LLANFAIRPWLLGWYNGYLLGOGERYCHWYRNDROBWLLLLANTYSILIOGOGOGOCH (Maes Eilian)

After a hectic Saturday undertaking four games in a day on the Central Midlands Bonanza, it was back to normality today with just the solitary game! It was a rare chance to witness some action in a league which doesn't normally play on the Sabbath.

Due to the international between Wales and England, and the blanket ban on games imposed by the FAW, this game was switched to the Sunday so Llanwrst didn't have to make the journey in midweek. The club were also hoping that it would attract a few more paying spectators through the turnstile, well gate in this case.

It has been a few years since I visited LlanfairPG at their old Gors Field ground and since then they have moved (as the crow flies) across the road to  a new ground, Maes Eilian. It is pretty basic but an improvement on the old ground, in that there is now more cover and a seated stand.

After a decade in the Cymru alliance, the 2010 re-structuring relegated LlanfairPG back to the Welsh alliance, where they are 7th at the start of play. Llanwrst were down in 12th, but just 7 points behind their hosts.

What the game lacked in quality, it certainly made up with goals and incidents. Llanfairpwll went nap and won comfortably by five goals to nil. After a slightly delayed kick off, due to the nets not being in place (see photo below) it was a pretty even opening until the 18th minute when The Rwsters had a player sent off for a 'professional' foul, Richard Owen converted the resulting penalty.

Kelvin Fraser doubled the homesters advantage with a goal in the 34th minute before Owen took over, making it three in the 38th minute and completing his first half hat-trick with another penalty in the 44th minute.

The second half was pretty much a non-event. The only additional goal of the game came from a own goal in the 58th minute, when a Fraser corner was deflected in. Llanwrst did have a chance to get themselves back in the game with a penalty, but it was skied high over the crossbar.

They did attract a crowd of over 150, according to official reports, but i’d say there were no more than 90 present. This still however represents a bigger crowd than normal. All in all, an enjoyable afternoon out in the glorious Welsh sunshine.















The Llanwrst players take unusual steps to fix the nets!













Richard Owen completes his first half hat-trick with his second penalty.



Sunday 27th March 2011
Welsh Alliance
Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch 5-0 Llanwrst United
Attendance: 150

ANOTHER SCOTTISH WEEKEND!

Saturday 19th March 2011
Scottish Football League Division 2
Peterhead 1-2 Ayr United
Attendance: 536

It was an early start (an 8am flight to Aberdeen) on my quest to visit one of the most northern Scottish League grounds (not THE most northerly pedants!). If you are travelling by public transport it is quite an awkward ground to get to as the nearest train station is 34 miles away in Aberdeen. That means it’s a bus journey round the houses to reach Peterhead.

However, when the Aberdeen v Rangers game was postponed, due to the Gers being in the league cup final, thus curtailing our Sunday option, it was decided to hire a car (for an alternative Sunday option, see below) which made the task of reaching Peterhead a whole lot easier.

We were in the town by 11am with plenty of time for a full Scottish breakfast, a bit of sightseeing and to get to the Balmoor Stadium. The home of the 'Blue Toon' is a two sided affair with very similar stands on either side of the pitch, quite unremarkable to be honest. The social club is good, though has lots of Rangers memorabila on show, including a lovely (sic) portrait of The Blessed Walter.

The game itself was the usual Scottish fayre, but i'm used to it by now! Peterhead were bottom of the table at the start of play, whilst 'the honest men' of Ayr were third top. On paper it was an away banker and so it proved. Ayr took the lead after 24 minutes when Alan Trouten lashed home the ball in from just outside the box. Michael Moffat (68) slotted home Ayr's second, showing some quick feet after a goalkeeping error.

Peterhead substitute Dennis Wyness was brought down inside the box on 81 minutes and got up to score the resulting penalty. This proved mere consolation as Peterhead, despite their possession, never looked like equalising.

Footnote: This result led to further bad news for Blue Toon Manager Neale Cooper, as he was sacked on the Monday and replaced by ex-Cove Rangers Manager John Sheran.





















The Blue Toons athletic no4...there is hope for me yet!











For match highlights, click on this link....
http://www.peterheadfc.co.uk/bluetoontv.asp?ID=229



Sunday 20th March 2011
Scottish Football League U19 Division
@ Glenesk Park, Dundee Violet JFC
Dundee 1-5 Airdrie United
Attendance: 37

Youth football is never usually on my agenda but, with Dundee Under 19's playing their home games at Glenesk Park, and with little else to do on a Sunday morning, it was an early drive down the A90 to "the city of discovery" for their 'home' game with Airdrie.

Glensek Park is the home to Dundee Violet JFC, who ply their trade in the East Region North Divison which, to be brutally honest, is a league that is nowhere on my radar at this moment in time. Therefore a chance for "tick" for any game at any sort of level is not an opportunity to be sniffed at, hence my appearance along with 36 other people.

The game was very one sided as Airdrie United cruised to a 5-1 victory. The star of the show, in my opinion, was the Airdire No6 who scored two of the goals, had a superb range of passing and had a bit of bite in the tackle. I subsequently found out that his name was Nathan Blockley and he has recently signed professional terms and made his first team debut a couple of weeks ago. It will be interesting to see how his career progresses.


It was then a re-visit to Links Park in later in the afternoon (anything to avoid the old firm) for more Under 19 league action, where hosts Montrose were easily despatched 4-2 by a very impressive Ross County side.







The covered seating at Glenesk Park!









hmm...I wonder where Violet got their dugouts from?!















Inside the boardroom.