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.

SUNDERLAND RCA (Meadow Park)

FA CUP 1st QUALIFYING ROUND, SUNDERLAND RCA 2-4 STOCKTON TOWN, ATTENDANCE: 324

There were plenty of choices on offer today but I could not resist the lure of an FA Cup tie. After much deliberation, I decided to head to the North East for the match up between Sunderland RCA (of the Northern League) and Stockton Town (recently promoted to the Northern Premier League).

Sunderland RCA are based in the Ryhope area of the city and their full name is Sunderland Ryhope Community Association. The club was founded in 1963 and competed in local league's until the mid 1970's when the club folded after entry to the Wearside League was refused, as there was already a team called Ryhope competing in it.

The club reformed in 1978 and joined the Northern Alliance before becoming founding members of the Northern League Division Two in 1982. At this point the club were now playing at their own ground, Meadow Park, which is currently known as Sunderland LGV Park for sponsorship purposes. The Sunderland prefix was added in 2006 when the club joined forces with Springboard Sunderland and in 2010 they were promoted to the Northern League Division One.

It was a wise decision to head here to today as I witnessed an absolutely brilliant FA Cup tie.

The home side were fastest out the blocks and had a couple of efforts blocked within the first minute and had a couple of good chances after that but, against the run of the early play, Stockton took the lead when Kevin Hayes (14) scored from a free kick (pictured left). The visitors controlled the play after this and were 2-0 up after 22 minute, a superb flowing move culminating in the ball been played out wide for Mikey Roberts to run onto and fire into the bottom corner of the net.

Stockton nearly made it three but a quick counter resulted in Sunderland's Michael Annang-Colquhoun scrambling home after 28 minutes. This clearly lifted the home side and on 36 minutes they were level, Simon Jakab heading home.

There were chances for both teams before the break, Sunderland coming the closest when Mark Davison hit the crossbar in stoppage time.

After such an open first half the second half was always going to be a little more cagier but it was Stockton who always seemed to have the slight edge. It wasn't until 20 minutes from time that they finally pulled away when Hayes scored his second, via a slight deflection of a defenders heel (pictured right) and then substitute Nathan Steel wrapped the tie up with six minutes to go. 

A fantastic advert for the FA Cup and reaffirmed my belief that it is still the best Cup competition in the world. Stockton will now travel to Curzon Ashton in the next round, which should be another intriguing encounter.

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.