And so the initial plan was to report on the Calendar Derby, aka El Calendario, between Manchester Gregorians and Stockport Georgians. Sadly Tier 4 means that will be a way off yet, so Christmas Bank Holiday Monday's clash between Gregs and Royton Town hopefully suffices...
The present Manchester Gregorians FC was formed by ex pupils of St Gregory's Roman Catholic High School in Ardwick Green in 1959. That said, it was preceded by an Old Gregorians side in the 1940s and 1950s. The club took on the Old Gregorians name, later becoming just Gregorians and adding the Manchester prefix in 2009.
Gregs started out in the Manchester Junior Catholic League, before switching after three seasons to the Lancashire Amateur League. After winning many honours the club moved to the Manchester League for the 2005/06 season, and won the Premier Division in 2009 and 2011.
Largely mid table finishes have featured thereafter, although Gregs were next to bottom at the point of last season's abandonment... This time the side sit sixth with three wins, two draws and three defeats.
Royton Town FC was established as the Stott Benham works side in the Rochdale Alliance League, the company incorporated in 1870 and latterly taken over by Thorn EMI and Electrolux. Changing their name to Royton Town FC in 1985, the team remained unbeaten for two and a half seasons, progressing to the Lancashire Amateur League in 1994.
The club, based at Oldham Academy North on Broadway, moved to the Manchester Football League in 1999 and was swiftly promoted to the Premier League in 2002, where they have remained since. Champions in 2004, and runners up in 2016, Town sit 11th after a heartbreaking 4-3 defeat at Stockport Georgians last time, finishing one place above Gregs at null and voidance last season.
And so, amidst an appropriately seasonal snowy backdrop, it's past Arthur's Tree in De Quincey Park, Siddall's Bridge, numberplates SHA40W and AWO4KEN and onto Washway Road and Utopia in Sale - sorry but Sale Town Centre doesn't conjure up images of utopia for me, but each to their own.... Then Crossford Bridge, the M60, today's stand out plate KO52 JAB, a minibus owned by West Wythenshawe Boxing Club, 'Extinction Rebellion Revolution' graffiti, that iconic pyramid still to let, Red Rock, Ark Mill (aka Welkin Mill), before I depart at Denton Rock.
Then the A57, into Gorton, past Wembley Restaurant, curiously advertising African & European Foods, and Mickey Gambinos before turning into Kirkmanshulme Lane. Beyond the now abandoned greyhound stadium to the National Speedway Museum and the shiny new Belle Vue Arena, home of the National Basketball Performance Centre and the Belle Vue Aces, 6,000 capacity, with its as yet unchristened 1,800 seater grandstand.
Walking across the speedway track enclosing an astrotrurf pitch with a myriad of different pitch markings, Gregs are on another all-weather pitch at the top of the complex - 6,000 far too much for a crowd of about 60, one side open for spectators only, with a healthy and knowledgeable away support, comprising at least 50% of the attendance, 'our oldest player is 26'. Gregs in two-tone dark red, Royton in yellow and green, more like lemon and lime, the officials in training ground gear, a nod to the icy weather, which really shouldn't have bothered...
A combative first half, which a youthful Royton shade, then fade, then shade again - but goalless, and not one to linger in the memory, as we reach a five-minute interval. All is about to change...
Three minutes into the second period the outstanding Ethan Sutcliffe delivers an exquisite cross and Travis Martin's diving header puts Town one up - he is injured in the process and substituted shortly after.
Next an altercation on the near touchline, with Royton's Will Morgan's attempted knee to his opponent's head judged to be violent conduct, notwithstanding the overdramatic reaction... Red card, suspension, and a £40 fine apparently (it's £12 for a yellow...).
Gregs subsequently win a free kick 25 yards out, and Abdi Addow aims and scores, over the wall, gloriously, into the top corner. Moments later Josh Ripley heads in from a cross to put Gregs 2-1 up, and the game is transformed.
Then the levelling up; a hack on the far side results in Gregs' Simon Wilkinson being dismissed and we're 10 aside. More levelling up as Liam Wood gets on the end of the ensuing free-kick to make it 2-2.
With their next move Wood swivels and volleys home into the bottom corner: 3-2 to Royton and an 11 minute outrageous period of football has produced 5 goals and two red cards !!
Unsurprisingly the rest of the half can't live up to those 11 minutes. Wood goes close to claiming a hat trick, but the best chance falls to Gregs' Will Reynolds. A rebound, time, space and the bulk of the goal to aim at - and he shoots unerringly through the sticks of the rugby posts behind the goal. A poor conversion and Gregs, ultimately, pay the penalty with defeat...
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