Cheeseburgers & Cup Tie Football at Shirebrook Town.

 Derbyshire Senior Cup 1st Round

Shirebrook Town (red & black) v Clay Cross Town.

174 days after Buxton lifted the Derbyshire Senior Cup this season’s competition gets underway. Like most County Senior Cup competitions the Derbyshire version is mostly midweek, which does create an atmosphere under the lights but it doesn’t help with the action photos, though that could be a training need.

Two of the three 1^st round ties started on October 10^th, South Normanton Athletic hosted Belper United in a reversal of last season’s 1^st round tie, and the game I chose to attend, Shirebrook Town at home to Clay Cross Town. Two clubs linked to coal mining and, by coincidence, the hosts were formed in 1985, a landmark year for the mining industry.

I’ve been to Shirebrook a few times but I always need to refer to the sat nav to get me there so it’s out with the trusty Non-League Club Directory for the club address and off we go.

Langwith Road.

Originally named Shirebrook Colliery the club soon moved to their current ground at Langwith Road after realising they needed to develop their facilities in the Central Midlands League (CML). I first saw the club in the CML back in 1992 when they were still known as Shirebrook Colliery, unfortunately, no programme was printed for my visit, a 6-3 win over Glapwell. When the pit closed in 1993 the name was changed to Shirebrook Town.

Playing at the British Rail Staff Association Ground on Langwith Road the changing rooms used to be behind the right hand goal in a school, I believe, that backed onto the ground. That was the case when I went in the late 90's and early 2000's Over the years the ground has been improved and is one of Derbyshire non-league football’s little gems.

 

Langwith Road in 2001.

Programme v Lincoln Moorlands

Though the car park is small there’s an adjacent field between Langwith Road and the ground that you can leave your vehicle on. In the car park and just outside the W.H. Davis Stadium is the Shirebrook Staff Social Club.

 

The Ground Entrance.

As you enter the ground, to the right, in the corner, is the club shop, with the changing rooms a little further along. These have replaced the ones used at the school and are behind and to the right of the goal. Next to the changing rooms is the toilet block, all 3 buildings are either in red or black, the club colours and looking at how shiny they all look I’d say they have had a new lick of paint in the close season. There is hard standing between the pitch perimeter and a stretch of grass, which is similar behind both goals.

The Changing Rooms.

A bonus tonight is a printed programme for a quid, a great effort by Shirebrook. Any club producing programmes should be thanked and congratulated as we seem to be losing these match day souvenirs. It would be nice if the Derbyshire FA made programmes compulsory, they don’t have to be massive efforts but having a memento of the game which is good to look back on for historical purposes in years to come is something to treasure. Mind you, my wife probably doesn’t agree given the amount of boxes I’ve accumulated over the years but we can’t have footballing rules dictated to by irate family members.

The Programme v Clay Cross Town.

The club were taken over by Ryan Smith, the British Truck Racing Champion, in February this year, a timely intervention as the club were facing a relegation battle, survived that and are having a much improved season, currently in 7^th place. 

The ground has had some new signage added since my visit last season. Noticeably around the floodlights, large red boards with the club badge and name, a nice touch. On the side opposite the entrance there are two stands, with a total of 300 seats between them. The stands are, presumably, named after club servants Sid Pepper & Eric Stokes, the gap between the two now has a big red board adorned with “Shirebrook Town Football Club” and the club badge. Either side is grass banking with a goal net and frame butting up to the Eric Stokes stand which was well used by some local lads as the main game went on.

 

New signage at Shirebrook.

The Sid Pepper Stand.

New sign between the seated sections.

The seated side at Langwith Road.

The covered terrace at Shirebrook Town.

Opposite the stands, on the Langwith Road, where we entered the ground, is a covered 1 step terrace not quite the full length of the pitch. The jewel in this particular crown though is the “snap cabin” which is towards the turnstile block. When I visited last season I only called in for a coffee as I’d already eaten but I didn’t make that mistake this time and ordered the cheeseburger and chips, a culinary delight.

Snap Cabin at Shirebrook.

 

Lovely grub at The Snap Cabin.

The game.

This tie pitted two sides from the Northern Counties East League (NCEL) Division 1 against each other, they met earlier in the season with Shirebrook winning 5-1. Clay Cross are new to the NCEL, having gained promotion as champions of the Central Midlands League South, while Shirebrook have been here a while. The league encounter wasn’t as one sided, as the scoreline suggests, until near the end when a tiring Clay Cross conceded a couple of late goals. Tonight, it appears a tough test for the visitors as they have injuries to contend with meaning some players in the side are out of their usual position. Shirebrook’s manager intimates in his programme notes that some players may be rested after a busy start to the season, an indication of differing club resources, perhaps.

It takes just 4 minutes for Shirebrook to open the scoring as Kieren Watson chased a ball down the middle and knocked it past keeper Ryan Hopkinson, who is well out of his penalty area, playing sweeper keeper? Once he’s past the Hopkinson, Watson runs after the ball and just inside the penalty area nonchalantly scores and wheels away in celebration. A couple of minutes earlier Hopkinson had tipped the ball onto the bar to stop an inadvertent own goal, it seemed like this could be a bad night for the visitors.

 

Kieren Watson's 1st goal.

Ryan Hopkinson tips onto the bar.

Clay Cross didn’t let their heads drop though as they continued to play some neat football and attempt to get forward quickly. There was some good stuff played by both sides but still plenty of crunching tackles that made my ankles hurt just watching them.

Goal number 2 arrived on 16 minutes when Ashley Grayson headed down and in the net from a corner. Some poor marking by Clay Cross at that set piece. It remained at 2-0 until the 68^th minute when Watson got his second goal. A break down the right saw the ball crossed into the penalty area where Watson ran onto to poke the ball home and see Shirebrook into round 2.

 

Kieren Watson makes it 3-0.

Despite the injuries in the Clay Cross team they did contribute to a good game and could have forced the tie to penalties had they put their chances away. Cameron Pinnick could have had an hat-trick, he had 2 one on ones with Warren Squires in the Shirebrook goal, one went wide of the left hand post and the other was blocked by the keeper and other chances where shots either went wide or were blocked. Visiting forward, Billy Brooks, also had a chance that went well over the bar, so, but for some poor finishing this could have been a lot closer and the positive point for Clay Cross is that they’re creating chances.

Cameron Pinnick in a 1 on 1 with Shirebrook's Squires.

Ryan Hopkinson - Clay Cross Town

Cameron Pinnick up against keeper Warren Squires

Action from Langwith Road.

Cover on the Langwith Road side.

Referee, Thomas Viles

Tonight though it wasn’t to be, they were up against a tough opponent and it was good to see Clay Cross in the Senior Cup after withdrawing from last season’s competition. For Shirebrook, they now have a home tie against South Normanton Athletic, who got revenge for last season’s defeat by Belper United by winning 4-2 on penalties after drawing 1-1. Shirebrook will be hoping to progress to round 3 after losing in the 2^nd round last season to Graham Street Prims.

 The final 1^st round tie sees Heanor Town at home to Sandiacre Town, due to be played on Wednesday 18^th October.