Bodedern Athletic

It is the opening round of the Welsh Trophy, a competition for teams playing at level three and lower of the Welsh pyramid, and I am on the western side of Ynys Môn at Cae Ty Cristion, home of Bodedern Athletic.

The building in the background gives the ground its name, Ty Cristion which translates as Christian House, a former coaching inn now converted into holiday cottages.

Bodedern were runners-up in the Gwynedd League last season, and are taking their place in the newly formed second division of the Welsh Alliance. They are a predominantly young team, and face rather more experienced opponents in the shape of Mid Wales League visitors Llanrhaeadr ym Mochnant, whose history includes being runners-up in this competition in 2004.

The location right on the edge of the village makes for a gloriously rural setting on a pleasant summer afternoon.

On the other side of the ground stands the village hall, with the attached lower roofed building housing the changing rooms.

Space is very much at a premium on this side of the ground.

The visitors make the better start, and take an 11th minute lead, Adam Burgess, out of picture, drilling this free-kick into the top corner.

The score remains 0-1 at the interval, and although Bodedern have plenty of the play, Llanrhaeadr look very solid in defence, and have won their opening two league games of the season without conceding a goal, and they seem happy to try to play out the game with that scoreline.

The game bursts into life midway through the second half, with Iwan Jones drilling in a 66th minute equaliser for Bodedern, and the hosts go ahead just three minutes later, left full back Aron Owen somehow getting forward in open play to score a close range header. However, Llanrhaeadr are level on 72 minutes, albeit with something of a fluke, Ken McKay hooking the ball forward, and seeing it dip over keeper Carl Jones.

The game could go either way now, but Bodedern skipper Adam Roberts puts his side into a 3-2 lead after 77 minutes, with an excellent finish from 25 yards.

As Llanrhaeadr look for an equaliser, Carl Jones atones for his earlier error with this save from another Adam Burgess free-kick, but it is Bodedern who look more dangerous on the break as they secure their place in the next round.

Hallam

It is the opening round of the FA Cup and cricket commitments at Hallam's historic ground in the pleasant western suburbs of Sheffield see this game put back a day to Sunday.


Later this year, Boxing Day to be precise, will see the 150th anniversary of the first football match to be played here. The cricket club was here many years before that, set up on land donated by the landlord of the Plough Inn, which still dispenses refreshment across the road from the ground.


The cricket outfield means that most of the ground's facilities stand along one side.


A closer view of the impressive seated stand.


Hallam play in the Premier Division of the Northern Counties East League, with today's opponents Atherton Collieries plying their trade one step lower in the North West Counties League Division One.


Visitors Colls are playing down the considerable slope in the first half, and they almost make a flying start, Paul Hynes seeing his chipped shot clip the bar after just 40 seconds.


At the other end of the ground, the sign proclaiming Sandygate's history, and shown in the first photo on this post, can be seen just to the left of the goal.


It is somewhat against the run of play when Hallam take an 18th minute lead, Miles Ridall given rather too much time inside the penalty area to pick his spot. However, Paul Atherton takes advantage of a short back pass to bring Colls level on 26 minutes, and the teams go in to the interval on level terms.

The setting is gloriously picturesque.


The second half could have gone either way, but Colls take the lead on 73 minutes, with captain Andy Walker converting Jonathan Bridge's free-kick at the far post, and they look to have wrapped the tie up five minutes later, Phil Williams cutting inside and finishing confidently.

The markings of the cricket boundary are just visible in this picture.


Colls miss a couple of good chances to put the outcome beyond all doubt, and face a nervy finale after Miles Ridall glances home a 88th minute header from a Danny Bainbridge cross. However, Hallam are unable to find a dramatic equaliser, and the visitors can head back to Atherton with a 3-2 win that was probably a fair reflection of the afternoon's football.

Greenfield

The opening day of the Welsh football season, and with the FA of Wales having opened entries to the Welsh Cup to clubs lower down the pyramid, the First Qualifying Round begins the campaign. It is an especially big day for Greenfield, playing their first competitive game back in their own village, appropriately enough as the old Courtaulds Greenfield team had their finest hour in this competition almost thirty years ago, reaching the quarter-finals and a game with Football League side Hereford United.

Since forming five years ago Greenfield have enjoyed considerable success in the Clwyd League, and last season's third place finish in the Premier Division has earned them a place in the newly formed second tier of the Welsh Alliance. However, with the factory on whose land the ground stands up for sale, it is only this year they have been able to return home.

Considerable efforts have been made to provide the necessary facilities, with the portable buildings in the first picture housing changing rooms, and the pitch fully railed off. The rail on the near side is set well back from the pitch, but there is plenty of room if the club wish to further develop the ground in the future.

Today's visitors Machynlleth have had a lengthy journey up from Mid Wales. They ended last season in seventh place in the Aberystwyth League, which probably suggests the hosts should be considered slight favourites, and they had plenty of the play in the first half, including this early corner.

However, the visitors were far more clinical in front of goal, and Gareth Richards opened the scoring with a near post finish on 14 minutes, Jamie Johnson added a second soon afterwards with a neat chip over keeper Danny Pierce, and Johnson made it three five minutes before the interval with another well placed shot.

As with my game last midweek, this is another ground with plenty of trains passing by.

Greenfield quickly give themselves a lifeline just five minutes into the second half, Wayne Bayliss turning away after converting this penalty.

The turning point of the game perhaps arrived soon afterwards, home defender Darren Jones penalised for a foul on the edge of the penalty area when he was clearly the last defender, but the referee infuriating the Machynlleth officials by failing to produce a card of any colour.

When Graeme Williams put Wayne Bayliss away to make it 2-3 on 67 minutes, the visitors were left appealing for an offside decision that didn't come, and although I thought the young referee got that one right, I felt he over reacted to the visitors show of frustation, dismissing both Sion Williams and Glyn Howard for comments made in the space of three minutes.

There was an air of inevitability about what would happen after that, and despite some heroic efforts from Machynlleth's nine men, the equaliser arrived in the second of eight added minutes from Mark Pritchard.

Extra time followed with surely only one winner possible, and substitute Craig Gallagher headed Greenfield ahead for the first time on the 100 minute mark. Karl Ainsworth wrapped things up after 112 minutes, giving Greenfield a memorable 5-3 victory to mark their homecoming, although I couldn't help but feel Machynlleth had been dealt a very harsh hand on the day.

Poulton Town

Poulton's Cottam Hall Playing Fields is the venue for a local derby with Blackpool Wren Rovers. The outside of the clubhouse and changing rooms building from the car park, and although it looks a little austere from outside, there is a pleasant lounge area on the inside.


A view of the same building looking from pitch side.

Visitors Wren had a fantastic season last time out, lifting the league title and Lancashire FA Amateur Shield, but Poulton also finished strongly to end the campaign in third place. With both starting the new season with excellent wins last Saturday a good game looked in prospect.

Action from an early Poulton attack.


The view at the other end of the ground will keep any train spotters happy, with all trains heading to and from Blackpool North station having to pass here.


Wren make a commanding start to the game, and they take the lead with a 15th minute goal that sums up their early play, Tom Watson heading home a Nick Corless cross at the end of a superb move of seven or eight passes.

When it comes to keeping those in the dug outs on their best behaviour, it probably helps to have the assistant secretary of the County FA running the line!

Poulton are restricted to the odd half chance, most notably when Lee Catlow is denied at the second attempt by Wren keeper Ryan Yeomans, but on the balance of play the visitors will feel they could have led by more than one goal at the interval.

No surprise that the game attracted a good crowd. The changing rooms seen here serve the outside pitches at the venue, used mainly for Sunday football.

Wren continue to have the upper hand after the interval, and a goal just after the hour mark from Danny Rowe marks the end of the scoring, and wraps up a very impressive performance by the reigning champions.

Ladybridge

The opening day of the West Lancashire League season, and a Division Two fixture between two newcomers to the league at Ladybridge's Tempest Road ground.

The hosts have a well established set up of junior teams, but have a made a big step up for their senior team after finishing last season in third place in Division Three of the Lancashire Amateur League. They have obviously had a busy season providing the necessary facilities at their ground.

Two junior sized pitches have been transformed into one full size pitch, which allows for a large playing area, and what must be the largest technical area I have ever seen in front of the dug outs.

The visitors today are Ambleside United, making the move up after three successive Westmorland League titles, they must expect to be amongst the favourites in this league.

Although Nathan Monson goes close with an early chance for Ladybridge, Ambleside do make the brighter start, a Martin Grundy strike being ruled out for offside, and Jamie Parkinson forcing this spectacular goal line clearance from Paul Hesford.

Ambleside do take a 30th minute lead as an inswinging Michael Yates cross deceives the home keeper, and they are firmly in control just before the interval as Jamie Parkinson takes advantage of some hesitant defending to make it 2-0.

The ground stands on relatively high ground, giving views of the surrounding countryside.

The distinctively shaped floodlights of Bolton Wanderers ground are visible in the distance.

Ambleside return to the attack in the second half, and their third goal arrives on the hour mark, Jamie Parkinson powering home this header from Michael Barron's corner in front of the clubhouse building.

The game attracted a good turnout amongst the north west groundhopping fraternity, and they had one more goal to enjoy, Michael Barron's shot wrapping up Ambleside's 4-0 victory.

Euxton Villa

Back on familiar territory for the first of this season's Goldline Trophy quarter-finals.


Euxton Villa's Jim Fowler Memorial Ground is an attractive, rural tree-lined venue.


The modern building behind the goal houses clubhouse and changing rooms.


The impressive set up also includes a second fully railed off pitch, which is just visible through the trees in this picture.


Euxton's opponents are Atherton LR, and these teams are the last two holders of this competition, Euxton lifting the trophy in 2008, and LR winning it for the past two years. The visitors play two levels higher in the North West Counties League Premier Division than their West Lancashire League Premier Division hosts, but past meetings between teams from these leagues in this competition suggest a close contest can be expected.

The match was keenly fought throughout.


Neil Davies set up Danny Smith to give LR a 5th minute lead with a shot that found the top corner, but the game then faced a 20 minute delay, with the unfortunate James O'Loughlin suffering a suspected broken leg, and the unpleasant sight of an ambulance on the pitch.


When play resumes, Phil Howard doubles LR's lead, holding off his marker and finishing with a neat lob over keeper Ross Baxter, but Euxton newcomer Alistair Waddecar makes an impressive start for his new club, firing home from 20-yards to leave the match nicely poised at half-time.


The second half starts badly for the visitors, with Kane Bentley receiving a straight red card for his off the ball foul on Ryan Lilley, and when David Warburton sees his shot hit the post it seems a matter of time before Euxton make their numerical advantage count.


However, the impressive Phil Howard once again proves too hot for the Euxton defence to handle, and he wriggles free to fire home a low shot in the 68th minutes, giving LR a 3-1 lead that they subsequently never looked like surrendering.