Doubles All Round - Community United As Spoils Are Shared....

And so to Bank Holiday Monday and Pride Park in Great Wyrley for a North West Counties Division One South encounter between Wolverhampton Sporting Community FC, Wolves Sporting, and Sandbach United FC, the Ramblers.

Founded originally as Chubb Sports FC, the team lost their club and pitches when the Chubb Lock and Safety Factory closed down (were they locked out?) and the site was redeveloped for housing. The club refounded as Heath Town Rangers in 2001, joining the West Midlands (Regional) League in 2006 and was immediately promoted as Division 2 champions.

Rangers were further promoted, in third place, the following season to the Premier League. Then midway through the 2010/11 campaign Heath Town changed name once more to Wolverhampton Sporting Community FC and won the Premier Division in 2018, but finished bottom of the Midland League Premier the year after, returning to the West Midlands - before moving back to the Midland League One in 2021.

16th of 20 last time, Sporting was moved laterally, 'ridiculously', to the NWCFL Division One South in the close season despite an unsuccessful appeal. Sporting formerly played at the Cottage Ground, home of Wednesfield FC, but moved to Pride Park in Great Wyrley in 2014. 

Starting with five straight defeats this season Wolves seemingly turned the corner with three consecutive victories, before Saturday's four goal Tom Wakefield drubbing at Foley Meir sees them lie 14th of 18.

A recap from last week: Sandbach Albion, formerly known as Hays Junior FC, was founded in 1994. Sandbach Ramblers Youth Football Club was reformed in 1995 to provide access for schoolboy football for the youth of Sandbach and the surrounding area.
 
United originally competed in the Staffordshire County Senior League, before moving to the Cheshire League in 2011 where they were promoted to the Premier Division in 2014. The Ramblers were accepted into the North West Counties in 2016 and have consistently placed upper half, with two failed play off attempts.

United have thirteen points from eight league games this time, including a thrilling turnaround at home against the previously unbeaten Camels of Cammell Laird, coming back from 3-0 down to win 4-3, and a comfortable 4-1 away win at Allscott Heath. However a 5-2 home reverse to Cheadle Heath Nomads followed and sees them 8th but through in the FA Vase, 2-0, at Parkgate on Saturday.

Briefly held up by a traction engine and a succession of old London buses I pass Va Va Voom, Warhammer and The Starving Man as I head for the M6. Numberplates today are 111ME, PH11ZZR and M33 WET. 

Then it's Bank Holiday queues, stretching 2 miles down the A556 and seemingly caused by long tailbacks to enter Knutsford and Sandbach Services. Advertising hoardings offer Nitrous Competitions, Game Changing Cheese and Phantom...  There is also a Slam Transport lorry.

Eventually I pull onto the A5, Watling Street, and then the A34 to reach Great Wyrley. Pride Park is on narrow Hazel Lane, next to Puddleducks Nursery. The suburb also supports Ego @ Tumbledown Farm, Naturelle Aesthetics, Nu Era and Cucina Unica.

Because of the delays I arrive as the teams kick off at 3.02, and have to park on the lane. £7 in and a crowd of 75, with a goodly number of Ramblers fans.

Inside the near end houses two covered seated stands, one benches, the other seats and bisected by Wolfies Bar. To the left is a pathway, behind which is another car park and trees plus some bar tables and building spoil.

On the right are concrete terraces and path, and the far end is partially cordoned off on one side. However it is accessible from the other walkway and curiously hosts the old Away dugout - the Home dugout is behind it, facing away from the pitch. Three sides are surrounded by dense trees, it's almost a gladed forest.

Sporting are in amber and black, Sandbach in blue and white. Both teams immediately go on the attack in sunny, but breezy, conditions.

Sporting take the lead on 14 minutes; a cross finds Edgars Nikolajevs unmarked at the far post and he comfortably strokes home. Thereafter the Ramblers dominate - Ben Greenop is denied and Stan Tatters has an effort just over and another deflected wide.

So it's a real surprise when Wolves double their lead three minutes before half time. A prodigious Sam Cooksey goal kick is held up in the penalty area by Isaac Philips, and Nikolajevs sweeps in for his double; Sporting lead 2-0 at the break.

Four minutes into the second half Wolves' winger Mason Williams fires one from distance and it smacks against the crossbar. Cruelly, within 60 seconds, Sandbach's Joe Bevan is played in and he shoots across Cooksey to make it 2-1.

It then becomes the Cooksey show as he pulls off a number of outstanding saves, denying Greenop and Bevan on several occasions. At the other end, on 71 minutes, Philips shoots and the Ramblers' keeper Monty Parkes diverts it onto the post, then desperately clutches the ball as it threatens to spin in.

However Sandbach's pressure finally tells with six minutes to play - Bevan latching onto a rebound and smashing the ball into the home net for his double. They have chances to win it, but the final act of drama is saved for injury time - Sporting having a goal disallowed for a marginal  offside - and this hugely entertaining clash ends 2-2.

Bad Monners - Ramblers Walk Away With It !!

And so to The Giant Studio Stadium and Allscott Sports & Social Club on Shawbirch Road for a North West Counties Division One South clash between Allscott Heath FC and Sandbach United FC.

The Monners (somebody who has lived their entire life in the same town or suburb) was formed as Atlas FC in 2010, changing name to Allscott in 2011, then to Allscott Heath in 2019. 

After a spell in the Mercian League, Heath joined the West Midlands (Regional) League in 2016, succeeding as champions in 2023 and rising to Midland League Division 1. Runners up last season but missing out as play off losers, Allscott moved laterally to the NWCFL Division One South for this campaign. The Monners currently sit 6th with 10 points from 6 games.

Sandbach United was established in 2004 when Sandbach Ramblers and Sandbach Albion joined forces in their quest to improve football facilities in Sandbach. The club badge reflects the union, featuring R and A in its design.

 

Sandbach Albion, formerly known as Hays Junior FC, was founded in 1994. Sandbach Ramblers Youth Football Club was reformed in 1995 to provide access for schoolboy football for the youth of Sandbach and the surrounding area.

 

United originally competed in the Staffordshire County Senior League, before moving to the Cheshire League in 2011 where they were promoted to the Premier Division in 2014. The Ramblers were accepted into the North West Counties in 2016 and have consistently placed upper half, with two failed play off attempts. One place below Allscott in 7th the Ramblers also have ten points from six league games this time. This includes a thrilling comeback at home on Tuesday against the previously unbeaten Camels of Cammell Laird, coming back from 3-0 down to win 4-3.

Past Ouvra Deli and Kanchi Foods then numberplates DE1 8OYZ (J Davidson), AM1 8EAU, PH11ZZR and Vanoffee - unsurprisingly a mobile coffee outlet. And another BJS home delivery van - this one 'Lighting Up Blackpool'....

A very similar route to last week's trip to Shawbury. So to the  M6 and Sica Jenga graffiti and a hoarding advertising Tough CAD  - indestructible plans.

Off at a gloomy Trentham and the journey becomes one of incessant tractors and caravans... At Ashley there's Romany Rise and duck & quail eggs before I'm at Loggerheads again...

Then Almington Quarry, Dorothy Clive Garden and Market Drayton. Here I find Fordhall Organic Farm and a promise...'Gypsy/ Traveller Site Coming Soon' - I bet the residents can't wait 😀 

To Tern Hill Hall, Cold Hatton - it's a lovely summer's day by the way - Waters Upton and horrific roadworks at Crudgington 😳 Onto The Ugly Duckling at Long Lane before turning at the Shawbirch roundabout.

That brings me to The Pheasant at Admaston and shortly after into Allscott  - the cricket, bowling and sports clubs on the right. £6 admission and a crowd of 92 assembles.

The near end holds the car park (no problem today) and a large new build residential estate. The far side has the required 50 seat covered stand, in green, and behind is the cricket club, with a match in progress.

Opposite are the changing rooms and the bar, with benches and a function room alongside. At the top, which is closed off, more football pitches and mature trees.

The Monners are in green and black, sponsored by Y-our Network Group,  whilst the Ramblers are in blue and white, sponsored by Planet Environmental.

Sandbach, prompted by Stanley Tatters, immediately take control. Joe Bevan shoots wide when he should have done better and then hits the underside of the bar.

However third time lucky and on 27 minutes he bursts through and confidently hits home. Ben Greenop doubles the lead three minutes later; his rather apologetic shot dumbfounding unsighted home keeper Bayden Ngo-Zulu.

That becomes three ten minutes before half time. Left back Taylor Kennerley swings in a ball from right wing which misses everyone and nestles in the corner of the net.

3-0 to the Ramblers at the break, Allscott barely raising a whimper.

The Monners are allowed to be better in the second period, with Sandbach not displaying the same level of urgency. Heath's Eric Mensah goes close and then has an effort cleared off the line.

United waste a four on two, and Allscott take advantage. Sub Harry Morris, with a delicious lob over away custodian Andrew Jones, at least gives the Monners a consolation with seven minutes left.

Greenop heads badly wide but the last laugh is with the Ramblers. With the final move of the match they break and the ball falls to sub Sam Lynch and his shot is deflected, looping over Ngo-Zulu.

The 92 minutes are up and Sandbach come away with a deserved 4-1 win 😀 United go sixth, Heath fall to eleventh.

Shaw Buried - (T)humped By The Camels.... !!

And so to the new Shawbury United Community Sports & Recreational Centre for an inaugural home North West Counties Division One South fixture between Shawbury United and Cammell Laird 1907.

Shawbury United FC was established in 1992, playing in the Shrewsbury & Shropshire Alliance Division Two. Swiftly rising through the divisions, United joined the West Midlands (Regional) League in 1999. Division One North champions in their first season, Shawbury moved up to the Premier League. Their motto is Sawes Beries - relating to a Domesday Book entry from 1085.

Promoted as winners in 2016 to the Midland League, United suffered relegation two years later, and rejoined the Midland League in 2021, finishing 10th last time in Midland One. The club was moved laterally to NWCFL Division One South in the close season. 

Previously groundsharing at the Butler Sports Centre at Wem Town FC, United 'temporarily' moved to Ludlow Town FC, 40 miles away in 2017. Shawbury then came closer to home at the 4G pitch at the New Meadow, owned by Shrewsbury Town FC, in Shrewsbury in 2023.

Planning permission was granted in 2014 for a new ground off the A53 in Shawbury, using land donated by Gerald Verdino in 2020 - but it has taken a decade to make progress from just a ploughed farmer's field to the new Sports Centre. Four away fixtures thus far have garnered only one point - and an 8-0 shellacking at New Mills last Saturday... plus a 3-1 derby loss at Foley Meir on Wednesday 😒

Cammell Laird's, '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 in 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 their current ground, now the KRCT Stadium in Rock Ferry, from 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 the 2017 season produced only three league wins, all after relegation was confirmed, and a bottom placing with a goal difference of -100...... and the Lairds still remain in the bottom rung of the NWCFL - Division One South, consistently finishing below middle.

But maybe things might be changing this time - 3 wins and a draw from their first four fixtures....currently sitting second, with 10 points compared to United's one, after a 5-1 dismantling of Runcorn Town on Tuesday 🙄

Amidst drizzle then rain which eventually turns into sunny spells and a strong breeze, I espy numberplates SON1C, M4NCS, PH11ZLE, and a shop offering Golden Stitches Proffesional Tailoring (maybe not)....

Beyond Two Four Nine and Avec Cookers then onto the M6 with signs for Yuletide at Tatton and Jerico. I pass a BJS home delivery van emblazoned with 'Taking our time in Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantisiliogogogoch' - yes really !!

Off at Junction 15 and past the Mainwaring Arms in Whitmore, then at Baldwin's Gate the Block House at the Sheet Anchor. And there's a sign for Dolphin Discounts - Guns ! 🤔

Through Hungersheath and then the legendary Loggerheads before I approach Market Drayton, dominated by the Muller factory. Over the Shropshire Union Canal, then Hodnet and signs for the West Midlands Shooting Ground - another gun shop !!

That brings me to Shawbury and the Elephant and Castle pub - the other boozer in the village is the Fox and Hounds. Shawbury also hosts CraftNutter Supplies, Green Daisy and The Gourmet Brownie Co with the ground on Carradine Road.

Strangely the app sends me home a different way via Prees, Willeymoor Lock Tavern and skirting Whitchurch. Thereafter Cholmondeley Castle, Peckforton, Tarporley and joining the A556 at Sandiway.

The sports centre is in a lovely rural setting with a large car park, comfortably accommodating today's bumper crowd of 191. This includes 20+ Cammell Laird fans and a lone banner 'I Wanna Follow You Everywhere'; admission is £6, cash only.

Inside there are two 40 seater covered stands - the changing rooms in between them - floodlights, a warm up pitch and a clubhouse and bar. A tarmac walkway surrounds a parched pitch with an industrial estate up top and the car park and the village at the other end.

Opposite is RAF Shawbury, now a training facility only. However I count four gliders coming in to land during the course of the match.

Shawbury are in black and white stripes, sponsored by Black Country Aggregates, whilst the Shipyarders are in royal blue, sponsored by Alpha Taxis. Both sides carve out early opportunities, but to no avail.

Then, on the quarter hour, a moment to forget for United's Brendon Price - his father directly in front of me at the turnstile on entry. Price is presented with an open goal but horribly shanks the sitter badly wide; he is substituted before half time....

For the Lairds James Eaton hits the bar direct from a corner on 37 and then fluffs a better chance moments later. Five minutes before the break home captain Joe Care needlessly swipes at a cross on the 18 yard line and the ball loops over home keeper Ash Rawlins for a bizarre own goal. Truly a lack of care... and the Camels lead 1-0 at the interval.

The second half begins cagily, the cross wind and surface causing problems. That said Rawlins makes an astonishing save from Conor Doyle on 57 minutes to keep it at one.

No matter as the Lairds double their lead on 73 - Matty Beamon heading in from a corner. Shawbury finally test the away custodian with ten minutes left - William Ebbrell beating away sub Josh Brown's close range effort.

The Camels' substitute, Jack Darlington, then takes centre stage. His introduction sees an injection of pace on the left wing and he is denied in a one on one by Rawlins with six left to play.

However in the third of nine and a half minutes of injury time he breaks through again and comfortably slots home. Lairds finish 3-0 victors and stay second; this could be a long, hard season for United, who seem almost devoid of any attacking menace.....

Reds Letter Day - Route One Gamble Doesn't Pay Off....

And so to Gamble Road next to Fleetwood Town's Poolfoot Farm training base for a North West Counties Division One North clash between new boys Thornton Cleveleys FC and Route One Rovers. The home side's motto is Verra et Marque - see and mark.

The club began life as ICI Thornton in 1980 and changed its name to Thornton Cleveleys International in 1992, coinciding with winning the West Lancashire League Division Two. A further name change to Thornton Cleveleys FC occurred in 1995.

Cleveleys were again West Lancs League Division 2 champions in 2009 and Division 1 winners the following season. The club was Premier League champions in 2022 and also last season by a point, with 26 wins and 3 draws from 32 matches, scoring 105 goals in the process. That has led to promotion and an inaugural season at North West Counties Division One North this term.

The club moved from Bourne Park, where they had resided since 2001 - now redeveloped as housing - to 'Burn Naze' on Gamble Road in 2021. An opening day 3-2 home reverse this time at the hands of Nelson was followed midweek by a 3-1 defeat in the local derby at AFC Blackpool.

Route One Rovers FC, Bradford based but playing in Keighley, was established in 2013 starting as a grassroots BAME team in the local leagues - the club name a jokey brainstormer, winning out over AFC Bradford and Bradford Rovers. The side joined the West Riding Amateur Football League in 2015, playing at Esholt (of Emmerdale fame !!) Sports Ground in Shipley.

Rovers moved to the Zara Sports Centre on the outskirts of Bradford and were promoted in 2016 from Division 2, and then achieved back to back promotions the following season, climbing up to the Premier Division in 2017.

The club transferred to the Yorkshire Amateur League Supreme Division following the demise of the West Riding League in 2019. Three top half finishes (7th, 4th and 6th), then Rovers relocated to the Marley Stadium in Keighley, groundsharing with Steeton in August 2022 and produced an invincible unbeaten 2022/23 season, with 23 wins incorporating a 100% home record, 2 draws and 1 abandonment. Route One was accordingly promoted as champions to the NWCFL Division One North, and are now looking to move up the leagues and find a permanent Bradford base.

A hugely entertaining first season saw 91 goals scored and 81 conceded, the team eventually finishing eighth. This time Rovers have opened as Route None with two 2-0 defeats.

Past Frurt, Osechi and Garveys - defunct since St Patrick's Day before the first lockdown and to be converted to offices - and then it's beyond Beyond (Chill Factore). To the M61, Saturn Commercial Lighting, Last Drop Village and Bolton Wanderers, with signs still directing us to the Macron Stadium... it's now the Toughsheet Stadium - no further comment required....

Thereafter Botany Bay, now a business centre, and the traffic builds as I join the M6. Brockholes precedes turning on to the M55 and then the A585 and the villages of Greenhalgh and Esprick. A van advertising Fat Bob The Locksmith with numberplate FB06 FAT, and other registrations W3NDY, LOO5E and MOO5H feature today.

A metal wheatsheaf in a field, signs for Shippool Creek and Weeton Barracks, and passing Cre8IV Little Theatre as I pull into Amounderness Way and Thornton Cleveleys. Plenty of parking at the football club on Gamble Road so I meander down to the seafront.

Avoiding Chestnut Cherubs and bypassing Pheasant Wood and The Tramway pub - yes the Blackpool trams do come this far 😀 - I come across Wobblinn, a craft ale bar, and Goose Coffee Co. But lunch is at Wetherspoons The Jolly Tars, named after a concert party that performed in the town between the two World Wars. Mini fish and chips and a pint of Coyote (Wolf Brewery) for £9.97 is grand !!

Then the Promenade, after Laser Forge Miniature, also defunct, as I take in the Sea Swallow sculpture and the Shipwrecked Sailors Monument. Blackpool Tower and Assheton Observatory are in the distance.

Circumnavigating the tramlines I return to the football ground which offers The Hatch, The Salthouse and The Wembley Suite. £5 in and a healthy crowd of 215 gathers, but there don't appear to be any away supporters 🤔

Standing is on two sides only, with a small covered shelter on the clubhouse side, which also hosts the dressing rooms and pub tables outside. The ground has no seating or floodlights yet, and is set in a residential area, incorporating a mix of new builds alongside old terraced housing - Poolfoot Farm is up top.

Thornton Cleveleys, The Reds, are naturally in all red with a white trim, whilst Route One Rovers are in grey with a silver trim - their entire squad BAME. A minute's silence is observed for the Southport tragedy, and the game kicks off in sunny, breezy conditions.

The game starts shambolically, full of misplaced passes, poor control, wasteful crosses and players perfecting the art of falling over. The first real shot arrives from the away side on the half hour, and it is a real shock four minutes later when Rovers' centre forward Umar Ali Zahoor receives a cross, spins his marker and shoots high into the net beyond Mark Smith at the near post - Route One lead 1-0.

Cleveleys are given an opportunity to level matters up a minute before half time. Zakariah Arshad's trip in the box results in a home penalty, but Ben Duffield's spot kick is brilliantly saved by Isaac Khan, one handed low to his left.

The second period is better, chances being created but neither keeper is unduly troubled. Then two incidents occur which define the match's outcome.

First on 67 minutes Zahoor breaks and chips Smith but Stuart Dagger stabs the ball away off the line. Three minutes on first half hero Khan becomes second half villain, shockingly losing a loose ball over his head, floundering, and home substitute Sebastian Greaves equalises for The Reds.

Two minutes later Jordan Beavers is given all the space in the world to saunter through between Rovers' centre backs and he calmly places the ball beyond Khan to make it 2-1. Then on 76 minutes Robbie Hulme smashes home at the near post for 3-1. Finally an inadvertent Rovers' defensive deflection plays in 17 year old Greaves again and he steers home his second with ten to play - four goals in ten minutes and it ends up 4-1 to Cleveleys  😊

 

Glad Mags - Salmoners Hauled In....

And so to Tommy Gent Way at Hall Lane in Maghull FC - sharing Old Hall Field with the cricket club, also in action today, for the season's curtain raiser between 'new' boys Maghull FC and AFC Darwen.

Maghull FC was founded in 1921, originally playing at Boyer Fields then moving to Pimbley Playing Fields off Deyes Lane. The Hoops moved to their current Old Hall ground in 1954, competing in the I Zingari League until 1960, and thereafter the Liverpool County Combination.
The Mags joined the Lancashire Combination in 1972, then the Cheshire County League six years later. Maghull was a founder member of the North West Counties Football League in 1982, and won the Division 2 championship in 1993 but did not gain promotion due to ground grading issues.

The club moved to the West Cheshire League Division One for the 1999/2000 season, and were crowned as champions in 2014. The Mags achieved promotion back to the NWCFL Division One North in this last close season after finishing West Cheshire runners up for a third time - this following ground grading approval and planning permission for two new covered stands, 100 seats and 100 standing.

Darwen FC was formed in 1870 and was a member of the Football League between 1891 and 1899. In their first season they were relegated from the First Division, finishing 14th of 14, and became a founder member of the new Second Division. In 1893, after finishing 3rd, they were promoted via the test matches (the Victorian version of the play offs !!), but relegated the following season.

In their final season as a league club they set two unwanted Football League records that still stand - the most number of consecutive League defeats (18) and the most number of goals conceded by a club in a Football League season (141). The club nickname, 'The Salmoners', is a throwback to the salmon and pink shirts they wore at this time.

 

After leaving the Football League the club moved from Barley Bank to the Anchor Ground, and joined the Lancashire League, which they won in 1902. They then entered the Lancashire Combination, playing there for the next 70 years (apart from a World War 1 break) and winning it four times.

 

After their last championship in 1976 the Salmoners joined the Cheshire County League before becoming an inaugural member of the North West Counties Football League in 1982. In 2003 Carlsberg Tetley tried to wind up the football club but liquidation was avoided.

 

However in April 2008 another winding up petition from Bee radio station was joined by Thwaites Brewery and ING, and in May 2009 Darwen FC was liquidated. That same month AFC Darwen was formed, playing in the West Lancashire League for one season, before being elected to the North West Counties for the 2010/11 season, and winning promotion to the top division in 2015 - but finishing bottom in 2018 and remaining in Division One North ever since.

The day starts grey, then rain before settling on sun and breeze. Past the boarded up Railway brothel in Altrincham, navigating through a surfeit of potholes in Bowdon and then the festival of colour at Denzell Gardens brings me to the M56 and onto the M6.

Queues at Thelwall precede long term roadworks, but I'm off at Woolston and past Roughleys Monumental Masons and Kwality Printer. Bizarrely the satnav directs me through Burtonwood, next to Burtonwood Bridge RLFC, and beyond Peak Fitness and Angel Aesthetics.

This brings us to St Helens, The Duckeries, World of Glass and The Glass Horse. When I'm instructed to turn into a bus lane we turn back via Rainhill Stoops and pick up the M62 and M57, exiting at Switch Island. Numberplates Y44PPY, A5 FOR and G1LTY feature along with a locksmith's van advertising Goldie Locks 🙄

Old Hall Field is a short distance down the A59 and we park in the overflow car park at the Baptist Church - much needed with a bumper crowd of 430 in attendance. £4 in, the cheapest in the NWCFL this season, sees a tree lined field split into separate cricket and football pitches.

The football ground is flanked on its three other sides by residential properties with a raised walkway and church clock tower up top. There is the clubhouse and changing rooms on the near side and further up a covered shelter, but no seats or floodlights yet.

Maghull are in light blue and white hoops, Darwen in salmon pink and navy blue. An early effort shanked wide by Mags' Robbie McDonald is overshadowed by the game's first major talking point on 5 minutes. Maghull's Nathan Peet is harshly shown a straight red card for a dangerous challenge, when it was a yellow in everyone else's book.

The home side are down to ten and the referee further angers the Mags on 20 minutes by awarding the Salmoners a debatable penalty. Darwen's centre forward Leon Creech sends Callum Lenton the wrong way and the away team lead.

That lead is doubled six minutes on, as the ball fortunately ricochets into Creech's path and he shoots home for his, and the Salmoners', second. But Maghull fight back with Harrison Worden having a shot well blocked and another home effort is cleared off the line. Creech goes close to getting his hat trick with a curling effort and Lenton saves well to bring up half time, with Darwen two goals to the good.

The first three minutes of the second period define the outcome of the match. Darwen's left back, Gary Basterfield, has a bending attempt that strikes the inside of the post and this is immediately followed by a magnificent save by Lenton from Jack Coop.

At the other end Worden's excellent cross is met by Darren Brannigan, and his lovely steered header, in off the post, reduces the deficit. The Mags are fired up now and draw level just before the hour, Kieran Halligan beautifully using the wind to curl home beyond Henry Turner.

On 73 minutes Worden blazes over when he should have done better - and is immediately hooked. No matter as five minutes later McDonald is played in and produces a deft finish under Turner and Maghull lead 3-2.

Aside from Ryan Cattermole's free kick, tipped over by Lenton, Darwen rarely threaten. To add insult to injury in the 95th minute the Salmoners' Chris Bailey receives a second yellow and thus a red, meaning we have seen 9 yellow and 2 red cards this afternoon - hardly the referee's finest performance....

Eventually after eight and a half minutes of injury time he concludes matters for a famous Mags' win 😀

Robins Reliant, Billinge Bilge...

And so to the final Saturday of the season and a 12.30 kick off to fit in with the Mancunian FA Cup Final 🙄 Fittingly it's Manchester Road in Knutsford for the 2023/24 season's swansong and a Cheshire League Division One fixture between Knutsford FC and Billinge New Street FC.

Knutsford FC, the Robins, was formed in 1888, playing on the Heath. The first known record is of a 14-0 drubbing of Manchester 'Aberdeen' Club on 29 December 1888. Subsequent organised friendlies, local leagues and cup ties prefaced the Reds joining the Manchester Federation League in 1898, winning the title in their first season. Thereafter Knutsford Athletic played in the Altrincham & District Amateur League prior to World War II.

The current Knutsford FC was formed on 22 February 1946, joining the Mid Cheshire League, subsequently rebranded as the Cheshire League. Relegated to Division Two in 1977, The Robins moved back up to the Premier tier in 1983 as Division Two was disbanded. 

Knutsford was crowned as top level champions in 1995, 2012, 2013, 2016 and most recently in 2018. Indeed I was at the Reds' last game of that season on Whit Bank Holiday Monday against Malpas FC at Manchester Road, paying my £2 to park at the near end next to the clubhouse and changing rooms. Opposite side dugouts with the ground bounded by the A50 on one side, trees on t'other 🙄

And what a game 😊 Six goals in the first half (3-3) and eventually a 4-4 draw, with Alex Hughes scoring all four for the visitors 😃 It was Knutsford's only draw of a season that produced 24 wins and 3 defeats... That point elevated Malpas to the runners-up position on goal difference, but still 21 points adrift...

However the Robins were relegated in 2022, after a post season 9 point deduction, to Division One - 12th of 14 last time, and they will finish 5th of 16 this term after a late surge of form (one game left - away at Malpas !) - but winners last month of the Cheshire Amateur Cup 1-0 against Premier Division champions Poynton.

Billinge Football Club was founded in 1988 by Phil Middlehurst, originally playing in the St Helens Combination at Eddleston Fields. The club joined the Mid Cheshire League (now Cheshire League) in 2004 and moved from Eddleston Fields to purpose built facilities at Barrows Farm in 2008.

That same year The Storks achieved promotion to Division One, which became the Premier Division in 2014, before suffering relegation during the following year in 2015. Two years on the club went up once more before demotion back to Division One in 2022.

The club merged with New Street FC of Rainhill, formerly of the South Lancashire Counties Football League, last summer to become Billinge New Street FC - the Storks & The Street. 10th of 14 last time, this term they end 13th of 16.

Sadly Manchester Road where the Robins would have been in red, black and white and the Storks in claret and blue does not happen this time. A journey past Tim Burgess Chainsaw Sculptor, Gauntlet Birds of Prey Eagle & Vulture Park, Fryer's Garden Centre and Cottons Hotel & Spa also does not occur 😒

At a very late stage the fixture is postponed due to a failure to fulfil - New Street unable to raise a side... So instead a rapid dart to Manor Farm on Ridgeway Road in Timperley, with numberplates 11 CRY, BRA55Y and OH10 MRS on the way 😊

And a very entertaining Manchester League Division Four clash, in front of a crowd of 7 - including other spectators who were en route to Knutsford.... The game kicks off 15 minutes early at 11.30, between Baguley Athletic Reserves and Walshaw Sports Reserves, and sees the visitors and champions, edge home 4-3 😀

Terras' Firmer Defence Leaves White Tigers Toothless...

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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