Date: 15.01.2019
Ground: 80
Match: 21 (2018/2019 season)
Venue: Long Lane Park
Teams: Sikh Hunters V Wyrley United
Competition: West Midlands Regional League Division 1 League Cup
Admission: £3
Final Score: 3-0 (H/T 1-0)
Referee: Harry Warner
Attendance: 105 (Head Count)
Mileage to venue and return: 75.2 Miles
Introduction
This match was the 80th different ground visit that I have ticked, 20 more to the big 100!
As is the normal practice when I go to a Midweek match, I travelled directly to the ground from my place of work in Atcham. Atcham is situated in between the Shropshire towns of, Telford and Shrewsbury.
My route took me along the B5061 road before joining the M54 motorway and exiting at Junction 1. Third exit off the roundabout and onto the A460, Cannock Road, from here it was approximately a ten-minute drive driving down some wonderfully named roads, such as – Bognop Road, Hobnock Road and Bursnips Road as well as passing a sign for the Walsall FC training ground, before finding Long Lane Park.
In truth I missed the entrance to Long Lane Park and ended up at the home of the visitors for this evenings game, Wyrley United. Wyrley United play at Long Lane which I would say is no more than a ¼ mile drive from Long Lane Park, making this game one of the most local of local derby games that you could ask for.
I asked a gentleman who was walking his dog in the Car Park at Long Lane if I was in the right place for Sikh Hunters Football Club and he kindly pointed me in the right direction. I arrived at Long Lane Park at 5:50pm.
The address and postcode for Sikh Hunters FC is Long Lane Park, Long Lane, Walsall, WV11 2AA. Having visited the ground for the first time on 15th January I noted that the ground was actually situated approximately two miles outside the village of Essington and just before entering the smaller village of Newtown.
The next part of this report looks at Essington and Newtown respectively.
Essington
Essington is both a village and civil parish situated in South Staffordshire, England. The Office for National Statistics consider Essington to part of the Wolverhampton Urban Subdivision and within the West Midlands Conurbation. Whilst the village is rather small and of a relatively recent build, there are still the remains of a number of moated farmsteads. These are most likely to originate from the iron-age and are positioned on the land adjacent to the current boundaries of the village.
The parish of Essington is on the large side and as well as encompassing a village it is also home too several recreational, industrial and farming sites. The parish also encompasses several Hamlets and borders the West Midlands, Walsall and Wolverhampton. Services to the parish are considered to be rather confusing, the Post Office has given the area a Wolverhampton Post-Code for mail to be delivered, the British Telephone have given it a Walsall 01922 telephone area code. The local Health Authority is South Staffordshire, the Ambulance Service is provided from the West Midlands whilst the Social Services come from Codsall in South Staffordshire.
Yes – I will agree with the notion that services to this part of the world are on the confusing side.
Ralph Bond Sweet-Escott was born in Essington on 11th January 1869 and was an International Rugby Union player in the half back position. Sweet-Escott played his club rugby for Cardiff and won three international caps for Wales. As well as being a Rugby Union International, Sweet-Escott also played cricket for Glamorgan and represented this, one of thirteen historic counties of South Wales in the Minor Counties Championship. Ralph’s brother, Edward was also a player of note for the Glamorgan cricket team. Ralph Bond Sweet-Escott died in Germiston, South Africa aged only 38 years on 10th November 1907.
Another person of note with connections to Essington is Meera Syal CBE (born Fezoza Syal on 27th June 1961).
Meera Syal is a comedian, writer, playwright, singer, journalist, producer and actress. She rose to fame as one member of the team that created the BBC Sketch-comedy, Goodness Gracious Me and was soon to become well known by playing Sanjeev’s grandmother, Ummi in the television show – The Kumars at No.42. Syal was born in nearby Wolverhampton and grew up in Essington.
Newtown
Newtown is a small village in South Staffordshire and is within the parish of Essington. The village is situated in between, Great Wyrley and Bloxwich forming part of the Staffordshire/West Midlands border.
Sikh Hunters FC
Sikh Hunters Football Club was founded in 1964-1965 and has been established for over fifty years.
Sikh Hunters FC was the brainchild of its three founder members Bagicha Singh, Kernail Singh and Mohinder Singh. Three lads who had previously had the honour of playing for ‘Punjab Select’ back in India, who were eager to put their expertise and knowledge to the local soccer scene in here in England.
The club marked their arrival at the commencement of the 1964-1965 season, with an exhibition match versus Walsall FC Supporters Club. Through the late sixties till the late seventy’s most of their football was played in the Sunday morning leagues, where they enjoyed many successful years before switching to the Saturday scene.
In the early eighties, Sikh Hunters became members of the Bloxwich Combination League, winning Division 1 in the 1984/1985 season. This progressed the club to the Staffordshire County League and in the 1989/1990 season they were winners of Division 1. The 1990/91 season saw the team promoted into the Premier Division of the Staffordshire County League where they finished runners up.
The 1995/96 season saw Sikh Hunters become members of the West Midlands Regional League and entry into Division 1 North. The team switched to Division 1 South in the 1999/00 season where they finished 4th. This was to be their highest position as the team left the WMRL at the end of 2003/04 season.
In 2004/05 they entered the Wolverhampton & District Football Combination League. Steady progress and success followed with a victory at Walsall’s Bank’s Stadium in the Wernwick Cup in 2004/05 season and in the W’ton Combination Premier Cup in 2009/10. This allowed promotion back into West Midlands Regional League Division 2 in the 2011/12 season.
The 2016/17 season marked the arrival of current first team manager Matty Lovatt and under his leadership the team finished a respectable 7th in Division 2 of the West Midlands Regional League. 2017/2018 saw the club crowned WMRL Division 2 champions and allowed promotion into WMRL Division One.
Thank you to Harjinder Padda, secretary of Sikh Hunters FC for providing me with the above history of the club.
Current Season
The club is having a successful League campaign following their promotion to the West Midlands Regional League Division 1. Their current league statistics are shown as follows, information obtained from www.nonleaguematters.co.uk
League Position: 4th out of 17 teams.
Played: 22, Won: 14, Drawn: 1, Lost: 7
Scored: 70 (top scorers in the league)
Against: 38
Points Total: 43
Long Lane Park
The ground is a tidy venue which includes not only the ground itself but a very nice and large on-site club house. Visitors to Long Lane Park are welcomed to the ground with the sign shown in the picture below. As you can see the sign shows the name of one of the previous occupants of the ground, Wyrley Rangers.
Sikh Hunters currently rent Long Lane Park off a Gentleman by the name of Nadir, I was lucky enough to meet Nadir on Tuesday evening before the game started.
On passing past the sign and through the gates I entered a decently sized car park and parked my car with ease. The club house I mentioned earlier is positioned directly in front of the car park.
Also, within this building are the toilets and positioned to the left of the picture are the changing rooms.
Entrance to the changing rooms.
To gain entry too the ground you walk past the side of the building, changing rooms side and to the pay hut, where I was met by Harj who had sent me the history of Sikh Hunters Football Club earlier on in the week. I duly paid my £3 entrance fee and entered the ground.
As you can see from the picture, behind the pay hut is a nicely appointment covered stand which I estimate to have 100 seats.
At the back of the stand is a superb Sikh Hunters supporters flag. The next picture I share is of the goal to the left of the stand.
Further pictures of the ground are shown as follows:
I liked Long Lane Park and the facilities that it has on the site. It is Definitely well worth a visit.
Match Statistics and Team Line Ups
Sikh Hunters Wyrley United
1. Liam Haynes 1. Joe Williams
2. Ashley Smith ( c ) 2. Reis Nadat
3. Ben Lawley 3. Keiron Shaw
4. Daniel Jones 4. Lee Howell
5. Thomas Oldaker 5. Jack Grice
6. Joshua Macgregor 6. Nick Lee
7. Tyrone Atkinson 7. Matty Rhodes
8. Justin Nesbitt 8. Jack Braid
9. Todd Perry 9. Tom Green
10. Hinesh Patel 10. Martin Wheeler
11. Connor Archer 11. Ben Squire
12. Mandeep Garewal 12. Scott Gill
14. Jay Hewitt 14. Josh Tolley
15. Jason Jefferys 15. Ryan Wilkins
16. Dan Aldred 16. Ollie Bottier
17. Rohan Nairwan 17. Andy Lee
Statistics Statistics
Goal Log: Smith, 38 Goal Log: NA
Jones, 56
Archer, 79
Attempts On Goal: 15 Attempts on Goal: 5
On Target: 10 On Target: 4
Corners: 3 Corners: 5
Offsides: 5 Offsides: 2
Yellows: 0 Yellows: 2
Reds: 0 Reds: 0
Match Report
This game was a keenly contested local derby in the WMRL Division One League Cup, the first half was a real battle whilst the second period I think its fair to say was controlled for the most part by the home team.
Pre-Match Handshakes
The opening exchanges of the game were played out mostly in the middle third of the pitch, both teams working hard and putting some tough tackles in to try and win their individual battles.
The first chance of the game came on 10 minutes and fell to Sikh Hunters, Nesbitt found himself clean through on goal but his attempt to score was well saved by Wyrley goalkeeper, Williams.
Another period of tough tackling by the near neighbours followed, as is customary in any local derby at any level of football in the world. I was really enjoying the opening exchanges of the game and the commitment shown by both teams was brilliant.
The home side went close to opening the scoring in the 17th minute, a great free-kick was sent into the danger area by Sikh Hunters Captain, Smith. Unfortunately for the home side nobody could connect with the ball.
Another chance for the home side on 28 minutes, Patel produced some good work down the left flank and a fine cross to match which was well parried by Haynes, Wyrley eventually clearing the ball from danger.
The first good chance for the away side came 5 minutes later – a ball over the top of the Sikh Hunters defence found Wyrley’s Tom Green, Haynes in the home goal narrowed the gap and did well to save Green’s shot at goal.
Wyrley were enjoying a bit more of the ball at this point in proceedings and again had an effort at goal saved by Haynes which came from a free-kick taken by Wheeler.
Only one minute later, Sikh Hunters opened the scoring, Captain Smith was the scorer with a neat left foot shot on the half turn which found the bottom left corner of Williams’s goal. Three minutes later the home side almost doubled their advantage, Nesbitt producing a fierce shot from a narrow angle which was well saved by Williams.
This ended the action for the first period – Half Time score, 1-0
First Half Action
Second Half
Wyrley made a good start to the second half and created the first chance of the period in the 52nd minute. A free-kick taken by Green from wide on the left wing was swung into the box with pace, which goalkeeper Haynes did well to turn away from danger.
Three minutes later Sikh Hunters went close to doubling their advantage, a dangerously delivered corner caused mayhem in the Wyrley penalty area and resulted with an overhead kick catching the top of the crossbar.
The home side in fact doubled their lead only one minute later, with what I think is one of the best goals I have seen this season thus far. Daniel Jones who was excellent all night, produced a weaving run, dribbling the ball at pace, beat two opponents and calmly finished his run by side footing the ball past Williams into the far corner of the goal. Jones was instantly mobbed by his jubilant teammates and quite rightly too.
This goal proved to be the starting point of the home side taking real control of the game. In the 63rd minute, a cross from the Sikh Hunters right flank was delivered to the far post, Jones headed the ball back across goal which resulted in Nesbitt heading narrowly over the bar. Another good chance fell to the home side in the 75th minute, a fast break from the back with good passing resulted in Patel shooting just over the bar.
Jones almost grabbed his second of the night on 78 minutes which would have been a carbon copy of the goal he scored earlier in the half. Another fine run saw him get into a shooting position, this time his effort was well saved by Williams.
Sikh Hunters made the game safe on 79 minutes, Connor Archer delivered a great ball into the Wyrley area which evaded everybody and ended up with the ball nestling into the net.
Even though now the game was safe for the home team, Wyrley never gave up at any point and almost grabbed a consolation goal, Grice trying his luck with a shot which unfortunately for him was cleared off the line. The final minutes were played out at the same pace as the rest of the game, tough tackling and high work rates, with the home side running out 3-0 winners to progress to the semi-finals.
Ashely Smith prepares to take a second half Sikh Hunters free-kick.
Conclusion
This was an enjoyable evening at a very friendly and welcoming football club. During my visit to the Fortis Stadium last year where I watched Wellington Amateurs V Sikh Hunters in a WMRL Division one league game, I was fortunate enough to meet and chat to Sikh Hunters first team manager, Matty Lovatt. During our conversation Matty kindly gave me a programme from his clubs game against FC Darlaston from the previous season. Matty said I would be most welcome at a Sikh Hunters home game in the future which is why I went to this game at Long Lane Park. I again met Matty not long after arriving at the ground and enjoyed a chat with him and again he kindly gave me another Sikh Hunters programme for me to keep as a souvenir of my visit.
Not long after we finished our chat, I met a fellow groundhopper by the name of Martin. Martin had travelled from Crewe to attend the game and told me that he had visited over 3,000 grounds during the many years of groundhopping he has conducted thus far – I’ve got a bit of catching up to do I think!
Just before the game started, I heard a shout of ‘hey Gareth’ I turned around and the shout had come from a chap by the name of Mark George. I know Mark from his time putting me through a warehouse NVQ at my workplace some years ago, he had also given my fork lift truck refresher training a couple of years ago. After we had a chat, Mark introduced me to a chap called Ian who it turned out is the Father of Sikh Hunters goalkeeper, Liam Haynes and also the brother of my boss at work – it’s such a small world we live in isn’t it!
I must mention the referee, Harry warner – I thought that he was excellent throughout and controlled the game very well, one of the better performances I have seen from a referee this season.
Finally, I would just like to thank all at Sikh Hunters again for their superb hospitality and would like to wish both them and Wyrley United the best of luck for the remainder of the season.