Bullets Fire Blanks As United Sing The Blues - But Nearly Pay The Penalty !

And so to the Wood Park Stadium, formerly The Town Ground, in the small Cheshire town of Alsager as the home side, Alsager Town, take on Winsford United - almost a local derby with just 16 miles between the clubs - in the North West Counties Football League Division One this afternoon.

Alsager Town are known as The Bullets, after the former Royal Ordnance Factory (now BAE Systems) in the nearby hamlet of Radway Green producing small arms ammunition for the British armed forces. The club was formed in 1965 as Alsager FC from the merger of Alsager Institute and Alsager United, with the current ground acquired in 1967.

The Bullets' 50 year journey has incorporated four name changes - 1973 Alsager Town, 1986 Alsager United, back to Alsager FC in 1988 and then to Town again in 2001. Initially starting in the Crewe League, the club joined the Mid Cheshire League for the start of the 1971/2 season and stayed there until being forced out of business in 1988 due to a lack of funds and poor support.

The club reformed after a season's absence in 1989 and started again in the Crewe League, then the Mid Cheshire, before spending one season in the Springbank Vending Midland League and then achieving promotion to the North West Counties Football League in 1999. Further success took the club to the Northern Premier Division 1 in 2006 and then Division 1 South for a season, until the Bullets were forcibly relegated due to FA ground grading requirements.

The last five seasons have all involved relegation dogfights, with the 2011/12 season preceded by a catastrophic fire at the ground which meant that the club were forced to play all games away until November. This season has started in similar vein - 5 points from 16 games, bottom of the table and a change of manager. This in stark contrast to cup form - back to back victories in the FA Cup for the first time ever, and through to the FA Vase 3rd Round after beating, in a replay, AFC Mansfield, and their magnificently named Romanian manager Rudy Funk, to face AFC Wulfrunians next weekend.

After last week's trip to see the Bullets play the Red Rebels of Abbey Hey was aborted because of waterlogging, the imaginatively nicknamed 'Blues' of Winsford United are in town. Perhaps using 'Sal Terrae' (Salt of the Earth) which is emblazoned on the club badge might be a more exciting alternative ?

The club was founded in 1883 as Over Wanderers and played in the Welsh Combination Football League before changing its name and moving to their current ground, then called the Bean Latham Playing Field, a few years later. After excessive spending the club folded. It was reformed just before the outbreak of World War 1, and regrouped after peace had broken out under a committee led by Mr RG Barton. The Blues became a founder member of the Cheshire League and the stadium, by now called the Great Western Playing Field (and incorporating a greyhound track), was renamed the Barton Stadium in the chairman's honour.

Membership of the Cheshire League was unbroken until it and other regional leagues merged into the North West Counties Football League in 1982. A move up to the Northern Premier League in 1987 and promotion to the Premier in 1992, finishing runners up in 1992/3, was as good as it got; subsequently three relegations in four seasons saw Winsford playing North West Counties Division Two football in 2003, although the club were promoted back to Division One in 2007.

After a wholly necessary detour to give a certain 15 year old, still slightly shell shocked at having to work on his birthday, his presents, it's out into Storm Desmond and wild winds, flapping tarpaulin and naked trees. Fortunately only a two junction hop on the M6 as the car is buffeted by the strong winds - a danger ignored by the motorway signs which prefer to scream 'No HGV Fuel'. The exceedingly good PIES graffiti remains, however.

Assaulted by falling branches in Arclid, it's then follow the signs for Cliff's Quality Turkeys and Mowerland. Past the derelict 'The Salamanca' pub and into the outskirts of Alsager, where Wood Park Stadium is well hidden in a housing estate - a narrow unlit ginnel between two houses in the midst of a courtyard aka Woodland Court.

Through the turnstile, and down a steep staircase past toilets that have seen better days, the changing rooms and clubhouse. The pitch nestles below and appears to have formed part of the adjacent field at one point - there is even an open gate behind one goal, and potential free admission, leading onto parkland.

On the near side are two covered stands, one with three rows comprising a variety of different seating designs, the other incorporating some terracing. Behind the goal is the open gate and a condemned floodlight, which had to be put down. On the far side is a small covered area, inhabited initially by one spectator - this represents the ideal spot to watch the game whilst being in the teeth of the gale. Behind the other goal is a tea bar and medical room.

Winsford, unsurprisingly enough, are in two tone dark blue with minuscule shirt numbers, whilst the Bullets are in black and white stripes as the game begins. It's a first half that owes less to craft and guile, and more to graft and bile - and benevolent refereeing !

The Bullets have a chance in the first minute but the Blues take an early lead. Portly winger Scott Taylor has already seen one cross cum shot blown onto the post, but in the next move he beats his man far too easily and rifles home into the top of the net at the keeper's near post.

There is a lull in proceedings as the referee retrieves then hands back a bobble hat, blown off a spectator's head onto the pitch. Said spectator stuffs the offending article in his pocket and sheepishly walks round to the opposite side of the pitch......out of the wind !!

Just before the half hour Winsford's pacy left winger, Danny Hudson, who has been the subject of several robust challenges, fires a twenty yarder into the top corner to double the lead. Within two minutes this becomes 3-0 as Ryan Mellor is played through from half way, outpaces his marker and slots under the keeper. The Bullets are handed a lifeline five minutes later; a totally unnecessary tackle in the box leads to a penalty, and Jonathan Jones fires home.

Five minutes after the restart there's a sense of deja vu: another needless United foul in the box and another penalty. Unbearable tension leads to one (female) home supporter leaving the stand and hiding behind it - unable to watch as Jones converts again.

The Bullets are firing now, piling on the pressure but let down by scattergun shooting, a wayward final ball and some debatable offside decisions - the assistant referee is told 'Liner, have a word with yourself' and 'Book yourself in - 50% off this week at Specsavers' !

Despite all guns blazing from the Bullets, a rattled United side hang on. But it's still a surprise when Hudson, given the ball on the half way line, waltzes past four defenders and beats the keeper for 4-2. His hat trick goal is disallowed for offside shortly after.

A wonder point blank save from Blues' keeper, Dale Latham, proves crucial as in injury time Bullets' midfielder Josh Crofts pulls the trigger from 25 yards for an absolute screamer......leaving the Bullets gunned down 4-3 at the death. :)