Midland League
Division 3
Wednesday 25th April 2018
Kick Off 18.45 Actual 18.50
Leamington Hibernian 0 C.T. Shush 4, attendance 24
37’ 0-1
45’ 0-2
55’ 0-3
83’ 0-4
@ Cubbington Playing Fields
Stonehouse Close
Cubbington
CV32 7LR
No Admission or Programme.
This was the third ground I have now seen Leamington Hibernian play home matches at, following Campion School & Community College (2-2 v Tipton Town Reserves, Midland Combination Division 3, 3rd May 1999) and Bishops Tatchbrook Sports & Social Club (1-2 v Austrey Rangers, Midland League Division 3, 20th December 2014).
We arrived at the ground at around 17.15 to see the pitch set up ready for play and confirmed the match was all set to go ahead. However, as we headed into the village to get food,it started to rain, but instead of a brief shower, which is what we had endured for most of the day, this was a heavier downpour which lasted a good 15 minutes. On returning to the ground, we were told that the Referee was not happy with one area of the pitch, but a decision would be made in around 15 minutes time as to whether the game would be able to go ahead. Thankfully, with the Groundsman managing to fork away a couple of small puddles, with the rest of the pitch being pretty firm under foot, the pitch was given the go ahead. By this time it was only 35 minutes until kick off, so there would have been no chance of reaching any alternative match at a ground the three of us hadn’t already visited, so we had a lucky escape.
The visitors, formed in 2014, have a bit of an unusual name. The ‘C.T.’ stands for Chelmsley Town, which is where they are from (although they also use the old Chelmsley Town F.C. ground, they are not connected to them), whilst the ‘Shush’ comes from Shush UK Ltd.
Hibs have struggled badly this season, only managing to win one of their 26 league matches so far this season, with just three draws on top of that, so it is no great surprise that they are bottom of the table. With the visitors only being fifth from bottom themselves, this was a rare match where the hosts had a realistic chance of getting some more points. There was little between the two sides, but Shush opened the scoring with a 30 yard shot that went in off the post, before adding the second in the dying seconds of the first half. When the third goal went in early in the second half there was no way back for Hibs.
One thing that is certainly worth a mention here, is the hard work put in by husband and wife duo Jim and Joy Barry, who have run the club for the last 44 years !
