Albion All Stars

Sunday 1st December 2013

Albion All Stars 2-1 Red Lion Repton

Burton & District Sunday League Division 3

@ Westfields Recreation Ground, off Abbey Drive, Ashby-de-la-Zouch

A trip up to the north west part of my home county today and more specifically the pleasant market town of Ashby-de-la-Zouch. A game in the fourth tier of the Burton Sunday League does not immediately jump out, but I had been asked back in May by the home side if I could come and take some photos of one of their games, and some six months later I finally got round to watching them in action. 

Albion All Stars play their home games at the Westfields Recreation Ground which is located on the western edge of Ashby. It is a basic affair located down a small track off Abbey Drive, which in turn is off the Moira Road. At the end of the track it opens up to a very small car park and portakabin style changing rooms, and as expected there is nothing pitch side. The recreation ground is easy to get to and find. If coming from Leicester, Loughborough or the M42 head into Ashby town centre itself, and when you come to two small traffic islands go straight on following the signs for Moira. Abbey Drive is the 4th turning on the right, and the track to the rec' is on the right opposite Abbey Stores.

From what I can gather Albion were only formed in 2012 and were accepted into Division 4 of the Burton Sunday League. They finished in 5th place in their debut season and won their first trophy as well, beating Marlborough Rovers Reserves 2-1 in the final of the Division 4 Cup which was played @ Stapenhill FC. 

The Red Lion Repton goal being scored

The league table at the start of play suggested a close game would be in order as the two teams were seperated by just two points, with Albion on twelve and Repton on fourteen, and this is how it panned out. The visitors started the better and deservedly took the lead early with a header following a corner. Albion struggled to get anything going, but probably against the run of play equalised around the twenty minute mark with a low shot past the Repton keeper. Despite the play being of a scrappy nature both sides created a fair amount of chances but were not clinical enough in front of goal, and the first half ended 1-1. The second half was of a similar nature to the first with both sides lacking a cutting edge. The only goal of the second forty five minutes came from the home side midway through the half, when their #10 powered his past a couple of defenders and beat the keeper as his near post. Repton, as expected but a lot of pressure on the Albion defence in the final stages but I didn't feel they had enough in their locker to force an equaliser, and this was how it played out.

Overall a competitive game in which both teams put plenty of effort in, but one also that lacked any real quality on show. Post match I headed back into Ashby town centre and had a drink in the new Wetherspoon outlet in the town, The Shoulder of Mutton before making my way back home to Leicester.  

websites / social media

Burton & District Sunday League - FA Full Time site

Albion All Stars - twitter

Photos

55 match photos can be viewed by clicking the following link: Albion