Thursday 7 July 2022

Lincoln Moorlands Railway - Moorlands Sport and Social Club


Lincoln Moorlands Railway FC
Moorlands Sport & Social Club
Newark Road
Lincoln 
Lincolnshire
LN6 8RT

01522 874111






Ground Number: 1082
Wednesday 6th July 2022
Lincoln Moorlands Railway 0-7 Skegness Town
Friendly








LINCOLN MOORLANDS RAILWAY FC - A BRIEF HISTORY

The origins of the club date back to 1989 and the formation of Lincoln Moorlands FC. They joined the Central Midlands League upon formation and spent three seasons there. Their best finish came in their debut season when they finished 4th in the second-tier Premier Division. They dropped down to local football for a couple of seasons before joining the Lincolnshire League in 1993. They spent five seasons here, the best finish being 5th in their final season of 1998. That year, they rejoined the Central Midlands League, winning the Premier Division in their first season back. They went on to win the Supreme Division at the turn of the Millenium but would have to wait one more season to make the step up to the Northern Counties East League following a runners-up spot behind Shirebrook Town. They spent six seasons in Division 1, their best finish coming in 2006 when they finished 4th. The following year, they merged with Lincolnshire League side Lincoln Railway to become the club they are today. Following the merger, a 5th place finish was deemed good enough for promotion to the Premier Division. They struggled here and the 6th place finish in 2011 was a real standout and the best in the club's history. Lincoln Moorlands Railway were relegated from the Premier Division and the following year, various issues forced them to drop out of the NCEL altogether. It has been a bad couple of years for the club including some heavy defeats but dropping down to the Lincolnshire League gave them the chance to rebuild. They've stayed there ever since, despite winning the league in their first season back. After a couple of decent abandoned seasons, they had a credible 3rd place finish last season.

The club had their best run in the FA Cup in 2010. They beat Friar Lane & Epworth 3-0 before a 6-1 win at Glapwell. They then won 2-1 at Gresley following a 2-2 draw. They were handed a walkover in the 2nd Qualifying Round due to Ilkeston Town going bust. They gained a 1-1 draw at home to Mossley in a 3rd Qualifying Round game before losing 4-1 in the replay. Their best run in the FA Vase came in 2003 as they beat Blidworth Welfare, Sandiacre Town & Stourbridge before losing 5-2 at Billingham Town in the 3rd Round. Local cup wins include the NCEL Wilkinson Sword Trophy in 2005, the Lincolnshire Supplementary Cup in 2019 and five Lincolnshire Senior Cups.

MY VISIT

For the first midweek game of the season, I was planning on hoping to do something on Tuesday with Colin or Anwar.  However, despite the choice of games becoming more abundant, there still weren't many available with my usual Tuesday hoppers. I'd initially planned on going to AFC Stoneham v Eastleigh as it was really the only option available. However, the only place I had seen it was Futbology and upon contacting the hosts, it turned out that the game never actually existed!. At least it saved a wasted journey and with it being a 3G, I wanted to save it for the winter months in any case. It was probably for the best anyway, as I had a pretty long trip to Lincoln Moorlands Railway on Wednesday with Chris. That was a second choice as originally we were intending to go to  Swallownest v Horbury Town in the Yorkshire Cup. However, they were playing the game at another venue due to their ground having maintenance work and it looked pretty uninspiring. Luckily Chris was happy to head to Lincoln and so plans were put in place.
I really could have done with a game on Tuesday, but there was nothing. Instead, I had a dull day off work but did finally get my Wycombe Wanderers season ticket ordered. I'd been holding off for weeks as I had the potential to miss a few games due to work and other commitments. However, whatever way you looked at it, I was going to save money by getting one. I did switch to the lower tier though - a couple of quid extra a game compared to the terrace, but I felt it was worth it for the better view. I was also looking ahead to Saturday where there was plenty of choices, but little inspiration. I woke up an hour early on the day of the game and this set the tone for the day with it being unusually difficult and unpleasant for a Wednesday. It eased off towards the end though but I was glad when 3 pm came. I left just after and was hoping to go via Aylesbury to save petrol. However, that was 20 minutes slower, so I took the recommended route of the M1. There was later an accident on there but for me, it was a good journey and I got to Chris at 4.15. Our good journey continued and we got to OK Diner in Stamford just after 5.30. I had a pulled pork burrito and cajun fries. We discussed future games and pencilled in Linby Colliery for a fortnight's time. The dinner was good as ever, with service impeccable. We left around 6.15 and got to the ground 50 minutes later. Entry was a well-priced £3 and we had 30 minutes to spare before kick-off. It was good to meet Jake from the Topliss at the turnstiles blog and we had a brief chat just before kick-off.
 
It was grey skies as we came into Lincoln but it has brightened up just before kick-off and was a lovely evening to watch football. The hosts, in white shirts with two vertical stripes, played in the Lincolnshire League (step 7) whilst Skegness Town wore orange and played two levels higher in the United Counties League North (step 5). As you'd expect, the visitors started well on top. They took the lead in 16 minutes, Gary King's excellent free-kick from 25 yards smashed against the corner of the post and bar and Ben Davison was there to follow up with a header from around six yards. Lincoln Moorlands Railway had a good chance on the break just after, but it came to nothing. There was then the first of a few meaty challenges by the hosts and the Skegness man needed brief treatment. It was 2-0 on 35 minutes, we well-worked move found Luke Rayner who finished with a low shot from just inside the area. Five minutes before halftime, Lincoln carved out a good chance but no one could get a foot on the ball to guide it in. The hosts then hit the post on 43 minutes but the rebound was blasted over. In the second half, a deflected free-kick from King made it 3-0 on 49 minutes and then the same player got his second on 51 minutes, getting on the end of a great cross from the right for 4-0. The referee had done well to keep his cards in his pocket all night but a home player went into the book as the game was getting quite tetchy. Both sides had chances but the result of the game was only going to go one way. Rayner completed his brace, finishing well from close range on 82 minutes to make it 5-0. A scrappy close-range goal from Adam Millson made it six on 85 minutes before Johnson made it seven with a well-taken goal right on full time.


We left pretty promptly after the final whistle, just after 9.30. Greatest Hits Radio was as ever our music choice. We played the Top Ten at Ten 'Guess The Year' competition and both guessed correctly that it was 1986. I got it from the song 'I'm Only Human' by the Human League as I remember it being featured on a programme about the World Cup of that year. I dropped Chris off at 11.20 and got home myself at 12.15. I was still wide awake with all the Irn-Bru I'd drunk and so was up watching TV until 2. I was fine the next morning though when my alarm went off at 6.50. The day was a mixed bag but I did at least have a plan for the weekend, starting with camping near Broadwell Amateurs on Friday night before a trip to Wales the following day.


THE GROUND

I first popped into Lincoln Moorlands Railway on Saturday 1st March 2008 prior to Wycombe Wanderers' 1-0 defeat at Lincoln City. I wasn't a groundhopper at the time but liked to visit grounds to take pictures. What I saw was a decent setup with a couple of covered areas - one a proper older stand and the other a metal 'arena' type stand. I was able to get the pictures thanks to some youngsters playing there and from what I gathered, not much had changed prior to my second visit. The ground was well located, around 20 minutes walk from the city centre.

2008 PICTURES

2022 PICS

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