Brimscombe & Thrupp

6th April 2013

Hellenic League - Division One West
Brimscombe &Thrupp  3 v  Purton  2
Gate: £4
Atten: 112







View all Photos from Brimscombe & Thrupp 
View Brimscombe & Thrupp's Official Website


Ground: 9/10

Even before i stepped foot inside the ground i realised what a little gem of a place it was, as i descended the steep hills from the adjoining villages. When i did arrive it did not disappoint, in fact it only got better , much better. Upon arrival i was greeted by the Committee and helpers and offered a coffee and biscuits with the offer also of home made sandwiches. They also thanked me for coming and for taking an interest in their Club. How wonderful was that ? i had never experienced that before. Then they hit me with the trump card by 'insisting' i stayed after the game for a hot meal.The Chairman personally made a point of also welcoming my visit and could not do enough for me. I was most humbled when they even made a public welcome over the tannoy as the teams came out.
The Meadow Ground is situated in a beautiful location, almost of roman amphitheatre appearance. Surrounded by very steep grass banking as it meets the the descending rolling Gloucestershire countryside it is simply beautiful and very serene.The added bonus of the warm spring sunshine only added to the glorious setting.
 

Bird's eye view ...

 As the club prepares for higher leagues it may well lose the quirky wooden stand which sits precariously on the steep grass banking yet offers superb views for the field of play and the steep rolling hills beyond. Recently the addition of floodlights will only add to appeal of this fantastic ground.
The Clubhouse is an impressive set up with all the added extras one could wish for, including a skittles alley.
The food was homemade and delicious all served with a homely smile. At the moment they are doing everything right both on and off the pitch ......  The whole place is simply superb !

Match Enjoyment 8/10

Sometimes the league table can lie, today was one of those days. Despite having fifty points fewer than the hosts, Purton were very good and it could be argued that they deserved something from the game. However fatigue could have taken over as Brimscombe were playing their fourth game in eight days.Purton had the better of the opening exchanges, going a goal up early on and having chances to extend their lead as they suprised the title chasing hosts. The game ebbed and flowed from start to finish and the result always had am element of doubt as Purton clawed a late goal back to serve an exciting ending to this five goal thriller thus keeping the champagne in Brimscombe's ice bucket unopened for a little longer.The ref was excellent and i hardly noticed him , always a good sign. The behaviour and respect shown by every player was how it should be and the game was played in a fine spirit. Moments later, the final whistle blew and the hosts became league champions and they fully deserve it. In fact everyone at the club is a winner and i look forward to seeing them progress higher as well as in their first appearance in next seasons FA Vase. If they carry on like they are ,who knows, they may even be on the biggest football stage of all come next May.

It was sadly time to bid farewell to all those who had made me feel so welcome just a few hours earlier. As i left with a heavy heart, i took one final look back only to find a distant figure still waving goodbye and still with a smile on his face.

                         Players celebrate becoming League Champions

 above photo by Centre Circle Publishing to view more ... click here
or some more by the Onion Bag .... Here