GROUND LIST

Saturday 29 December 2012

KIRKINTILLOCH ROB ROY (Adamslie Park)

WEST OF SCOTLAND SUPER LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION, KIRKINTILLOCH ROB ROY 1-2 POLLOK, ATTENDANCE: 290

The Rabs are regular
issuers but today, quite
understandably, they did
not. Old copies were
kindly given to us
This was an unexpected visit north of the border today!

I was kindly invited to join a car load of hoppers for a Northern League double today, Darlington at midday followed by Crook Town at 3pm. The forecasts were not good as the rain battered the North East and as we hit the M6 around 9am, Darlington tweeted that their game had fallen victim to the weather. Unwilling to risk further disappointment later in the day, though Crook DID go ahead, the car was kept pointing north in the direction of Scotland.

Broxburn was "the banker" as their Albyn Park ground has a 3G pitch, but as we crossed the border our doyen of Scottish groundhopping, Andy, rang with a list of games on grass that had been given the go ahead. After much deliberation the choice of Kirkintilloch Rob Roy seemed a real no brainer.

Kirkintilloch is a town and former burgh in East Dunbartonshire, Scotland. It lies on the Forth and Clyde Canal, about is about eight miles northeast of Glasgow. The local football team, Kirkintilloch Rob Roy, are named after the Scottish warrior Rob Roy and are nicknamed The Rabs.

Their ground, Adamslie Park, is a proper old ground the likes of which you do not get south of the border due to the old health and and safety malarkey. It's gone mad you know. Founded in 1878 (that must have been a great year for founding football clubs) they have played at Adamslie Park since 1926 but it's days would appear to be numbered, hence why it was imperative to visit sooner rather than later.



There are plans to relocate the club and build houses on the current ground. Indeed you can feel the bulldozers encircling the ground as new houses appear behind one goal and along one side of the pitch, where we stood for the first half. Actually, where we stood there used to be a stand but this has long gone, and we were practically leaning on the fence on someone's back garden.

   

The ground otherwise is still how it was with terracing behind each goal and a large covered enclosure, like a few of the other junior grounds I've been to, there was no seating in the ground. There was the changing room block in the middle, i'm guessing from the brick above the entrance, that was built in 1954.

   

The game pitted The Rabs against Pollok, and it was the visitors from Glasgow that ran out winners. In an entertaining game it was Pollok who played the more composed football in the opening period and it was no surprise when Ryan McArdle gave them the lead.

The Rabs worked their way back into the game and equalised when Kieran McAleenan volleyed home from 25 yards, via the underside of the crossbar. It put me in mind of Wayne Rooney's first league for Everton way back when.

However the hugely impressive Carlo Monti restored Pollok's lead just before the break when he skipped through the Rob Roy defence and calmly flicked the ball home.

The second half was more even but Pollok had chances on the break as Kirkintilloch pushed forward in search of an equaliser. The homesters can consider themselves very unlucky not to grab a point, especially with the pressure they put Pollok under in the final minutes of the game.

A cracking day out in spent in excellent company and, despite rumours to contrary, I did not eat all the scotch pies!!

On a serious note, I urge you to visit Adamslie Park before it is too late, you will not be disappointed...






Wednesday 26 December 2012

CARLTON TOWN (Bill Stokeld Stadium)

NORTHERN PREMIER LEAGUE DIVISION ONE SOUTH, CARLTON TOWN 1-1 LINCOLN UNITED, ATTENDANCE: 89

As my original planned Boxing Day Essex double bit the dust, or dived bombed into the water, an alternative had to be sought.

Carlton Town gave early confirmation via twitter that their game versus Lincoln United was going ahead but, as the heavens opened once again just before kick off, it was looking iffy.

The pitch was sodden and, although there was no standing water, I got the impression it probably could not take anymore punishment.

Anyhow the game kicked off and within minutes the centre of the park was a mudbath. Credit to both sets of players for producing an entertaining game and also to the referee for allowing the game to be played to a finish.

It was your cliched 'game of two halves' as Carlton dominated the opening 45 and led through Sam MacVicar's 39th minute effort, and Lincoln were grateful to their 'keeper for a superb double save to keep the score down.

Lincoln came out for the second half all guns blazing and, as the rain finally eased off, they got themselves level on 49 minutes through Scott Coupland. Lincoln nearly snatched all three points but a late effort was turned onto the crossbar. The draw was a fair result.
The Bill Stokeld Stadium, named in honour of the man whose efforts helped guide the club from the Notts Senior League to Northern Premier League, via the Central Midlands League and Northern Counties East League, is a basic affair with a prefab seated stand behind the goal and a small terrace underneath the under hang of the changing block.

I was so happy to get a game in today and there was also an added bonus, as I completed a personal milestone of visiting all the grounds in the three divisions of the Northern Premier League.






Saturday 22 December 2012

MAIDSTONE UNITED (Gallagher Stadium)

ISTHMIAN LEAGUE DIVISION ONE SOUTH, MAIDSTONE UNITED 2-2 WORTHING, ATTENDANCE: 1,765.

With the inclement weather around today, I decided to play it safe today and visit Maidstone United's spanking brand new ground, complete with it's 3G pitch, in order to get my pre-Christmas football fix. I wasn't the only groundhopper present as this was the only game in the entire three divisions of the Isthmian League to go ahead.

Maidstone United are a continuation of the old Maidstone United, who were members of the Football League between 1989 and 1992, and who were forced out of the league through bankruptcy on the eve of the 1992/93 season (coincidentally the first season of the Premier League).

The re-formed club began in the Kent league in 1993 and over the intervening years have climbed up to the Isthmian League, where they are today in Division One South.


Maidstone's original home Athletic Ground on London Road (now a retail park) did not come up to Football League ground grading requirements so the club relocated to Dartford's Watling Street Stadium in 1987. Maidstone bought the ground but when the proverbial hit the fan in 1992 the ground was sold to pay off debts, leaving both clubs homeless.

After subsequent ground shares at Sittingbourne and Ashford, it has taken Maidstone until 2012 to finally return to the town, when the Gallagher Stadium was opened in August with a friendly versus Brighton and Hove Albion, watched by a crowd of 2,226.


There was another bumper crowd present today and they were treated to thrilling encounter and Maidstone came from two goals down to salvage a point, and stretch their unbeaten league run to 14 games.

An Alex Brown own goal (4) gave The Rebels and early lead before Matt Daniel (55) doubled the advantage for the visitors.

Maidstone, with effectively nothing to lose, went for it and threw caution to the wind. Stuart King (69) halved the deficit before substitute Ade Olorunda (85) levelled things up.

No visit to Maidstone would be complete without visiting some the town's excellent GBG pubs and I'm happy to report that The Volunteer Rifles and The Flowerpot were in excellent form...Merry Christmas!!





 

Saturday 15 December 2012

ROSSINGTON MAIN (Welfare Ground, Oxford Street)

NORTHERN COUNTIES EAST LEAGUE DIVISION ONE, ROSSINGTON MAIN 3-3 PONTEFRACT COLLIERIES, ATTENDANCE: 48

For the second week in succession, my first choice of game bit the dust early doors, so it left me once again seeking an alternative. As a Twitter user ( @christopher7590 ) following various leagues, the much maligned (but not by me) social network came into it's own as various clubs posted that their games were ON.

One of the first I clocked to confirm that there were no problems with their pitch was Rossington Main. Choice made.

Rossington Main were founded in 1919 as Rossington Colliery and the club moved to Oxford Street in 1921, and this has been it's home ever since. The club were founding members of the Central Midlands League in 1983 before gaining promotion to the Northern Counties East League in 1991. They merged with local club Rossington FC in 1998.



The game against Pontefract Collieries, turned out to be a cracker, especially the final 10 minutes.

There were plenty of opportunities but a combination of poor decision making in the final third, along with some wayward finishing meant neither goalkeeper was really tested. The opening goal arrived on 28 minutes through Brandon Fallon, who slotted home from inside the area.

Pontefract began the second half strongly and equalised on the hour when Brenton Leister tapped home at the back stick. Rossington worked their way back into the game and were the stronger side so when, on 84 minutes, Richard Spears went through one-on-one and fired home, the majority of crowd assumed that would be the three points for Rossington. Wrong!

More or less from the re-start, Leister (85) burst through and chipped the 'keeper for his second goal to make it 2-2. Within moments it was 3-2 to Rossington as Fallon (87) notched his second goal of the game. Pontefract piled forward in desperate search of equaliser and in stoppage time Steve Tierney rose to head home and level things up. 

The action wasn't finished there either as both teams had a chance to nick a winner, but it wasn't to be. Great entertainment and full credit to both teams.