Vulcan Bombers At The Death After Hurricanes Force !!

And so what should have been the leafy Cheshire environs of Holmes Chapel doesn't happen - the original fixture postponed at the last minute and the rearranged game moved to Middlewich Town FC. Tonight's match is a Cheshire League Division One clash, 'The Bomber Derby', between Holmes Chapel Hurricanes and Vulcan.

Holmes Chapel Hurricanes FC was founded in 2000 by Chris Rogers as a vehicle to enable his son and friends to play football. Initially playing local league football, and based at Holmes Chapel Leisure Centre, The Hurricanes moved up to the Cheshire League in 2018, finishing next to bottom of League 2 in their first term. 

After the Covid aborted 2019/20 season, last year's curtailed campaign saw Chapel place 4th of 11 which was sufficient to secure promotion to Division One - where they sit 5th of 15 with 39 points from 22 games.

The modern day Vulcan FC was established in 1955 in Newton-le-Willows as a works team by its employer, Vulcan Foundry, a locomotive builder, and its workers - but historically its roots can be traced back to 1923/24. Vulcan Institute had two ignominious seasons in the Lancashire Combination, finishing next to bottom on both occasions in 1963 and 1964, before disappearing. 

Vulcan Newton joined the Lancashire Combination in 1979 and became a founder member of the North West Counties Football League in 1982 - but it only lasted 2 years. A merger saw the club change name to Vulcan Clock Face before settling on Vulcan FC - all incarnations spending the vast majority of their time plying their trade in the Warrington & District League.

The current Vulcan FC, who were deposed as league leaders of Division 1 on Saturday by Whalley Range, stepped up from the Warrington & District League to the Cheshire League Division Two in 2017. Promoted as runners up in their first campaign Vulcan have 53 points from 23 matches this time - second place but Winnington Avenue 94 and Blacon Youth have sufficient games in hand to overhaul them. As for the club badge.....

So with unexpected rain falling, it's beyond Dunham Forest Golf & Country Club and bypassing Dunham Massey, scene of Bruno Fernandes' car crash today. Onto the A556, The Windmill at Pickmere, Tabley House, Dove Barn Weddings, The Smoker at Plumley, the Weaver's Whistle and Birches Remembrance Park & Crematorium before I hit the roadworks at the Roberts Bakery roundabout in Rudheath. Car registrations tonight are 247 DR (pandemic related ?), T111 DUN and SIIILYS.

Left onto the A530 and past Croft Lodge Kennels brings me to the outskirts of Middlewich and Finney's Lane, home of Middlewich Town FC. The ground is now surrounded by a new housing estate, a massive crane in the background at the far end and trees and a church opposite the main side.

Inside is a mini astroturf pitch, clubhouse with beer garden and the covered stand with two rows of plastic seats - entry via stairs and then latched doors ! A railed walkway encircles the pitch and there is a small covered shelter agin the away dugout; there is also a separate entrance to the ground at the town end. The crowd tops out at a dozen, give or take the odd dogwalker....

Holmes Chapel are in red and black, Vulcan in change grey and orange as the match kicks off at 6.30pm. The Hurricanes have much the better of the opening stages, Charlie Rodick with a one on one and then a loose back pass creating another clear opportunity - on both occasions Vulcan's keeper stands tall and saves well.

However Chapel take the lead on 27 minutes when Ally Harrison's cross is headed home by Tom Fagan-Hall, with the away custodian nowhere. That lead is doubled on 42, with Harrison's shot from outside the area dived over by the keeper. Vulcan do start to create chances before the break but half time sees the Hurricanes lead 2-0.

The second period is characterised by Holmes Chapel's organisation and graft, which restricts Vulcan to one clear chance - expertly saved by Jason Currie - and long range efforts that come to naught.

A vivid sunset heralds an astonishing last five minutes plus stoppages. The Hurricanes are reduced to ten men on 85 minutes due to a sinbinning for dissent; the Vulcan corner after is headed onto the underside of the bar and scrapes in to make it 2-1.

Two minutes later and shambolic Vulcan defending results in their keeper's third mistake, pulling down a home attacker for a penalty. Statuesque from the spot kick and Sam Hatcher makes it 3-1.

Then a minute into injury time Vulcan win a contentious free kick which is bombed in and falls into the corridor of uncertainty and is touched in. Two minutes on a Hail Mary bomb finds a Vulcan head, over the stranded Currie, and it's 3-3 !

That's how it ends - an unbelievable last five minutes providing a sinbinning, a penalty and four goals ☺. Vulcan go back top by a point but have played two games more than Whalley Range....