Meadow Lane, home of Birstall United… Not to be confused with Notts County! Birstall play their trade in the United Counties League Division One which is in Step 6 of the Non League Pyramid and are based in Leicestershire.
The United Counties groundhop is here!! Part 1 of the day is Birstall United vs Saffron Dynamo in the opening weekend of the United Counties League! An early start this year due to the World Cup in Qatar… Which won’t affect anyone at this level… Unless any of the players have tickets to go mind?
The first of a Leicestershire double for me after my original plan of Berwick Rangers and the Stanks final is put on hold for another year. So I will be appearing at the hop but only for this game and I’m looking forward to seeing some friendly faces today! And a good game hopefully of course!
Straight onto the M1 for me! Here I am at the ground with around half an hour to go before kick off! £5 to get in here! Tasty! £3 pin badge! Check! Pin badge stall on! Check! Meeting your friends at the football! Priceless!! Great to see Luke PL2NL, Turnip & Mansfield Vinny here so far today!
Kick Off! Brilliant to see Laurence Reade here again today! First time seeing him since the FANA Fan Podcast episode! 8 minutes in and Birstall play a long ball forward towards Josh Crossley running onto it, just outside the box on the left and he goes for goal on the volley… OH WHAT A GOAL!! What a finish that is!! A great start for Birstall! The visiting groundhoppers clap for that one! We will not be getting a 0-0 like we all did at Ilkley! 1-0!
11th minute now and Saffron come forward, Jack Burns is played through, the flag stays down, a tangle with Birstall’s Reece Lefley and the Referee has given a free kick on the edge of the box for Saffron after the linesman flags… What is the fate of Reece Lefley for Birstall…? He’s off! He’s not happy! It did look like Burns was offside from my view and the foul is debatable… I’m not too sure but Lefley has to go if he blows for a foul as he is the last man!
Jamie Starbuck steps up for the free kick… He’s hit the wall but he’ll get a second chance… Blocked and cleared by Birstall. 15 minutes now and the game is hotting up already…
Saffron have a free kick in the Birstall half after a silly challenge by a Birstall player who has already caused a bit of bother earlier on in the game and will be booked this time around. Lucky boy? The free kick is lumped into the box… Keeper comes and punches but only to Elliot Butler who volleys at goal from the edge of the box… He’s hit the post! So close!
Great to bump into Andy and Jack once again at a ground!! Lovely to see Joanna here as well! 21 minutes gone and Saffron play a ball forward towards Jack Burns, keeper comes for it… Burns gets there first… But the keeper gets a hand to it and Birstall can breathe again.
28th minute and Birstall play down the left, it’s played across and headed in the air… Birstall get to the loose ball first and it comes to Josh Crossley and he’s free in the box on the right, he bares down on goal… And he finds the goal!! Second of the game for him! The 10 men double their lead! 2-0!
32 minutes now and Birstall play a ball forward to Josh Crossley who’s in… He’s around the keeper, is this the hat-trick…? No! He’s Offside! It won’t count!
43rd minute and Saffron have a corner, in it comes… Saffron header at goal… OH WHAT A CLEARANCE THAT IS! Off the line by Birstall’s number 2! Amazing work! At half time the score remains 2-0 to Birstall.
Second half, a slow start to the game this half especially compared to how the first half started! 63 minutes on the clock and Bistall play down the left wing, it’s crossed in, Josh Crossley goes in at the near post… And he gets the hat-trick!! What a game he is having!! 3-0!!
67th minute and Saffron have a free kick in the Birstall half, it’s lumped into the box, Ben Tye heads it across the middle, keeper misses it and it’s going in… It’s cleared off the line by Birstall! The Referee blows his whistle… He’s given a penalty! Not sure what for… Birstall keeper is booked! A foul by the keeper somewhere in there then… Barnes Gladman steps up for Saffron… Oh dear… Very poor penalty! Straight at the keeper with no pace on the ball… It’s still 3-0.
82nd minute and Birstall come forward, they get into the box from the left, it’s worked across to Josh Crossley… Keeper saves!
1 minute later and Birstall come down the right, Josh Crossley has it and he drives into the box, he shoots… He scores again!!! Josh Crossley 4! Birstall 4! What a day he is having!! 4-0!
Josh Crossley is subbed off for Birstall to a standing ovation by all in today! What a performance! 88th minute and Birstall play it forward to number 11… He’s Offside! Keeper is well out of his goal and he rolls it in but it won’t count! Referee blows for full time! The perfect start for Birstall!
FT: Birstall United 4-0 Saffron Dynamo
Ratings
- Atmosphere: 4/10 – A few cheers and jeers here and there but a very friendly one with all the groundhoppers there as well.
- The Ground: 6/10 – A nice little setup they have here! The stands are good and the clubhouse is lovely! A nice little ground!
- Expense: 10/10 – £5 entry, £3 pin badge and £20 fuel for a game with 4 goals, a red card and penalty! Not bad!
- Overall Experience: 10/10 – A great game with a fair bit of drama and quality! Great to see Luke PL2NL, Turnip, Mansfield Vinny, Andy, Jack, Joanna, Moon hopper, Laurence, Robyn and Chris here today though! Can’t ask for much more than that!
30/40