22/10 – After a few carefree weeks sampling random games, down to business today with the happy convergence of the two Southern League 1 (S&W) teams I needed to see to re-complete the division. The Raymond McEnhill Stadium opened in 1997 and I remember visiting it, with Master O in tow, back in that first season – the ground was very much a “work in progress” at that time, and doesn’t look a lot better today! A concrete, cavernous bar under the main stand, rather reminiscent of the one at Hinckley’s new-build Leicester Road stadium, could not exactly have been described as cosy .....
I took the fast road to Wilton, then into a choked Salisbury city centre, and out again on the A345 to Old Sarum, marking the location of Salisbury Rugby Club en route for future use! The Ostrich arrived ridiculously early, parked up, and decided to wander down the road to Old Sarum Airfield for a happy hour watching the activity. There's a museum there to the Boscombe Down Aviation Research Centre which I think helped pioneer early jet flight, and a memorial to the various WW2 squadrons which trained and were deployed from the base, light aircraft operating in the front line as Airborne Observation Posts for artillery. Fixed wing and biplanes were constantly landing and taking off from the grass strip, and at one point a small helicopter arrived and taxied (by hovering a couple of feet off the ground) to within 50 feet of me at the perimeter fence. There was also an "Airvan" departing every quarter of an hour or so taking small batches of skydivers up above the airfield and disgorging them, which only reinforced Ossie's view that you'll never get 'im up in one of they things.
Salisbury FC are another re-invented club working their way back up the leagues, a la Hereford, but they are only mid-table so far, not performing particularly well away from home, whilst Hereford are top of the same division. Barnstaple Town, the opposition, were newly promoted and playing at their highest ever level.
The home side needed a result today, and actually they looked a very good side indeed, taking the game to Barnstaple who did well to limit them to a single goal – a 24th minute penalty for handball – before the break. In the second half, however, the Devon side crumbled and Salisbury notched another 4 goals, three of them quite stunning strikes. I was much impressed by the quality of individual ball-skills on display today, way above what you’d expect at this level.
Return journey via Amesbury, the A303, and a fly-past of Stonehenge!
Southern 1 (South & West): Salisbury FC 5 Barnstaple Town 0
Admission £4, programme £2 (32pp, not a bad read), over-priced "gourmet" burger for £4.50 which was really pushing their luck (£6.50 if you had bacon and all the trimmings), attendance 621.
) and eventually found a cycle route marked Weymouth which was decidedly not the A354! Weymouth was busy, and I had forgotten how long it takes to traverse that town past the quay and then travel across the causeway to Portland, and climb up to the top of the zig-zag hill above Fortuneswell. I did in fact return in a “great circle” via the A354, A35 and Blandford Forum, trading better and faster roads for greater mileage - timing wise, nothing much in it.
), 60's Classics over the tannoy for the pre-game entertainment (Manfred Mann, The Animals, Freddie & The Dreamers etc.), attendance 154.
It was August and gorgeous and sunny down by the harbour but blowing a gale up there!