Kensington Dragons Blues
Wormwood Scrubs Open Space
Off Artillery Lane
Du Cane Rd
London
W12 0DF
Ground Number: 1383
Saturday 18th January 2025
Saturday 18th January 2025
Kensington Dragons Blues 0-3 Wiseman West
Middlesex County League Russell Grant Division 2
Middlesex County League Russell Grant Division 2
WORMWOOD SCRUBS HISTORY
The two teams I ended up watching unintentionally were Kensington Dragons Blues and Wiseman West. The hosts were the second-string side of Kensington Dragons of the Middlesex County Premier. They joined the Middlesex County League Division 2 in 2021 after a spell in the Saturday Combination. The division has been named after astrologer and Middlesex football fan Russell Grant for the past two seasons and sits at step 9 of non-league or level 13 English Football overall. They finished 8th in their debut season before finishing bottom in 2023. Last season they had their best ever finish of 5th. Wiseman West FC was established in 2018 and plays at Cranford Community College. They've been in this division for two seasons and achieved two 6th-place finishes following a season in the Jeff Nardon Division and a few in the Saturday Combination.
Wormwood Scrubs, known locally as The Scrubs (or simply Scrubs), is an open space in Old Oak Common located in the north-eastern corner of the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham in west London. It is the largest open space in the borough, at 170 acres, and one of the largest areas of common in London. The eastern part, Little Wormwood Scrubs, is cut off by Scrubs Lane and the West London Line railway. It has been an open public space since the Wormwood Scrubs Act 1879. The southern edge of the Scrubs is the site of two locally important institutions. HM Prison Wormwood Scrubs is built between 1875 and 1891 by convict labour at the western end. To the east of the prison is the Hammersmith Hospital campus, which includes the relocated Queen Charlotte's and Chelsea Hospital. Several sports facilities are within the area, including the Linford Christie Stadium, tens of football pitches, and a pony centre. Queens Park Rangers Football Club played on Wormwood Scrubs between 1893 and 1896.
MY VISIT
For this weekend, Kensington Dragons was always going to be the favourite contender. After the mammoth trip to Mousehole last Saturday, I wanted to make sure I was back home fairly early, certainly by 9 PM. As well as wanting not to suffer a tired Sunday, I wanted to go to Hartpury University v Fareham Town in the FA Vase in the afternoon, although it would be tight for time. Kensington Dragons was ideal, I'd already put a lot of work into my blog for a weather-sabotaged visit on 21st December. On that day, I decided to go to Padbury Village to complete the Spartan South Midlands League and had a good day. Backup contenders were Camden & Islington United v Shepherds Bush at Hackney Marshes or Kulture v AS Rapid Londra should a 3G pitch be needed. I'd already planned the day back in December with three Wetherspoons available to tick. Funnily enough, the fixture - Kensington Dragons v Camden United was exactly the same game as I had originally intended on going to. Thinking back, with the game being pulled on Thursday when it was scheduled on the Saturday before Christmas, it was more likely to be a mutual agreement to not play with players having family commitments. The Middlesex League had been very flaky towards the end of last season with several games not played, but as long as good notice is given, it's fine. And as I was to find out, the Middlesex County League throws up some surprises.
It was a long way back from my game at Mousehole on Saturday. They were a nice, friendly club and sent us on our way with a box of cakes and pasties. We left at 6 and then had half an hour at Exeter services. After various drop-offs, we eventually got back to Thatcham at 11.55. Once I'd defrosted the car properly, it was not until midnight that I got away, getting home at 1.05. It took me a while to drop off so I only got two hours sleep before my 4 am alarm. The busiest Sunday in a while at work was survived, although I was flagging near the end of my shift. I caught up with a few hours of sleep in the afternoon which had a knock-on effect of being wide awake until midnight on Sunday. Wycombe had battled through it in the FA Cup against Portsmouth and as usual, were awarded with a mediocre draw in the FA Cup 4th Round - either Charlton Athletic or Preston North End away. It's disappointing in a footballing sense and utterly woeful if we get divisional rivals Charlton. I wouldn't mind a revisit to Preston though. Talking of there, I made my first steps towards booking my North West trip for the groundhop weekend, booking cancellable rooms in Preston and Stockport. There are only two grounds I need on the weekend but they have fallen kindly for me being the early games on Saturday and Sunday. I'll also get the chance to tick off Euxton Villa on Friday night as I could not make the Sunday of last year's hop due to work.
Monday brought frustration when trying to plan a trip abroad for my one remaining weekend off in March. I'd fancied Croatia but flight times did not work out with the kickoffs being at 15:30. Either I couldn't get to Stansted Airport in time (I could drive, but there was no guarantee I'd be coming back to Stansted) or the flight times left things too tight at the other end. The Dublin flights were also showing as far higher prices than usual, though it shows how accustomed to cheap flights I've become that £40 seems overpriced. It was cheap compared to some of the hotels I was looking at for the South West Hop over Easter with many places already booked up over four months in advance. There was also strong talk of Wycombe Wanderers manager Matt Bloomfield being poached by Luton Town. As with when Gareth Ainsworth was 'stolen' by QPR, despite not seeming much of a step up, it happened. Mr Ainsworth found out that the grass wasn't greener on the other side and was sacked within nine months, however, there seems to be a bit more sanity at Luton than the basket case at QPR. On Tuesday morning, I took advantage of the Great British Rail Sale to book tickets for the North West Counties Hop - £21.50 up to Preston on Friday and £6.65 back from Manchester on Sunday, plus a trip to Birmingham for a tenner return on 15th February. I did my usual walk down Wycombe when Bloomfield to Luton was confirmed. The club released a pretty shabby and cold statement and it looks as if he was nudged out of the door so the new ownership could bring their own team in.
The day of the game comes and I wake well before my alarm after about five hours of sleep. I get ready and have a bath before getting dressed. Normally, I'd get the bus to the station, but instead opt to drive. Since the government put the prices of buses up to £3 a journey, it's now around twice the price of driving. Before the difference was marginal and I didn't mind. I decided to axe the Wetherspoons' visit after and stick to just a couple before the game. The train is still the best way to go into London though and so I am for the 10:11 Chiltern from Amersham. After parking, it arrives as scheduled and I'm on my way. I've taken the option to travel light and do my blog when I get home. I take the time to book the August Bank Holiday off as a Groundhop event in the West Lancashire League was announced recently. It's a long shot, even over eight months in advance, as parents tend to take precedence. The Underground is not in as good form as I hoped and so I arrive into Acton ten minutes late. It's a pleasant but chilly walk to my first Wetherspoons of the day, The Red Lion and Pineapple.
This distinctive building takes its name from two older pubs which were demolished during Acton Tram Depot’s construction. They were replaced on an adjacent site by a new establishment called The Red Lion and Pineapple. Built for horse-drawn trams, in 1895, the depot was later used by electric trams, then trolleybuses, closing in 1937. By 1990, the depot reopened as a bus garage. It closed in 2008 and was replaced by a block of flats. It's a pleasant place for a pint and is nicely kept, though no boxed ciders sadly. I stay here for around half an hour before heading to my next stop. The original plan was to head to Shepherds Bush but Ealing, which was the destination I'd sacked off post-match was only just over a mile's walk so I headed there.
The Sir Michael Balcon is an excellent place, a Shawarma Wrap, chips and a pint of Black Dragon are just £6.88. Outside of cider regions, this is peak Wetherspoons with the food piping hot and service excellent. Dating from 1902, Ealing Studios ‘can claim to be the oldest film studio in the world’. It enjoyed a golden era under the leadership of Sir Michael Balcon, whose much-loved ‘Ealing comedies’ began in 1947. They included The Ladykillers, The Lavender Hill Mob and Passport to Pimlico. These premises are now named after him. They were built in the late 19th century and, for much of the period since then, had been Bryant’s furniture store. A pleasant half hour is spent here before I head off. Ealing Broadway appears to have plenty to offer in terms of food and drink but a proper explore is postponed as I have a game to get to. Four stops on the Central Line gets me to East Acton and I wonder if I got my Spoons the wrong way around. Either way, it's been a good day so far. A surprisingly quiet walk gets me to the Linford Christie Stadium, half an hour before kickoff. It appears as if the game will be played in the stadium itself as opposed to an outside pitch as I recognise the Camden United kit from seeing them play at Kodak Harrow a month or so ago. Confusion reigns as I am misinformed that the game is being played on pitch 4 as per the league website.
It might be needed for the backup as the second kit related cock up of the season ensues with a colour clash issue. Luckily, the referee is accommodating and wants to get the game played. We kick off 20 minutes late with Kensington wearing high-vis bibs. It turns out later that I was misinformed by two people and I'm actually at Kensington Dragons Blues v Wiseman West, a venue listed as Wormwood Scrubs Park on Futbology. Annoying but at least I get a game and a amusing story as the game is held up by an escaped parrot. The game itself is less entertaining, scrappy and 0-0 at the break. Wiseman West come out the brighter side and they took the lead ten minutes into the second half, outpacing the defence by finishing with a low shot. It opens up the game and soon after, they miss a golden opportunity to lead 2-0. They also had a shot cleared off the line with ten minutes to go. Kensington Dragons Blues had plenty of possession but did nothing with it. Wiseman West doubled their lead with a smart finish a few minutes from time and made it 3-0 a minute later.
That was how it finished and despite it not being quite the day I intended, I enjoyed it. These things happen in groundhopping and it wasn't as if I didn't see a game. A great photo opportunity had dropped into my lap completely by accident. I put the Wycombe game on my phone and walked the half hour to Willesden Junction Station. Wycombe led 1-0 as I was on my way but as I got to a platform full of chaos and delays, Mansfield equalised. Most of the journey was overground and so I was able to watch Garath McCleary bundle home what looked to be a late winner. It was, despite ten minutes of injury time. I managed to get my skates on, the Bakerloo to Kenton, a walk to Northwick Park, one stop up to Harrow On The Hill and then the Chiltern got me back to Amersham for 5.30. It is then a short drive home with me getting in just before 6. I am disappointed to have missed out on a cracking 4-4 draw for my intended, but what was done was done and I'd still had a good day.
THE GROUND
WORMWOOD SCRUBS PARK is a huge area with many pitches, a bit like Hackney Marshes. It's a nice but basic place to watch a game. It is well linked with several tube stations, the nearest being East Acton. There's a reasonable amount of parking too, like the changing rooms this is shared with the Linford Christie Stadium.
No comments:
Post a Comment