WELLING UNITED 1 TRANMERE ROVERS 1
VANARAMA NATIONAL LEAGUE
PARK VIEW ROAD
ADMISSION £15
PROGRAMME £3
FOOD.......I WISH !!!!!
ATTENDANCE....1012
Up at Sparrows fart, or to be more precise, 4am, to embark on my 5 stage journey to Welling United in the London borough of Bexley, and Lou Fazackerley's sides National League home game with Gary Brabin's Tranmere Rovers.
8 Conference Grounds for me to hopefully clear this season and the International breaks added to the extra free Saturday's due to Millers games being televised on Friday night's give me the chance to complete my target and join the 116 club....all top 5 English divisions.
The only Millers free Saturday that Welling are at home is today, so this game picked itself.
Just my luck that this game has been chosen by BT Sport as it's televised offering, meaning a 12.30 ko rather than the usual 3pm.
No worries, just an earlier set off required....a 4am alarm call and realising that it's for Football not for work does make arising from my festering pit all the more bearable.
Off to a dark damp Wombwell station at 5 to begin my journey..
Half 6 train to London St Pancras for leg 2.
Woman in front of me opened her Tardis (handbag) and produced every make up item known to Womankind and proceded to splatter her face with everything from leaving Sheffield till well past Wellingborough....i jest not....just on the outskirts of Kettering i managed to peer through the apocalyptic style mushroom cloud that eminated from her powder compact and spot my first Football ground floodlights of the day.
I arrived at my destination in the Capital on time (8.31) and headed for the underground....i hate the fast and furious world of the London tube system and its mazes and rabbit warrens but the 2 short tube journey's to Charing Cross via Warren Street was pretty painless.
Half hour journey to my ultimate destination and i got into Welling half hour earlier than planned at 9.30.
Google maps homework done last week shows me that it's straight out of the Station, turn left at end of slip road and immediate left and you're on Welling High Street.
15 minutes past millions of shops, but surprisingly only 3 pubs and the ground jumps out at you.
Light drizzle greeted me but it was tears that fell down my face not rainwater when i arrived at the New Cross Turnpike Wetherspoons on Welling high street.
All taped off and shut for renovation by the looks of things.
I ventured slovenly over the road to a nearby McDonalds but the breakfast wrap happy meal i nibbled away at was no substitute whatever for the large English brekky id been eagerly anticipating for the last 4 hours.
One burp later and it was as if the wrap never existed, so i sniffed out the Happy Belly's cafe near the ground.
A brown sauce laden Bacon sarny and my belly was indeed a lot happier.
Across the road to the Park View Road Ground, home of Welling United, and as there was still 20 minutes before turnstiles opened and the rain was still tap dancing away on my bald head, i was delighted to see the Guy Earl of Warwick pub opened next door.
Woman in front of me opened her Tardis (handbag) and produced every make up item known to Womankind and proceded to splatter her face with everything from leaving Sheffield till well past Wellingborough....i jest not....just on the outskirts of Kettering i managed to peer through the apocalyptic style mushroom cloud that eminated from her powder compact and spot my first Football ground floodlights of the day.
I arrived at my destination in the Capital on time (8.31) and headed for the underground....i hate the fast and furious world of the London tube system and its mazes and rabbit warrens but the 2 short tube journey's to Charing Cross via Warren Street was pretty painless.
Half hour journey to my ultimate destination and i got into Welling half hour earlier than planned at 9.30.
Google maps homework done last week shows me that it's straight out of the Station, turn left at end of slip road and immediate left and you're on Welling High Street.
15 minutes past millions of shops, but surprisingly only 3 pubs and the ground jumps out at you.
Light drizzle greeted me but it was tears that fell down my face not rainwater when i arrived at the New Cross Turnpike Wetherspoons on Welling high street.
All taped off and shut for renovation by the looks of things.
I ventured slovenly over the road to a nearby McDonalds but the breakfast wrap happy meal i nibbled away at was no substitute whatever for the large English brekky id been eagerly anticipating for the last 4 hours.
One burp later and it was as if the wrap never existed, so i sniffed out the Happy Belly's cafe near the ground.
A brown sauce laden Bacon sarny and my belly was indeed a lot happier.
Across the road to the Park View Road Ground, home of Welling United, and as there was still 20 minutes before turnstiles opened and the rain was still tap dancing away on my bald head, i was delighted to see the Guy Earl of Warwick pub opened next door.
A small smattering of Tranmere fans inside and a nice friendly atmosphere to boot.
£15 into the Ground, £3 for the programme, more adverts than reading content, but i suppose that's how they make their money.
A walk round the Ground which resembled a building site as television camera gantry's were assembled in 3 seperate places and plenty of pics taken.
Into the Sports bar at the Ground underneath the main stand for a quick drink as the food bars had lengthy queues.
£15 into the Ground, £3 for the programme, more adverts than reading content, but i suppose that's how they make their money.
A walk round the Ground which resembled a building site as television camera gantry's were assembled in 3 seperate places and plenty of pics taken.
Into the Sports bar at the Ground underneath the main stand for a quick drink as the food bars had lengthy queues.
One ex Miller on show today was former loanee Liam Ridehalgh, starting in a wide left midfield position for Tranmere and i snapped him enough in action to warrant a stalker injunction.
The first half was something of a non event footballing wise as neither keeper really had to break sweat and most of the play was limited to the middle of the park.
I paid an extra quid to plonk my butt in a very uncomfortable main stand with severely restricted views.
Wanting a change of scenery, i left my seat in the main stand to go and stand directly opposite.
Southern League East team Erith and Belvedere FC groundshare with Welling, and the opposite side houses their own social club.....i entered and was pleasantly surprised as it turned out to be decked out in old Football memorabilia dating back decades.
Served straight away i had a steady and enjoyable look round the merchandise on the walls.....a steady but 60 seconds too long look round as Tranmere opened the scoring in the 46th minute just before i left the bar.
The first half was something of a non event footballing wise as neither keeper really had to break sweat and most of the play was limited to the middle of the park.
I paid an extra quid to plonk my butt in a very uncomfortable main stand with severely restricted views.
Wanting a change of scenery, i left my seat in the main stand to go and stand directly opposite.
Southern League East team Erith and Belvedere FC groundshare with Welling, and the opposite side houses their own social club.....i entered and was pleasantly surprised as it turned out to be decked out in old Football memorabilia dating back decades.
Served straight away i had a steady and enjoyable look round the merchandise on the walls.....a steady but 60 seconds too long look round as Tranmere opened the scoring in the 46th minute just before i left the bar.
A quick look at Tranmere's twitter feed informed me that a Liam Ridehalgh corner had been flicked on for Lois Maynard to head home at the far post.
The good thing was that the goal opened up the game and until Tranmere had centre-half Richie Sutton sent off 20 minutes from the end for an off the ball incident, we were treat to a good end to end battle with the hosts hitting the post as they strove for an equaliser.
The good thing was that the goal opened up the game and until Tranmere had centre-half Richie Sutton sent off 20 minutes from the end for an off the ball incident, we were treat to a good end to end battle with the hosts hitting the post as they strove for an equaliser.
The red card for Sutton took the momentum out of the game for a while, but the home team tried hard to make the man advantage count as they turned the screw in the last 10 minutes.
Then with just 4 minutes to go of the 90, Welling netted a leveller that justified their late possession.
Then with just 4 minutes to go of the 90, Welling netted a leveller that justified their late possession.
Sam Corne picked up the ball 25 yard out and unleashed a terrific right foot effort which bent away from the Tranmere keeper to fly in via the right hand post.
Fair result in the end and i exited the ground happy with the game as an whole, especially the second half.
Fair result in the end and i exited the ground happy with the game as an whole, especially the second half.
The scoreline left Tranmere without a win in the their last 4 games and they dropped to 10th in the National League, while Welling picked up their first point in 4 games to move up a place to 21st, just the wrong side of the drop zone.
A 15 minute walk back on Welling high street, and another treat..... a rare but welcome spot of sunshine.
Another ground off the Conference list...7 to go...and the next Conference outing for me will be on October 3rd at either Eastleigh, Gateshead or Woking....i'll decide the night before, but Eastleigh down near Southampton on the South coast is favourite at the moment.
Homeward bound and the announcement that my Charing Cross train was cancelled sent a mini shockwave through my system, but the Mickey Pearce soundalike on the tannoy reassured me that a change at Lewisham would get me back on track.......phew !!!!!!........and breathe.
Other connections caught with relative ease and i made it back to Wombwell for 8.10 and a much needed Fish, Chips, beans (no mushy peas left sob sob)and breadcake from Summer Lane chippy.
Long tiring day, 11 trains and a fair bit of walking during my 15 hour outing, but always a pleasurable adventure visiting new places,
Welling United ticked off as ground no 240, probably never to return......just watch the FA Cup 3rd round draw pair us together now i've said that.
Next stop Charlton v Millers in 7 days, thankfully more or less door to door on the Colin Campbell coach.
Another ground off the Conference list...7 to go...and the next Conference outing for me will be on October 3rd at either Eastleigh, Gateshead or Woking....i'll decide the night before, but Eastleigh down near Southampton on the South coast is favourite at the moment.
Homeward bound and the announcement that my Charing Cross train was cancelled sent a mini shockwave through my system, but the Mickey Pearce soundalike on the tannoy reassured me that a change at Lewisham would get me back on track.......phew !!!!!!........and breathe.
Other connections caught with relative ease and i made it back to Wombwell for 8.10 and a much needed Fish, Chips, beans (no mushy peas left sob sob)and breadcake from Summer Lane chippy.
Long tiring day, 11 trains and a fair bit of walking during my 15 hour outing, but always a pleasurable adventure visiting new places,
Welling United ticked off as ground no 240, probably never to return......just watch the FA Cup 3rd round draw pair us together now i've said that.
Next stop Charlton v Millers in 7 days, thankfully more or less door to door on the Colin Campbell coach.
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