I am travelling to yet another new ground today to cover the Birmingham County FA (Saturday) Vase 3rd Round tie between Knowle (Midland Combination, Div 1) and Highway Coundon Court (Coventry Football Alliance). The venue is Knowle FC's, Robin's Nest ground, in Hampton Road, B93 0NX.
I catch the Stratford-upon-Avon train from Worcester, which takes me to my stop at Dorridge without having to change in Birmingham. I have a quick look round the small shopping area before buying a chicken burger & chips for lunch at the local chippy.
I then make my way by foot to Knowle. I could have gone by bus but as it was a last minute decision to go to this match, didn't leave myself enough time to check the local routes before leaving home. It takes me about 40 minutes to walk to the ground but it gives me a chance to work off a few calories from all the chips Iv'e just eaten!
I must say that judging by the houses that I walk past, that it is an affluent area. On my way I also see the cricket ground for the Knowle & Dorridge club who are one of the best in the Birmingham area. I make it in to Knowle village's centre and there is an impressive array of shops. From here it's just 10 minutes walk to Knowle FC's ground.
The ground has a car park in front of the pitch and on the other side there is a small stand with seats and the club house is along side of this. I have just made it with a few minutes to spare as it's a 1:30 pm kick-off.
When the teams come on to the pitch, I am uncertain as to who is who. I had thought Knowle would be in red & black but find out a bit later that for some reason they are wearing their away strip of yellow & black. Highway are in an Inter-Milan looking blue & black striped kit.
For the first 10 minutes the visitors have most of the play and Knowle are struggling to get going. Also one of the Highway mid-fielders has a passing resemblance to Fellaini of Man Utd due to his luxuriant afro hairstyle.
Knowle get more in to the game as the game progresses and their forwards are looking increasingly dangerous but it's the visitors from Coventry who score the first goal after about 30 minutes.
This setback spurs on the home side and they renew their efforts in search of an equaliser.
They achieve this just in to stoppage time and it's a very good goal.
A Knowle forward cuts in from the right and hits a fierce first time shot in to the far corner of the goal despite the best efforts of the Highway keeper.
I retire to the club house for my half-time cuppa and a Yorkie bar. I notice that their is another man with a camera. I think he must have been in the stand as I hadn't noticed him around during the first-half. There looks to a crowd of 15-20 spectators at this game today.
So the 2nd half starts and Knowle carry on looking to have the greater goal scoring threat. I talk to one guy who it turns out used to be the groundsman at the club. He says that Knowle seem to have a few reserve team players in their line-up today. He also tells me that Knowle used to play in the Premier Division of their league a few years ago and even have permission to erect floodlights at their ground but the team has gone downhill since then and have been struggling a bit this season. They do have a strong youth set up at the club which might ensure a better future for them and they also have a women's team too.
Knowle score a second goal with a header from a corner and they look the more likely winners but to their credit Highway go looking for an equaliser and get one with minutes to spare. Their No.9 shoots in despite the close attentions of a Knowle defender, as shown below.
So full-time arrives and it's all square. The 2 sides re-assemble for extra-time but I decide that I am going on my journey home in order to beat the football crowds in Birmingham on way back to Worcester.
Later on I see on the web that Knowle have got through to the next round after scoring another goal. Highway did give them a tough game today and maybe they will be looking to move in to the Midland Combination in the future?
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