North West Counties League

League Cup 1st Round

Tuesday 22nd October 2024

Kick Off 19.45 Actual 19.48

Shawbury United 1 Allscott Heath 6, attendance 133

3’ 0-1

12’ 0-2

13’ 1-2

34’ 1-3

41’ 1-4

45’ + 1, 1-5

54’ 1-6

@ Shawbury Recreational Centre

Carradine Road

Shawbury

SY4 4PB

£6 Admission

£1.50 Programme available, didn’t bother buying.

So, at the second time of asking, this game took place. It had originally been scheduled to take place two weeks ago, but had been called off some time after 4 o’clock due to a waterlogged pitch, with the pitch inspection far too late for me to have made it by that time anyway. Their home game on Saturday had been postponed too, again due to the rain, but no such problems today. It had been sunny and dry all day and although I’d not had a reply from the club on Twitter as to whether the game was going ahead okay, they did at least Tweet that all was good during the afternoon.

This is the first season for Shawbury on their new ground here at Carradine Road, to the west of the town, next to R.A.F. Shawbury. Despite having been formed in 1992, this is the first time they’ve had a ground of their own and even better, it is in their own town. The pitch is fully railed and has hard standing on all four sides. The clubhouse side of the ground has two seated kit stands, with the dugouts opposite and there is a ‘bike shed’ type piece of cover in the corner of the goal end nearest the entrance. The clubhouse served hot/cold food and drinks and there is ample free parking too.

League form in Division 1 South has not been great for these two so far, with this being 15th versus 13th (out of 18) as far as league positions go. Allscott Heath were ahead after just three minutes and doubled their lead nine minutes later, heading in from a corner. Shawbury replied within a minute, when a cracking 25 yarder went in off the underside of the crossbar, but any hint of a comeback was short lived. Allscott hit the post, before making it 1-3 just after the half hour, again scoring with a header from a corner. Two more goals arrived just before halftime, the first a dipping shot over the ‘keeper from the edge of the box and an easy finish at the near post saw them lead 1-5 at the break. With the game safe, they eased off during the second half, adding just one more goal, heading in unmarked at the far post within ten minutes of the restart.

No traffic problems on the outbound journey and despite a section on the M5 being down to one lane and the M25 being closed from J10-J9, still home for 1 am. Tonight’s visit completed this division and leaves just league newcomers Thornton Cleveleys, in Division 1 North, for the full North West Counties League set.