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Post by hedgegrower on Feb 8, 2016 13:08:18 GMT
Away Ground Guide- Bradford Park Avenue. For the Away Guide to County's game away on 13th February, follow this link..... hedgegrower.blogspot.com
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Post by another_ruined_saturday on Feb 8, 2016 21:46:04 GMT
can be summarised thusly:
shthole. always postponed. bits of broken seat lying around (my knee still bears the scars) municipal athletics stadium. seated, you're actually closer to the pitch at edgeley park.
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Post by ceefer on Feb 9, 2016 17:37:13 GMT
And if its on....a 100mph gale blows through the ground so make sure you wrap up well...
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Post by another_ruined_saturday on Feb 9, 2016 22:05:44 GMT
yeah that first time there, two years ago, was properly arctic. you have to walk to the main stand along the running track, and it was sparkling and slippery with ice that night.
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Post by hatter_in_macc on Feb 9, 2016 23:37:44 GMT
As a bit of an exchange has already got underway on here, I will - in the hope that Hedgie doesn't mind - convert this into the Match Thread ahead of Saturday.
Of course, whether we end up actually seeing a game on the due date is another question, given this particular fixture's track record - so it may end up simply becoming 'Take 1'!
Post all the usual stuff here...
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Post by another_ruined_saturday on Feb 10, 2016 12:29:25 GMT
weeeell...it's dry and sunny, and the forecast seems to be showing mainly dry, if a bit cold, for the rest of the week.
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Post by hatter_in_macc on Feb 10, 2016 17:53:20 GMT
Hmmm... tonight's match at The Avenue (against Ossett Albion) has just been postponed due to a waterlogged pitch!
With that being a County Cup-tie, they are hopefully focusing all efforts on ensuring that the surface is playable for League action instead. But, given that the last Vanarama fixture that actually went ahead there was over two months ago, I am rather hedging my bets...!
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Post by ceefer on Feb 10, 2016 19:08:01 GMT
As a bit of an exchange has already got underway on here, I will - in the hope that Hedgie doesn't mind - convert this into the Match Thread ahead of Saturday. Of course, whether we end up actually seeing a game on the due date is another question, given this particular fixture's track record - so it may end up simply becoming 'Take 1'! Post all the usual stuff here... Yeah nice pun there Maccy....
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Post by another_ruined_saturday on Feb 10, 2016 21:05:06 GMT
ah. the admin on their forum stated for their county cup game "Tonight's game v Ossett is off due to rice harvesting." which says a lot about their fan perception of the state of their pitch.
that said, with the following post it sounds like they are taking specific action, and last saturday it was due to the bad weather on that day interfering with the soft parts of the pitch.
"Timeline of events Volunteers put covers on problem areas on Friday afternoon (thanks to Geoff ,Peter H ,Johnxl for helping me and Colin put them on) Saturday morning at ground at 8 15 Pitch in Good condition after some overnight rain ,no rain present ,local referee arrives early(local refs we use are Bradford based qualified officials for national north or above,not dog and gunn v brown cow Sunday league) Covers removed soft areas in very good condition local ref stays till 9 15 very light rain falling Secretary rings Corby who are leaving at 9 30 ,they are happy to set off in the knowledge conditions may deteriorate Joe c is told game is on but referee for game will arrive early at 12 15 if weather worsens so posts that on website 10 15 pitch still good as soft areas were re covered new blotter doing well soaking up surface water 11 00 Fog rolls in rain gets heavy standing water starts appearing in front of changing rooms Local ref returns and calls game off Secretary informs Corby at 11 05 who turn around"
at the moment at least, i can't see any rain forecast for friday/saturday up here.
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Post by hatter_in_macc on Feb 11, 2016 12:58:23 GMT
My match preview for Quays News (to be followed by an 'on-the-whistle' account, immediately after the game... assuming there is one on which to report!):
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STOCKPORT County will travel across the Pennines for a second League game running this Saturday, when they take a trip to Bradford Park Avenue (KO 15:00 GMT).
In visiting the Horsfall Stadium, Jim Gannon’s team will be hoping for a little more good fortune than it had at Harrogate Town 11 days earlier - when an archetypal ‘game of two halves’ ended with the Hatters being edged out by the odd goal in three.
The Hatters - currently in thirteenth place - still seek a first National League North win of 2016, in what will be County’s fifth match in all competitions following Gannon’s return to manage the club nearly four weeks ago.
The new boss has, however, enjoyed success with the First Team in the Cheshire Senior Cup. And an emphatic 4-1 Quarter-final victory over a talented young Crewe Alexandra side on Tuesday night will have encouraged him ahead of the resumption of League business.
Not that Saturday’s task against Avenue will be an easy one, mind. As Gannon pointed out in an interview following the Crewe tie: “Bradford are a good, strong, physical side. And with a great record at home, where they have only lost once.
“But with a little bit of punch and power up front, and the set-plays we have, we can potentially win there.”
The hosts sit four places below County, although look to be in something of a false position - having played five matches fewer.
But, while their results at the Horsfall Stadium read well, persistent waterlogging of the pitch has meant that they have only to date fulfilled ten fixtures there (compared with County’s 14 in SK3) - and not seen any League action on home turf since the first weekend in December.
Avenue’s West Riding County Cup-tie against Ossett Albion was also postponed on Wednesday night. And, despite a forecast of drier conditions leading up to the weekend, the Hatters will be maintaining a close watch on the weather.
They have, after all, been here before - with originally-scheduled visits to Avenue falling victim to rain in 2013/14 and ice last season. The rearranged games both produced the same scoreline, as County won 2-0 on the first occasion and the Yorkshire side did so just under a year ago.
If the game does go ahead, as many as three former Hatters - Lamin Colley, Paul Marshall and Avenue's player-coach, Danny Schofield - may feature against their old club.
Live updates of the match will be available from our correspondent through County’s official Twitter-feed, @scfcmedia.
Provisional Squads:
Bradford Park Avenue: Stewart (GK & C), Ainge, Qualter, Priestley, Burgin, Mather, Pursehouse, Scott, Price, Dean, Turner, Schofield, P Marshall, Potts, St Juste, King, R Marshall, Chilaka, McDonald, Walshaw, Chippendale, Colley, Terrell, Kebbie, Patterson.
Stockport County: Henderson (GK), Ormson (GK), Morton, Tonge, Roberts, Connolly, O’Hanlon (C), Smalley, Joyce, Montrose, Rule, Russell, Garvin, Smith, Menagh, Ledsham, Odejayi, Evans, Marsden, Brodie, Anoruo.
Referee:
Paul Newhouse
Assistants:
Craig Dean Nick Hawksby
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Post by hatter_in_macc on Feb 12, 2016 17:21:28 GMT
Because overnight ice is forecast, Avenue have arranged a precautionary pitch inspection for 10.45am tomorrow.
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Post by bigfudge on Feb 12, 2016 17:33:06 GMT
Nice preview, Maccy!
From a completely selfish point of view, I wouldn't mind it being off! I can't attend tomorrow which is annoying given that I've been to Lowestoft, Boston and Gloucester in the last 2 months or so, games far enough away to make me resent missing one of the more local ones!
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Post by ceefer on Feb 12, 2016 17:38:30 GMT
Do they have frost covers? Hope so...if not the millionaire backer(s) need to get some....
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Post by hatter_in_macc on Feb 12, 2016 18:35:47 GMT
One would like to think so, ceefer... but somehow doubt it.
Ironically, they have just relaid parts of the pitch - so any overnight rain should not, for once, have been a problem there!
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Post by hatter_in_macc on Feb 12, 2016 20:13:59 GMT
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