Hurst Green FC

Ground 57

 

Match 59

 

West lancs 2

 

Hurst Green 3-1 Todmorden Borough

 

Att 22  est

 

Distance Travelled 20 miles

 

Might have a split  personality disorder

 Hurst Green is a village almost bang centre between Longridge and Clitheroe in the Ribble Valley Lancashire . The football team have just started life in the West Lancs League Two .

 

 After i negotiated the long and winding road from Ribchester , Hurst Green appears lie a mirage in the desert . There is a more convenient way but it was 'sods law ' i d chosen the most stupid approach .

Once in the village i drove to what i assumed was the ground car park . The Toddy tranny van was there and even some goal posts but this wasn't the pitch . After spending ten minutes walking to the gates which were locked i went back to my car and parked up near a church graveyard off Smithy Row . I walked down the church path heading towards outbursts of ' oh & ah ,'  the pitch was there but no entrance . Next to the church is a woodland bog - it's like a Royal Marine assault course. . Not for me - one step and it was akin to sinking sand .

Decided to jump back in the car and headed up Smithy Row and finally there it was - the entrance gate and pitch !

 

As it happened both teams put on a decent display in an avalanche of rain .

 

 

 

Unusual Corner Kick Attacking Ploy

 

All Hurst Green attackers line up on the far goal line and advance towards the six yard box as the corner is taken - i believe you can't be offside at a corner - this is a move used in subbuteo table soccer - a player is flicked just off the pitch near the goal line at a corner and enables the attacking side a chance to get in behind the defence - an interesting tactic and caught my attention straight away .

 

 

Goal for Hurst Green

 

 

 

 

 

 

View towards ' The Graveyard Goal '

 

Battle of the Umbrellas

 

 

 

 

Pano View from inside the main entance gates

Toddy Tranny

 

Entrance Gates Half Way Up -  Will Greenwood England Rugby player was brought up here i believe .

 

 

Love the sand bags

 

Oxenhope Recreation

Ground  56

Match 58

West Yorkshire Premier

Oxenhope Rec 4 - 2  Ripon City

Venue The Recreation Ground

Formed 1912

Kit - Bright Orange

Programme £2

Att 200 est

Distance Travelled 45 miles

Touchline Pano View of lower elevated pitch

Combined a trip to West Yorkshire taking in the Steam Railway and Haworth and what a superb day out it was too .

Oxenhope is close to Keighley and is set in the stunning countryside surroundings - it's the terminal for the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway made famous in the 1970 film - The Railway Children .

Today i'm taking in a West Yorkshire Premier match at Oxenhope Recreation FC back at their home pitch after a four year exile . There are two pitches set on two differentials of elevation .

Elevated view from behind the goal .

It's Recreations centenary year and a commemorative programme has been produced which is selling well . There's a decent crowd on a sunny aftenoon and both sides have produced a top drawer match . Ox look more dangerous than a  'molotov cocktail ,' and that's just their bright orange shirts !

It's refreshing to see the club name everywhere -- making use of opportunities to display the brand .
Too often it's difficult to spot a club name and afterall , it's the main selling point . Believe me , you'd think this is pretty obvious but at some grounds locating the club name is near impossible .

All Hands To the Pump

Keighley Cup Winners 2011-12

Thought i might be the rib of a few jokes coming from Lancashire but not so - the local punters were superb , extremely accommodating , pleased to see all visitors , hoppers and aliens .

Clubhouse

Penalty and scenic view

More photos https://picasaweb.google.com/106951314873209777955/OxenhopeRecPhotos#

Bradley Wiggins Eccleston

Between Leyland and Chorley is the village of Eccleston , home of Bradley Wiggins  - a tribute mural to Brad adorns The Windmill Public House celebrating his success at The Tour De France and Olympic Gold Medal for Team GB in 2012 .

 Well done to Team GB !

Brad has gone on to win Sports personality 2012 , appear on stage playing guitar  with Paul Weller and become Sir Bradley Wiggins . Top that !

Old Boltonians AFC sneak preview

Close to Darwen  heading towards Turton Tower along the B6391 you will find the
location of what's believed to be the oldest football ground in England still in use  ( 1856 )

Previously used by Turton FC ,  now in the West Lancs League  , the ground saw matches against Preston ,  Sheffield Wednesday and Everton . Against local rivals Darwen , large crowds were common and even then violence sufaced amongst rival supporters .

A work in progress

Ongoing building work

Leyland United 3-0 Croston sports

Ground 55

Match 57

West Lancs Division 2

Leyland Utd 3-0 Croston Sports

Venue  BTR Recreation Gound

Formed 2011

Kit - All Blue

Admission Free

Att 120 est

Programme No

Distance Travelled  2 miles

Leyland United was formed with the amalgamation of Leyland Red Rose and Leyland FC in 2011

A copius turnout creating a festival atmosphere welcomed a  Leyland team to The West Lancashire League Two - step 7 of the league ladder . (According to the club twitter/website - maybe they've been promoted already ? )  Many of those attending can still remember Leyland Motors FC and its demise in the late 80's so having a team from Leyland was greatly appreciated . Lots of hard work and endeavour has gone into transforming the BTR Recreation ground into a terrific venue .

 BTR club was itself a well know venue for cricket , football and the like .

The pitch /grass next to the football pitch brought back memories of my first  training session for Leyland Rangers over 33 years ago . I'ts not changed much really - neither have i - still a lazy , arrogant git .

Panoramic View From The Entance Gate Goal .

United controlled the match and 3-0 was more than fair . Croston had their moments but chances were sporadic and limited .

Panoramic View From The Dugout Touchline

Plenty of parking in the BTR ground and on Centurian Way which used to lead to the main spurrier works of Leyland Motors .

View from behind the far goal looking towards the Centurian Way end

View From The Gazebo 

Croston fail to get a grip of United

United celebrate another goal .

Old BTR Club in the background me thinks .

For hoppers using public transport - Leyland Train Station is 10 minutes walk from the ground- up the hill  along Preston Road/ Stanifield Lane - even for the most idle  -  theres plenty of pubs / takeaways on the way . Bus links are convenient too .

Sandwich Board signifying Entrance off Centurian way .

Don't stray too far down this road unless you love walking !!!