Owls Coast Home - Cleethorpes Town vs. Armthorpe Welfare

A very wet Bradley Development Centre

With the way the festive days fell this year, I was able to catch one more game up north before heading back to London. We had intended to watch Selby Town at home to Lincoln Moorlands but the heavy snow fall the previous night meant that some of their players were unable to travel and the game was postponed. Most of the morning was spent watching Twitter and seeing games being called off one by one in The Northern Counties East League but I did see that Cleethorpes Town's home match against Armthorpe Welfare was defiantly on. On our approach to Grimsby we hit very heavy rain and I had my doubts but the pitch held up very well. It is well known that local side Grimsby Town actually play in Cleethorpes and it turns out that Cleethorpes play in Grimsby. On to today's game and Cleethorpes were doing well after winning promotion from division 1 last season and sat in seventh position. They had also had a good run to the second qualifying round of The FA Cup where they were knocked out by Conference North side North Ferriby. Armthorpe weren't having as successful of a season and were third from bottom at the start of play. 

Kick off in heavy rain

Cleethorpes have an early half chance when a cross into the area isn't cleared but the Armthorpe defence is able to block the shot. They then have a short corner routine which culminates in a weak headed effort. Armthorpe then have a decent shout for a penalty when the Cleethorpes defender misjudges the bounce of the ball and it appears that it hits him on the arm but nothing is given. Cleethorpes soon take the lead. Apparently it was a good goal but I unfortunately had my back to it as I was taking my place in the stand. They almost double their lead when the forward heads wide following a good cross into the area. They do double their lead when the Armthorpe keeper does well to get down to a long range effort but the Cleethorpes forward is first to the ball and he makes it two nil. Armthorpe should be further behind when the ball is headed down in the area but the shot is dragged wide of the target. Cleethorpes grab a third when the Armthorpe player is robbed in the area and the Cleethorpes forward powers a great effort in to the top corner.

Seconds before the second goal

Cleethorpes have a cheeky attempt on goal in the opening stages of the second half when they attempt to chip the keeper from the edge of the area but the ball goes just over. Armthorpe have a good chance to put pressure on the Cleethorpes keeper but he easily claims the free kick from out wide. Cleethorpes get a fourth as the Armthorpe defence fail to fully clear a ball into the danger zone and the forward slots the ball home from the edge of the area. Cleethorpes sense blood and the midfielder goes on a mazy run and he is tackled in the area when he would have been better passing to a team mate. They get the fifth when the forward is played in and he skips around the keeper and puts the ball into the empty net. Cleethorpes are now creating chances at will and the forward should do better then blazing ball into the car park when he is unmarked at the back post. The sixth comes when the wall half blocks a free kick but the ball lands at the feet of the forward who prods home from close range. The Armthorpe goalie then pulls off three fantastic close range saves in quick succession to frustrate the home side. He has to be alert when he makes a good save from another long range chipped effort. Armthorpe have a short attacking spell as the game enters the final stages but they fail to trouble the goalie.

Everyone looks to the linesman after the sixth goal

I was driven to The Bradley Development Centre but the closest station to the ground is Grimsby Town. According to the excellent Andy Of Kent website you can catch the number 3 bus from the station to close to the ground. Grimsby Town is on the Cleethorpes to Manchester Airport line and is an hour journey from Doncaster. Before the game we went to The Trawl which had Sky Sports and a pinball machine which is sadly a rare sight in pubs. The pub is about a twenty minute walk from the ground. There is The Bradley Inn closer to the ground but we did not try this out. The clubhouse at the ground is new as you would expect from a recently formed club and had BT Sports and the usual selection of drinks. The programme shown below is a brilliant effort.

 

Clubhouse side of the ground