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Monday 22 December 2014

Frod Hit Back To Claim Point - Appleby Frodingham vs. Thoresby Colliery Welfare

The clubhouse with Brumby Hall in the background
As it was the last weekend before Christmas, we wanted to avoid the motorways and any busy town centres and so we elected to watch Appleby Frodingham's home match with Thoresby Colliery Welfare in The Central Midlands League Black Dragon Division North. The only match I'd seen in this league was Boxing Day last year at Thorne and I had been impressed with the standard in that match. This was App Frod's first season back in The Central Midlands League after being relegated from The Northern Counties East League last term. They had made an OK start to the season and had a couple of games in hand over the teams immediately above them. I had seen App Frod once before at local rivals Bottesford Town in another Boxing Day match. Thoresby were only one point behind league leaders Clay Cross Town with two games in hand.  

Kick off at Brumby Hall
Thoresby almost carve out a very good chance in the opening minutes but the App Frod keeper gets to the ball first. App Frod then come very close to taking the lead when on the break, they have an extra man on the overlap and his shot is saved by the keepers legs and the ball loops just the bar. They come close again shortly afterwards when a free kick isn't cleared fully cleared away and the App Frod player sends a dipping half volley towards goal and the ball dips just over the bar. Thoresby then create a couple of chances, the best one being when the ball is pulled back from the byline but the ball is ballooned over the bar. Thoresby are then gifted the lead. The App Frod keeper spills a long range shot and just as the Thoresby player is about to tap the ball in to the net he is taken out by the App Frod defender. The penalty is given and incredibly the referee takes no further action against the defender. The penalty is buried to put the visitors one up. Towards the end of the half, the App Frod player hits a great long range effort but unfortunately for the home side it is too close to the keeper.

App Frod on the attack in front of the council offices
App Frod start the second half on the front foot and a cross in to the area lacks the pace for the resulting header to be able to worry the keeper. The home side get in to another couple of decent positions but lack the quality for the final ball. They should really be level when the ball is pulled back to the player in space but he puts the ball wide, although some in the crowd thought it had gone in. Thoresby are then able to break and a good ball puts the forward in. He is then flattened by the onrushing keeper. The referee is again in a generous mood and only books the App Frod goalie. The resulting free kick finds a player in space but his header lacks any real power. After that let off, App Frod get the equaliser their endeavours deserve. The pacey winger is able to break down the right and he wins a corner. This corner is not fully cleared and the ball is prodded in from close range. Neither side can find the winner in the final minutes and the result is a well earned point for both sides.

Hedge side of the ground
Scunthorpe station is a leisurely fifteen minute stroll away from Brumby Hall. If you are desperate to get to Scunthorpe from London, you have to take a train to Doncaster from Kings Cross and change there for a train to Scunthorpe. The journey takes just under two hours if you get decent connections. The general consensus is that the best pub in Scunthorpe Town Centre is The Honest Lawyer which had a good selection of ales last time I was in there. A bit further up the road is The Blue Bell which is a Wetherspoon's. Both pubs can be very busy if Scunthorpe United are at home. The clubhouse is the Brumby Hall Social Club and sells drinks at club prices and had BT Sport for the early kick. If the weather is too bad then the clubhouse provides an elevated view of the pitch. 




Match action with The Pods Leisure Centre in the background


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