BILBROOK 3 - 2 NEWPORT TOWN

After looking at the weather forecast for Saturday, the previous evening, I have been wondering whether it's going to be worthwhile to just go out of the house? I look out of the window at about 8 am on Saturday though and can see the expected overnight rain did not materialise and make the decision to go to my chosen match, whatever happens.

I have decided to go to another Cup Final from the West Midlands Regional League, this time involving the Division 2 teams, Bilbrook and Newport Town. This means a second trip for this season to the Garden Walk Stadium of Gornal Athletic. This is a good venue as I know there will be plenty of shelter there.

I go to Stourbridge by train and am greeted on my arrival in the town centre by drizzly conditions and a display of Morris dancing near the High Street! Then it's a sausage and egg sandwich, egg custard tart, washed down by an ample cup of coffee at a local eatery. Cheap and cheerful, just the job!

I have a mooch around a few shops before embarking on the Dudley bound 257 bus for Lower Gornal. It's a 1:00 pm kick-off today, which suits me fine as the weather has cleared up again and rain is more likely to come later this afternoon.  

The bus takes about 25 minutes to get us to the small bus station at Gornal Wood and I make the 5 minute walk to the ground and arrive at 12:50 pm. There seems to be a sizeable crowd today and I make my way down the steep terrace on this side of the ground to make my way to the end that has a steep bank of grass behind it.

Bilbrook FC represent the village of that name which is situated in South Staffordshire, close to Wolverhampton. This club was founded in 1978. Newport Town represent the town from Shropshire and have had a very successful league campaign, winning the title with just 2 defeats and by a margin of 20 points between them and the 2nd placed team, Old Wulfrunians. So on paper, Newport are strong favourites today.

Soon the 2 teams come on to the pitch. Newport in an all blue strip while Bilbrook are in white shirts (with diagonal black & red stripes), black shorts and red socks.

From the start it's the underdogs of Bilbrook who are the livelier team.

  
Indeed it takes 15 minutes before Newport seem to get much of a foothold in this game. Although they are attacking more it's still Bilbrook who look the more dangerous side.

After 29 minutes, Bilbrook's No.7 goes on good run down the right, crosses the ball across the goal for their No.11 to bundle the ball home at the far post, despite the close attentions of a defender.

Just before half time, Newport's No.11 goes down the right to slide the ball in but the Bilbrook keeper does well to block the ball from close range from an oncoming Newport attacker.  

The whistle is blown soon after and so it's Bilbrook who lead 1-0 and Newport Town look to have a real fight on their hands today.

During the interval I meet Mark McIntyre,an official from Darlaston Town and he says he is a regular viewer of this Blog. Fame at last! Also a ground hopper who has made the journey all the way from Bedford and who I had talked to earlier likes the look of my Blog when he finds it on his mobile phone.  

                 ( The teams make their way down the steps for the second half )

When play resumes, it's more of the same as Bilbrook go close again in the 48th minute when their No.9 turns his marker on the left side of the goal and slots the ball just wide of the far post.

Bilbrook go close twice more before increasing their lead after 66 minutes. A substitute of their's their No.16 goes down the right before managing to put in a good cross from the by line to the far post and their No.10 is on hand to head in from close range.

                            ( Bilbrook's second goal hits the back of the net! )

Three minutes and it could be game over when the underdogs score their third goal. Their No.10 is on the left of the goal, with his back to it and manages to go on a run, first going out and then cutting back before managing to get in a shot that manages to elude the Newport keeper, who it looks to me as if if he should have done better. Easy for me to say though.

Soon after this, most of the crowd are diving for cover as the rain starts to bucket down. Thankfully though it only lasts for 5-10 minutes.

In the 75th minute a Newport player is adjudged to have been pushed in the back in the Bilbrook penalty area and the resulting penalty is duly despatched. Soon after this in another Newport attack, their No.8 goes down like a sack of spuds in the area. Quite pathetic! He could have had a second booking for that piece of play acting.

Close to full time a Newport free kick from the right comes over for their No.7 to bury a header in to the net. They go close again in injury time but Bilbrook hold on for a deserved win.

A few minutes later and the Bilbrook team collect the trophy and display it for their fans on the terraces behind. Well done Bilbrook!

Newport Town have been second best today but have the satisfaction of a very successful League campaign, ending as Champions and promotion to the 1st Division. Bilbrook can use this cup win as a launch pad for a better League campaign next season, after finishing in 7th place this time round. 

Match entrance fee: £3
Match programme: free
Match attendance: Approx 100

PS. I was informed later on by the League Secretary, Wendy Juggins, that Bilbrook FC were found to have played the final with an ineligible player and the result was declared null and void. 


Match entertainment 7.5/10

WOLVERHAMPTON UNITED 6 - 1 SIKH HUNTERS

I am visiting a new ground today. It's the home of Wolverhampton United who play in the 2nd Division of the West Midlands League and is situated in Prestwood Road West in the Wolverhampton district of Wednesfield.

When I leave Worcester just before 10am, there is still a stiff northerly wind blowing although the sun is shining after the early morning rain. After our recent mild autumn weather, it's a shock to the system, so I am wearing a scarf and gloves for the first time since March.

When I get to Wolverhampton, I have time to have a good look around the Wolverhampton Art Gallery, where there is the annual exhibition of the local Arts Society (good quality), a show of the prints of the Japanese artist, Hiroshige, plus their permanent collection. Wolverhampton has a tradition of good sculptors and I can't resist taking a photo of a small statue of the legendary ex-Wolves and England captain, Billy Wright.

I have lunch in the cafe there before leaving to catch the number 28 bus from the bus station going to Willenhall. On the way I get off at Prestwood Road and soon I am at the the entrance of the football ground.

There is a driveway of twenty yards before you turn left in to the car park. Beyond this there is the gate with the pitch in front of you and the small club house on your left. There is a stand on the left hand side of the pitch with standing room only for the spectators, with room for about 80-100 people at a guess and the changing rooms are situated at the back of this. There is another pitch along side on the right of the main one.

Wolverhampton United are currently lying in a mid table position and were founded in 1976 after the amalgamation of Whitmore Old Boys and Oxley FC. They immediately joined the West Midlands League and were champions of Division 1b in their first season. In 1982 they won promotion to the Premier Division and entered the FA Vase 4 times in the 1980's, reaching the 4th round in the 1982-83 season. They have never reached those heights since then, being a bit of a yo-yo team between the Premier and 1st Divisions before being relegated to the 2nd Division two seasons ago.

Their opponents today are the Walsall based side called Sikh Hunters.
When the teams take the field, United are clothed in an all orange strip while Sikh Hunters are in yellow shirts, green shorts and yellow socks. It makes for a warm sight on a cold day. 

For the first 15 minutes, it's the visitors who are the dominant team. It's hard to believe that they are close to the bottom of the table in the league.

Their best spell of play after 30 minutes sees them twice go close to scoring from a corner and then soon after, their No.7 hits a long range shot that hits a post.

Very soon though it's United who make the most of their chances. After 32 minutes their No.3 goes on a run down the left then pulls the ball across for their No.7 to cleverly chip the ball over the Hunter's keeper and in to the top right hand corner.

With the Hunters defence looking vulnerable they concede another just 4 minutes later, when the United No.10 tucks away the ball after a break away.

On the stroke of half-time, after one of the United players goes on a good run down the left, the ball is crossed over. It should have been cleared but the ball eventually falls to their No.11 and he pokes the ball in to the net for a handsome lead.

There is still time in injury time for Sikh Hunters to see a shot hit the right hand post and out.

So it's 3-0 to Wolverhampton United. The Hunters defence has looked pretty shaky. I have noticed that they are not good at clearing the ball away out of their own penalty area. Sometimes they just need to clear the danger rather than trying to pass it around too much. They have some skilful players but I think they have to be more practical.    

Also I was surprised to see for the first 20 minutes that there were no substitutes on the Sikh Hunters bench! 2 did arrive later on in the first-half though.

I go to the kitchen area where there are free cups of tea and coffee on offer and one of the staff has kindly made a big plate of tasty chips for people to tuck in to. Nice to have on a cold day. It's good too that the wind has died down this afternoon.

I get talking to the United Match Secretary, the amiable Phil Gibbons. It turns out that he used to be involved with Darlaston Town when they played at their old City Ground in their previous incarnation, sadly a ground I never got to see. He's clearly a dedicated football man.

Maybe because of the inclement weather, my pen decides to stop working so I don't have many details of the second half to refer to.

When play resumes, Sikh Hunters immediately reduce the deficit when they go up the field and one of their forwards rifles in a shot in to the top right hand corner.

Sadly for them it's the hosts who continue to pose the greater goal threat.

They score 3 more goals in this half and probably could have scored one or two more.  

Their last goal near the end of the match kind of sums up Sikh Hunters woeful defensive display today. With the ball on the left, the Hunters No.7, instead of kicking the ball up field, manages to slice the ball over to the right to a waiting United player and they eventually score from close in even though it looks like the Hunters defence could stop them. They just look totally demoralised by now.

Thankfully the final whistle is blown soon after and today's win propels Wolverhampton United up to 4th place. Hopefully Sikh Hunters can get a morale boosting win soon, as they looked short on confidence.

So a new ground and plenty of goals, so it's turned out to be a better day today than I thought it would, after the earlier wind and rain.

Match attendance: 15
Match entrance fee: free
Match programme: none available
Match entertainment: 7/10 



  

DARLASTON WIN BATTLE OF THE 'PHOENIX' CLUBS

I am off to a new ground for me today, namely the Illey Lane home of the new phoenix club called Bartley Green Illey, who have arisen out of the ashes of the now defunct Bartley Green FC. Six months ago, local residents Jamie and Chantell Marler took on the building of this new club by signing a five year lease of this ground with the landlords. They are looking to make it a community club and aim to develop a youth set up in the future and they already also have a Sunday team up and running too.

I work out my route on the 'Traveline West Midlands' website and decide to take the train from Worcester to Shrub Hill station and then catch the No.22 bus from the nearby stop in Colmore Row.

Bartley's opponents today are the current leaders of the West Midlands League, Div 2, Darlaston Town (1874) FC. Darlaston too are a new club this season, replacing the old Darlaston Town. It's good to see that there are people who do not want to see their clubs go out of existence altogether.

The weather is very promising when I leave home, nice and sunny although a little chilly. I'm glad that I am not going to the New Street station today as I know it's going to extremely busy due to the Christmas shopping frenzy.

When I get to Birmingham and go to catch my bus, of course it's about 10 minutes late. This bus takes me as far as Kitwell and then I have go on foot the rest of the way to the village of Illey. I have to make my way over the M5 very close to the Frankley Services M5 stop and then up the twisty route of Illey Lane, which is in the countryside and consequently has no footpath alongside for most of the way. Not the most pleasant experience and I find myself thinking that I must be crazy doing this.

This walk is taking longer than I thought and I know I will miss the 2 pm kick-off,  although I am heartened by the sight of floodlights in the near distance. At about 2:04 pm, I hear a cheer and guess that a goal has been scored already. A few minutes later I see the a sign on the roadside showing the turning for the ground.

As I trudge up the track to the ground, I hear another cheer for presumably another goal after 10 minutes. Damn, this is just like my trip last week!

So I turn to the right in front of the farm and can see the pitch above me. I walk through a small car park, then up some steps which are alongside a building which houses the changing rooms and a small clubhouse. I see the match that's underway with Bartley in their yellow and black strip with Darlaston in blue and white stripes.

I soon find out that the score is 2-0 in favour of Darlaston, which I strongly suspected  to be the case, ( I later find out that both goals have been scored by the No.9 and player-manager, Mark Swann. Although Bartley are behind, they are certainly fighting back strongly, with their centre-forward, Brian Badza, proving to be a real handful for the Darlaston defence. His battle with the Darlaston defender, Ravi Sohal, is looking to be a key contest in this match.

After 29 minutes, Brian Badza scores a goal for Bartley after he fires in a loose ball in the visitors penalty area (as shown below).

  
It's not great playing conditions for the teams, with the pitch proving to be quite sticky due to the muddy surface.

    
Half-time arrives with no further score and Darlaston will be relieved to be still in the lead.

This ground certainly has a country feel, with the nearby farms and plenty of trees around the ground. Even the Bartley club badge has an owl! It has a ramshackle look to it. On my right, by the side of the pitch are some shoddy looking portacabin buildings which don't look as if they are being used. Beyond them is situated the main stand which has 3 rows of seats. On my left are the team dug-outs and also a small stand with just room for a single row of seating.

The teams start for the second half and the conditions are not making it easy for either of them. 

It's Bartley who score the next goal after 59 minutes. A scuffed clearance by the Darlaston keeper goes straight to the dangerous Badza. He goes round the keeper and then evades a tackle to put the ball in the net. A bad mistake by the league leaders but they rectify this 10 minutes later. Some slick passing down the left and then a great through pass to their veteran striker, John Reeves, enables him to beat the advancing Bartley keeper.

                (Some of the Darlaston players congratulate the goal scorer, No.10)

It proves to be the last goal of the contest and is a worthy match winning effort! 

This win keeps Darlaston on top of the table, ahead of Oakengates their nearest rivals but Bartley must be heartened by the way they took them so close.

Near the end of today's game, I spoke to Darlaston's affable Chairman, Neil Chambers. He told me that although his team have their old ground available to go back to if they so wish, it was extremely unlikely to happen as it had now got into a derelict condition. So they will have to share with their new landlords, Red Star Alma, for the foreseeable future but it's a start and they have certainly made very good progress this season. He also tells me that he wrote a book telling about the history of the club. Sounds interesting.

Bartley Green Illey are also making progress to establish themselves again and I will be taking note of this in the future.

Match attendance: about 25
Entrance fee: free
Match programme: none available
Entertainment value: 6.5 /10







  

POWICK RANGERS CLAIM LOCAL BRAGGING RIGHTS

Due to temporary financial constraints I have decided to go to another local game today and it will mean a new ground to visit.

The game in question is a local derby between Powick Rangers and Malvern Under-21's at the Malvern Vale Community Centre that was built 2/3 years ago in a brand new housing estate, located in the area of Upper Howsell in Malvern.

It's a bit of a shot in the dark for me as I don't know what kind of ground it is and because it's so new, it's not that clearly defined on Google Maps and it's certainly not marked on my hard copy map of the Malvern area.

There is a steady light rainfall when I leave for the train at Shrub Hill station but with the promise of dry weather later on. I arrive at Malvern Link station and the rain has soon gone. I have decided to visit Malvern Library after reading in my local newspaper that there is an exhibition by a local photographer specialising in infra-red photography. It's very interesting, giving well known local views an ethereal look.

After having a bite to eat in Great Malvern, it takes me about 25 minutes to get to the Community Centre, which wasn't that difficult to find in the end. When I reach the entrance I can see there are 2 football pitches, with the one on my right being the one to be used for the match. 3 sides of it are bordered by a high wire fence while the other has a rope to separate the spectators from the pitch. Not great for photography but at least I will have my back to the sun that has been appearing from time to time.

Powick Rangers are a new club, being a merger of the old AFC Powick village side who have been a major force in recent years in the Worcester & District Football League and Malvern Rangers. However as the Saturday division of this League has been disbanded due to the withdrawal of 5 teams, Powick threw in their lot with Malvern Rangers who were already playing at this ground in the West Mid Div 2.

Malvern Town Under-21's are a revamp of their old reserve team who also were plying their trade in the Worcester League.

When the teams come on to the pitch, Powick (pronounced Poik) are in white shirts and blue shorts and Malvern in their usual strip of blue,claret and white.

The opening exchanges are even with Powick's No.9 hitting the post with a shot on the right and Malvern's No.8 having his shot well saved. Just a minute later Powick's keeper deflects a shot with his legs. 

For the rest of this half though, Powick look the more dangerous side and have several chances that go begging. They even have the ball in the net in the 27th minute but it's ruled out by an offside flag.

 In the 30th minute Powick's No.10 who has been one of their best players, has a great shot on the turn but is turned over the bar by the Malvern keeper.

Half-time arrives and it's surprisingly still 0-0 despite the best efforts of both the teams. It's been a keenly contested match so far and it's difficult to predict the likely outcome.

I don't bother looking to see if there are any refreshments on sale as I have brought some of my own and after checking some half-time scores, I see that the teams are coming out 5 minutes early.

Malvern look to be in better form and have a great chance when their No.9 is put through by a lovely pass and finds himself in a one on one situation with the keeper. His shot though bounces off the home keepers legs and out (as shown below).

  
It looks to be a costly miss as after 70 minutes, Malvern carelessly give away possession in their own half and it ends up with Powick's No.9 having an easy chance to shoot past their keeper.

Malvern Town though immediately fight back with a very soft goal. Their No.9, has a tame looking shot on goal that makes it's way through the covering Powick defenders  legs and with the keeper seemingly rooted to the spot, the ball slowly goes in to the corner of the goal. It looks as if the Powick goalie was expecting the ball to go wide. He's very upset with his error and is loudly berating himself!

A woman Malvern Town supporter who has been watching with her husband, close to where I'm standing is very pleased about this and seeing me with my notebook open asks me 'Do you want to know the scorer's name?' I reply that I do and she laughs and says it's their son called Jack Cullity.

                  ( Goal scorer Jack Cullity is congratulated by his happy team mates )

With 10 minutes to go, Malvern's No.12 out on the left, bends in a shot towards the far post but is pushed round the post by the home keeper.

Close to full time, Powick are awarded a free kick on the right. The ball is crossed over and is flicked on by a Powick player to the far post for their tall No.6 who nods it in to the net.

   
A great time to score a goal but the best goal of the game comes in injury time a few minutes later when Powick's No.11 finds himself with the ball at his feet on the right side of the goal and then blasts it straight in to the top corner.

So 3-1 for the home side and the whistle blows soon after. Powick have deserved to win today but it's been close.

I think they could do well in this division this season and Malvern Town should avoid trouble but will have to be more clinical in front of goal.

Match attendance: 30-40.
Entrance fee: free
Match programme: none 
Entertainment value: 7/10  

LEDBURY TOWN HANG ON AGAINST THE HUNTERS

Today I decided to take in the West Midland League, Div 2 game between the Sikh Hunters team and the league leaders, Ledbury Town. I was glad to see the sun coming out while walking to the rail station in Worcester.

After alighting at Rowley Regis station at 1:30pm, I hurried to the town centre at Blackheath and had a quick meal at a local Cafe. I was hurrying because the West Mid League website, had informed me that it was a 2:30pm kick-off. However when reaching the York Road ground, I found out it was a 3:00pm start instead.

There were a small contingent of Ledbury supporters in the crowd, which looked to be around the 20 mark. It was a beautiful day and I was looking forward to the game, the first I had watched in this division. It was good to see Ledbury making a comeback in this league after a break of 2 seasons and I had wanted to visit this ground for some time, as I can see the floodlights from the railway each time I visit Birmingham on this route. It used to be used by the now defunct Oldbury Athletic team who played in the Midland Alliance. Now it is used by Sikh Hunters, (a club based in Walsall, founded in 1964) and share it with AFC Smethwick who are going strong in Division 1 of the same league.

Ledbury started the strongest of the 2 sides. Sikh Hunters seemed to be a bit off the pace and were being rushed in to making rash hurried passes.

Both sides, especially Ledbury had chances to score but the end of the half saw the score still at 0-0.

Sikh Hunters came out strongly in the second half and came close to breaking the deadlock but Pegasus were the ones to score first and repeated the feat five minutes later.

This photo shows the celebrations after Ledbury's first goal.

The Hunters however kept up their good football and were rewarded with 10 minutes to go when they scored directly from a free kick, taken out to the right of the Ledbury goal from a tight angle, deceiving keeper, Lewis Skyers. I am sure I saw Mr. Skyers playing for Pegasus Juniors last season, playing in their forward line!

The home side mounted wave after wave of attacks against the Ledbury goal...but to no avail. The leaders hung on for the win in an excellent open game of football, which was a credit to both sides.

Ledbury kept their lead at the top and later must have been encouraged to hear that rivals Newport Town and Hereford Lads Club had both slipped to unexpected defeats.