Weston-super-Mare & District League
Division 1
Thursday 23rd May 2024
Kick Off 18.30 Actual 18.33
Churchill Club 70 1 Weston Town 2, attendance 55
15’ 1-0
65’ 1-1
85’ 1-2
@ Churchill Recreation Ground
Ladymead Lane
Churchill
BS25 5NH
No Admission or Programme.
I never got to see a game here when Churchill Club played in the Somerset County League, despite it being as recently as 2017, when they then dropped into the Weston-super-Mare & District League. I was lucky I came to see this game tonight, as we were told this was the last ever game before the club merges with Congresbury and ups sticks to -play first team games some four miles north of here, although the ground itself is still going to remain. The sports ground is also home to the local cricket club, with the football changing rooms being next to the car park as you enter off Ladymead Lane. The pitch runs widthways, beyond a hedge, with the changing rooms in the left hand corner and a double sized concrete dugout on this side. Although the majority of the crowd watched from the near side, it was possible to watch from all four sides, with the far side slightly raised in one corner.
As for the match, where 6th hosted 2nd, there was plenty to play for. Churchill were playing for the pride of the club going out on a positive note, whilst Weston, the reigning champions, had to win in order to pip league leaders Isle of Wedmore to the title, by virtue of having a better goal difference. From a neutral point of view, the game got off to a perfect start, with Churchill going ahead after fifteen minutes, chasing down a long ball, before lobbing it over the on rushing ‘keeper and finishing from a tight angle. Churchill fought hard and they looked the more likely to add a second, rather than Weston draw level.
As the second half wore on, Weston began to get on top and it felt like a constant pressure building up on the Churchill goal. The equaliser came shortly after Weston had hit the post, when a cross was finished with a looping header that found its way in despite the ‘keeper getting his fingers to it. They now had twenty five minutes to find a winner, with the remainder of the game now being played almost entirely in the Churchill half of the pitch. Weston thought they’d won it, but had a goal disallowed for offside, but with just five minutes left, they finally got the all important goal, when a cross from the right wasn’t cleared and the ball ran loose to be smashed in from close range.
