Bank holiday bonanza

Over the last bank holiday weekend before Christmas, City played in two games, and for ease of use I am combining the games into one bigger than usual blog!

Havant and Waterlooville (Home)

One of the first things I have found from being relegated out of the Conference National is the rapidly diminishing stature of the clubs City are playing. Last season, on the Friday when leaving work when asked who City were playing that weekend, I could respond with Luton/Kidderminster Harriers/Wrexham etc., this time around it was "Havant and Waterlooville at home," which was invariably followed by "Who are they?"

So in a nod to all the people querying who they are; Havant and Waterlooville (H&W) were formed in 1998 in a merger between Havant Town and Waterlooville. They currently play at West Leigh Park in the town of Havant, and they are the team you may remember taking the lead twice at Anfield against Liverpool in the 4th Round of the FA Cup in 2008, before eventually losing 5-2.

The weather was warm, so I decided against a coat which was a huge mistake as walking from the pub to the ground the heavens opened and we were soaked. A quick sprint to Charlie's was decided on, and we took advantage of the free drinks vouchers offered by the club with this years season tickets.

Nothing of note happened in the opening exchanges a few attacks from both sides came to nothing. Then the curse of the football fan opening their mouth occurred. A City fan was bemoaning what he considered to be a lack of impact that Josh Low had affected in his first two games. As the words had barely left his lips, the stripes managed to defend a threatening situation, before some neat interplay led to Adie Harris releasing Low inside his own half with H&W out of shape defensively.

Low raced forward carrying the ball to the edge of the H&W area, before the former Cheltenham wingman cut inside before unleashing a gorgeous curling shot that nestled into the bottom corner beyond the despairing dive of the H&W keeper. 1-0 City with 10 minutes played.

City then controlled the game, but neither side created much in what were changeable conditions to say the least, and the game drifted towards half time.

After the half the stripes continued to press, but Charlie Griffin appeared to be carrying a knock (more on that later) and on 65 minutes was replaced by young Brad Norris. Norris was industrious, and as pointed out on a City forum the combined age of Guthrie and Norris was less than Scotty Murray's age last year!

On 72 minutes, an attack down the right led to the ball dropping to Norris, the young front man fired in a shot which was never going to go in, but a deflection off of a defender and the goalkeeper led to the ball dropping to Guthrie's feet two yards out and the frontman added to his 3 goals from Tuesday with a simple tap in. 2-0 to City and everyone in the ground knew that the game was over and City were going to collect their second with of the week.

There were two moments when the score could have changed, a H&W goal was disallowed for offside, while the referee in the worst case of not playing advantage blew for a freekick for a foul on the edge of the area, but City had worked the ball to an unmarked Guthrie who surely would have scored, why the ref blew I do not know, but given the result was a two goal win to City I cannot careless!!!

Dorchester Town (Away) 

After the good win on Saturday, the men in black and white were to travel to The Avenue Stadium to take on fellow stripes Dorchester Town. The travel to Dorchester should have been an indication of what was to come, as there were 10 stripes on the train...a train which was delayed by initially 20 minutes, and eventually meant we arrived into Dorset's county town an hour after the original planned arrival time.

We arrived once again this summer to a depressingly wintery day, and went searching for the Blue Raddle pub which had been recommended to us, after a little bit of an effort we found the pub, and it was....closed. On a bank holiday Monday, closed. Unbelievable! We eventually ended up in a pretty ropey pub which had an aroma which can only be described as rancid. So not the best pub of the awaydays, and hopefully what will turn out to be the worst of the season.

The Avenue Stadium, is a new ground having been built in 1990 for a cost of £3,000,000, but unlike horrible new grounds like Nene Park, the ground positively oozes character. This is (allegedly) due to Prince Charles as the land is Duchy of Cornwall land and it was decreed that the ground was to be built in a traditional manner. Therefore the ground has a gabled end with a clock, three sides terracing and slate roofs. Superb, and I wish more new grounds could have been built with such nods towards tradition and style.

Lovely gable and clock

The Dorchester team contained three ex-stripes, in Charlie Clough, Jason Matthews and Ben Watson. Of which during the course of the game all three would incur various levels of wrath from previous fans, due to general unsporting behaviour, including a disgraceful dive for which Watson would be booked.

City were dominant in possession and were all over a few poor Dorchester team. A few cards were flashed to Dorchester players for some fairly crude challenges. On 13 minutes, Clough gave away a freekick 20 yards from goal. Josh Low ran over the ball, before Griffin curled a freekick up and over the wall, Matthews managed to get a hand to the ball but ended up in the net with the freekick, City took the lead for the 4th game in succession, and Griffin celebrate vigorously.

Matthews then saved well from Griffin, and sadly Adam Connolly couldn't get away a good enough strike after a well worked City move. It was during this period after the goal that Watson collapsed pathetically when chasing a ball when Garner got near to him, thankfully the referee didn't buy it and booked the cheat.

Griffin had another freekick from almost an identical position from which he scored, but this time the balding frontman could only hit the ball into the face of a man in the wall. Griffin and Simpson then both narrowly missed connecting with crosses across the 6 yard box. So the half time whistle went with City leading one nil.

Soon after the 2nd half commenced Guthrie tried a bit of audacious skill when bringing the ball under control, flicking it over his head and hammering a shot towards goal which went narrowly wide but would have been a fantastic goal.

Against the run of play Dorchester equalised, a corner was headed against the bar by Walker, the ball rebounded off of the bar and appeared to hit Walker and somehow find its way over the line. City were rocked, and moments later were behind when after another corner the ball was cleared as far as Martin who hit a fizzing, low shot that skidded off of the turf and left Garner helpless.

City attempted to equalise, and Matthews saved more in the final 10 for Dorchester than he had in every game he played for us last season, including a corner from Josh Low which almost crept in. However, Griffin and Guthrie both looked completely shattered, and it is possible Griffin is still feeling the knock from Saturday, so despite the effort and endeavour it was fairly desperate stuff from City and they never looked liked scoring.




The game finished 2-1 ad City's unbeaten run was over, however, enough positives have come from the opening 4 games of the season that I am confident that this season will be an enjoyable one, now bring on the next two ridiculously quick succession games!

Yes it is a dolphin in a hedge outside the ground, no I have no idea either!

"It's that fine rain.."

One of the bizarre things of English football (and non league especially) is the ridiculous runs of fixtures that occasionally occur. Currently part time Bath City (that's part-time Bath City) have a run of 8 games in a month (and 6 in 18 days) so after the first game at Welling United on Saturday, we reconvened at the newly named Mayday Trust Park (from now on I am referring to the ground by its old name of Twerton Park) for the visit of Maidenhead United.

Maidenhead United play at York Road the oldest continuously used football ground in England (so possibly the world as I can't imagine anywhere else will beat it) however, they were relegated at the end of last season but due to Kettering Town dropping into the Southern League they were reprieved.

City lined up with two out and out forwards in Charlie Griffin & new boy Kurtis Guthrie, Kerry Morgan dropped to the bench with a niggling injury, Adam Connolly replaced Joe Burnell and Jim Rollo started a game in this his tenth year of being with the men in black and white.

However, Jimmer didn't cover himself in glory with a lunging tackle most unlike the club legend and all round good egg, which earned him a rebuke from the referee and also ended up injuring Jim himself, who limped off after 5 minutes to be replaced by Danny Ball.

The crowd at TP was in good voice, and cheering on a City side attacking with pace and power down the left wing. Aaron Brown capitalised on an error and burst down the left before floating in a gorgeous cross which was begging to be finished, Kurtis Guthrie tried to head the ball towards the bottom corner, but the Maidenhead keeper Lumley got a good hand to it, but despite the custodians best effort the ball ended up in the back of the net. City were one up within 9 minutes and Guthrie showed the cockiness and confidence that is possibly needed in a striker with his initially nonchalant then crowd kissing celebrations.

However, Brown had managed to do himself a disservice and himself was replaced by the already carrying a knock Morgan. Therefore with 15 minutes City were 1 up, but had lost two players to injury.

Morgan instantly caused the Maidenhead full back trouble and City had a few more decent chances. The full repetoire of songs were being utilised and we were remembering how good football can be after last seasons never ending tale of misery at TP.

Garner continued his impressive early season form, but given the way his name was sung continually it would have appeared to someone outside the ground as if City were continually on the backfoot and that it was only the Welsh international that were keeping them in it!

On 36 minutes the ball was worked to Morgan, and the Welsh wingman wriggled his way past a couple of defenders and onto the touchline, the crowd expected a cut back along the ground, but instead Morgan dinked a wonderful little chipped cross onto the head of Guthrie who powered in his second goal of the game. 2-0 to City and the half time whistle blew with everyone feeling pretty pleased.

Maidenhead came out after the break revitalised and attacked City as if they felt they could get something from the game, but City were defending manfully and attacking when they could.

Nevertheless, on 73 Maidenhead scored, I was not paying attention having received a phone call, so while fumbling for my phone I missed the goal, from what I know it was scored from a corner (a slight problem for non league is I cannot turn to MOTD or the Football League show to see anything you miss!) Morgan had seemed to pick up another injury, or was perhaps removed as a precaution but City youngster Noah Keats came on in his place.

Keats had an immediate impact, within minutes of coming on the ball dropped to Keats who threaded a wonderful reverse pass through the defence and into Guthrie's path (I initially thought he was offside, but having watched Palmers video highlights he was clearly onside.)

The young front man took a brilliant first touch which fed the ball perfectly into his stride, he then calmly slotted it past the onrushing keeper for a cooly taken goal which sealed his hat-trick on his home debut.

The game finished 3-1 at which point the heavens opened. I stood around under the Popular Side roof waiting for the rain to subside while chatting to fellow stripes, at which point Palmer rang to say he was outside the ground, he said the rain was just "fine rain" and that the floodlights were making it look worse...this was a pure unadulterated lie as it was hammering it down! Thoroughly soaked we retired to The White Horse to discuss what was an excellent opening home game of the season and the incredible impact by Kurtis Guthrie, now bring on the bank holiday double header against Havant and Waterlooville (H) and Dorchester Town (A).

Welling United away

After the depression of last season, it was definitely a change to wake earlier than wanted on a Saturday and actually head out of the house with a mild sense of hope about the upcoming fixture. The fact that it was short sleeves weather at 8am definitely did help to the sense of optimism.

At Bath Spa station, I went to buy the group four saver to Welling, and stumbled across one of the few friendly people at the station, who asked about City's prospects for the season, how he was sad to see us relegated and hoped we had a good season. The four of us alighted and very quickly were disembarking at Paddington, showing that when trains journeys work they can be amazingly good!

The temperature was starting to rise as we got on the tube for the short journey to Charing Cross where we were to change, however, knowing Welling isn't great we got off there and went to The Harp (http://www.harpcoventgarden.com/) which is a quality pub I already knew of and a previous winner of pub of the year.

Great hanging basket, random pram

The pub was pretty full despite the early hour, and on quick inspection we realised it was full of Wrexham fans enroute to Ebbsfleet United. What we hadn't spotted and was about to give me a heart attack was the fact Barrow fans (heading to Woking) were also in the pub, I am standing pint in hand chatting and minding my own business when suddenly a man points at me walks over and states "I know you." My mind races to try and work out how I knew this man and desperately trying to work out if I would have upset him! However, it transpired that I had met him in Barrow two season previously when a few stripes had made a weekend of it. Barrow fans bemoaned the lack of travelling to Twerton as it was an away day they enjoyed and one I will quote as "It was great Bath, you could tell her indoors that we were going to a weekend in Bath, then on the Saturday slip in that a match was going on" Quality bit of deception there!

Beery delight

After a few pints were sunk in the glorious sunshine, leaning against the bizarre outside bar/window part of The Harp, before a BOA exile arrive, before the 5 of us got on the train to Welling. We arrived to heat that is unheard of in this summer, and quickly scurried to a pub where other City fans who had travelled on the coach were sitting. Pleasantries were exchanged before we made the short walk to Park View Road, and paid the £12 entrance fee.

Park View Road is a tidy little ground, with two uncovered ends, but has one of the weirdest little parts I have seen in a ground. Park View Road is shared between Welling United and Erith & Belvedere FC, which means that three quarters of the ground is coloured in Welling's red, and one stand is blue and contains the headquarters of Erith & Belvedere.

Note Erith & Belvedere's blue

City lined up in the 5-3-2 or 3-5-2 (depending on your preference) with 5 (or 6 if you include Adie Harris making his 4th debut) debutants in Danny Ball, Josh Low, Charlie Griffin, Kerry Morgan and Aaron Brown. However, it was left to one of last years new signings Glyn Garner to stop City conceding within a minute, a fierce strike brought the custodian diving to his right and getting a strong hand to it, before getting up and blocking the following shot.

Then on 20 minutes City played a few neat passes in the middle before Aaron Brown collected the ball just inside the City half before driving forward with no Welling defender closing him down, Brown got within 25 yards, and with no City players around him hit a speculative shot towards goal, Welling debutant keeper Tom Mott, had a mare as he went up for it and seemed caught in two minds as to whether catch or punch the shot, instead he did neither and allowed the ball to squirm through his hands and drop into the net. A soft goal but we will take it!

It was bloody hot

The heat was unbelievable and definitely contributed to a slower game than expected. However, after the break Welling crossed the ball and it was nodded back across and the ball fell a few yards out and a sprawling Lafayette prodded the ball home. Welling definitely had the best of the second half, but City stayed resilient and didn't buckle, new signing Kurtis Guthrie came on and looked ok, while youth team player Noah Keats also came on (that's right City actually have a youth player from their development squad!!)

In the dying seconds it was almost all over, when a header meant Garner once again hand to fling himself to his left and pulled off a brilliant save. The game finished 1-1 and for such a newly brought together team, away at last years play off final losers the result was a positive, although City have a lot to thank Garner for.

All in all it was a good first game, and matched the score of Mansfield away last year, however, let's hope for a better season and preferably a few degrees lower!

Bradford Town vs. Portishead

And so on the 4th day of the eight month the year of our Lord two thousand and twelve my football season restarted. Sadly not with a trip to Mansfield away (possibly the only time in history someone has been sad about not going to Mansfield) but with a nice walk downtown to the Western League and Bradford Town.

With City's first game away at Welling not until the 18th, 6 City fans decided that we should go watch Bradford Town again and enjoy some jars. We convened as is usual before Town games at The Three Horseshoes where summer made a fleeting appearance, so some nice Danish Dynamite was sunk sitting in the gorgeous sunshine.

We walked to the Trowbridge Road ground, and in a first directed driving away fans towards the ground. We arrived to a remarkably full ground (well for Western League, the attendance was 78!), paid and entered.

Lovely new shirts

Bradford were looking resplendent in new blue and white shirts (although do Western League teams really need news kits that often!?) The old wooden/asbestos/corrugated iron changing rooms/tea bar is now sadly too knackered to be of use so is now just a boarded up shell, this has been replaced by some giant metal transport containers, and bizarrely some new dugouts.

While on the subject of facilities, we are no closer to finding out what is happening to the Avon club than we were at this point  (It reminds me of Cherynobl)  so who knows what will happen to a small remaining part of Bradford's industrial past.

Bradford started the half brightly and powered towards the Portishead goal, Matty Minis was still the main forward for Bradford but there were a fair few new faces. Towards the middle of the half, the pre-match refreshments caught up with Palmer, who wandered towards the toilets, while he was occupied a distraught Palmer heard a cheer, as a Bradford player slammed the ball home with a brilliant half volley which caught the keeper off guard and nestled into the side netting. The look on Palmers face as he walked back towards the group was worth the entrance fee alone!

Look at the sky, this is August!

The usual half time walk to the shop for a bottle was observed before the second half commenced. Matt Minis limped off for Bradford and they will hope that the injury is not severe. Minis was replaced, and towards the dying seconds of the game, a ball was crossed, the keeper dropped it and the ball was prodded home from 2 yards. 2-0 Bradford and that was how the game finished.

A good opening day victory for the Town and hopefully the men in black and white will replicate this in two weeks time, once again the Western League did not disappoint, and I am grateful that I could start my season with an entertaining game.

Preseason

Finally the train wreck of a football season is fading in memory and like all football fans the crap moments are being forgotten and the brilliant away days, cracking goals and wins (however, occasional) are bathed in the glow of sepia-tinted glory.

The summer has been interesting with European Championships and the Olympics filling the gap better than the normal break, and thankfully given the awful weather has played havoc with the cricket.

City have lost/let go players from last time, mostly to indifference (although Lee Phillips has dropped too low joining Chippenham (and Egan to) while Marley Watkins joining Hereford is a shame, but to be expected) and some new faces have arrived.

The first preseason game was due to be Crystal Palace, who disgracefully for a full time professional, second division outfit pulled out of the game a day before it was due to be played. Pathetic, and a cause of some anger for City, here's hoping for a crap season for the Eagles! Therefore a hastily rearranged game against Odd Down was played, but the main highlight of the preseason was the game against Burnley at Twerton Park.

Preseason games are weird, nothing depends on them, so it can be hard to get interested. However, the club needs money and it's a chance to see some mates, so along I went. We popped into Charlie's and were very surprised by the number of Burnley fans in there. Overall I was very surprised by the number of people who had travelled from North Lancashire a very good effort from them.

City lined up with new signings Danny Ball (Bristol City youngster), Charlie Griffin (Bath born, but every West Country team ever! Only striker signed on so far though...), Josh Low (Chippenham), Adie Harris (again!!!!) and a few trialists including Kerry Morgan and Aaron Brown.

Basically cannot be bothered to write a report, City performed well against a team from 4 divisions higher, but the class eventually showed in a 3-1 victory (really 2-0, as Adie Harris scored from a drop ball that was meant to be passed back to Brian Jensen in goal but looped over him, so we let Burnley score immediately) but was an encouraging run out for the men in black and white. On the trialists we know Kerry Morgan can perform at Conference South level but he wasn't great, while Josh Klein-Davies had no chance to impress, but given the small squad we will have we need to sign them rather than Aaron Brown who was impressive but is a wing back/full back which we don't need.

After the game Palmer seemed to have to burn DVDs for the whole world, so a game of arrows was had, and once again Jim Rollo record appearance holder, legend, captain and all round great bloke proved once again how amazing he is! Sadly less can be said about one of the youth players...however, the season is starting very soon bring on Welling away.