GRIFFIN FLIES AWAY WITH THE POINTS FOR CIRENCESTER TOWN

BEDWORTH UTD 0 V CIRENCESTER TOWN 1
EVOSTIK SOUTHERN LEAGUE PREMIER @ THE OVAL
9 JANUARY 2016 --- 3PM

A CIRENCESTER FANS VIEW OF THE OVAL

A goal seven minutes into this Premier League encounter from Charlie Griffin was enough to secure all three points for the visitors, Cirencester Town, a draw may have been a fair result but the visitors number 9 was in the right place at the right time.
The first few paragraphs of the blog have shown the same sentiment for the last 7 weeks or so as the rain continued to fall for another week and it was of course forecast for Saturday, day of the match!  Today was no different and so this weeks 3g game was sought at The Oval home of Bedworth Utd a club who the blog had featured in March last year in their home game with Beaconsfield SYCOB.

BEDWORTH MANAGER STUART STORER LOOKING SMART

Promotion last season has seen Stuart Storer's side take on the heights of Premier League football in the Evostik Southern League, it is a big leap and sadly they are at present at the wrong end of the table along with todays visitors from The Cotswolds.

TRANSPORT PIC MAKES MAIN BLOG, AGAIN, DIRECT RAIL SET
AT LEICESTER

The build up to the game is normally spent watching the weather forecast and checking out clubs social media output sadly this week of the seven games the blog was considering 5 of the clubs by late Friday early Saturday morning were not showing any clues of their fixtures or any guidance of pitch inspections.  During the close season I have also mentioned Rugby League National Conference clubs and their poor use of social media they have a great advert as do our many non league football clubs but you have to wonder why some clubs then ask the question why don't more people attend our games?




THE '48' ARRIVING AT BEDWORTH FROM NUNEATON

Depart from base station was to Leicester were when we departed we had many friends from Leicester Tigers who were welcoming Northampton to Welford Rd.  The blog had a twenty minute wait for our next train which would take us to Nuneaton, the station boards were declaring a two minute delay.  But at just after 1 o clock the delay was getting longer and we started to make plans for a debut visit to St Andrews FC were a pitch inspection had been passed.
With the connecting train at Nuneaton now out of our time slot the midweek planning for buses to Bedworth was looking to be time well spent.  We just avoided the cut off time when we departed nearly half an hour down from Leicester on a train that had arrived in very full, once again with Tigers fans.  Departure from Nuneaton station saw a quick sprint to the bus station and a stripey boys 48, destination Coventry. which dropped us by All Saints Square at just short of 2pm.
The journey took us on a direct route but managed to drop by Bermuda[!], the places we call by always amaze us. 

EARLY TRAINING FOR BEDWORTH GUIDED BY SUPERMAN

Having covered the ground and town on the blog in March I wont go over them in too much detail again needless to say the Alms houses in the town centre are an excellent feature.  The town centre was really on big wind down mode and by the time we passed the Church there was a big shortage of potential customers for The Greenbacks game.

MATT LIDDIARD WARMING UP FOR CIRENCESTER

Entry via the ornate gates and walkway to the town end turnstile we arrived just after 2pm and opted to get out food ordered straight away from Hayley's Hut and then go on a circuit after eating.  As on the blogs previous visit this is a ground situated on the edge of The Miners Park and is immaculate looking smart and well ordered.  The club has a pleasant bar and hospitality area with a presidents club room on the roof offering a commanding view of the proceedings. 
The 3g pitch now into its second season is looking good and I'm sure proving a valuable asset to the club.  The main stand is a smart high rising affair in corporate green livery with just a few yellow seats to add a diversion.
The teams were out warming up and Bedworth were doing some full on preparation to set them up for the forthcoming 90 minutes.  The third team lead by match referee Andrew Hendley were also going through their paces.

REFEREE HENDLEY REPLAYS LAST WEEKS GREAT ADVANTAGE PLAYED

My travelling companion had not had too much conversation with anybody today which is unusual as the blog normally looses him as he gets in conversation with so many interesting people. 

THIS WEEKS ARTISTIC POSE
VISITORS NUMBER 1

Mind you by kick off time we had got into conversation with the Cirencester coach driver and I guess the kit man.  Very friendly chat and we even invited ourselves for an overnight stay in a Cirencester bus shelter to take in a game, just when we thought our luck was in for accommodation the coach driver offered us...................a complimentary cardboard box.  A nice friendly duo thanks guys, as the teams were filing out onto the pitch for the respect handshake we realised we recognised the visitors manager when we last saw them on an away trip to St Neots last season.
This game was played at a pace all afternoon but overall produced little in front of goal and it was that strike after 7 minutes from Griffin that proved to be the winner.  On loan keeper Raajan Gill could only push away a powerful shot from Zak Kotwica and as the keeper went to challenge Mark Pritchett the ball skewed across to Griffin who exquisitely drove the ball home from close range into the unguarded goal.  The home side tried their best to get back into the game but had really just an Andy Westwood goal bound shot to their tally but that was blocked by a visiting defender close in.
So we arrived at half time and had caught up with a welcoming gentleman from Bedworth who told us about the positive things the club are trying to do and following an interesting conversation we popped off to get something to drink from Debz shed.  Looking at two Bovril's Debz then offered Mick a 'Beduff Broth' and he changed his mind to go for the local delicacy

Rain had never been far away from the day and with a dark afternoon I'm afraid the pictures are not as good as I would have liked. 

GRIFFIN HITS THE WINNER FOR CIRENCESTER

By 4.15 the joys of the last few weeks were upon us again as the sky's opened up with heavy rain gave the 3g and us a watering.  Retirement to the lofted stand was required although for the last ten minutes a return to pitch side, wet viewing was to be demanded.

BEDWORTH ON LOAN NUMBER 1 RAJAAN GILL

With seven minutes of normal time remaining a superb deep cross off the left from Cirencester substitute Ollie Knight found Griffin who had time to pull the ball down and shoot and double the visitors lead, sadly his effort was well hit but flew over the Bedworth crossbar.
The miss could have proved costly when I the third minute of time added on Daniel Dubidat nearly levelled the scores with a superb twisting header that just missed the target.
A tight game with a lack of goalmouth action but no shortage of effort from both sides who gave 100% to their respective causes.
With an hour to clear before the train back to Nuneaton we opted for a lemonade stop at the towns 'Spoons' The Bear and Ragged Staff. 

CIRENCESTER'S MANAGEMENT TEAM IN DEEP THOUGHT

The short walk to the station saw us arrive for the five minute journey at a desolate empty station [platform] for the two carriage London Midland City train.  Once again at Nuneaton station departure to Leicester is from platform 7 which tantalisingly overlooks a KFC with no thought or funding yet from Network Rail to put a bridge in to the take away, I will get a visit in their sometime soon!
Back at Leicester we met up with may of our rugby union friends many of whom were still enjoying beer out of Tigers emblazoned baking jugs some signed but most still with beer swilling in them!
Base station was arrived at just after 7.30pm on an increasingly cold and windy evening.

A QUIET [!] BEDWORTH STATION