March 12, 2022
On a few days break to the beautiful National Trust village of Lacock in Wiltshire, the choice of Saturday afternoon sporting entertainment was to make the 3 mile journey to neighbouring Corsham for some Hellenic League football.
Corsham is perhaps most widely known for Corsham Court, a large stately home, where Peacock’s freely roam, often venturing into the high street to shriek at the locals, and for the TV series Poldark being filmed there. The town’s football and rugby clubs are located next to each other, just outside the town’s border on the road to Lacock.
Corsham Town, who are known as the Quarrymen, are in their first ever season in the Hellenic League, having been moved as part of the non-league restructuring and geographical shifts of leagues, after having been long serving members of the Western League. Once upon a time I had been to over 10 grounds in the Hellenic League, but such has been the restructuring, Corsham has now become my first ground in the League……
Due to their performances in the abandoned 2019/20 and 2020/21 seasons in Western League Division One, Corsham were promoted into the Hellenic Premier League rather than Division One, and they have had a decent season at this level, currently sitting in 6th place in the table with 19 wins from 35 games.
Their position had been even better, but one point from their last 3 matches, against promotion rivals ( Malvern Town H 0-0, A 0-3 ) and Westbury United ( A 2-3 ) had seen them slip from 4th place to end any hopes of promotion. Despite it being early March, they have only three more league matches left to play and this is Corsham’s last home league game of the season ! Speaking with some of the locals inside the ground, they have been disappointed with the organisational of the Hellenic League, having to play mid-week virtually all season, leading to fatigue and injuries to their squad, in order to end the season far too early.
Assistant manager/striker Gary Higdon had scored 20 goals, to be the 9th highest scorer in the League, having previously scored 266 goals for Melksham Town in 354 games. He was on the bench today, having been injured in recent weeks, but continues to play due to other injuries to their squad.
The average league attendance at Corsham’s Southbank stadium this season was 131, the third highest in the division, with 201 present for the match against Westbury in November.
Cribbs are also in their first ever season in the Hellenic, like Corsham also transferring from the Western League, but as a level transfer between the two leagues, and according to the Corsham programme this was apparently their first ever visit to Corsham ( although it turns out they played each other in 2014/15 ! ). The round trip journey for them was 64 miles.
Originally founded in London as Sun Life Assurance in 1958, they moved to Bristol in 1976 when Sun Life relocated their HQ. After a series of name changes as their owners were acquired, the football team lost its corporate backing in 2013 and adopted the name Cribbs FC in recognition of their location close to the Cribbs Causeway Road and the retail and leisure complex. However, their ground is closer to the suburb of Henbury.
Cribbs went into today’s encounter in third place, two points being second placed Westbury United, albeit it from 3 games more and on a run of 7 consecutive wins with only one goal conceded. Second place would achieve either direct promotion or a place in the complicated inter-league play-offs. Steve Murray had 21 goals to his name to be the 8th highest scorer in the league, whilst captain Jacob Hodgson was on 12 and George Kellow on 11 goals.
Corsham had won the reverse fixture 2-0 back in December, one of only three home defeats suffered by Cribbs, but a high scoring game looked on the cards today.
Temperature at kick-off was officially 11 degrees, with the weather dry and cloudy but a strong wind made it feel much colder, and the wind was to have a big impact on the game. It was a good to decision to wear my bobble-hat.
There is plenty of parking on the grass inside the ground, but we parked in the overflow car park next door, which also serves the cemetery and the park.
Entrance for the match was £6 for adults and £3 for concessions. The excellent matchday programme, which has been voted 7th best in Non-League, cost just £1, and free team-sheets were available from the tannoy hut.
Tea, coffee and soft drinks were £1 from the tea-hut, whilst a burger was £2.50, cheeseburger £3, a bacon roll £2 and chips £1.50. Also on offer was a “Belly Buster” for £6, which contains 2 burgers, 2 slices of cheese, 2 slices of bacon and 2 sausages in one bap ! I declined the opportunity to sample………..
The bar was comfortably laid, out, with a large function room attached. Sky’s Soccer Saturday was on the TV, with most beers at £4. I opted for the Icebreaker IPA which, despite being brewed by Greene King, was very good, whilst Mrs Fatbear’s wine was also £4.
There is a small Meccano stand with 112 seats along one side of the ground, with just hard standing on the other three sides. Most of the local supporters gathered in the corner at the end Corsham were attacking.
Corsham had number 21 on the front of their shirts, which made player identification a little difficult. Fortunately, they didn’t have a player with 21 on the back of their shirts. A few inquiries didn’t lead to any clarity as to what this signified, apart from a ruse to confuse the referee, although there would always be the possibility that the second yellow card to Corsham could lead to a red ! The match programme had no reference to any sponsor named 21, butl one local supporter eventually advised that it was in fact a restaurant in the centre of town. However, according to Tripadvisor it is permanently closed !
Cribbs kicked-off with the strong wind at their backs, but failed to make the most of the conditions. Their best chance of the first half came in the first minute, Corsham centre-back Jenkins mis-kicked a clearance with put Steve Murray clear on goal, but his shot was weak and well saved by Corsham keeper Brown.
A quick counter by Cribbs in the 11th minute resulted in a cross from the right wing to beyond the far post, but Jones could only slice high and wide as he stretched to reach the pass.
Cribbs then forced three corners in quick time, but the first sailed harmlessly over the bar with the wind, whilst the next two were comfortably defended.
Little was seen of Corsham as an attacking threat, although Cribbs keeper Greenbanks had to be alert to deal with a poor back pass before two attackers could pounce. In the 24th minute the home side produced the best move of the match to-date when forwards Aysa Corrick and Ryan Bath combined, but Bath decided to go for an optimistic shot from 20+ yards when was easily gathered by the Cribbs keeper.
The game then became physical. Corsham’s Bath, who fitted the description of “the big lad upfront”, and who looked a bit like Andy Carroll, had an arial duel with Cribb centre-back McErlain, which left the Cribbs man holding his head. As it was a head injury, the referee halted Corsham’s promising attack for McErlain to receive treatment. Corsham did get a free-dropped ball though.
Corsham’s Aysa Corrick, who looked Corsham’s best player throughout, prominently featured in Corsham’s next decent move, showing good pace to beat the covering defence to a long-ball and then showed good skill to work the ball back for a cross to beyond the far post, but Mundy was unable to control and the ball went off for a goal-kick.
Cribbs still dominated possession though, but failed to create any clear-cut openings. A long-throw was flicked on at the near post but no-one was lurking to take advantage, and after the ball bounced around the edge of the penalty area, Jones volleyed well over the bar. Hedges also spooned well over the bar after receiving the ball 20 yards out.
As the first half approached its conclusion there were two curious incidents, when whilst waiting for a Corsham free-kicks to be taken, a Cribbs player fell to the floor following off-the-ball incidents. On both occasions neither the referee or his assistant saw what happened ( and neither did Fatbear ! ) so no action was taken, although Bath was not happy with the actions of the Cribbs player for the second incident.
Corsham finished the half strongly, winning an obvious corner in added on time, except for Cribbs left-back Bennett, who amusingly furiously complained about the decision.
Corsham would have been the happier side going into the break on level terms, and with the elements in their favour in the second half. Indeed, the first two minutes of the second half had more entertainment than the entire first half.
Almost straight from the restart, Cribbs keeper Greenbanks gathered a long ball but his momentum took him well outside of his area for a handball. Usually, a straight red card would be given for such an offence, but today’s official opted only to show a yellow card. To rub salt into Corsham’s wound, the reprieved keeper then pulled off an outstanding save to tip Stead’s thunderous free-kick past the post for a corner.
Although the corner was cleared, full-back Ibrahim’s intended cross caught the wind, and Greenbanks made another top save to tip over the bar. From this corner, Bath headed inches wide at the back post.
Cribbs weather this early storm though, but one flowing move for them ended when Bennett crossed into the Tennis Courts behind the goal. In the 60th minute, Cribbs won a free-kick close to the Corsham penalty area, but McErlain’s effort went straight into the defensive wall. The visitors though appealed loudly for a handball, but the referee was deaf to their claims. The whinging continued for a while afterwards, leading to a loud cry of “Shut Up !” from a home supporter.
After this the game generally petered out as the two sides neutralised each other. Corsham pressed in the last few minutes, substitute Morris shot into the side netting, and a dangerous chip into 6 yard box needed a good header to prevent danger at the expense of a corner. In return, Corsham came close to conceding an own goal, but Fillingham’s cross was sliced over the bar by a Corsham defender.
Ultimately the draw was a fair result between two evenly matched sides, although the wind spoilt the game as a spectacle, with neither side adapting well to the difficult conditions. Fatbear’s prediction of a high scoring encounter proved to well wide of the mark !
With Westbury United drawing at Brimscombe and Thrupp, Cribbs remained in third place, two points adrift of second place. However, with just two games left to play, they are relying on a spectacular collapse from Westbury if they were to take second place. Corsham remained in 6th place.
Corsham FC : Brown – Ibrahim ( Morris ), Jenkins, Stocks, Greenland – Stead, Allen, Prangley, Mundy – Bath ( Higdon ), Corrick
Cribbs FC : Greenbanks – Harnett-Balkwil, Crouch, McErlain, Bennett – Cainey ( Dashfield ), Hodgson, Hedges – Jones, Kellow ( Cross ), Murray ( Fillingham )
Highlights : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJ8_CUz5FTs
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