And so to July 30 2022 and Villa Park (no, not that one !) aka the Ray Parker Stadium in Wallasey and the start of a new season - and the beginning of a new journey for league newcomers Ashville FC who host Abbey Hey in a North West Counties Division One South curtain raiser.
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. Champions in 1968 and 2012, with a couple of relegations en route, quickly rectified, the club finished runners up last term and was admitted to the North West Counties Division One South for the new campaign.
Abbey Hey FC hail from the Abbey Stadium, and not the one in
Cambridge ! Their Abbey Stadium is to be found on Goredale Avenue in Gorton,
Manchester, M18.
The visitors date back to 1902 when they formed as Abbey Hey WMC, but the club
has disbanded and reformed on a number of occasions. In 1998, after 4
Manchester League championships, they moved from the Manchester League to the
North West Counties and were promoted in that first season to the top tier.
The club previously played at St Werburghs Road under an arrangement with
Lookers, who reneged on the deal two years in. The Red Rebels then moved to
Godfrey's, named after local councillor Godfrey Ermen, and after two seasons on
the old English Steel site, took up residence at the Abbey in 1984.
Relegation in 2019 leaves Hey in Division One South, but last term's 4th place finish with 26 wins and 6 draws from 38 matches bodes well for this season.
Beyond gas
leaks, roadworks and a derelict Wheatsheaf brings me to the M6 and a van
displaying 'Locks Off & No Broken Barrels' - a local locksmith....
Thereafter Thelwall, Woolston, the Oliver Cromwell cottage in Warrington and
The Beer Necessities, and today's numberplates SK13R OZ and WHII NOT...
To the Stag at Walton with its Secret Beauty Room - so secret it's boarded up.... Then Daresbury Garden Village and the M56 (no junction 13 !!) and Stanlow with its wind turbines but no belching chimneys today.
A new bridge under construction and average motorway speed limits and then on to the M53, Cheshire Oaks and at its end Tree Frog Software and the promise of 'Intermittent Street Lighting'..... That brings me to Wallasey, the police helicopter a permanent feature this afternoon, and the Villa Park ground on a closed off industrial estate next to a dilapidated Wallasey RUFC.
Plenty of car parking at the stadium, with a bumper crowd of 207 in attendance. £5 in and the Ray Parker has only two sides open - the near end hosting the Sports & Social Club, alongside a covered stand with two rows of red seats and sponsorship from PGA Horse Transportation. The ground is backed by residential housing behind the bar, woodland opposite, Mersey Rail (Misery Rail ?), the churches and heart of Wallasey and Mosslands School on the closed off side, and the rugby club and industrial units behind.
Ville are in
grey and black quarters, with white sleeves and backs, Hey in red and white
120th anniversary kit - complete with celebratory badge:
It's an
incredible start for the league newbies - just over two minutes gone and a
robust but fair challenge leads to the ball ending up on the right wing. Sam
Hughes' delicate floated cross is delightfully volleyed home by Tommy Johnstone
and the home side lead.
Three minutes later Peter Morgan, who is subject to an atrocious challenge and subsequently limps off, plays in Johnstone. His first attempt is smothered by Morecambe loanee Joe Lawton, wearing a bizarre lime green shirt matched with navy shorts and socks, but the ball breaks loose and from a yard Johnstone doubles the advantage. This prompts a pitch invasion from an overexcited toddler....
On 26 minutes it should have been three, but having bypassed Lawton a limp shot is unconvincingly cleared off the line. The Red Rebels can only fire off a shot from portly veteran Jamie Baguley which fizzes over - 'a team in transition' according to the away faithful, which equates to awful....
The second period sees 'Ville play with one up front following the departure of Morgan. No matter as Abbey Hey create very little and the home defence, expertly marshalled by captain Tom Hartley, suffer few alarms. Indeed Hartley and Matt Croft are involved in a left wing move that sets Johnstone free and he dodges Lawton and hits home for 3-0 and his hat trick on 56 minutes.
Baguley is then strangely substituted twice - the second one preceding an Ashville free kick that Johnstone, with a deflection, scores for his fourth and 4-0 with a quarter of an hour to go. Pinball in the Abbey area somehow prevents a fifth...
Finally, the Red Rebels' captain, Luke Hincks, is shown a straight red to match his shirt with two minutes left - presumably for something he said to the referee - as Villa Park sees Ashville ease home 4-0.
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