PENISTONE, PAGNELL, POSTERS AND POTHOLES

FA Cup day and FA Vase also. But avoiding knock out stuff, instead I went to watch local Penistone Church, top of their league, play Hallam FC, the club plays on the oldest ground in the world (1860) and second oldest club after Sheffield FC. Think about it. Penistone is a meer 1906 foundation. Penistone lost 0-1, a disappointment.

Not a lot of excitement in that but I did rake through the Vase results and found a 12 goal aggregate. In the Third Round Proper of the Buildbase Vase, Newport Pagnell Town FC lost 3-9 to London Colney. Town, founded in 1963 moved to their home ground in 1972. They were previously known as the Wanderers, understandably since they had no home ground, changed their handle to Town and since they gained stability they have moved nicely through the local leagues into the United Counties League Premier by 2001-2. They have reached the last 32 in the Vase, losing to Ashington from the North-East 3-2 in front of a record crowd of about 600. The club runs two senior sides, 2 ladies, 7 juniors and 15 mini (under 12) and one "Kickers" squad-these are the nippers who don't play proper matches. NPTFC is a well run and successful club. Why did they lose so badly?

Not sure what is going on in this "youth" team photo for NPTFC? but the club does know how to turn out a smart poster.

It's a bit too early in the evening to find an explanation but London Colney FC is an older club (1907) and play in the Spartan Midland League Premier. Known as the Blueboys, they have featured successfully in the Vase reaching the 4th Round proper in 2000, the 3rd Round in 2001, 2006 and 2015, obviously fairly comfortable midst the knock out competition. But 9-3 is a bit of a pasting isn't it.

How the mightly have fallen? Remember Westfields from Herefordshire making history by getting into the FA Cup First Round but meeting Curzon Ashton and losing 3-1?
Well they are out of the Vase losing to Coleshill Town today. Tough.

And finally, what of Bemerton Heath Harlequins FC? An intriguing name but not so special when it comes to the Vase because they too have gone out to Melksham Town FC 2-3.
Nice ground though.

The Salisbury based side whose "electoral ward" is in the top 5% of most deprived wards in England and second most deprived in Wiltshire. Mind you it's all relative, because Wiltshire is quite posh.

If we are using potholes as a criterion then I live in a slum......