South Wales Alliance League

Division 2

Saturday 14th April 2018

Kick Off 18.00 Actual 17.59

Cardiff Hibernian 2 A.F.C. Bargoed 2,  attendance 197

14’ 0-1

28’ 0-2

32’ 1-2

89’ 2-2

@ Trelai Park (Ely Racecourse)

Vincent Road

off Cowbridge Road West

Ely

Cardiff

CF5 5AQ

No Admission

£3 Programme * (didn’t purchase as never saw any on sale)

This match was part of the South Wales Groundhop, which is organised by Groundhop U.K.  It is the second time I have visited Cardiff Hibernian when they have hosted a ‘Hop Match’ , as they were on the 2016 Groundhop, when they lost 2-4 versus Cardiff Airport, in a match played at their former home, Archer Road. This season has seen them move here for their home matches. Sadly, the Secretary of Cardiff Hibernian, Stephen Price, died a week before the match, so it was decided that this would become a memorial match, with any profits going to his family.

* Apparently, very few programmes were produced, and there was certainly no effort made to sell any. As the ground is little more than a railed off pitch, in a huge expanse of grass (last used as Ely Racecourse in 1937) then it is not possible to charge for admission, so the majority of the close on 200 crowd would have paid nothing. There was not even a collection made, which was very odd, considering this was supposed to be geared to raising money. With the pitch being so far away from the nearest building, it also meant no refreshments being sold, although it was later mentioned that there were sandwiches and filled rolls available from a table near the dugouts.

As for the match, which was third bottom versus bottom in the league table, it was never going to be a classic, especially on a dreadful pitch that had some pretty deep holes on it, but at least they weren’t full of water, unlike the ones that had to be walked across to reach this one.

The Groundhop continues tomorrow, with a match in the Bridgend Sunday League (which is of no interest whatsoever) before a visit to A.F.C. Butetown, of the South Wales Alliance League, which although I haven’t visited, will be left for another day, as it is certainly not worth the cost of an overnight stop.

Today was another milestone of sorts, this being the 350th ground I have seen a match on in Wales.