And so to the William Scholes Playing Fields, otherwise known as Scholes Park (named after a former Gatley resident and estate agent), for a Manchester League Division Two fixture between Cavaliers FC and Hindley Juniors FC.
Cavaliers, based in Gatley, are in their first season in Division Two of the Manchester League - and, as mentioned last week, it's been a torrid campaign. Defeats of 14-1 (Bolton United), 15-0 (Bolton Borough), 16-0 (AFC Monton) and 26-0 (Avenue FC) attracted press coverage and prompted a plea for new players. A largely new squad put up a valiant fight last Saturday at Hollinwood, losing 2-1 at the death - but it's still 11 games, 11 defeats, 8 goals for, 116 against.
The home venue is at the Athletics Track on Scholes Park.
Hindley has been the home of short lived clubs Hindley FC, 1891-92, Hindley Central, 1910-14, and Hindley Green Athletic, 1925-28, all in the Lancashire Combination.
Hindley Juniors FC, from the Harrison Playing Fields in Hindley, was established in 1991 and achieved Charter Standard Community Club status in 2003, joining the Manchester League Division Two in 2019. Two Covid stricken seasons saw 11 points from 12 games, 8th of 11, in 2020 and 5 points from 8 games, 9th of 11, in 2021. However this time seven wins and six defeats sees them sitting 7th of 15.
Storm Arwen has wreaked havoc with the street furniture, creating broken fences, uprooted and naked trees and a plethora of leaves and surface water. But still beyond Cheshire Clocks, Marvel Guitars, Barberian and House of Boba I reach Timperley village centre and the iconic Frank Sidebottom statue.
Thereafter it's Baguley, home of Wythenshawe Town, then Sharston, home of Wythenshawe Amateurs, before I arrive at Gatley - numberplates en route are PC13ANS (Pro Clean) and G14NT K (?). Honeybear Nursery, the Horse and Farrier and the old Tatton cinema - now a Co-op - precede a right turn, by the railway station, into Oakwood Avenue and then Beech Avenue, at the end of which is Scholes Park.
Scholes Park hosts four football pitches, a strange children's slide and a grassed over athletics track plus a sports club building with changing rooms. The top end is bounded by the Airport railway line - a steady stream of passenger services and one freight today - above is the flight path and with plenty of parking it really is Planes, Trains and Automobiles !!
On a surface resembling hospital porridge Cavaliers are in all dark navy, so dark it clashes with the referee's black ('Ref can you put a bib on ?') - and, seven minutes in, after the first goal, he is persuaded to don a black tracksuit top with fluorescent lime patches to aid identification. Hindley are in all blue, with two players wearing a number 8 shirt - the referee finally notices after a quarter of an hour, forcing a shirt change.
A knifing wind, despite the bright sun, and freezing grass leads to an attendance of one (we know who you are !!), although a group of 4 subsequently congregate, huddling on the path outside the changing rooms. A raucous trio appear to be singing from inside the building, but anybody with any sense is watching the match from their car.... with the engine running - as I find out at the final whistle !!
The first period is totally dominated by Juniors, taking the lead on 7 minutes when a cross 'evades' an absent back line and is slotted home. An astonishing miss and some wayward shooting means the second only arrives on 34 minutes - a point blank header at the far post. The third Hindley goal comes a minute from half time, a messy corner scruffily converted and it's 3-0 at the interval - disjointed Cavaliers barely having charged forward.
The second half at least sees Cavaliers test Hindley's custodian, and captain, twice, but normal service is resumed on 64 with a stumbling, almost apologetic, finish for 4-0. Six minutes from time a driven cross results in an unfortunate own goal and then, with virtually the last kick, Juniors comfortably break through Cavaliers' shambolic back one for an easy finish to leave it 6-0 to the visitors at the death.
