The Hampton Roar (Part 7)

The following article appeared in the programme for Racing Club Warwick v Shifnal Town on 20th October 2007.

Welcome to today’s match and the latest instalment of the season’s diary by your favourite Racing Club correspondent.

Saturday 15^th September – Studley v Racing Club Warwick, Midland football Alliance

I was a little bemused to be travelling the short distance to Studley on this particular sunny Saturday. Racing Club’s fixture list was blank presuming possible involvement in the FA Cup. Sadly that was not to be. The Midland Alliance had then proposed that we meet Coalville at Hampton Road, given that both sides had no fixture to fulfil, but in view of the racecourse being in use we had to refuse this suggestion. So we were awarded a surprise trip to Studley instead and the opportunity of a blank Saturday next March in lieu. I’d already made my mind up to go to Shrewsbury to visit their new stadium but lowered my sights and travelled to Studley neither in hope nor expectation. After two wonderful England games and, with the Racers on a terrible run of form, I expected nothing other than another defeat, a big one at that!

Never give up hope was the object lesson of this particular Saturday! The Racing Club line up showed three names that were new to me and this gave the first glimmer of hope. We were certainly in need of some more fresh faces and Levi Bailey, Matt Gardner and Terry Carpenter did the shake and vac and put the freshness back for our boys. All three proceeded to put in solid performances much lacking in recent days and suddenly we looked a different side. Incredibly Matty Blair put us one up and then two up early on and we were suddenly flying. Loyal Racers of course understand that nothing can be taken for granted with a “dangerous” two-nil lead and, sure enough, Craig Pountney scored his regulation goal against our boys to narrow the gap before Studley then proceeded to hand us back our two goal advantage courtesy of their number four Lee Knight. Knight had spent most of the first half complaining at the effort of his team mates and virtually every decision made by the referee that did not go in his side’s favour. What wonderful poetic justice it was and oh how we laughed! 3-1 to the Racers at half time and yet not one of the Racing Club followers was prepared to believe that we would win the game. We’re wise old buggers though aren’t we? Pountney got his second and the inevitable equaliser went in shortly afterwards to leave us rocking at 3-3 and looking like there was every possibility that we would lose the game. Happily no one had informed substitute James Taylor and when he fired one in right near the end we all knew it was the winner. I had to ask afterwards what happens if Racing Club have got more goals than our opponents when the 90 minutes are up. Surely we should simply play on until we lose? But no! A victory at last and suddenly we’re on seven points and out of the bottom three. All credit to Bobby for unearthing the new faces and for reverting to a conventional back four at last.

Finally I cannot leave this particular occasion without making the observation that the referee Mr Price had a great game. I didn’t notice an error from the man in black and boy did he have his decisions questioned, admittedly by both sides, but particularly by the Studley players and bench. The gentlemen of Studley should go and take a long look at the sign at the back of their stand that threatens people with expulsion for use foul and abusive language. We’d have had to finish the match in the car park if that particular rule was applied. And with yours truly having been christened a “f***ing mongrel” by a gentlemen on the Studley bench I’m seriously considering changing the title of this column to “Tales from the Dog House”! Now my delicate little ears can cope with this kind of thing but I don’t think that it does any of us any favours and potentially puts a sizeable minority off coming at all. I say to Bobby, let’s follow the late great Brian Clough’s example and at least keep our boys (and bench) in order and set the tone for lesser clubs to follow – in my mind the referee is much more likely to be sympathetic to the side that plays it hard but fair and keeps their traps shut!

Tuesday 18^th September – Wolverhampton Wanderers v Hull City, Championship

I happen to work right next to Wolves’ ground Molineux and occasionally get a chance to have my firm’s Executive Box if there are no other takers. I can only imagine that supporters of the Tigers amongst our client-base are few and far between as the Box is available to me for this game and delighted I am to partake! Tonight’s occasion is spiced up by the full debut of one Jay-Jay Okocha for Hull. As far as spice goes however, that’s about it. I don’t know what it is about me and Wolves games but they always seem to be low scoring affairs when I attend and this one was to be no exception. Each side had a respectable number of chances but the strikers demonstrated why they are plying their trade in the Championship rather than the Premiership. Nil-Nil at the break and then Wolves managed to concede a penalty early in the second half that journeyman pro Dean Windass despatched past Hennessy to give the Tigers the lead and, as it turned out, the points. Not a match that’ll live long in the memory but boy were we comfortable!

Saturday 22nd September – Glossop North End v Racing Club Warwick, FA Vase 2^nd Qualifying Round

Now here’s a tie that got my mouth watering when the draw was made. Glossop has been one of those grounds that I’d longed to visit having chanced upon the town a few years back following a trip along the Snake Pass. Glossop did the decent thing in the First Qualifying Round by beating Pershore away (at Malvern Town as it happens) to set up the tie and my hopes were realised. A trip to former Football League club Glossop North End would do very nicely.

Martin and I left Warwick at about 11:25 and took the decision to approach Glossop via the M1 and Chesterfield’s crooked spire. The team coach on the other hand decided upon the RAC’s recommended route up the M6 having left at 10:50. We enjoyed the magnificent scenery of the Peaks between Chesterfield and Glossop enjoying views of the sheep and strange-sounding place names such as Chapel-en-le-Frith and Sparrowpit before arriving outside their Surrey Street ground at precisely 2PM. No team coach was in evidence however and the team finally showed up somewhat frazzled at 2:20PM having endured nightmare traffic on the M6. The ground itself was a little disappointing albeit that it had cover on three sides and was not, I was to discover, a former league ground – that had been vacated by Glossop years earlier apparently. The pitch soon revealed itself to be extraordinarily bobbly – certainly not conducive to Racing Club’s silky passing game (who writes this stuff?)! The locals however were extremely friendly and were a pleasure throughout as was the pie and mushy peas although this slightly spoiled by the appearance of one Bobby Hancocks in the kitchen just as I was swallowing the last mouthful – perhaps a new career in catering beckons Bobby? Who said he can’t stand the heat?

The first moment of drama came after 17 minutes when the superb ref spotted an outrageous shove in the box from a corner and Ryan Howells, returning after injury and up front, stepped up to take the resultant penalty. Sadly however the keeper guessed the right way and not only saved the ball but even managed to hold onto it. Worse was to come three minutes later as Glossop scored following good work on the left which left their centre forward with a relatively easy chance. The tie overall was extremely competitive and there was nothing to choose between the two sides. We had high hopes for the Racers in the second-half but these were dashed on 74 minutes when Glossop bagged another and I think we all knew that the game was up despite our another good performance from our boys. It ended 2-0 and we were out of the Vase for another year. Glossop’s prize was a First Round Proper away trip to Coventry Sphinx – I didn’t want to go there again this season anyway (can you detect a note of bitterness?)!

Any eagle-eyed regular readers of The Non League Paper out there may like to keep an eye out for the fortunes of “Hancock’s Heroes” in this season’s Fantasy Non League game. The first published table has Hancock’s Heroes placed 595^th out of 1,384 nicely tucked in behind teams such as AP Brakes in 413^th, Oadby Ways in 481^st and the aptly named Oadby Losers in 1,381^st position. There’s a £5,000 prize up for grabs and if I win it it’ll be going straight into club coffers so get rooting them!

Keep the faith!