Wednesday 23 August 2017

Brislington v Cribbs, Tuesday 22nd August, 2017

Brislington 2 Cribbs 1

Crunching tackles, bizarre hand balls and a dramatic winner. This game had the lot. Played at a frantic pace with emotions often running high, it made the one paced friendlies and touchy feely first few games of the season seem very far away. 

This was my first visit to Brislington's Ironmould Lane. Situated off the A4 between Bristol and Bath, the ground isn't visible until you go a fair way down the lane and past a cricket pitch.


On paying my £6 entry which included a free programme (nice touch) the first thing you notice is how much of the ground is under cover. Ironmould Lane is built with sheltering from the elements in mind. Three sides of the ground are entirely covered terraces. The remaining side has the dug outs as well as the main stand (covered seating) and another covered terrace.

I'd seen Brisligton play last season at Bitton when they'd been 4-0 winners. Back then Niekell Plummer had led the line and scored two goals. Part of the Bristolian footballing and Goggle box family, I was pleased to see Plummer named in the starting line up as that night his power and touch had made him a joy to watch. 

Brislington are long established members of the Western League, having played at this level since the early 90's. Cribbs meanwhile have been on a steep upward trajectory over the past couple of decades and reached the Western Premier league for the first time in their history in 2012.

I often think you can smell a groundhopper a mile off. About the first person I spotted at the game had all the hall marks of a fellow traveller. My instincts proved right and I spent much of the game chewing the fat with Ed of @Westcountryfb fame who's write up can be found here.

From the start it was clear that the teams were pretty evenly matched and the game quickly became an absorbing affair. Cribbs in the blue had a couple of early chances, the best of which fell to the wonderfully named Horace Ormsby, he wriggled  his way in to the box past several defenders but couldn't beat the keeper.


Next came one of the more bizarre passages of play I've had the joy of witnessing at a football match. It started when Cribbs Number 11, Dowdell picked up the ball and went charging down the left wing. Pursued by a defender he slightly over ran the ball and it clearly went over the touch line before he tapped it back in to play and carried on in to the area. Most of the Brislington players were almost stationary calling for a goal kick to be given, there was no whistle forthcoming however and Dowdell almost sheepishly carried on his attack. As he played the ball in to the 6 yard box, A Brislington defender, number 6, had a rush of blood and literally took things in to his own hands by sticking both arms in the air and stopping the ball in its tracks. For a moment time seemed to stand still. His Brislington team mates were in stunned silence whilst the Cribbs players looked equally confused but eventually started halfheartedly appealing for a penalty. The flummoxed ref ran off to consult with the linesman who had also clearly failed to realise the ball out had gone out of play. 

A penalty was awarded and coolly dispatched by number 11 Dowdell himself. "Play to the whistle" were the obvious words echoing round the terraces as the home team were left seething.


Not long after the Brislington number 6 had a chance to make amends. Plummer who had been kept quiet so far chested a ball in to the box right in to his path but he couldn't find the target with just the keeper to beat.

In the second half Cribbs were not sitting back on their lead and it was there two wide men - Dowdell and Horace Mormby who continued to impress. In and around the penalty area however the Brisltiongton centre backs looked solid and were keeping the forwards largely at bay. Cribbs did have one golden chance to make it 2-0 after a brilliant run from Mormby. The young winger again cut in from the right, showing great skill to get past 3 defenders before putting the ball on a plate for the on rushing number 9 - Aldam. He hit a fierce shot but was brilliantly denied by Chris Blammon in goal who pushed it over the bar. What would have been a brilliant goal turned out to be a turning point.

By this time me and Ed had took up a position near the dug outs. Unfortunately for the lino who'd played his part in the penalty incident earlier, he was patrolling the side right in front of the dugouts. Needless to say he was getting all sorts from the Brislington bench and players. After one particular verbal volley, the Cribbs manager attempted to offer some comforting words to the young assistant referee: "No one said it was gunna be easy hey lino!". The tackles were flying in by now and Ed made the good point that it was surprising more yellow cards hadn't been given (3 was the final count).

Brislington equalised with about 15 minutes to go. A long ball wasn't dealt with and as Plummer chased it down he inevitably out muscled his marker. He chipped it over the out rushing keeper before they clattered in to each other as the ball found the back of the net.


The last ten minutes were increasingly physical but there was still time for a moment brilliance from Brislington's Curtis Jack that would prove decisive. As he took the ball down the right wing it looked like the Cribbs defenders had done enough to shepherd him out to what at best looked like a crossing position. He had other ideas though and unleashed a wonder strike. Such was the angle when he hit it, from where we were it looked like it was destined to go out for a throw-in at the other side of the pitch. Instead it rocketed in to the far corner cannoning off the inside of the post giving the keeper no chance. Easily the best goal I've seen so far this season.

Jack disappeared under a jubilant pile-on and there was no time for a Cribbs reply. 2-1 to Brislington at the final whistle.

A fantastic game of football. Absorbing from start to finish, the kind of match that can tire you out just watching it. I'll be seeking out more games involving these two this season hoping for more of the same.









Looking back down Ironmould Lane






Thursday 17 August 2017

Yate Town v Bideford AFC. Tuesday 15th August, 2017

Yate 0 Bideford 1

Not for the first time this season, due to childcare commitments I arrived at tonight's game a minute or two after kick off. There was no need to fret though. My occasional side kick Bryan was in attendance to fill me in on the early exchanges. He also had a pint waiting for me. Thanks Bryan.

This was my first visit to Yate's Lodge Road, or to give it's formal title - The Jelf Stadium. Yate have been a Southern League club for the past 17 seasons. A recent highlight was reaching the first round proper of the FA Cup in 2012/13 where they eventually bowed out at the hands of localish football league side Cheltenham.

It was a beautiful summers evening and as I entered the ground and parted with my £9, I immediately knew I was going to enjoy the night. I'm a big fan of ever greens at football grounds and Lodge Road has some belters, so big they looked down on the flood lights. As I supped on my beer and inhaled the fresh South Gloucestershire air, the stresses of work and family life faded in to triviality. What a great thing a night at the football is.  


I was looking forward to seeing tonights visitors Bideford in action again. Last season I'd spent a very enjoyable day at their Kingsley Road home that you can read about here. From the starting line ups, it was good to see Sean Downing in the Bideford team, he's been capped at England C level and ran the show when I saw them last year. Another big player for them last season - big Chris McGrath, son of ex Aston Villa and Irish international Paul has moved on to Taunton over the summer. Compared to Yate, the away teams bench looked pretty sparse - I counted 4 subs and no non playing staff apart from Sean "Who needs Mourinio we've got Sean Joyceio" Joyce the manager. Not surprising perhaps given that travelling from North Devon at rush hour would probably mean leaving work at about 3pm.
For Yate I was looking forward to seeing new signing Ben Brooks who featured on these pages last season whilst at Larkhall.


The teams looked evenly matched in the first half. The pitch was in fantastic condition and both sides took advantage of the playing surface, knocking it about nicely looking for an opening. Brooks looked lively for Yate in the number ten role but it was a set piece that came closest to delivering a goal. Yate's centre back, Norris came up for a corner and saw his firm header hit the bar and sail over. A few tackles were flying in but the female ref and her officials generally held the lid on things and the game had a decent flow to it.

The attendance was given as 153 and we heard a Yate fan muttering about the high turn out and wondering where all the new faces had come from: "Have we signed Edgar Davids over the summer or something?" What he probably didn't realise was that a large contingent had made the trek up from North Devon. At first we thought the four vocal fans behind the goal with the Bideford flags were the extent of the the travelling party. It turned out however that a large number of supporters on the touch line were also cheering on the Robins.


Most spectators tonight enjoyed the action from the side of the pitch which housed the main stand, the dug outs, the club bar, the tea hut and the changing rooms as well as the club shop. This could give the ground a lopsided feel but the majestic ever greens coupled with a covered terrace behind one of the goals make Lodge Road a fine place to watch football.

In the second half, the challenges began to get a bit stronger and the politeness shown to the officials in the first half faded away with both teams desperate to get their noses in front. The tall linesman on the dug out side started to get a bit of stick. After a Bideford penalty shout went unanswered he seemed to be smirking at some of the choice comments from a visiting fan. "And it's not funny either" was the angry response this got, "Yes it is" he fired back. Brilliant from the lino. He defused the incident and was quite happy explaining decisions and sticking up for his colleagues as the game went on and the managers were increasingly in his ear. An early contender for linesmaning performance of the season.


The deciding moment of the game would come on the hour mark. By this time we were behind the goal Bideford were attacking and chatting to the Bideford fans with the flags. This car load full made the effort to get to every away game and impressively got to all but 3 last season. Especially impressive as the designated driver amongst them works nights at weekends! Top man. As they explained the ferocity of the North Devon derby with Barnstable (a fixture I definitely want to get to one day), a corner came in from the right. It was headed skyward at the near post and as it came down, the under pressure keeper wasn't able to gather and it was bundled over the line by Craig Allan. Scenes behind the goal. A young fan next to us had a particularly exuberant celebration and star jumped over to two Yate fans at the back of the terrace to let them know how happy he was. He was pretty fired up to be fair. The Yate guys declined to react and seemingly looked on with a mixture of bemusement and fear.  

Yate players protest but the goal is given. Bideford take the lead.

Yate attempted to respond but Bideford continued to look a threat on the counter. Sean Downing though not as dominant as when I last saw him still showed flashes of brilliance. One mazy run ended with him some how riding a heavy challenge, staying on his feet and sending a curler aimed at the top corner just over.  


A few niggly fouls and the general wiliness of Joyce and his men helped break up Yates rhythm. Though the home team bought on fresh legs and showed some good build up play, they struggled to create the clear cut chances they needed. At the other end Billy Tucker almost doubled the visitors lead, he raced on to a Downing flick on but saw his shot well saved by Rivers in the Yate goal.

1-0 at the final whistle. A hard fought game with plenty of quality from both teams, all played out on a lovely summers evening in a picturesque setting. Just what the doctor ordered.