TT No.80: Steve Hardy - Sat 18th April 2015; Church Stretton Town v Wellington Amateurs Reserves;             Mercian League Premier Division; Result: 2-1; Admission: Free; Programme: No; Crowd: 18. 

 

 

Matchday images (8) https://picasaweb.google.com/footballgroundsinfocus/ChurchStrettonTownFC

 

I took a trip to rural Shropshire for this match where third bottom Church Stretton were entertaining fourth bottom Wellington Amateurs Reserves. A win was more important to the home team as this was their final game of the season, whereas Wellington have six games to go.

 

Church Stretton is a beautiful town, some 15 miles south of Shrewsbury. The football club play at Russells Meadow, which is a public park located off Lutwyche Road in the town centre. The pitch is railed off but, being a public place, there are no spectator facilities at all. The changing rooms are behind one goal and a tea bar was up and running throughout. The town has 13 tea rooms I was told, but I had avoided all of those, wanting to give my money to the club instead. Imagine my disappointment when the lady in front of me in the queue had the last drop of coffee they had!

 

As for the game, it was a cracker. Amateurs took the lead after half an hour and held it fairly comfortably until the hour mark. Then the wheels began to fall off for them. They had a man sent off and the game was close to an abandonment when the Amateurs Manager refused to leave his technical area when send off by the Referee. Shortly after Stretton equalised and then scored what proved to be the winner with five minutes left.

Whether this will be enough to save Stretton from relegation is unclear, and depends on how many, if any, clubs are relegated.

 

Once again, another top day out in a beautiful part of the country.

 

contributed on 20/04/15