Burscough Final home game and goals ?

Ground 8
Match 8

Team Sheet , tickets and signature of Burscough striker Kevin Leadbetter scorer of the Burscough second goal .
Thanks to Kevin , Burscough FC staff & Vauxhall Motors . Ground Capacity 3054


' The Linnets ' played host to Vauxhall Motors at Victory Park for the final time before ground sharing at Skelmersdale United . Around seventy emotional home spectators were treated to an early 'Goal of the Season 2011-12' contender ; an absolute thunderbolt from Kevin Leadbetter into the top corner of the Vauxhall net from the edge of the penalty box giving the keeper Josh O’Connell, absolutely no chance. An aura seldom witnessed in the worlds super stadiums ; euphoric gasps of anticipation , eclipsed the disintegrated and disheveled bolts, bricks and timber as the ball left the strikers boot , a cocktail of technical brilliance, genius , whatever you want to call it .
A fitting tribute to all who graced this ground , Bobby Langton the England forward , Teale , Noon, Russell , bringing the stadium back to life with an injection of pure class ! The ground erupted in an electronic thunderstorm of exaltation , even the club regulars came racing from the Barons clubhouse in bewilderment at the 'sonic boom ' engulfing Victory Park . Every spectator who had adorned this stadium in the preceeding years re-ignited in a ghostly blast akin to a crowd more in excess of 70,000 ! Admission £5 Hot Dog £1 Crisps 50p Club on site Pint of Bitter £2.40 pork scratchings 70p . No programme obtained . Last copy of possibly the last team sheet at Victory Park was obtained . Footage .
Goal of the season 2011-12 contender Kevin Leadbetter Burscough
A narrow lane leads to Bobby Langton Way and to a narrow tunstile entrance. I was in the ground 30 minutes before kick off soaking up the calm overcast weather hoping the threat of rain wouldn't materialise . I walked half way round the spectator perimeter and spotted a pub/club door locked ; i saw another grond hopper , Tim from Wolverhampton , following him to the lounge bar . We passed on information and stories as we sat down examining the scarves and photos on the walls . We heard the whistle to start the game and had to go outside and back through the turnstile as the pub wasn't allowed to let anyone through the doors onto the ground . I'd kept my ticket, the chap on the gate recognized me and let me through . The first half was a dogged afair , plenty of tackles and shoulder to shoulder challenges , keeping the referee Gary Hilton on his toes . The Burscough goalkeeper was constantly bellowing at his team-mates , organising, moving them forward , strayng out of the penalty area aka David James. Motors dominated early on and created a number of opportunities but failed to capitalise on their superior possession. Not many chances but Vauxhall had the better of the first half an hour . A Burscough player sustained an injury and was substituded half way through the first half Half-time 0-0 . 'Could this be my first 0-0 match ?' I thought i'd go back to the club and relax for a short break but, creasing for the toilets, i went for 'a leak' to the outside gents , a real eye opener !. It was blowing a gale , no rain though , still quite a bright glow over the perimeter fences . All the goals came in the last 15 minutes , first when Burscough converted an opportunity to take a one goal lead followed swiftly with a 'Goal of the season' thunderbolt for the second sending the crowd delirious . Could this be the last ever goal on this ground ? If it was going to be Burscough's last : what a finish . Pele Beckham Messi , even Mark Hughes would be proud of this thunderbolt strike , on the volley , keeping the ball at perfect height , absolutely no chance for the Motors keeper . Not even Dixon of Dock Green would have stopped it . The 'Linnets ' will be eulogizing over this goal for years . From the kick-off Motors attacked and were awarded a penalty , not too many complaints . The keeper made a save but the follow-up was tucked away for the final goal of the afternoon and maybe at Victory Park Final score Burscough 2 (Darren Brookfield Kevin Leadbetter) Vauxhall Motors 1 (Josh Wilson) Plenty of phsyical robust challeges were the order of the day , accepted from both sets of players , no moaning , got on with the game. Match Officials Kept the game under control despite several nasty tackles and affrays , didn't panic , were calm . Offside decisions seemed accurate and precise , penalty decision appeared to be correct . Allowed correct allotted time for injuries .Appeared to have the respect of both sets of players .Got to be a 10/10 ***** 5 stars out of 5 .  
Burscough photos August 6th , 2011">

Clitheroe F.C.

Ground 7
Match 7
Clitheroe F.C. Club Colours : Blue/Blue/Red (home), Red/Red/Red (away) Club Nickname : The Blues Ground : Shawbridge, Clitheroe.Ground capacity 2,000 . well known ex player Carlo Nash . Moved to present ground in 1925 Nicknamed 'The Blues'

Attendance 312 Pint Bitter £2.30 Baileys £3 Tea/Coffee £1 Admission £5 Distance from home approx 22 miles (30 minutes)
Clitheroe F.C.v FC United Of Manchester





It had been raining all day and i contemplated giving the match a miss but at half past six i grabbed my car keys and set off . I passed Ribchester on the way once famous for The Lodestar ,the Sex Pistols and Bob Gedoff who stopped at the Victoria Hotel in Clitheroe during his first tour to England . Arrived on the approach to Shawbridge Street and parked up on the roadside . There seemed to be more than one Shawbridge Street and i set off in the wrong direction realising my mistake when i saw Clitheroe fans walking the other way .As you go down the hill the stadium is located on the right . The Sun broke through the darkenned skies as i continued down an alley with two locals , passing a sandwich board avertising the game . There it was , appearing through the sunny horizon like a mirage in the dessert; Welcome to Clitheroe F.C. FC appealed to me , todays opponents are FC United of Manchester who have a large fan base and fanatical support . Formed in 2005-06 by diillusioned Manchester United fans in protest over the Glaziers handling of the club . Nickname ' The Red Rebels .' I asked the steward to take a few pictures at the only turnstile entrance and paid the amission fee . It was like something out of a Dickens novel , i felt like i was in an old curiosity shop , the ground is fascinating ,almost Victorian, in the centre is an undulating pitch sloping from one side to the other and foodlights adorning the sunlit sky . No Programme was available but an official FA team sheet was displayed in a cabinet on the club lounge building .
Clitheroe started well and gained the ascendancy with a couple of decent opportunities going begging . FC couldn't get into gear and Clitheroe weren't in the mood to give anything away . After 22 minutes Clitheroe scored after a slick passing move and shot into the corner from close range . Seemed like Clitheroe were going to add to their slim lead but couldn't capitalise on their possession . FC came more into the game and created opportunities including a inexplicable miss from one yard out . It appeared 'The Blues' were riding their luck and eventually,on the stroke of half-time , United pounced in the penalty area to fire home . ^Above H-T 1-1 .


Clitheroe started the second half as the first , quick in the tackle and first to the ball . United were getting rattled and the Clitheroe number 6 laid out for more than 5 minutes after a crunching tackle which forced the big defender to be substituted . This seemed to spur United on and, with a few substitutions , they became more dangerous . The last fifteen minutes saw chance after chance to United and two penalty appeals go begging . Clitheroe still looked dangerous on the break an in-between Uniteds emerging dominance , fired home to make it 2-1 . United could't find the equaliser ,the ref blew the whistle not allowing much added time for the break in play to the injured Clitheroe number six . Final Score Clitheroe F.C. 2 - 1 FC United of Manchester

So 'The Blues' beat 'The Red rebels'


FC UNITED missed chances + Penalty Appeal Below


More photos Click on Photo

Clitheroe FC

Euxton Villa

Ground 6

Match 6

Venue -  Jim Fowler Memorial Ground

Friendly

Admission £2 Donation

Attendance 300 est

Distance Travelled 2 miles

As i approached the ground travelling along Runshaw Hall Lane i got the usual tinge of excitement and couldn't resist pulling up by the roadside gates photographing the venue entrance .The ground is situated literally and metaphorically 200 yards into Chorley just outside Leyland passing Runshaw College on the approach via Langdale road and Runshaw Hall Lane . I proceeded through the gates and was guided to ample parking space by the club stewards and paid £2 admission including a raffle ticket .

The Jim Fowler Memorial Ground/Fields,Runshaw Hall Lane Euxton (Ekstan) Chorley PR6 7HH home of Euxton Villa from the West Lancs Premier played host to Chorley . Attendance approx 300 - £100 to be donated to Derrian House, 25% of the admmission . This was a tremendous gesture and effort by all .



On my last visit here i was with my Uncle Joe and Paul Allen for a training session more than 30 years ago - might have been for the Talbot pub (FC) but it was definately this pitch . The venue is approximately 2 miles from my home in Moss Side Leyland and with the absence of Leyland Motors is probably my nearest local team .
 No programme or team sheet was available so i made my way to the new club house built recently with funds raised over many years by the club and providing the only covered spectator area of the ground . As i passed a hot dog and burger tent the early evening air was filled with an auroma of barbeque food . I was impressed with the selection of drinks, food and reasonable prices . Mars bar 60p Beer £2 wine £1.50 etc . It was like football heaven at a lower level , the club is making a valiant effort, embracing all supporters and encouraging young players and families to be part of the club including girls teams , boys teams and youths , a system you tend to associate with European clubs like Ajax . As i was taking photos i noticed a space near the half-way line where i seemed to remember the position of the old changing room hut .
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The Euxton players appeared first and waited for Chorley before making their way with the youngsters towards the pitch .

It was like a Champions League entrance , only the music was absent .The players lined up on the pitch with the officials , shook hands .

The first half was a war of attrition with both midfields cancelling the other . Euxton's number 2 McAllister brought down Chorleys number 12 ' Vinny Jones 'lookalike with a crunching tackle , sandwiching both his legs as he manouvered swiftly and skillfully to one side .Both players didn't give an inch and were prepared to 'mix it' for the rest of the first half . The tackles kept flying in and made up for the lack of goals . Euxtons number 11 Whittaker got a severe brushing down by the referee who seemed reluctant to get out the cards despite a hasty , vicious challenge . Just as it appeared to be heading for 0-0 at the interval Chorleys answer to' Vinny Jones' was put clear , shooting a yard wide with the keeper swiftly off his line narrowing the angle .
The Euxton keeper was constantly admonishing and guiding his defenders , keeping them on their toes , holding their own against higher league neighbours . H-T 0-0
I elected to stay behind the Chorley goal for the second half , ever the optimist of capturing a Villa goal . The second half began; in less than 2 minutes Chorleys winger , penetrating down Euxton's left , centred and Denham scored ; an area the Euxton coaching staff identified to their defenders as vulnerable . Substitutions followed , both teams were creating opportunities . Villa fans were extatic when McAllister headed home from a corner, losing his markers , sending Chorley's number 4 ballistic with his team mates and frustrated at an Euxton fan who couldn't contain his delight bellowing amongst the Chorey contingent behind the goal . You could understand his reaction to some extent and fans like to see committed players whatever level






Minutes later Chorley were awarded a spot kick for a badly mis-timed tackle .Not many complaints from the Villa players or fans .
No mistake by Mark Houghton from 12 yards and Chorley run out winners 2 - 1
Scorers Exuton Villa Adam McAllister Chorley - Chris Denham Mark Houghton


Match Officials 9/10 Missed a few things (bit like me lol) but in general worked well as a team . Could have been harsher but used discretion wisely and kept the game under control.



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Maybe of interest - Programme from 1971 Chorley and Leyland secondary schools sports Council Gillett Cup and chorley FC Cup . Programmes like this bought and sold Ephemeraworld.co.uk or sportsattax.com