Shropshire County League
Premier Division
Saturday 29th April 2023
Kick Off 15.00 Actual 15.03
Shrewsbury Up & Comers 4 Ercall Colts Evolution 3, attendance 26
3’ 0-1
5’ 1-1
31’ 2-1 (pen)
51’ 2-2
62’ 2-3
71’ 3-3
75’ 4-3
@ Shrewsbury College of Arts & Technology
London Road
Shrewsbury
SY2 6PR
No Admission or Programme.
I got lucky with this one. The Referee from my morning game was listed as also doing this match (as Linesman) so I was able to confirm that the game was going ahead okay. However, I never thought to confirm the location, so turned up at the ground listed on the F.A. Full Time website, where Shrewsbury Up & Comers are shown to have played all their home games so far this season, but found a cricket match in progress. I was told that the football ‘always move to London Road once the cricket start’ and that was where the game would be. It’s only half a mile away, but the problem was, I had already done a game at S.C.A.T. before, as I had seen Shrewsbury Town U18 play there back in 1997.
Having driven past here dozens of times over the years, I was well aware of the layout, so had no problem in knowing if this was being played on a different pitch to the one I had seen a game on already. When I came before, the match was on the pitch that runs lengthways away from the old changing room building. Both remain, but the building looks as if it is no longer used. Today’s game was being played on a pitch beyond the hedge, running widthways to the former, so I was okay. There was even a game taking place on the 3G pitch as well, which has been installed in the intervening years, where Wellington Amateurs Development were hosting Ercall Colts Revolution in a Shropshire County League cup match, which also wasn’t shown as being played here on the F.A. Full Time website!
As for the match, I wasn’t expecting too much, as it was another mid-table game, as 6th hosted 8th. It turned out to be a cracker though. Ercall were ahead within three minutes, coolly lobbing the ‘keeper when put through, but their lead only lasted a couple of minutes. Up & Comers went ahead from the penalty spot just after the half hour mark, following a trip by the ‘keeper and it was still 2-1 at halftime. By the hour mark Ercall had turned things round to lead 2-3, but Up & Comers levelled it up at 3-3 with twenty minutes left. They then went 4-3 up just four minutes later and Ercall had their ‘keeper sin binned for arguing about a ‘foul’ during the build up to the goal. Up & Comers could have added a fifth in stoppage time, but the penalty was well saved by the ‘keeper.
Even on the results section of F.A. Full Time, neither game are being shown as having been played here. Very poor.
