Acrylic Afternoons - A trip to SHEFFIELD

1230 - PREMIER LEAGUE, BRAMALL LANE, SHEFFIELD UNITED 2-2 EVERTON, ATTENDANCE: 31,124

After 3 winless PL games, with no goals, Everton are at least off the mark...

...but another potential win got away once more. After taking the lead through Abdoulaye Doucoure, there were more than enough opportunities to put the game to bed.

Instead The Toffees had to come from behind to draw 2-2, Arnaut Danjuma equalising. However right at the end it took some goalkeeping heroics from Jordan Pickford to preserve a point.

Onward Evertonians...

⚽️⚽️⚽️⚽️⚽️⚽️⚽️

1500 - SHEFFIELD & HALLAMSHIRE COUNTY LEAGUE DIVISION TWO, SHEFFIELD OLYMPIC LEGACY PARK, YOUDAN FC 2-3 THURCROFT, ATTENDANCE: 16 (h/c)

An entertaining match to watch and, as the cliche goes, a game of two halves. Thurcroft 3-0 up at the break and absolutely cruising, Bradley Mears (x2) and Morgan Corbiere scoring the goals.

Youdon came out for second half and proceeded to dominate. They almost, and really should've, pulled off an unlikely comeback but after goals from Bruce Nkomo and Brandon Chan the elusive equaliser just would not come.

The Olympic Legacy Park, which is also home to Sheffield Eagles Rugby League, and is built on the site of the old Don Valley Stadium. I've been informed there is some overlap with the pitch. Therefore does it count as a new ground "tick" or just a revisit? One for the groundhop police...

BEDFORD TOWN (The New Eyrie)

SOUTHERN LEAGUE DIVISION ONE CENTRAL, BEDFORD TOWN 1-0 St NEOTS TOWN, ATTENDANCE: 657

Wishing you and yours a very happy and prosperous New Year.

For me 2022 began with a trip to Bedfordshire and the Southern League clash between Bedford and St Neots.

This was a bit of trek for me for a New Year's Day, so why Bedford? Is there any rhyme or reason to this groundhopping lark? Well, with the FA Cup looming large on the horizon for my beloved Everton, this presented an opportunity to step back in time and connect with a small piece of blue football history.

Everton won the FA Cup in 1966 and en-route to the final they were drawn away at Bedford Town in the 4th Round. The Toffees won 3-0 courtesy of goals from Fred Pickering and Derek Temple (x2). The tie resulted in Bedford Town's record crowd attendance of 18,407.

I was very happy to pick up a copy of the programme from the Everton game in Bedford Town's superb heritage centre at the ground.

That game was played at Bedford's old ground, in Queens Park which was demolished after the club folded in 1982, after the lease on the ground was terminated. Bedford Town were resurrected in 1989 and a new ground was built in the village of Cardington, on the outskirts of Bedford, after the reformed club initially played on a pitch in Queen's Park.

The New Eyrie, with a capacity of 3,000, opened in 1993 with a friendly against Peterborough United. It was a full house and that remains the record attendance at this ground. Prior to 1982, Bedford were a major force in the Southern League, winning the title in 1959.

Since they reformed the highest level the club has reached is the Conference South, but they finished rock bottom and were relegated back to the Southern League. This season the club are competing in the Southern League Division One Central (step four in the National League system).

After heavy rain in the previous days, the match was played on a very heavy pitch. Most of the chances that came by went either high or wide and, in truth, neither goalkeeper was properly tested. 

It was The Eagles who dominated the majority of play and carved out the best opportunities and St Neots held out for 54 minutes against the league leaders before eventually conceding, Rene Howe heading home from close range. Two minutes later The Saints were reduced to 10 men, Charlie Johnson shown a red card and that was effectively that.

Bedford however couldn't find that elusive second goal and the final moments of the game a defensive mix-up nearly gifted the visitors an equaliser but The Eagles held on to begin 2022 top of the table.

As well as the programme shop, I must also mention the tea hut in the corner of the ground where a cuppa with a slice of homemade bread and butter pudding was a bargain £1.20.

A most pleasant way to start a New Year!

EVERTON WOMEN (Walton Hall Park)

FA WOMEN'S SUPER LEAGUE, EVERTON 3-1 BIRMINGHAM CITY, ATTENDANCE: c700

Finally, after an 18 month wait, today brought about the opportunity to watch Everton play at their new ground at Walton Hall Park. I wasn't the only one drawn to this televised early kick off, with plenty of familiar faces in the crowd.

The ground has been redeveloped for use by the Everton Women's team in the grounds of Walton Hall Park, which is also the home Liverpool County FA. It currently has a capacity of 1,500 but this will be increased to around 2,200. There is 500 seat stand in place and there are plans for a covered terrace to be built on the opposite side, which should be completed by the end of 2021.

The ground was due to host the first game in September 2019 but delays meant the first game at the ground wasn't played until February 2020, Everton suffering a 3-2 loss to Manchester United.

Everton have had a tough start playing, and losing, to both Manchester City and Chelsea without scoring a goal. Today provided the opportunity to bounce back and claim their first victory of the season against a Birmingham City side also yet to win.

German international Leonie Maier scored on her Everton debut after 13 minutes when Grace Clinton's blocked effort found it's way to her on the edge of the box and she curled her shot into the bottom corner, via a slight deflection.

Everton were dominating the possession but not really creating any clear cut chances, Birmingham even less so, but on 32 minutes the visitors were level. Jade Pennock created space for herself and drove into the area to fire past Sandy MacIver in the Toffees goal. A fine strike.

I thought that was a great finish but Everton's record signing, Hanna Bennison, went even better on 73 minutes. After neat link up play with Toni Duggan, the 18 year old Swedish International hit a superb shot into top corner to restore The Toffees lead.

Victory was confirmed in stoppage time when Danish international Rikke Sevecke rose to head home an Izzy Christiansen corner. The three points lifted Everton off the bottom of the table and hopefully now the only way is up.

From Walton Hall Park it is approximately a 20 minute walk to Goodison Park where the Everton male counterparts beat Norwich City 2-0 to complete a good day all round. Up the Toffees!

Highlights of the game can be viewed by clicking here