Social Distancing Is An Own Goal - Painful For Meadow Men....

And so to the Red Lion Ground at Brereton Sports & Social Club, in Brereton near Rugeley, for a North West Counties Division One South match between Brereton Social FC and AFC Bridgnorth.

Brereton Social FC was formed in 1899 and had three separate spells in West Midlands (Regional) League starting in 1968. Social was promoted to the Premier Division in 1971.

The club resigned three months into the 1987/88 season and entered the Staffordshire League in 1992. Brereton rejoined the West Midlands in 1995 before folding in 1999.

Reformed a year later Social went back to the West Midlands then moved to the Midland Combination in 2006, ultimately ending in resignation in August 2010. Following a brief hiatus Brereton rejoined the Staffordshire League and was promoted to North West Counties Division One South as champions last time. They are currently 16th, of 20, with 8 points from 7 matches.

Bridgnorth Town existed in the 19th century playing in the Shropshire & District League in 1899. A new club was formed in 1938 joining the Worcestershire Combination for one season only. 

The team was refounded again in 1968 and the Meadow Men won the Midland Combination in 1980 and again in 1983. Town was promoted to the Southern League Midland in 1983 but folded due to financial problems in 2013. 

A fourth iteration in the form of new club AFC Bridgnorth was established in the same year and the club badge depicts the iconic Town Hall. West Midlands Division One champions in their first season, moving to the Premier, then on to the Midland League in 2021 - finishing 10th last time and laterally moving to the NWCFL One South this season. The Meadow Men sit top at the minute: 6 wins and a draw from 7 games.

Today's numberplates are PH16LAV and PH16TUB - both Peter Higson vehicles. At the Manor 'Beer is Cheaper Than Petrol - So Drink & Don't Drive' and there's a return BJS Removal Van emblazoned with 'Taking Our Time in Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwlllantysiliogogogoch' 🤔

To the M6, and signs for Halloween Spooktacular and Wurkflow.ai, as rain gives way to sunny spells and a strong breeze. Then the A34, with Blue Iris Landscapes and into Trentham.

That's followed by Flip Out Trampoline Centre, Amerton Railway and Aston Marina. Rustique Living at Sandon and Burston then the Dog & Doublet, Hixon Airfield and Ed Weetman at Pasturefields.

The A51 sees travellers and horses tethered by the roadside plus a Solophina GSDs van - German Shepherd Dogs. Then we hit Wolseley Bridge and Rugeley with its Miners' Memorial and The Plaza - the town's Wetherspoons offering.

Bypassing Brereton Town FC, member of the Cannock Chase Football League, we come to the Red Lion. £6 to get in and a decent crowd of 204.

Inside is a lovely ground with the clubhouse and main stand down the popular side. Up top is a steep banking side with bar tables and benches at the summit, with Brereton Hill behind.

Opposite the main stand is a walkway and the team dugouts, this part one of three tree lined sides. The far end, technically out of bounds, hosts Hob Hill. 

Advertising hoardings for The Plough & Harrow, Midland Mastics and Fuze are on display. Social are in red and white stripes, sponsored by MD Roofing and the Meadow Men are in blue with white trim, sponsored by Corporate Togs. We also have two tubby linesmen and an ineffective referee....

There are early chances for Nehemia Zazi for Bridgnorth and Kieran Cliff for Brereton, which brings a sprawling save from Craig Pain. Social's Jake Cartwright puts his shot beyond the Meadow Men's goal and Mitchell Evans has a fizzer off target for the away side on 20 minutes.

But the deadlock is broken six minutes later. A deep Brereton free kick is inadvertently flicked on by Bridgnorth centre back David Anani for an own goal, into the top corner past Pain.

Thereafter it's all Meadow Men: De Quarnai Williams has a powerful run on 31 but shoots wide and Trayvon Powell is wasteful after 40 minutes. Suar Dedja finds the side netting a minute before half time but Brereton lead 1-0 at the break.

The second half disappoints as the league leaders don't have the quality to break down a resolute Social defence - Rhys Williams is barely troubled in the home goal. Bridgnorth also fail to take advantage of Blake Ainger's sinbinning just before the hour.

Indeed Brereton have the best chance on 70 minutes, Samuel Mellor smashing over. Thereafter we see a destroyed boot, a handbags altercation and an injury time chance for DQ Williams, comfortably saved by his namesake, as Social beat the Meadow Men 1-0.

Apollo Blasts Off - Ful Three Points Secured...

And so not to Volair on Baileys Lane in Halewood for a North West Counties Division One North match between Halewood Apollo FC and Fulwood Amateurs AFC - the match moved to the Auto Safety Centre Stadium, aka Valerie Park, home of Prescot Cables FC, The Pesky Bulls, also the Tigers, referencing  nearby Knowsley Safari Park 🤔 The stadium is imminently to be condemned...more anon... This because Volair, Apollo's 'ground', does not meet NWCFL criteria... and nowhere near - there's a single communal astroturf pitch as part of the leisure complex, necessitating the ground share.

Halewood Apollo was founded in 2014 by Joey Stocks, joining the Warrington & District League. Apollo moved to the Liverpool County Premier League in 2020.

Crowned as champions in 2024, the club placed 5th last time, allowing Halewood to scrape in to the NWCFL 1 North in the close season. Apollo currently stand 6th with 16 points from 9 matches.

Fulwood Amateurs AFC was established in 1924, originally playing on a field by the Black Bull pub, then relocating to Watling Street. Beginning with local football the club joined the Lancashire Amateur League in 1928, moving to a ground rented off Dick Kerrs and winning the double in 1937/38. The Ammies purchased land in Grimsargh in 1955 but this was earmarked for compulsory purchase in 1974, and eventually Fulwood settled at Lightfoot Lane in 1979 and won the LAL in 1987.

They moved to the West Lancashire League Division 2 in 1993 and immediately saw promotion as runners up. Amateurs were champions the following year and again in the rechristened Premier League in 1999.

Relegated in 2014 Fulwood bounced back, winning Division One the following season and were crowned as Premier League champions in 2019. Three consecutive 4th place finishes was enough to see the Ammies elevated to the North West Counties Division One North last season, finishing 12th of 18. This time Fulwood are again 12th, but now of 22, with 13 points from 9 games.

We set off in sunny spells but it becomes increasingly cloudier- fortunately the rain holds off until after the game. Numberplates today are K1NKC and UPL1T. 

We pass the three in one - formerly the George and Dragon, now Alty Hotel, the Whitechapel and soon to be the Grand Holdi. Then La Boheme and The Green Dragon in Lymm and on to Statham Lodge.

There's the pink eye in Warrington, Fiddler's Ferry and The Eight Towers before we briefly visit Volair. Then we hit the M57, off at Prescot and past the Clock Face pub to Valerie Park, hidden in a rabbit warren of cul de sacs.

It's £5 in and a thin crowd of 88. Inside is the Cables Bar and the main stand 'nearing the end of its lifetime' - and unsurprisingly closed....

The near end houses a covered terrace, with the top end comprising a walkway and barrier with 1884 signs, referencing Prescot Cables inception. Across from the stand is a narrow walkway, an out of bounds banking side and terraced houses.

Apollo are in dark blue, sponsored by Apollo Leisure, and Fulwood in change yellow, sponsored by Sante Group. Halewood completely dominate the first period, with captain Jordan Barrow dominant in defence and Steven Irwin pulling all the strings in midfield.

On 9 minutes Charlie Glennon is played through, with a hint of offside, and scores past Jacob Barry. The lead is doubled on 20 as Sean Miller takes advantage of a lucky ricochet to fire in at Barry's near post.

That becomes 3-0 on the stroke of half time: a beautiful curling strike from the edge of the box by William McCarthy. From the Ammies, well nothing....

The second half is more even with Fulwood's Spencer Lucas forcing a good double save from Apollo keeper Denny McGee ten minutes in. At the other end Barry makes a fine low save from Halewood substitute Stephen Doyle.

On 72 minutes Lucas receives the ball and charges through, comfortably outpacing the Apollo defenders. McGee gets fingertips to his shot but the ball squirms beyond him into the net: 3-1.

Any hopes of a full Ammies' fightback are banished on 82 as James Bell's effort clears the bar. And the last action of note is Miller's volleyed screamer which just fails to hit the target for Halewood, who emerge victorious 3-1 😊

Blues & Blacks Beaten Black and Blue in Villa Thriller !!

And so, on a sunny, breezy afternoon, to Knowsley and the Lord Derby Pavilion, named after Edward Smith-Stanley, the 14th Earl of Derby, three times Prime Minister in the 19th century and the longest ever serving Conservative leader, lasting 22 years. Today's game in the North West Counties Division One North is between AFC Knowsley and Ashville AFC.

The Blues & Blacks were formed in 1987 as Knowsley South FC playing in the Warrington & District League. South moved to the Cheshire League in 2019 and changed name to AFC Knowsley in 2021, joining the West Cheshire League in 2024. 4th last time, Knowsley achieved promotion to the NWCFL in the close season. They currently sit 17th, of 22, with seven points from eight games.

Ashville FC was founded in 1949 by D-Day veteran John Dennett and his wife Joyce at 25 Ashville Road, Wallasey, initially entering the Wallasey Youth League and then joining the Bebington League in 1951. After winning the Bebington League, Ashville moved to the Wirral Combination, winning the league in all three seasons they competed in it.

In 1955 'Ville was voted into the West Cheshire League, winning Division Two in their inaugural season and after promotion to Division One relocated from Wallacre Park to Villa Park on Cross Lane in 1962. The Villa was crowned as champions in 1968 and 2012, with a couple of relegations en route, quickly rectified; Ashville finished runners up in 2021/22 and was admitted to the North West Counties Division One South - they were laterally moved to Division One North in the summer where they lie 10th with three wins, three draws and three defeats.

Immediately we hit problems with 'temporary' 4 way traffic lights causing chaos. Numberplates today are W4X ME and F3CHA - plus a BJS van 'Squeaky Clean in Bath'.

Eventually to the M56 then the M6 and M62 alongside IKEA, Brakes distribution depot and the Dream sculpture at Sutton. Finally the M57 and off past Knowsley Hall brings us to the Lord Derby Playing Fields, where admission is £7 and the crowd is 169.

The ground is rudimentary and does not yet meet NWCFL requirements. There are no floodlights (just pylons), no seating (although an area appears to be earmarked for a 50 seat stand) and no cover.

The near end supports the pavilion, bar, clubhouse and changing rooms, banking down to the pitch. Both sides have playing fields beyond - the left just with a fence and no standing.  The top end is bounded by woodland and the M57.

Knowsley are unsurprisingly in blue and black, sponsored by Montirex. Ashville are in red with curious random black slashed lines, sponsored by West Wallasey.

On 7 minutes a bad mistake from Villa's captain Shaun Farrall allows Ben Taylor in and he scores with ease past Harley-Lee Morgan. It becomes 2-0 to the Blues & Blacks on 20 as more dithering 'Ville defending sees Oscar Roberts retrieve the ball and cross to Daniel Bulayima for a tap in.

Morgan just gets fingertips to a shot after 28, diverting the ball on to the post. And Knowsley are made to pay six minutes later as Adenya Dixon is robbed by the corner flag and the resulting cross is squared and easily converted by Ben Greenop past Liam Sargent for 2-1. Dixon is immediately substituted....

It should be 3-1 at the interval but Taylor dinks wide in a one on one - he really ought to have scored....

The second half has Knowsley spurning chance after chance. The best fall to James Anderson, magnificently blocked on the line, and Kieran Nagle-Kelly which produces a fabulous save from Morgan.

These bookend an Ashville equaliser after 63. A deep cross is nodded back and Peter Morgan rather apologetically prods in.

Seven minutes after marauding wing back Connor Rowland benefits from a superb cross field ball and his fine smashed shot puts the visitors 3-2 up.

The transformation is complete with two minutes left. Substitute Harrison Denton is played through and his composed finish, wrongfooting Sergant, gives Villa a 4-2 triumph in a hugely entertaining contest 😊