Monday 17th April 2017
Although
I've had this leg of the Easter Groundhop marked as a “must do” since it was
announced over a year ago, it wasn’t until last weekend that I sorted out the
logistics for the trip. I booked myself on the 0708 Transpennine Express train
to Manchester Oxford Road, from where I had a five minute window to catch the
train to Atherton. Everything was going to well until the train got stuck at a
junction outside Piccadilly Station, which meant it arrived at my stop a minute
late for my connection, but luckily that service was also late, so still
arrived at my first game ten minutes before kick off.
I
contacted Consett based Peter Taylor, who I've done groundhops with previously
and he agreed to give me a lift home after the three matches. He was also kind
enough to offer a chauffeur service between games, so a huge thank you to him
for helping me out.
Atherton Collieries 5-1 AFC Darwen
North West Counties League - Premier Division
(1st v 19th) 11am ko.
Atherton Collieries
The
Colls founded in 1916
Joined
Bolton Combination in 1919, winning the first of ten league titles in their
debut season.
Also had
spells in the Lancashire Alliance, West Lancashire League and the Lancashire
Combination.
Cheshire
League 1978-1982
Founder
members of the NWCL in 1982
Division
3 champions 1986-87
Division
2 runners-up 1995-96
Promoted
to Premier as Division 1 champions in 2014-15
League
Cup winners 2015-16
562. Alder House
Capacity 2,500
The club have played at Alder House ground since their
formation, which now has the sponsorship name of The Kensite Stadium. The
entrance is in the corner of the ground, where there is a seated stand between
the turnstiles and the dugouts. Opposite is the clubhouse, tea bar and a small
seated stand next to a covered standing enclosure. Behind the top goal is the
changing rooms, with the bottom end open to the elements.
The floodlights were installed in 1994 with the
original old stand demolished in 2007.
The Colls took another step towards the Premier Division title with a 5-1 demolishing of AFC Darwen. They took an early lead courtesy of an own goal from Jamie Edwards, before Jordan Cover converted a spot kick on twenty minutes. Vincent Bailey made it 3-0 early in the second half, then two goals in five minutes from Cover including another successful penalty, saw the number nine complete his hat-trick. Nicholas Hepple grabbed a consolation goal for the visitors, as the leaders are now just one win away from becoming champions.
West Didsbury & Chorlton 3-1 Congleton Town
North West Counties League - Premier Division
(10th v 16th) 2.45pm ko
Founded
in 1908 as Christ Church and joined Manchester Alliance League
Changed
name to West Didsbury and joined Lancashire & Cheshire League in 1920
League
runners-up in 1922-23 1931-32.
Division
3 winners 1987-88 Division 2 winners 1988-89
Rhodes
Cup winners 1927, 1970
In 2003
changed name to West Didsbury & Chorlton
Manchester
League 2006-2012 - Division One champions 2010-11
Joined
NWCL Division One in 2012-13, winning promotion to its Premier Division in
their debut season.
563. Brookburn Road
Capacity
1,000
West
moved from the Christie Playing Fields to Brookburn Road in Chorlton in 1997.
The ground is tucked away in a housing estate, dominated by the large clubhouse
and changing room block at the far goal. There is a few seats at the front of
the building with a small covered seated section named the Rob Turley Stand
next to it. There is some cover at the entrance goal with the rest of the
ground open on both sides.
Maine Road 2-2 Abbey Hey
North West Counties League - Premier Division
(14th v 12th) 5.45pm ko
Maine Road FC
Founded
in 1955 as City Supporters Rusholme
Played
Sunday League football and became Maine Road FC in the late sixties when they
moved their HQ to the Maine Road Social Club.
Switched
to Saturday football in 1972, winning the Manchester League Premier Division
four seasons running between 1983 and 1987.
Joined
NWCL Division Two in 1987 - champions in 1989-90
Premier
League runners-up 2012-13
League
Cup winners 2008
564. Brantingham Road
Capacity
2,000
After
playing at various grounds in Withington, Stockport, Newton Heath and Flixton,
the club moved to Brantingham Road in Chorlton in 1980. The ground is decked
out in sky blue and has a covered enclosure down one side filling with a couple
of rows of wooden benches. On the dugout side is a covered standing area, with
open hard standing behind each goal. The spacious clubhouses bar has church
seats, so you literally take a pew when you sit down for a drink.
Afterwards,
Peter didn't spare the horses, getting me back home at 10.15pm, after an
enjoyable but tiring day. My personal highlights throughout the day was the
'Spoons in Chorlton, the drunken crack from Dickie Bysouth and the gorgeous
barmaid in the clubhouse at Maine Road.
Matchday Stats
ACFC 5
(Edwards OG4 Cover 20pen, 66, 76pen Bailey 49)
AFCD 1
(Helpless 80)
Att.478
WD&CAFC
3 (Bayuno 72 Henderson 90+1 Gomes 90+4)
CTFC 1
(Gardner 84)
Att.332
MRFC 2
(Morgan 18,51)
AHFC 2
(Cook 62 Blake 79)
Att.259
Spondoolicks
Admission
£5 each game
Programmes:
£1.50 each and £2 at West
Pin
badges: £3 and £2.50 at Maine Road.
No comments:
Post a Comment