the season that has to be worrying.
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| No need for the old sign now the ground is sponsored |
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