Saturday, 13 April 2024

Sikh Hunters FC - Long Lane Park


Sikh Hunters FC
Huxley Logistics Stadium
Long Lane Park
Long Lane
Essington
Wolverhampton 
WV11 2AA








Ground Number: 1296
Saturday 13th April 2024
Sikh Hunters 3-3 Dudley Sports
West Midlands (Regional) League D1








SIKH HUNTERS FC - A BRIEF HISTORY

The club was established in 1964 and they were the UK's first-ever all-Sikh team. Sikh Hunters F.C. was the brainchild of its three founder members, Bagicha Singh, Kernail Singh and Mohinder Singh, three lads who had previously had the honour of playing for ‘Punjab Select’ back in India, and were eager to put their expertise and knowledge to the local soccer scene after moving to the local area. They marked their arrival with a friendly against Walsall FC supporters club and started out in Sunday football. They eventually moved into Saturday football, but information on them is quite sparse. In the early eighties, Sikh Hunters became members of the Bloxwich Combination League, winning Division 1 in 1985. In the 1990s, they played in the Staffordshire County League winning Division 1 and finishing as runners-up in the Premier Division. When that league ceased to exist, Sikh Hunters joined the West Midlands (Regional) League in 1995, finishing bottom of Division 1 in their debut season. Once the divisions were split into regional leagues, results improved. In 2000 Sikh Hunters finished 4th in Division 1 South but they left the league for the Wolverhampton Combination from 2004 until 2011. Upon their return, they were placed in Division 2 where they were champions in 2018, losing just once all season. They have been in Division 1 ever since.


Local cup wins include the Wernwick Cup in 2005 and the Wolverhampton Combination Premier Cup in 2010. After playing at Aston University, the club moved to Long Lane in Essington, Wolverhampton. Or is it Newtown, Walsall, Bloxwich, Wyreley or Springhill as it appears to be in a bit of geographical no man's land. In either case, it is located near Walsall FC's training ground and Wyreley Juniors FC. Indeed, the ground was once home to Wyreley Rangers FC. They played in the WMRL and existed as a club from 1988 until 2005. Along with a collection of villages, the population is around 5,000. The most famous person from the area is Meera Syal, the actress and writer whose most famous work includes writing and starring in the sitcom 'Goodness Gracious Me'.

MY VISIT 

This game was decided on Wednesday before I headed to Wycombe Wanderers v Derby. Colin offered to join me, so I had use of his disabled rail card. Various engineering works limited value for money but eventually, I found a good deal to go to Sikh Hunters v Dudley Sports. The fare was pretty good value as it was even without the discount, so it was a no-brainer to go. It was one of many hops to be ruined by the weather so I had most of the blog done. I think it was two attempts in what had been a wet year. I saw that I'd originally intended to visit on Tuesday 21st March 2023 for their game against Tipton Town. Everything was planned, including a new Wetherspoons in Perry Barr and the public transport worked out. The only potential issue was the pitch as it had games called off regularly. It had been dry and warm for days though, but I planned a backup just in case. Wyreley FC v Tipton Town was perfect, just across the road from Sikh Hunters, plus there was Warstones Wanderers further afield.


I met Colin on Wednesday, before the Wycombe Wanderers v Derby County game. A couple of pints at the Rose and Crown were enjoyed. I was hoping for a curry, but owing to Eid, half of Wycombe was shut down. I had to settle for a pizza from one of the few open places. The game was 0-0, but was better than it sounds, Wycombe gaining a decent point against a lacklustre Derby side. Thursday and Friday were busy at work but not too bad. Even so, I was looking forward to the weekend. To try and solve my laptop battery issues, I purchased a Chromebook online from Cash Converters for under £60. I'm perfectly happy with the one I already have aside from the battery, so it seemed a good move. I finalised my research for the game on the evening before, slightly disappointed that neither club were the greatest on social media. It was a fairly early night and I awoke around half an hour before my 7.15 alarm. 
After getting up and getting ready, I had some porridge for breakfast and left at 8. I listened to a few podcasts and it was a pleasant stroll with me getting to the station at 9.10. Colin was cutting it fine, arriving ten minutes later. As ever, he was disorganized, having left his wallet and disabled railcard at home. This wasn't a disaster but it did mean that a bargain rail fare turned into a reasonably priced one, a diffence of £11. The train was on time and quiet enough that we got a table and seats to ourselves. It would have been a peaceful journey too had it not been for a French woman called Francesca spending the whole journey rabbiting into her Galaxy A32, coughing and sniffing. Écume publique! We were at Birmingham at 11.05 with plenty of time to transfer to New Street. However, Colin who had been irritating all morning insisted on dawdling at WH Smith and McDonalds and refused to accompany me. I had to leave him and run to New Street, making the train by the skin of my teeth. I arrived at Perry Barr at 11.45 and walked to the Wetherspoons across the road. I got a call from Colin at that time and as he was unable to follow simple instructions as to how to get to Perry Barr, I had to stick to a single pint and chicken wings. Cracking value at £9 including a pint of Black Dragon.
I guess it's one way of cutting down drinking but I had to get the 12.21 back towards Birmingham despite Colin having a good knowledge of the rail system and Google Maps on his phone. Never without drama when I have a day out with him but I couldn't leave him stranded. I was back at Birmingham at 12.35 and maybe if it had been someone else, we could have got the 12.45, though Google Maps could shoulder some of the blame for directing us to the wrong platform. I was glad to see Colin anyway because as much of a pain he is he's also a good chap. He does appear drunk a lot of the time though and I assume that after a few drinks, he might become sober, the opposite to most of us. He'd stood rooted to the spot for an hour but we got the 13:15 train with plenty of time to spare. As it happened, we would be arriving at Bloxwich North at exactly the same time as originally intended, though in my case, a pint light. We were at our destination by 13.45 and it was a lovely walk along the Wyrley and Essington Canal for half an hour or so. It happened that we walked past our backup game at Wyrley en route. We were at the ground at 2.20, popping in the bar for a pint of Strongbow before the game. It was a fiver to get in for me and after having a walk around, I settled down in the stand. Fellow hopper Daniel was quite near, getting a free lift on the AFC Sudbury team coach to Bromsgrove Sporting, a great ground. I sent him £2 to pick me up a plastic cup as they looked decent. 

Both sides were not having the greatest of seasons, sitting 13th and 14th respectively. Sikh Hunters did have seven games in hand on their opponents though and appeared to be having real issues with the weather throughout the season. The hosts were in mixed form. Their last three league games had seen a 3-1 defeat to Gornal Colts, The same could be said for Dudley Sports who had drawn 1-1 at Telford Town last time out. Dudley Sports dominated and they took the lead on 11 minutes, Carl Whyte converting a penalty awarded for a trip. Not that Colin knew as he was fast asleep. The Sikh Hunters keeper produced a great double save to prevent the visitors from doubling their lead. Sikh Hunters soon came back into it, a couple of smart moves later and they were level on 20 minutes, finishing with a low shot from 15 yards following a good move. Dudley Sports retook the lead on 62 minutes, James Westwood capitalising on some sloppy defending for a low finish. Another good save prevented them from making it 2-1, a ball across to the right flank was drilled home from the edge of the area for the equaliser. Sikh Hunters had the better of the game from there on. They took the lead on 89 minutes to make it 3-2, a good ball forward found a player who curled home from the edge of the area. It looked as if that was that but deep into injury time Whyte got his second for Dudley from the spot and it was 3-3. 

It was a disputed decision and the referee showed the red card to a player in the aftermath. I'd got all three of the Dudley goals but none of the Sikh Hunters ones. It was nothing deliberate, just the result of all three of their goals being from set pieces.We made tracks, with us in a good mood as Wycombe Wanderers had won 2-0 at Shrewsbury Town. My bets had gone less well, but at least I cashed out some of my acca before Wigan got a late winner at Lincoln City. We were back at the station just before 5.30. The plan was to get the 5.41 to Birmingham and then make our way across town to be back in Wycombe at 8.20. You never can tell with Colin though who had slept through most of the game. There were plenty of people heading out for Saturday night on the town. There was a sign warning people not to loiter, but I thought that's what a Brummie lit his cigarette with. 

THE GROUND 

LONG LANE PARK is an excellent venue for step 7 with a stand holding just under 100 which offers excellent views of the action. The rest of the ground is open with mainly grass for standing. The bar has a reasonable range of drinks and rolls but no hot food that I could see. There is a decent amount of parking, the ground is around half an hour walk from Bloxwich North station which takes in a pleasant canal walk. 
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