Garnett Is Mickleover's Gem As Sports Spoil Celtic's Day

And so to Staly Vegas, the mill town of Stalybridge, the place that held 2 Guinness Book of Records entries - the longest and shortest pub names in the UK ! The Old Thirteenth Cheshire Astley Volunteer Rifleman Corps Inn and The Q Inn still flourish in the town centre, but I'm off to Bower Fold for Stalybridge Celtic against Mickleover Sports in the Evo Stik Northern Premier.

The home side was formed in 1909 by Herber Rhodes, a local businessman and philanthropist, although an amateur club 'Celtic' was established in 1906. Rhodes spent a chunk of his fortune on developing Bower Fold; he also played for the team and designed the strip, basing it on the colours used by his racehorses.

The Celts played for two seasons in the Lancashire & Cheshire Amateur League and turned professional before joining the Lancashire Combination, where they were 2nd Division champions. After a year in the Central League Celtic's ambition of Football League status forced them to join the Southern League (!), travelling by train to every away match.

There followed a pause commonly known as the First World War. In the aftermath 'Bridge rejoined the Central League, becoming founder members of The Football League Third Division (North) at the end of the 1920/21 campaign. The club resigned after 2 seasons, citing the 'fact' that they could not attract sufficient support to justify a League side - despite an average attendance of 5,480 !! Today's crowd is 258......

Celtic reverted to the Cheshire County League, remaining members for 60 years but only winning the title once in 1980. Founder members of the North West Counties Football League in 1982, the Celts were champions in 1984 and 1987 - which took them to the Northern Premier League.

After winning the league title in 1992 Stalybridge spent 6 seasons in the Conference and were promoted back in 2001, but lasted a solitary campaign. The restructure of Step 2 in non league saw Celtic join the Conference North in 2004 where they stayed, after two last day escapes in 2015 and 2016, until relegation last time out.

Mickleover Sports FC, from the Don Amott Arena (Don Amott is the current club chairman) was founded in 1948 as Mickleover Old Boys. They played in the Derby & District Senior League for 44 years, making them the longest serving club in the league.

Following development of new facilities, Sports successfully applied to join the Central Midlands Football League in 1993 and two years later they gained promotion to the Supreme Division. They were crowned as CMFL champions in 1998/99, in a season that saw their first venture into the FA Vase. Winning 3-0 at eventual finalists Bedlington Terriers with 14 minutes left, the home side's floodlights suspiciously failed. Sports lost 2-0 in a replay after an FA inquiry.

Mickleover were promoted to the Northern Counties East League, which was won in 2003, and then became Premier Division champions in 2008/09. The step up to the Northern Premier Division 1 South was significant but a run of 16 consecutive wins catapulted Sports to the top of the table and the title.

Their first season in the Premier was all about consolidation despite a tendency to gift points to opposing clubs. This included an incredible 6-6 home draw with Nantwich Town, with Sports 6-3 up with 6 minutes to go. The following term saw Sports relegated for the first time, and a year later they narrowly avoided consecutive demotions after using 53 players during the season. Play off defeat to the Nailers, Belper Town, in 2014 was used as a springboard to winning the division as champions a year on. Sports have survived in the Premier the past two seasons....but only just first time around !!

And so it's past Scissorhand, Skullfades and Tan 'n' Tonic to the now mercifully closed T & T Pound Plus. Presumably sold out of 'HOUSE HOLD. STATIONARY. TOILETORIES. ELCTRICAL' ..... Then onto the M60 where the signs show a speed limit of 20 mph due to 'Oncoming Vehicle' - odd.... Past the Co-op Pyramid and its Crystal Methodist and then off at Denton Rock.

The M67 to the end, then gridlock at a roundabout advertising Big Baps Butty Van, before I turn left into Mottram in Longdendale. Up then down the hill with Bower Fold on the left, next to the Hawthorn Gallery, fine art dealers. The ground is almost entirely surrounded by trees and nestles in the foothills.

Inside the ground has four covered stands. At the Town End is the Joe Jackson Stand - terracing with the Social Club at the rear. To the right is The Lord Tom Pendry Stand, all seated and opened in 2004. At the top end is the Lockwood & Greenwood Stand, again terracing and on the left the main all seater stand, which I will call the Alkie Stand after the advertising hoarding for Alkie Limited at the front…. The club mascot Bower Badger makes a brief appearance in a ground befitting a club higher up the non league pyramid.

Celtic are in blue and white, Sports in all red. Sports, kicking down the slope towards the Town End, start well in the bright sun. On 5 minutes a raking pass inside the full back lets in Andy Dales and he is wiped out by hesitant Celtic keeper Joe Slinn. Player manager John McGrath takes the penalty and sends Slinn the wrong way from the spot.

Rain and a biting wind take over, as do Celtic as they try to break down a resolute and well organised Sports back line. Liam Dickinson's deft sidefoot grazes the post and Matty Wolfenden's header drifts just wide.

Connor Hughes' long range strike is smothered weakly by Sports' keeper Lewis King, and Dickinson's close range rebound is deflected over. King then touches another Hughes shot on to the top of the bar. Sports are content to hold and counter attack, which they do to devastating effect just before the interval. A swift break down the right sees the ball played in to lone frontman Evan Garnett whose shot hits the inside of the post, but Dales mops up. Sports lead 2-0 at the break in a half where Celtic had all the chances.

The second period sees the Lockwood & Greenwood stand housing two spectators - and one steward. Celtic substitute Greg Wilkinson tries an audacious 40 yard lob which is tipped over by a backpedalling King, and Wolfenden's outrageous turn is not matched by a snatched shot wide.

Another Sports counter attack and another goal. Wonderful wing wizardry and pace takes Garnett down the flank and to the by line where he cuts the ball across, and Wilkinson slides in for an own goal. There is more Celtic pressure, more defensive blocks and King saves and an open goal miss from Dickinson.

Twenty minutes from the end Garnett gets in front of his man by the corner flag and dinks the ball to McGrath. He plays in Dales who slots home through Slinn's legs to make it 4-0 for the away side. King makes two more decent stops before a long ball causes confusion between Ross Killock and Slinn. Killock diverts the ball wide of Slinn, and Garnett walks the ball into an empty net for a richly deserved goal.

Oli Roberts hits the Sports' bar in injury time - and leaves the word 'surreal' on the home spectators' lips as they leave the ground. Celtic, having created more than a dozen good chances, beaten 5-0 by a side that had 4 attempts on goal.... ☺

Seasiders' Aberrations Prove Costly As Declan Is The Last Bastion

And so to Bastion Gardens, or the Motion Finance Stadium, and the Seasiders derby between Prestatyn Town and Aberystwyth Town in the Welsh Premier League.

Records show that football has been played in Prestatyn since the early 1890s with games taking place on an undeveloped field on Marine Road. Prestatyn Town FC played their first game on 20 October 1910 when they travelled to Rhyl Amateurs. However the club as we know it only came into being in the 1930s when it settled on the old Bastion Road ground behind what is now the Central Beach Club.

For a time in the late 1940s the Seasiders adopted the name Chandypore FC (the original name of the Central Beach Club) when they operated in the Dyserth Area League. However they quickly reverted back to Prestatyn Town and, apart from dabbling with sponsors' names (Prestatyn Town Nova in 1990), have remained so ever since.

In the late 1960s the old Bastion Road ground was swallowed up by housing. After considering using a pitch in the middle of the old Prestatyn Raceway, now the site of Pontin's Holiday Village, the club moved to Bastion Gardens in the 1970/71 season.

For most of this period Town had been members of either the Dyserth Area League or the Welsh League North. After becoming founder members of the Clwyd League in 1974 they enjoyed immediate success, under the charge of manager Eaton Woodfine, winning the title in the league's first two seasons.

After finishing runners up in 1993 the Seasiders took the plunge and rejoined the Welsh League North, now known as the Welsh Alliance. There was an acrimonious split at the club at the start of the 1998/99 season which led to the formation of Prestatyn Nova and Town resigning from the Welsh Alliance to rejoin the Clwyd League, where they won the treble in their first year back.

Town went back to the Welsh Alliance the following year and then became unbeaten champions in 2006, ascending to the Cymru Alliance. The Seasiders were runaway leaders in 2007/08 thereby reaching the pinnacle - the Welsh Premier League.

Silverware was gained in the form of the Welsh Cup in 2013, beating Bangor City 3-1 after extra time. This allowed the club to embark on its only Europa League adventure - beating Latvians Liepajas Metalurgs on penalties after a 3-3 aggregate draw, before succumbing to Croatian side Rijeka. The Seasiders were relegated in 2015, but promoted last time as Cymru Alliance champions. Twelve points from ten matches represents a reasonable start to the current campaign.

The visitors from Park Avenue in Aberystwyth are also nicknamed the Seasiders, but have two others - 'Black & Greens' and 'Aber Town'.

Although Aberystwyth Town FC was formed in 1884 the club probably existed in the 1870s in an earlier incarnation. Its early days were marked by friendlies and it was not until 1890 that Aber first joined a league - the Welsh League - and then for one season only before going back to friendlies.

Town did win the Welsh Cup in 1900 convincingly beating the fancied Druids 3-0 in the final, but it almost proved to be their downfall as they hit a massive financial crisis and a mass exodus of players. The club played in the English FA Cup on a few occasions, and then joined the Montgomeryshire & District League in 1904, winning several titles.

With the advent of the Welsh National League in 1921 Aber joined the Central Section, being crowned champions six times and then twice in the Mid Wales League in 1933 and 1950. The Black & Greens began a long stay in the Welsh League (South) in 1951 before becoming founder members of the League of Wales in 1992. They remain one of only three clubs to have played every season in the Welsh Premier League - Bangor City and Newtown being the others.

Aber qualified for the Intertoto Cup in 1999, losing 4-3 on aggregate to Floriana of Malta. The success of European qualification brought many changes to Park Avenue: a new BBC stand and TV gantry and the construction of the new 'Dias' stand, named after club legend David 'Dias' Williams who scored 476 goals in 433 games between 1966 and 1983.

Intertoto football was achieved again in 2004, losing 4-0 over the two legs to Dinaburg of Latvia. The club's Ceredigion player policy saw a worsening of results and a 40% slump in attendances, but their place at the top table was preserved. There was a further setback in December of that year as a serious fire destroyed much of the social club's facilities.

Town qualified for the Europa League as Welsh Cup finalists in 2014, losing 3-2 to The New Saints, but Derry City knocked them out at the first stage 9-0 on aggregate. This season has started in disastrous fashion, taking just two points from the first 7 games, and lying next to bottom with only one league win thus far.

And so under battleship grey skies it's past Cheshire Portable Buildings, living up to its name as all the buildings have disappeared !! Down to the M56, past wind turbines going like the clappers at Stanlow, then through to Shotwick where I take the coastal road.

Over the magnificent cable-stayed Flintshire Bridge at Connah's Quay, then beyond Flint Castle with The Old Courtaulds Pitch, home of Greenfield FC, on my right. Then at Llanerch y Mor lies the rusting hulk of TSS Duke of Lancaster off the coast near to Mostyn Docks. It resembles an abandoned ghost ship ready for the breakers yard - caused by a long running dispute between owner John Rowley and the local authority.

Then to Point of Ayr, the northernmost point of mainland Wales and site of a long since closed colliery. A slight detour into Rhyl, bypassing the Botanical Gardens, the superbly named Sun of a Beach tanning salon and Sacred Soul Tattoo to reach the sea front.

An unpleasant stroll along the front with heavy winds whipping up the sand and stinging our faces. Admiring the Pavilion Theatre - but the world famous (!) Rhyl Sun Centre has been demolished without trace.... Then the National Crown Green Bowling Centre, where two matches are in progress despite the weather.

The 250 ft Rhyl Sky Tower, bizarrely acquired from the 1988 Glasgow Garden Festival, stands tall - and cordoned off as a safety hazard. Plans now are to convert it into a landmark light beacon, and the graphics depicting a timeline of Rhyl at its foot is a pleasant surprise, notwithstanding the schoolboy spelling error of Eupore (but the Welsh version is correctly spelt !!) 

The Breaks Family Entertainment Centre is no more either, subsumed by the new Marina Quay retail development, although only two units are currently let. The Miniature Railway is closed too, not leaves but trees on the line... but the iconic Pont y Ddraig bridge remains impressive. Lunch at The Sussex is Welsh dragon sausages and mash with Brains gravy and, appropriately enough, a pint of Trade Winds ☺ Stinging sand gives way to stinging rain as we make the 3 mile jaunt back up the coast to Bastion Road, then Bastion Gardens. The stadium is at the very foot of the cul de sac with Pontin's behind the near end.

Immediately inside is the hot food outlet and clubhouse, and to my left a walkway housing a three storey gantry, the second tier a police room and at the top a cameraman, exposed to the weather and desperately trying to stop the flapping tarpaulin flying away to the rolling hills beyond. Segregation Gates, clearly unused for some while, have been flung on the floor.

At the top is a grassed area, an abandoned tea hut open to the elements and an Academy mobile classroom falling into disrepair. To my right is the Martin Walsh Stand, a three row all seater covered stand running the length of the touchline and so shallow that those sitting on the front row block the gangway... Behind is the cricket club and the sea.

Prestatyn are in all red and the Black & Greens are in green and.....white !! With a hint of black trim..... It soon becomes clear that there will only be one winner in the Seasiders derby, and that's the wind. Aber have it in the first half, but Prestatyn score first on 8 minutes with Jack Kenny's shot parried by Chris Mullock to Michael Parker who taps in at the far post.

The rest of the half is scrappy, punctuated by far too many free kicks despite lenient refereeing. Aber are poor, failing to use the wind and creating little. Craig Hobson has a header scooped off the line by Prestatyn keeper Carl Jones, John Owen glances over, Ryan Wade has a ferocious shot blocked and in the final minute Matty Jones brings an outstanding save from his namesake. A flurry of corners brings naught.

The consensus at half time is that Prestatyn have done the hard part and it's a question of how many. For a while that seems to hold true, as despite Hobson drawing another good save from Carl Jones, the home side hold the initiative. After a one two with Ben Maher, Parker should have put the game to bed but blazes over and Zyaac Edwards' shot is saved by Mullock's chest.

There becomes an air of desperation about Prestatyn, too keen to kill the game off with the second goal, and committing too many men forward. Aber use the counter intelligently and with 18 minutes left one such attack sees Wade involved, Ashley Young's shot is saved and Owen scores from the rebound to equalise.

Three minutes later another counter produces a corner - Wade takes, Carl Jones drops it and full back Declan Walker has the easiest job to put Aber ahead. It's a lead they hold on to comfortably to the final whistle ☺

Camels Take The Hump Then Get The Abbey Habit To Become Lairds of The Manor

And so to Kirklands aka the North West Construction Stadium, and a first ever meeting between Cammell Laird 1907 FC and Abbey Hulton United FC today in the North West Counties Division One.

The Camels' history dates back to 1899 when a team from the Upper Boilers shop at Laird Bros played in Birkenhead Park, before switching to rugby. Cammell Laird Institute AFC was established in 1907, playing in the West Cheshire League at Prenton Park, Tranmere.

After World War I the Cammell Laird company faced cutbacks due to reduced government spending on ships and the football team was taken back in house. In 1922 a team was entered into the Birkenhead & Wirral League under the name of Kirklands FC coinciding with the move to the current ground from their two previous homes - Birkenhead Park and Bebington Oval.

The side was disbanded at the outbreak of World War II and reformed in 1946 as Cammell Laird AFC. The Lairds rejoined the Birkenhead & Wirral League before moving up to the West Cheshire League, where they were 19 time champions, including 15 titles in 20 seasons between 1975 and 1994.

The Shipyarders joined the North West Counties in 2004 and back to back promotions took them to the Northern Premier League Division One North. A sideways move to Division One South a season later brought promotion to the Premier Division as runners up, but the Camels were relegated at the end of their first campaign after failing ground grading criteria.

The club disbanded at the end of the 2013/14 season, and a new club, Cammell Laird 1907 FC, went into the North West Counties Division One, earning automatic promotion at the first attempt. However last term produced only three league wins, all after relegation was confirmed, and a bottom placing with a goal difference of -100......

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. After a bright start to the season, the floodlight failure at St Helens excepted, United's form has been inconsistent and they currently lie a point and a place below the Lairds. 

So past the new Laurus Homes Stonebrook housing development and then a vintage double decker Belle Vue bus parked outside St Margaret's Church, on a day for a wet, wet wedding, it's down to the M56. An Arla truck - 'My other lorry is a tractor' - fumes belching out at Stanlow and not surprisingly the wind turbines going like the clappers.

The weather has deteriorated appreciably as I join the M53, ignoring Cheshire Oaks and Vauxhall - the car plant on one side, Vauxhall Motors FC on the other - it's off into Higher Bebington. Beyond the curiously named 'Woman More Than Nails' and into Rock Ferry, and then Kirklands.

A fiver in, or £2 for Liverpool, Everton or Tranmere Rovers season ticket holders, as Storm Brian wreaks havoc with sheeting rain and high winds. To my right is the Kirklands Kitchen Stand, a covered all seated stand next to which is the food and drink serving hatch and the Macron club shop. Behind this are the Lairds Social Club and St Peters Church.

At the top is the Volleyball Net End (yes really !!) with modern housing beyond, and across the way is the Stagecoach Merseyside Family Stand, with covered standing and seated areas and the bus depot right behind. On the left is an open end with old council maisonette housing.

The Camels are in all blue, United in change grey with fluorescent green trim. Huddled in the two covered stands because of the dreadful conditions the crowd of 65, which seems suspiciously low particularly with at least 25 from Abbey Hulton (including their drummer boy !), are treated to an entertaining first half.

The Camels have at least five golden opportunities, all spurned. Jamie Colebourne takes advantage of a kamikaze back pass but Luke Birkinshaw does just enough to divert his shot onto the outside of the post, and Colebourne blazes wide later. Ben Holmes is denied by a brave block from Sam Luke and also hits the side netting. Charlie Macinnes ineptly spoons wide.

In response United see John Lynch, the Lairds keeper, save well from Kieron Ball, prompting a strange appeal of 'handball' from the Abbey contingent, and then he tips over Keiron Williams' free kick.

Finally five minutes before the break Josh Maldon breaks the deadlock - the Camels' free kick going through the eye of a needle beyond Birkinshaw although Kevyn Davies may have got a touch for an unwanted own goal.

The second half is a different type of affair with the elements, a constant torrent and biting wind, against the Lairds, who resort to time wasting, back pedalling and a suspicious amount of balls into the churchyard. Abbey dominate as the portly Joshua Graham heads over and then captain Joshua Tune is played in, sidesteps Lynch and shoots into an empty goal - only for the ball to hit a puddle and be hacked clear.

The referee signals 7 minutes of added on time, the first of which produces a rasping shot from substitute Jonathan Birks to level for United - and provide a truer reflection of the overall game. The Camels, who have created nothing in the second half, respond and in the sixth additional minute win a free kick. From it Adam Rooney plants a header beyond Birkinshaw and the Lairds lead again - cue a manic dance, twice, down the flooded touchline by one home fan, rumoured to be Rooney's father...... And that goal at the death gives the Lairds the three points.

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.