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.

BROCTON (Silkmore Lane)

MIDLAND COMBINATION PREMIER LEAGUE, BROCTON 1-1 STAFFORD TOWN, ATTENDANCE: 96

I was working until midday so today's options were rather limited. After first choice of Walsall Wood v Hanworth Villa bit the dust yet again, I headed, after getting the thumbs up via twitter, to Silkmore Lane, the home of Brocton FC, where the pitch was immaculate and the game was never in doubt.

The Badgers were founded in 1937 and this is their 75th anniversary season if you can't be bothered doing the maths!

After vacating their original Chetwynd Arms Ground, Brocton played at Rowley Park, Cannock Sports Ground and Heath Hayes FC before taking over the lease of the derelict Old Police Sports Ground on Silkmore Lane in 2006, but it wasn't until 2008 that the ground was deemed fit for football.

This was the second installment of the Stafford derby as Brocton ran out 3-1 winners last Saturday. Stafford seemed determined not to let that happen today as they got stuck into their hosts from the off. This meant the majority off the opening period was quite tetchy as both teams traded tackles and insults.

Stafford had a goal ruled out for offside, however Brocton just about shaded the play and went into the break with the lead, given to them through a fine Gary Fife effort.



Gary Fife gives Brocton the lead after 36 minutes



 

The second half saw Stafford begin to play football and they started to create chances. They were deservedly level through a Joe Woodward header (58). The game could have gone either way, though Stafford's cause was not helped by playing the last 10 minutes with 10 men, James Cresswall receiving a second yellow card.

A good, lively encounter and overall a draw was a fair result.