Newport County 1 v 0 Carl Zeiss Jena

Saturday 26th July 2014
Pre-season Friendly
Spytty Park, Newport
Admission: £15.00
Programme: £3.00
Attendance: 2065
Match Rating: 2

When it was announced that Carl Zeiss Jena were coming to the UK to play this summer, I was never going to miss out on the opportunity to watch the local club I supported whilst living in Germany back in the nineties. An added bonus, I hoped, was that this would be my first football match at Newport County's Rodney Parade stadium, having previously watched rugby there. Sadly, it was announced just nine days before matchday that the pitch would not be ready for this game and so the match was moved to the club's former stadium a couple of miles out of town at an athletics venue, which I had visited three years ago.

Spytty Park, or Newport Stadium, within the grandly titled Newport International Sports Village, hasn't changed noticeably since Newport County used it full-time prior to last season, although spectators are now no longer allowed close behind the goalline, so it is an even more spectator unfriendly stadium than it used to be. Temporary catering facilities were available today in enclosed areas at opposite ends of the ground. For their friendly matches, Newport are charging an extortionate £15 to stand or £17 to sit, although credit to the club for allowing Jena fans free entry. The programme, however, was a really superb effort, all the more so for a friendly match, and I'll be surprised if I encounter a better one all season. Consisting of 64 pages with a retro front cover to replicate the edition for the match when the two teams met in the European Cup Winners Cup in 1981, it was a thoroughly interesting read about the fixture, reports and memories from the European ties, in depth information about the visitors and other club news.

Today's friendly was arranged following a friendship that has developed following the meeting of the two clubs in the European Cup Winners Cup Quarter Final 33 years ago. Jena's current manager, Lothar Kurbjeweit, scored the only goal in the second leg at Somerton Park to seal the East Germans' passage into the semi-final with a 3-2 aggregate scoreline, and Jena would go on to reach the final. The two teams also played a friendly in Germany last summer, with the match ending in a 2-2 draw, just like the game in 1981, and so it would be interesting to see if Jena would replicate their 0-1 second leg victory in Newport today. The clubs do look fairly evenly matched these days, both plying their trade in the fourth tier in their respective countries. Newport finished their first season back in the Football League in 14th place in the 24 team League Two, whilst Jena finished in third place in the 16 team Regionalliga Nordost (regional north-east league).

This fixture certainly caught the imagination of the Jena fans, as they came over to Newport in their droves. After seemingly taking over the city centre before the game, they made up well over half the attendance at the match, with an estimated total of 1,300. This certainly made for a friendly and lively atmosphere around the ground, but sadly - perhaps predictably for a pre season friendly played in hot conditions - the game was rather dull and slow paced, with chances at a premium, particularly in the first half. A goalless scoreline at half time was a perfect reflection on the first half.

Into the second half and Newport did manage to create some more chances, while Jena didn't get a sniff, showing a chronic lack of creativity in the attacking third. On 65 minutes, Newport took the lead. A free kick was awarded, and after some scuffling, which included Robbie Wilmott pushing an opponent to the ground following a cynical foul, was brought under control,  Darren Jones headed the floated ball into the net. Newport thought they had doubled their lead four minutes later, but a far post header was ruled out for offside. Jena did try to mount some attacks as the game neared its conclusion, but they never convinced that they would score, and Newport claimed the narrow victory. However, it was one of those days when what happened on the pitch seemed to count for little, as fans headed to Rodney Parade for a club fan day, where the drink continued to flow and fans from both clubs mingled in very high spirits.

Whilst briefly at the club day back at Rodney Parade, I managed to take a few photos of the stadium, to see for the first time "in the flesh" the redevelopments since my rugby visit in early 2011. The main Hazells stand, where I saw the game from, is seemingly unchanged, however along the opposite side now is a modern all-seater stand, behind one of the goals is uncovered seating, whilst behind the other goal is uncovered terracing. It looks a smart ground now, with a bit of whatever one fancies - old stand, new stand, terracing - catered for.

Oldham Athletic 1 v 1 Melbourne City

Saturday 19th July 2014
Pre-season Friendly
Boundary Park, Oldham
Admission: £10.00
Programme: £1.00
Attendance: 1039
Match Rating: 3

For my final game during my stay in Manchester, I headed north eastwards for another friendly game which not only enabled me to tick off another of the 92, but the game also had a quirky aspect to it, with the visitors being a club from Australia. I did have concerns this game might not take place following ferocious thunderstorms overnight and constant heavy rain throughout the morning and right up to kick-off. Happily though, those fears proved unfounded as the pitch was to prove in perfect condition.

Boundary Park is about a half hour walk northwards from Freehold tram stop, and it proved to be a delightful stadium, just oozing in character and history, with the main stand in particular a throwback of how grounds used to be and a step back in time. The stand, which survives from when the ground was constructed over 100 years ago, is two tiered. The bottom tier used to be a terrace but now has seating placed on it. The upper tier has old fashioned plastic seats in and has quite an intimate feel to it. Either side of the stand are small areas of unused terracing. Another old fashioned stand is behind one of the goals, a downside of this is it has a few supporting pillars along the front as well as low overhang of the front of the roof, although this helps make this stand (apparently) the best for atmosphere. Behind the other goal is a similar sized but more modern all-seater stand. Along the remaining length, a new stand is being built, six years since the previous stand was demolished. Currently it is a skeleton, but it should prove to be an impressive facility once it is completed later this season, if perhaps it will look a little out of place amongst its more traditional and smaller neighbouring stands. A programme was produced for today's game, although it had a rather strange fold-out format to it which is completely unsuited to reading it at the stadium.

Oldham had a pretty average season last season, finishing in 15th place, well adrift of the play-offs and the relegation zone. Melbourne City - or more accurately, Melbourne Heart, as the club was known before this summer - finished last season bottom of the Australian A League, although happier times are no doubt ahead, since Manchester City acquired the club earlier this year, and have signed David Villa on loan and Damien Duff permanently (although neither would play today). Indeed, Melbourne City are currently spending time training at Manchester City's training ground as a result of their partnership.

With the rain having thankfully subsided by kick-off, no-one was too sure how Melbourne City would measure up today, but as it turned out, they looked a solid outfit, very comfortable in possession although they seemed to pose little threat up front. An exception to that came on six minutes though, when they really should have taken the lead, James Brown blazing over the bar from eight yards out when the ball dropped to him following a corner. In a half of few chances, Oldham missed a similar sitter on the half hour,  Jonson Clarke-Harris shooting wildly over the bar from fairly close range.

A goalless scoreline was a fair reflection of the first half, but it only took four minutes of the second half for the Australian club to take the lead. The ball was played low forward into the path of David Williams, who took the ball on before slotting the ball firmly past the keeper. That seemed increasingly likely to be the winner, as Melbourne played dull possession football and Oldham seemed to to lack the attacking intent to threaten the Melbourne goal. However, four minutes from time and Oldham did score an equaliser, Miguel Angel Llera got a foot yon the end of a free kick from the right to steer the ball over the keeper and into the net. They went on to look threatening in the remaining minutes, but 1-1 was how it finished. A disappointing game in truth, but well worth the visit to take in the dying breed of an old fashioned football ground, and the very rare opportunity to see an Australian club team on these shores.

Video highlights can be found here

Macclesfield Town 1 v 1 Bolton Wanderers

Friday 18th July 2014
Pre-season Friendly
Moss Rose, Macclesfield
Admission: £10.00
Programme: £2.00
Attendance: 615
Match Rating: 3

For the second game during my short break in the Greater Manchester Area, my original plan to tick off another of the 92 this evening was thwarted when Bury switched their home game to a Rugby League ground in Salford. So the next best thing was to visit a former league ground. In terms of a good old fashioned (former) Football League stadium, a visit to Stockport county's Edgeley Road was very tempting, although the testimonial nature of the match, with players from the 90's coming out of retirement to take part, promised a rather pedestrian game. And so instead I headed south to eastern Cheshire, to watch a Conference National club hosting a team from the Championship, who had stated that they were treating this as a first team fixture.

The Moss Rose is about a half hour walk southwards from Macclesfield train station, and proved to be a really pleasant surprise, with plenty of interesting quirks about it and a lovely rural backdrop. As one approaches the stadium, unfortunately one is confronted with the ugliest part, a rather ramshackle and scruffy wall behind one end of the ground, although it does contain some very attractive mosaics of the club's history. The stands on either side also have attractive club signage for passing visitors, and with the club's badge positioned in the pavement. Once inside the ground, I chose to sit in the most modern stand along one length, a small one-tiered all-seater structure with hospitality rooms along the top. It felt compact yet spacious, with excellent views. Straddling the half-way line on the opposite side is a fairly narrow but quite tall all-seater stand, which is traditional non-league style and for which one has to climb a flight of stairs to the front to gain access. Either side and to the front of this stand are uncovered terraces. Green rolling hills behind this length makes for a very pleasant backdrop. Behind one of the goals is a stand covering six rows of seating along the front and terracing to the rear, whilst behind the other goal is an uncovered terrace. The club produced a programme covering all three of their home friendlies and was a good publication, glossy and in full colour, presumably just a slimmed down version of what is produced for a league game.

Both clubs had very average seasons last season. After bowing out of the Football League in 2012, a return any time soon looks unlikely for Macclesfield. They finished last season in 15th place, 16 points adrift of the play-offs, and a summer of turmoil, with a looming and eventually averted threat of being thrown out of the Conference along with Hereford and Salisbury for financial issues, left the club with only nine registered players as they entered pre-season. Bolton Wanderers finished last season in 14th place, 13 points adrift of the play-offs but 15 points clear of the relegation zone.

On a warm but mainly overcast evening, although it turned out that Bolton would field a youthful line-up, they still dominated the early exchanges, and it seemed that Macclesfield might struggle to contain their visitors. However, on 18 minutes, they had a great chance to open the scoring. Their player took possession of the ball on the wing, driving into a more central position before curling a beautiful shot against the inside of the far post, but the ball stayed out. That really seemed to inspire Macclesfield though, and indeed they took the lead on 22 minutes. An initial drive into the penalty area was blocked by Dorian Dervite, recently signed from Charlton, but Chris Holroyd ran onto the ball before firing home from a central position about 12 yards out. They went on to look quite comfortable, indeed they almost doubled their lead when a long range shot forced a one handed save.

Bolton reasserted their control of the game in the second half, although with no attacking threat at all. However, they did score an equaliser ten minutes from time when Wilkinson played the ball across the penalty area and Zach Clough drilled the ball home, to provoke surprisingly raucous celebration from the Bolton fans, who numbered almost 300. They finally showed some threat towards goal in the remaining minutes, but 1-1 was how it finished. Macclesfield acquitted themselves very well, but Bolton's youngsters, although they controlled the game for long periods, they posed very little attacking threat and really didn't seem to make the most of their opportunity to shine. This was one of the better friendly games, with a competitive feel to it, although perhaps my opinion was made rosier by a very pleasant overall experience at Moss Rose.

Bolton's goal can be viewed by clicking here

Manchester City Women 1 v 0 Notts County Ladies

Thursday 17th July 2014
Women's Super League One
Manchester Regional Arena, Manchester
Admission: £6.00
Programme: Free
Attendance: 828
Match Rating: 2

For the first game of my short stay in Greater Manchester, I took in a rare competitive game in England in July, and my first taste of the relatively new Women's Super League.

Manchester City Women currently play in the Regional Arena, adjacent to the men's club's Etihad Stadium on the Sportscity complex, which hosted the 2002 Commonwealth Games. Having seen some quite spectacular action photos taken with the Etihad in the near background, this ground turned out to be a huge disappointment for me, as fans were only permitted to sit along the length of the pitch with spectators' backs to the Etihad. This also meant that spectators were packed very closely together with very few seats available, causing a rather nauseating experience of the very high proportion of increasingly restless children amongst the crowd, and it also meant one had no choice but to stare into the bright sunshine. There is also a running track around the pitch, meaning spectators are distant from the action. On the positive side, the ground is easy on the eye, with attractive white 'bubble' roofs almost all around the ground covering blue seating right around the running track, apart from a couple of gaps. A very good glossy colourful programme was given away free of charge, 32 pages with plenty of interest to read that one would normally expect to pay at least a couple of pounds for, although oddly it did not contain a league table.

In their first seasons in the Women's Super League (although Notts County Ladies is a Wimbledon/MK Dons style conversion of last season's WSL club Lincoln Ladies), the league table suggested that both clubs are settling comfortably in the league, and are evenly matched. Manchester City, in fifth place in the eight team league, were above unbeaten Notts County by one place thanks to a two goal superior goal difference.

On a very warm, sunny evening, the opening quarter of an hour was competitive without either side creating any clear chances, until the 17th minute, when the home side took the lead with a very good individual goal by Natasha Flint. Taking the ball just inside the Notts County half and as she strode forward, the Notts County defenders backed off, and eventually Flint smashed the ball into the top corner of the net. The hosts then went on to create some good chances, Toni Duggan having a half volley shot on the turn saved from close range on 31 minutes, then three minutes later, Jill Scott ran onto a low ball forward, but her eventual shot was saved by the keeper. A rare chance for the visitors came just before the interval when Jess Clarke's header from a corner was well saved by England international Karen Bardsley.

Into the second half and Notts County threatened more, creating some good chances, the best of which was when Clarke headed across goal and Bardsley only just managed to reach out fingertips to divert the ball away from goal. Manchester City seemed to rely on amore direct approach, but were caught offside countless times. They did have a great chance to put the game to bed about ten minutes from time though, but their striker slashed the ball horribly high and wide after receiving the ball unmarked in the area. But Manchester City held on to claim the three points which saw them rise one place in the table.