Gladiators Slay Spiremen - Burnt At The Stake....

And so to the Trade Tyre Community Stadium on Brownsfield Road, off Eastern Avenue, in Lichfield for an FA Trophy clash between Northern Premier League Division One West side Lichfield City FC and Division One East Matlock Town FC.

Originally formed in 1923 City played in the Birmingham Combination for 2 seasons. The new club was formed in 1970 as Lichfield FC, starting in the West Midlands League from 1976 and moving to Division One, changing name to Lichfield City FC in 1994.

In 1996 City resigned and moved to Sunday football before reverting to the Midland Combination Division 3 in 2008. Promotions from the new Midland League (established in 2014) saw Lichfield as Premier Division champions in 2025 - ascending to the NPL 1 Midlands, and after finishing 8th they moved laterally to West this term. City are bottom after four straight league defeats and were dumped out of the FA Cup 6-0 by Lye Town last weekend.

The away side, from the Proctor Cars Stadium on Causeway Lane, with stunning views of Riber Castle, was formed in 1878 as Matlock, and competed in the Central Alliance and then the Midland Counties League. After being four time champions in the 1960s, the Gladiators moved into a different arena, the Northern Premier League in 1969.

In 1975 the club won the FA Trophy beating Scarborough 4-0 at Wembley with all three Fenoughty brothers, Tom, Mick and Nick, scoring. 1978 saw the side win the NPL Cup, and this allowed them to play in the Anglo-Italian Cup in 1978/79 against Chieti, Pisa, Juniorcasale and Cremonese.

After relegation to the First Division in 1996, the club was promoted back to the Premier Division in 2003/04, and remained in the third tier of non-league, until relegation to Division One East in 2025. Runners up last time the Gladiators lost 2-1 to Bradford (Park Avenue) at home in the play offs. Three wins and two defeats after Tuesday's home victory against Pontefract Collieries leaves Matlock in 4th.

It's a very wet day as we plough down the M6 to Stoke. Numberplates today are W3NDY and 3 AHA. 

Oatcakes again amidst Dampsure, Beeyoutiful, Dwa Koty and Spratts Canary Mixture and Spratts Bonio & Mixed Ovals. Then the Poste of Stone before our lunch break.

Moving on we go via Sandon and Burston, The Dog & Doublet, Pasturefields, Bishton Hall and Rugeley Power Station. That brings us to the city of Lichfield with its famous three spired medieval cathedral and a blue plaque commemorating Edward Wightman, a heretic, and the last person burnt at the stake in 1612 - just beyond The Quill and Scholar.

£10 - and a crowd of 315, with good away support - on the gate leads to a tidy ground housing two seated stands, one next to the clubhouse and the other on the popular side, and three covered terraces - two on the pop and one up top, adjacent to Woppa's Bench. The other side is open with the team benches and an electronic scoreboard in the corner, although the operator has to be reminded when a goal has been scored... And in the background the thrum of the West Coast Main Line....

Lichfield are in blue with a hint of white, sponsored by Blue Breaks, Matlock in a very ungladiatorial change pink, sponsored by Birchover Reclamation.

Initial signs from the Spiremen are positive - Matthew Barnes-Homer hits the post and Dylan Thomas is denied twice by Marcus Dewhurst. But the Gladiators start to create meaningful chances, with Manasse Mampala guilty of a bad miss on 19 and then forcing a good save from Tom Carter eight minutes on.

Zak Goodson has an effort deflected wide in the 38th minute and it isn't a surprise when his shot in the first minute of stoppage time is blocked that the rebound is scuffed home by Brandon Bradbury. Matlock lead 1-0 at half time.

Little surprise too that City collapse after the break. Five minutes in Mampala thrashes in from close range and on 53 Jed Abbey beautifully scores with a curling sidefooter to make it 3-0.

Lichfield's sole response is a rasping drive from sub Joey Buckley just beyond the post. But normal service is soon resumed....

On 73 Mampala unselfishly squares to Goodson from a two on none for four, and then six minutes from time Abbey touches in at the far post. That leads to an unseemly melee and two yellow cards but ultimately the Gladiators go through 5-0.

Villagers Steel Themselves To Earn A Point

And so to Queen Street in Bilston for a North West Counties Division One South clash between Bilston Town FC and Barnton FC. Queen Street was previously closed after 120 vandalism acts in 5 years in 2007 but was refurbished a year later. 

The home side was established as Bilston United in 1894 from a merger of Bilston Rovers and Bilston Wanderers, playing in the Walsall & District League where they were champions 6 times. Retitled as Bilston FC the Steelmen entered the Birmingham Combination which then became the Birmingham & District League. 

That was subsequently renamed the West Midlands (Regional) League and Bilston was crowned as champions in 1973. The club changed name again to Bilston Town in 1983, and moved to the Southern League Midland two years later.

The Steelmen reverted back to the West Midlands in 2002, after voluntary resignation, and later to the Midland League in 2021. After finishing 8th last time Town was laterally moved to the NWCFL 1 South in the close season and have started with two wins in three, sitting 10th.

The visitors, Barnton FC, from Townfield, was established in 1946 and became founder members of the Mid Cheshire League two years later. The Villagers won the league 11 times in total, including seven in a row from 1997 to 2003.

The league was renamed the Cheshire League in 2007 and Barnton were relegated to Division Two in 2009. Having been promoted as champions in 2013, the Villagers then finished 5th in the top tier in 2014 which was sufficient to gain election to the North West Counties Football League - their first ever season at Step 6; they had however previously represented England in the UEFA Regions League in 2004 playing Slovenian and Bosnian opposition.

In 2015/16 the club finished third and won the play off final 2-0 against Bacup Borough after extra time in front of a record crowd of 554 (yup I was there !). 17th in their first season at the higher level but four wins, 19 points and 171 goals conceded in the 2017/2018 23 team league made relegation inevitable; they have remained in Division One South ever since, and finished 10th last season. This campaign has begun with one win in three then a late 3-3 fightback at New Mills, from two goals down on Tuesday, to lie 14th.

Another sunny day sees us go past Howlin Hots and straight on to the M6. Numberplates today are A11URS and C4MPY. 

We go beyond Hilton Park and turn off at Junction 10 to the Black Country Route. Then through Anson, Keyway and The Lunt roundabouts and bypassing Ecobat brings us to Queen Street on the outskirts of Bilston.

It's £8 admission with a crowd of 175 and inside sees two very small covered terraces, one signed as Turners End, at either end, both oddly housing single benches. Queen Street, tree lined and residential, has the main stand, clubhouse and bar.

The far side is blocked off for car parking; behind is the Johnson Van Centre. Orange bars are utilised to protect footballs being lost but there is a steward on ball boy duty in any event.

There's perimeter advertising for Gingerapple Signs & Graphics and Joseph Ash Galvanizing, part of the Wedge Group. Bilston are in orange and black, sponsored by City of Wolverhampton College, and Barnton sport their change blue and yellow strip, sponsored by Weaverham Hardware & Electrical.

Bilston have the first chance on 7 minutes from Sam Cudjoe Yankson, well saved by Ryan Taylor. Then after 14, against the run of play, Barnton take the lead as Charley Jarrald steals in at the back post and prods home, past James Crump, from a deep cross.

Four minutes later the Steelmen are level. A long throw is inadvertently flicked on and Nathan Guest sumptuously volleys home into the top corner.

Jarrald has another effort saved by Crump, and Cudjoe Yankson unluckily diverts a cross cum shot over on the half hour. Then just before half time Thomas Stanton, Barnton's centre forward, misses horribly and we reach the break at 1-1.

Bilston edge the second period but ultimately the Steelmen lack that cutting edge.... and luck. Ten minutes into the half Ben Priest's hopeful shot bobbles on the hard surface (at least there is grass and not a dust bowl !!), Taylor fumbles, the ball bobbles again and goes agonisingly wide.

The Villagers' substitute Callum Sandle has two good chances, one scuffed wide and the other expertly beaten away by Crump in a one on one. Taylor produces an excellent save from a Darragh Bustin free kick at the other end.

But it finishes 1-1 despite desperate penalty area action and goal line clearances at both ends in injury time.

Wolves Almost Too Casual - But Ultimately Jockeys Unseated

And so to Dawley and the Hamer Leisure (Caravan Repairs) Theatre of Jockeys, a play on the Theatre of Dreams, and referencing a tribute to the town's strong ties to horseracing. Today's North West Counties Division One South match is between Dawley Town FC and Wolverhampton Casuals FC.

The home club was established in 1970 as Telford Juniors FC, joining the West Midlands (Regional) League from the Mercian League in 2015 and departing during Covid.

The reboot, Dawley Town FC, the Jockeys, was set up for the 2020/21 season, winning the Shropshire League in the 2022/23 campaign (27 wins and one draw) and again last time with 26 victories, 3 draws and one defeat to achieve promotion to NWCFL 1 South, but only two points above Church Stretton Town. However one point from six and a Edward Case Cup elimination is not the start that the Jockeys were riding on 🤔

Wolverhampton Casuals FC, from the Brinsford Stadium in Coven Heath, was established in 1899 as Wolverhampton Old Church FC, becoming Wolverhampton Amateurs before World War I. The club changed name again to Staffordshire Casuals, as part of a merger with Old Wulfrunians after World War II.

The retitled Wolverhampton Casuals joined Division Two of the West Midlands (Regional) League in 1982. The Cassies were promoted to Division One in 1984 and then to the Premier Division in 1988.

However the Casuals were demoted in 1991, but won the Division One title in 1994/95 to go back up to top tier status. The club had to relocate to the Aldersley Stadium due to a lack of floodlights at Brinsford Stadium, but this was rectified in 1998 and Wolves moved back.

Based on their performances in the Covid seasons the Cassies were placed in the Premier Division of the Midland League in 2022. But relegation in bottom place in 2025 meant they started last season in North West Counties Division One South, after a failed appeal to stay in the Capelli Sport Midland Football League. Last term saw Wolves finish 14th of 19. After 9 points in their first three games and no goals conceded, Wednesday saw Wolves eclipsed 2-1 by Eccleshall; the Cassies remain top on goal difference from Eccleshall.

Numberplates today are 40PA and F11LTH plus a BJS van 'Lighting Up Blackpool' and we pass the Billy Goat pub, the Miners Arms supporting Ashton United and an Audacious Church. Into the scenic and parched Shropshire countryside there's a billboard advertising Wurkflow.ai (?) on another warm, sunny day but with slightly more cloud.

Then Wychwood Park, Gorsty Hill Garage and into Betley, Autobarn and the Falcon Inn at Woore. Through the villages of Ireland's Cross and Pipe Gate, avoiding Loggerheads, brings us to the Gingerbread Man roundabout at Market Drayton, dominated by the Muller Factory and the Gypsy/ Travellers Site still coming soon...

Thereafter Weobley Farm at Hodnet, the village of Sandyford & Cold Hatton and the infamous Crudgington junction. That brings us to The Ugly Duckling at Long Lane and the tree-lined outskirts of Dawley and the Theatre of Jockeys.

£4 in, and the crowd numbers 115, with a sprinkling of Cassies' away fans in official club merchandise. The ground is situated in a residential area, with changing rooms then the bar and a 50 seater stand (the bare minimum requirement) opposite wooden dugouts and entry to the far end out of bounds.

Dawley are in purple and blue, sponsored by Hazel's Kitchen and Casuals in all green, with no shirt sponsor.

Another dust bowl produces a truly dreadful first half.

Danar Saber is wide for the Jockeys and there are feeble efforts from the Cassies' Archie Kirton and Kieran Cook. Then Dawley's centre forward Brodie McLean nods beyond Stanley Amos - in truth the Wolves keeper has very little to do this afternoon.

Then on 33 minutes the miss of the century: Tyron Oliver spills a shot directly into the path of Wolves skipper Cook. The open goal is already being celebrated by the away supporters but Cook screws horribly wide 🙄

Five minutes later the Jockeys' Ross Jones, who has already earned himself a ridiculous yellow card, is fouled and injured. Cue a minor altercation which ends with a booking for Cook and red card for Dawley's Dyerel Graham-Hoof.

The second period is better, but not by much. As anticipated little is seen from the Jockeys, and we endure twenty minutes of torpor as Wolves singularly fail to take advantage of their superior numbers.

Then on 66 minutes a long range shot is fumbled, not for the first time, by Oliver and the ball sits up invitingly for Cassies sub Liam Kirton to volley home into the roof of the net.

Eleven minutes from time Cook hits the post, and sixty seconds on has a flicked header brilliantly pushed on to the underside of the bar at point blank range by Oliver. But ultimately it finishes 1-0 to the visitors.