HOLKER OLD BOYS (Rakesmoor Lane)

FA VASE 1ST QUALIFYING ROUND, HOLKER OLD BOYS 3-0 NORTON & STOCKTON ANCIENTS, ATTENDANCE: 54

After initial plans for a trip across the English Channel to Guernsey fell through, I decided to revert to my original plan which was a trip north to Barrow-in-Furness for some FA Vase action.

I had been meaning to visit Holker Old Boys for years but for some reason I just never got around to it, so today it was finally time! The clash was North West Counties v Northern League (two of my favourite leagues) as Holker took on Norton & Stockton Ancients.

Holker Old Boys’ Football Club was founded in 1936 as an under 16 side from the 'Old Boys' of Holker Central Secondary School on Holker Street in Barrow-in-Furness. The school has long since gone but the name lives on through the football team.

The club became an 'adult' club in 1939, joining the West Lancashire League in 1967 before joining the North West Counties League in 1991.

The club play at Rakesmoors Lane, having moved there in 1971. The ground has a small stand in the top corner of the ground and the pitch has a very pronounced slope. Today though both teams played some of their best stuff playing up the hill.

It was a comfortable win for Holker as they scored three goals without reply. If it wasn't for the woodwork and some poor finishing the scoreline may have been worse for the Ancients. 

Their cause wasn't helped by playing the last quarter of the game with 10 men after substitute Steven Barker was dismissed for kicking out at a Holker player.

Jordan Brough gave The Stags the lead after 15 minutes before second half goals from 

Nathan Reid (60) and Jamie Pattinson (89) saw Holker through where they will now play another Northern League team, Durham City, in the next round.

BOXING DAY 'STAFFORDSHIRE' DOUBLE

First and foremost, Happy Christmas to all readers of this blog. I hope Santa brought everything you desired!

It wouldn't be Christmas without a Boxing Day 'double header' but with the weather decidedly dodgy over the festive period, I thought it safe to abort my original planned double of Welton Rovers and Chippenham Town (though both games did go ahead and both finished 3-3) and make a short-ish trip to Staffordshire for an easy double.... 

11.30am
MIDLAND COMBINATION
PREMIER LEAGUE

STAFFORD TOWN 1
BROCTON 0

ATTENDANCE: 185

Stafford Town's Evans Park was opened in 2010

With Stafford's excellent Twitter feed giving the heads up about this game being on, there were plenty of 'hoppers' in amongst the bumper crowd to witness Stafford Town beat Brocton for the first time since 1992. 

The game was a typical tight derby affair with both teams cancelling each other out. The best of the first half chances went to the homesters and they took the lead after 29 minutes through James Cresswell, whose neat lob over 'keeper proved to be a worthy winner.

Brocton's upped their games in the second half and their efforts probably merited a share of the spoils but it was Town who held firm to earn the local bragging rights.

Spot the groundhopper!

Once the final whistle blew at Evans Park, it was a trip up the A34 to the city of Stoke-on-Trent for.....

3.00pm
NORTH WEST COUNTIES
LEAGUE DIVISION ONE

HANLEY TOWN 4
LEEK CSOB 0

ATTENDANCE: 111

The covered terrace Hanley's Abbey Lane ground

Comfortable win for Hanley who are adapting well to life in their debut season at step 6, after being promoted from the Staffs County League. Two goals in each half bagged the points and Hanley also had the luxury of missing a penalty, amongst a host of other chances.

Theo Stair (20) gave the homesters the lead from penalty spot (pictured right) before missing a second spot kick. James Pointon (41) did make it 2-0 before the break.

Leek had a go, as you would expect, in the second period before were susceptible to the counter attack. They failed to breach the Hanley goal and eventually conceded to late goals as Danny Tainton (82) and Michael Morton (84) made certain of the points.