Chipping Sodbury Town v Yate Town. Tuesday 24th July, 2018

Chipping Sodbury 1 Yate 3

The long hot summer of 2018. What a time to be alive! Day after day of glorious sunshine and a thrilling World Cup to boot. As much as I've enjoyed following the goings on in Russia on T.V., I was itching to get some fresh air and get back on the terraces.

Thus I found my self in South Gloucestershire on this Tuesday night, at The Ridings, home to Chipping Sodbury Town of the Western Premier League. Tonight they were hosting local rivals, Yate from the league above. Despite being a pre season friendly, I joined a big crowd who had turned up to see this local derby. The rivalry is referred to as 'El South Glossico' (by absolutely no one, much to my disappointment) and just two and a half miles separate the clubs.

The Ridings is nestled in the cradle of the Chipping Sodbury sporting scene, with the market town's rugby and cricket clubs both adjacent. It's a fairly open ground, with a club house on the near side of the pitch, with the dug outs and a couple of seated stands alongside. The first thing the struck me when I arrived apart from the bumper crowd, was the state of the pitch. It actually looked better than I expected considering the weather we've had, but despite a fair bit of green, it was undoubtedly rock hard and both teams were struggling to stop the ball bouncing up from under their feet.  

I was also a big fan of 'The Sods' kit, a black and white striped shirt with black shorts, both with big Kappa logos, very much ala Juventus. It was a last minute decision to come to the game so I hadn't done much in the way of research. I was aware that Yate had Ben Brooks in the side, a classy number 10. I've seen Brooks play a few times and remember him most from a game where he scored two goals for Larkhall in a game they lost 10-2! I also found out that The Sods are a club on the up, having been promoted twice in the last three years.

Looking out over the sun drenched pitch, I gradually settled in to the poetic rhythm of the game. By the time a Yate defender bellowed out "18 AND NO FUCKING DEEPER", I felt at one with my surroundings and was relishing the prospect of the 2018/19 season stretching out before me.

As the first half progressed, Yate were looking like a team from a division above. They kept on finding space down the left flank and it was no big surprise when they took the lead, courtesy of a thumping header from Langworthy.

Langworthy about to open the scoring

Yate hit the bar from a cross / shot, again from the left before the ref stopped play for a drinks break, taking in to account the 8pm heat. The ref had evidently had a relaxing close season and was clearly enjoying himself and not taking things too seriously. Any aggro that came his way seemed like water off a ducks back and he kept proceedings flowing along nicely.

Yate continued to dominate possession but the score remained 1-0 at the break. The Sods number 6 who I think was called "Demo", caught the eye with a few mazy runs and the hosts also had a couple of chances against the run of play, but Yates giant centre backs managed to intervene just in time.

By a strange quirk of nature I ended up getting a free cup of tea at half time.  Panic had broken out as I arrived in the bar as someone ordered a rum and coke, the barmaid realised that she and everyone else around her was too short to retrieve the rum from the top shelf. To my surprise I found myself ushered forward when the call went out for "someone tall". Behind the bar I used everyone of my 5 foot 9 inches to good effect and safely fetched the Captain Morgan's. I was rewarded accordingly with a lovely cup of tea.

Chipping Sodbury made several changes in the second half and started to come in to the game more and more. Eventually their endeavour was rewarded and they scored a deserved equaliser. A pacey right winger had been bought on at half time who was happy to run at the Yate defenders. After a few promising looking runs with little end product, he again got near the edge of the area, this time he skipped past a defender before getting a shot away. His effort lacked power but luckily for the Sods, their number 10, the appropriately named George Box, was lurking near the penalty spot and the shot ended up at his feet, he turned neatly and managed to poke it home past the keeper. 1-1.

The last twenty minutes saw both teams looking to win rather then settle for a friendly draw. A few tackles were flying and the ref was trying to keep a lid on things, putting one protesting player in his place with a measured "Shut up will you". Yate hit the bar again with a header from a Brooks corner. A couple of minutes were left on the clock when the visitors won a free kick 30 odd yards out. Big Nick Peare stepped up and wrong footed the keeper, beating him at his near post with a wonderful strike. 2-1 Yate.

In the final minute, another strong challenge went in on the edge of The Sods area. The foul was given, there were some halfhearted protests from the home team, though no one really argued with the ref when he explained "It was a bit fucking late!" Peare came forward again and beat the wall and the keeper again, finding the same bottom corner. 3-1 Yate at full time.

A very enjoyable way to start the new season. Lets hope it's a good one.