Terras' Firmer Defence Leaves White Tigers Toothless...

And so to New Meadow Park in Gloucester, a National League North ground (for now - The Tigers were relegated early in April after a 6-1 home drubbing by the Seals of Chester), for a National League South fixture between Truro City FC and Weymouth FC.
Truro City FC was established in 1889 and was a founder member of the Cornish County Football Association. In the 1930s the White Tigers left Cornish football, joining the Plymouth and District League.

The Tinmen became a founder member of the South Western League in 1951, but struggled, having to seek re-election in their first two seasons and eventually dropping to the Cornwall Combination between 1975 and 1978. Following rejoining the South Western League and with successful further re-elections Truro City was crowned champions in the 1992/93, 1995/96 and 1997/98 seasons.

After declining and suffering financial problems, the club's fortunes changed in 2004 when the White Tigers were taken over by local property developer Kevin Heaney. All debts were cleared and the Tinmen achieved promotion to the Western League Division One at the end of the 2005/06 campaign.

City immediately moved up to the Premier Division with a record of 37 wins, 4 draws and one loss - and won the FA Vase at Wembley, beating AFC Totton 3-1 in the final. Further championships in the Western Premier (2007/08), the Southern South West (2008/09) and the Southern Premier (2010/11) saw the Tinmen climb to non-league's second tier, but only for two seasons.

2013 brought a return to the Southern Premier, having finished last and with ten points deducted after falling into administration. Heaney's company went into liquidation with debts of £4.5m and he was declared bankrupt, and amidst threats of expulsion a £50,000 bond was paid by local businessmen to ensure The White Tigers' survival.
Promotion back to the National South in 2015, via the play offs - beating Hungerford and St 

Neots - was a four season stay however they were demoted to the Southern League in 2019. Last term saw the City finish third and overcome Poole Town on penalties and then Bracknell Town 3-2 away in the play offs to move back into the National South for this season, with the club now taken over by former Toronto Wolfpack owner Eric Perez.

Historically City played at Treyew Road, before selling up in 2014 and groundsharing at Torquay United's Plainmoor ground. A temporary return to Treyew Road followed in January 2019, before a final departure in 2021, the ground becoming a supermarket shortly after, with the Stadium for Cornwall to be constructed, housing the football club and Cornish Pirates RUFC.

Another 'temporary' groundshare at Bolitho Park, home of Plymouth Parkway FC ensued and this was extended as the Stadium for Cornwall was scrapped. That deal was cut short in February this year due to incessant ground waterlogging problems and postponements.
More of the same as a subsequent groundshare at Taunton Town's Wordsworth Drive venue saw yet more waterlogging and zero 'home' fixtures played. The FA stepped in and the White Tigers agreed to play their remaining home games on the artificial pitch at New Meadow Park in Gloucester, 195 miles from Truro. The original Meadow Park was destroyed by flooding in 2007, almost as high as the crossbars, having previously been flooded in 1990 by severe snowfall and contaminated by the River Severn bursting its banks in 2000.

After many false starts the renovated TigerTurf New Meadow Park, the surface 3.5 metres above the old pitch, saw its first match played in December 2020. To end the season meant thirteen games in 28 days for the White Tigers - and not helped by the recent abandonment of the 'home' match against Eastbourne Borough due to serious player injury. Safety is now assured after their victory against Dover on Tuesday in front of 73 spectators - 15 from Dover; the Terras' clash their last home game this season, the 7th consecutive 'home' fixture in 13 days 😏

Truro will return home to the city next season at the new Truro Sports Hub at Langarth - but Cornish Pirates will remain at Mennaye Field in Penzance.

Weymouth was elected to join the Western League from the 1921-22 season, where they competed as well as continuing in the Dorset League. Following a Dorset League win that season, they followed it up in the 1922/23 season with a Western League title. The following year the club turned professional, and was elected to the Southern League for the first time - but debts, a recurrent theme, saw the club revert back to amateur status in 1928, moving back to the Western League where they won championships in 1937 and 1938 before folding for five years.

Football resumed after the Second World War in 1947 and the club soon achieved promotion back to the Southern League, and were champions in 1965 and 1966. The Terras moved to the Wessex Stadium in 1987 - now renamed the Bob Lucas Stadium in July 2010, in honour of the club president at the time.... and who died a month later...

Weymouth was a founding member of the Alliance Premier League in 1979, finishing runners up to Altrincham in its inaugural season. Relegation in 1989 to the Southern was followed by further demotion in 1991; a one season return to the Premier preceded 6 more seasons at the lower level, before promotion and then joining the newly formed Conference South in 2004 in the halcyon days of Ian Ridley's chairmanship and with Steve Claridge managing the team.

Promoted as champions in 2006 despite having 4 points deducted, the Terras were relegated in 2009 amidst financial turmoil, John Hollins and Bobby Gould having little effect in the dugout, and sank into the Southern Premier the following season. Notice of appointing administrators in October 2009 prefaced a Company Voluntary Arrangement in March 2010 with debts standing at £822,000. 

The club was taken over by lifelong fan Nigel Biddlecombe in February 2012, after George Rolls' controversial reign, epitomised by fielding their youth team in a 9-0 home defeat by Rushden with first team players unpaid - Biddlecombe currently still retains a minority shareholding. The Terras were promoted in 2019 and again in 2020 back to the National League Premier, but were relegated in 2022 and miraculously avoided back to back demotions to the Southern League on the last day of last season on goal difference, after winning their last three games - Dulwich Hamlet going down on goal difference 😒

This time, after a slow start, the Terras have achieved mid table mediocrity and safety, but surprisingly have parted company recently, with safety not assured at that point, with last season's saviour Bobby Wilkinson; Mark Molesley retaking the reins.

Manchester brings numberplates DOO8Y, BT04STY, POO10 and a van emblazoned in 'Cryptic Punks', then skyscrapers, graffiti 'We Are Comin', Taylor Swift, Blue Whale and a billboard 'Never Dread Mondays Again'. Then it's Stockport and its lustrous new bus interchange.

Pollarding at Prestbury, Arighi Bianchi at Macclesfield and an orange canal at Kidsgrove follow. That takes me to the Hand with Chronos sculpture at Stoke on Trent station then Overclockers UK and Rafferty Chimneys before approaching Wellbeing Park (formerly of Stone Dominoes and Stone Old Alleynians) in Stone.

A flooded Stafford and then the National Brownfield Institute and the iconic Chubb Lock & Safe Company building at Wolverhampton come next. Onto the new shiny, metallic Birmingham New Street, the Bullring and the 2022 Commonwealth monuments - One Giant Step and Leaves of the Tree.

Alongside the canal, through Edgbaston Tunnel to the University and thence the Metalworks and the Bristol Pear at Selly Oak. Cadbury at Bourneville before King's Norton sidings with Philip and Henry coaches and a London Transport shunter.

Verdant countryside, including a solar farm and observatory leads me to Worcestershire Parkway station, in the back of beyond at Wychavon. Leafy Cheltenham Spa, 'The Home Of Jump Racing', and finally Parnaby Cyclones cranes outside Gloucester, with several brightly painted houses on its city streets.

In Gloucester, past Kingsholm to St Oswald's Priory and then the magnificent Cathedral. After that it's the Emperor Nerva bust and a stop at a pub - Robert Raikes's House; Raikes a Gloucester philanthropist and Sunday School advocate.

Afterwards comes the Museum of Gloucester and Greyfriars before reaching Gloucester Docks and Quays. Here I find the Soldiers of Gloucestershire regimental museum, the ancient tramroad and The Lord High Constable of England - a Wetherspoons pub.

Thereafter to the National Waterways Museum, Taffeta & Lace and The Old Gloucester Gaol, seemingly occupied now by Salvation Z and Vendetta.... Then via Soul n Seoul to The House of The Tailor of Gloucester - a Beatrix Potter shop.

Finally Llanthony Secunda Priory and we reach the TigerTurf on Sudmeadow Road, parking up through helpful stewarding. New Meadow Park is a 4,000 capacity stadium, with two all red and yellow seater stands housing 762 either side of the half way line, bisected by the clubhouse - both stands also host hospitality boxes. The top end features the T-End Stand behind which lie the rolling Gloucestershire hills and, nearer, through a gap in the fencing, part of the original Meadow Park pitch and old terracing. Across is the scoreboard side and club shop plus a shipping Container Bar. Crowds have been as low as 71, with the all ticket fixtures attracting 384 against Torquay and a bumper 1,238 versus champions, the Glovers of Yeovil Town. Tonight's attendance is 126 (70+ from Weymouth) and it's £11 in.

The White Tigers are naturally in all white and Weymouth in change yellow and blue. Thereafter follows a stereotypical end of season dead rubber with little to commend it.

Ezio Touray does put the ball in the net for the Terras on 12 minutes but it's disallowed for handball. Tom Bearwish is blocked on 25, but the chance of the half comes 10 minutes later - Dan Roberts and Touray combining but Touray doesn't get enough purchase on the ball and James Hamon saves. Ryan Kavanagh fires over for Truro a minute before the break - their first meaningful effort.

The second stanza is marginally better - Terras' keeper Gerard Benfield slices a clearance causing havoc. However he atones midway through the half with a fine save from the Tinmen's Matt Buse. Roberts' curling effort for Weymouth is beyond Hamon's far post shortly after.

But the real action comes in the final few minutes... the White Tigers' Josh Hinds goes down in the box with three to go, but no penalty is given. Then Touray should have done better with a half shot on 90 and finally Benfield preserves a point for the visitors, producing another good save from Truro substitute Rocky Neal in stoppage time.

But, in truth, a game that didn't deserve a goal.....

Iron Work Seals A Share Of The Spoils.....

And so to March, Jack Brownsword Way and the Glanford Stadium, formerly The Sands Venue Stadium and now The Attis Arena, for a National League North encounter between Scunthorpe United FC and Chester FC.

Scunthorpe United FC was formed in 1899, and, after merging with local rivals North Lindsey United, becoming Scunthorpe & Lindsey United, turning professional in 1912 joining the Midland League. Crowned Midland League champions in the 1926/27 and 1938/39 seasons, the Iron, a nod to the local steelworks, was elected into the Football League in 1950, ahead of Workington and Wigan Athletic, after numerous failed attempts.

Promotion was secured as champions from Division Three North to the Second Division in 1958. After six seasons United was relegated back to the lowest tier and aside from sporadic one season promotion ventures to the Third Division in 1972, 1983 and 1999, stagnated in the basement division for 34 of 37 campaigns. The club moved from the central Old Show Ground, in the wake of the Bradford City fire - the ground too expensive to upgrade and sold to Safeway, then Sainsburys - to the new purpose built Glanford Park in 1988, and was famous in counting Ray Clemence, Kevin Keegan and Ian Botham as former players.

Brian Laws steered Scunthorpe out of the bottom division in 2004/05 and his successor Nigel Adkins led the club to the Division One title, and the Championship in 2006/07. But it was only for one season; however victory in the 2009 play offs, beating Millwall 3-2 at Wembley, saw the Iron back in the Championship. Relegations in 2011 and 2013 meant Scunny was again playing fourth tier football, and despite immediate promotion in 2013/14 after two unsuccessful play off bids United was relegated to Division Two in 2019.

Worse was to follow with back to back demotions in 2022 and 2023 to the National League, then the National League North. Amidst threats of entering administration, winding up petitions and ground disputes, owner Peter Swann sold up to David Hilton in January 2023. Eight months later Hilton's chequered criminal past and growing fan dissent saw the club sold to local businesswoman Michelle Harness.

Currently the Iron lie second, but 10 points adrift of leaders Tamworth and six points clear of Chester.

Chester FC was founded in 2010 following the liquidation of Chester City and was placed in the Northern Premier League Division One North, after a successful appeal against restarting in the North West Counties. Three successive promotions propelled the Seals to the Conference in 2013, but after a reprieve in their first season due to Hereford United's expulsion, relegation to the Conference North eventually followed in 2018, where they remain after play off defeats to Altrincham (3-2 away in Covid 2020) and Brackley (0-1 at home last season).

The original Chester FC was founded as an amalgamation of Chester Rovers and Old King's Scholars FC in August 1885. Playing at Faulkner Street the Blues moved briefly to The Old Showground and then Whipcord Lane before settling at Sealand Road in 1906 where they stayed until 1991. Then after two seasons at Macclesfield's Moss Rose ground, City returned home to the Deva Stadium on the Sealand Industrial Estate, which partially straddles the Welsh border.

The Seals entered the Combination five years from inception, and, after promotion to the Lancashire Combination in 1910 and three Cheshire League titles, joined the Football League at the start of the 1931/32 season, in place of Nelson FC. The club changed its name to Chester City FC in 1983. 

The Blues were predominantly fourth tier Football League members but occasionally played at the third level (1975-1982, 1986-1993 and 1994-1995), until 2000 when the club was relegated to the Football Conference under the chaotic ownership of American Terry Smith, who installed himself as manager and steered the Seals to four wins in four months.....

Under new owner Stephen Vaughan they returned to the Football League after winning the Conference title in 2004, but following relegation back to the Conference in 2009, the club courted controversy and hit financial difficulties. These financial problems led to the 2009/10 season starting with a 25 point deduction, after the Inland Revenue revoked a proposed CVA.

Amidst increasing disquiet among fans City Fans United was formed in October 2009, and a month later staged an on field protest about Chester City's ownership leading to the abandonment of a home game against Eastbourne Borough, which they were leading 3-2.... Chester City FC was eventually wound up on 10 March 2010, a day after applying to join the Welsh Premier League. Preparations to form a phoenix club had already begun.... leading to Chester FC, sitting 4th, briefly 3rd, this term after a remarkable change in form that has seen 48 points garnered from 26 games starting with the 3-2 win over the Turbines of Peterborough Sports, when they lay 17th.

 

Amidst driving rain I encounter numberplates B16 HOT, PR17ATE and JD O1L. Then a J Davidson Scrap Metals lorry emblazoned with Only Fools and Horses and plate DE18 OYZ, past Wow Chau Yow and a van advertising Tipsy Bar Events. Finally I'm on the tram at US Four, a workman drinking Canti Prosecco at eleven in the morning and next to the Kings Ransom, temporarily closed for refurbishment. Then Emirates Old Trafford, J Parker Bulb & Plant and Pomona Island, into Manchester and Knott Mill Station, Gong Cha and the Manchester Curve.

Via Piccadilly, it's beyond Longsight railway depot, a regenerated Stockport - soon to host Viaduct Park - and into Davenport, Hazel Grove and Chinley. Snow topped hills before a Freightliner between Edale and Hope, and the Hope Valley Line meanders through Bamford, Hathersage, Grindleford and Dore & Totley, the latter in a state of disrepair.

Flooded fields greet me prior to The Sheaf Bank, Olive Grove depot and Sheffield, as we edge past the English Pewter Company and Sheffield Forgemasters before reaching Meadowhall. Next is the abandoned old Rotherham station, Millmoor and Swinton, Mexborough and Conisborough.

Frenchgate, snowploughs and GB Freight are on show at Doncaster, leading to Kirk Sandall and Hatfield & Stainforth. Heavy Yorkshire industry gives way to the Lincolnshire Fens and wind turbines as we bypass Crowle and Althorpe and its Wharf, with the South Soak Drain running alongside.

That brings me to Scunthorpe, home of The Honest Lawyer (really !!), the Wetherspoons offering that is the Blue Bell Inn, the North Lincolnshire Museum, Baitus Salaam Mosque and the old Circus Funtasia site. Past Scunthorpe General Hospital and then left at the Berkeley, named after the baronet Sir Berkeley Sheffield, and the Old Farmhouse Wacky Warehouse to the retail park incorporating Glanford Park.

Scunthorpe are in claret and blue, Chester change yellow with black trim - Scunny Bunny briefly in evidence. £15 in, reduced from £20 for Community Day, and the stadium is made up of 4 sponsored stands - the nearest the Britcon (North) terraced stand, flanked on the left by the Mortz Property Services (East) Stand and on the right by the Vertikal (West) Main Stand and opposite the AMS (South) Stand, the latter for away fans.

Kick off is pushed back 15 minutes in glorious sunshine, but with standing water on the touchlines; proceedings eventually get underway at 3.17, with flares emanating from the away end. This a consequence of huge queues outside the ground - Community Day and a concerted effort to break the highest ever Conference North attendance: it is successful with a crowd of 7,511 (1,142 away) which gains national headlines.

It's all Iron to begin with as on 6 minutes Liam McAlinden has a shot smuggled away by City keeper Wyll Stanway. Five minutes later Danny Whitehall directs his effort just beyond the post.

On 20 minutes United's Jacob Butterfield flashes wide, before the Seals start to impose themselves. Ben Tollitt has a free kick that evades everyone, narrowly missing the goal and on the half hour he drives forward, shapes to shoot across Iron keeper Ross Fitzsimons and then alters his body shape, wrongfooting Fitzsimons and scoring at the near post.

Scunthorpe can only manage a Whitehall attempt straight at Stanway. So Chester lead 1-0 at the break and the Iron, after a bright start, have faded and lost their way.

The second period begins in the same fashion as the first with the home side in the ascendancy. Kian Scales sees his shot parried away for a corner and Will Evans tries his luck too from range, but Stanway comfortably saves. Eventually the pressure tells and on the hour McAlinden, with a beautifully deft header from a Dion Sembie-Ferris cross, beyond Stanway, equalises for the Iron.

It lasts only four minutes: George Glendon bursting through for Chester and brought down by Tom Pugh's wild, last ditch tackle. Everyone stops, waiting for the penalty to be given - that is except Glendon who gets up and calmly strokes home to put the Seals 2-1 up.

Matters get worse for Scunny three minutes later. McAlinden is shown a red card for a dangerous challenge on Harrison Burke, and the Iron are down to ten. Then there is an extraordinary incident on 77 minutes. A fracas just outside the Chester box so nearly degenerates into a brawl and ends up with 6 players being booked - 4 Chester, 2 Scunthorpe - including both goalkeepers.....

With seven minutes to go Butterfield produces a sublime piece of skill and a wonderful finish into the bottom corner to draw matters level at 2-2. Cue flares from the home end and a pitch invasion.

Ten minutes of added time and the Iron go for the win. Sub Danny Elliott is close two minutes in, Whitehall has a penalty shout on 95 and then, in the 99th minute, Stanway makes a mess of a cross cum shot from Sembie-Ferris and the ball breaks to fellow sub Alfie Beestin and he thrashes against the bar.

A chaotic, breathless match finishes at 5.17 with honours even, both sides unchanged in league position. As for the trip home best not go there - although I do learn that Scunthorpe have only scored 4 equalisers all season, and 2 of them were today 😊

Turbines Failure - Blues' Revival Seals The Deal...!

And so to the Deva Stadium on Bumpers Lane in Chester for a National League North clash between Chester FC, The Seals, and Peterborough Sports FC, The Turbines.

Chester FC was founded in 2010 following the liquidation of Chester City and was placed in the Northern Premier League Division One North, after a successful appeal against restarting in the North West Counties. 

Three successive promotions propelled the Seals to the Conference in 2013, but after a reprieve in their first season due to Hereford United's expulsion, relegation to the Conference North eventually followed in 2018, where they remain after play off defeats to Altrincham (3-2 away in Covid 2020) and Brackley (0-1 at home last season).

The original Chester FC was founded as an amalgamation of Chester Rovers and Old King's Scholars FC in August 1885. Playing at Faulkner Street the Blues moved briefly to The Old Showground and then Whipcord Lane before settling at Sealand Road in 1906 where they stayed until 1991. Then after two seasons at Macclesfield's Moss Rose ground, City returned home to the Deva Stadium on the Sealand Industrial Estate, which partially straddles the Welsh border.

The Seals entered the Combination five years from inception, and, after promotion to the Lancashire Combination in 1910 and three Cheshire League titles, joined the Football League at the start of the 1931/32 season, in place of Nelson FC. The club changed its name to Chester City FC in 1983. 

The Blues were predominantly fourth tier Football League members but occasionally played at the third level (1975-1982, 1986-1993 and 1994-1995), until 2000 when the club was relegated to the Football Conference under the chaotic ownership of American Terry Smith, who installed himself as manager and steered the Seals to four wins in four months.....

Under new owner Stephen Vaughan they returned to the Football League after winning the Conference title in 2004, but following relegation back to the Conference in 2009, the club courted controversy and hit financial difficulties. 

These financial problems led to the 2009/10 season starting with a 25 point deduction, after the Inland Revenue revoked a proposed CVA.

Amidst increasing disquiet among fans City Fans United was formed in October 2009, and a month later staged an on field protest about Chester City's ownership leading to the abandonment of a home game against Eastbourne Borough, which they were leading 3-2.... Chester City FC was eventually wound up on 10 March 2010, a day after applying to join the Welsh Premier League. Preparations to form a phoenix club had already begun.... leading to Chester FC, sitting 17th this term with 3 wins and two draws from ten games.

Peterborough Sports FC, from Lincoln Road in Peterborough, was established in 1908 as Brotherhoods Engineering Works, a factory side for the company founded by Peter Brotherhood in 1867, and famed for designing and manufacturing the first steam turbine engine in the world. 

They joined the Northants League (which later became the United Counties League) for the 1919–20 season, winning the league in their first season, but left at the end of the 1922–23 campaign. 

Sports then transferred to Division Three of the Peterborough & District League, winning the title in the 1925–26 season - the club was dormant in 1929–30 and 1932–33, and dropped into Division Three North. Despite only finishing eleventh in 1936–37, the Turbines were elevated to Division Two for the 1937–38 season. And after World War II the club was placed in Division One, but was relegated after finishing bottom of the table in 1948–49 and further relegations followed in 1953 and 1964, to Division Three South, albeit they bounced back with promotion in the following season.

Another relegation at the end of the 1973–74 season saw Brotherhoods Engineering Works demoted to Division Three South for a second time, but returned to Division Two after winning the title in 1975–76. Relegated again in 1979–80, the club was elevated to Division Two at the first attempt as Division Three South champions, and gained promotion to Division One at the end of the 1982–83 season after finishing third. The 1987–88 season saw the club finish as Division One runners-up and step up to the Premier Division.

In 1999 the club changed its name to Bearings Direct FC, and then again in 2001 to Peterborough Sports. In 2006–07 they won the Premier Division, and in 2012–13 was promoted to Division One of the United Counties League after finishing third.

In 2016 Peterborough Sports were Division One champions, earning promotion to the Premier Division. The following season saw them win the league with 112 points, and moved on up to Division One South of the Northern Premier League.

In 2018 the club was transferred laterally to Division One Central of the Southern League and that season the Turbines finished as champions, engineering a move up to the Premier Division Central. They finished runners-up in 2022, qualifying for the promotion play-offs, and after beating Alvechurch in the semi-finals, the club defeated Coalville Town 2–0 in the final to rise to the National League North, finishing 14th in their inaugural campaign. 

However they are 23rd this time around with two wins, two draws and six defeats thus far and were dumped out of the FA Cup by lower league Needham Market on Tuesday - the Seals go to Hartlepool in the fourth qualifying round next weekend.

Past the Chapel Street war figurines at Altrincham, the boarded up Cheshire Midland in Hale, into the mid-Cheshire countryside on an unseasonably warm Saturday October afternoon. Flooded fields at Ashley, then Knutsford - home of Tatton Park - the Drill Field, former home of Northwich Victoria, now housing, and Delamere, 'The Forest Station', before we pull into Chester.

Then after K9 to 5 (dog grooming) and the Blue Coat Hospital it's on to the City Walls. Morgan's Mount, Pemberton's Parlour, the Water Tower, Water Gate and the racecourse - no races today with the last meet next weekend. Onwards to Chester Castle, the River Dee, the Roman Gardens, Newgate, the Eastgate Clock, Chester Cathedral and the Amphitheatre before I walk towards the football ground.

Eschewing The Cop Skatepark and Audacious Church, I skirt various retail and business parks to arrive on Bumpers Lane and Chester FC. Three all seater stands - the Gary Talbot (Main) Stand to my left, the Hipkiss Stand at the far end and the Swettenhams Chemists Community Stand on the right. I am stood on the Harry McNally North Terrace - £17 in, compared to £20 to sit, although there are modest reductions of £1 and £2 respectively if you book online. The crowd is 2,250 - including just 13 away supporters ☺

The Seals are in blue and black whilst the Turbines are in change fluorescent yellow and green. Chester start the stronger with Declan Weeks having a shot tipped over by Sports' keeper Peter Crook.

So it's a surprise on 18 minutes when full back Matt Tootle makes space on the left touchline and delivers a pinpoint cross for veteran player/ co-manager Michael Gash to head home and put Peterborough in front. That's doubled ten minutes later when Connor Johnson's pass is superbly diverted by Gash into the path of Josh McCammon who sweeps the ball beyond keeper Wyll Stanway - a beautifully engineered goal ☺

An almost immediate response is delivered five minutes later as a Tom Sparrow cross is despatched by Charlie Caton to halve the deficit. Caton then has two shots well blocked by Crook and captain George Glendon sees his deflected shot strike the top of the crossbar. Nonetheless the Turbines lead 2-1 at the break.

That all changes seven minutes into the second period as Caton is again thwarted by Crook but half time substitute Adam Thomas tucks away the rebound. Wave after wave of Seals' pressure sees Weeks' cross palmed away and on 71 minutes there are two goal line clearances within 30 seconds from Kieran Coates and Harrison Burke efforts.

A rare Sports foray results in Hugh Alban-Jones' strike defied by Stanway's outstretched boot, but normal service is soon resumed.... With six minutes to go Caton (twice) and Thomas are denied in an extraordinary goalmouth melee but the comeback is completed on 87 minutes as Reece Daly fires home a splendid 25 yarder into the top left corner to see Chester triumph 3-2.

Quakers Fail To Get Their Oats - Green Army Nullified....Again !!!!

And so to the end of April and the dying embers of the 2021/22 season; today sees a visit to the Horsfall Community Stadium in Bradford and a National League North clash between Bradford (Park Avenue) and Darlington.

Bradford FC was originally established in 1863, its Park Avenue name deriving from the club's former home and to differentiate it from Bradford City Football Club.

Formed as a rugby football team, and known locally as simply Bradford, the club moved from the Rugby Football Union to become a founder member of the Northern Rugby Football Union in 1895. This followed an RFU dispute over broken time payments. 

1907 saw 'The Great Betrayal' as a narrow majority of members voted to abandon rugby (league) and concentrate on association football at Park Avenue. The minority set up a new rugby club, Bradford Northern (now Bradford Bulls).

Bradford FC had been playing football since 1895, in the West Yorkshire League and then the Yorkshire League, but were banished to Birch Lane and closed down in 1899 due to mounting losses.

The success of cross town neighbours Manningham, who switched to football and renamed as Bradford City, prompted the Northern Union Club to apply to join the Football League in 1907. They were not accepted and joined The Southern League (!), where their nearest opponents were Northampton Town, 130 miles away.

But the following season Bradford were elected to the Second Division of the Football League, and promoted to the First Division in 1914. Post war the club steadily declined, relegated to the Second Division in 1921 and Third Division North the year after. Promoted as champions in 1928, then demoted in 1950, Park Avenue were placed in Division Four in 1958.

Despite two campaigns in the Third Division in the early 1960s BPA suffered difficult times and were voted out of the league in 1970, replaced by Cambridge United. The Green Army joined the Northern Premier League, selling Park Avenue in 1973, groundsharing at Valley Parade and subsequently going into liquidation on 3 May 1974.

The club was immediately reformed as a Sunday League side, competing in the Bradford Amateur Sunday League, then promoted to the Bradford Sunday Alliance League - and somehow still playing at an abandoned Park Avenue... The club was forced to move when a new indoor cricket school was set up at Park Avenue, and that saw a move back to Saturday football.

BPA joined the West Riding County Amateur Football League in 1988, then transferred to the Central Midlands League the year after and then the North West Counties Football League in 1990 - playing at rugby league grounds McLaren Field (Bramley) and Mount Pleasant (Batley). The Green Army were champions in 1995, rejoining the Northern Premier League and moving to the Horsfall Stadium.

Park Avenue was a founder member of the Conference North in the 2004/05 season, then suffered consecutive relegations before returning to the Northern Premier League in 2008 as champions. They stepped back up to the Conference North in 2012, beating FC United of Manchester 1-0 in the play off final. There they have remained, albeit with a lucky Covid escape in 2020 when bottom place, 20 points from 33 matches, would surely have seen relegation before null and voidance. Bradford are safe this time - 16th with 43 points and 3 games left including today.

Darlington 1883 is the phoenix club of Darlington FC, and was founded in 2012 as a fan and community owned club - the FA allowing it to revert back to its original name of Darlington FC in 2017. The original Darlington FC was established in July 1883, playing in regional leagues before becoming a founder member of the Northern League in 1889. 

The original Quakers were admitted to the Football League when the Third Division North was formed in 1921. Their best placed finish was 15th in the Second Division in 1926.

Relegation to the Conference in 1989 was quickly reversed, promoted as champions the season after. But after three times going into administration - in 2004, 2009 and 2011 (when they won the FA Trophy 1-0 against Mansfield Town with a 120th minute goal in a truly appalling game) - the club ceased to exist on June 21 2012 and was expelled from the Conference, where they had been relegated to two years before. 

The financial problems partly stemmed from the 27,000 all seater white elephant Darlington Arena built under the stewardship of convicted safecracker George Reynolds. This in stark contrast to their former 120 year home at Feethams and its Tin Shed end !!

Darlington 1883 joined the Northern League for the 2012/13 season and won it at the first attempt. After losing in the 2014 play offs, promotion to the Evo-Stik Northern Premier League Premier Division was secured, again via the play offs, and the Quakers were promoted as champions to the Conference North at the first attempt. Darlo moved back to playing in the town at Blackwell Meadows that season, after ground sharing with Bishop Auckland at Heritage Park - but were prevented from competing in the play offs as the stadium did not meet ground grading criteria.

This time with three straight losses seemingly having kyboshed any play off hopes, Darlington are 13th on 51 points.

The club's badge depicts Locomotion No 1, a nod to the town's railway history, and a Quaker hat, synonymous with the religious movement in the town.

Past Radium House, home to the Stubborn Mule Brewery, and a virtual carbon copy travel performance of Easter Monday. Mama's Cuisine, The Arches & Quay House Business Estate, hosting Premium Mutts Dog Food takes me to Navigation Road, 5 football grounds (7 including Broadheath Central and their reserves !) and bypassing Biffa Waste and beyond Stockport Shunters Cabin brings me to Manchester Piccadilly. Today's car registration plates en route are JO08Y LU, 45 LP and H4NAH.

Outside is the Victory Over Blindness monument and I eschew What A Potato and Scappaticci to reach the Corn Exchange, dating back to 1837 and rebuilt in 1903. Alongside is Chethams, formerly a manor house in 1453 then a hospital and the original site of Manchester Grammar School. Then Victoria and its signs for Ireland, Scotland and today's destination, Bradford, amongst others.

A packed train, due to Transpennine strike action and Manchester City playing at Elland Road, Leeds later, leaves in glorious weather down the Calder Valley line - not helped by a malfunctioning toilet... Past Vitriol Works, before Mills Hill, then through Walsden to Todmorden with its Platform One Gallery of local artworks.

Bridgeholme Cricket Club is just before Hebden Bridge, then it's Mytholmroyd and 'The Coming and Return of The Iron Man'. Welcome to the South Pennines at Sowerby Bridge and the Southowram TV transmitter at Halifax brings me into Bradford.

Outside is the award winning Jacob's craft ale bar, 'Top of The Hops', before I move onto the steep uphill Manchester Road and Lahorigate, Van Monster, Icee Babyy, Chaat Wala (King of Chaat0 and two very overworked ponies and carts. That brings me to the iconic Odsal stadium with its famous curve, Q Gardens alongside but the Northern pub further on is derelict.

Up Halifax Road and then through a ginnel by White Rose Campers leads me to Horsfall Playing Fields, hosting a cricket match. The Horsfall Stadium is next door and I pay my £14 to join a crowd of 660, bolstered by a healthy away contingent, including former Darlo legend Nathan Cartman.

The Horsfall Stadium was originally built as a running track in 1931 and was upgraded, complete with synthetic pitch, in 1994 when The Green Army moved in. It was upgraded in 2007 and has a capacity of 3,500 - the 1,800 seats coming from Lord's Cricket Ground.

Inside I'm met by the ubiquitous shipping containers, trees on the other three sides and then a pavilion, with changing rooms underneath. At the far end, the main entrance on Cemetery Road, is a minimalist covered terrace, training and hospitality rooms, old programmes shop, office, clubhouse and beer garden. The main all seater stand is to my right and the near end has, below the banking side, a mini strip of astro turf where kids are playing a form of match; the entire pitch is encircled by a six lane running track.

 

The Green Army are in predominantly white with pale green sleeves and socks, whilst Darlington are in change yellow and blue - the visitors starting the better with Jake Cassidy going close early on. But BPA create the best chance of the half, Harrison Hopper's through ball springing the offside trap and leaving Lewis Knight one on one - but away shotstopper Tommy Taylor stands tall and blocks Knight's effort.

Nicky Clee and Knight, again, have shots saved whilst at the other end Cassidy has another shot blocked and a flick saved by home custodian George Sykes-Kenworthy, who is later booked for hauling down Cameron Thompson outside the box.

0-0 at the break but the second period begins enterprisingly enough with the Quakers' Jarrett Rivers clearly tripped, but no penalty given, and then Kevin Dos Santos weaving through and firing against the inside of the post. Ben Hedley sends a 25 yarder just over but it's not all Darlo; a counterattack with Dylan Mottley-Henry on the wing sees his cross produce a Sam Fielding strike, instinctively saved by Taylor.

Brad Dockerty puts a point blank header over, and The Green Army have their own penalty shout and a goalmouth scramble cleared. But they are grateful for an excellent Sykes-Kenworthy save in injury time to confirm a fourth consecutive home 0-0 draw.