Damage in the Box!

CADBURY ATHLETIC (Bournville Lane)

CRUSADERS LADIES FC

I normally wouldn't watch Women's football, if I'm completely honest, but seeing as (a) I was travelling nearby en-route home and (b) it was a chance to see a competitive game at a ground I'd previously missed, I thought why not today?

The Crusaders Ladies are Birmingham based and play the majority of their home games at Bournville Lane, the 'home' of Cadbury Athletic.

The landowners of the Cadbury ground would not allow the (mens) football club to erect floodlights necessary for them to obtain promotion, so they moved out to groundshare, firstly with Pilkington XXX and now, with Alvechurch, hence why I missed them!

Surely she's offside?

Therefore the first round proper of the Women's FA Cup was a good opportunity to get the ground 'ticked' off. Admission was free and there was a bonus of a 4 page programme, which was also free.

Crusaders play in the West Midlands Regional League Division One South, which is Step 5 of the Women's pyramid as do their opponents today, Coventry Sphinx. This is the first time either side had reached the first round proper of the FA Cup.

Coventry Sphinx were the higher placed team in league, but Crusaders had beaten them in the league 3-0 earlier in the season. It was therefore all to play for.

However, in the end the game went with form and Coventry Sphinx ran out pretty comfortable winners. The game was effectively over by half time as Coventry scored three times without reply. After 16 minutes Catherine Smith fired a screamer into the top corner from 20 yards before Chantelle Stanley doubled the advantage after 28 minutes when she curled home a free kick from the edge of the box.

Nikki Brazil had a great chance to bring the Crusaders back into the game as the ball ran loose, the Sphinx goalie was well out of position and the goal was open but she ran out of steam before she could tap home and a defender was able to clear.

That was as good as it got for the homesters as Kaya Zeen completed the scoring for Sphinx right on half time when she was left unmarked in the box to head home a corner kick.

The second half was pretty much a non-event as the game was over but Sphinx did have chances to extend their lead but it wasn't to be. They now go into the hat for the second round.

I went to this game with an open mind and overall I enjoyed the game,the pace was not as fast as the mens game but there were moments of quality and it was a well contested encounter. Would I go again? Well never say never....

Sunday 11th December 2011
Women's FA Cup 1st Round
Crusaders Ladies 0-3 Coventry Sphinx Ladies
Attendance: 28 (and a Cat!)

BRACKLEY TOWN (St James Park)

As I was playing Father Christmas this weekend visiting friends in the south, I looked for something near to where they live and this FA Trophy tie between Brackley and Dartford at St James Park fitted the bill perfectly.

Brackley are currently top of the Southern Premier League whilst opponents Dartford occupy a top three position in the Conference South. On paper this appeared an intriguing encounter and represented a potential banana skin for the Kent visitors.

The reality was very different as a damp squib of game failed to ignite, Dartford producing a few of moments of quality to run out comfortable winners. Admittedly it was a slightly controversial penalty that gave them the lead, when the ball hit the hand of a Saints defender. It was only controversial because a few minutes earlier Brackley were denied a penalty in similar circumstances. Once Elliott Bradbrook dispatched the spot kick past Billy Turley (39) there was only going to be one winner.

Merry Christmas from
Brackley Town!

The Darts were more impressive in the second period and extended their lead when Jacob Erskine fired home a superb shot from the edge of the box (59) and the tie was sealed when Erskine tapped home after a good cross from the right (63).

Brackley had a couple of half chances late on but that would have been mere consolation as Dartford moved easily into the next round.

A fine day was rounded off by two belting GBG ticks, the Eight Bells in Long Crendon and the Cross Keys in Thame.

Elliott Bradbrook fires home from the penalty spot to give Dartford the lead

Saturday 10th December 2011
FA Trophy 1st Round
Brackley Town 0-3 Dartford
Attendance: 291

SQUIRES GATE (School Road)

On an absolutely freezing December afternoon, I decided it was worth a journey to Blackpool as I felt certain the biting wind coming in off the Irish Sea would be enough to warm ones cockles!

Only joking, what attracted me was the chance to tick off another ground in my (seemingly never ending) quest to complete the North West Counties League, and also what looked like a very interesting tie in the 3rd round of the FA Vase.

Squires Gate, of the aforementioned North West Counties League, were taking on Staveley Miners Welfare of the Northern Counties East League. Both sides are in the Premier Division (step 5) of their respective leagues.

Squires Gate's School Road ground is in the Marton area of Blackpool and is your typical ramshackle North West Counties League ground, with a mixture of covered narrow terraces and small seated stands. The type of ground I really enjoy! The ground is separated by a concrete fence from neighbours Blackpool Wren Rovers, whose ground is adjacent to Squires Gate' ground. I'm sure that would make a good double header for someone!

Also, as another bonus, just around the corner is Shovels, a GBG entry, which has 6 handpulls of ale on the go. Unfortunately for me, the one I wanted to taste, from the local Lytham Brewery, was off today so I had to make do with a Northern Soul and a Golden Bolt. Very tasty.

The opening exchanges of the game were pretty even but, once Staveley got their noses in front after 23 minutes, there was only going to be one winner. An attack down the right resulted in the ball being squared into the box and Ryan Damms had a simple side foot in from close range.

Staveley went two up after 44 minutes when another cross into the box was headed home by Aymen Tahar, who beat Gate debutant goalkeeper Dave Rogerson to the ball, when the custodian should really have got there first.

In stoppage time the homesters nearly dragged themselves back into the game when a free kick went narrowly wide, with the Staveley goalkeeper beaten.

The second half was more of the same and it was no surprise when Staveley increased their lead after 57 minutes. A break into the box by a Staveley attacker was unselfishly squared to Damms who chipped the advancing 'keeper for his second of the game. He could've had a hat-trick, but his point blank header was well saved by Rogerson.

The scoring was complete just after the hour when Tahar bagged his second, once again after an unselfish team mate set him up to fire home an easy effort. The homesters gave it their best effort but they were simply outclassed by Staveley, who now go into Monday's 4th round draw.

I must give mention to the Squires Gate programme which, on the face of it, seemed quite poor value for £2 but on the back was a voucher to tear off and claim a free hot drink and hot dog! Absolutely brilliant, well for some members of the crowd anyhow. As a sad paper collector there was no way I was ripping my programme and I happily paid extra for my brew!