Toolstation League Premier Division
At: the Recreation Ground, Bath Road
Kick-off: 3-00 pm
Attendance: 168
Bitton's Recreation Ground couldn't have been easier to find, being located on the A431 road to Bath. The views are superb and, on Good Friday, there was the added bonus of watching the odd steam train move up and down the Avon Valley Railway. The game itself, between two local rivals was a good one but neither side managed to find the back of the net
The Recreation Ground is certainly a picturesque place to watch football. Alongside the entrance, level with the edge of the penalty area the road end of the ground, is the changing room/tea bar block to the right and covered standing to the left. There are two terrace steps behind the near goal and opposite is a small stand containing three rows of wooden seating. A prominent sign next to the main road advertises the next home fixtures to tempt in the locals.
I obtained a old copy of one of Bitton's programmes from earlier in the season, coincidently for a Gloucestershire FA Trophy tie against Longwell Green Sports (who I'd seen play Cadbury Heath a couple of hours earlier). It was a 32-pager and no complaints from me about the amount of reading material and statistics. As for the line-ups, I asked for and was given a copy of the teamsheets.
Bitton (red and white striped shirts, black shorts and socks) got the game under way attacking down the slope at the Recreation Ground. The first decent chance fell to the home side when Mat Tillet forced a diving save out of Nick Gingell who got down to keep out a nice 25-yard strike. For Corsham, Simon Gray fired into the sidenetting while Tillet went close with another effort from outside the box.
Corsham (amber shirts, black shorts and socks) went into this game in a high league position behind runaway leaders Truro City. They had climbed the table thanks to a run of 11 consecutive league wins stretching from just before Christmas until the begining of March but had failed to win any of the last three games. They almost took the lead before the interval when Jack Nicholls had a shot blocked and Gray drove wide on the break.
More changes were created in the second half as both sides looked to get in front. Ten minutes after the restart, Bitton's John Rendell produced a superb save to deny Nicholls. The second half was certainly more entertaining that the first and on the hour, Leroy Sioaybe volley against the Corsham bar. The home bar was rattled nine minutes later when Micholls hit the bar from the endge of the area.
The visitors pressed hard for the winner and nearly got one in the 90th minute but Phil Baker sidefooted over.
