Lakeside Hammers 56 v 36 Kings Lynn Stars

Friday 25th March 2016
Elite League Speedway
Arena Essex, Purfleet
Admission: £18.00
Programme: £3.00
Attendance: 2,000 (estimate)
Match Rating: 3

With nothing really attractive to me amongst football fixtures in the south-east this Good Friday, with the nearest new ground over 100 miles away, I instead decided to take in a new speedway venue. As the Lakeside Hammers usually race on Friday evenings, it would usually be very difficult for me to visit, but a one o'clock start time on a bank holiday was the perfect time for me to visit. It would also be my first ever taste of top flight speedway.

Arena Essex is accessed by following a track from the first junction to the north of the Dartford Crossing, in close proximity to Thurrock Services and Lakeside Shopping Centre. There is a large car park in front of the main entrance, and spectators enter by one of the bends. Immediately to the right of the entrance is a two storey brick building, with the clubhouse and a balcony providing an excellent view of the track from the first floor, with a cafe on the bottom floor and snack and shop outlets along the front. At the other side of the same bend spectators can look down over the pits area and watch the riders and mechanics preparing for the races ahead. Along the back straight are a couple of small covered areas at the top of the grass bank, and spectators are allowed onto the banger track, which is located all around outside of the speedway track, along this length to get closer to the action. The grass banking continues right the way around the other corner and down the other straight back to the entrance area, with a fairly large stand covering the area by the start/finish line. In all honesty, there is little endearing about this track, set in a rather bleak location, looking rather tired and dated, offers no seating or terracing around the track, and to compare it to the two speedway stadia I have visited previously, its open nature means it lacks the intimacy of Arlington Stadium, home of the Eastbourne Eagles, and lacks the facilities of Foxhall Stadium, home of the Ipswich Witches. The 32 page programme was extremely overpriced at £3.00, although it was glossy, attractively laid out and with some interesting reading material.

This was both teams' first fixture of the season, and they will be looking to improve on their positions last year, when the Lakeside Hammers finished bottom in the eight team division, while the King's Lynn Stars finished just outside the play-offs positions, in fifth place.

On a gloriously warm and sunny afternoon, the meeting started off excitingly enough, with Kings Lynn's Niels Kristian Iversen winning the first heat, although with Hammers’ drivers finishing second and third, the opening heat was tied. That was as good as it got for the Stars though, as the Hammers secured back to back 5-1 successes to open up a commanding 8 point lead. It wasn’t until heat six when the Stars won a heat, to reduce the deficit to 7 points when Iversen made the most of his tactical ride to double his heat win points haul. But after a couple of tied heats, the Hammers' extended their lead and the racing became rather less exciting as the outcome became more and more inevitable, not helped by several heats having to be restarted, the eleventh heat four times. The Stars did not win one further heat overall, with just one heat won by a Stars rider, the penultimate one again by Iversen, as the Hammers secured a whopping winning margin of 20 points. Kim Nilsson top scored for the Hammers, with 13+1 points and Richard Lawson racked up 12+1 points, whilst Niels-Kristian Iversen inevitably top scored for the visitors with 14 points, with Mads Korneliussen on 10 points. But the telling difference was a lack of support from their other Kings Lynn riders.

After this match, the two teams headed up to Norfolk for the reverse fixture, which should have taken place last night but was postponed. The Stars gained revenge on home territory, triumphing by 51-39.

Bemerton Heath Harlequins 3 v 0 Moneyfields

Saturday 19th Match 2016
Wessex League Premier Division
Western Way, Salisbury
Admission:£6.00
Programme: £1.00
Attendance: 30 (estimate)
Match Rating: 3

Unusually convenient train connections on a cheap train ticket towards northern Hampshire spurred me to make the long trip westwards into Wiltshire today, for what would turn out to be one of the more unusual groundhopping days out. I probably set the tone for that for heading to Salisbury and not taking in the sold-out FA Vase semi-final tie between Salisbury and Hereford, instead settling for a more homely, tranquil and apparently attractive genuine step 5 venue.

Western Way is located about a 25 minute walk westwards from Salisbury train station, and is an attractive ground with plenty of character and with very good facilities for step five. An experience that, at times, felt anything but like senior football began when the turnstiles opened less than half an hour before kick off. Once inside, one notices a very enclosed feel to the ground, with tall Leylandii closely lining three side of the ground, whilst the brick clubhouse is located behind one of the goals, with an interesting feature being a few rows of seating on the upstairs balcony. A grass hill behind the clubhouse makes for another green and pleasant backdrop. Straddling the half way line on one side is a fairly spacious all-seater stand, whilst between that and a corner flag is an elevated covered standing area. Around the rest of the ground is just hard standing. The programme produced today was truly abysmal. Inside an advertising shell dating back to 2014, there was an insert of just eight pages containing any information of interest to this season let alone today - of which two pages containing predicted line-ups, another three of this season's results and fixtures, and a further page advertising Easter Monday's derby match against Salisbury.

Both of today’s teams are destined for a mid table finish this season. Bemerton Heath Harlequins came into this game in tenth place, with 12 wins and five draws from their 29 games, whilst Moneyfields were in 12th place, with 11 wins and three draws from their 26 league games. When the two teams met in September, Bemerton won 0-1 away.

On an overcast, chilly afternoon, the original referee for this game did not show up, meaning that one of the linesmen had to take charge whilst a Moneyfields official ran the line. Hardly ideal for a senior football fixture, it has to be said. The first half was quite even, although Moneyfields saw a header from a corner hit the bar. On 35 minutes, the home side were awarded a debatable penalty, when the striker went down under a challenge from a defender as he tried to get to the ball before the keeper. Sam Griffin fired the ball into the bottom left corner, despite the keeper going the right way. 1-0 was how it remained at half time, a lead the home side just about deserved.

Into the second half and Bemerton upped a gear to take control of the game. After coming close a couple of times, they doubled their lead on 58 minutes when Griffin fired the ball from the outer corner of the penalty area, and a deflection off a defender guided the ball past the keeper and inside the far post. Moneyfields grew increasingly rattled, which culminated in one of their players spitting in an opponent’s face. Unfortunately, the referee did not spot this and got away with a talking to. On 77 minutes, Bemerton made completely sure of the points when Griffin completed his hat-trick lifting the ball perfectly over the keeper and into the net, a hat-trick that was all the more pleasing as he was the player who was spat at.

Bemerton saw the game out comfortably for a win they deserved, both for bring the better team and for keeping their discipline whilst the visitors lost theirs.

York City 1 v 1 Barnet

Saturday 12th March 2016
Bootham Crescent, York
Football League Two
Admission: £18.00
Programme: £3.00
Attendance: 2,890
Match Rating: 3

Taking advantage of Virgin East Coast's excellent offer of £5.00 each way tickets to York, it was a case of third time lucky to tick off a Football League ground since the turn of the year, after thwarted attempts to tick off Shrewsbury and Port Vale. I was particularly looking forward to a trip to Bootham Crescent though, an old fashioned Football League ground that is living on borrowed time.

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Bootham Crescent is about a twenty minute walk from York train station, slightly less from the city centre, and home fans pass under an arch with a welcome message, before walking along a path past the club shop and then past the main stand, which is the first sign of an intimate and homely feel to the ground. Once inside, the main stand offers good elevated views but has a couple of supporting pillars to obstruct views. There is a covered terrace behind one goal, named after David Longhurst, the player who collapsed and dies during a match here in 1990. Spectators can walk along this terrace, round the corner and, after paying a £1 fee, can sit in the all-seater stand which stretches along the length but is rather short in height. Behind the remaining goal is an uncovered terrace allocated to away fans. It will certainly be a shame when this traditional ground is consigned to history, most likely in 2018. Yes, the ground’s facilities are very basic and very dated but it makes for a refreshing change these days to experience how lower Football League grounds used to be in contrast to the soulless new-builds out of town, such as the one York will move into in a few years time. The 60 page programme was fairly typical Football League fare, glossy and informative, attractively laid out with a good range of articles to digest.

York have a real battle on their hands to avoid relegation to non league, as they went into this game five points adrift of safety, and lost a crucial game at the only team below them last Saturday, Dagenham. They have won six and drawn eight of their 35 games, and have lost their last five games. Barnet, in their first season back in the Football League, were in a comfortable 15th place in the 24 team division, with 13 wins and 7 draws from their 35 games. When the two teams met in September, Barnet won 3-1.

On a mild and rather hazy afternoon, it was the home side who started the better, presumably the penny having dropped that time is fast running out for them in their battle for survival, and they took the lead on 20 minutes. Jake Hyde running on to a ball over the top before firing a cross shot from just outside the area which come back off the far post and into this path of Lewis Alessandra, who slotted the ball home. Both teams then had chances, before Barnet equalised on 37 minutes, John Pearson crossing low from the right wing and John Akinde tapped the ball high into the net from the edge of the six yard box.

York started the second half as they had the first, on the front foot looking to attack and came close several times to retaking the lead only to be thwarted by saves, blocks and poor finishes, and they saw a header hit the top of the bar on 68 minutes and just as the game was entering added on time, the ball was crossed into the box to two York players in the box, but one of them took the wrong option in bringing the ball down and the keeper managed to smother the ball.

So York at least managed to stop their losing run and will take heart from a good, positive performance. But in their position, they really need to have claimed the three points which their play deserved, although they could have ended up with none as Barnet did look dangerous on the break with their lively passing.

Video highlights of this match can be found by clicking here

Whitton United 3 v 3 Brantham Athletic

Saturday 5th March 2016
King George V Playing Field, Ipswich
Eastern Counties League Premier Division
Admission: £6.00
Programme: Sold Out
Attendance: 161
Match Rating: 4

At the conclusion of my 3pm kick off game at Hadleigh, I set out on the 20 minute drive eastwards to the northern outskirts of Ipswich for my third and final match of the day today, this match kicking off at 6pm.

The King George Playing Field is located just off of the A14, passing through a large retail and factory complex which dominates the background view of the ground. After passing along a narrow lane, there is a clubhouse to the right with  the changing rooms housed in an old fashioned cricket pavilion painted in club coloured stripes next door, looking out towards separate playing fields. Opposite the clubhouse is the entrance turnstile. I had already been quite impressed with the attractive signage and neat and tidy nature of the place on approaching the turnstiles, and this feeling certainly continued once inside. Spectators enter behind a goal, and to the right is the tea bar, whilst to the left is a fairly rudimentary hospitality area, and immediately behind the goal is an all-seater stand. Along half of the length closest to the tea bar is covered standing, whilst straddling the half way line on the other side is a small covered standing area. Around the rest of the ground there is just hard standing, apart from behind the goal furthest from the entrance, which is out of bounds. Programmes had sold out by the time I had arrived, over half an hour ahead of kick off, as the club underestimated the numbers of hoppers who would attend this game, both in terms of programme numbers and being prepared for serving refreshments.

Relegation surely beckons for Whitton United, six points adrift at the bottom and 13 points adrift of safety. They have four wins and two draws from their 26 games, although one of those wins came in their last home game. Brantham Athletic were in eighth place, with 12 wins and three draws from their 27 games. When the two teams met in December, Brantham won 3-0.

With conditions stille feeling very cold with a biting breeze, this match started as one might have expected, with the visitors very much on the front foot, and a rather controversial moment came with just five minutes on the clock when the ball was played upfield with a straight race between Brantham's Simon Mann and the keeper. The keeper clattered Mann to concede a foul outside his area, but it was somewhat surprising that he was only shown a yellow card, although a couple of defenders were in the vicinity. The resultant free kick was hit against the wall, but James Crissell pounced on the loose ball, took a touch, before firing into the net. This was actually a surprisingly even game though, and Whitton were still very much in the game. After hitting the side netting on 20 minutes, they equalised on 27 minutes when Wesley Doyle dribbled through the defence before placing a low shot inside the post. Unfortunately for the strugglers, they were only on level terms for about a minute, when Sean Gunn clipped a shot in off the underside of the bar. Again, Whitton did not let their heads drop, and on 39 minutes they got back on level terms again. A free kick was looped in from the left wing, and Gianfranco Mallard poked the ball home at the far post.

2-2 was how it remained at half time, a fairly surprising scoreline based on league positions, but Whitton fully deserved parity. Brantham came close on a few occasions to taking the lead once more, but it was Whitton who went into the lead on 75 minutes. Josh Herbert managed to connect with a corner played in with an overhead kick while falling to the ground and the ball found the back of the net. It did seem that Whitton would hold on to a priceless three points to give them some hope of survival, but in added on time, Matt Travis managed to poke the ball home from a tight angle. It could have got worse for Whitton, as within a minute, Brantham saw a header from a corner fly over the bar. But in truth, a share of the points was a fair reflection of the match, and although Whitton really needed to hold on for the win, surely the performance will give them great heart.

And so at the end of this match it was time to head back down the A12. Despite cold conditions and the disappointment of rain preventing me from visiting a third new ground, this was a most enjoyable day, and good on the Eastern Counties League for continuing to organise Groundhopper days, unlike most other leagues at that level.