Melksham v Bristol Manor Farm. Monday, March 6th, 2017

 Melksham Town 2 Bristol Manor Farm 1

Monday Night Football: Gary Neville, Sky Sports and the big MNF motif spring to mind. It's rare for teams further down the non league pyramid to play on a Monday. I wasn't complaining though as this gave me a chance to visit a new ground and also check in with Bristol Manor Farm, who I last saw in pre season. New was definitely the right word with Melksham having only moved in to their shiny Oakfield home this January.

Having won the Western League in 2015, Melksham were hoping that their new ground would just about be ready as they moved up in to the Southern league. Disaster struck however when delays with the sign off meant they had to remain in their old ground for a further season. Anticipating the move, upkeep had fallen by the way side and they were denied the promotion.

There are often delays with new stadiums being ready in time; money dries up, building firms go bust, dispute with architects arise etc. The reason for the hold up with the Oakfield was a little more unusual; ecological surveyors discovered a colony of rare great crested newts living at the ground. This resulted in the delicious headline in the The Non League Paper: "Stadium problem is newts to Melksham Town". It also meant more than a year was lost as the newts were safely transferred to a suitably comfortable home elsewhere.

With my car in the garage for repairs, I took the train, alighting at Melksham station and setting off on foot towards the ground. The walk took me past a big tyre factory, down the high street and then through suburbia before arriving at the entrance of the drive way of the ground. The fact that there is no welcoming signage at the turn off from the road hints at it's newness. The driveway was long and it seemed ages before I eventually arrived in the car park. I'd lugged my heavy camera all the way and was rightly disappointed at my self when I realised I'd left the memory card at home again and was stuck with the phone camera. 

The Oakfield set up is vast. As well as the main football pitch, there are a number of training pitches on the complex. In addition, directly alongside the first team pitch is a new rugby pitch the other side of the main stand which is home to Melksham RFC.

The main stand consists of steep rows of covered seating leading up to the bar with the changing rooms below. The bar area is ample, stacked with plenty of flat screen T.V's, it also has a fully glass front so you can watch the game unimpeded in warmth and comfort. Brand new, and fitted with strip lighting and not much in the way of soft furnishings; it did feel a bit more like an airport departure lounge  rather than a football clubhouse, the views though were fantastic. The highlight of The Oakfield for me was the roof terrace, accessed via a side door from the bar, it offers a happy medium to the person who likes the idea of having the bar at arms length whilst enjoying a nice elevated view of the pitch, without double glazing muffling out the thrills and spills of the action below.

To the side of the seated area and the bar above, the main stand building continues with a windowless wall facing the pitch. I'd met my mate Jamie, a Melksham local at the ground, he told me that behind this wall is the rugby changing rooms and that their bit of the club house faces on to their pitch. An interesting design, and a good way of sharing facilities without the pitch taking a pounding from the two sports. I'd seen the result of an over used football / rugby pitch at Newport a few weeks ago and it wasn't pretty. 

The main stand aside, the rest of the ground was very open, boundaried off from the rest of the sprawling site with a neat 6 foot wooden fence. Opposite was a small covered stand with 3 or 4 rows of seats. There is plenty of room should the club wish to expand.

It had the feel of a very family friendly club and it was good to see lots of children and youngsters in attendance. During the game plenty of kids were enjoying an impromptu game themselves, using the back of the rugby changing rooms as a goal.

As well as marvelling at Melksham's impressive new home, I had come to watch a football match. Lee Lashenko's high flying league leaders - Bristol Manor Farm were in town. Melksham went in to the game in fourth position and looking to make amends for their defeat at the hands of Manor Farm in January in the FA Vase.

Watching the teams emerge from the roof terrace

The teams looked pretty evenly matched, Manor Farm's hit man Dean Stamp was ready to swing his deadly left foot when ever half a chance presented it self, but by and large the home team were able to keep him quiet in the early exchanges.

Melksham took the lead half way through the first period, a long free kick was played in to the box, partially cleared to the edge of the area where number 7, Dan Demkiv, hit a first time low drive in to the bottom corner.

489 people were in attendance tonight, a very impressive figure for a 9th tier (Step 5) game. It seems the new ground has really caught the imagination of the local community and I'm sure the club are planning to harness and maintain this level of interest and support. Manor Farms "Farmy Army" had also turned out in decent numbers and gave a good account of themselves on the terraces.

Melksham doubled their lead on 60 minutes, it was that man Demkiv again, I later learned that his brother, Callum, was also playing tonight and it was he who played a lovely weighted ball for Dan to run on to and tuck over the out rushing keeper.

Manor Farm's attempt to get back in to the game was not helped when they were reduced to ten men with 20 or so minutes to go. Despite the numerical disadvantage they continued to create chances and the Melksham keeper, Rob Brown, made a series of fine saves to keep them at bay. Eventually he was beaten in injury time when Stamp bundled home after a scramble in the box after Brown had parried away another shot. Melksham held on for the last couple of minutes, 2-1 at full time.

A very enjoyable game between two teams who look to be going places. Manor Farm will surely get promoted this year and Melksham will feel that if they can't win the league this year, this was a good marker to put down to show their intentions and ambitions for next year as they bed in to their new home.

Proceedings were bought to a close with a moment of class at the final whistle. Melksham keeper Rob Brown, turned and shook hands with a noisy half dozen members of the Farmy Army who had spent the second half a couple of yards behind him. They had spent the last 45 minutes loudly willing him to be beaten but had obviously managed to give vociferous support for their team, without crossing the line in to mindless abuse of the opposition A lovely touch and a credit to the fans and Mr Brown himself.

On the train home I saw on twitter that none other than the king of ground hopping - Tony Incenzo had been at the game! Sadly I'd not spotted him amongst the bumper crowd. Next time Tony.