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Post by Deleted on Aug 14, 2010 21:50:55 GMT
Stuartb might be interested to know I saw the newly-formed Merthyr Town in the FA Cup at Willand Rovers today. And I suppose I could report that the proverbial “Road to Wembley” started with a massive traffic jam on the M5. Having left at 10.30am the Merthyr team didn’t arrive at the Stan Robinson Stadium (I love that name) until 3pm and the match didn’t kick-off until 3.45pm.
Having won both their opening league games – the second at “home” at Taff’s Well in front of a decent crowd of 350 – Merthyr are expected to do well in Western League Division One, especially as they’ve retained many of the old club’s Southern Premier League squad together with manager Gary Shephard. With Willand amongst the favourites for the Western Premier, today’s game promised to be as good as anything the Western League will produce this season.
So league status somewhat arbitrarily pointed to Willand; player pedigree to Merthyr. It wasn’t a game for the purist but it was engrossing and well-balanced and, ultimately, Willand were fine value for their 2-0 win. A dreadful goalkeeping error led to the first goal before Willand got another after the hour. Merthyr pushed Cortez Belle up front but Willand defended excellently and the result was never in doubt. My highlight was hearing a middle-aged Merthyr supporter (of whom there were a few, all with memories of better days no doubt) inform all and sundry at half-time that the goal keeper should be “bloody shot”. South Walian tolerance at its very best.
Willand now face the winners of the Buckland v Radstock replay, today’s game at Buckland ending 4-4 (but I’m not bitter because I enjoyed what I saw this afternoon). Elmore were also at home in the FA Cup today and, as a result of an Exeweb initiative, it became a tribute to Adam Stansfield with his family present and a much bigger crowd than normal. There were warm words in the Willand programme and Cullompton (another of his former clubs) dedicated today’s victory at Wadebridge in his memory. Clearly Adam Stansfield was very much a local hero in that part of Devon.
Elsewhere in the Willand programme – remembering how I’m a connoisseur of unusual advertisements – there was an ad for a restaurant in Greece (a first for the Western league?). So, should you ever find yourself in the Alyggos Cafe and Bar in Elounda on Crete, be sure to ask for Nikos and utter the magic words “Willand Rovers”. It’ll open doors but he’ll do well to match Willand’s £2.10 for a pasty and a tea.
The next round of the FA Cup is in two weeks time and - unless I suddenly splash out on a trip to Port Vale - I'll be setting my sights on Tavistock v Taunton Town.
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Post by stuartB on Aug 15, 2010 20:17:34 GMT
Stuartb might be interested to know I saw the newly-formed Merthyr Town in the FA Cup at Willand Rovers today. And I suppose I could report that the proverbial “Road to Wembley” started with a massive traffic jam on the M5. Having left at 10.30am the Merthyr team didn’t arrive at the Stan Robinson Stadium (I love that name) until 3pm and the match didn’t kick-off until 3.45pm. Having won both their opening league games – the second at “home” at Taff’s Well in front of a decent crowd of 350 – Merthyr are expected to do well in Western League Division One, especially as they’ve retained many of the old club’s Southern Premier League squad together with manager Gary Shephard. With Willand amongst the favourites for the Western Premier, today’s game promised to be as good as anything the Western League will produce this season. So league status somewhat arbitrarily pointed to Willand; player pedigree to Merthyr. It wasn’t a game for the purist but it was engrossing and well-balanced and, ultimately, Willand were fine value for their 2-0 win. A dreadful goalkeeping error led to the first goal before Willand got another after the hour. Merthyr pushed Cortez Belle up front but Willand defended excellently and the result was never in doubt. My highlight was hearing a middle-aged Merthyr supporter (of whom there were a few, all with memories of better days no doubt) inform all and sundry at half-time that the goal keeper should be “bloody shot”. South Walian tolerance at its very best. Willand now face the winners of the Buckland v Radstock replay, today’s game at Buckland ending 4-4 (but I’m not bitter because I enjoyed what I saw this afternoon). Elmore were also at home in the FA Cup today and, as a result of an Exeweb initiative, it became a tribute to Adam Stansfield with his family present and a much bigger crowd than normal. There were warm words in the Willand programme and Cullompton (another of his former clubs) dedicated today’s victory at Wadebridge in his memory. Clearly Adam Stansfield was very much a local hero in that part of Devon. Elsewhere in the Willand programme – remembering how I’m a connoisseur of unusual advertisements – there was an ad for a restaurant in Greece (a first for the Western league?). So, should you ever find yourself in the Alyggos Cafe and Bar in Elounda on Crete, be sure to ask for Nikos and utter the magic words “Willand Rovers”. It’ll open doors but he’ll do well to match Willand’s £2.10 for a pasty and a tea. The next round of the FA Cup is in two weeks time and - unless I suddenly splash out on a trip to Port Vale - I'll be setting my sights on Tavistock v Taunton Town. that's a shame that Merthyr lost because my mate Nick was coming up to Taff's Well if both Merthyr and Buckland had got through, where we planned to watch the game together. |
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Post by loyalgull on Aug 16, 2010 18:45:55 GMT
Stuartb might be interested to know I saw the newly-formed Merthyr Town in the FA Cup at Willand Rovers today. And I suppose I could report that the proverbial “Road to Wembley” started with a massive traffic jam on the M5. Having left at 10.30am the Merthyr team didn’t arrive at the Stan Robinson Stadium (I love that name) until 3pm and the match didn’t kick-off until 3.45pm. Having won both their opening league games – the second at “home” at Taff’s Well in front of a decent crowd of 350 – Merthyr are expected to do well in Western League Division One, especially as they’ve retained many of the old club’s Southern Premier League squad together with manager Gary Shephard. With Willand amongst the favourites for the Western Premier, today’s game promised to be as good as anything the Western League will produce this season. So league status somewhat arbitrarily pointed to Willand; player pedigree to Merthyr. It wasn’t a game for the purist but it was engrossing and well-balanced and, ultimately, Willand were fine value for their 2-0 win. A dreadful goalkeeping error led to the first goal before Willand got another after the hour. Merthyr pushed Cortez Belle up front but Willand defended excellently and the result was never in doubt. My highlight was hearing a middle-aged Merthyr supporter (of whom there were a few, all with memories of better days no doubt) inform all and sundry at half-time that the goal keeper should be “bloody shot”. South Walian tolerance at its very best. Willand now face the winners of the Buckland v Radstock replay, today’s game at Buckland ending 4-4 (but I’m not bitter because I enjoyed what I saw this afternoon). Elmore were also at home in the FA Cup today and, as a result of an Exeweb initiative, it became a tribute to Adam Stansfield with his family present and a much bigger crowd than normal. There were warm words in the Willand programme and Cullompton (another of his former clubs) dedicated today’s victory at Wadebridge in his memory. Clearly Adam Stansfield was very much a local hero in that part of Devon. Elsewhere in the Willand programme – remembering how I’m a connoisseur of unusual advertisements – there was an ad for a restaurant in Greece (a first for the Western league?). So, should you ever find yourself in the Alyggos Cafe and Bar in Elounda on Crete, be sure to ask for Nikos and utter the magic words “Willand Rovers”. It’ll open doors but he’ll do well to match Willand’s £2.10 for a pasty and a tea. The next round of the FA Cup is in two weeks time and - unless I suddenly splash out on a trip to Port Vale - I'll be setting my sights on Tavistock v Taunton Town. holidayed in elounda and went to that cafe wearing my torquay shirt ;D |
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Post by Deleted on Aug 16, 2010 21:42:59 GMT
holidayed in elounda and went to that cafe wearing my torquay shirt ;D I hope Nikos asked if "you know the famous Willand Rovers? Bobbee Charlton, Clive Jones, Shaun Goff, Paul Pocock, David Steele, Brian Cann...." |
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Post by dazgull on Aug 19, 2010 10:51:43 GMT
Well Buckland lost at Radstock 3-2.
Not quite got their first FA Cup win yet, they will hope for better luck in the Vase.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 29, 2010 10:03:09 GMT
Well, I did go to Tavistock on Saturday for the FA Cup game against Taunton Town. Plenty of changes since my previous visit in 2008 now the new building has been completed with changing rooms, coaching rooms and spectator stands. This complements with 3G facilities the other side of the lane:  Two divisions between the sides but you sensed it would be a close game as the higher-placed club is in a mess. Certainly, if each was in the Western Premier, you wouldn’t expect Taunton to get promoted whilst Tavistock’s relegation wouldn’t be a given. And, after a goalless first half, so it proved with Taunton winning 2-1 after going ahead and Tavistock equalising. The talking point was not so much the game’s key incident but its’ aftermath. A “robust” 50/50 challenge in a confined area resulted in a double leg fracture for Taunton’s James Clough and a booking for the Tavistock player. Then, as the other twenty players milled around in the centre circle doing as they tend to do in such circumstances, Paul West – the Taunton manager – rather lost control. This involved yelling abuse at all and sundry (the assailant, the opposition bench and – naturally - the officials) and, most dramatically, a physical assault on the dugout. Clearly, it’s upsetting to see one of your players injured (which probably means lost earnings at this level) and one or two people felt there were unnecessary remarks addressed from the home bench (who started what I wouldn’t like to say). Nonetheless, rather than showing a mixture of anger and concern for his player, it did appear Westy displayed anger, anger and more anger. To be honest, I’ve rarely seen a greater loss of self-control at a football match and, after being duly sent off, Westy continued his actions by booting the ball a fair distance and adding to his observations to the officials as he headed to the changing rooms. Mitigating circumstances, perhaps, but there didn’t seem to be too many Taunton supporters defending the manager's actions at the tea bar. And, although my own temper is foul, I often cringe when people defend their behaviour by talking nonsense about wearing hearts on sleeves. Westy, I fear, is at a point beyond and I wouldn't like to be the person who suggests an anger management course. Taunton now play Weymouth in the next round. |
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