Plane sailing

Cranfield United vs Hoddesdon Town

The mighty Pilgrims are out of action this FA Cup weekend, due to a not so mighty performance in the second qualifying round.  As such we all had to find our own entertainment.  My choice was a short trip to strugglers Cranfield United to see them take on sixth place Hoddesdon Town in a Molten Spartan South Midlands League Division One Clash, that's step six in case you're wondering.  Cranfield United play their games at Crawley Road.  Appropriately for the league the ground is fairly spartan, there is a covered stand down one side which houses some lovely seats and a lean-to sheltering the tea hatch.  The ground is located at the end of an airport so if you get bored of the football you can always watch the planes take off and land.

The club house at Crawley Road is something to behold.  Well furnished and very tidy, with Sky T.V. and windows with a great view looking out over one end of the pitch.  Yes the beer isn't brilliant and yes it's a little expensive at £2.70 for a pint of Fosters but it has to be one of the best club houses I have visited in recent years.  The programmes are £3 for a largely black and white offering, this is offset by free entry though so what more could one want?

The teams line-up.

Those boots don't make you
any better son...

Cranfield have only managed two wins from seventeen coming into this game, both at Crawley Road.  This looks like an easy win for Hoddesdon then?  No.  Hoddesdon have been on a shocking run and currently sit below the Cranes in the form table having taken only five points from the last six games.  Hoddesdon started the better and pushed Cranfield back; even when United did manage to exert some pressure Hoddesdon broke well.  One of these breaks lead to the first major incident.  The ball was launched over the top for a (possibly offside) Town player to run on to.  The keeper made a right hash of the clearance, handling the ball well outside the box and injuring himself in the process; before a defender managed to clear.  The referee refused to give either decision and after a lengthy stoppage to treat the keeper play continued.  Hoddesdon belted the crossbar from 35 yards with a terrific effort.  Moments later another 30 yard shot was lashed wide.  Town's players certainly weren't shy of shooting from distance and this was having a telling effect on the Cranfield manager who was smoking like a chimney in his technical area.  Add in the odd booking and that was pretty much the half.

Town's managers,
like mini Scott and Hurst.

Cranfield flew out of the blocks after the break playing some wonderful football against the clearly more technically gifted Town.  In spite of all their good work it was Hoddesdon who were creating the chances, forcing the United keeper into making three great saves in succession.  Cranfield responded well and could've put themselves in front from a set piece but their striker just couldn't connect.

Minutes later Cranfield did go into the lead in bizarre circumstances.  The ball was thrown into the box for a United striker to scramble it home but the flag was raised.  The referee consulted the assistant who'd raised the flag and after a conference decided the ball had come off a Hoddesdon player.  No offside; the goal was given.  1-0 to Cranfield.  It could have been two but a United shot was blocked on the edge of the box as the 30-ish in attendance sheltered from a heavy autumnal squall.

Hoddesdon heads dropped following the goal and they struggled to create chances.  Cranfield were easily on top until a spate of bookings for time-wasting and bad challenges resulted in a United player getting his marching orders for a second yellow.  This lifted Town who had multiple chances from a set piece as the ball pinged about in the Cranfield area before being poked out; Cranfield were lucky to survive but it didn't last for long as a good volley found the back of the net from the resulting corner.

Cranfield apply some pressure.

Town were flying and were unlucky not to pull off a spectacular come back.  A poor back-pass put the 'keeper in trouble which he compounded by clearing to a Town striker ten yards out.  Unfortunately for Town the striker fluffed his lines and rolled it back to the grateful keeper.  Town had one last chance to grab the win as the ball bounced around in the Cranfield box before a Hoddesdon player handled on the line.  1-1 and full-time in a very exciting and entertaining game.

Next-up: still no Pilgrims action so it's St Albans City vs Ebbsfleet United in the Conference South - probably.