Southern League Division One South
My final long journey of the season and a trip to Larkhall Athletic in Bath for what would become my 200th ground visited. Two trains which ran perfectly on time later and I was in Bath. I’d previously visited the city 15 years ago but that was in deepest darkest December so the bright sunshine today made a bit of sightseeing before heading to the football a lot more palatable.
I spent a good hour or so doing the touristy thing before heading off to the Grand Parade to catch the bus only to find I’d missed it by two minutes. I checked Google for the route to Larkhall village and seeing it was only half an hour’s walk made the very rash decision to walk to the ground.
It was all going well with the route taking me through parks, past some wonderful buildings and scenery, and alongside the Kennet & Avon canal. In a taste of things to come, the steps from the towpath down to the tunnel underneath the railway line were like trying to walk down the steps of an Incan pyramid, thankfully there was a handrail to help me down! What goes down must come up again they say and the rest of the wander to Larkhall village was uphill but not too bad.
Now, I’d been in touch with Professor Tracey Hill, a regular at the club, via social media and she had mentioned the last bit to the ground was steep and knowing some of the hills I’d encountered previously in Bath I thought I was ready. How wrong I was! The first part of the road was steep but for the last section I needed mountaineering equipment and breathing equipment!
My reward for reaching the Camella Stadium, or Plain Ham in old money, was a nice cold pint of Thatchers Gold (definitely required!) and some of the most stunning views I’ve seen at a football ground including the backdrop being Solsbury Hill (yep, the one written about in Peter Gabriel’s song) at the far end of the ground and the second smallest “stand” I’ve seen in nonleague football! Set alongside the City of Bath Petanque Club, you have a lovely clubhouse, outside seating and some of the friendliest people I’ve had the pleasure to meet on my travels.
Entry was £12 for adults and £2 for a printed programme and I had a chat with the lovely lady on the gate and one of the stewards who was brilliant throughout the day. Now you know me, I do enjoy a burger at the football and this turned out to be a good one. A quarter pound burger sourced from a local butcher, fried onions, cheese and freshly chopped lettuce and tomato for £6. Definitely recommended!
After carefully avoiding the score from Ipswich match (we never win if I look at the score during the game!), it was pleasing to find out just before the match started here that we’d finally completed the double over our local rivals for the first time in 30+ years!
So, onto the match itself, it was a lively start with both sides going for it but just not able to test either goalkeeper. A long punt down the left flank saw forward Dawid Regula go one on one with defender Harvey Field which was well blocked away before the Larks top scorer could get an effort in on goal. Larkhall’s Will Banks then received an early yellow following a late challenge as the scrappy nature of the first half hour continued.
A Bideford free kick out wide was curled towards the far post by Finn Roberts with Liam Armstrong just managing to tip away before it reached the head of a forward. At the other end, a good burst forward from full back Lewis Graham saw him go past three Bideford players before trying to thread it through to Harvey Pritchard, centre back Sam Wright just managed to get a toe on the ball to stop the promising attack.
A nice move from the visitors gave Javan Wright the chance to shoot, his effort was blocked with the rebound falling to Finian King-Smith but his daisy cutter from the edge of the box went wide of the post.
Another great run down the right to the byline from Graham was superbly halted with a sliding block by Field. Bideford’s Roberts hit a free kick from 25 yards out which was deflected out for a corner, Louie Slough heading the resulting set piece wide.
The final chance of the half came again for the visitors, Archie Reay playing in King-Smith but his effort sailed over the bar. A first 45 filled with endeavour, with the visitors looking more dangerous, but lacking in any clear chances ended goalless.
H-T: Larkhall Athletic 0 Bideford 0
The first fifteen minutes of the second half were pretty similar, Wright finding space in the box for a shot but it was a good job the Larks have some high netting behind the goal as the ball could still be sitting on Salisbury Hill now if not.
The home side were having the better of the early exchanges but still not able to really trouble Shaun Semmens in the away goal. Regula then won a corner which the visitors defence struggled to clear, the forward putting the loose ball wide with an acrobatic effort. They fashioned a more clear-cut chance soon after with Sam Boulton picking out the run of Graham who hit his first time shot wide.
On 63 minutes Bideford’s Roberts tried his luck with a free kick from 30 yards out but could only find the midriff of Armstrong. The hosts were still pushing forward when they got caught on the counter. Keeper Semmens stopped a promising attack and, thinking quickly, launched a quick long kick out to Roberts on the left. He controlled and seeing Armstrong out of position, smashed his shot towards the near post and past the despairing dive from the keeper. 0-1
The home side tried to respond with Alex Camm firing over the bar but the visitors were still looking the more likely to score. Roberts hitting another curling effort from outside the box which looked to have been tipped onto the bar before cannoning against the woodwork and behind only for the officials to signal for a goal kick.
It was now end to end stuff, Camm again having a half chance blocked by Field for Larkhall before the away side broke quickly with Farron Simons forcing a good save from Armstrong at his near post. The Larkhall keeper was in the thick of the action again moments later, tipping a ferocious effort from Reay over the bar and a minute later diving full length to save from Simons.
The game was getting a little feisty at this point, the official was struggling to keep control of the game with some strong tackles going in from both sides. After one challenge, the Larkhall manager was shown the red card after stating an offensive observation a bit too loudly!
In added time a ball over the top found the run of Regula down the right, he ran into the box before squaring to substitute Mortimer-Taylor who calmly swept the ball past Semmens. 1-1
F-T: Larkhall Athletic 1 Bideford 1
The result was probably a bit harsh on Bideford as they looked the more dangerous on the day, with the home side all too often trying to pass the ball into the net rather than shoot when having the chance. Liam Armstrong made a string of excellent saves for the hosts to keep them in the game and who doesn’t love a bit of drama in injury time?
This was without doubt one of my favourite days out since starting this project four years ago and Larkhall are one of the friendliest and most welcoming hosts I’ve had the pleasure to visit. Many thanks to Tracey Hill for looking after me and all the wonderful volunteers at the club who made this such an enjoyable day.
If you’re thinking of visiting Larkhall yourself I’d definitely recommend it. A fantastic club, great people, good food and stunning scenery but I’d urge you, and I can’t stress this enough, to drive there. If you don’t drive catch the bus and take mountaineering gear and hire a sherpa to guide you up the final walk to the ground!
Fortunately, I managed to get a seat on the train home, I’m not sure my legs would have coped with standing all the way back! I did have an encounter with two men in full Morris dancer gear on my final train home but that’s another story…