Daily Archives: June 29, 2019

Football

Doveridge v Red Lion

Ashbourne Summer League

League Cup Final

Saturday 29th June 2019

Kick Off 19.00 Actual 19.04

Doveridge 2 Red Lion 0, attendance 54

51’ 1-0

60’ 2-0

@ Mappleton Playing Field

Mapleton Road (near Okeover Arms pub)

Mappleton

DE6 2AB

£2 Admission

No Programme.

It is seven years since I last watched a game in this league and it was six years before that when I saw my previous one. I had watched seven games at one time, but got fed up with the poor standard of football on offer and couldn’t believe that many of the grounds were nothing more than a very poorly cut piece of grass, out in the middle of nowhere, where players got changed next to their cars as there were not even changing rooms on site. It is certainly not worth making a special journey for, but as I had been in Coventry during the afternoon for the rugby league, and the fact that it was only an hour and a quarter drive from there, then it made sense to do tonight’s match. The village of ‘Mappleton’ (which is what the signpost says when entering the village) is a couple of miles north west of Ashbourne, although Google Maps and my SatNav spell it ‘Mapleton’, which is also what the sign post said when leaving Ashbourne.

The match was like watching ‘attack versus defence’, as Red Lion looked to take the game to penalties, as they had obviously decided that was their best, or only, chance of winning the match. They defended brilliantly, keeping it scoreless until halftime, but having conceded a goal just six minutes into the second half meant their plan had failed. They conceded a second goal on the hour mark, which made little difference to the outcome, as they would never have scored anyway.

Other Sports

Coventry Bears v Doncaster

Rugby League

League 1

Saturday 29th June 2019

Kick Off 15.00

Coventry Bears 10 Doncaster 54, attendance 180 (official 386 !)

@ Broadstreet R.U.F.C.

Ivor Preece Field

Rugby Road

Binley Woods

Coventry

CV3 2AY

£12 Admission

£2 Programme available, but didn’t bother buying.

This is now the third ground I have seen Coventry Bears use for home matches. On 5th May 2004 I saw them beat Bramley Buffaloes 48-14 in National League 3 at Old Coventrians R.U.F.C. in Tile Hill Lane, then on 5th September 2004 they beat Sheffield Hilsborough Hawks 36-18, also in National League 3, this time at Coventry R.U.F.C. at Butts Park Arena, which is still their home ground these days. With the pitch there being converted from grass to 3G, it has meant using an alternate venue and this was the third and final match being played here at Broadstreet. The final four home league fixtures are scheduled to be played at the birthplace of Rugby Union, at the ground of Rugby Lions R.U.F.C.

Having seen Coventry a couple of weeks ago, when they were beaten heavily at Workington Town, I thought that they actually played well in spells and didn’t deserve to lose by such a margin. Today, however, they were pathetic and Doncaster ran in tries at will and it was probably only the 30+ degree heat that prevented a real massacre. It was 6-20 at the break, then Doncaster added another converted try to make it 6-26 early in the second half. In the 54th minute both teams were reduced to 12 men following a few punches thrown. Doncaster added another 28 points before Bears finished off the days scoring with an unconverted try in the last minute.