The festive period is always a busy one for groundhopping with plenty of games coming thick and fast. Despite the wet weather and covid trying their best to wreak havoc, I managed to attend a few games in the lead up to, and post, Christmas. I hope you and yours had a great holiday and as ever, thank you for taking a look at my wee blog.
Saturday 11th December 2021
Tannery Ground
FA Vase 3rd Round
Street FC 1-1 Brockenhurst FC*
Attendance: 160
*Brockenhurst won 3-2 on penalties
It was FA Vase weekend and choices were limited in terms of new grounds, however one tie did leap out for me and that was between Western League Street and Wessex League Brockenhurst.
I headed down the M5 to Somerset to The Tannery, home of The Cobblers. As you can probably guess, there is a footwear connection to the town of Street as it is where the Clarks Shoe company was formed in 1825 and where their headquarters are still based.
It was an absorbing cup tie with a couple of fine goals and chances for both sides to win, Street missing a one-on-one chance at the death which proved costly as they exited the competition after missing 3 pens in the shoot out.
Goals: Christie Ward, 38 (0-1) Harry Foster, 58 (1-1).
⚽️ 🎄 ⚽️ 🎅 ⚽️ ☃️ ⚽️
Recreation Ground
Ardal League North East Division
Caersws 3-2 Bow Street
Attendance: 74
A very good game in which Caersws took the lead after 10 minutes, against the early run of play. Bow Street responded and were deservedly leading at half time.
Caersws were far better in the second period and dominated the majority of play. They scored two goals in 3 minutes around the hour mark and had further chances on the counter as Bow Street pushed for an equaliser.
My last visit here was 17 years ago, when Caersws were a mainstay of the top flight of Welsh football, and the ground is largely unchanged save for a pre-fab stand in the corner opposite the main stand. The low narrow entrance under the train track still feels a tight as it did back then!
Goals: Jake Parr, 11 (1-0) Sion Ewart, 21 (1-1) Sion Ewart, 26 (1-2) Luke Mumford, 61 (2-2) Neil Mitchell , 63 (3-2).
Friday 17th December 2021
Welfare Park
Saturday 18th December 2021
Bedford Terrace
Sunday 26th December 2021
New Bucks Head
Camberley Town 2-3 Farnham Town
The first of two games on this Festive Holiday led me to Surrey. There were some nervous moments en-route here as the rain lashed down and other games were being called off due to waterlogged pitches. The social media outlets for both clubs were silent as to whether this match was on and the phone number was ringing off.
Anyway, on arrival at the ground we bumped into the referee and he said despite the battering from the rain, the pitch was excellent. Game on!
The pitch was obviously heavy but both teams produced an enjoyable encounter. Farnham were the better side but two goalkeeping errors kept the homesters in with chance of getting something. In the end it was a deserved victory for the visitors.
Camberley have played at Krooner Park since 1923, despite the name sounding like it's named in honour of Bing Crosby or Nat King Cole, it's actually named after a horse called Krooner whose race winnings were used to fund the building of the ground!
1500 - Monday 27th December 2021
Tuesday 28th December 2021
United Counties League Premier Division South
Billing Road
Northampton ON Chenecks 2-2 Cogenhoe United
Att: 130 (h/c)
I ended 2021 with another trip down the M6 for at Northamptonshire derby. Once again the weather threatened to play havoc but Chenecks tweeted early that there were no problems with the pitch.
⚽️ 🎄 ⚽️ 🎅 ⚽️ ☃️ ⚽️
Welfare Park
Northern League Division Two
Horden Community Welfare 3-3 Easington Colliery
Attendance: 340
With the chance of a Northern League double, I headed to the North East to watch what turned out to be a cracking East Durham derby. A team with Horden in it's name are back in the Northern League after a seven year absence, and also back in the village after the original Horden Coillery Welfare was absorbed into the set up of Darlington 1883.
The homesters levelled in stoppage time to cap a fantastic a match. Welfare Park is a proper old skool ground as well with loads of terracing and a classic stand which is under threat of modernisation, but who knows when. Definitely one for your bucket list if you have never been here.
Horden Community Welfare 3-3 Easington Colliery
Attendance: 340
With the chance of a Northern League double, I headed to the North East to watch what turned out to be a cracking East Durham derby. A team with Horden in it's name are back in the Northern League after a seven year absence, and also back in the village after the original Horden Coillery Welfare was absorbed into the set up of Darlington 1883.
The homesters levelled in stoppage time to cap a fantastic a match. Welfare Park is a proper old skool ground as well with loads of terracing and a classic stand which is under threat of modernisation, but who knows when. Definitely one for your bucket list if you have never been here.
Goals: Liam Wright, 21 (1-0) Liam Adamson, 28 (1-1) Neil Fannan, 50 (2-1) Jack Pounder, 62 (2-2) Jack Pounder, 80 (2-3) Marc Ellison, 90+1 (3-3).
⚽️ 🎄 ⚽️ 🎅 ⚽️ ☃️ ⚽️
Bedford Terrace
Northern League Division One
Billingham Town 0-0 Crook Town
Attendance: 183
It was a misty day in the North East and the fog never lifted and the game was eventually abandoned after 61 minutes. Not much more I can say!
Billingham Town 0-0 Crook Town
Attendance: 183
It was a misty day in the North East and the fog never lifted and the game was eventually abandoned after 61 minutes. Not much more I can say!
⚽️ 🎄 ⚽️ 🎅 ⚽️ ☃️ ⚽️
New Bucks Head
Conference North
Telford United 1-3 Chester
Attendance: 2,082
After Burnley vs Everton was postponed due to Covid, I made the short journey to Shropshire to watch Steve Watson's first match in charge of The Seals. Chester's form this season has been indifferent to say the least but, in the end, it was a rare away victory against a struggling Telford side who remain rooted to the bottom of the table.
Telford United 1-3 Chester
Attendance: 2,082
After Burnley vs Everton was postponed due to Covid, I made the short journey to Shropshire to watch Steve Watson's first match in charge of The Seals. Chester's form this season has been indifferent to say the least but, in the end, it was a rare away victory against a struggling Telford side who remain rooted to the bottom of the table.
Goals: James Hardy, 13 (0-1) Anthony Dudley, pen, 73 (0-2) Darren Stephenson, 78 (0-3) Carl Baker, 90+2 (1-3).
Anthony Dudley converts from the spot.
⚽️ 🎄 ⚽️ 🎅 ⚽️ ☃️ ⚽️
1100 - Monday 27th December 2021
Krooner Park
Combined Counties League Premier Division SouthCamberley Town 2-3 Farnham Town
Att: 143 (h/c)
The first of two games on this Festive Holiday led me to Surrey. There were some nervous moments en-route here as the rain lashed down and other games were being called off due to waterlogged pitches. The social media outlets for both clubs were silent as to whether this match was on and the phone number was ringing off.
Anyway, on arrival at the ground we bumped into the referee and he said despite the battering from the rain, the pitch was excellent. Game on!
The pitch was obviously heavy but both teams produced an enjoyable encounter. Farnham were the better side but two goalkeeping errors kept the homesters in with chance of getting something. In the end it was a deserved victory for the visitors.
Camberley have played at Krooner Park since 1923, despite the name sounding like it's named in honour of Bing Crosby or Nat King Cole, it's actually named after a horse called Krooner whose race winnings were used to fund the building of the ground!
Goals: Ashley Elson, 14 (1-0) Max Blackmore, 21 (1-1) Tom Smith, 62 (1-2) Omar Nyame, 70 (1-3) Jacob White, 79 (2-3).
⚽️ 🎄 ⚽️ 🎅 ⚽️ ☃️ ⚽️
Isthmian League South Central Division
Winklebury Football Complex
Basingstoke Town 4-3 Thatcham Town
Winklebury Football Complex
Basingstoke Town 4-3 Thatcham Town
Att: 740
Sometimes you drop lucky in this hobby and did I pick a Christmas cracker for my second game of day. A seven goal thriller but astonishingly it was 2-2 going into the final minute. Basingstoke went 3-2 up in the 90th minut but in the 5th minute of stoppage it seemed 10-man Thatcham had somehow salvaged a draw. From the kick off the ball was played out to McKoy Palmer who, from the edge of the 18 yard box, unleashed a rocket into the top corner. Cue the Partridge "he must have a foot like a traction engine" commentary!
Basingstoke are now playing at Winklebury, which is the Berkshire County FA Ground. Despite selling merchandise saying "Save the Camrose" a return home seems increasingly unlikely.
Sometimes you drop lucky in this hobby and did I pick a Christmas cracker for my second game of day. A seven goal thriller but astonishingly it was 2-2 going into the final minute. Basingstoke went 3-2 up in the 90th minut but in the 5th minute of stoppage it seemed 10-man Thatcham had somehow salvaged a draw. From the kick off the ball was played out to McKoy Palmer who, from the edge of the 18 yard box, unleashed a rocket into the top corner. Cue the Partridge "he must have a foot like a traction engine" commentary!
Basingstoke are now playing at Winklebury, which is the Berkshire County FA Ground. Despite selling merchandise saying "Save the Camrose" a return home seems increasingly unlikely.
Goals: Daniel Fosu, 7 (0-1) Stefan Brown, pen, 45 (1-1) Conor Lynch, 70 (2-1) Simeon Weekes, 83 (2-2) Conor Lynch, 89 (3-2) Lamar Koroma 95 (3-3) McKoy Palmer 97 (4-3)
Cameron Rohart-Brown (Thatcham Town) Sent off, 39.
⚽️ 🎄 ⚽️ 🎅 ⚽️ ☃️ ⚽️
United Counties League Premier Division South
Billing Road
Northampton ON Chenecks 2-2 Cogenhoe United
Att: 130 (h/c)
I ended 2021 with another trip down the M6 for at Northamptonshire derby. Once again the weather threatened to play havoc but Chenecks tweeted early that there were no problems with the pitch.
The club has an interesting history with the Old Northamptonians (O.N.) association formed in 1919 in memory of the 94 members of staff, sixth formers and leavers who had lost their lives in the First World War to allow former pupils to play sport.
The football section of Northampton Grammar School was formed in 1946 to allow the rugby boys to play football and the name Chenecks comes from the the School Houses, Chipseys, Spencer, Beckett and St Crispins.
In 1960 both came together and ON Chenecks set up base at Billing Road and later joined the United Counties in 1969 and, in both instances, that has remained the same to this day.
This season has been tough for the Chenecks, with just one victory registered before start of play today. This afternoon though was a typical derby affair and great entertainment for this particular neutral. It was easy to see why Chenecks have strugged this season as if they could have converted the chances they created they could have easily claimed victory. However on the balance of the game a draw was a fair result.
That concluded a rather hectic December, which after the previous year when the country was heading towards lockdown was something to be celebrated. Hopefully 2022 will continue the slow return to normality...
⚽️ 🎄 ⚽️ 🎅 ⚽️ ☃️ ⚽️
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