Parramore Sports 3 Louth Town 4

Saturday 27th February 2010
Parramore Sports 3 Louth Town 4
Abacus Lighting Central Midlands Football League
Buckingham Insurance Supreme Division
At: Woodburn Stadium, Sheffield
Kick-off: 3-00 pm
Admission: £3; Programme: £1 (28 pages)
Attendance: 50 (headcount)
Weather; cloudy, drizzle
Duration: first-half: 46:53; second-half: 48:48

Both sides finished with ten men in a game of twelve bookings as Louth Town maintained their one-point lead at the top of the Supreme Division with a narrow 4-3 victory.

Hats off to Rob Hornby, the likeable and popular Central Midlands League Liaison Officer, for publicising this game. He wrote:

Please note that today’s match between Parramore Sports against League Leaders Louth Town has been moved from Don Valley Stadium to a temporary ground just up the road at Woodbourn Road. This will be Parramore's ONLY match to be played there. The ground has a nice bar. Kick-off is 3pm as the ground has floodlights. The Match is def ON. Parramore are issuing a programme as usual and will have their club badges on sale.

With that news, there was only one place to head and I always enjoy returning to Sheffield, my old university city (OK, polytechnic city). Like the Don Valley, Woodbourn Stadium is to the east of the city centre. I approached on the A57 from M1 junction 31 and continued north on the Ring Road (A6102) from Sheffield Parkway. After going underneath the tall red-painted railway bridge, it was left by Aries Lighting on to Stainforth Road all the way to the tram line. Left at the lights and left back over the tram lines at the next lights (Jessell Street), the ground entrance was on the left through the red gates.


Woodbourn Stadium doesn’t appear to see regular Saturday afternoon football – and the only football team that seems to use it are Sheffield Wednesday Ladies Reserves! The ground was an athletics stadium, complete with eight-lane running track and a ten-lane sprint track, and a 450-seater stand positioned next to the last 20 or so metres of the home straight. In an elevated position at the back of the stand was a bar and reception area. The ground boasted six tall floodlight pylons, three down each side.

Programmes and badges were available from a club official positioned at the back of the stand, though the former sold out.

Parramore Sports FC was established in 1936 as the works side of ironfounders F. Parramore & Sons. They played in local football until joining the Central Midlands League from the Sheffield County Senior League in 2008. They finished their first season in the Premier Division in fourth position and gained promotion to the Supreme Division behind Champions, and today’s opponents, Louth Town.


Parramore (34 points from 21 games) went into today’s game in ninth position in the 18-team division. In terms of goalscoring, they were ranked fourth with 55 goals helped by standout 10-0 and 6-1 victories. They have played three games since the enforce winter break ended – winning two and losing one.

League leaders Louth (50 points from 21 games) had a slender one-point advantage and two games in hand on second-placed Sutton Town AFC. They were unbeaten in their last nine league games made up of eight wins and one goalless draw, a run stretching back to the end of October.


Before kick-off, again thanks to Rob, there was an opportunity to take the Parramore Sports team photo before the home side got the game underway attacking the south end of the ground, or right to left in relation to my seat in the seventh row of the stand.

I was soon joined by fellow blogger, the Leicester-based ‘Rambler77’, and I enjoyed his company throughout the match.

Louth soon took the lead in the 8th minute. Jamie Rowbotham stayed onside to latch onto a ball down the middle and lifted it past the advancing keeper Mark Clements into an unguarded net.

Things were soon level in the 16th minute. Andy Dawson took advantage of an error by defender Carl Martin and got in a shot which was parried by the diving Louth keeper Craig Wherry. But Gavin Davis was well positioned to fire home the rebound.

Sixteen points may well have separated the sides at kick-off but mid-table Parramore went ahead against the league leaders in five minutes later. Wherry picked up just a booking for bringing down Davis inside the area and Kieran Gallagher converted the resulting penalty even though the keeper guessed correctly.

Parramore skipper Andy Rogers was booked in the 27th minute for a foul challenge.


The referee had to make another key decision just after the half-hour mark. Dawson brought down Kurt Crossley just inside the Parramore area and Mr Langton pointed to the spot. Before the kick was taken, the yellow card was out again to caution both Dawson and teammate Lee Whitehead. Mark Woods kept his nerve to convert the penalty and level things up at 2-2.

Louth quickly got forward and Andy Reason saw a smart shot turned round by Clements. Before the resulting corner could be taken, the referee was alerted by one of his assistants and, as a result, Parramore defender Sean lee became booking number five.

Before the half-time whistle, Clements produced another diving save, this time to turn round a long-range drive by Crossley and, in stoppage time, Rowbotham saw yellow for a foul.

Back into the warmth of the bar area at the interval to see the half-time scored, the room was being prepared for Lady Jaguar’s 50th birthday party including a DJ setting up his disco.

A nice move down the right led to Louth regaining just over two minutes after the restart. Crossley squared a pass to Woods inside the area who slotted a first-time shot into the bottom right corner past the diving Clements.

But as they had done so before, Parramore bounced back to make the score 3-3 in the 64th minute. Lewis Fothergill was brought down inside the area and Gallagher converted his second penalty of an increasing amazing game. Oh, Louth’s Phil Winter ended up in the book before the penalty was taken. That makes it goal number six and booking number seven!

Next to be booked was Louth’s Jason Callaby, not long before the DJ started to test his sound system.


In this tale of ‘seven goals and twelve bookings’, dissent got Louth’s Ben Davison into trouble and he became the eighth name in Mr Langton’s notebook.

Rogers, already booked, fouled Rowbotham just outside the Parramore area and must have feared a second yellow when called over by the referee. A final warning was issued and from the resulting free-kick, in the 81st minute, came what proved to be the winning goal. Woods hit the ball past the four-man wall and in via the hand of Clements and the left-hand post – a hat-trick for Woods!

The scoring may have ended by the drama hadn’t.

In the 87th minute over on the far side in the Parramore half, Davison went in hard and picked up a second yellow card and subsequent red on. Crossley was also booked for something he said and, before play resumed, Louth manager Paul Walden was sent from the dugout for his reaction.

Finally, in the second minute stoppage time, Parramore’s Dawson picked up a second yellow and he took trooped off the field.

Before heading home, there was time to check the bookings with another traveller, a West Brom fan who was delighted his side had beaten Derby 3-1.

I hope Lady Jaguar enjoyed her party!

Parramore Sports (blue/blue/blue): 1. Mark Clements, 2. Sean Lee, 3. Ben Brown, 4. Andy Rogers (capt), 5. Lee Whitehead, 6. Shaun Rice, 7. Lewis Fothergill, 8. Gavin Wills, 9. Gavin Davis, 10. Kieran Gallagher, 11. Andy Dawson. Subs: 12. Stacey Shariff (for Rice, 84), 14. Rob Shelley (not used), 15. Steph Rankine (not used).

Louth Town (white/black/black): 1. Craig Wherry, 2. Jason Callaby, 3. Andy Appleby, 4. Carl Martin, 5. Ben Davison, 6. Andy Reason, 7. Phil Winter, 8. Sam Smith, 9. Jamie Rowbotham, 10. Mark Woods, 11. Kurt Crossley. Subs: 12. Craig Dalton (for Winter, 77), 14. Stuart Leare (not used), 15. Mark Fairburn (not used).

Referee: Craig Langton.
Assistants: Graham Taylor and Peter Craggs.

Goals
1-0 Jamie Rowbotham (8)
1-1 Gavin Davis (17)
2-1 Kieran Gallagher (21 pen)
2-2 Mark Woods (35 pen)
2-3 Mark Woods (48)
3-3 Kieran Gallagher (64 pen)
3-4 Mark Woods (81)

Cards:
Parramore: Andy Rogers (YC, 27), Andy Dawson (YC, 34), Lee Whitehead (YC, 35), Sean Lee (YC, 38), Andy Dawson (YC/RC, 90+2)
Louth: Craig Wherry (YC, 20), Jamie Rowbotham (YC, 45+2), Phil Winter (YC, 63), Jason Callaby (YC, 74), Ben Davison (YC, 79), Kurt Crossley (YC, 87), Ben Davison (YC/RC, 87)

Hook Norton 2 Abingdon Town 3

Saturday 20th February 2010
Hook Norton 2 Abingdon Town 3
FTL FUTBOL Hellenic League Premier Division
At: The Bourne
Kick-off: 3-00 pm
Admission: £5 including 36 page programme
Attendance: 48
Weather: dry, sunny
Duration: first-half: 46:21; second-half: 48:32

Relegation worries worsened even further for Hook Norton as they went down at home to mid-table Abingdon Town. The visitors dominated the first half and went in two goals up at the interval. Whatever was said in the home changing room did the trick and Hook Norton played a full part in an even second half. They pulled a goal back and remained in contention for a point until Abingdon netted a third goal. Pete Mounder’s second goal for ‘Hooky’ was merely a late consolation.

Snow, snow go away! Lots of white stuff in Stafford on Thursday and yesterday created a false picture of conditions elsewhere especially to the south of Birmingham. I’d got a couple of definite ‘game on’ venues down the M40 and was pleased to receive good news when I called Hook Norton from Warwick Services. So, I opted for a pleasant drive through the rolling North Oxfordshire countryside via Gaydon, Edgehill, Epwell and Sibford Gifford to the village some six miles south-west of Banbury.

The ground was located on the north edge of the village and The Bourne was off the road from Sibford Gifford. Even though I ended up arriving around 90 minutes before kick-off, the gate man was in situ though programmes shortly afterwards. I’d previously been aware of Hook Norton through its famous brewery. With time on my hands, I decided to explore the village – three pubs, parish church, Baptist church, the 488 bus heading towards Chipping Norton, village shop and library. I bet the locals would have been quizzing each other had my purchased lottery scooped the jackpot – alas not a single number came up in the draw!

Back to the ground and the gateman told me about a minute silence in memory of David Deller who passed away recently. The programme had a glowing tribute to the club’s and village’s ‘dear friend’.

Through the entrance and the pitch ran lengthways on the left-hand side of a larger cricket field. Directly opposite was a smart social club opened in 2008. Down the far left-hand touchline of the football pitch around the half-way line were the Ian Willoughby Stand with three rows of 100 green tip-up seats, dugouts and an area of covered standing.

Hook Norton FC was formed in 1898 and progressed into the Hellenic League in 2001 after a successful period in the Oxfordshire Senior League. Gaining promotion at the first attempt as Division 1 West Champions, they spent two seasons – 2002-03 and 2003-04 – in the Premier Division and regained their Hellenic top-flight status in 2007.

However, this season has been one of real struggle after being left in July without a manager and strong squad. They lost their first seven league games, all played away from home, and by Christmas had just seven points from one win and four draws. Since the winter break ended, Hook Norton have won two out of four league games and went into this game second-from-bottom with 13 points from 27 games with 101 goals conceded.

Visitors Abington Town (in 13th position with 35 points from 26 games) narrowly avoiding relegation last season but have fared much better this time round with former Hook Norton player Mark O’Hara in change.

Players exchanged fair-play handshakes and teams turned round after the toss, before the minute silence was held.

Hook Norton got the game underway defending the social club end into the bright winter sunshine. I opted for seat on the back row of the stand close to the Abingdon dugout, so ‘Hooky’ were attacking from left to right.

Abingdon took control of the game right from the start and Joe White, the young home keeper was called into action, turning Mark Simms’ 25-yard shot round the right-hand post.

The home side had just one decent chance during the entire first half which came in the 13th minute. James Robbins; 25-yard shot rebounded off the chest of Abingdon keeper Gareth Walker who quickly claimed the resulting loose ball.

Simms really should have put his side in front during the 20th minute. Fed by Alex Mott, he looked set to score with just White to beat, yet pulled his shot across the face of goal.

It appeared to be just a matter of time before the visitors took the lead. White again did well to beat away a well-struck shot from Simms. Eventually the deadlock was broken in the 33rd minute. Jon Steadman played the ball forward into the area where Lance Williams slotted home at close range.

Ashley Prentice, sent off last Saturday in a 6-1 defeat at Pegasus Juniors, did well to prevent a goal when he blocked Chris Hooper’s shot in front of goal.

Abingdon’s second goal came in the first minute of stoppage time. Steadman swung in a right-wing corner and Stuart Douglas volleyed into the roof of the net.

I popped into the social club at half-time, actually the ‘Club Kitchen’ hatch to be precise, for a tea and a quick look at the half-time scores. My old team, Stafford Rangers were drawing 1-1 at home to Hyde United.

Hook Norton brought on Ben Spiero at half-time and started to cause problems. They halved the deficit in the 52nd minute with a spectacular goal. Prentice played a free-kick forward from the right and Pete Moulder sent an unstoppable 25-yard volley thundering into the top-right corner past the statuesque Walker. “What a goal!!!”

Spiero soon got clear and tried to lift the ball over the advancing Walker who raised a hand to block the lob.

Hook Norton were very much in contention for a point but survived a scare just after the hour mark. Prentice sent a header towards his own goal and White did well tip the ball over the bar. White then produced a great reaction save to keep out Simms’ shot.

“Keep going Hooky, C’mon”.

Booked earlier in the half for a foul on Danny Thomas, Conor Devereux was lucky to stay on in the 78th minute for another foul on the same Abingdon player.

The game was playing in continuous sunshine and Abingdon made sure of the points with a third goal scored in the 81st minute. Thomas exchanged a give and go with Williams down the left before setting up Mott to fire low past White.

Hook Norton, to their credit kept on battling and scored again in the 90th minute goal. Spiero combined with Robbins and found Moulder who netted his second goal at close range.

“Two or three minutes to go,” said the assistant referee but an injury-time Hook Norton corner was claimed by Walker. A free-kick allowed Abingdon to wind down the clock and the ball never left the home half before the referee blew for full-time.

Hook Norton (blue/blue/white): 1. Joe White, 2. Ashley Prentice, 3. Oliver Barlow, 4. Lewis Edwards, 5. Mike Kenny, 6. Danny Poole, 12. Anton Sambrook, 8. Jason Smith, 9. Pete Moulder, 10. James Robbins (capt), 11. Conor Devereux. Subs: 14. Oliver Brotherston (for Devereux, 81), 15. Danny Greaves (not used), 16. Ben Spiero (for Edwards, ht). Manager: Mark Boyland.

Abingdon Town (yellow/green/green): 1. Gareth Walker, 2. Luke Brandon, 3. Jon Steadman, 4. Dean Moss, 5. Christian Perkins (capt), 6. Stuart Douglas, 7. Alex Mott, 8. Chris Hooper, 9. Mark Simms, 10. Lance Williams, 11. Danny Thomas. Subs: 12. Drew Fowler (for Simms, 67), 14. Marc Gass (for Douglas, 83), 15. Ross Butler (for Brandon, 85). Manager: Mark O’Hara.

Referee: S Smith (Oxford).
Assistants: K Fry (Bicester) and S Piret (Oxford).

Goals
0-1 Lance Williams (32)
0-2 Stuart Douglas (45+1)
1-2 Pete Moulder (52)
1-3 Alex Mott (81)
2-3 Pete Moulder (90)

Cards:
Nook Norton: Conor Devereux (YC, 54), Mike Kenny (YC, 74)
Abingdon: Chris Hooper (YC, 34)

Winscombe 2 Cheddar 2

Tuesday 16th February 2010
Winscombe 2 Cheddar 2
Errea Somerset Senior League Premier Division
At: Winscombe Recreation Ground, The Lynch
Kick-off: 7-30 pm
Admission: none; Programme: none
Attendance: 80 (headcount)
Weather: cold, dry, no wind
Duration: first-half: 49:00; second-half: 47:03


Local bragging rights were shared as mid-table Winscombe twice came from behind to earn a draw against local promotion-chasing rivals Cheddar. In a competitive derby, Neil Andow saw an early penalty saved before Adam Jones put the visitors in front. Mark Andow levelled things up just before the interval but Jones struck again soon after the restart. Kevin Pearce equalised on the hour for Winscombe and neither side could find a winner.


Winscombe (blue/blue/blue): 1. Lawrence Jenkins, 2. Matt Wright, 3. Ben Hooper (capt), 4. Andrew Norris, 5. John Blurton, 6. Adam Pearson, 7. Evan Day, 8. Tim Stoves, 9. Neil Andow, 10. Kevin Pearce, 11. Mark Andow. Subs: 12. Dan Pepworth (not used), 14. Kerrie Sleeman (for Pearson, 72), 15. Ash Brown (for Pearce, 82).

Cheddar (yellow and black stripes / yellow / yellow): 1. James Milligan, 2. Sam King, 3. Tom Parsons, 4. Paul Whitaker (capt), 5. Josh Underhill, 6. Mike Kay, 7. Chris Gardner, 8. Tom Manning, 9. Adam Jones, 10. Mike Edmunds, 11. Lewis Matthews. Subs: 12. Dave Phillips (for Whitaker, 83), 14. Simon Mounsdon (not used), 15. Adam Kotas (not used).

Referee: Paul Shattock.
Assistants: Stuart Flory and Chris Flory.

Goals:
0-1 Adam Jones (12)
1-1 Mark Andow (44)
1-2 Adam Jones (54)
2-2 Kevin Pearce (61)

Cards:
Winscombe: Ben Hooper (YC, 16), Andrew Norris (YC, 55)
Cheddar: none

Cirencester United 0 Purton 11

Saturday 13th February 2010
Cirencester United 0 Purton 11
FTL FUTBOL Hellenic League Division 1 West
At: 29 Regiment RLC South Cerney, Swindon Road
Kick-off: 3-00 pm
Admission: £3, Programme £1-50 (32 pages)
Attendance: 30
Weather: dry, cold wind
Duration: first-half: 45:11; second-half: 45:20

Cirencester United (claret and black stripes with black sleeves / black / black): 1. Lee Bailey, 2. David Legg, 3. Paul Patel, 4. Daniel Cooper, 5. Ajay Sahota, 6. JJ Wayman (capt), 7. Blain Close, 8. Lee Edgell, 9. Darren Lucas, 10. James Mann, 11. Dean Parsons. Subs: 12. Dan Pearce, 14. Callum Jacks, 15. Jason Edwards (for Lucas, ht). Manager: Dave Tyler.

Purton (sky blue / navy blue / sky blue): 1. Sean Farrell, 2. Pete Temple, 3. Jamie Richards, 4. Johnny Coole (capt), 5. Adrian Roper, 6. Michael Lees, 7. Ashley Gooch, 8. Marcus Hall, 9. Warren Fuller, 10. Paul Day, 11. Allan Webb. Subs: 12. Tom Cadden (for Day, 62), 14. Stephen Avenell (for Fuller, 57), 15. Lee Bowen (for Lees, 56), 16. James Townsend.

Referee: T Sharkey.
Assistants: C Flory and S Flory.

Goals
0-1 Ashley Gooch (6)
0-2 Warren Fuller (16)
0-3 Ashley Gooch (18)
0-4 Paul Day (33)
0-5 Warren Fuller (39)
0-6 Paul Day (51)
0-7 Warren Fuller (53 pen)
0-8 Johnny Coole (62)
0-9 Ashley Gooch (68)
0-10 Tom Cadden (81)
0-11 Johnny Coole (90)

Cards:
Cirencester: none
Purton: none

Launton Sports 1 Slimbridge 4

Saturday 6th February 2010
Launton Sports 1 Slimbridge 4
FTL FUTBOL Hellenic League Division 1 West
At: The Playing Field, Bicester Road
Kick-off: 3-00 pm
Admission: £2 including 24 page programme
Attendance: 33
Weather: mild, dry
Duration: first-half: 45:22; second-half: 49:28


Slimbridge moved to the top of the table but certainly made hard work of this 4-1 win over bottom club Launton Sports whose record now reads played 18 lost 18. Two goals inside the opening 11 minutes from the visitors put them on course of a substantial scoreline which never materialised. To their credit, Launton never allowed their heads to drop despite conceding four in total and managed to score only their seventh league goal of the season late on.

Launton Sports (yellow/blue/yellow): 1. Nick Lacey, 2. Paul Lisseter, 3. Andrew Knupowicz, 4. Lewis McGowan, 5. James Lisseter, 6. Denis Bishop, 7. Jon Moore (capt), 8. Farouk Ibrahim, 9. Lee White, 10. Matt Green, 11. Luke James. Subs: 12. Duncan Currie (for James, 57), 14. Liam Richards (for White, 85), 15. Dave Rogarelli (not used), 16. Steve Mulloch (for Green, 68). Manager: Roger Wise.

Slimbridge (blue/blue/white): 1. Andy Padford, 2. Shane Aston, 3. Tom Cornwall, 4. Jamie Inch, 5. Richard Workman, 6. Joe Tustan, 7. Rob Hine, 8. Lewis Wilton, 9. Marvin Roberts (capt), 10. Dave Evans, 11. William Wellon. Subs: 12. Leon Sterling (for Workman, 52), 14. James Cole (for Evans, 77). Player/manager: James Cole.

Referee: D Foulks.
Assistants: S Shannon and R Water.

Goals:
0-1 Lewis Wilton (6)
0-2 Lewis Wilton (11)
0-3 Marvin Roberts (21 pen)
0-4 Lewis Wilton (76)
1-4 Jon Moore (84)

Cards:
Launton: Lewis McGowan (YC, 21)
Slimbridge: none