MALMESBURY VICTORIA (The Flying Monk Ground)

HELLENIC LEAGUE DIVISION ONE, MALMESBURY VICTORIA 2-0 DEVIZES TOWN, ATTENDANCE: 127

I found myself in the historic town of Malmesbury for some Friday night football. I missed out when they hosted a "groundhop" game last year.

Malmesbury is famous for it's Abbey, a monastery famed for its learning. It was later home to one of Alfred the Great's fortified burhs for defence against the Vikings. Æthelstan, the first king of all England, was buried in Malmesbury Abbey when he died in 939.

After a very brief stroll around the Abbey, I headed along the banks of the Tetbury Avon to the fabulously monikered Flying Monk Ground, which was named after the previously adjacent pub, which in turn was named after Æthelmær, an 11th-century English Benedictine monk known for his early attempt at a gliding flight using wings. The pub is now gone and is now a Co-Op store.

The ground is compact and quirky to say the least. Right up my street!

The club was established in 1898 as Malmesbury Town but folded in 1936. The club was reformed in 1947 and then renamed Malmesbury United in 1968. In 1975 they merged with Swindon Victoria to become Malmesbury Victoria, taking Swindon Victoria's place in Division One of the Wiltshire Combination in the process. In 1976 the club were founder members of the new Wiltshire County League and remained there until the were promoted to the Hellenic League in 2000.

They remained in the Hellenic League until 2014, before returning to the Wiltshire League due to financial difficulties. After being crowned champions in 2015 they opted to remain in situ but they were then promoted to the Western League the following year. In 2018 they were laterally transferred back to the Hellenic League where they have remained.

Tonight it was a Wiltshire Derby as Devizes Town were the visitors. An own goal after 5 minutes and a second half strike from Harvey Scholes secured the win for Malmesbury, who remain unbeaten in the league so far this season (P5-W4-D1) and sit top of the table tonight.

It really should have been 3-0 when, deep into stoppage time, Malmesbury broke away and their player rounded the keeper, skipped past two defenders, then fired his shot high into the Co-op car park rather than the open goal. Worse than Neal Maupay! 😂

GLOUCESTER CITY (New Meadow Park)

FA CUP 2nd QUALIFYING ROUND, LONGLEVENS AFC 1-3 GLOUCESTER CITY, ATTENDANCE: 2,320

This afternoon I headed to Gloucester to visit the first of the three brand new grounds in the National League North that I needed at the start of the season (York City and Boston United being the others).

This Sunday afternoon though it was an FA Cup tie I was watching as Gloucester City took on Longlevens in a huge local derby, the first competitive meeting between the sides. This was a proper David vs Goliath match at it was National League North (step 2) vs Hellenic League (step 5).

The game was officially a Longlevens home game but the tie was switched to Meadow Park on police advice. Both clubs were rewarded with a record crowd for the new ground with over 2,300 present, including plenty of familiar faces from the groundhopping fraternity.

I did say new ground by the way, or is it a rebuild? That's a debate for others. As far as I am concerned it is a new ground as I never previously visited Meadow Park.

Gloucester returned to the city in 2020 after a nomadic 13 year existence groundsharing at Forest Green Rovers, Cirencester Town, Cheltenham Town and Evesham United. The original Meadow Park was destroyed by flooding in 2007 when the River Severn burst it's banks. There is a famous photograph that shows the water almost touching the crossbar (it is easily found with a Web search).

Although the new ground is on the same site, in the Hempsted area of the city, the pitch, the two 350 seat stands and clubhouse have been raised over 10ft to safeguard against any future flooding. The terracing from the original Meadow Park is visible behind the South Stand.

The first game at the new Meadow Park was an FA Trophy game against Needham Market in December 2020. The Tigers won 4-2. I was heading the next game on Boxing Day against Leamington, with my ticket purchased and everything, but then Covid-19 restrictions were imposed and that game was played behind closed doors before the season was eventually null and voided.

Longlevens were enjoying their best ever run in the FA Cup, this 2nd qualifying round being the furthest they had ever been before. Unfortunately for the Levens today was where that run ended. They gave a good account of themselves but in the end Gloucester just had too much.

The Tigers were on the front foot from the off and took the lead through a Danny King shot after 12 minutes. Any thoughts of a cup upset seemed unlikely at this point with Gloucester dominating the the game.

However, on 31 minutes, Longlevens scored the goal of the game when a quick counter attack led to the ball falling to Cam Williams who curled in a shot, from outside the area, past the despairing dive of Jake Cole in the Gloucester goal.

This rattled Gloucester and for a few minutes Longlevens had them pinned in their own half but half time came at a good time for The Tigers and within minutes of the restart they were back in front, King tapping home at the far post.

Gloucester dealt with the attacks from Longlevens and probably should have extended their lead on the counter but the win was finally secured with eight minutes remaining when King headed home to complete his hat-trick.

A deserved win for Gloucester but Longlevens bowed out with their heads held high.

HEREFORD LADS CLUB (Herefordshire FA County Ground)

HELLENIC LEAGUE DIVISION ONE WEST, HEREFORD LADS CLUB 0-3 CLANFIELD 85, ATTENDANCE: 90

Choices were limited today as Covid-19 and waterlogged pitches caused league suspensions and postponements across the country.

After a morning trawl through twitter to see what was on, I ultimately decided to play it reasonably safe and head for a game on a 3G pitch. 

I trundled down the A49 to Hereford where Hereford Lads Club were taking on Clanfield 85 in an Hellenic League Division One West game. Plenty of other groundhoppers obviously had the same idea and there were a few familiar faces amongst the crowd of supporters.

Hereford Lads Club play at the Herefordshire County Ground on Widemarsh Common (next door to Westfields) and this has been their home since 1940, after the original club was destroyed by fire. The club temporarily played at Hereford Leisure Centre in 2012 after the pitch was deemed too small but they were back by 2013. The stand and floodlights were erected in 2017 and the ribbon was cut by Everton legend Kevin Sheedy, who began his career with Hereford United.

The Lads Club was founded in 1925 with the aim of providing underprivileged boys with the means to become men through sport by emphasising gentlemanly conduct and good sportsmanship. Originally catering for gymnastics and boxing before cricket and football teams were developed.

The club spent many seasons in the Herefordshire County League before winning promotion to the West Midlands Regional League in 2012. The club were transferred across to the Hellenic League in 2019.

 

This afternoon's game got off to flying start with the visitors from Oxfordshire racing into a two goal lead within 12 minutes.

After 7 minutes quick break from Clanfield led to Zak Oliver racing clear and Jack Bellenger applying the finish to a great ball into the area.

There was a little controversy to Clanfield's second goal. Alfie Saunders scored direct from a corner kick (pictured below) but Steve Bell in the Hereford goal felt he was fouled which allowed the ball to sail into the net. It looked like a foul from where I was stood, given the fact that in modern football 'keepers normally get them decisions. Regardless, the referee said goal and his is the opinion that matters.

 

From then on the homesters seem to lose theirs heads and every decision was met with cries of derision. They did create some half chances but the game was effectively over when Adam Newbury received a straight red card for foul and abusive language.

Clanfield had a goal disallowed just before half time and hit the woodwork just after the restart. Hereford tried to work their way back into game but always looked in danger on the counter, but fortunately for them the final ball from the visitors was poor. However Clanfield did add a third after 80 minutes when Josh Gibbens prodded home from inside the six yard box. A deserved three points for Clanfield.

I eventually arrived home to the news that Wales had gone back into a full lockdown with immediate effect so that is definitely that regards groundhopping for the foreseeable. 

Have a very happy Christmas but most importantly, stay safe. Hopefully 2021 will be better for all of us. Until whenever, goodnight!

BRIMSCOMBE & THRUPP (Meadow Park)

FA VASE 2ND QUALIFYING ROUND, BRIMSCOMBE & THRUPP 3-0 SHRIVENHAM, ATTENDANCE: 63

I flouted my own FA Vase rule of not watching teams from the same league play each other by opting for an all Hellenic Premier clash as Brimscombe & Thrupp went face to face with Shrivenham. The reason was simply to go and admire the old stand at The Lilywhites' bucolic Meadow Park before it joins the ever growing list of bulldozed football stands. 

Many of my fellow ground hoppers had previously advised me to visit before it is replaced by a more "modern" stand. Planning permission has been approved by the parish council and the existing stand is due to be flattened by the end of October 2013, so I would advise anyone to heed the advice like I did and visit as soon as possible. As Muse sung, time is running out!

The soon to be demolished stand at Meadow Park

Brimscombe and Thrupp are two adjoining villages in the district of Stroud, Gloucestershire. Stroud is the nearest train station to the ground and this is where I alighted, allowing plenty of time to visit sample some local ales in the town's public houses. The best one I ventured into was the Crown and Sceptre, where 3 Uley Ales were on offer. 

In a neat link to our day out, the pub sponsors Brimscombe and a framed shirt was hanging on the wall. There was also stacks of other memorabilia on the wall such as film and music posters, but there was also Everton pictures around the bar as it turned out the landlord was a massive Evertonian. It was centred around this pub that I was on the receiving end of two welcome acts of kindness.

I dropped my train tickets in the taxi that took me to the pub and the taxi driver brought them back to me and then, when it was time to head to the match, the landlord gave us a lift. It restored my faith in human nature a wee bit.

The club as it is today were formed by a merger in the late 1970's, though Brimscombe FC have been around since 1886 and were founded members of the Gloucestershire Senior League in 1968.

Brimscombe & Thrupp continued their rise up the pyramid this year by clinching their 3rd promotion in four seasons, from the Gloucester Senior League to the Hellenic Division One West to the Hellenic Premier. Both sides are currently 13th and 14th in the current  table and they played out a 4-4 draw just 7 days ago. Was it too much to ask for more of the same?

The homesters ran out 3-0 winners but the scoreline didn't reflect the overall game as there was nothing between the sides, the big difference was The Lilywhites took their chances.

Adam Price gave Brimscombe the lead after 14 minutes, when he smashed home a shot from the edge of the box. Ben Prictor scored from a free kick to make it 2-0 after 30 minutes. Shrivenham had their moments but it was the hosts who went in leading at the break.

Both sides had chances after the interval but as the visitors chased the game it became more open. The tie was finally settled in the 78th minute when Ashley Caldwell headed home to book Brimscombe and Thrupp's place in the first round proper, where the will host Ashton and Backwell United on 19th October. An enjoyable afternoon at a most friendly and welcoming club.