Spartan South Midlands League Division One Play-Off Final
Shefford Sports Club, Shefford
Admission: £5.00
Programme: £1.00
Attendance: 410
Today I decided to break away from my usual diet of visiting clubs at Step 7 and below throughout May, after the play-off semi final results in the Spartan South Midlands League Division One earlier in the week rather unexpectedly opened up the opportunity to visit a new ground for me, that had been on my radar to visit for the last couple of seasons.
I had originally planned to take the train to Arlesey and then walk 3 miles to Shefford Sports Club. But as I was en route, I noticed that the next two trains stopping at Arlesey were cancelled, and so instead I alighted at Hitchin and caught a bus to the closest stop in Shefford, about a 15 minute walk away from the ground. A welcome and fixture board is placed by the entrance lane to the complex on the passing road, with a gravel lane leading up to the ground. Payment is collected from either pedestrians or car drivers at a small kiosk, with motorists able to park in a decent sized car park behind one length, with further parking available today far behind one end. A brick building located behind one end towards the entrance houses a decent sized and modern clubhouse, with flat screens showing live football on Sky, and a tea bar window also offered hot and cold refreshments. A marquee was positioned immediately pitch side from the clubhouse, with a few uncovered wooden picnic tables also scattered to the side. A couple of modern metallic stands straddle the half way line on one length, one all-seater and the other for standing, with the blue and white colouring making them a little less bland on the eye than usual. Although there is just hard standing along the remaining length and end, steep grass banking offers a good elevated viewpoint. The ground is peaceful and rural, with some nice views across the surrounding countryside, and whilst it is a little on the basic side, understandably for a club that was only promoted into senior football in 2019, it is very well kept and is easy on the eye and mention should be made that the club coped admirably and efficiently with the bumper crowd present today. I have heard that Shefford have been irregular issuers of printed programmes this season, but happily one was produced for today's fixture.
Today's play-off final would be contested by the two clubs who finished lowest in the play-off positions, with Shefford claiming home advantage due to finishing above Wellingborough in the final league standings. Shefford finished their league campaign in fourth place, following 26 wins and two draws from their 38 league games, and finished one place and four points above Wellingborough Whitworth, who chalked up 24 wins and four draws. In the play-off semi finals, Shefford won 0-2 at Winslow United, after only goal difference separated the two clubs in the league, while Wellingborough won 2-3 after extra time at Ampthill Town, a club they trailed by seven points in the league. In the regular league season encounters, the home side won each encounter, Wellingborough winning 2-1 back in August, with Shefford winning 5-2 in late February.
On a warm, sunny afternoon, Shefford came close to opening the scoring twice in the opening six minutes, firstly their forward through on goal saw his cross take a slight deflection to send the ball just beyond the far post, and then a fierce shot came off the keeper and the near post to go out for a corner. Although Shefford created more chances going forward, the visitors had their moments too, so it was somewhat surprising that the scoreline remained goalless at the break.
But the dam certainly broke soon into the second half. On 50 minutes, a Wellingborough free kick close to their own corner flag was launched downfield for their forward to run onto and clear of the defence, but he put the shot wide. That miss was to prove costly as Shefford went straight down the other end and after the Wellingborough left back couldn't control the ball, the Shefford player ran towards goal, around the keeper before tapping into an empty net. And Shefford doubled their lead on 59 minutes when the ball was drilled low from the left and was tapped home from close range. Shefford were really in the ascendancy now, but against the run of play, Wellingborough were handed a lifeline when they were awarded a penalty when, following a good parry by the home keeper, the Wellingborough forward was fouled as he retrieved the loose ball, and the penalty was converted penalty into the bottom left corner. The game was very much back in the balance now, until Shefford scored their third to restore their two goal advantage on 80 minutes when their player cut in from the left before drilling the ball low past the keeper. In the fifth minute of added on time, a moment of madness from the Wellingborough keeper, when he pushed a Shefford player in the head after they had battled for a loose ball, earnt him a straight red card, and a penalty was awarded to Shefford, which was converted into the bottom left to give the scoreline a rather flattering look to Shefford, not that anyone would really care on a "winner takes all" day like today. There were jubilant scenes during a short presentation of medals and a trophy which took place shortly after the final whistle, and Shefford certainly deserved their win today and with it promotion to Step 5 football next season, a decent achievement in their first full season since promotion into the National League System.
1 comment:
Good account of the game
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