When I decided to do some writing around the non league grounds, one of the names that stood out was that of Sheffield FC as the world's first football club. I thought I would get out to a few games, do a little bit of a write up about the facilities and the game and go home. What I hadn't anticipated was that I would start a slighlty random learning journey in the world of football scouting. Before more on that, today's trip to Ashby Avenue.
With a few local teams having to call games off, the groundsman at Ashby Avenue did a great job to have the pitch looking so well and ready for this Northern Premier League Division One East match between two teams who can barely be separated in the league table. Today's entertainment was well worth the £9 entrance fee and couple of quid for a coffee and bag of crisps and it was even worth the freezing cold hands as the game went on. On this visit I decided to give the bar a swerve, dry January perhaps, and get straight in to the ground to catch the warm ups and get the coffee.
The game didn't take long to get going as the home side took an early lead from the penalty spot through the skipper, Cotton. It was 2-0 shortly after the 20 minute mark through a really nicely taken diving header by Park. Sheffield looked to have been blown away 5 minutes later as young winger Priestley stole in to make it 3. Despite the dominant looking scoreline, the visitors had created some great chances and squandered two particularly good headed opportunities. Half time arrived with the score at 3-0.
Half time saw some youngsters given the opportunity to take some penalties against sub goalie Josh Wilson. I didn't quite hear who they were but looked as if they were a Lincoln United under age team and it was great for the club to give them this opportunity, as well as being mascots as the teams emerged. The young man in the bright yellow goalie kit should be rightly proud of his penalty after it flew towards the high side netting - you don't save those!
The second half turned out to be a rather different story to the first. The Yorkshire side managed ot pull one back just before the hour mark when Baskerville pounced on a fumble from home keeper Steggles. The match continued to ebb and flow and, whilst the away side looked perhaps most likely to get the next goal, the home side still had chances to threaten the goal and kill the game off. They couldn't and it really was game on with 15 minutes to go as a close range header from Fielding meant it was a one goal game. Substitute Ndlovu looked lively when he came on and missed two chances that appeared identical, skying over from the left side of the box. The pressure was on the Whites now. The men from the steel city had adopted a 4-3-3 approach as they pushed on to salvage a point and this really opened the game up (at 3-2, as if it needed it!) and the entertainment kept coming. Eventually though, the pressure told and centre half Adelakun stuck out a leg and was penalised with a penalty to Sheffield. The penalty was lethally dispatched into the top corner by the left back Coleman. 3-3!. It may sound bizarre after they were 3-0 down but Sheffield may feel disappinted to only draw this game after such a good comeback and some missed chances thrown in as well. What a game!
Scouting
Having watched football for many years now, I always liked to feel that, at least deep down anyway, I knew what I was looking at and could give some sort of sensible review. Over time, many have disagreed with that assessment and probably rightly so! However, recently an opportunity for me to enrol on a scouting course presented itself and I thought why not. I have completed the first part of the course and today was the first time I had been out with pen and paper in hand to get stuck in and have a go. I decided, as it was my first go at it, to focus on an individual rather than the whole team. After a couple of beers surrounded by your mates it always seems so easy to give your opinion but it is different when you're actually focussing on everything the player does, every touch of the ball, every positon they take up and whether they like to talk or not. Today left me feeling like I had missed so much from a game that had so much but I look forward to continuing my journey and learning more as I go. Plus, it's not a bad excuse to get out to some more matches, I could almost claim it's for work! Disclaimer: this does not mean that I now know what I am talking about!
Another enjoyable visit to Ashby Avenue, I will no doubt return soon for part 3.
With a few local teams having to call games off, the groundsman at Ashby Avenue did a great job to have the pitch looking so well and ready for this Northern Premier League Division One East match between two teams who can barely be separated in the league table. Today's entertainment was well worth the £9 entrance fee and couple of quid for a coffee and bag of crisps and it was even worth the freezing cold hands as the game went on. On this visit I decided to give the bar a swerve, dry January perhaps, and get straight in to the ground to catch the warm ups and get the coffee.
The game didn't take long to get going as the home side took an early lead from the penalty spot through the skipper, Cotton. It was 2-0 shortly after the 20 minute mark through a really nicely taken diving header by Park. Sheffield looked to have been blown away 5 minutes later as young winger Priestley stole in to make it 3. Despite the dominant looking scoreline, the visitors had created some great chances and squandered two particularly good headed opportunities. Half time arrived with the score at 3-0.
Half time saw some youngsters given the opportunity to take some penalties against sub goalie Josh Wilson. I didn't quite hear who they were but looked as if they were a Lincoln United under age team and it was great for the club to give them this opportunity, as well as being mascots as the teams emerged. The young man in the bright yellow goalie kit should be rightly proud of his penalty after it flew towards the high side netting - you don't save those!
The second half turned out to be a rather different story to the first. The Yorkshire side managed ot pull one back just before the hour mark when Baskerville pounced on a fumble from home keeper Steggles. The match continued to ebb and flow and, whilst the away side looked perhaps most likely to get the next goal, the home side still had chances to threaten the goal and kill the game off. They couldn't and it really was game on with 15 minutes to go as a close range header from Fielding meant it was a one goal game. Substitute Ndlovu looked lively when he came on and missed two chances that appeared identical, skying over from the left side of the box. The pressure was on the Whites now. The men from the steel city had adopted a 4-3-3 approach as they pushed on to salvage a point and this really opened the game up (at 3-2, as if it needed it!) and the entertainment kept coming. Eventually though, the pressure told and centre half Adelakun stuck out a leg and was penalised with a penalty to Sheffield. The penalty was lethally dispatched into the top corner by the left back Coleman. 3-3!. It may sound bizarre after they were 3-0 down but Sheffield may feel disappinted to only draw this game after such a good comeback and some missed chances thrown in as well. What a game!
Scouting
Having watched football for many years now, I always liked to feel that, at least deep down anyway, I knew what I was looking at and could give some sort of sensible review. Over time, many have disagreed with that assessment and probably rightly so! However, recently an opportunity for me to enrol on a scouting course presented itself and I thought why not. I have completed the first part of the course and today was the first time I had been out with pen and paper in hand to get stuck in and have a go. I decided, as it was my first go at it, to focus on an individual rather than the whole team. After a couple of beers surrounded by your mates it always seems so easy to give your opinion but it is different when you're actually focussing on everything the player does, every touch of the ball, every positon they take up and whether they like to talk or not. Today left me feeling like I had missed so much from a game that had so much but I look forward to continuing my journey and learning more as I go. Plus, it's not a bad excuse to get out to some more matches, I could almost claim it's for work! Disclaimer: this does not mean that I now know what I am talking about!
Another enjoyable visit to Ashby Avenue, I will no doubt return soon for part 3.
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