TT No.156: Andy Molden - Wed 24th April 2013; Crowmarsh Gifford v Saxton Rovers; North Berks League Division 1; Result: 0-2; Attendance: 47


 

Matchday images (9) https://picasaweb.google.com/footballgroundsinfocus/CrowmarshGiffordFC

 

League leaders Saxton Rovers are closing in on the North Berks League championship again, though Didcot Casuals could still catch them. Saxton after this win needed 7 points from their last three games to win the league presuming Didcot won all four of theirs. Saxton have not won the league since 2009/10 while Crowmarsh are current league champions but are only 4th this season.

 

Crowmarsh play in a delightful spot on the north bank of the Thames, Crowmarsh though a village in it's own right is only a few hundred yards walk from Wallingford. The Crowmarsh ground used to be accessed via a small industrial estate but this has now been replaced by St Georges Road where a four bedroom house is available at just 380K which for Wallingford is a snip.

Though living only 12 miles away I had never really walked around the area until before this game. It is a very nice town and the older buildings are very much in the Chilton style as opposed to the Cotswold style of Oxford. The bridge between Crowmarsh and Wallingford is a medieval road bridge and is 900 feet long and has 22 arches but these days the Thames only flows under the arches nearest to Wallingford as the river was tamed a few centuries ago. Walking around Wallingford is like being in an episode of Midsomer Murders or even Bargain Hunt, fine vistas of the building where the Causton players perform can be found just off of the market square. The only "supermarket" in the town is Waitrose and a pint of beer and a glass of diet coke costs £5 in a local pub.

The game was first class and a much higher standard than the Hellenic Premier game I had seen the night before. Some of the Saxton players would not be out of place at step 4. Saxton took the lead just before half-time. The second period was more or less all Saxton and they got a second near the end of the game.

The game was played on the second pitch in the complex as the first pitch was a bit rutted (I had seen a game on it some years ago when Wallingford played Bracknell in a friendly). Now that houses have been built next to the ground it will never be developed; to be frank a rail, dug-outs a couple of Atcost stands and lights would just be a blot on the landscape. I'm sure Saxton are not looking to go anywhere and are quite happy with their lot. The North Berks League will continue to be a very good (now) step 8 league with a standard as good as step 6 or even in some cases 5 with some players who could easier play at step 4. They just don't want the hassle and travelling that happens higher up the Pyramid.

 

contributed on 20/04/13