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TT No.138: Paul Roth - Saturday 8th Dec 2007; Ryman League Division 1 North; Ware FC vs. Northwood; Res: 4-1; Att: 115; Entry: £6; Prog: 40pp, £1.50; Entry: £6; Weather: V. heavy rain, windy, muddy and cold! |
 Thank the Lord for Bedmond Social Football Club! This comment takes a bit of explaining, so let me start at the beginning.
Having spoken to the charming secretary of Standon and Puckeridge FC, Mr.Julian Arakins, on Friday evening and ascertained that their pitch would be playable whatever the heavens threw at it before the club's scheduled 2pm kick-off against the aforementioned, I plumped for S&P FC for this week's fix. I could combine this with a visit to my oppo Geoff in Hertford, and as he had not been there either this would be an ideal scenario for us both. The week had been very wet and just finding a game 'ON' was not going to be easy, so everything seemed ideal.
On arrival at Geoff's, and heading up the A10, a quick call to Mr.Arikans confirmed disaster...the match is off. And why? Because Bedmond Social FC can't raise a team today!
Plan 'B'. I've just not got round to it; a visit to Ware FC's not so new Wodson Park ground. Why? Because a few people have told me it's ghastly, and I've put it off and put it off. Not so ghastly on a dreary, rain-soaked day like today, when nothing much else is on, it isn't! And there's a bit of a 'Brucy Bonus' too; the match kicks off at 1pm, due to the clubs ongoing floodlighting problems.
So, after a couple of stiffeners, it's off to the early game. And what a start! Ware are two up within the first few minutes and go on to win a thoroughly entertaining match by 4 goals to one. Three cheers go to referee Mr.Sam Lewis for letting the event go ahead on what was a fast deteriorating pitch, his decision totally vindicated as both teams offered up a feast of entertainment.
Ware's Wodson Park ground is very much a copy of Harlow's new stadium (that should be the other way round I suppose), although blue (not red) is the colour here, with a big covered stand on the turnstile-entry side, a little uncovered terracing behind each goal and a standing-only covered section opposite. The clubhouse is welcoming and warm! A tea hatch sells the usual artery-clogging football cuisine; I'm not knocking it! Perfectly good looking floodlights operate throughout the second half.
At the final whistle there's enough time to have a beer in the charming, smallish town of Ware itself, before heading back around the M25 and down the M2 to Margate.
For myself, this was perhaps the best way I was going to get around to visiting this club, and all in all, not getting a soaking and a cracker of a game to boot, made for a super day out in lovely Hertfordshire. Plan 'B' accomplished.
I REPEAT.......Thank you Bedmond Social FC for NOT turning up!
FGIF Rating 5*........I'm due a 1* soon, I know! |
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contributed on 09/12/07 |