Winterbourne United 0 Easington Sports 0
UHLSPORT Hellenic League Division 1 West
At: The Rec, Parkside Avenue
Kick-off: 3-00 pm
Admission: none; Programme: £3 (28 pages)
Mileage: 214.2 miles
Weather: dry and sunny
Attendance: 48
Duration: first-half: 46:54; second-half: 49:09
The two names at the top of my ‘grounds to visit before the end of the season’ are Parkside Avenue and Whiteway Road, the respective homes of Bristol-based clubs Winterbourne United and Roman Glass St George. Both will to be moving to share the ground close to M5 junction 16 that will be vacated at the end of the current season by Zamaretto League side Almondsbury Town.
Coincidently today, both clubs at the top of my list were at home this afternoon but, after scanning forthcoming fixtures, opportunities to head south on convenient Saturdays to watch a future Winterbourne home game were far more limited than a Roman Glass St George home game. So, Parkside Avenue it was this afternoon for a home game in the UHLSPORT Hellenic League Division 1 West against Easington Sports.
The short stretch of the M4 from the M5 to M32 can be rather prone to queues, so rather than take the so-called quickest route, I left the southbound M5 at junction 14 and made my way to Winterbourne via the B4059 and then B4058. Initially following signs for Yate signs, I passed through villages like Cromhall, Rangeworthy and Iron Acton. So approaching from the north, Parkside Avenue was on the left-hand side after passing the boarded-up pub The Swan and around 100 yards after the Taj Brasserie. The entrance to the ground on Parkside Avenue was on the right between house numbers 18 and 20.
With Laurence Reade visiting the ground last week, I knew not to expect a stand or covered standing or any hard-standing around the pitch perimeter. But I knew that the Winterbourne officials put in a lot of effort and their welcome certainly backed that comment up. With no means to taking a gate, programmes were on sale from the bar inside the pavilion – £3 for a good read – and also sold the Chairman after kick-off walking around the pitch.
Looking at the league table, it was clear than neither Winterbourne (8th in the 15-team division with 24 points from 17 games) or Easington (11th with 19 points from 15 games) could finish in a promotion position or in the bottom three. Both had a recent league record of one win from their last five games. If either side managed to find a winner this afternoon, then the winning team would end a winless sequence – Winterbourne hadn’t won a league game at home since October while Easington have been waiting for an away league win since September.
Teams stayed put after the toss, so Easington (wearing sky blue and white striped shirts, black shorts and navy blue socks) got the game under way attacking the car park end in the first half. Perhaps the Winterboune skipper though that the visitors may have problems defending into the sun shining at an angle from the west.
Even though neither keeper was called upon to make a serious save, the first half could be described as competitive. Easington midfielder Graham Source saw a shot cleared off the line, while Winterbourne’s Ben Dowdell, nicknamed ‘Nani’, fired a couple of shots wide of the target.
At half-time I received my usual phone call from Marston Road when Stafford are playing at home with not good news. In the battle of the bottom two, basement side Redditch were leading 1-0 in a poor game on a poor muddy pitch. Time, I feared, to get out the map showing the location of Evo-Stik League Premier Division grounds.
Luck continued to be with Winterbourne (wearing all red) as a header from Dan Watkin was blocked on the line. Just after the hour mark, Source hit a speculative 30-yard drive that ended up rising high and wide of the target, much to the embarrassment of the player himself. And five minutes later, as if the suggest that the afternoon would indeed end up goalless, Ashley Knight sliced a 25-yard shot well wide of the visitors’ goal.
Jack Strawroski dived to his left to keep out a Watkin shot while, at the other end, Greg Stutt headed against the top of the Easington bar.
Into stoppage time and both sides claimed a penalty, in which the referee’s only interest was to reach for his cards. Easington Dan Reeves dribbled past three defender before going down in the box – referee Mr Jack’s only response was a booking for diving. And Winterbourne’s Knight was dismissed for foul language after having his penalty appeal turned down. Winterbourne, who were preparing to replace Knight with Jack James, ended up playing the last 27 seconds with ten men.
So, goalless at full time so Winterbourne and Easington are now one league win out of six games. And both aforementioned winless sequences continue.
Before heading home, I received the full-time score from Marston Road and may be the Evo-Stik League map might not be needed after all. Stafford were much improved in the second half and won 2-1 with goals from Ben Mills and Tyree Clarke.
There was time to have a chat with a club official, who helped me vacate a tight parking space, and I passed on my thoughts about the enjoyable afternoon I’d have. He confirmed the move to Almondsbury which will see Roman Glass St George relocate their first-team as well.
Winterbourne United (red/red/red): 1. Joshua Strawroski, 2. Steve Chambers, 3. Tristan Day, 4. Mike Millett, 5. Jack Watts, 6. Greg Stutt, 7. James Mainstone (capt), 8. Sam Vile, 9. Jimmy Potts, 10. Ben Dowdell, 11. Ashley Knight. Subs: 12. Sean Coles (for Day, 75), 14. Jack James, 15. Kieran Williams. Mgr: Nick Tanner.
Easington Sports (sky blue and white stripes / black / navy blue): 1. Richard Meadows, 2. Chris Kirby, 3. Terry Fitton, 4. Dave Nicholls, 5. James Hastie (capt), 6. Gareth Source, 7. Dan Watkin, 8. Niall Higgins, 9. Luke Bedding, 10. Andy Parsons, 11. Dan Reeves. Subs: 12. Simon Jones (for Parsons, 75), 14. Aaron Bedding. Mgr: Andy Bedding.
Referee: S. Jack.
Assistants: P. Laggett and M. E. Jones.
