VENUE #37 ANNAN ATHLETIC Galabank Stadium

IRN-BRU DIVISION
         THREE

Annan Athletic... 2
Berwick Rangers... 2

Saturday 2nd March
           2013

@ Galabank Stadium
            Annan


     What a beautiful afternoon to watch football and an even more beautiful part of the world to watch it in.  Annan are a new addition to the Scottish league joining in 2008 after their near neighbours Gretna fell into money difficulties and went out of business earlier the same year.  In fact, I had a little spare time on my hands before the game so after having breakfast in Carlisle, double sausage and egg McMuffin meal with hot chocolate of course, I went on to visit Gretna and the old blacksmith's shop where people from England used to cross over the border and get married over the blacksmith's anvil, hot stuff eh?  I then, of course, strayed off track to visit Raydale Park home of Gretna f.c. and took some pictures before making my way to Annan to watch today's game.

The Blacksmith's shop

In the courtyard of Blacksmith's shop

   Annan travelled to Montrose last Saturday and got thumped by the Gable Endies 5-1.  Manager Jim Chapman makes three changes to his squad, Alex Mitchell returns in goal to replace Craig Summersgill, Ally Love replaces Harry Monaghan who's on loan from Hibernian to the end of the season and Daniel Orsi partners David Hopkirk up front in place of Michael Daly.  Berwick beat Elgin City 2-1 in mid-week and make just the one change, like for like, Neil Janczyk replaces Steven Notman in midfield.


     The visitors took the initiative from the start and deservedly went 1-0 up in the 14th minute when a corner from Frazer McLaren swung in and onto the head of Scott Dalziel who scored from close range.
     The home side didn't manage a shot on target until fifteen minutes into the second half and two minutes later they were level when Hopkirk played a ball through to Ally Love who slotted it home from twelve yards.  Annan went back to their sloppy ways after getting back into the game and in the 67th minute found them selves behind again when a cross from the right by Damien Gielty was met and finished by McLaren.

Corner of street leading to Raydale Park

The Galabankies refused to be beaten and three minutes later were back level again when Scott Chaplain got on the end of a Christopher Jardine cross to header home.  They could have gone on to win the game but for some fine goalkeeping by Berwick keeper Marc McCallum to insure that the Wee Gers deservedly got something out of the game.
     It's quite evident that this wasn't the best game of football and therefore the fans had to make their own entertainment at times.  A club official was making announcements via tan ahoy from the stand and every other word or so he would add an Errr... and so the fans would try to predict where these Errr's... would go in his sentence's.  It was very funny and
unfortunately more entertaining than the game.

Raydale Park

     As I said earlier, Annan is very picturesque in places, when I was making my way to the ground from the railway station I turned left at the town high street and walked down to where the road bent towards the right and there's a pub called the Blue Bell Inn just before a bridge that crosses the river Annan and the scenery from that bridge is beautiful, I had to take some pictures.          Walking up through the town to the ground you feel as though you're going out more and more into the countryside and in the middle of nowhere but you soon come across the Galabank Stadium on the left hand side of the road.  The club shop or a little hut as it looks like is outside the ground gates next to the ticket office you must purchase a ticket to get inside as money

cannot be taken at the turnstiles.  I entered the ground at the back of the clubhouse end which is a small uncovered terrace and this is where I watched the game from behind the goal.  It's called the clubhouse end for obvious reasons and you can get served there before, during and after the game.  There is a little kiosk where you can buy food and soft drinks from outside the clubhouse, the infamous Killie pie seems to go down well with the natives selling out just after half time.
     The ground capacity is 2,500, 500 of this is seated and the stand is at the West side of the clubhouse end looking at the pitch and runs between the two eighteen yard areas.  It's a modern looking build with yellow painted seats with some black ones to form the words Annan Athletic.  The East side where the dugouts are runs along North street the country road that gets you to the ground and is a small uncovered terrace.  The North end or Astro end as it's sometimes called because of the astroturf training pitches behind it is used to house away supporters and is also uncovered terracing.

                        

                            View from the right side of the bridge

View from the left side of the bridge

    Match Details

VENUE #36 KILMARNOCK Rugby Road

SCOTTISH PREMIER 

Kilmarnock... 2
Motherwell... 0

Saturday 9th February
            2013

@ Rugby Road Stadium
          Kilmarnock


     This game is the first of three trips to Scotland in a row.  It will be my first experience of Scottish Premier league football in the flesh and I'm a little apprehensive as I'm not quite sure what to expect.
     The weather is not too bad still a little rain about but the weatherman says that it will brighten up later around kick off time.
     Kilmarnock make two changes to the line up that beat Inverness CT in the Scottish cup last weekend, Rory McKeown replaces Manuel Pascali and Paul Heffernan goes up front instead of Cillian Sheridan.  The Well haven't played a game in three weeks with no fixture last weekend and the game against Dundee United being postponed the week before, we have to go back to Sunday January 20th when they played St. Johnstone at Fir Park a game which they won 3-2 and manager Stuart McCall decides to make only one change and that's Stuart Carswell stepping in while Robert McHugh is resigned to the bench.
   

Players shaking hands before the game

 The game started pretty evenly with most of the play in midfield.  It took a low hard cross from the right in the 12th minute from Ross Barbour to cause mayhem in the Motherwell penalty area and Steve Hammell's attempted clearance ended up in the back of his own net.
     You would have thought that this would spur Killie on and take control of the game but no, Motherwell came out with all guns blazing and totally dominated the rest of the first half and should have been leading at the half time interval.  A header from Shaun Hutchinson was cleared off the line by Killie striker William Gros  Gros popped up again five minutes later to deny the same Motherwell player and they say thing's come in threes for a Tom Hately corner was met by Simon Ramsden's head and palmed onto the bar by Kyle Letheren the Killie keeper and cleared from danger by, yes you've guessed it, William Gros.
     Watching Gros in the early stages of the game I thought to myself that this player would be condemned to the Soccer AM archives under the category of "Some tekkers are bad" as some of his touches and fancy flicks left a lot to be desired but as the game progressed he was most certainly starting to impress.
     Kilmarnock didn't improve much after the break as it was Motherwell still looking the most likely but still not able to stick the ball in the back of the Killie net and in the 71st minute of the game their failure in the final third took on more significance as that man William Gros rose high to meet a James Dayton cross and headed Killie into a 2-0 lead.
     Desperation turned into frustration for the Well in the last five minutes of the game as they lost two players to a straight red card, substitute Fraser Kerr in the 85th minute and midfielder Keith Lasley in the 89th for reckless challenges on the same player Killies winger James Dayton and so ended a most miserable afternoon for Motherwell at Rugby Road.

     The ground is a 18,128 all seated Stadium that opened in 1899 but as obviously been redeveloped since.  The Frank Beattie stand where I watched the game from is somewhat smaller and older than the other three stands and you have to sit near the front as not to have your view obscured by supporting beams.

Chadwick Stand

     The two end stands behind the goals are almost identical, both two tiered with an electric scoreboard in the roof, the Moffatt stand for home support and the Chadwick for away fans.
     Opposite from where I was sitting is the East stand also two tiered and a fare size but it doesn't run the full length of the pitch.
     There is a bar under the Frank Beattie stand and also food outlets where you can try the infamous Killie pie if you so wish.  I, myself prefer the traditional English pies they're a lot bigger and the pastry isn't as hard, I suppose it's a case of what you're used to.
     The club shop is a porto cabin at the back of the car park directly opposite the turnstiles of the Frank Beattie stand. I must have looked suspicious as I entered the shop for I was watched around the place by the female staff behind the counter, they seemed to be nervous of me which in turn was a pretty unnerving experience for myself and not one I would like to repeat.

                                                      Match Details

   

VENUE #35 AIRBUS UK BROUGHTON Hollingsworth Group Stadium (Airfield)

 CORBETTS SPORTS
  WELSH PREMIER

Airbus UK Broughton... 3
Afan Lido... 1

Saturday 2nd February                        2013

@ Hollingsworth Group
     Stadium (Airfield)


     The original date for this fixture was January 5th and we had some bad rain in the last month or two but the week prior to the game was sunny and dry unusually for the time of year and so I as expecting everything to be ok as I made my way to Broughton.  As I arrived at the airfield I was met by some home supporters walking back the way I had just come and said to me when passing "The ref's called the game off 10 minutes ago because the goal area is too muddy".  Shocked and annoyed I took some pictures and made my way back home.
      A month later and I'm back at the Hollingsworth Group Stadium (Airfield) and I'm hoping to see a game of football this time around.  From what I can see of the pitch in comparison to the last time I would say it is in a worse condition but the referee was happy to let this game go ahead, thank God.

     Airbus manager Andy Preece made one change to the team that thrashed Prestatyn Town 6-1
at Bastion Road, Steve Tomassen replaces Ian Kearney.  Meanwhile, Paul Reid the Afan Lido boss has made four changes to his side that lost 1-0 to Llanelli at the Marston stadium, Kyle Graves, Lee Hartshorn, Joshua Doyle and Matt Thompson are out and replaced by Mark Crutch, Adam James, Simon Prangley and Chris Hartland.

Approach road to factory

     Airbus start this game in second place in the table while Lido are currently bottom and propping the rest up.  As expected it was Airbus who came out the traps first pinning Lido in their own half and after just 3 minutes they had the lead when Wayne Riley's shot from 12 yards flew past Rogers in the Lido goal and into the roof of the net.  Glen Rule had a shot well saved by Rogers as Airbus tried to extend their lead and just afterwards Lido had their first chance of the game when Hartland put the ball wide of the Airbus goal.
     Then on 25 minutes a Glen Rule cross found Steve Tomassen unmarked to head the Wingmakers two up and just a minute later it was three when the ball was played into a congested Lido penalty area and fired home by Phil Bolland from close range.
     3-0 at half time and we were wondering how many it would be at the finish with Airbus's domination of the game, I was predicting a cricket score but when the second half started it seemed as though the two teams had swapped kits in the dressing room as Lido looked the better side and were dominating the game as Airbus did in the first half.  In the 61st minute Lido came very close to pulling a goal back when Simon Prangley's shot beat Stephens in the Airbus goal but only to hit the crossbar.  Soon after a couple of set pieces brought the best from Stephens as Lido pushed to reduce the deficit.
     At the other end Airbus had one of their rare chances of the second half when Wayne Riley's fierce shot was blocked on the line by a Lido defender.  But it wasn't long before the reds got their break through when a free kick was awarded just outside the Airbus 18 yard box in the 76th minute and Kieran Howard's fantastic curling shot went straight into the top right hand corner of Jamie Stephen's net but unfortunately for Lido it was just a consolation goal.

     What's it like at the airfield?  Well it's a 2,100 capacity Stadium with 300 seats, apparently, but it's like going to a works league game with the ground being situated on the approach road of the

Main Stand

Airbus factory.  Net wire fencing cordons off the ground from the approach road with two turnstiles one either side of the goal that lead on to a flat standing area to view the game from.
     The main stand is on the left side of the pitch looking out from the approach road end and sits on the centre circle with a flat standing area running either side.
     Across the other side of the pitch is the social club which has a single row of seats that run either side of the players tunnel, it also sits centrally and has a flat standing area that runs the length of the pitch in front of it and is where I watched the game.  There is a club shop (porto-cabin) to the left of the social club and in between them are the toilets which are adjoined to the players dressing room, yes, the same ones the players use.  In front of the club shop there is a van that sells chips, burgers, hot dogs hot and soft drinks etc.
     Behind the goal at the airfield end is an open seating area that probably runs the length of the 18 yard area with the actual airfield right behind it.

                                                                       Match Details

 
       

VENUE #34 DONCASTER ROVERS The Keepmoat Stadium

N-POWER LEAGUE ONE

Doncaster Rovers... 2
Leyton Orient... 0

Saturday 19th January
             2013

@ The Keepmoat Stadium
            Doncaster
        Kick Off 15:00


     It was a cold, cold day in the middle of winter and there was tons of snow covering the pitch at the Keepmoat stadium, Doncaster on the morning of the match.  Donny Rovers fans teamed up with their opponents support to clear the snow so that this game could take place later this afternoon.  Mounds of the white stuff were dotted around the pitch side against the advertising boards, the fans and the ground staff  had done a fantastic job to get this game playable.
     Brian Flynn and Rob Jones take over as joint managers from Dean Saunders who departed to Wolves two weeks ago and they make only one change to the team that beat Stevenage 2-1 at Broadhall Way last weekend, James Coppinger comes in for Iain Hume up front.  Russell Slade makes five changes to his side that lost to Hull in the FA Cup third round replay last Tuesday night and Matheiu Baudry, Llioyd James, Lee Cook, Martin Rowlands and Dave Mooney miss out while Leon McSweeney, Scott Cuthbert, Anthony Griffith, Charlie McDonald and Adebay Azeez step in.
   

Mounds of snow around the advertising boards

 When the match got on the way it was Doncaster who made all the play early on, Orient looked as though Tuesday night's game had taken it's toll on them and never looked like getting into this match.  Rovers made Orient keeper Jamie Jones a busy man in the opening 15 minutes with David Cotterill and Chris Brown bringing out a couple of good saves from him as Rovers pushed for the opening goal which came in the 18th minute, Cotterill's corner was met by player coach Rob Jones as he made a powerful run into the Orient penalty area to head home his seventh goal of the season.
     Doncaster out played Orient in every part of the pitch but could only take a slender one goal lead into the half time team talk.  It was apparent to me that this was the best performance I had seen from a team this season so far and I was very much looking forward to the second half.
     It arrived and Slade made a change to his attack bringing on Dave Mooney for Azeez to see if he could liven up his side a little but it was a carbon copy of the first half with Rovers dominating the game and pressing for the elusive second goal which came in the 54th minute when Chris Brown beat the offside trap to find himself one on one with the out coming Orient keeper but Brown kept his head and slid the ball through Jone's legs and into the back of the Orient net, 2-0.
     Orient hadn't had a shot at goal for the whole of the game so far and had to wait until the 65th minute for their first serious attempt but Mooney's shot went well wide of Gary Wood's goal.
     Doncaster should have put the game to bed in the last quarter of a hour when Paul Quinn's header hit the post and Kyle Bennett's shot was headed off the line in the closing stages.

     The Keepmoat is a 15,231 all seated stadium that was built in 2007 to accommodate Doncaster after they had to move from their previous home Belle view where they had played for 84 years.  The ground looks quite impressive as you approach it through the industrial estate in which it lies.  I had a look round when I got there and there is a large hill at the back of the stadium and the kids were sledging down it in the snow, it was real fun to watch.
     On the inside it looks very clean and tidy and so it should with only being six years old but to me it seems a little boring, there isn't anything to distinguish it from any other new build ground, it lacks character.  You have the East stand where I watched the game from and opposite is obviously the West stand where the dug outs and team tunnel are situated and they both run down the touch lines.  The South stand behind the goal is for home supporters while the North stand is for away fans and holds just over three thousand.

South Stand

     There are plenty of places to get food and drink and you can have your pie and pint while watching Sky sports before the game and at half time which is all well and good.  There are also plenty of toilets but like so many other grounds they all seem to be jam packed during intervals.
     The supporters that I encountered are very friendly, I was talking with some older Gentlemen than myself and for the first time on my travels I was asked where I came from and they were quite surprised when I said I was from Walsall, they couldn't believe that I'd come all that way just to watch Doncaster.  The one gent wanted to show his footballing knowledge and mentioned Paul Merson as being the Walsall manager, I hadn't the heart to tell him that Merson had left Walsall some seven years ago.

                                                          Match Details

   

VENUE #33 ACCRINGTON STANLEY The Crown Ground

N-POWER LEAGUE TWO

Accrington Stanley... 1
Bristol Rovers... 0

Saturday 27th October 2012

@ The Crown Ground, 
           Accrington
        Kick Off 15:00


     "Accrington Stanley, who are they", "EXACTLY"!!!  I think we all can remember those lines from the TV milk advert in response to one young chap saying to another, "If you don't drink your milk you'll only be good enough to play for Accrington Stanley".
     Stanley formed in 1891 from players who used to live in Stanley road, Accrington and played league football from 1921 to 1961 but sadly went out of business five years later in 1966.  They managed to reform in 1968 back playing non league football working their way up to reach the Conference premier league the English fifth tier finally regaining league status with promotion to the N-Power league two in 2006 an absence of 40 years and a fitting response to that embarrassing advert.
     Paul Cook was the Accrington manager until two days ago when he was snapped up by Chesterfield and so Stanley have opted to appoint Leam Richardson as caretaker manager of this game.  Richardson was Cook's assistant for the eight months he was boss here and makes no changes to the team picked by Cook that lost to the only goal here on Tuesday night.
     Mark McGhee manager of Bristol Rovers has made two changes to the side that lost 3-1 to Wimbledon in mid-week, Parkes and Virgo are out while Lee Brown and Fabian Broghammer take their places.
     I really thought I was going to encounter my first no score draw of my renewed campaign as the first half closed at this scoreline.  Accrington took the game to Rovers but looked very poor in the final third and unable to capitalise on their domination.

Padraig Amond goal saved the day

     The second half started in the same manner as the first and I could see that dreaded 0-0 like the shadowy eyes of the mysterons in a captain Scarlet episode descending upon me but then with onlyeleven minutes of normal time remaining Luke Joyce found Romuald Boco on the left and his cross was met by Padraig Amond who got in front of the Rovers defence to fire home from inside the six yard area to secure Stanley a win after losing their last four games.
     It wasn't the best of fixtures to have to sit through especially with that October cold chilling your bones and not much happening on the pitch to put warmth inside you.  Rovers did have their chances in the game with Tom Eaves bringing some fine saves from Dunbavin the Accrington goalkeeper.  Losing today has left Rovers looking very likely candidates for the drop at the end of the season, they're in the bottom four now and it will be very interesting to see how or if they can manage to get out of the situation.

     The First Store Stadium or as it is more commonly known the Crown ground as it has the Crown pub just yards from it's turnstiles, is a shabby looking venue but is set in an area of open fields and hills behind the Coppice terrace which is used by away fans and subsequently open to the elements.
     The Main stand and the Thwaites are two separate stands with a gap in the middle that run either side of the half way line on the same side of the pitch, both are covered and all seated.  Thwaites stand has less seats due to the slope of the pitch running up from the Coppice terrace to the Sophia Khan end.
     Opposite the Main and Thwaites is the Whinney Hill stand which is very small and built into a hill.  It used to be a terrace but had seats put in to meet with football league regulations.  The Coppice end part of this stand is also for away supporters.
     The Sophia Khan stand is another wired looking construction with rows of seats at the front
and terracing at the back, I think that this used to be a terrace but had seats put in for the same reason as the Whinney Hill stand.

Main Stand

     I was seated in the Main stand and because of reserved seats for season ticket holders I found myself in the very front row which is good for leg space but not so good for viewing the game as you're almost below pitch level and if it's raining you're going to get wet.  The people there are very friendly especially the ground staff and because the game was a little on the boring side I found myself talking to the chap sitting next to me but I think he didn't appreciate what I had to say about the game.  There was a young lady seated behind us who reminded me of the old lady that lived in a shoe for she had so many children that she also didn't know what to do or how to control them.

                                                                        Match Details

VENUE #32 LIVINGSTON Almondvale

IRN-BRU DIVISION ONE              


Livingston... 1  Cowdenbeath... 1

Saturday 6th October 2012

@ Almondvale / Braidwood Motor                             Company Stadium
                 Kick Off  15:00

     This is the game I've been waiting for a 600 mile round trip to Almondvale Stadium, also known as the Braidwood Motor Company Stadium in Livingston, Edinburgh.  It's another sunny day but not the warmest as you would expect in the month of October.
     Livingston manager John Hughes makes no changes to the team that thumped Dumbarton 5-0 here last Saturday while Cowdenbeath boss Colin Cameron makes one alteration to his squad that drew 1-1 with Falkirk at Central Park last weekend bringing in Greg Stewart for Lewis Milne up front.
     The game started very tactically with both defences cancelling out any attacking play and this was the theme for the majority of the first half.  A chance for Anthony Andreu of Livingston and a header from Marc McKenzie of Cowdenbeath were the only main talking points of the first half worth mentioning.
     It got a bit livelier in the second half, (thank God), with Livi laying siege on the Blue Brazil goal but it seemed as though Cowden had a charmed life and were going to come through this onslaught until the 55th minute when their captain John Armstrong saw a straight red card for a two footed challenge on Andreu.  John Hughes then made a tactical substitution bringing on Ruben Garcia-Rey for Greg Stewart in a attempt to fill the hole left by Armstrong's departure but Livi made the extra man count and their domination of the game got more intense and finally got their just reward in the 71st minute when Iain Russell's effort was blocked and fell to Keaghan Jacobs to fire a cracker from about 25 yards which deflected past Thomas Flynn in the Cowdenbeath goal.

Anthony Andreu home MOTM

     You would have thought that Livingston would of capitalised on the situation being a goal and a man up but in the last ten minutes of the game it was Cowdenbeath who looked the most likely very rarely allowing the home side to venture out of their own half.  I think that Hughes taking off Mckenzie for Lewis Milne in the 79th minute had a lot to do with this. Lewis Coult was playing a lone roll up front up at this point and seemed displeased, constantly shaking his head and making hand gestures in a moaning manner at what he'd been asked to do.  I mentioned to my Son who had made the trip with me that Coult looked lost and cumbersome to which he remarked "A bit like a beast of burden", (Whoops).
     The change had put a spring in the step of Cowden who started to look like more of a football team as they came forward at Livi and it was the blue's number eleven Jamie Stephenson who brought out the best of the home side's keeper Andy McNeill with a twenty yard shot that was well saved by the Livi number one.  Stephenson then had a free kick just outside the Livi 18 yard box palmed wide for a corner by McNeill, but it was third time unlucky for the Livingston keeper in the 90th minute who managed to tip another rocket of a free kick from Stephenson onto the bar but the ball rebounded straight to Lewis Milne who had the easy task of heading into an empty net.  And so it ended a point apiece, one gained for Cowdenbeath and two squandered by Livingston.

     Almondvale is a very modern looking ground built in 1995 to re-house Meadowbank Thistle who used to play their games at a Stadium with the same name in Edinburgh City.  Meadowbank fans wanted to keep their name but the people of Livingston saw this as an opportunity of putting their town on the map.

Livingston Turnstiles

     We arrived at the ground about a hour before kick off and so had a couple of pints in the bar before making our way into the ground.  We had a rucksack with us containing food and drink which was searched by a lady steward as we approached the turnstiles.  She confiscated a bottle of coke because it had been opened and she said that, "It could have contained anything" as a result which is fair enough I suppose.  There was only one stand in operation for this game, the West stand, as it was easier to keep the ground clean and tidy and could keep costs down by not using so many stewards.  We were directed to a dual turnstile and told to go to the left side and as I handed over the money I was asked, "Is this a concession", to which I replied, "No", and was told to go next door.  This was a bit annoying as I  WAS TOLD to go to this gate and there were no markings to say that one gate was concession and the other full payment.
     We sat in the half nearer the North stand, the view was good and as comfortable as you're going to get from plastic seats and there was plenty of leg room which was a bonus.    

                                                                     Match Details

VENUE #31 DERBY COUNTY Pride Park

Pride Park, Derby

N-POWER CHAMPIONSHIP

Derby County... 1  Burnley... 2

Saturday 22nd September 2012

@ Pride Park Stadium, Derby
            Kick Off 15:00


     Another relatively short journey this time to Derby to see them take on Burnley in a N-Power Championship game at Pride Park.  It was a lovely sunny afternoon but got a little chilly as the game neared it's climax
     On Tuesday night last Derby played host to Charlton Athletic beating the Addicks 3-2 while Burnley travelled to the King Power Stadium Leicester on Wednesday losing for the third time running away, this time 2-1.  Derby make one change from mid-week Jake Buxton comes in while James O'Connor takes to the bench.  Burnley make three changes to the side that lost at Leicester, Ben Mee replaces Joseph Mills, Ross Wallace takes the place of  Brian Stock and Charlie Austin returns from injury to replace Cameron Stewart up front.
     Burnley's keeper Lee Grant pulled off two great saves early on one from Will Hughes and the other from Craig Bryson as Derby went for Burnley's jugular and try to power their way in front in this game.  They took the lead after twenty minutes when Burnley failed to clear their lines from a Coutts corner, the ball fell to Jamie Ward who turned sharply to fire home through a crowd of players.  Minutes later Conor Sammon should have made it two but Lee Grant managed to tip his effort wide of the post.
     Burnley came into the game soon after when Martin Paterson broke on the counter attack and

Another Derby chance comes to nothing

forced Fielding in the Derby goal to make a save.  But there was nothing Fielding could do on 32 minutes when Ross Wallace's cross was blocked and fell to an unmarked Charlie Austin to smash the ball into the Derby net for the equaliser.
     Things were starting to go the way of Burnley now and they were unlucky not to take the lead just before half time when Kieran Trippler's right wing cross was met by the head of Mee but the ball crashed against the Derby crossbar and came to nothing.
     So Derby found their selves level at half time and I think that Nigel Clough would have been the more aggrieved of the managers as his side were streets better performance wise in the first half.
     The first quarter of a hour of the second half was end to end action but with no real chances for either side until the 60th minute when Conor Sammon was inches away from a Jamie Ward cross from the left and the same player missed an easy chance 15 minutes later shooting straight at the keeper.
     Craig Bryson had a chance from point blank range making the Burnley keeper earn his keep as he did amicably.  Ten minutes from time substitute Michael Jacob's cross found Conor Sammon but his header went just over the Burnley bar.
     But it was in the 89th minute when Derby paid for all their missed chances when a cross from Chris McCann was headed home by that man Charlie Austin to bag Burnley all three points.

     Derby moved to Pride Park in 1997 when it was opened by the Queen, they played their football at the Baseball ground prior to this since 1895.  Pride Park is a modern looking ground with an all seated capacity of 33,597.  The seats are black plastic with some painted white to form the words THE RAMS in the East stand and DERBY in the North stand and very impressive it looks as well.  I watched the game from the West stand which is two tiered where as all the other stands have one tier which gives the ground an unusual but distinctive look.  The North, West and East stands are for home supporters and so is a large portion of the South (Cawarden) stand with away spectators allocated the left hand side looking at it from the pitch though I would imagine that more seats would be made available to teams with a bigger fan base.
     In the area where you would look to find the block and staircase in which your seat is situated in there are lots of food stalls, bars and TV's so you can eat pie and chips, have a pint and watch Sky
sports up until kick off if you so wished.

Charlie Austin

     Where I was seated it seemed as though everyone knew each other which made things a little awkward because no-one knew my face, it was like a big community that had just had a paedophile thrown in it's midst, although they weren't physically or verbally hostile it is not a situation I would like to experience again in the future.
     The Burnley supporters were in good voice throughout and had a amusing chant which they sang to the tune of  'Sloop John B', an old Beach Boy number from the 60's.  It is in praise of their striker Charlie Austin the two goal hero of the day who used to be a bricklayer before becoming a professional football player and the song goes " And now he scores goals, and now he scores gooooals, he used to lay                                                                      bricks but now he scores goals".

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