I always enjoy a trip to Marlow's ground and not just because I've seen Maidenhead win two cup finals there. Its set up its pretty much ideal for a club of its size and status with sizeable covered terracing behind one goal and along one side and marvellous old stand to sit in. With concrete terracing all around and a homely bar under the stand if ever you had to show an visitor from Mars what non league football is you could do worse than taking them to Oak Tree Road.
The walk from the station also provides plenty of opportunities for refreshment, particularly if you go via the high street so once I was assured that weather conditions would be favourable to the game going ahead I had no hesitation to setting off for the game despite the low key nature of the competition.
The County Cups are surely an idea that should be consigned to the dustbin of history. They have been eclipsed by virtually every other competition and I would suggest that with so few teams in this one (12) that it be relegated to a pre/early season tournament so its out of the way before the real stuff begins. It could be finished in two weeks and allow the more senior teams to try out youngsters and fringe players with the real incentive of making a bid for regular first team football at the start of the season. Also most of the competing teams play each other preseason anyway, this way an admission charge is justified.
Maidenhead won the game as comfortably as the 5-1 scoreline suggests although there were a few jitters when Marlow took the lead through Adam Dickens. United's quick response through Kieron St. Aimie and a Cliff Akurang hat trick reflected their seniority and it was a surprise that only Lee Barney added to the score once the game was as good as won, certainly the youngster's freakish goal capped the evening as those of us behind the goal were presented with a rueful smile from goalkeeper Watkins as the ball sailed over his head into the net. After his mercifully short spell at York Road it was good to see the Magpies on the receiving end of his munificence.
1 comment:
“The County Cups are surely an idea that should be consigned to the dustbin of history” –
Agreed. That said, with no Blue Sq Bet League Cup and MUFC Ltd seemingly consigned to exit FA Cup and Trophy at virtually the earliest opportunity each season, we’d have no Cup interest throughout the entire season if the B&B were to cease to exist (I have been half tempted to suggest, in the past, that we pull out and pay the fine – is there not another, more competitive and less noddy, County Association that we can join instead?)
“munificence” –
Good word!
Dexter Burt the new Michael Watkins?
Post a Comment