Middlecliffe Lane, home of Houghton Main based in Little Houghton, Barnsley, South Yorkshire and play their trade in the Sheffield & Hallamshire County Senior League Premier Division.
The Montagu Cup is back!! A few games on this Sunday morning around the South Yorkshire area but the one for me today is Houghton Main vs Mexborough Athletic! A ground that I have been intrigued by for a while and today is the day I finally get to see it!
Straight onto the M1, onto the M18 and to the A1 and here I am all parked up with 8 minutes to go before kick off… Out I get and… A whistle? The game has kicked off 8 minutes early… Timed that alright then!
Kick Off! Houghton Main starting the better of the 2 teams so far. 11th minute and Houghton have a corner, in it comes… Number 4 runs in and gets there… Wide!
4 minutes later and Houghton have another corner, in it comes… Number 6 is there at the near post… And he heads home! Good header! That’s been coming! Houghton lead in the cup! 1-0!
21 minutes now and Houghton continue to dominate this game, a ball is played over the top to number 12, he’s onside, he gets to the edge of the box and he makes space for the shot… Keeper parries away! The Houghton bench continue to question the assistant referee on the far side about a few offside decisions… Don’t know why! The linesman has got them all correct so far for me! Great to speak to the man himself here too!
37 minutes on the clock and Houghton have a corner again, it’s whipped in… Mexborough head away but only to Houghton’s number 12 in the box, he makes space and shoots… Keeper spills it… It spins out for another corner, in it comes again… The Referee blows for a foul on a Mexborough man.
39th minute and Mexborough have hardly been out of their own half… Well there out of their own half now and they have space down the left hand side, it’s crossed in towards number 12 at the back post… THEY’VE SCORED… Totally against the run of play and just like me and the linesman were thinking! One chance and they’ve taken it! It’s 1-1! Great to meet a club official of Houghton just before that goal, he won’t be happy they’ve conceded now though… 1-1 at half time here.
Second half, 54th minute and Houghton play down the left wing, it’s crossed in, number 7 with the header… It’s wide! He should’ve scored there!
61 minutes on the clock and Houghton get into the box on the left, it’s drilled across low… And somehow Mexborough get there to clear from point blank.
2 minutes later and Houghton have a corner, it’s whipped in… The keeper stretches for it… He’s got a hand on it but it’s rebounded of Houghton Main’s number 4… It’s rolled wide… Surely it’s only a matter of time before Houghton score here!
71st minute and Houghton are all over Mexborough here! They play it out right, it’s played across to number 6, is this the moment…? No! He’s hit his shot straight at the keeper… He should be doing better there!
3 minutes later and Houghton play the ball out to the right to number 7, he crosses in, number 9 wins the header… OH! Over… How many more chances are Houghton going to waste here!?
1 minute later and it’s the same ball to the same player on the right for Houghton Main, it’s played across low this time, it’s number 15 who shoots first time… NO! He’s hit it well over… It’s looking more and more like Mexborough’s day here!
79th minute and… You guessed it! Here come Houghton again, they have it down the left hand side, it’s crossed in, it comes for number 9 who controls and shoots… Surely! NO! He’s dragged his shot wide… It should be 5-1 at least to Houghton here…
82 minutes on the clock and Houghton have a corner, in it comes… It comes to number 10 at the back post, he makes space and goes for the curler on his left foot… AND SCORES!! Brilliant goal! Boy have they deserved that!! Houghton lead again! 2-1!
Can Mexborough respond here…? No! Houghton hold on for the win! The best team won! Houghton Main are through to the next round of the Montagu Cup!
FT: Houghton Main 2-1 Mexborough Athletic
Ratings
- Atmosphere: 1/10 – Dead unfortunately…
- The Ground: 7.5/10 – Brilliant ground! For the level Houghton are at, this is a great ground! The stand makes this ground for me but I love the bars that are painted in the club colours and the pitch is an absolute carpet! They haven’t got much here but they have certainly made the most of what they have got and it certainly is fantastic!
- Expense: 10/10 – Free entry and no fuel! What else could it be!?
- Overall Experience: 8/10 – I enjoyed the game and it was great to speak to the linesman and the club official here today!
26.5/40
Brilliant tha you for your visit…sorry I couldn’t hang around much chasing balls over hedges etc…i would have liked to have given you a more welcoming experience had I also not had too shoot off to another match straight after…a charity match this time in which I’d been invited to play in.
Hopefully meet you again sometime all the very best..
Carl Brennan
Houghton Main Secretary.
No problem mate! Thank you for your kindness! Good luck for the season!