Cheshire League

Premier Division

Wednesday 16th February 2022

Kick Off 20.00 Actual 20.02

Egerton 0 Middlewich Town 1, attendance 29

90’+ 6, 0-1

@ Egerton Youth Club, 3G Pitch

Mereheath Lane

Knutsford

WA16 6SL

No Admission or Programme.

When I saw Egerton beat Daten 3-1 in a Cheshire League Division 1 match on 30th August 2016, it was played on the railed off grass pitch to the right of the building as you enter the car park. The 3G cage is to the rear of the building and as well as spectator access along the near side and behind the goal to the right, there is even a small section of cover!

The match was 2nd versus 7th in the league table. Egerton had the chance to leapfrog leaders F.C. St. Helens when they played away there on Saturday, but a 0-0 draw saw them come into this game still trailing them by two points, knowing that a win tonight would send them top. There were plenty of chances for both teams. Middlewich were just unlucky that the final touch just didn’t come off for them, whilst Egerton just couldn’t seem to hit the target. I lost count of the number of times they hit free kicks from good positions sailing over the cage fences. Two late substitutions saw Egerton really step it up, but we looked to be heading for a certain 0-0, as it was still goalless as we went into the sixth minute of stoppage time. A ball into the box then saw a striker, defender and ’keeper challenge for the ball and it ended up dropping right in front of the gaping net, where the striker lashed it in for an unlikely looking winner.

Despite it being windy, which was blowing mainly across the pitch, it didn’t affect the game and neither the players or match officials seemed the least bit concerned. Thankfully it never rained all evening.

British Universities & Colleges Sport

Midlands 2A

Wednesday 16th February 2022

Kick Off 13.30 Actual 13.37

University Staffordshire 0 University Warwick 1, attendance 24

54’ 0-1

@ Sir Stanley Matthews Sports Centre, 3G Pitch

Leek Road

Stoke-on-Trent

ST4 2YJ

No Admission or Programme.

This was 1st versus 2nd in the league table and a game`Warwick had to win if they had any chance of topping the table, as they trailed Staffordshire by two points, having played one game more. It was a game of really high quality. The front two for Warwick had pace to burn and they made full use of this, breaking quickly and creating -plenty of chances. The biggest surprise was that the game produced just the one goal, which came nine minutes into the second half and went the way of the visitors. A ball was played across the box and as the striker challenged the ’keeper in a block tackle, the ball span up and looped over the line as a defender desperately tried to hook it clear. The win sees Warwick go one point clear of Staffordshire at the top, but despite having played a game more, they do have a far better goal difference, which may prove crucial.

The last time I saw Staffordshire at home, back on 21st November 2007, they lost 3-5 to Wolverhampton, when they played in the village of Cotes Heath, at a sports ground on the left hand side of the A519, when heading south towards Eccleshall from Junction 15 of the M6. They are now here at the Sir Stanley Matthews Sports Centre, where they have the use of both grass and artificial pitches. The 3G cage is very exposed and has spectator access along the full length of one side.