The following article appeared in the programme for Racing Club Warwick v Loughborough Dynamo on 5th November 2005.
Tuesday September 13th and Racing Club make the short trip to Masons Road for the game against Stratford Town. This may well be the last time that Warwick play at Masons Road as Stratford are apparently in negotiations to move their home to the nearby village of Tiddington. I, for one, hope that Stratford have the decency to change their name if they do make this move: Tiddington Town has a nice ring to it don’t you think?
The pre-match warm up reveals that Racing Club have succeeded in persuading Terry Angus to make his second appearance for the club (his first was a majestic performance in the victorious Joe McGorian Charity Cup match in August). This gives rise to immediate optimism amongst the Warwick faithful. That plus the fact that the Racers go into the match in a hot streak of form having won five out of the previous five. We’re ahead within four minutes courtesy of James Wood. Minutes later and a gilt-edged chance is wasted with Racing Club totally in command. We wonder whether we will regret that opportunity and, sure enough, Craig Pountney helps himself to his usual goal in a match against Warwick in the 19th minute. Our disappointment is immense, particularly as pint-sized Pountney has managed to score with a header. The match then becomes highly competitive with Stratford seeming to gain the upper hand for a large proportion of the second half. With ten minutes remaining Andy Lovelock and Ben Mackey enter the fray. The difference that they make is immediate and Racing Club take the game by the scruff of the neck. With six minutes to go Andy Lovelock picks the ball up on the right, brings it infield and rifles a scorching shot past Shaun Hayes in the Stratford goal. 2-1 to Racing Club and the victory has the supporters wondering if we’ve reached top spot in the league (the next day’s web-sites show that we are actually second on goal difference, albeit having played more games than most sides below us). Six out of six! When will it end?
Saturday September 17th and our attentions turn to the FA Vase First Qualifying Round and our home tie against Eccleshall of the North West Counties League Division Two (it’s near Stone in Staffordshire). This fixture has the unusual kick off time of midday due to Warwick Races taking place that afternoon. Thanks to Martin Rouse for sending me a text message advising me of the earlier kick off time otherwise I would have turned up at 3PM and been very disappointed. The gate for this cup-tie is very low which may be a feature of the alternative delights of the racing or perhaps it’s just too early for many. The match itself also takes a long while to get going. It’s as if the players bio-rhythms can’t adjust to the strange start-time. Racing Club are clearly the better side, as they should be in terms of relative league positions in the non-league pyramid, but cannot breakdown a determined Eccleshall defence. With a few minutes to go enter super-sub Ben Mackey. The eighty-eighth minute arrives and Ben half-volleys a rebound into the net to save us from the dreadful prospect of another half an hour of extra time. What? We’ve won a cup-tie in a national competition? Why yes! Now we can look forward to a trip to the mighty Blackstones of Stamford in Lincolnshire in the next round. Oh and then there’s the small matter of seven wins out of seven as well as some FA prize money. I must remember to ask Pat Murphy when, if ever, we last accomplished seven out of seven!
One of the joys of a midday kick-off is that, if you’re that way inclined, you can take in two matches on the same day. Extra-time at Racing Club would have put paid to that but Ben Mackey ensures that I will get my afternoon in Hinckley at United’s brand-spanking-new Marston’s Stadium. Some of you may have visited Hinckley’s old ground at Middlefield Lane. My description of Middlefield Lane was that it was ramshackle. The new Stadium is at the opposite end of the scale: it’s magnificent! A smart new main stand and generous terraces opposite and behind one goal provide United with a ground fit for Conference football. Hinckley are actually plying their trade in the Nationwide Conference North and this particular match sees them taking on Gary Mills’ Alfreton Town. The pitch is a veritable billiard table and both sides look accomplished (since this match is three steps higher than our usual Midland Alliance fare perhaps I should have expected the higher standard on display). It finishes, honours even at two-apiece in front of a more-than-respectable attendance of 611. I’m left thinking that this Hinckley set-up may be bound for bigger things…
Keep the faith!
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