Ten Out Of Ten For Town As Congleton Can't Bear It...

And so to Pavilions, the home of Runcorn Town FC and today's North West Counties Football League fixture with Congleton Town FC, themselves from Ivy Gardens (or Booth Street if we're being picky, but it doesn't have the same ring to it ! ) or Richborough Estates Stadium (definitely not !!).

The home side was established in 1967 (celebrating its 50th season in football this term) as founder members of the Runcorn Sunday League under the name of CKD, a works team from 'D' section at the local Castner Kellner plant. The club changed its name to Mond FC in 1970, reflecting the Mond Division of ICI which ran the Castner Kellner plant.

 

In 1973 there was a move to Saturday football with Mond joining Division 5 of the Warrington & District League. At the end of their first season the club amalgamated with struggling Division 1 side ICI Weston, becoming Mond Rangers FC and 'earning' a four division promotion.

 

1984 saw a move to the West Cheshire League and there was another change to the club's name before the 2005/06 campaign - this time to Runcorn Town FC. After winning Division 2 a year later, 'Town' were elevated to the North West Counties at the start of the 2010/11 season following a third place finish.

 

Promotion to the Premier League was achieved at the first attempt, and Town were runners up in their first season at the higher level. However, after 4th and 5th place finishes there followed two disappointing 13th positions and 2016/17 saw a new manager and a brand new squad, with not one player being retained. Last time Town finished third, and the new season has seen nine straight league wins as, perhaps unexpectedly, Runcorn sit top with a 100% record.

Congleton Town was formed in 1901, starting life in the Crewe and District League where they were champions in their first three seasons. This prompted a move to the North Staffordshire & District League, and having conquered this in the 1919/20 season they were off again - this time to the Cheshire County League.

 

45 years later and yet to crack it, there was a brief 3 season foray into the Manchester League before joining the Mid Cheshire League. After winning this three times in 1974, 1976 and 1978, Town reverted back to the Cheshire County League and their last ever season there brought the Division 2 championship in 1982.

 

The restructuring of the leagues saw Congleton become founder members of the North West Counties League, and they moved up to the newly created Northern Premier League Division One in 1988. Perennial strugglers, Town were finally relegated back to the top tier of the NCWFL in 2001 - and continue to ply their football there.

 

Congleton Town are known as the Bears, a throwback to the 1620s when bearbaiting was popular in the town and if historic lore is to be believed, in an attempt to attract more spectators, it used money set aside for a Bible to buy a more aggressive bear:

 

'Congleton Rare, Congleton Rare,

Sold the Bible to buy a bear. '

 

Consequently the town became known as Beartown....

So on a wet autumnal afternoon it's beyond the as yet unopened Mayar Travel and Mama's Cakeria, under the same roof (!), past Cloudchasers and you have to feel sorry for the wedding party having photographs taken outside St George's Church in the teeming rain. Down to the M56 in atrocious conditions, yet still with motorists refusing to switch on their lights, bypassing the Stretton Fox and Daresbury Park, and off at Sutton Weaver.

 

Onto the Expressway, with huge amounts of roadworks, coned off lanes and confusing signage, then into Weston, The Prospect pub, and atop Weston Point for a view of the River Mersey and gargantuan wind turbines. A sharp left into Sandy Lane and Pavilions is on the right.

 

Pavilions itself is 'the number one venue in Runcorn to hold your function' - it looks a bit tired and faded to me and in need of a refresh. A bowling green hides behind it, and on the puddled walkway to the entrance hut there is a decrepit football pitch on the left, complete with crumbling stand and dugouts - the old Runcorn Albion FC base.

 

The first thing you see inside, unlike most grounds, is not the pitch but a set of wooden steps with yellow handrails - the pitch is about two metres above ground level. A three sided ground again with the far end cordoned off, and marshalled by an elderly steward/ ball boy. The near end has a walkway about a metre deep which makes things cosy....

 

On the right hand side is the bar and lounge and then a partly built/ abandoned covered standing area, and behind it the roar of the Expressway. The main side hosts an assortment of ragtag lean tos, with a 'Here's The Tea Hut' sign at one end - it's boarded up and there is a newer sign on the opposite side above the bar.

 

Next is the main stand, the seats strangely red for a club whose colours are two shades of blue. The backdrop is the massive Inovyn Chlorvinyls plant. The ground is also directly underneath the flight path to Liverpool Airport so a succession of planes from Easyjet and Ryanair, those not cancelled anyway, pass over during the match. Also above are the electric cables connecting pylons either side of the Expressway.

The pitch has taken a lot of rain, with parts beginning to waterlog and plenty of mud in evidence. Town are in sky and navy blue, Congleton in change yellow and black hoops and resembling wasps rather than bears.

 

Within four minutes the Bears' offside trap is breached, Runcorn's Simon Thelwell sallies past keeper Andrew Jones, and lays the ball on for Craig Cairns - who is guilty of an astonishing miss. Five minutes later, with their first attack, the Bears score - Josh Heaton heading in, unchallenged from a corner.

 

On 16 minutes the Bears double their lead as William Hasler-Cregg, under pressure from a defender, hits a sublime twenty yarder that dips into the net via the underside of the bar. Town keeper Reece Airey is left clutching at, well er, air... Not quite the start we expected !

 

Runcorn respond immediately and Mark Reed hits home a piledriver within two minutes and by the quarter mark the sides are level. Cairns sprints on to a route one ball, sidesteps Jones and strokes home the equaliser. Ten minutes before the break Runcorn lead as Thelwell, having seen a shot smuggled off the line, beats Jones at his near post, and, with both defences looking porous, it's raining goals as the deluge continues.

 

More of the same in the second period as three minutes in Cairns crosses for Kieran Evans to make it 4-2. Five minutes later Cairns' audacious lob with the outside of his boot hits the bar, and a minute after he dinks the ball over Jones only to see the ball cleared off the line. On 56 minutes Cairns cleverly plays in Reed who puts Runcorn 5-2 up.

 

And then the rain stops...and so do the goals, but not for the want of trying. Cairns is again denied as another lob crashes against the bar, and Jones then produces a magnificent fingertip save to prevent him from scoring Town's sixth.

The Bears hit the woodwork twice, Airey goes down with two head injuries in two minutes amidst calls for a crash helmet, and Adams sees his shot deflected wide by a desperate goal line clearance. 5-2 at the death but it should have been 11-4 - thoroughly entertaining nonetheless as Runcorn continue their 100% start to the league season ☺

Eli Makes Hey As Blues Are Undermined By Collieries

 And so to the St Luke's Barton Stadium and the FA Vase Second Qualifying Round. The imaginatively nicknamed 'Blues' of Winsford United are at home. Perhaps using 'Sal Terrae' (Salt of the Earth) which is emblazoned on the club badge might be a more exciting alternative ? The visitors are Pontefract Collieries FC from the Harratt Nissan Stadium.

The home club was founded in 1883 as Over Wanderers and played in the Welsh Combination Football League before changing its name and moving to their current ground, then called the Bean Latham Playing Field, a few years later. After excessive spending the club folded.

It was reformed just before the outbreak of World War 1, and regrouped after peace had broken out under a committee led by Mr RG Barton. The Blues became a founder member of the Cheshire League and the stadium, by now called the Great Western Playing Field (and incorporating a greyhound track), was renamed the Barton Stadium in the chairman's honour.

Membership of the Cheshire League was unbroken until it and other regional leagues merged into the North West Counties Football League in 1982. A move up to the Northern Premier League in 1987 and promotion to the Premier in 1992, finishing runners up in 1992/3, was as good as it got; subsequently three relegations in four seasons saw Winsford playing North West Counties Division Two football in 2003, although the club were promoted back to Division One (now Premier Division) in 2007 where they remain.

Pontefract is known to have had a football club as far back as the 1890s when a side competed in the West Yorkshire League as Pontefract Garrison. Then there was Pontefract Borough who reached the Yorkshire League in the late 1920s but folded during the 1929/30 season.

 

By 1935 a club called Tanshelf Gems managed to acquire a ground on Ackworth Road, and became Pontefract United. United ruled the roost in local football, but the appearance of a Pontefract Collieries side saw the latter gain slight bragging rights, with both playing in the West Yorkshire League.

 

In 1960 the old Collieries club became extinct, only for the name to return a couple of years later when United merged with a local youth side and adopted the 'Colls' name. The club gained in stature and achieved success in the West Yorkshire League, joining the Yorkshire League in 1979.

 

Colls were founder members of the Northern Counties East League in 1982 and successive promotions took them into the top flight. Progress on the field was matched by improvements to the ground at Skinner Lane, sometimes known as Beechnut Lane which is the access road near the Prince of Wales pit, with much of the work undertaken during the Miners' Strike.

 

Relegation in 1995 after a decade in the top tier was the prelude to several off field crises. Fires destroyed seats, parts of the stand and the tea bar, the closure of the adjacent Prince of Wales Colliery and the loss of the electricity supply were matched by a significant downturn in the team's performances.

 

Ponte only avoided relegation out of the NCEL first by seeking and gaining re-election and then being saved by the constant restructuring of the Pyramid non league system. Eventually a corner was turned, and after 15 seasons absence Colls finished Division 1 runners up in 2015 to return to the Premier League.

 

However the club was relegated the following year, only to finish runners up last term and yo yo back to the top division. This time they proudly lead the way, with 8 wins and one defeat in 9 league matches, and the last six games producing victory margins of 5-0, 5-1, 5-2, 5-2, 5-1 and 5-0. I predict a goalless draw......

And so, with the sun trying to penetrate a thick cloud base, it's past The Old Cheshire Cheese, now Heatcraft, and then Code to Exit - some kind of Escape Room, and nothing to do with Dignitas !! That leads me out of Altrincham beyond The Vegetarian Society and its Cordon Vert Cookery School to the new A556.

 

Several signs warn me of the forthcoming Cheshire Ploughing Match (this Wednesday if you're interested !) before I come to Tabley, and the Cuckooland Museum. Then it's The Smoker, all scaffolding and new thatched roof in progress, and a turn on to the A533.

 

Right at the pretty floral Road One roundabout and then into Wharton, with the ground on the hill right next to The Top House. After last week's parking shenanigans, a large free car park with marked bays is a pleasant surprise - although a crowd of 103 was always unlikely to produce gridlock.....

Outside, the handwritten sign informs us the visitors are Pontefract Colleries (sic).  Inside it's easy to see the ground once hosted a greyhound track; an oval with two curving ends, a finishing straight on the popular side and a pitch like a bowl, banked at the ends and down one side. The popular side has covered, very low terracing and several warnings to 'MIND YOUR HEAD'. Opposite is the main 200 seater stand incorporating a cafe, supporters shop and bar. There's plenty of faded paint, abandoned furniture and general debris, including tyres around the pitch, giving the ground a slightly ramshackle air.

The Blues, sponsored by Winsford Town Council, are, surprisingly, in all blue with minuscule shirt numbers and Colls, sponsored by Monkhill Sandwiches, are in change yellow and black. Early chances for both sides, the best of which sees Ponte's pony tailed striker Eli Hey miss an open goal. Colls look a side full of confidence, playing at quick tempo and propelled forward by enormous long throws by their right back, Jack Greenhough.

 

Surprisingly it takes twenty minutes for the first goal to arrive - Colls captain Mark Whitehouse, unmarked at a corner, bulleting in a header via the underside of the bar. Callum Gardner is given the opportunity for a Winsford equaliser but finishes weakly against the onrushing Ryan Musselwhite. Home goalkeeper Michael Langley's dreadful clearance is straight at Kane Reece, but his hideous finish is high, wide and definitely not handsome. That said he atones in first half injury time, sidefooting home Mikey Dunn's cutback for a 2-0 lead at the break.

 

The second period is end to end, Dunn shooting just over and Musselwhite producing two excellent saves, one in particular to turn aside Robbie Hatton's goalbound shot. Dunn then does all the hard work but loses control at the last moment, the ball ending at Hey's feet and he makes it 3-0.

 

With twelve minutes to go another Ponte break sees Dunn cross to Hey, who calmly chests the ball down, swivels and smites the ball low into the corner for 4-0. All too much excitement for one Colls fan, whose nearly full pint goes flying and celebration turns to desolation at all that wasted beer...

 

The Blues score a consolation with 3 minutes to go, Musselwhite saving and sub Brandon Moores dinking home the rebound. Then in injury time Hey bustles through and, with only Langley to beat, shoots high to the keeper's left. The ball hits the frame of the goal and bounces out; the final whistle is blown shortly afterwards. 4-1 to Ponte, but several grumblings from disaffected away fans that there wasn't another 5 goal haul (yes really !!) and that Eli's Heyday didn't end with a hat trick. J

Sky Blues Thinking Out of Tune Who Gets The Abbey Habit

And so to the Potteries and a visit to Birches Head Road, home of Abbey Hulton United FC. The newly promoted side host Carlisle City today in the North West Counties Division One.

Abbey Hulton United FC was formed in 1947, and named after the Scheduled Monument of Hulton Abbey, founded by Henry de Audley in the early 13th century. It was dissolved by Henry VIII in 1538 and little remains of it today. Hulton was recorded as 'Heltone' in the Domesday Book, meaning 'hill town'.

 

Abbey played on council land before moving to Bucknall Park in 1962. There they stayed until 1985, before acquiring a piece of land at Birches Head Road. Originally United played in local leagues - the Longton, Fenton & District, Burslem & Tunstall and Newcastle & District Leagues.

 

Having moved to the new facility at Birches Head, the club opted to join the Staffs County League (North) and were crowned champions at the end of the 1997/98 season. Abbey then moved up to the Staffordshire County Senior League, becoming Premier League champions last season.

 

An application to join the North West Counties League was successful and the club was elected, having met ground grading criteria. United have had a decent start to the season, with three wins and three draws from seven games, six of which have been away. The St Helens game, where, with the game goalless going into injury time, Abbey were awarded a penalty and the floodlights went out, was confirmed this week as a 0-0 draw.

Carlisle City FC was formed in 1975 by two former Carlisle United players, George Walker and Ron Thompson, 'to give local lads somewhere to play'. The Sky Blues joined the Northern Alliance and were runners up three times before finishing bottom of the league in 1987, and dropping into the Northern Combination. At the end of the following season, the Northern Combination merged with the Northern Alliance and City became founder members of the new Division One.

 

As champions in 1992, the club was promoted to the Premier Division where they were runners up on five occasions. Having finished third in the 2015/16 season their application to join the North West Counties Football League was granted.

 

This was not least because they had taken over the lease at Gillford Park in the city in 2015 from Celtic Nation FC. (Yes that Celtic Nation - millionaire throws money at the club to buy promotion, club finish second, millionaire withdraws support, club goes bust: all in two years). City's first season was one of consolidation, finishing 14th in the expanded 22 club league and they sit just below Abbey in the current league table.

And so it's on to Manchester Road, past Totty Towers, the closed Wheatsheaf, the for sale Orange Tree and last night's watering hole, The Old Market Tavern and its menu - 'Food severed 12 noon to 4pm'....

Down to the M6 and more Smart Motorway, a stretch of road blighted daily by long delays due to broken down vehicles in the roadworks. Today is no exception but fortunately it's on the opposite carriageway. Disappointingly the PIES graffiti on the motorway bridge has been painted over and 'replaced' by SICADIE.

Off at junction 16 and onto the A500 then the A53 Leek Road, passing M & M Cane Centre, into Sneyd Green, by the Horn and Trumpet, Baddeley Green, then Milton and the glorious floral display at Carmountside Cemetery & Crematorium. Just before the Hulton Abbey remains, it's right into Birches Head Road, ignoring the sign for Funky Fillerz (?) and, just beyond the Trent Country Club, the ground is next to the River Trent Path.

A small car park on a narrow road isn't ideal, and indeed causes carnage at the final whistle for a crowd of 131. A fiver at the hut and a two sided ground this week. The top end is out of bounds with farmland, horseboxes and whinnying horses in the field. The closed off near side has a steep embankment at the top of which is a muddied grass area, trees and the River Trent behind.

The path that takes me behind the goal is where all the activity is - the changing rooms and a shipping container converted into a bar. Tables outside form an impromptu beer garden, whilst there's also a cafe and concrete 5 a side pitch. The tree lined far side holds the required 50 seater covered stand, with the side road next to it a popular cut through for scrambler bikes this afternoon.

Pleasant enough surroundings as we kick off - Abbey in orange and black, and City, inexplicably, in their change 'House of Vodka' sponsored navy strip. The Sky Blues have much the better of the first period; within moments Aaron Bradbury is one on one with Abbey keeper Luke Birkinshaw, with the latter spreading himself well to save.

 

Bobby McCartney, City's number 9, strikes a vicious angled drive that hits the inside of the far post and all Abbey can muster is a near own goal as the ball is inadvertently flicked over the bar. Birkinshaw saves well from Bradbury again just before the break, but the half is marred by some ineffectual officiating from the vertically challenged referee, who seems reluctant to use his cards.

 

United are much improved in the second half with their rotund number 9, Josh Graham (one of 5 Joshes in the Abbey team), wearing one yellow boot and one pink, producing a fine tip over from City's Michael Ballantyne. The Sky Blues go straight down the other end and McCartney is tripped in the box. The equally portly Kyle Armstrong converts the penalty and Carlisle lead.

 

Five minutes later Abbey captain, Josh Tune, nips inside the full back and scores with a quite sumptuous volley into the top corner for the equaliser. Less than tuneful chants of 'Abbey, Abbey' as the drum kit (where did that come from ?) gets its first meaningful action of the day.

 

McCartney muscles through but Birkinshaw again stands tall to block. The rebound falls kindly for McCartney and he rolls the ball across the six yard box into the path of Armstrong who misses the open goal horrendously. Armstrong is substituted, ignominiously, shortly thereafter.

 

Graham produces another classy save out of Ballantyne from a header but the game peters out - apart from a simmering undercurrent that threatens to boil over. The first yellow card is finally shown in the 86th minute, and a second in injury time following an ugly and unnecessary melee, with the match finishing honours even. Then it's the car park chaos......

Colliers Put Miners Welfare First...

And so to Ruskin Drive Sports Ground and the Buildbase FA Vase, with St Helens Town AFC taking on Hemsworth Miners Welfare FC in the First Qualifying Round.

The original St Helens Town club was formed in 1901, playing at Park Road, behind the Primrose Vaults pub, although the players changed further down the road at the Black Horse. Playing in the Lancashire League and Lancashire Combination, the team initially prospered but struggled after World War 1 and folded midway during the 1928/29 season.

The Saints were reformed by George Fryer and a group of local businessmen in 1946, playing at the former cricket ground at Hoghton Road, Sutton. They took over local team Derbyshire Hill Rovers in April 1947 and entered the Liverpool County Combination.

Former German prisoner of war Bert Trautmann joined the club in the summer of 1948 and the following season Town entered the Lancashire Combination. Despite losing Trautmann to Manchester City in October 1949, the Second Division title was secured.

However after two relegations it was a return to the Lancashire Combination in 1956, a league they won in 1972, 9 points clear of Accrington Stanley (who are they ?!). A move across to the Cheshire League in 1975 was the forerunner to becoming a founder member of the North West Counties in 1982.

The Saints won the FA Vase in 1987, beating near neighbours Warrington Town 3-2 at Wembley, in a match more in keeping with the Rugby League Challenge Cup Final. Then, in 2000, the club left Hoghton Road, with the facilities quickly falling into disrepair and the site was sold for housing two years later. The Saints groundshared with St Helens RLFC at Knowsley Road for ten years but the intended relocation to Langtree Park never materialised. Subsequently they lodged with Ashton Town and then at Brocstedes Park, home of Ashton Athletic.

The club did hold the proud record of being the only team to play in the North West Counties top flight in every season until April 2015 when, on the last day, a Silsden injury time equaliser condemned them to relegation. Hopes for the 2015/16 season were to bounce back at the first attempt, and to move into a Council owned multi sports facility at Ruskin Drive in the town for 2016/17. Neither came to fruition.... and a disappointing 2016/17 followed, with 'home' games predominantly played at Valerie Park, home of Prescot Cables.

The long awaited move to Ruskin Drive finally happened at the start of this campaign. The first home game against Abbey Hulton ended controversially - with the game goalless going into injury time the visitors were awarded a penalty, the floodlights expired, suspiciously, and the match was abandoned with a League hearing this Wednesday. Five league defeats out of five completed league matches leaves the Saints next to bottom, without a point.

The visitors, Hemsworth Miners Welfare FC from the Yorkshire NuBuilds Stadium in Fitzwilliam, began life in 1981 following the demise of Hemsworth Colliery FC the year before. The club joined the Doncaster & District Senior League Division 3, and three successive promotions took the Wells to the Premier Division in 1988.

Hemsworth won the Premier Division Cup in 1995 and then moved to the West Riding County League. Division 1 was won in the 1996/97 season, and in 2007/08 a fourth place finish in the Premier Division was enough to earn promotion to Division 1 of the Northern Counties East League. The Wells were crowned champions in 2015/16 to rise to the NCEL Premier Division. After an early FA Cup exit at the hands of Runcorn Linnets this season, Wells sit second in the league.

Last night's heavy rain caused several postponements but the Saints' 3G pitch means this afternoon's tie definitely goes ahead. So it's past Arnies Sarnies, Cowtown Grill and the execrable T & T Pound Plus with its awful banner : 'HOUSE HOLD. STATIONARY. TOILETORIES. ELCTRICAL'.

Onto the M60 and Smart Motorway, now extended by a further 6 months (not by popular demand), and this time featuring live workmen - a first !! Over Barton Bridge and then joining the M62 I pass a Nice-Pak lorry, 'The World's Most Innovative Wet Wipe Manufacturer', before turning on to the M6, where I leave at Haydock Park which is hosting the final day of the 32Red Sprint Cup Festival.

Finally down the East Lancs Road, turning at Windle, past a glorious flowerbed display at St Helens Crematorium. Beyond Heirs and Graces Day Nursery and the one way Denton's Green Lane which doubles back on itself; Ruskin Drive is a cul de sac on the left.

There's plenty of parking at Ruskin Drive Sports Ground, a 30 acre sports complex originally built in 1902 by Pilkington plc for use by its employees, and now run by St Helens Borough Council. There's also plenty going on - I walk past a rugby union match in progress, Ruskin Park RFC v Sefton (which finishes 70-0 to the home team), down some steps to a bowling green and this brings me to the cricket ground. Most spectators are in or around the Sticky Wicket Bar & Grub - and indeed it looks a sticky wicket in the middle as St Helens Town CC take on Prescot & Odyssey, which ends in a tie with both sides scoring 118 all out.

It's a dual entrance to get in - one side for the football (£5) and the other for the rugby league (£2) where Pilkington Recs are doing battle with Wath Brow Hornets, with Recs winning that one 36-24. The sports complex also features tennis courts and rounders pitches.

Inside it's a three sided ground with housing behind the goal at the top end, and, tied to the fencing, those two Hemsworth flags. One proclaims 'Poey is Innocent', a reference to an 'innocent' miner jailed during the Miners' Strike after an incident in Fitzwilliam, the birthplace of Geoff Boycott.

The left side is inaccessible with fencing and densely populated trees behind the dugouts, and the rugby union match going on behind them. The near end holds the changing rooms and bar, six St Helens Blue Army flags, and the cricket match beyond.

The popular side has a 200 seater covered At Cost stand and the rugby league match in the background. A fan is admonished for stopping in the 'No Standing in Front of the Seated Area' - I'm told a picture of a spectator stood in that area found its way to the League, who fined the club £50 !! In the stand is a slightly odd gentleman wearing sunglasses, shorts, sandals and...... gloves.

Saints are in all blue, Wells in change all yellow. In front of a crowd of 77 ('71 paying' ?). The weather is bright and breezy, and the football isn't. After a soporific half an hour, in which the only highlight is play being stopped whilst a stray rugby ball is retrieved from the pitch, Wells' skipper Luke Danville is allowed a free header at a corner and the visitors lead. Thereafter Saints pose no threat, with lone front man Joel Douglas increasingly isolated, and Hemsworth start to play with the confidence of a team second in the league.

Saints' keeper Adam Fairchild makes a smart stop from a deflected shot, but Rich Collier scores direct from the resulting corner for 2-0. Fairchild then makes two excellent saves, the second from point blank range, to keep Saints alive at the interval.

The Saints make a better fist of things in the second half, with early substitute Neil Weaver and half time introduction Shaun Brady catching the eye. That said Wells' custodian Jacob Collier is not unduly troubled. Indeed Wells continue to pose the greater threat and spurn several opportunities.

Nash Connolly volleys wide, Danville plants another header over the bar, Rich Collier goes close, some kamikaze defending sees the ball poked beyond the post and Wells waste a four on two, leaving manager Wayne Benn indignant that the game hasn't been put to bed.

Seven minutes from the end Weaver's, err, weaving run and shot is blocked by Jacob Collier and Douglas snaffles the rebound. Fairchild is sent forward for two corners in a last gasp attempt to take the tie into extra time but to no avail.

But there is one final chance for the Saints as, with virtually the last kick of the match, Brady is played in one on one. Surely he must score, but Jacob Collier somehow touches his shot onto the post and the ball is smuggled clear. The referee blows the final whistle and Wells are through.

Hart Failure - But I Do Like To Be The Side That's The Seasiders !!

And so to Maesdu Park, or The Giant Hospitality Stadium, in Llandudno as the Seasiders take on Connah's Quay Nomads in the Welsh Premier League - second playing first at this early stage of the season.

Football dates back to 1878 in Llandudno, with the club originally known as Gloddaeth Rovers and formed for the purpose of providing activity for cricketers in the close season. The club was a founder member of the Welsh National League (North) in 1921 and were crowned champions in 1923.

Controversy struck in 1931 when the FAW instructed them to play in East Wales - the club refused and were suspended. In 1935 Llandudno FC became founder members of the Welsh League (North) where they stayed until 1974, winning the league in its first two seasons.

The Seasiders were reformed in 1988, and moved to Maesdu Park in 1991. Chris Coleman officially opened the new 3G pitch on 31 July 2014 ahead of a successful Cymru Alliance campaign that saw promotion to the Welsh Premier League.

Llandudno finished third in their first season in the top flight, earning a Europa League tie against IFK Goteborg, with the Swedes winning 7-1 on aggregate. Last term the Seasiders finished a disappointing ninth, and their strategic partnership with MBi Consulting, with the team rebranded MBi Llandudno FC, came to an end.

Before the Nomads, Connah's Quay FC was founded in 1890 and disbanded after a second Welsh Cup final loss in 1911. Connah's Quay & Shotton FC was then formed in 1920 and beat Cardiff, featuring several players from the team that beat Arsenal in the 1927 FA Cup Final, in the 1929 Welsh Cup Final. Six months later the club went bust....

The existing club was formed in July 1946 as Connah's Quay Juniors, and a senior team was formed and joined the Flintshire League in 1948. Prior to the 1952/53 season the club's suffix changed to Nomads; the Nomads joined the Welsh League (North) and, despite returning to local leagues for 7 years, rejoined it in 1966. In 1974 the club joined the newly formed Clwyd League and, following 3 successful seasons in the Welsh Alliance, became founder members of the Cymru Alliance in 1990 then the League of Wales two seasons later.

The Nomads, an odd name for a club that had spent 51 seasons at the Halfway Ground, moved after a season of groundsharing at Rhyl to its current home, the Deeside Stadium in 1998. After bereavements and retirements the club was taken over by gap personnel in June 2008 to become gap Connah's Quay Nomads.

2010 saw the club narrowly miss out on the cut off for the Super 12 League - thus the club began the 2010/11 season in the Cymru Alliance which they won the following season but were deprived of promotion after failing to gain a domestic license. Notwithstanding this setback the Nomads were again crowned Cymru Alliance champions in 2013 and this time the ascent to the Welsh Premier League was granted.

2015/16 saw the Nomads qualify for the Europa League - and a giantkilling as the club beat Norwegian team Stabaek over two legs before bowing out to Vojvodina from Serbia. A second place finish last term, a mere 27 points adrift of The New Saints, brought about another Europa League adventure. A surprise 1-0 'home' win over HJK Helsinki in Bangor was overturned 3-0 in Finland. The club also removed gap from its name in the close season.

And so on a glorious Saturday, a prelude hopefully to the forthcoming Bank Holiday, it's a detour to Warrington then back to the M56, passing Revolution Scooters and joining at the Stretton Fox. Creamfields traffic is light and Stanlow is hardly belching, although the wind turbines are at full throttle.

Then, after Queensferry, onto the A55, past a van decorated as Scooby Doo's Mystery Machine, and beyond Bodelwyddan to Colwyn Bay and its condemned pier. A quick walk past The Picture House brings us to the town's well kept railway station - colourful flower boxes and vibrant paintings providing an attractive backdrop.

Change at Llandudno Junction, Gateway to the Conwy Valley and Snowdonia National Park (Parc Cenedlaethol Eryri), and then the pretty marina at Deganwy on one side of the water, Conwy Castle on t'other. Into Llandudno and, passing the Stag & Dagger tattoo studio, down to the West Shore with its miniature railway. Back into town and lunch is at the Palladium, the Wetherspoons offering in Llandudno.

Llandudno, the resort, exudes quality with the busy town centre merging seamlessly into the seafront area. A long pier stretches out to sea whilst inland the two Ormes tower over, high headlands at the tips of the horseshoe coast.

Maesdu Park is hidden in the middle of an industrial estate next to a big coach depot. Inside the Big Hospitality Stadium, the near end is open terrace with the Celtic Pie Co doing good business. The far side hosts three separate covered seating areas - a hospitality area, the main stand named after the ground sponsor and next to it a smaller version. The other two sides have covered stands too, one with a tea bar, and there's the ubiquitous TV gantry and rather pleasant views of the Welsh hills.

The Seasiders are in black and white stripes, the Nomads in red. A rather turgid first half produces only one major incident and talking point. On 21 minutes the pacy Toby Jones latches onto a through ball and gets just ahead of Nomads' Mike Pearson, who trips him inside the box. Red card and penalty - but Seasiders' Sam Hart rolls the ball wide, and the rest of the half sees Llandudno fail to break down a well drilled Nomads defence.

It takes just over an hour before we see a well constructed chance; great work from Danny Hughes plays in Jones who sets up Marc Williams, and his shot is saved at point blank range by Nomads keeper John Danby. Nomads come very close soon after as Michael Wilde thrashes the ball against the crossbar from a cutback.

Sixty seconds later Mike Williams' prodigious headed clearance is hunted down by Jones as George Horan and Danby get themselves in a mess. Danby misses the ball and Jones takes it around him and sidefoots home. He has a second opportunity within minutes but this time it's straight at Danby.

Nomads throw men forward in the final few moments but the Seasiders' defence stands firm. Short at the back, Llandudno sub Sam Ilesanmi muscles through and draws another great save from Danby, but it matters little as the game finishes 1-0 and the Seasiders go top, maintaining their 100% win and clean sheet records.

From Eye In A Storm To Costa Ricay

And so to Champion Hill and the eagerly awaited Bostik League clash between Dulwich Hamlet, in their famous pink and navy blue shirts, and Billericay Town, who have attracted much press coverage of late.

The Dulwich Hamlet story began in the summer of 1893 when Lorraine `Pa` Wilson was handed the princely sum of one shilling and eight pence by a couple of keen young footballers to start a Dulwich Hamlet Football Club.

Hamlet joined the Camberwell League initially, before moving to the Isthmian League in 1907 where they have stayed ever since. The club have won 4 FA Amateur Cups and 5 Isthmian League titles, the most recent being in the 1977/78 season.

During World War I the legendary Edgar Kail joined Dulwich, scoring 427 goals in 14 seasons and winning 3 full England caps in an international career that lasted 6 days !! The approach to Champion Hill is now named Edgar Kail Way, with a blue plaque, in his memory. Goalkeeper Bert Coleman also won a full England cap.

The 1948/49 title came in the middle of popular flying winger Tommy Jover's career. The main stand is named after him in honour of 70 years of magnificent service as a player, official and club President.

The Hamlet returned to the Isthmian Premier Division at the end of the 2012/13 season, after two unsuccessful play off campaigns. There have been three consecutive play off defeats in the last three seasons, as promotion to the National League South proves elusive.

Long since known for their work in the community, and anti homophobia and anti discrimination crusades, Dulwich were awarded the Football Foundation Community Club of the Year in 2016.

The visitors were established as Billericay FC in 1880 playing at Archers Field in the Romford & District League up to the First World War. Local competition was provided by Billericay Albion and Billericay Thursdays.

Ricay then moved to the Mid Essex League until World War II before changing the club's name to Billericay Town, not popular at the time, and joining the South Essex Combination League. The Blues became founder members of the Essex Olympian League in 1966, and were crowned champions in 1970 and 1971.

In fact 1971 was a significant year for the club, moving to New Lodge, named after the adjacent hospital, and becoming founder members of the Essex Senior League. Around this time Ricay also redesigned the club badge to feature an image of the Mayflower which set sail for North America in 1620 - some of the passengers were from Billericay. Tenuous at best, although the club's strapline remains We Sail As One.

The 1970s saw 3 Essex Senior League championships, 2 Athenian League titles and 3 FA Vase successes - 1976 (1-0 v Hoddesdon), 1977 (2-1 after a replay v Sheffield 'The Club') and 1979 (4-1 v Almondsbury Greenway). Dougie Young scored a hat trick in the latter, the first in a Wembley final since a certain Geoff Hurst in 1966.

The following season Ricay moved up to the Isthmian, yoyoing between the 3 divisions and moving to the Premier in 1998. The title was won in 2011/12 but this led to a solitary season in the Conference South before demotion.

In December 2016, after his overtures were rejected by Dagenham & Redbridge, the club was bought by multi millionaire Glenn Tamplin, who appointed himself manager in March - the Blues just missing out on the play offs.

But the circus has really been in town this summer with Tamplin sacking the club's cheerleaders, for distracting the players, then reinstating them. The club's wage bill has rocketed to over £30,000 a week as he brought in the likes of Paul Konchesky, Jamie O'Hara and Jermaine Pennant, expecting to 'smash the league'.

Add in the home dressing room being repainted as a mural of lions ('My players are lions'), and a (now deleted) tweet from Tamplin telling a rival fan to commit suicide, and you get the feeling it could be an interesting afternoon....

After a disastrous start, with an expansion joint 'failing' on Thelwall viaduct, leading to the M6 being closed for 9 hours and causing gridlock in Cheshire, it's finally into Euston and a whistle stop tour of the sights.

First the sauna that is the Tube to Marble Arch, then the Serpentine, Kensington Palace, the Albert Memorial and a sadly bescaffolded Royal Albert Hall. Onto Buckingham and St James's Palaces before reaching Westminster Abbey, and then Big Ben and its bongs, but not for much longer !!

The Houses of Parliament, 10 Downing Street, Westminster Bridge, Nelson's Column and a trip on the London Eye - where the neighbouring pod hosts a Japanese wedding party, and our half hour revolution is greeted by a thunderstorm (Thunderbolt and Lightning, very very frightening - the Eye in a storm J) Finally the Tower of London and Tower Bridge completes the sightseeing.

The journey to Dulwich Hamlet involves three hills, firstly an overground to Denmark Hill where the station lamp standards are painted in pink and navy blue, a nearby roof is covered in graffiti 'Feed The Pigeons' and the air ambulance at adjoining Kings College Hospital chops into action. A walk round Ruskin Park, up Champion Hill, a pint of Spitfire at The Fox On The Hill and then down Dog Kennel Hill and through Sainsburys car park to the ground.

Hamlet have played at Champion Hill since 1902 on 3 separate grounds. The last of these was constructed in 1992 after the sale of the adjoining training pitch to Sainsburys and a season of groundsharing at Tooting & Mitcham.

Inside the stadium immediately to the left is a shipping 'mega' container which houses Dulwich Hamlet Supporters Trust. Three sides sport set back three step partial terraces, with the popular side partly covered. The ground is dominated by the Tommy Jover Stand and clubhouse on the near side, with an abundance of stickers and approved graffito images on all sides.

There's also a tea bar to one side of the Tommy Jover Stand and a Thai food outlet to the other, next to a bar in a prefabricated garage. The far end shouts 'Up The Hamlet', and this is where the Rabble, Dulwich's 'ultras' congregate for the second half. The toilets continue the stickers and graffiti theme - 'Refugees Welcome', 'No to Fascism', 'No to Homophobia', and various associations with other foreign clubs including Altona 93 and St Pauli plus.

Hamlet are in pink and navy blue, Ricay in change red and white - and both sets of supporters are in fine voice with a significant away following in the crowd of 1,688. The Rabble raise flags declaring 'No One Knows Us We Don't Care' and 'Ordinary Morality Is For Ordinary Football Clubs'.

Within a minute Hamlet's Dumebi Dumaka has fired just wide and then Sierra Leone international Ibrahim Kargbo shoots marginally over the Ricay bar. At the other end Ricay's Louie Theophanous is put through on goal but scuffs his shot horribly, and Preston Edwards saves well from Rob Swaine from a corner to preserve Hamlet's clean sheet. Kargbo's deflected drive is then tipped onto the top of the bar by Ricay's keeper Alan Julian.

Just before the break a lofted ball forward catches on the wind, allowing Billy Bricknell to control with one touch and then rifle the ball past Edwards, and Ricay lead. But there's still time for one more Hamlet attack which sees Leo Chambers handle the ball on the floor to concede a penalty. Ashley Carew sends Julian the wrong way, and it's 1-1 at the interval in a first half that certainly lived up to expectations.

The second period continues in similar vein, although despite Dumaka's splendid control and trickery Hamlet fail to create real opportunities. Bricknell's shot is hooked off the line, and from the resulting corner Carew also clears off the line. Pennant, booked earlier, makes way for the heavily braided Ricky Modeste.

Shortly after substitute Nana Boakye-Yiadom gets in a tangle, the ball hits him on the arm and Ricay have a penalty. Bricknell dispatches it nonchalantly. Hamlet fight back and Nyren Clunis's slaloming run is brought to a cynical end by Konchesky, who receives a yellow card that could easily have been red.

With three minutes to go Hamlet win another free kick just outside the area, but lose possession and the ball breaks to Jake Robinson, a £24,000 capture from Hemel Hempstead in March. He takes one touch before chipping the ball home past the flailing Edwards from 50 yards - a quite stunning and audacious goal. Edwards makes a wonder save from Bricknell's free kick in injury time to deny him his hat truck.

Ricay win 3-1 and their expensively assembled side justify the bookies favourites tag in the second half. The teams leave to Hamlet chants of 'What a waste of money' directed at the ever animated Tamplin.....

All's Not Well For Wells As Linnets On Song

And so to the first Saturday in August and the return of football J The season's opener this time brings the magic of the FA Cup to the Millbank Linnets Stadium, with Runcorn Linnets facing Hemsworth Miners Welfare in the Extra Preliminary Round. The clubs met at the same stage last year with Hemsworth 2-1 victors at home, both sides having a man sent off.

The home club started as Highfield and Camden Tanneries Recreation Club in 1918. Renamed as Runcorn FC the Linnets won the Cheshire County League in its first season, and enjoyed a League and Cup double in 1937. In 1968 the club became founder members of the Northern Premier League, winning it twice, and the pinnacle was the Alliance Premier League title in 1982.

During the 1993/94 season the Linnets' stadium at Canal Street nearly fell apart. A perimeter wall collapsed during a cup game with Hull City, the roof blew off one stand and the main stand was destroyed by fire. This crippled the club and relegation, for the first time ever, followed.

In 2000 Canal Street was sold, with the club moving to the Halton Stadium at Widnes, and rebranding as Runcorn FC Halton. However the Linnets' precarious financial position forced a move out of the Halton Stadium, first to Southport's Haig Avenue and then to Prescot Cables' Valerie Park. Unable to pay players' wages the club finished bottom, suffered a second successive relegation and in 2006 resigned from the league and ceased activity.

Runcorn Linnets FC was formed on 28 April 2006 at the spiritual home of Canal Street in the Quayside function rooms next to the Linnets Park housing estate. The new club joined Division 2 of the North West Counties Football League and ground shared at Witton Albion's Wincham Park. The Linnets were promoted as runners up in their first season to Division 1 (now Premier Division), missing out on the title on goal difference.

The club moved to its new stadium on Murdishaw Avenue in 2010 at the end of its R2R (Return 2 Runcorn) project. The last six seasons have all seen top six finishes, including three consecutive second places - but the NWCFL Challenge Cup was won in 2013.

The visitors, Hemsworth Miners Welfare FC from the Yorkshire NuBuilds Stadium in Fitzwilliam, began life in 1981 following the demise of Hemsworth Colliery FC the year before. The club joined the Doncaster & District Senior League Division 3, and three successive promotions took the Wells to the Premier Division in 1988.

Hemsworth won the Premier Division Cup in 1995 and then moved to the West Riding County League. Division 1 was won in the 1996/97 season, and in 2007/08 a fourth place finish in the Premier Division was enough to earn promotion to Division 1 of the Northern Counties East League. The Wells were crowned champions in 2015/16 to rise to the NCEL Premier Division.

So on a blustery, sunny afternoon it's past the carved wooden eagle on Manchester Road, the closed Wheatsheaf pub, the shut Altrincham Shaver & Repair Centre and beyond the recently opened Da Noi restaurant, a welcome replacement for the execrable Champz (Chumpz ?) bar. A glorious floral display at Denzell Gardens takes me to the M56 where a pile up on the opposite carriageway sees tailbacks as far as the Stretton Fox.

Off at Daresbury, through Preston Brook and into Murdishaw where the Millbank Linnets Stadium is behind the defunct Halton Arms pub. Overflow car parking on the building site heralds an attendance of 324.

Past the existing clubhouse and into the ground where there is a small covered terrace behind the goal, the back wall completely covered by the two Hemsworth flags. One proclaims 'Poey is Innocent', a reference to an 'innocent' miner jailed during the Miners' Strike after an incident in Fitzwilliam, the birthplace of Geoff Boycott.

Next to it is the reason for all the building work - a brand new clubhouse being constructed in the corner. Along the popular side is a modest all seater covered stand, with the message on the roof stating 'By the fans, for the fans'. The rest of the ground comprises a fenced in walkway, surrounded on three sides by open fields and trees.

The Linnets are in yellow and green hoops, the Wells all blue with black trim. Linnets are first to threaten but Freddie Potter's chip barely troubles Jacob Collier (most appropriate !!) in the away goal. At the other end a hopeful ball puts Lloyd Henderson through but he shoots with the wrong foot and the ball curls away from goal.

Play is somewhat disjointed and niggly, not helped by the gusting wind. Stu Wellstead's forces a splendid save from Collier before on 25 minutes Kris Holt's cross sees an absent Wells back line and captain Kyle Hamid heads the ball beyond Collier to give the Linnets the lead.

Seven minutes before half time brings the game's flashpoint. Wells' David Briggs launches a dreadful studs up challenge on Holt and all last season's animosity flares up again in the ensuing scuffle. Eventually, after much pushing and shoving, Briggs receives a straight red card.

The second half sees Wells struggle to create much in the way of attacking opportunities as the man disadvantage tells. The Linnets find the Hemsworth rearguard well organised and obdurate. Harry Viggars' mistake, dispossessed by Potter who has a clear run on game that results in a lame finish beyond the post, the only clear cut chance.

The final quarter brings another excellent save from Collier, tipping Holt’s header from a corner on to the bar, and Paul Shanley's measured strike is just off target. With six minutes to go a cross from the right finds Shanley at the back post and he tees it up, just outside the six yard box, for the onrushing Michael Simpson to steer into the bottom corner. 2-0 and the tie is over, with Wells coming up dry J