AFC Aldermaston - AWE Recreational Society

AFC Aldermaston
AWE (West Gate Entrance)
Aldermaston Road
Aldermaston
Berkshire
RG7 4PR

Official Website
Twitter

Ground Number: 745
Tuesday 28th November 2017
AFC Aldermaston 4-3 Milton United
Hellenic D1 East




AFC ALDERMASTON - A BRIEF HISTORY

The club was formed in 1952 and were nicknamed 'The Atom Men' or 'The Atomics' due to them being based at the Atomic Weapons Research Establishment. They were known as AWRE FC up until the early 70s and have played in local leagues for most of their history. Spells in the more well-established leagues started with a spell in the Hellenic D1 where finishes ranged from 7th in their debut season of 1979/80 to 16th in 1985/86 when they left the league after finishing bottom. Spells in various Hampshire leagues followed - at the turn of the century, reorganisation saw Aldermaston placed in the Hampshire Premier. They struggled with the two division step up and in 2004 joined the Wessex League. Fortunes were mixed here with a 14th placed finish in Division 1 being their best finish in 2009. The following year was a disaster, with them losing a record 40 consecutive games, unsurprisingly being relegated back to the Hampshire League after winning one game all season. There then followed a series of mid-table finishes, with Aldermaston switching to the Thames Valley Premier League in 2014. Following a 7th placed finish in 2016, they made the step back up to the Hellenic Division 1 East. Their second debut last season saw a credible 7th placed finish, both their best finish in the Hellenic League and in the current football pyramid. This season sees them sitting third-bottom in 12th place, although they have a few games in hand on other teams around them and stand a good chance of a result against second-bottom Milton United.

AFC Aldermaston made their FA Vase bow this season but went out at the first hurdle after losing 3-2 at home to Romsey Town in a 1st Qualifying Round tie. The club has had no players that have gone on to greater things, but their groundsman used to be Eddie Seaward who left to join the All England Lawn Tennis Club in 1990 and won an OBE in 2007 for 'Services To Sport'




MY VISIT

Once more, fellow groundhopper Anwar was unavailable as he was skint, so I was on my own. I didn't mind, however, as there was a fairly local option at AFC Aldermaston and I'd been looking to keep the mileage down anyway. The weather was looking chilly again, with temperatures forecast at 3 degrees. Just in case, I had Basingstoke as a backup should I suffer a late postponement although with me trying to keep costs down, the £12 entry wasn’t ideal. I certainly wouldn’t mind visiting again though, before it goes at the end of the season, but I’d rather save it for a bigger game. On the day of the game, I woke at 6.30 am, though that wasn't too much of a problem as I'd gone to bed at 10.30 and am usually up at 4 for work. I did my usual 4-mile walk down town, having lunch and getting a lift back with my Dad. I spent the afternoon at home, having steak and chips before leaving at 6.10. It was a good journey over and the Two Mikes podcast kept me company for the hour journey. I followed another car into the sports complex, sitting in the car park for 10 minutes before going in.



I was given a nice welcome at the gate, paying an excellently priced £4 including programme to get in. After getting some pictures of the basic but well kept ground, I went and stood on the elevated pavilion balcony to watch the game. The game started at a good pace with AFC Aldermaston well on top and they forced a corner and an excellent save from Milton keeper Craig Griffiths in the opening few minutes. The visitors had some chances of their own, although mainly on the break, even having a shot cleared off the line. The story of the opening half hour tended to be a lack of quality in the final third though. Milton opened the scoring on 34 minutes thanks to Joe Morgan's excellent right-footed volley from the edge of the area. A couple of minutes before halftime, the hosts got a deserved equaliser, Craig Masterton heading home a Luke Mitchell corner. However, their joy was short-lived as Milton retook the lead in the last minute of the half, Jordan Goddard netting from close range after good work down the right.



Aldermaston looked to change things at halftime with a double substitution. They were rewarded on 50 minutes when Callum Easton drilled home from the edge of the area, his shot finding the bottom left-hand corner. They nearly took the lead soon after when an excellent 30-yard dipping shot was tipped over the bar by Griffiths. It eventually was 3-2 on 65 minutes, a curling shot by Masterton into the roof of the net giving the hosts the lead.  On 76 minutes Masterton completed his hat trick, making it 4-2 with another shot into the roof of the net to seemingly end the game as a contest. However, Milton United staged a late rally, pulling a penalty back after a foul just inside the area on 78 minutes. Despite having a shot cleared off the line, the visitors couldn't find the equaliser. 

I’d briefly checked the bar at halftime, though didn’t buy anything. After the game, I said goodbye to Vinny and another hopper who had been good company during an exciting game. I left at 9.40, listening to the football results and reports coming in on the way home. I got in at 10.30, but couldn't get to sleep until 12, not ideal with me being up 4 hours later. I had a decision to make for my next game on Saturday, the eventual winner being Tiverton Town v Kings Langley, aided by the fact that I could travel on the away team's coach for a tenner, a real bargain with the train fare being ludicrously expensive.



THE GROUND

AWE RECREATIONAL SOCIETY or the 'REC SOC' for short is one of the most basic venues at step 6 as it has no cover or seating. It's not without its charm though and is a well kept and pleasant place to watch football. The best viewing can be had from the pavilion staircase, this is well elevated and provides a great view of the action. There's a basic tea bar in this pavilion, serving hot drinks and snacks. Outside is a bar, part of the Atomic Weapons Research Establishment, this is pretty decent, with a choice of real ales and proper meals, plus Strongbow for cider drinkers. There's plenty of parking, although it seems a fair way from the town or any other establishments.  

SCORES ON THE DOORS

1: Ground facilities & condition (for the level)
Basic, but well kept (4)

2: Area around the ground (parking, food/drink, public transport)
Plenty of parking, but a bit isolated (4)

3: Welcome / Club Friendliness
A good welcome from all I spoke to (7)

4: Value for money
£4 including programme was excellent value (9)

5: Social Media & Website
Both were of a decent standard (7)

6: Programme
A decent effort for a freebie, well presented and had all the facts (7) 

7: Game entertainment
An excellent contest that kept up a good pace all night (8)

8: Tea Bar
Basic, but served its purpose on a cold night (5)

9: Bar / Clubhouse
A smart venue with a proper menu (8)

10: Club Shop
N/A

TOTAL SCORE OUT OF A POSSIBLE 90: 61
AVERAGE SCORE: 6.77

GROUND PHOTOS

Whitchurch United - Longmeadow Sports Centre

Whitchurch United

Longmeadow Sports Centre

Winchester Road

Whitchurch

Hampshire

RG28 7RB

Official Website

Twitter

Ground Number: 744
Friday 24th November 2017
Whitchurch United 2-3 Andover New Street
Wessex League D1





WHITCHURCH UNITED - A BRIEF HISTORY

The club was formed in 1903 when two local clubs - Whitchurch Rovers and Whitchurch Albion merged. They played in local leagues up until 1958 when they joined the Hampshire League. Several unremarkable seasons were spent here, until a change of fortunes in 1990 when they the Division 2 championship. They coped with the step up well and after a 4th placed finish in 1991, 3rd place was deemed good enough for promotion to the Wessex League the following year. Aside from 1994/95, when they dropped back down to the Hampshire League, they've remained there ever since. Whilst the Wessex League was a singular division, Whitchurch found success hard to come by, with the best finish coming in 1996 when they finished 13th. There were also three bottom-placed finishes and the third of these resulted in relegation to the newly formed Division 2 in 2004. A further relegation followed two years later although this was negated by the Wessex League cutting back to two divisions the following year. Gradually, results improved and in 2013, Whitchurch finished as runners-up behind Brockenhurst, winning promotion to the Wessex Premier in the process. Four seasons were spent in the higher division, with a best-ever finish of 6th in 2015. At the end of last season, the club was relegated after finishing second-bottom. This season, Whitchurch have started steadily, sitting in 12th at the start of the game, whereas visitors Andover New Street, were top.

A number of campaigns have been enjoyed in the FA Cup, with the best run coming in 2011 when they beat Bemerton Heath Harlequins, Brading Town & Brockenhurst before a 2-0 defeat at home to Gloucester City in the 2nd Qualifying Round. Success has been a little harder to find in the FA Vase, with two 1st round appearances in 2003 and 2015. Whitchurch United have also been runners-up in the Andover League Open Cup and the North Hants Senior Cup, both in 2013.



MY VISIT

For the first time since June in the midweek before the game, I'd be without a game. I'd texted fellow hopper Anwar with a list of 7 options, most of them fairly close, but he turned them down, citing lack of funds. I looked at games to the south, but with the nearest unvisited or not recently visited ground being 75 miles away in AFC Stoneham, I decided not to bother. Instead, I stayed in and watched a good night of TV and got to sleep at 10.30 which was very welcome. It was a disappointing night on the football front though, with me losing a fiver on football bets and Wycombe succumbing to a 1-0 defeat up at Accrington Stanley. The whole reason for holding back was an upcoming game on Friday night. It was further away that I'd have liked as a driver at 60 miles each way, especially as I was on my own. That said, it was still my closest Wessex League team and one of my closest unvisited grounds, it was just a shame that I couldn't do it on the train.



It was a tiring day at work on the day of the game and so after getting home just before 2 after a 9-hour shift, I was glad of a few hours rest to catch up with things. I left at 5, stopping at Morrisons in Wycombe on the way to pick up various items - including a decent 'Black Friday' deal of 10 Litres of Old Rosie cider for £15. I was looking forward to a chilled pint of it once I got home after a hard week at work. it being a cold one, I made sure I set my Twitter to warn me of any tweets that the game might be off, though the club had been confident earlier of it going ahead. It was going to be 3 degrees at kick off, according to the forecast and I was hoping that it wasn't going to be a case of 'When will I see you again?' if I suffered a postponement. Getting out of Morrisons was a pain, with it taking 20 minutes due to congestion. There was then a further ten minutes getting out of Wycombe. Another half hour delay on the M4 meant that it was a typical Friday evening on the roads. I got to the ground at 7.25, paying £6 to get in, plus £1 for a programme. After getting a decent portion of chips for £1, I walked around the ground getting pictures before picking a spot near the halfway line to watch the game from before it kicked off.



The game started fairly equally, with half chances for both, but not too much quality in the final third.  Andover New Street scrambled the ball home, but the 'goal' was ruled out for offside. On 24 minutes Whitchurch United took the lead when Luke Neller capitalised on good work down the left when he lobbed home keeper Josh Cotton from around 12 yards. A couple of minutes later, Andover New Street drew level, this time it was Shane Lock heading home a corner. The score remained the at until halftime, with the visitors having the better of proceedings. They took the lead on 52 minutes when Craig Blakeman's cross from the left deceived the keeper and went in. Andover New Street extended their lead on 67 minutes when Casson Spencer chased down a defensive clearance and netted from the edge of the area. With the game looking safe, Whitchurch United staged a late rally. Tauren Maunders' cross-cum-shot from the right caught visiting keeper Dave Tasker out of position and set up a tense finish. Despite a couple of chances, the hosts couldn't find an equaliser and in the end, the visitors for the win that they deserved.
The game had quite a bit of stoppage time and it wasn't until 9.50 that I got away. The game had been a decent contest and the Friday night football had drawn a decent crowd. Despite the frozen conditions, 123 fans had turned up, including several hoppers. Once again, it proved that Friday night football was a crowd puller, as it was well up on the previous best attendance of 57. It's a mystery why more clubs don't give it a go, especially those who groundshare or get low attendances. There was only one downside and that was that they fanny around with the roads at weekend and with a big stretch of the M4 closed, a considerable amount of time and mileage was added to my journey. I had to go back via the M4 to Reading and then get the M4 back home from there. I eventually got in at 11.20 and started typing my blog whilst catching up on YouTube videos. I stayed up until 1 am, after a couple of pints of Old Rosie I dropped off pretty quickly but didn't have the best night's sleep.



THE GROUND

LONGMEADOW is a pretty standard step 6 ground. There is a spacious stand, this seats 200 on benches. The leg room is good and the views reasonable despite supporting pillars. Aside this is a covered area of flat standing that could hold around another 100. The rest of the ground is open flat standing. The bar is fairly standard, it has Thatchers Gold on tap, though I didn't indulge so I don't know the prices. The tea bar was good, with a decent selection and the chips were well cooked and good value at £1. There's a decent sized car park at the ground, as well as local street parking.

SCORES ON THE DOORS

1: Ground facilities & condition (for the level)
Fairly decent ground for the level (6)

2: Area around the ground (parking, food/drink, public transport)
A decent amount of parking, town is 10 minutes walk (5)

3: Welcome / Club Friendliness
A nice welcome from all (7)

4: Value for money
£6 was slightly above average, but not unreasonable (6)

5: Social Media & Website
A good Twitter and reasonable website (7)

6: Programme
A fair bit to read and only £1 (7)

7: Game entertainment
An enjoyable contest (7)

8: Tea Bar
A decent selection at fair prices (7)

9: Bar / Clubhouse
Fairly standard - has sports TV (6)

10: Club Shop
N/A (-)

TOTAL SCORE OUT OF A POSSIBLE 90: 58
AVERAGE SCORE: 6.44

GROUND PHOTOS

FC Elmstead - The Dale

FC Elmstead

(groundshare with Holmesdale FC)

The Dale

7 Oakley Road

Bromley

Kent

BR2 8HQ

Official Website

Twitter

Ground Number: 743
Friday 17th November 2017
FC Elmstead 1-3 K Sports
SCEL D1





FC ELMSTEAD - A BRIEF HISTORY

The club was founded in 1958 as Elmstead Rovers, changing their name to the present one in 1964. After starting out as a Sunday League side, they progressed to local Saturday football. The club has progressed greatly in recent years. After joining the Kent County in 2013, they enjoyed two promotions in a row. Firstly in 2013/14, they finished as runners-up to Stansfield OBC Reserves in Division 3 West and then again to the same team in Division 2 West in 2014/15. In 2015 they joined the Kent Invicta League. This was rebranded as the Southern Counties East League Division 1 the following season and FC Elmstead have posted two 11th place finishes so far. This season, they have improved greatly and are in 4th place prior to tonight's game.

FC Elmstead have not yet entered the FA Cup, but they do have a couple of years FA Vase experience under their belt. They made their best progress last season - beating Southwick and AFC Uckfield before losing to Sporting Club Thamesmead in the 1st Round. The most famous player to play for FC Elmstead is defender Colin Foster - he went on to play for Nottingham Forest, West Ham United, Leyton Orient & Watford. The club have been based in Chislehurst and Coney Hall in the past, but currently groundshare at Holmesdale FC in Bromley



MY VISIT

I always enjoy a bit of Friday night football but had been unable to find any for around a month. What with the weather getting worse, the choice was limited, so I was glad when FC Elmstead announced a home game on this Friday. It had the bonus of being doable on the train, meaning that I'd be able to leave my car at the station and use the train for the most part. The only drawback was that the ground was a couple of miles away from the station, but at least buses were fairly regular.  After checking the weather earlier in the week, I spent the latter half looking forward to the game but was unsure whether to stop in central London en route or go straight to Bromley. On the day of the game, it was a busy day at work, and I didn't get out until 1,15, after buying some shopping. I came home, had some burgers for lunch before having a bath. I had a few things to sort out at home, so after getting ready, I left at 3.25. My decision had been made for me with regards to what to do before the game, with time not on my side, I decided to go straight to Bromley South station.



I got to a side road near Amersham station and parked up. Typically, I just missed the train. The platform was very busy and despite charging peak prices, they were offering an off-peak service, with another 20 minutes to wait until the next train. I got the train at 4.06 and was glad to grab a single seat. I read my paper and listened to the Two Mikes podcast to pass the time. After changing at Marylebone, Oxford Circus and Victoria, I got to Bromley South station at 5.35. It was straight across the road to Wetherspoons number 148, the Richmal Compton where I had their festive chicken and stuffing burger. I had to make do with Strongbow as they were out of Thatchers Gold, but it was decent for £8. Even if they diddled me out of the two pigs in blankets, a point that I couldn't be bothered to raise, even if they are my favourite thing about Christmas. With the other Wetherspoons in Bromley being a mile away in the opposite direction and me not fancying another pint, I decided to walk the 2.5 miles to the ground. I got there at 7.15, seeing Dulwich fan and groundhopper in denial Mishi at the turnstile. Entry was a good value £6 including programme and after getting some pictures of the bar, I went outside to get some snaps of the ground. There were no flat pack stands here, it was refreshing to see everything built from scratch, with the ground in a nice setting too.



The game started off bang on time, maybe a bit early in fact. The first chance fell to the hosts, with a low shot behind flicked wide of the right-hand post and it was indeed Elmstead that started the brightest. K Sports fashioned a similar chance on 10 minutes as the sought away back into the game, with one of their players requiring brief treatment as he collided with the pitch surround. It was 1-0 to the visitors on 17 minutes, a diagonal ball played into the box and a low finish from the edge of the six-yard box by James Alderman. The visitors had capitalised on a spell of dominance, but the hosts kept having chances of their own. It was 2-0 on 31 minutes after poor marking allowed Bailey Pearce to finish with a low shot from the edge of the area. FC Elmstead grabbed a goal back six minutes from the break as the visiting defence was caught napping and Charlie Sharman finished from just inside the area. The halftime break came and I got a decent portion of chips from the tea bar. The hosts came close to equalising on 49 minutes, the K Sports keeper needing to be at his best to tip a speculative shot over the bar. Ten minutes into the second half, the visitors sealed the game, an initial shot was saved, but Caine Smith followed up by chipping the ball over the stranded keeper. Both sides had chances after that, most notably the home side had a shot cleared off the line, but it wasn't to be their night. The visitors slowed the pace of the game down and as a result, the last 20 minutes saw very few chances.



After the game, it was just under 10 minutes to the bus stop, as I didn't fancy the long walk. I went via Orpington station this time, as it was slightly more convenient. The bus got to the station just after 10 and I then had just over 10 minutes to wait before my train. I went to London Bridge, ironically one of my favourite parts of London, what with it having Borough Market and a few good pubs. The market was long closed and I avoided the temptation of a pint as I had to drive after my train journey. The train was really smart, nice and modern with tables and comfy seats, me wishing they were all like this. It was a fair walk to get to the underground station, which was a lot busier. I was just a bit too late to get the earlier train, but after changes at Finchley Road and Harrow on the Hill, I got back to Amersham at just after midnight. It took me another 20 minutes to get home after walking back to my car. I got in and had a can of cider whilst writing this blog and watching YouTube videos, having enjoyed my end to the week.



THE GROUND 

The Dale or Oakley Road as it is sometimes known is a classic non-league ground. Both the areas of cover have a very rustic feel to them, built with scaffolding. The seated stand is steep and as such offers good views, despite the supporting poles. The seats are padded too and the stand holds just over a hundred undercover. There is standing behind the goal for the same amount under cover, whilst the rest of the ground is open and despite being old is well kept. 

There's an average bar and a decent tea bar present, but no club shop that I saw. The ground is a bit off the beaten track and you face a fair walk (or a bus) from either Bromley or Orpington. The former is probably your best bet if you fancy something pre-match - it has two Wetherspoons and a range of other pubs and food places. It's also the nearest town. Parking at the ground is limited, but there is a fair amount of street parking available. 

SCORES ON THE DOORS

1: Ground facilities & condition (for the level)
A classic non-league ground, worth a visit and offers all the cover you will need on a normal match day (8)

2: Area around the ground (parking, food/drink, public transport)
A few bus routes are a short walk away, parking limited, not much in the immediate vicinity (5)

3: Welcome / Club Friendliness
A nice welcome at the turnstile. (7)

4: Value for money
Common sense value at £6 including programme (7)

5: Social Media & Website
Interactive Twitter, website not up to much though (7)

6: Programme
Cover price of £1, few bits to read and some stats (7)

7: Game entertainment
A decent clash lost its spark towards the end (6)

8: Tea Bar
Burgers, chips and hot drinks, more than most at this level (7)

9: Bar / Clubhouse
Basic but homely (5)

10: Club Shop
N/A

TOTAL SCORE OUT OF A POSSIBLE 90: 59
AVERAGE SCORE: 6.56


GROUND PHOTOS