I HAVE an update on my trip from last week, where I tried to find the Central Midlands Alliance League match at Burton Hornets at Washlands. If you remember, I failed miserably and ended up at Hemington Hammers. MELBOURNE DYNAMO 2 WIRKSWORTH IVANHOE 6
Checking on the League website and FA Full Time, both state that the Hornets match took place, with a 0-2 scoreline! Even more baffling is that the game took place at, yes, you’ve guessed it, WASHLANDS! I must be living in a parallel universe.
Anyhoo, I finally succumbed to a bout of Covid! I’m a first timer, having somehow avoided the dreaded lurgy for so long. I’ve had it nearly a week, so am gradually recovering, though still testing faintly positive. Official advice is to ‘try and stay away from people for three days after your test’. The Fox is perfectly happy for me to drive him somewhere for a match (Cray Valley PM) but I feel that would be irresponsible.
A compromise is reached: we drive separately to a local match where social distancing is easy to achieve. Melbourne Dynamo seems the perfect place. Melbourne Sports Park, Cockshut Lane, is only a twenty-minute drive from my house. Jane SatNav takes me along some lovely Derbyshire country lanes but I don’t have time to survey my surroundings. Some of the potholes along the way are so vicious, someone has considerately been round and dumped industrial sized traffic cones in each one. No doubt this kind action saves the Hoppermobile from serious damage this afternoon, so thank you to whoever it was.
I tried to get to Melbourne for their first ever game at this level at the start of the season. The club were obviously very excited and proud to be hosting an historic match, as they Tweeted regularly about the fixture days before the event. On the Friday night, they posted a picture of the cover of the programme and all was set. And then the opposition couldn’t be bothered to turn up, causing a massive disappointment to Dynamo.
Anyway, I’m here now. The Fox hands me a programme (free with £2 admission fee). The ground is set in a huge sports complex comprising rugby pitches (all being used), a cricket pitch, some tennis courts and a central changing facility complete with a small refreshments’ opening and bar.
Highest point
The railed off football pitch is about 75 yards from the changing rooms. There’s no hard standing but there is a small, seated stand on one corner of the ground. There’s even an electronic scoreboard near the dugouts. It’s a nice little set up.
Perhaps the main feature is the view from the touchlines. Leicestershire’s highest point can be seen in the distance – Bardon Hill – as can Charnwood Forest and the City of Nottingham, which remains bathed in sunshine even when we have complete cloud cover all around.
I make sure keep well away from the rest of the spectators. Some of them have been caught out by the bright sun today. They are inadequately dressed to protect them from the strong, biting, wind. One or two shiver their way through the game.
The players come out and are eager to get on with the game to keep warm. Wirksworth Ivanhoe start off at a ferocious pace, making me think there may be a bit of history between these two Premier Division South sides.
Sam Smith scores two superb early goals for Ivanhoe and goes looking for his hat-trick in double quick time. Ryan Marchington gets in the act before half time and it’s now a race to see which striker hits three first. Dynamo are anything but dynamic, especially their defence.
Ivanhoe rattle in two more goals in the second half but at least Melbourne manage to net a couple. A Wirksworth man manages to get himself sinbinned for arguing with the strong referee. His side are 4-1 up, so it seems a particularly stupid thing to do! Oh yes, it’s Mr. Marchington who completes his hat-trick; eventually scoring four!
Not quite what I was expecting to do for Non League Day, admittedly, but a highly enjoyable
afternoon anyway.