adjithegroundhopper

On a very wet February evening, I visited St George’s Park, home of the England squad for this game between basement boys Derby County and 5th placed Man U.

The ground is in a massive complex, boasting many pitches aswell as a hotel , indoor training pitch and gym. The gym is behind the goal and their is only cover on the one side of the pitch. Man U took the lead on 6 minutes through Callum Gribbins free kick. Derby equalized on 27 minutes through Alex Babos shot into the top corner. They went ahead before the break, lifting the ball to the back post where the ball was met by the head of Tim Elsnik.

Where the England team train

Elsnik was at it again,scoring from an angle on 67 minutes. Keller Gordon put the game to bed as Man U heads dropped , with a rolling shot under the keeper. Derby were in dreamland with a fifth from Jakobsen. 
Man Utd rallied late on with two goals, first from Devonte Redmond,tapping in the rebound after it had come off the post. Late on, Tosin Kehinde flicked the ball beyond the keeper but it was a mere consolation.  Well done Derby.

Admission – Free Attendance – 200?

Birmingham upset the form book beating inform Khalsa at Coles Lane. Birmingham in the red took the lead on 18 minutes slotting home a ball from the right. After half time, after a poor clearance a player picked me up on the edge of the D , shooting a low strike into the centre of goal.

Khalsa got a goal back, lifting the ball over the keeper into the far net. Birmingham then prodded the ball in after some poof defending.They grabbed a 4th late on capitalizing  on a error.

Admission – Free  Attendance – 21 h/c

In the afternoon,  I attended this game in the League Cup of the West Midland Regional. This is a brand new 3g facility at Dudley Uni on the Priory Road. A very large artifical pitch thst seemed very wide and to big for both sides.  Team Dudley are bottom of Division one while Old wulfs are Mid table. 

I arrived just on kick off and purchased a programme at a eye watering £2 for what it is. Their are toilets here but no food or bar faculty at this location.  As for the game,  well that was pretty dreadful.  Team Dudley didn’t give up to their credit and took the lead with a fine free kick , Marc Lawrence firing in a great free kick from 25 yards. Old Wulfrunians hit the post in reply.  

In the second half, Wulfs hit the bar before hotting the post again in a frustrating afternoon. They were finally given a penalty though, that they buried into the top corner. At full time though I was frozen to the marrow going to the game without a hat or gloves so decided to miss the extra time. The game finished 2 2 and Old Wulfrunians won 4-3  on penalties.  Not a game that will live long in the memory.
Admission – free  Attendance- 30ish

This morning, I enjoyed a quality game in the West Midland Christian League Division 2 that embodied passion , commitment and a string work ethnic. It was 3rd v 4th as both sides go well in this league. This was played in Rectory Park opposite Good Hope hospital. 

The pitch was heavy after the storms in the week. Corinthian’s in thr green strip took the lead on 9 minutes , tapping a pass through the keepers legs. That lead lasted just two minutes as Saint Michael scored a decent bicycle kick. Corinthians then went 2-1 up on 22 minutes,  bending the ball around the keeper. In a test Turvey half, the  Poles equalized with a placed strike from 18 yards.

Corinthians went 3-2 up in the second half as they scored with a great volley.. Finally Corinthians put the game beyond doubt, crashing a strike off the bar,  the ball dropped down for a easy tap in.

Admission – Free  Attendance – 10

It took a month, but I got here in the end. After a couple of aborted  efforts I arrived at Allard Way with Pasty Sam who had come up from Worcester for a trip to his old haunt of Coventry. Returning to this City brings back happy memories for him as his beloved Worcester City beat Coventry City at the Ricoh a while ago.

The Pavilion is a ground that is part of a complex a few football pitches, a Rugby pitch and a social club. It boasts a small seated stand and some basic covered standing behind the goal , but could do with a tidy up, broken seating behind the stand,  repairs to the broken rail that runs down the one side for example. Also why charge people  £5 to get in, then leave a gate open from parkland on the other side for people to get in . Also saw a old fellow brazenly cut across grass avoiding payment,  just makes you feel like you feel a little aggrieved.

Eleventh placed Coventry welcomed one from bottom Stafford Town for this Midland League one clash. The first half was poor with Stafford in the red shading a tense midfield battle and broke the deadlock on the stroke of half time,  a ball from the left was slotted home from 10 yards.  In the words of Sam, a goal of such quality we will never see the likes again , I got the impression he was taking the mick.

At half time, we visited the clubhouse, very basic set up small tea bar, packet soups , chocolate bars . A small selection of beers and one tv showing the scores.

The second half was better, with Copsewood equalizing straight away , a cross from the left being met with a stooping header. Then a bizarre goal,  Staffords keeper picking up a back pass, a free kick in the area was awarded but no time was halted, Copsewood grabbed the ball laid it off for a teammate to lash home with no Stafford player near.
Their fate was sealed as Copsewood rounded the keeper to slot home their third with Stafford lookin a beaten side. Stafford’s number 7  did score a decent goal at the end though lofting a shot over the out rushing keeper . 
Admission -£5  Attendance – 22 h/c

A game that I was in two minds about attending until half hour before kick off, saw me arrive just on time for a revisit to Streetly Community Centre. St Thomas have had a severe fall from grace going from 1st to tenth in recent weeks, and welcomed eight placed Town in the West Midland Christian League Division 2.

Last night’s rain had left behind a very heavy pitch that both sides struggled on but St Thomas in the yellow and blue always looked the better side, hitting the bar early on from a free kick. They took the lead after striking the base of the post, the loose ball was prodded home. 

In the second half, St Thomas went 2-0 up , stabbing in from a corner. Town failed to get a foothold in the game,  barely threatening the goal until their substitute bundled in a close range ball with 5 minutes left but an equalizer was not to be as St Thomas went straight up the other end cutting in from the right, passing across the box, for an unmarked player to send a low ball beyond the keeper. A minute from the end a melee broke out with lots of pushing and shoving and both teams recieving a yellow card.
Admission – Free Attendance  – 9

Walsall comprehensively beat a poor Rovers side yesterday afternoon. Football has fell into a distinct second place as my nan who had been in hospital all last week passed away , so things have been particularly tough and even going to this game was a doubt but I forced myself out.
Again, I currently have a season ticket kindly given to me by a colleague while he recovers from an operation. Walsall in the red strip took the lead just before the break to ease a very poor first half, Celtic loanee Eoghan O’ Connell Slotting into the far corner. 

In the second half, Simeon Jackson made it 2-0 with a fine goal being played in by Cuvelier , he sent a fine looping ball over Lumley plopping  into the corner of the net. More poor defending from Rovers Byton Moore , Saw him punished as Joe Edwards grabbed the ball off him and slotted home. Bristol Rovers Matty Taylor grabbed  a goal back at the end with a header .

Attendance – 6,029