And so to Shrewsbury Sports Village for a North West Counties Division One South clash between Haughmond FC and Runcorn Town.
Haughmond FC, named after the overlooking Haughmond Hill, play at the Sundorne Sports Village in Shrewsbury, was established in 1980, the brainchild of two brothers - Roger and Dave Ellis-Morgan - and began life in the Shropshire County Premier League. The Mond won the double of the league and Ron Jones Memorial Cup in 2011, and were promoted to the West Midlands (Regional) League Division Two, which they won in their first season.
The Academicals went up from Division One two seasons later, and then achieved promotion to the Midland League in 2016/17; relegated in their inaugural season, promoted as runners up the following year and post pandemic consecutive relegations saw Haugh demoted to the Salop Leisure League - aka the Shropshire League.
Fifth in their first season, a third place finish last time was sufficient to see the Mond move up to the North West Counties Division One South. They have started with a 2-1 away defeat at Barnton and a 3-0 loss at Telford Town on Wednesday.
The away team was established in 1967 as a founder member of the Runcorn Sunday League under the name of CKD, a works team from the 'D' Section at the local Castner Kellner plant. The club changed its name to Mond FC in 1970, representing the Mond Division of ICI which ran the Castner Kellner works.
In 1973 there was a move to Saturday football in the form of Division 5 of the Warrington & District League. At the end of their first season Mond amalgamated with struggling Division 1 side ICI Weston, becoming Mond Rangers FC and 'securing' a four division promotion.
1984 saw a move to the West Cheshire League and there was another change to the club's name in 2005/06 - this time to Runcorn Town FC. After winning Division 2 a year later 'Town' was elevated to the North West Counties at the start of the 2010/11 campaign following a third place finish.
Promotion to the Premier League was achieved at the first attempt, and Town finished runners up in their first season at the higher level. However after 4th and 5th place finishes there followed two disappointing seasons and 2016/17 began with a new manager and squad, with not one player being retained.
Thereafter Town finished third twice, the 2017/18 season beginning with 11 straight victories. Seventh in 2019, then two abandoned Covid ventures and Town saw relegation to Division One North in 2022 after a miserable campaign that garnered 27 points from 40 games. Runcorn was laterally moved to Division One South last season and finished 12th.
This season has started with a thumping 4-0 home drubbing of Market Drayton and a 2-0 away win at Ashville on Tuesday.
Numberplates today are ST11NNA and a bizarre FRO6XXX... plus a BJS Removal Van emblazoned with 'Giving It Beans In Wigan' 😉
After some, quite frankly, toilet driving from X8 POO, it's the A49 on a lovely summer's afternoon (but we come back by Loggerheads). We start past the Mulberry Tree at Stockton Heath, the Cat & Lion and then the Stretton Fox.
Thereafter Greenwood Fishery, Bartington Forge, Cabbage Hall and the Fox & Barrel at Cotebrook. Subsequently it's Panama Hatty's and a 'Relief Milker Required' at Cholmondeley 🤔
Finally Bewilderwood, Willeymoor Lock at Bradeley Green, Schmitz Cargobull, signs for West Midlands Shooting Ground and into Upper Battlefield. That takes us to the vast Shrewsbury Sports Village - a plethora of football pitches, grass and artificial, running tracks, gym and indoor bowling.
The match takes place on the grass Competition Pitch. This incorporates a stand and small covered area on one side, two open ends and the far side out of bounds, behind which is a beautiful view of the hill and its forestry.
(Haugh)Mond are in white and black, playing on the ground they share with Shrewsbury Town FC's Academy. Town are in two tone blue; £6 in and a crowd of 118, with good away support.
After an indifferent start, Runcorn finally create a chance on 18 minutes - Matty Vickers' shot beaten away by Bayden Ngo-Zulu, who has a very uncertain and uncomfortable afternoon in the Haugh end. Two minutes on, and against the run of play, the Academicals take the lead with a lovely curler into the top left corner by Ethan Pickford.
Within 90 seconds Vickers equalises for Town, smashing in off the post after a defensive error. But he misses badly afterwards, despite rounding the keeper.
No matter as, with five minutes to the break, a hopeful punt is controlled by Tom Ruffer and he rifles into the roof of the net. Runcorn lead 2-1 at half time.
The second period continues in similar vein - Orran Mushet has an early chance and then Charlie Harland heads against the bar for the away side. Sub Shaq Lewys wastes a Town break, shooting wildly over on 69 minutes.
But he makes up for it two minutes later drilling home after a fine team move. Surprisingly the next goal, with ten minutes left, falls to Haughmond - Fransy Mpasi's back flick at the far post going in off the underside of the bar.
Scoring is completed within 120 seconds as the ball is fortuitously deflected to Ruffer and he makes it 4-2. That leaves Runcorn top and Haughmond bottom...
