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| The Rabs are regular issuers but today, quite understandably, they did not. Old copies were kindly given to us |
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...
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