BOLDMERE TRIUMPH IN BANK HOLIDAY ENCOUNTER.

It's a sunny Bank Holiday Monday (is that a contradiction of terms?) and I have decided to take the train to Chester Road, to take in the local derby between Boldmere St Michaels and Coleshill Town.

Apologies to any followers of this Blog that I have been inactive for a while but I have had big problems with my mobile broadband. It's still not resolved but I have found time to use my computer on the wi-fi network at Worcester Library to write this post.

So it's quite cloudy when I leave Worcester but the sun is out by the time I get to Birmingham. This will be my 5th visit to the Trevor Brown Memorial Ground, having seen Bolmere twice and the Villa ladies team twice too.

There is a good crowd of about 100 people today and I see in the programme that Coleshill feature a few ex Boldmere players.

Boldmere hit the ground running and take the lead from a well placed shot from their No 11, Lee Osbourne. I remember seeing him play for Redditch Utd and Evesham Utd over the last 2 years, so Boldmere have acquired a quality player there.

Coleshill quickly counter but their forwards lobbed effort goes wide (as seen below)

Both teams are putting plenty of effort in to the game but the game needs someone to put their foot on the ball and bring a bit of quality in the final third of the pitch at both ends.

There are no more goal mouth incidents of note in the first-half and the stage is set for an interesting second period.

During the first-half I meet the Boldmere, Commercial Manager, Rob Clarke, who says the club would like some of my photos for their website and I agree to send some later on.

The second-half sees Coleshill pressing hard for an equaliser and Boldmere dangerous on the break.

  
Coleshill do hit the bar with one effort but otherwise the Boldmere defence are holding out well. In one breakaway, Craig Bannister, the Boldmere No 9 should score but instead shoots straight at the keeper.

There is an exciting finish and in injury time the dangerous Allen of Colehill leaps well to put in a good header on goal but it's well saved by the Boldmere keeper, (seen below).

Then a bit later, the Boldmere No 2, Gorle, scrambles another Coleshill effort off the line.

               (Lee Osborne is blocked out by the Coleshill defence)

So it's been a good match to watch in the end and Coleshill can feel a bit unlucky to not take any points from it. Both teams should feature in the top half of the table this season and I can recommend a visit to this lovely ground. 

WESTFIELDS CRUISE TO LEAGUE VICTORY

Today I decided to travel west to the old cathedral city of Hereford. The main reason being that I thought the weather might be a bit better in that direction. I think I was right as the cloud was a lighter shade of grey than in Worcester!

Initially I had decided to take in the Herefordshire Premier League game at Hinton, who play in the Broomy Hill area of the city. I arrived at the ground OK, at 2:30 but it was eerily quiet. Hmm, another postponement! So I decided to leg it up the road to see Westfields game against Heath Hayes. I made it with 10 minutes to spare. I like visiting there, it's a friendly club and they always try to play good football.

Westfields, who finished 2nd in the Midland Football Alliance (Step 5) last season, have not been so consistent this time round (especially in the first half of the season) but are still doing well in 5th place. Their opponents on the other hand from Cannock, find themselves next to bottom of the table. 

Heath Hayes came out in their away strip of yellow & black and Westfields were in their familiar claret & blue. In the photo above, Westfields centre-forward, Aidan Thomas (who scored 2 goals) takes a tumble in front of the main stand. 

Westfields started very well (ably supported by a very generous visiting defence) and were in a 2-0 lead within just 9 minutes. Heath Hayes were really struggling to get out of their own half and their goalkeeper was certainly getting plenty of practice. After 28 minutes though Westfields scored again and I was thinking it might end up about 0-8. Above, the Westfields players celebrate their 3rd goal while the goalkeeper awaits to be read the last rites. 

Somehow Heath Hayes hung on till half-time with no more damage inflicted.

However, after the interval, Heath Hayes were a different team, they were more tenacious in midfield and had tightened up at the back, so it was certainly more of a contest!  

They did not carry much of a goal threat but ably led by their captain, David Waple they did carry the fight to the Hereford high-flyers. Westfields though still looked the more threatening team and should have scored 2 more goals before the end.

Considering there was not much at stake in this game, there was a good crowd of 90+. Westfields now play Boldmere St Michaels in a 2 legged League Cup semi-final and later play Ledbury Town in the Herefordshire County Cup final, so they can still have a very successful season.