Tempest United AFC

Ground 31

Match 32

West Lancs Premier

Tempest Utd 2 - 2 Blacpool Wren Rov

Ground - the Famous Shed

Attendance 70 (est)

Admission - Free

Programme - not available

Distance Travelled 17 miles

Kick Off 2pm

Match Officials 9/10 Hardly noticed them - not many complaints

Tempest United is situated one mile from Junction 5 of the M61 off the A58 heading towards Bolton town centre and close to Lostock railway junction . If you're going down Locke Lane be prepared for a rough ride as its a cobbled farm track surface . There's another entrance via Tempest Road . If you're on a tight budget , get down to this ground , its friendly , free to get in and you don't get ripped off with food and drinks .
Tempest have been struggling in the League whilst Blackpool Wren rovers (BWR) are current Champions and riding high in the table . For a team near the bottom , Tempest's goals for column compares admirably with any team in the league but their defence is the weakest . I was expecting plenty of goals on this sunny afternoon , especially in the Tempest net ! Tempest don't seem phased by their opponents and in the opening twenty minutes take an unexpected lead . Rovers contnue to make forrays forward and eventually find the equaliser on the half hour mark with a close tap in from a luke-warm cross into the six yard box . United continued to make Rovers work in midfield as both sides tried to get the upper hand . Didn't take long for United to restore their lead wnen a low centre was squeezed home from two yards . The home crowd were delighted as the referee blew for half time with Tempest in the driving seat leading two goals to one . We all head towards ' The Famous Shed . ' I ventured into the club house for half of Guiness ( £1.35 ) and checked out the snack hatch . Tea/coffee/drinks 60p , sausage barm £1.50 . Excellent prices and very popular with the locals .



Will take a monumental effort to keep Rovers out in the second half with the slope of the ground in their favour so Tempest will have to be up to the challernge . 

Rovers take the game to United and begin to show why they're the feared team in this division . Relentless pressure with precision passing and penetration , an assault and battering of the Tempest goal for overforty minutes but still no equaliser . Only isolated sporadic breakouts brought moments of relief for United . Quite incedibly Rovers finally find the net with a soft strike beating the keepers outstretched dive with virtually the last kick of the game . To be fair you had to feel sorry for Tempest ; ironically they gave an example of how to defend , tackle , track back , give everything for the cause , this for a team with the poorest defensive record in the league . The ref' blew for full-time as Tempest's distraught team rolled the ball forward from the centre spot . Final score Tempest United 2-2 Blackpool Wren Rovers Tremendous game - the tension was unbearable for the home fans but thoroghly entertaining . Super afternoon out followed by a meal at the Three Pigeons just down the road .



Tempest after scoring their second



Rovers players reief after equalising with the last kick of the game !







Can't see an equailser !

Tempest United Pics Nov 12

Bamber Bridge

Ground 30

Match 31

Evo-Stik First Division North

Bamber Bridge 2 - 6 Lancaster City

QED Stadium Ground

Capacity 2,264

Kick Off 7.45

Attendance 195

Admission £8

Programme £1.50 (28 pages) good value

Distance Travelled 4.3 miles

Bamber Bridge White/Black Nickname The Brig

Lancaster Yellow/Blue Nickname - The Dolly Blues

The Gerry Lawson Stand - Holds 500 spectators - trains pass closely by .



 

Decided to put some of my hard earned cash into Bamber Bridge who could do with it more than most and was treated to a goal feast . Parked up two yards from the turnstile , the nearest you can get with a motor vehicle . The last time i was here to see the ' Brigers ' at Irongate , i paid £20 to include admission and drinks to enter the club sponsors lounge with my mates and drink as much as possible in four hours . We named Ryan Salmon as man of the match against Chorley so i wondered if he would be playing and sure enough , he was . Saw tonights opponents Lancaster a couple of weeks ago so i know they're a strong outfit . Bought a programme and circum-navigated the QED passing loads of City followers . The Social Club End and Sponsors Upstairs Suite are inbetween the Club Shop , refreshments and turnstile entrance . The club shop entrance is confusing , there's two doors , one of which is highlighted with bold letters ' Officials only . ' Round the other side is another door but you only see this if you intend going over to the main stand although there is a big arrow above which looks like a club motive .

















Opposite the Social club side of the ground is the Bamber Bridge End with a covered terrace running the width of the pitch . Its a little claustrophobic but at least it'll keep you dry on cold , wet , winter nights like tonight .












Accross from the G Lawson stand are the dugouts and open Popular terrace banking . Brig started well , almost taking the lead in the first several minutes but succumbed to a sloppy lobbed goal which floated agonizingly over the stranded keepers outstretched arms into the net . City increased their lead minutes later to make it 2-0 from an acute angled shot by Bunney which Swarbrick would have loved himself , spending a good few seconds stood over the ball while it was already in the net soaking up the Dollies affectionate , travelling support , chanting , 'Give us a wave ' , ' i'd rather be a Dolly than a Shrimp , ' There 's only one Tony Hesketh . '

 Here comes ' Dolly Dagger ' or is it the ' Dolly with the Brolly ? '

Brig managed to pull one back when White netted from a spot kick . City were in no mood to take their foot off the gas and increased their lead to 3-1 before the interval , Bunney completing a brace to put City in ' wonderland . ' Tremendous following for City behind the social club goal , absolutely drenched but in high spirits . Time to hit the refreshments and lounge bar and Bamber Bridge carpet .










Don't know what was said to Brig during the interval but they started the second half like a dog on heat . Constant bombardment of City's goal eventually paid off when Reynolds nodded home . In the proceeding minutes Brig should have had another penalty when a City defender handled in the six yard box . Unfortunately for Brig , City are extremely adept at soaking up pressure and breaking rapidly on the counter attack and i wasn't surprised when Dave Swarbrick made it 4-2 almost immediately after the restart , running over to the Dollies contingent , blowing kisses and tugging his own shirt , urging his team mates over to huddle him , talk about lapping it up , i thought the ref' would book him for over elaborate , self indulgent , time wasting celebration but he didn't .Think  he spent more time celebrating than he did at AFC Fylde ! Shortly after , Brig hit the bar with a super free kick but inevitably conceded two late goals after chasing the game and tiring towards the end . Final Score Bamber Bridge 2 - 6 Lancaster City
Ryan Salmon












On a positive note ,there was a decent crowd in to help with the coffers and for more than forty minutes of the second half Brig were on a par with City . Their players gave everything in the second half but were unlucky to come up against City in rich vein of form . Good to see a fantastic vocal following for City which created a fun atmosphere . .
Bamber Bridge photos November 8, 2011">

Garstang FC

Ground 29

Match 30

West Lancs Premier

Garstang 1-1 Stoneclough

Ground - The Riverside

Formed - Late 1880's

Admission Free

Programme not available

Distance Travelled 21 miles

Garstang - All Red

Stoneclough - Claret/Maroon/sky blue

Kick Off 2pm

Club house








Garstang is situated in the Wyre borough of Lancashire inbetween Preston and Lancaster . Its the first Fairtrade Town (2000) and produces an award winning blue cheese . I made the short trip via the M6 and A6 .
The club car park is situated off High Street which cuts through the centre of this small but quaint picturesque town . Every club i've visited so far in this division has a decent clubhouse with catering and changing rooms ; Garstang is no exception . In fact they were accommodating football and rugby today . There's a cricket scoreboard and pitch , tennis courts etc , good facilities and well supported by the locals .
After reading their excellent club website and match reports i noticed the club claims to be watched by around 100 spectators at each home game , before 2pm i was a little dubious but after the kick -off there was indeed a healthy crowd . I believe the club have planning permission to improve the ground perimeter by adding floodlights and boards . The pitch is surrounded by metal poles and posts which arch out near the dugouts and park bench incline along the halfway touchline .


Opposite the clubhouse goal is the River Wyre and a freshly built bonfire , so far without any effigies for Guy Fawkes Night celebrations later .


Garstang , bottom of the division without a win , need to put a few victories together . Stoneclough are in the bottom half of the table .
Both teams settle quickly , its not all kick and rush as you may expect , there's neat and sloppy passing along the undulating heavy looking pitch , both sides create several openings but fail to break the deadlock . Half time 0-0 .
The home crowd are right behind their team and the small Stoneclough contingent are vociferous too .

I decide to try the meat and potato pie and a cup of coffee . Prices are very reasonable and the pie is tasty .
Pie £1.20 Coffee/tea 60p crisps 45p




I'm slow to get out for the second half and get a glimpse from the club window of Garstang opening the scoring through Swash , virtually straight from the second half re-start , followed by a burst of rapturous applause from the home fans .



Stoneclough pressed forward with more urgency , leaving more space for Garstang . The next goal was going to be crucial and came from Stoneclough on the hour mark .
Ralph was first to react following a free kick into the box , agonisingly squeezing the ball home from close range to equalise .



In the closing minutes , with Stoneclough pressing , their fans and coaching staff went ballistic with the referee for not allowing play to continue after a through ball sent their forward into an advantageous position . The ref' stopped the game to book Garstang's Squirrell , clearly a poor decision not to allow play to continue and book the player retrospectively . I didn't like the foul and abusive language from a Stoneclough follower which continued for a good five minutes towards the referee . Language can be directed with less inflamed remarks even though i did agree with his observation . Apart from this incident the players and coaching staff were generally involved in good humoured banter even when the ref' made contentious decisions .
Credit to both teams for serving up a feast of attacking football and a draw was probably fair . Garstang obviously need wins and another draw was disappointing for their loyal fans .


Match Officials 7/10 Could have kept the play flowing more .

Time for me tea - bangers and Mash !Garstang FC November 5, 2011">