Bulls Hit Safety Despite Near Turbines Failure.....

And so to the M&M Edgar Street Stadium in Hereford for a final day National League North clash between Hereford FC and Peterborough Sports FC, kicking off at 1230.

Hereford United FC was founded in 1924 as a merger of two local clubs - St Martins and RAOC (Rotherwas). The Bulls joined the Birmingham Combination before switching to the Birmingham & District League four years later.

The Whites (or Lilywhites) entered the Southern League after World War II, winning the North West Division in 1958/59 and Division One in 1964/65. The club will forever be known for the iconic Ronnie Radford FA Cup giantkilling shock winning goal against Newcastle United in 1972 that prefaced entry to the Football League Division Four later that year.

Immediately promoted as champions, further success followed in 1976 as United ascended to Division Two. Sadly successive relegations followed in 1977 and 1978, and it was back down to Division Four....

Hereford spent 19 seasons in the fourth tier before losing their league place in 1997. After two play off defeats the Bulls resumed Football League status in 2006, and then achieved promotion to League One in 2008.

However United saw relegations in 2009 and 2012, moving back to non league football. Then the Whites resigned from the league due to insolvency in December 2014, under the weight of £1.3m debts.

The phoenix club, Hereford FC, was immediately set up and joined the Midland Football League Premier for 2015/16. Three successive promotions as champions took the Bulls to the Southern League South & West and Southern Premier, before landing in the National League North. When a fourth promotion looked unlikely popular manager Peter Beadle was sacked....

The Whites remain in the National League North, moving out of the relegation zone to 20th after Tuesday's 92nd minute penalty winner against Marine, and have faced increasing problems this season. Eight successive home postponements due to incessant rain and waterlogging forced Hereford to reschedule home fixtures at Sixways (Worcester) and the Valley (Redditch) - famous son Jarrod Bowen, who started his playing career at Hereford United in 2014 and is now at West Ham, has offered to pay for a new drainage system.

The Bulls returned, finally, to Edgar Street on 10 March against Leamington, league bottom dwellers and now relegated, after ground remediation, with new drainage and sanding installed to combat the waterlogging. A thumping 5-2 win moved Hereford upwards briefly but fixture congestion has meant that the Bulls have faced 15 matches in the league's final six weeks; a win today will see The Whites stay up but defeat will mean relegation - as for a draw who knows 🤔

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 FC. 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. 

Safety was achieved with 15th and 12th positions in the two subsequent seasons. Sports go into the final game in 23rd place, after 2 points in 21 saw veteran manager Phil Brown 'moved upstairs' as Director of Football, with Michael Gash assuming the reins - this has now become 7 points in 16 games; relegation was confirmed at Easter and culminated last weekend in an 8-0 humbling at Worksop with two players sent off for dissent and two delayed by rail problems... but reserve goalkeeper Sam Edwards has been selected to represent Great Britain Under 23s at the Deaf World Cup in Serbia next month.

Numberplates today are COO1S, S11LYS and CD H1T. By train via Stockport and its Hat Museum, Wilmslow and Jodrell Bank and Crewe where a set swap sees us hauled by 67010 as we pass Gresty Road and the Rail Depot.

Then via Whitchurch renowned for JB Joyce & Co - a clockmaker established in 1790, and Shrewsbury with its Castle, Prison and Butter Market. Past The Croud Meadow and into Ludlow, renowned for its Butter Cross and Ludlow Museum.

Thereafter Leominster, famous for The Crimean Cannon and then onto Hereford. The Wetherspoons offering is The Kings Fee, recalling the early years of the history of Hereford - the central area around the cathedral was the Bishop's Fee (or property) and the rest, within the city walls, was the King's Fee.

Hereford is home to the Old House and Hereford Bull Statue and Castle Green before the Cathedral with Mappa Mundi and the Chained Library. Then Hereford Museum and Art Gallery, the Museum of Cider and the Waterworks Museum at Broomy Hill.

The ground comprises the Edgar Street (Len Weston) Stand - upper seating, lower terrace -, the Merton Meadow End, a covered curved terrace, the Merton Family Stand (all seater), with Addison's Bar and Radford's Bar, and the Blackfriars End, which was temporarily an all seater stand with the terrace closed due to safety reasons but is now shut completely. £17.50 in digitally (£20 in cash on the day) for the home terraces - and I'm stood on the Len Weston Terrace, below the Edgar Street Stand.

It's a glorious spring afternoon in the sun but with a capricious wind. Hereford are in white and black, Peterborough Sports in change pink and black, instead of their usual all orange. The crowd is a raucous 4,459 - 48 away.

The Bulls start much the stronger, hitting the woodwork in the opening moments. No surprise then when Harry Tustin is brought down in the area; Aaron Skinner rifles home the penalty past Mackenzie Chapman on 9 minutes.

For all the Whites' dominance they fail to create meaningful chances and Sports grow in confidence. Then on 39 they equalise from a tight angle from a corner - Dan Jarvis claiming the credit although it could easily be classed as an own goal.

Worse is to follow as 4 minutes later Max Booth scores with a sumptuous volley past Theo Richardson from a deep cross. Peterborough lead 2-1 at the break to widespread consternation. 'This lot got beaten 8-0 last week and we're losing to them - that's how sh*t we are', 'Scuse me, mate, there's children present...'

The second half is a tense, nervy affair, on and off the pitch, with Hereford setting the pace but again struggling for goal opportunities. The home side become increasingly desperate and the crowd is eerily quiet as sub Mikey Lane has the golden chance with 20 to play but unbelievably shoots wide.

Then with 8 minutes left the Bulls' Cormac Daly looks as if he has been clipped. The referee plays a good advantage and Skinner floats over a cross where Lane, unmarked, heads home at the back post for 2-2 and widespread delirium 😊

Word reaches us that a draw will be sufficient to keep the Whites up on goal difference and, despite 7 minutes of injury time, that's how it ends. Cue a pitch invasion and, eventually, a lap of honour...

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.