Venue: Earls Orchard, Slee Gill, Richmond, North Yorkshire DL10 4RH
Kickoff: 14:30 Sat 12 Aug 2017
Weather: changeable, ie mainly sunny and mild interrupted with dull showery bits
Kickoff: 14:30 Sat 12 Aug 2017
Weather: changeable, ie mainly sunny and mild interrupted with dull showery bits
LOCATION REPORT
SatNav: DL10 4RH
Staff/Volunteers: several, including canteen, gate, coaching staff etc
Parking: tiny onsite carpark, 10 spaces; public Yorke Square carpark nearby; no onstreet parking on the steep main road alongside the fields
Public transport: buses to Richmond from across Yorkshire and beyond, then walk down from town centre
Staff/Volunteers: several, including canteen, gate, coaching staff etc
Parking: tiny onsite carpark, 10 spaces; public Yorke Square carpark nearby; no onstreet parking on the steep main road alongside the fields
Public transport: buses to Richmond from across Yorkshire and beyond, then walk down from town centre
Refreshments: yes, hot/cold drinks, burger @ £2.50
Toilets: clubhouse
Stands/Terraces: no stand (but you could shelter from the showers on the clubhouse verandah), open on all sides with barriers to lean against
Floodlights: none
Toilets: clubhouse
Stands/Terraces: no stand (but you could shelter from the showers on the clubhouse verandah), open on all sides with barriers to lean against
Floodlights: none
MATCH REPORT
Approx crowd: 50+ mostly middle-aged men, but several kids (who preferred to kickabout amongst themselves rather than watch the match!). At least 1 dog. Plus numerous passers-by on the public footpath along the River Swale. Plus a few momentary onlookers amongst the Richmond Castle visitors.
Full-time [h/t] score (colours):
2 [0] Richmond Town (blue)
2 [1] Windscale (red/white, change strip)
Richmond won on penalties.
Bookings: 2 (Richmond)
Sent Off: 0
2 [0] Richmond Town (blue)
2 [1] Windscale (red/white, change strip)
Richmond won on penalties.
Bookings: 2 (Richmond)
Sent Off: 0
Official Match Report:
NORVENMUNKI's COMMENTS
I confess, it has been a while! My last post on my quest was to watch Richmond Town away in Coxhoe... three years ago.
Circumstances have somewhat got in the way of the original plan, but they say the best things are worth waiting for and now my quest resumes. Purely by total coincidence, I chose the beautiful market town of Richmond to be my first stop on the restarted journey, only to find that they were amazingly the last new team that I watched last time round. Not necessarily important for the mission, but perhaps just a sentimental comfort that my quest had been loyally waiting for my return throughout the hiatus.
The ground at Slee Gill is in a lovely setting, nestled by the River Swale just outside town, surrounded by steep banks and winding road. Of all its attractive characteristics, undoubtedly the most splendid is the vista of the mighty Richmond Castle, atop the hill across the river, with its ruins and towers.
The ground itself is cosy, despite the looming scenery, in a field surrounded by bramble bushes (which I helped myself to during the game) and rusting agricultural equipment, with a timber clubhouse set back from the road and a public riverside footpath running alongside the pitch (convenient if you are too tight to pay to watch... no Yorkshiremen jokes please!). The bloke on the gate was jolly and the regulars milled about chatting, I probably could have walked in for nowt.
A couple of early-birds were sheltering under umbrellas, as the typical summer day changed from dry to showery to full-on rain to dry again. I had wisely brought a waterproof coat, but through the afternoon I also shared an umbrella with a guy called Steve.
Steve was a man of mature years who was about to move away from the area, with a good knowledge of the team and the local football scene, who had done a bit of ground-hopping himself and was very welcoming and informative. He told me that the ground could never be developed because the area had Listed protection, even the railings around the pitch were designed to be removed immediately after a match (although the council were quite reasonable in unspokenly not enforcing that). He also recommended a few local venues to check out in future.
Steve was a man of mature years who was about to move away from the area, with a good knowledge of the team and the local football scene, who had done a bit of ground-hopping himself and was very welcoming and informative. He told me that the ground could never be developed because the area had Listed protection, even the railings around the pitch were designed to be removed immediately after a match (although the council were quite reasonable in unspokenly not enforcing that). He also recommended a few local venues to check out in future.
The match commenced and Richmond took the initiative. Steve explained how they were quite struggling for a settled squad having lots key players, and their early games so far had been defeats. To a neutral, they looked very up-for-it and started brightly as the visitors tried to find their rhythm after the long trip from west Cumbria.
To the frustration of the locals, the first goal came against the run of play as disorder in the home defence allowed the visitors to take the lead with a penalty-box scramble. But to their credit, the home side continued unbowed and fashioned a few chances including hitting the woodwork. 0-1 at half time.
To the frustration of the locals, the first goal came against the run of play as disorder in the home defence allowed the visitors to take the lead with a penalty-box scramble. But to their credit, the home side continued unbowed and fashioned a few chances including hitting the woodwork. 0-1 at half time.
The visitors came out in the second half with more of a plan, keeping possession and protecting their slender lead. But parity was restored when a Windscale defender blasted into his own net when it seemed improbable. Unfortunate for him but probably fair reward for Richmond's endeavour.
Then followed a second for the home side, an expertly dispatched goal from an incisive cross, which demonstrated real skill. The visitors responded well, inspired by their playmaking #10, and duly equalised in the dying minutes.
Penalties. No extra time in this competition, just straight to spot kicks. The kids crowded behind the net for the excitement of the shoot-out. At one point, the visiting team objected to the ref "that they were putting the players off"... a somewhat bizarre complaint that was rightly ignored by the match officials.
Misses, saves, successes. Richmond prevailed and went into the hat for the next round.
Windscale headed home. I would go there myself to visit them the following week.
Misses, saves, successes. Richmond prevailed and went into the hat for the next round.
Windscale headed home. I would go there myself to visit them the following week.
As I bid farewell to my guide Steve, I wandered back across the river and reflected on an excellent day, a thrilling match, friendly hospitality, beautiful setting and a recharged spirit for progressing with my quest. It was as if that three-year break never happened.
GBA rating: yes.
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