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2010-11 - THE BLOG RESUMES
04/07/2010

Here is the editor's blog recommencing in July 2010. Follow his travels here game by game.

And if you want the complete 2009-10 blog, with photos, the CD is available for just £5.50.

-------------------------------------------------Thursday 1st July - Stebonheath Park. Heavy rain.
LLANELLI 2 FK TAURAS 2 (Europa League)
Thirty six days after I saw my last match of 2009-10, the 2010-11 season is here. So much for the ‘close season’ as we used to call it. The reason for the early start is, as always, the demands of the UEFA club competitions, our august European governing body needing to ensure that the inconvenience of the qualifying rounds for the Champions League and Europa League is finished before the real start of the season. First up then is Llanelli v FK Tauras of Lithuania in the Europa League, the first leg of the first qualifying round.

One consolation of the midsummer scheduling of this brief highlight of the Welsh club football calendar is the weather. A record-breaking dry June has had me looking forward to a few warm, light evenings at our clubs’ games. Suggestions of showers moving in this week hadn’t unduly concerned me, but on the day of the match forecasts are looking more ominous for the evening in west Wales. I pack waterproofs just in case they’re right, leaving home mid-afternoon with no sign of anything other than another pleasant summer evening.

With everyone talking about football, while the FIFA World Cup is in full swing, tonight’s game is up against it in terms of public attention. Arranged only ten days ago, with the draws inexplicably delayed to late June, it’s hardly a high profile tie even by Welsh standards, since nobody has heard of Tauras. Those of us who’ve seen Lithuanian teams play are far from thrilled at having to see another. Nevetheless I get a sense of Llanelli public’s unawareness of the game when ringing to arrange my post-match taxi: “Is there a game on at Stebonheath then?” asks the man at the cab firm.

By the time I arrive in Llanelli, with 90 minutes to kick off, it’s raining very heavily. Waterproofs on, folding umbrella up, and I’m already wishing I’d brought the more unwieldy golf umbrella. Photography tonight may be a trial, but maybe the rain will pass over soon…

The streets around Stebonheath are far from busy an hour ahead of the game, just a few cars parking up. Fans trickle into the ground rather than stream. If only the same could be said of the rain, which is getting more persistent all the time. This feels like what the weather forecasters call “a more organised weather system”.

Inside the ground, a few Lithuanians have set up in the open seats, but almost everyone else is heading for the cover of the main stand. I track match programmes down to the little turnstile behind the stand, then locate a team sheet in the portakabin office behind the goal. Eschewing the option of a press seat high up in the stand, I decide to take up position under the narrow overhang near the club lounge. Even with umbrella up, this isn’t providing any effective shelter from the driving rain, but in the interests of getting a few action shots, I decide it’s worth persevering here.

Llanelli, the more experienced side in Europe, start quite brightly and look capable of causing problems for the visitors. But after ten minutes of equal play, Tauras score from a long-shot, massively deflected and giving keeper Morris no chance. A familiar European story unfolding it seems, early hope snuffed out. But wait, Llanelli respond with waves of attack and from a corner, Tauras fail to clear and the ball breaks to Wyn Thomas, the defender cracking a low shot through the crowded box and into the net to equalise. Before Llanelli have time to work out how to build on this, they are behind again, Tauras striker Kizys again their nemesis at the far end.

Despite being 2-1 behind, Llanelli continue to take the game to the visitors, and with about ten minutes left of the half the Belgian referee spots something in the box and awards the Reds a penalty. I forsake my partial shelter to nip round behind the net to see the goal. But for some reason little Jordan Follows is selected to take the spot-kick, despite having looked short on confidence so far, and there is an air of inevitability about his weak shot that the keeper comfortably gathers. 2-1 at half time, has Llanelli’s best chance gone already ?

After taking half-time refuge from the ever-worsening weather in the pitchside café, I have to decide on a second half vantage point. After considering various options, the café wins, my justification being that I can see the goal Llanelli are attacking from the doorway. As proven two minutes into the game when I see Stuart Jones guide a fine header into the Tauras net and snap a nice shot of him as he runs to the near touchline to celebrate.

With 43 minutes left to play, and Llanelli looking capable of causing them more trouble, Tauras seem to have decided to settle for an away draw. Their tactics from now on consist of disrupting the game and feigning injury. This of course antagonises the home crowd, but it does restrict Llanelli to brief snatches of play in between lengthy treatments and disputes. The Belgian ref doesn’t exactly get conned by all this cynicism, but nor does he stamp it out. Why is it that simulation is so rarely punished ?

The introduction of first top scorer Rhys Griffiths (lacking match fitness after his honeymoon) and then player-manager Andy Legg does spice up the Reds’ threat, and Griffiths gets the best chance of the half, a one-on-one with the keeper that he puts wide. Legg tries a couple of long throws from near the halfway line but never gets one in ideal launching range. Ironically, in the closing minutes, despite all the Lithuanians’ unsuccessful attempts to get home players sent off, Chris Holloway does see a straight red for a reckless lunge. But that’s the end of the action, and a frustrating evening ends with Llanelli still in the tie, but with a big task ahead next week.

It’s still pouring with rain as I exit the ground and head off to meet my taxi at the South Star. During the taxi and train journey home, I try to dry myself and my belongings, reflecting how much more fun tonight would have been if that long dry spell had held for just five more hours…

THURSDAY 8TH JULY - GenQuip Stadium. A warm summer evening.
PORT TALBOT TOWN 0 TPS TURKU 4 (Europa League 1st Qual 2nd Leg)

The summer has returned after last Thursday’s very inconvenient wet interlude and so an historic occasion for Port Talbot Town will not be ruined by the conditions. Indeed, as this is Town’s first ever home game in European competition*, you would imagine that the locals would turn out in big numbers, especially as the tie isn’t completely out of the home side’s reach.

(*note: not the first ever European game in Port Talbot though – Afan Lido once played a UEFA Cup game at the Talbot Athletic (rugby) Ground….)

Although I know Town have done everything possible to raise awareness of this match, Aberavon isn’t exactly showing signs of football fever as I walk through the town centre from the station late in the afternoon. An hour before kick off, the ground is busy but the crowd is disappointingly small. A very small Finnish contingent won’t add much to the attendance number. In fact there seem to be more police and stewards around than visiting fans.

Trailing 3-1 from the away leg, in theory Town have a chance of turning the tie round: an early goal would make it very interesting. However, it’s clear no-one who saw the away game is getting carried away with such thoughts, for the full-timers of TPS apparently impressed in establishing a 3-0 half time lead. Stopping them scoring tonight looks like the biggest challenge.

The crowd of under 700 is cajoled into taking seats in the stand, in line with UEFA rules, and the game gets underway in pleasant evening sunshine. From the kick off, Town go close with a header that bounces over the goal, and faint hope stirs. However, the visitors soon start to slow the game down and to dominate possession. As the half progresses, Town find themselves unable to exert any pressure, though they aren’t exactly under siege either. In all honesty, it’s not all that gripping. Attention is easily diverted from the action, and there is something else to watch: the efforts of a steward, plus police reinforcements, to prevent an intruder climbing into the ground over the high wall at the Burns Road end.

After 25 minutes a peach of a goal, scored from 25 yards out of nothing by Wusu, effectively kills the tie. Five minutes later a beautifully placed shot from Kolemainen, from similar range, beats Kendall, and now Town would need to score five to get through.

Half time comes and it’s time to catch up on reports from Llanelli’s game in Lithuania. We knew they had been drawing 2-2 and playing extra time, but hopes of a memorable Welsh win are cruelly extinguished by the news that they’ve lost 3-2.

The second half is a formality. TPS control the game, often at walking pace, and though Town mount a few attacks, they cannot exert any serious pressure. Two defensive errors allow TPS to double their lead to 4-0, and the closest Town come is a back header by Martin Rose from a throw in, that the Finnish keeper punches onto his crossbar. A free kick just outside the area is a promising chance five minutes from the end, but it’s wasted. This incident does however provide this year’s invented UEFA rule from a steward, as on moving to get a shot of the set piece, a steward approaches me to mention that he’s been told photographers aren’t allowed to move during the game. Not that this seems to have mattered for the last 85 minutes. This maybe doesn’t surpass the Newtown steward’s statement a few years ago that “UEFA rules do not allow photographers standing under trees”, but it shows that the tradition is alive and well.

The game ends with a 0-4 defeat for Town, the full-time visitors clearly a class apart. A low-key evening really, with the Finns’ shooting to be admired. They are certainly more likeable than Tauras last week, at least until we see them walking straight out if the ground in their kit and getting on the coach: apparently they refused to change at the GenQuip stadium, which seems petty and disrespectful. European football is supposed to build friendships, but on recent evidence the reality is rather different. And if reports from Lithuania of 14 yellow cards and two red are true, Llanelli haven’t made any new friends in the Baltic tonight either.

TUESDAY 20TH JULY – Park Hall. Thunder, torrential rain but warm and sticky.
THE NEW SAINTS 4 BOHEMIANS 0 (UEFA Champions’ League, 1st Qual.)
Into the fourth week of Welsh club participation in UEFA competitions, and possibly the last unless TNS or Bangor can pull something off. As always when the games are still alive from the first legs, there’s hope, but laced with a heavy dose of bitter experience.

The New Saints have been allowed to host their second leg with Bohemians of Dublin at Park Hall, so I’ve taken the day off to make a leisurely journey up to Oswestry with a few hours in Shrewsbury on the way. Trailing only 1-0 from the away game, Saints appear to have a chance, but from what I remember of the Bohs from their visit to Rhyl a couple of years ago, they are impressive in attack and stopping them from scoring may be a tall order.

The weather forecast isn’t promising, but I am travelling with waterproofs and umbrella, oddly relaxed after my soaking at Llanelli, as if nothing the elements can throw at me can surpass that experience. In fact, it isn’t until early afternoon that I see any rain today, leading to the uncomfortable decision whether to put on a waterproof coat. It’s an odd day now, too sticky to wear a coat but too wet not to.

The rain eases off by the time I board the train for the short journey on to Gobowen, but as the train approaches the weird Italianate station, the first ominous streaks of rain lash the window panes. As a handful of passengers disembarks, there’s a clap of thunder and the heavens open. Everybody shelters and watches a storm of biblical intensity, which gives way eventually to just standard heavy rain. As this looks likely to continue, I set off for Park Hall, pausing occasionally to take cover from the worst bursts. Dodging floods in the side roads, and spray from cars, slows my journey but by about 5.45 I reach The Venue, grateful to get inside and pick up my pass.

Clearly it’s raining far too heavily to go pitchside with a camera, so I accept the offer of a seat under the canvas canopy in the only covered section of the seating. On a night like this, the unsuitability of this seating arrangement, and the entire ground in its present state, are cruelly exposed. I take up a seat in the Press and Media section of the stand very early so as not to miss out on the shelter.

As time passes, a few people are allowed into the covered area, but then suddenly a large group of Irish fans, many clearly having had a drink or ten, negotiates their way past the stewards and the stand fills up. The media reservations are soon ripped off the seats and I’m over-run. No stewards in the stand to stop this. Still, with the rain still lashing down, I’m not about to wander off anywhere else. I stay where I am, deafened by chanting, much of it obscene and aimed at TNS, their support and their ground (the latter absolutely unarguable, not that I’m going to argue with scores of drunken Irishmen about any of it).

The match starts at 7pm. Everyone in the stand is on their feet, so I’m forced to take photos over the crowd. The Saints start brightly, and Bohemians aren’t able to dictate the opening exchanges. In fact, their flanks already look vulnerable. After six minutes, a superb through ball finds Craig Jones, who dinks the ball past the advancing Bohs keeper and watches it trickle over the line: 1-0. The Bohs fans are shocked, but they (and I) assume it’s a temporary setback. After all, a goal at the other end will still turn the tie on its head.

A few minutes later, a fine cross from the Bohs right is met by a firm downward header, but keeper Paul Harrison makes a superb low save to divert the goalbound effort. A vital save, even more so when Matt Williams doubles the lead with a long low shot on 14 minutes. My reaction this time ? Firstly – no extra time now. Secondly – Bohs still only need to score one goal. I’m not getting carried away. The Bohs fans are now getting agitated. A fight breaks out when one starts a flippant chant of “Sacked in the morning”. As the Saints terrorise their panicking defence, they look on in horror as a neat Graeme Sharp flick makes it 3-0 with only 20 minutes gone. My reactions now: still cautious – been here before - remember Cwmbran Town in 1993 leading Cork City 3-0 and still losing on away goals.

But TNS are not fluking this, they really are 3-0 better than the Bohs, who have lost confidence, belief and any shape they may have started with. They need a goal before half time, but it doesn’t come. In fact TNS have the better of the closing minutes of the half.

With the rain easing at half time, I set off to take photos from the open three sides, released from the scrum of disgruntled and volatile Irish fans. Although one heavy burst gives me a few qualms of regret, it’s short lived and thankfully the rain relents for much of the second period. The half starts with TNS under siege. Bohemians have come out determined to get an early goal, and resolute defence (plus a bit of luck) keeps them out. The bench keeps yelling “weather the storm” (how apt) and they do, despite one passage of play when they lose the plot in the box and a lengthy scramble ends with the ball hitting the bar. But as time ticks on, with no further score, Bohemians’ belief in a way back ebbs away. The Saints are controlling the game, slowing it when they want, and the Hungarian ref allows more time-wasting than he perhaps should.

Any remaining tension is removed on 73 minutes when Steve Evans meets a corner from the right, and Matty Williams applies a finishing touch after the keeper fails to clear. 4-0 is unbelievable but at last I allow myself to celebrate: defeat really isn’t going to be snatched from the jaws of victory. The remaining minutes are a formality, no real pressure on Harrison’s goal. Bohs fans begin removing the flags from the fence behind the near goal. Eventually the whistle goes and everyone files out to begin the soggy journey home. For me, the arduous route via Gobowen, Shrewsbury and Cardiff takes four and a half hours in soaking clothes. But I wouldn’t have missed this night for anything.

WELSH FOOTBALL ISSUE 142
20/06/2010

Our final edition of the 2009-10 season was published on 11 June 2010. In it you will find the most comprehensive review and statistics of the Welsh season - there is simply nowhere else, in print or on the web, where you can get the whole picture, from every level and every region.

The issue was kindly sponsored to enable us to include more colour pages and to double the stats supplement to include all league tables.

The sponsor of the main magazine was the United Nations Environment Programme. As part of the 2010 United Nations International Year of Biodiversity, the United Nations Environment Programme in partnership with PUMA is running the 'Play for Life' Campaign, featuring Cameroon star Samuel Eto’o, aimed at raising awareness about habitat and species conservation among football fans.

The importance of biological diversity to human society is hard to overstate. An estimated 40 per cent of the global economy is based on biological products and processes. Poor people, especially those living in areas of low agricultural productivity, depend especially heavily on the genetic diversity of the environment.

The Sponsor of the stats supplement for issue 142 was GOVILON AFC.

Welsh Football is grateful to both sponsors.

WATCH THIS VIDEO FROM SOUTH AFRICA....
08/05/2010

Outside the Stadium, the 100% unofficial World Cup channel filmed and produced by Young South Africans, has just posted another new video.

On a break between matches our young film makers to a walk through Paarl one afternoon. Why not go with them and see what they saw?

Watch the video at the URL below )paste this address into your browser)

http://www.wer-uk.org/content/outside-stadium-0

Archived Items

CD OFFER - GROUND BLOG DAYS - 2009-10
WELSH FOOTBALL DATA ARCHIVE LAUNCHED