LITTLETON 0 - 1 AFC WULFRUNIANS

The beginning of August and my first game this season, a pre-season friendly at a new ground for me, at the 5 Acres ground of village team, Littleton FC in the Vale of Evesham. Their side who play in the 1st Division of the Midland Football League are taking on AFC Wulfrunians who hail from Wolverhampton and play in the Premier Division of the same league.

Littleton is comprised of the 3 villages, North, Middle and South Littleton which are all in close proximity to each other. Their ground just east of North Littleton, was purchased by the club in the late 1970's. The team was founded in 1893 and has made great strides in the seven years since I moved back to Worcester. In the Midland Combination, they had finished as the Division 1 runners-up in 2011-12 and runners-up again the following season in the Premier Division. Also they have managed to have won the Presidents Cup in 2011 and 2012.

I have travelled to the ground, first by train to the village of Honeybourne, situated on the Cotswold Line running to London, then I have a lift from the Littleton FC secretary, Marion Brighton who has kindly responded to my request for a lift by the club.

Five Acres is a very neat affair, with a car park in front of the club house and separate changing rooms, which are set back from the playing area . The club house also has a small decking area with table and chairs facing the pitch. I am pleasantly surprised by the cleanliness of the gents toilets to the side of the changing rooms when I make a pre-match visit ! The pitch which runs from a west to easterly direction. has a covered standing area on the side nearest the club house in between the dug-out's, on the opposite side is small seated stand and another small seated stand at the western end of the ground. Probably enough cover for about 150 spectators.

                (The Littleton FC clubhouse with the changing rooms on the right)

Wulfrunians come out in their away strip of all blue while Littleton are in their usual red shirts and white shorts. Play is pretty even until the 12th minute, when the visitors are awarded a free kick to the right of the Littleton goal. The Wulfrunians No.10,Jamie King, takes the kick and fools the keeper by smashing it in by the near post (as shown below).

A great goal and 2 minutes later the same player finds himself unmarked in a central position a few feet outside the penalty area. He tries to place it inside the post but his effort just rolls wide of the goal. As Mr.Shearer would probably say ' He should have tested the keeper'.

Play is again pretty even for the rest of the half but with the visitors looking the more dangerous. 

One of the more notable incidents takes place after about 20 minutes. A Wulfrunians attack fizzles out when one of their players is adjudged to be offside. Their No.3 is unhappy with this outcome and a few seconds later he appears to hear a comment from a spectator from the nearby stand and then has a bit of hissy fit. He is very angry and it ends with him being substituted, as he is not calming down. I am later told that the spectator concerned had just said to him that he couldn't possibly have been able to tell (whether the player had been offside) as he had been far from the area where it happened. I think the player must have misheard what was said.

Anyhow it's the visitors in the lead and the outcome is still in the balance. In the first half I had a good natter with the Littleton chairman, Paul Harrison, who tells me that he is a Manchester City fan having come from that area originally. It's always good to come across a fellow 'Citizen'.

The second half sees the home team pressing more, driven on by their combative No.8 in midfield and their No.7 and No.17 making some jinking runs. Their best effort, 10 minutes in to the second period sees their No.9 flick the ball against the post and out after the ball is played in from a corner (as shown below).

 They have another good effort after 41 minutes when they have a shot from the right go just wide of the far post.

There is still enough time to see Wulfrunians have a shot cleared off the line from close in by a covering defender. A great piece of defending.

The visitors have come away with a 1-0 win and will be looking to improve on their 7th placed finish last time out. I notice they had the attacking midfielder, Ben Jevons (formerly of Lye Town) in their ranks and he will be a useful addition to their squad.

Littleton gave them a good game and it will be interesting to see how their team will fare this season. They will have a stern test in their opening home game next Saturday, when they take on the free scoring Coventry United, the run away promoted winners of the Second Division.

They look to have some good young players coming through the ranks and a few seasons ago have seen ex-players, Joe Lolley and Matt Smith gain moves to Football League clubs and are now at Huddersfield Town and Fulham respectively. Also at the ground today, news has been circulating round that another ex-player, Jamie Insall has been snapped up by Scottish League club, Hibernian.

I am very kindly given a lift back to Honeybourne by committee member, Graham Bartlett (a record goal scorer in his day with Evesham United) and his wife who actually live in the village.

Littleton are a friendly well run club and I'm sure any visiting groundhoppers will be given a warm welcome.

Match attendance: about 25-30
Match entrance fee: no charge today
Match programme: none available
Match entertainment value: 6/10


More match photos at http://facebook.com/wmtraveller 

PERSHORE TRIUMPH IN BAD TEMPERED DERBY CLASH

I'm keeping it local today with a morning visit to see Pershore Town hosting a local derby against the villagers of Littleton. It's an 11:30 am kick off, which suits me as according to the forecast, the weather could deteriorate this afternoon.

I take the bus at my local stop on the London Road in Worcester and 30 minutes later I am getting off the bus in the town centre of Pershore which has beautiful Georgian buildings as well as the nearby Pershore Abbey. 

There are not many shops open here today, just the local Asda, Tesco, Chip shop and 2 cafes. They probably realise that the shoppers are more likely to go to Worcester for the Sales.

So after having a cheeseburger and coffee I walk the short journey to the ground. It's located between the town centre and the nearby River Avon. Unfortunately for the club, the pitch is visible due to an open metal fence surrounding most of the ground. Also I notice later that there is a gap in the fence on the side facing the river, meaning that people can possibly walk in without paying if they don't have a conscience about it!

I pay the entrance fee but am disappointed when I'm told that all the programmes have gone. Due to financial restraints they don't print many even if it is a local derby taking place today.

On paper, I make Littleton to be the favourites as they occupy a respectable 8th place while the hosts are near the bottom of the table, although Pershore have home advantage and Littleton have not been in good form recently.

The teams come out and both are sporting their usual colours, with Pershore in blue and Littleton in red.

It's Littleton who are the better team for most of the first half. One of their best chances come after 10 minutes when their No.10 goes to the byline and cuts the ball back for the No.9 just in front of goal but while falling backwards he scoops the ball over the bar.

Against the run of play, Pershore's Joe Walsh, (no, not the Eagles guitarist) scores in the 38th minute. Then in the 45th minute, they go further in front when Joe Robinson scores direct from a free kick from the left and the Littleton keeper misjudges the flight of the ball and allows it to nestle in the top corner.

So the ref's whistle blows with it all to do for Littleton in the second period.

There looks to be a sizeable crowd today even though the weather is mainly cloudy and certainly cold. 

Pershore have been in the Midland Combination since 1988 after the merger of 3 clubs and now the Midland Football League. They won the Premier Division title in the 1993-94 season, and spent 6 seasons in the then newly formed Midland Football Alliance.The villagers of Littleton have been members of the Midland Combination since 2001-02. They have certainly progressed well in recent times, culminating in their second place finish in the Premier Division in the 2011-12 season and some of their success was due to having Joe Lolley and for a short time, Matt Smith playing for them up front. They have both gone on to be signed up by Football League clubs.

The first half has been a bit scrappy and niggly at times and in the first minute of the second half, the Littleton No.5 needlessly bundles over a Pershore player just in front of me and then kicks the ball hard in to his body while he's lying on the ground.

The ref calls him over then books him (as shown below).

                                 (Littleton's No.5 is on the far left of the picture)

Things get worse for the visitors when through some slack defensive work they concede a 3rd goal. The ball is being shepherded out by a Littleton defender to go out for a goal kick but a Pershore player manages to run round and push the ball in to the path of the incoming Walsh. He in turn takes the ball to the left of the Littleton keeper and then dinks it over his sprawling body and in to the net (as shown below).

    The keeper is rightly not happy with this turn of events but a few minutes later, becomes further incensed when stooping, ready to collect the ball, an onrushing Pershore forward catches him with a boot when they collide.

Still angry after conceding a 3rd goal and probably being at fault for the 2nd, he's not a happy bunny. He goes stomping round shouting and swearing, giving a goal post a hard kick and then is booked by the ref for his troubles. He also has a bit of a slanging match with one of the Pershore coaching staff too!

Littleton's No.3, Will Gayton also acts in a wild fashion later on and I personally think his vocal tirade against the referee is very unnecessary. There are quite a few unsavoury challenges between the sides and it doesn't make for a good spectacle.

Littleton do get a measure of recompense later on when they are awarded a penalty and Gayton duly despatches it successfully. 

So the game ends and Pershore have come out on top.Although they were mostly outplayed in the first half, they were certainly the more composed team in the second. I think I might be of good luck to the Pershore Town team because after watching them 3 times in the last 5 seasons, have seen them win every time.

Match entrance fee: £4
Match programme: all sold out
Match entertainment: 5/10
Match attendance: 112