The 3G pitch here at Abertillery Sports Centre has hosted Welsh League games in the past. It is far better than most caged pitches, as there is full spectator access on all four sides, as well as a decent length of cover on one side. Rassau normally play on the 3G at Ebbw Vale Sports Centre, but double bookings of that facility led to the game being switched here.
This was my first taste of the North Gwent League, as 8th hosted 3rd in the league table. Rassau held a 1-0 lead at the break, scoring with a far post header, after a cross found it’s way across the box at the second attempt. Aberbargoed drew level midway through the second half, firing in from close range after the ’keeper failed to punch clear from a near post corner. The visitors looked to have won it eight minutes from time, scoring with a cracking finish that beat the ’keeper at his near post, to edge 1-2 ahead, but three minutes later Rassau made it 2-2, nodding in from close range, after a cross was headed back across the box. A fair result overall.
City University London 2 University Essex 3rds 1, attendance 6
8’ 1-0
38’ 1-1
63’ 2-1
@ Salisbury Hall Playing Fields, 3G Pitch
Walthamstow Avenue
Walthamstow
London
E4 8ST
No Admission or Programme.
This was 2nd versus 1st in the league table and what is now becoming an all too often occurrence at BUCS games, a colour clash meant the home team played in bibs.
City went ahead early, finishing a through ball with a shot through the ’keeper’s legs, with Essex drawing level shortly before halftime, when a quick break down the right, ended with a pass across the six yard box for a side foot finish at the far post. The hosts got the winner just after the hour mark with a 20 yard effort curled into the top corner. City cut the lead at the top to a single point with this win, whilst Westminster are third, a further point back, but having played a game more than the top two.
The ground is accessed via the car park of Sainsbury’s (it is also where you park, which is free for 3 hours), going through a gate to the right hand side of the store. Spectator access inside the cage is along half of one side, although the middle section of this has a high fence, so in effect the viewing section is only a quarter of the pitch length.
A.F.C. Wimbledon 2 Cheltenham Town 2, attendance 6,138 (277 away)
8’ 1-0
31’ 1-1
34’ 1-2 (pen)
80’ 2-2
@ The Cherry Red Records Stadium
Plough Lane
Wimbledon
London
SW17 0NR
£28 Admission*
£3 Programme, didn’t bother buying.
*Having only decided late this afternoon to come here, rather than buying a ticket online, I decided to buy one at the stadium. They were actually sold from a table under the main stand, accessed via a manned gate to the left of the entrance. The ticket seller was unable to get an internet connection, meaning I was unable to pay by card, but was given the ticket free of charge as ”its our system which is at fault. Enjoy the game.” A nice touch!
Tonight would once again see ’The 92’ recompleted and clubs with Wimbledon in their name have certainly come up trumps for me as far as ground visits for Football League clubs go. Back in February 1989 I saw Wimbledon beat Grimsby Town 3-1 in an F.A. Cup 5th Round match, played at the old Plough Lane ground (later seeing their reserves play a home game there in October 1994 and another in September 1995). On 7th September 1991, when they were ground sharing at Selhurst Park, home of Crystal Palace F.C, I saw them beat Luton Town 3-0 in a Division 1 match (what is now the Premier League) in front of just 3,231 spectators, and what was the lowest ever crowd for a top tier game in England at the time, although they went on to ’beat’ this figure with an even lower crowd later in the season. By the time I next watched them, the club had uprooted to Milton Keynes, where I saw them beat Bradford City 2-1 in a Division 1 match on 1st November 2003, which was played at the National Hockey Stadium, another ground no longer with us. The club were later rebranded and are now Milton Keynes Dons.
The next time I saw ’Wimbledon’ at home, it was for an A.F.C. Wimbledon game on 4th October 2011, in an Associate Members Cup game versus Stevenage, played at Kingsmeadow Stadium in Kingston upon Thames, where they won 4-3 on penalties, after drawing 2-2 at the end of normal time. This season they have moved into the brand new Cherry Red Records Stadium, built on what was formerly Wimbledon Stadium (Greyhounds/Speedway) and just a few hundred yards from the old Plough Lane. It is all seated (although the home end has a section of ’safe standing’) with a capacity of 9,215 which is perfectly adequate for the crowds they attract. It would certainly win no awards for it’s exterior looks. In fact, it looks more like a shopping centre than a football stadium. Once inside though, it is smart and modern, although the rake of seating is poor and unless you are near the back of the main stand (the other three sides are much lower in height) then the view is not great. My original seat was in row D, the furthest back from the pitch that was available,(thankfully there were plenty of empty seats to move to) and was great if you want to see the back of the substitutes warming up in front of you, or you like watching the action at the far end by peering through a gaggle of managers/coaches stood in the technical areas. I would certainly recommend sitting as near to the back of whichever stand you are in, unless actually ’watching the game’ isn’t a top priority.
I wasn’t expecting too much from tonight’s match, as both teams were hovering just above the relegation zone, as 20th hosted 17th in the league table, although when they met here in the F.A. Cup earlier in the season it had finished 4-3 to the hosts. A bright start by both teams, along with an early goal for Wimbledon, helped the game from a neutral point of view. Cheltenham responded to going behind by deciding to use a very, shall we say, physical approach. It certainly worked for them, although it wasn’t pretty to watch. They levelled just after the half hour, then went ahead from the penalty spot just three minutes later. Wimbledon didn’t make it 2-2 until ten minutes from time, but then absolutely battered Cheltenham right up until the final whistle, piling on the pressure, but just coming up short of nicking it. If only they had shown this spirit a little earlier, then they would have surely taken all three points. I thought the Referee had an absolute shocker, but he is one of the few officials that have actually managed to get the game started on time, which is a real rarity these days.
I had parked in Avondale Road, (could have parked even closer with hindsight) where the parking restrictions finish at 18.30, from where it was an easy twelve minute walk to the stadium. Despite the game not finishing until 21.43 I was still home for 22.32.
