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.
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.
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| Looking back down Ironmould Lane |
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