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Dr. Feelgood & Flux Of Pink Indians : Matchgoing Oct 23 - 29

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    #26
    Canvey Island 3 Cray Wanderers 2
    FA Cup Fourth Qualifying Round


    I loved Canvey, parked at the ground around 1pm and had a fantastic blustery mile or so walk to the Labworth Cafe, an international style listed thirties building that is the seafront's main landmark. Had lunch there and walked back to ground taking in all the murals that cover the wall of the esplanade.

    Park Lane has one massive stepped terrace behind one goal which affords far better views than is normal at this level (I presume it was constructed for their Conference years) and the far corner of it offered the most space for social distancing in the ground. However, it did expose one to the gale that was now blowing off the Thames Estuary and over the sea wall right behind one goal. A gale that was to play a major part in determining the result.

    Playing with the wind at their backs, the home side were two up after ten minutes from the simple tactic of banging the ball forward early for their two pacy forwards to chase and force mistakes. A third came after twenty-two minutes from a long range shot that may have been wind assisted and the Wands struggle to create anything going forward with the ball constantly blowing back at them.

    Predictably the second half was the reverse but Cray could only claim two goals back just after the hour mark and failed to equalise despite dominating the final twenty minutes plus.




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      #27
      Kendal Town 2 Runcorn Linnets 3

      NPL North West Division

      There's no doubt that Runcorn deserved the win, they had by a distance the more composed defenders and technically gifted midfield players who looked a class apart from the over-hurried approach of the hosts. Yet Kendal's new player - manager Chris Humphrys can take something from this game as his outplayed team stayed competitive throughout, a trait not freely associated with Kendal teams of recent history.

      In fact Humphrys himself - in a rare appearance this season - lead from the front in terms of commitment, a willing and (for his age) surprisingly speedy outlet working relentlessly down the right.

      However having himself opened the scoring after six minutes Humphrys then watched his team reduced to looking for scraps as the Linnets dominated possession and scored either side of the break to go ahead. A fine long run and measured pass by Humphrys set up a first time finish by Charlie Birch to square the game before the hour against the run of play but Runcorn weren't to be denied and scored again soon after. They ultimately hung on without too much difficulty, as Kendal's honest endeavour was betrayed by lack of creative quality.

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        #28
        Originally posted by Artificial Hipster View Post
        Stalybridge Celtic 0-1 Basford United
        Northern Premier League Premier Division

        The name Celtic, for those who didn't know (which included me until earlier today) stems from the club's founder hoping to attract a following from the large numbers of Scots working on the town's railways
        That's interesting, so it's then curious that the club's wiki page merely says about its origins:

        "The club's formation is usually given as 1909. However, it may have been as early as 1906 when an amateur club with the same name was formed. There were players called Storrs and Manwood who played in the 1906 and 1909 teams, and a player called Rhodes who played in the amateur's first game; a Herbert Rhodes was a significant benefactor of the 'later' Celtic."

        Even the club's own history on the official website has no mention of the Scots and railways:

        http://www.stalybridgeceltic.co.uk/club-history.php

        So were you told this info by a local, or did you read/hear it elsewhere?

        From the Celtic wiki:


        "The term Celtic is synonymous now with our football club, but there have been other Celtic football clubs to have existed before our own.

        "It is believed that possibly Br Walfrid was influenced to name our club 'Celtic' as his original club ('Columba') was listed in which a competitor was titled Celtic.

        The Parkhead History site reports a 'Celtic' team to have played one game versus 'Eastern' on 25th January 1873, so long before our Celtic FC was formed. The team was listed as playing at Flesher’s Haugh on Glasgow Green. Records show two teams called Celtic were playing in Glasgow before our Celtic FC was even formed.

        In Liverpool, another city with a large Irish population, there were 11 Irish teams in the 1880s. Significantly four were called Celtic and one Hibernian. It’s unlikely that they had all copied their Glasgow counterpart, a team still in its formative years. The term in certain circles referenced Irishness so Celtic was seen as an identifier.

        So, 'Celtic' weren't the first 'Celtic' football club, but then our Celtic have influenced enough clubs over the years to adopt the name, most famously the brotherly Belfast Celtic (sadly now gone)."


        http://www.thecelticwiki.com/


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          #29
          It was from a Halifax Town fans guide to Stalybridge I think. I'll stick the lap top on in a bit and search through yesterday's history.

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            #30
            Actually no, it was in a Glasgow Celtic forum. Asking Google, Why are Stalybridge called Celtic? the top link was a thread on something called Kerrydale Street and it's discussed on there.

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              #31
              Perth Glory Legends 3 - 5 Perth Children's Hospital Doctors
              Telethon Charity Match, Sunday 25th October


              With the A-League and W-League in hibernation until 27th December, I took this opportunity to see some Glory Legends don the purple jersey once again including new head coach Richard Garcia and his new assistant and former St Mirren player, Steven McGarry,. The opposition were the doctors at the local children's hospital with the proceeds from this match going to Perth Children's Hospital, courtesy of Telethon; a Western Australian annual charity event run by TV Station Channel 7 and is the equivalent to the BBC's Children in Need.

              My son had his birthday in midweek so I suggested to him he could take 3 of his friends and head along as a birthday treat. So I had a car journey with four 10-11 yr-olds all talking absolute nonsense and my ears are still trying to recover from the constant high-pitched giggling.

              The game was played in a 35C heat and the venue, Dorrien Gardens, doesn't have a great deal of shade but the kids managed to amuse themselves playing football within the inflatable pitch that had been erected pitchside. As for the game, it was played in a very friendly manner until a doctor slid in on former Glory head coach, Kenny Lowe, and sent him flying. At least if he got injured there was plenty of trained staff to assist.

              The kids got fed and watered in the air-conditioned clubhouse at half-time, and it was nice to see returning striker Andy Keogh there with his family, just mixing with everyone. We headed back out into the heat for the second half, and I needed some peace and quiet so told the kids to wander around the ground to see if they could find some shade by the block of flats that overlooked one of the goals. I took my eyes off them for 5 mins and before I knew it they were nowhere to be seen. I'd given them strict instructions not to leave the ground and to all stick together, so although I trusted them I started to feel uneasy so headed over there to find them, and there they were playing more football in the synthetic pitch behind the main stand - it must have been sweltering over there but they were having fun. Unfortunately the final whistle would soon blow and the aural assault was about to resume.

              The free-kick taken by this doctor was superb and found the top-corner:



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                #32
                Bishop's Stortford 2 St Albans City 0
                FA Cup Fourth Qualifying Round


                Hertfordshire's Ecclesiastico derby was a good way to bow out of attending this year's competition for me after six matches, assuming I don't get the chance to see any later rounds. The sell out 600 crowd offered a good atmosphere but plenty of space to socially distance and the club had clearly gone to a lot of effort to adhere to COVID measures.

                The game roared in to life after three minutes with a slightly freakish home goal from a charged down keeper's kick (I posted a video of it on the armchair thread) and carried on in the same vein when an excellent long pass found a Stortford striker through on goal unchallenged just after the quarter hour mark. St Albans however had illustrated their higher division status and dominated the chances aside from the goals but showed an inability to convert them that would carry on all night.

                Once the visitors had punched themselves out around the half hour mark they threatened less and less and it became more apparent that we'd have a "shock" on our hands. The game could have fizzled out but there was enough local pride at stake to ensure both sides ran and challenged hard for the rest of the game.

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                  #33
                  Northwood 1 Staines Town 2 Isthmian League South Central Division

                  Due to not leaving my E17 house before I'd watched a Six O'Clock News article on COVID in Wakefield I made a tactical decision to get an Uber from Harrow on the Hill to make it in time for kick-off. Neither me nor the driver realised that the leafy ground is down a non-lit single track road, so that was an adventure for him.

                  I arrived just as the teams were walking out and it's a splendid non-league ground. A main stand that is a bit like a lower league Wrexham main stand and cover on two other sides, with a sloping walkway around the ground. Ray said I'd enjoy a visit to Northwood and he's spot on.

                  The game was an 18th v 8th in the table clash and the table didn't lie, with Staines taking a 1-0 lead before half-time with a close-range goal as Northwood offered very little. The second half continued to have a lack of quality but as play opened up more chances were created and more chances sailed over the bar. It was only just before the end of the game that our friend Excellence Muhamba scored for Northwood after the ref played a good advantage. Sadly they utterly buggered it up and conceded in the 92nd minute. A splendid autumnal evening for the neutral. Sturdy shoes essential. Now to go buy two pumpkins!



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                    #34
                    Clapton v Walthamstow was last night's plan. On arrival at 6.30pm there was a lot of standing around, even more so than normal. Despite the match referee giving the go-ahead for the game at a 3pm pitch inspection, it had now become clear that the pitch markings were far to faint to be of any use - you had to be pretty much on top of them to be able to see them.

                    Terrance McMillan Stadium is owned by Newham Council, and all the pitch marking equipment was locked away. Someone found a can of paint, but that ran out with just one line done. I think games have been called off at the Terry Mac more than once at short notice because of issues with the pitch.



                    The referee then spent the next 45 minutes walking around, having a look at various areas of the pitch, but not making a decision either way. At 7.10pm he sent some of the Clapton contingent to B&Q to go and buy some paint, but as soon as they were out of the stadium, he checked how far away the nearest B&Q was, found out that it was about 20 minutes each way, and called the game off.

                    It later transpired that the ground itself hadn't been opened until 4pm, and the referee had probably done the inspection from the car park.

                    Fair to say that the 30-odd Stow fans who made the trip weren't best pleased. Clapton's claims that the markings "were OK on Saturday" were little comfort.

                    Comment


                      #35
                      Cheadle Heath Nomads 1-1 New Mills
                      NWCFL First Division South

                      I'd cycled to the ground on Friday so the 'joy of the new' was absent. The Proseal Stadium is a basic if pleasant arena in leafy surrounds a mile or so from Edgeley Park. The clubhouse squats at the half way line on one side of the pitch with a 30-seater stand that presumably came in a 'buy one, get a small standing enclosure free' offer on the other. This is only Nomads' third season at this level but they've been at this ground for all but the first year or two of just over one hundred years of existence so one has to conclude they named themselves a little prematurely.

                      The game took a good while to come to life but was an entertaining affair once it finally did. Nomads started off on the front foot, spraying the ball around nicely on a pitch which held up well given all the rain, but very quickly faded. The first shot of the game didn't arrive until after the half hour mark, the Millers drawing the first of a string of fine saves from Nomads' stand in keeper, Bruna da Silva. New Mills should have taken the lead straight from the re-start only to see the home side go straight down the other end and do so with a shot that took a wicked deflection. Nomads' best spell of the game followed with the Millers also continuing to look dangerous. I can't recall many games where a team hit so many long shots of such quality as New Mills - from one piledriver I was convinced da Silva must have suffered a broken wrist he took so long to get back to his feet having tipped it around the post.

                      It was going to take something special to beat him and substitute Sam Amankwaa provided it with a left-foot shot curled into the top left corner of the goal from the right hand corner of the penalty area. The same player should really have won the game for the visitors at the death hitting one straight at da Silva following a neat turn in the box and it wouldn't have been more than the visitors deserved.





                      Comment


                        #36
                        "Football stadiums in your town that you never knew existed..."

                        Comment


                          #37
                          Originally posted by Forest Gump View Post
                          Clapton v Walthamstow was last night's plan. On arrival at 6.30pm there was a lot of standing around, even more so than normal. Despite the match referee giving the go-ahead for the game at a 3pm pitch inspection, it had now become clear that the pitch markings were far to faint to be of any use - you had to be pretty much on top of them to be able to see them.

                          Terrance McMillan Stadium is owned by Newham Council, and all the pitch marking equipment was locked away. Someone found a can of paint, but that ran out with just one line done. I think games have been called off at the Terry Mac more than once at short notice because of issues with the pitch.



                          The referee then spent the next 45 minutes walking around, having a look at various areas of the pitch, but not making a decision either way. At 7.10pm he sent some of the Clapton contingent to B&Q to go and buy some paint, but as soon as they were out of the stadium, he checked how far away the nearest B&Q was, found out that it was about 20 minutes each way, and called the game off.

                          It later transpired that the ground itself hadn't been opened until 4pm, and the referee had probably done the inspection from the car park.

                          Fair to say that the 30-odd Stow fans who made the trip weren't best pleased. Clapton's claims that the markings "were OK on Saturday" were little comfort.
                          Walthamstow FC have released a statement.

                          At least FG will get a free beer at the next home game.

                          Last edited by cantagalo; 28-10-2020, 11:56.

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                            #38
                            Honestly, Bad Clapton (as opposed to Good Fan-Run Clapton) are more and more of an irrelevant joke with every passing month.

                            Comment


                              #39
                              Originally posted by Snake Plissken View Post
                              "Football stadiums in your town that you never knew existed..."
                              You can check out the Cheadle derby if you're at a loose end on Boxing Day. Could be tasty..

                              Comment


                                #40
                                Cray Wanderers 6 Merstham 0
                                Isthmian Premier


                                A bit of a bonus game for me. The 19 year old son of one of my mates who sits with me at Wimbledon is on loan at Merstham from The Dons. I've known the boy since he was five when he started school with my eldest daughter and had seen him play age group games before but not senior football so took the chance of half term to take my son along as we haven't seen a game together since February.

                                Unfortunately it wasn't an easy night for Merstham or any of us lending them our support for the evening, They're punching above their weight a little in the division, going through something of an injury crisis and bottom of the table. They were 2-0 down after ten minutes and the game was over with the third on the half hour.

                                It was a strange experience watching a young promising player in a struggling side whilst standing next to his dad quietly living every moment of a battering along with him. We all tried to accentuate the positive sides of his individual game and I shared anecdotes about Gareth Bale's 24 appearances without a win after joining Spurs and Andy Sinton's journey from playing in Cambridge's league record winless run to England international but I'm not sure how much it helped.

                                It was a tough watch, even if my mate's son didn't put in a bad performance. The substitute appearance of 48 year old OIHSP? stalwart and Merstham player-coach Barry Hayles, brightened the last half hour, especially his running argument with the ref throughout which I think was due to Barry's suspicion he was getting tough treatment as a "big name".

                                Glad we went along to support him/them though and I always like a visit to Hayes Lane, Cray's landlords Bromley's ground. The big open terrace running along one side of the ground is a great spot to watch a game and they've built a comparatively massive new stand behind one goal (not pictured) which I suspect is to meet Conference seating requirements.

                                Last edited by Ray de Galles; 29-10-2020, 15:08.

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