Atherton Collieries - Alder House - The last Bus to Bromley Cross

Now, if you remember in my previous posts I have talked about supporting a non-league team and sticking with them for a season or two and one team that came into my mind was Atherton Collieries FC.

The day started off on a downer for me personally as Moss Bank (the team that I play for) lost 2-1 in a close game, we were unlucky really. I, in net, produced a fine string of saes that kept us in the game, then on about the 70th minute an own goal was scored, not by me, for once...

I have been planning to go to Atherton and meet up with fellow blogger Joe Gibbons (http://gibbos92.wordpress.com/) on around 2 different occasions but sadly the beautiful North West weather has thwarted my opportunities. Unfortunately, Joe was unable to join me at this game due to League Cup Final commitments.

Anyway, I had planned it all out and asked Dylan (whom is a City season ticket holder) to join me. The plan was for Dylan to meet me at my house at 1:00pm to catch the trains needed to get to Alder House.

I was looking forward to the Colls vs. Northwitch game because of many reasons one being that I have not been to a non-league game for around a month now for many reasons, the weather and Burnley having a good string of games. But mainly because I have planned to come to around 4 different Colls' game but like I said earlier the weather has stopped me in my tracks. This was also Dylan's first non-league experience, he was looking forward to it to, I was hoping that the game would not be a boring 0-0, thankfully it wasn't!

Alder House is an easy place to get to, you have many bus and train routes you can use. I and Dylan opted for the train as, in the end, it worked out as the cheapest and fastest option out of the routes we found. My game finished at about 12:45 from their it was a very quick journey home for a very quick shower. Dylan met me at my house at a 1:00pm and our journey begins, Bromley Cross train station our destination. Once there we purchased our train tickets for the day and for £2.05 (u16) for the day, great value! We got the 1:23pm train from Bromley Cross to Salford Crescent we would go onto catch the 12:35pm train to Atherton; the train is not practically long.

Once I and Dylan had arrived at Atherton train station it was a simple case of finding Alder Street, luckily, I had planned a journey using that Google map thing, very useful! All in all around a ten minute journey.

We approached Alder House, the entrance is very welcoming, on a normal day I would be paying only £3.00 to watch the mighty Colls play, but thanks to Joe's persuading skills I managed to squeeze through the historic turnstile for free, picking a very well presented programme (Editor: Joe Gibbons) for £1.00.

The programme was superb value considering it’s priced at £1.00, it had detailed match reports from the previous games played, it had information of all the teams that are wanting to enter the NWCFL and what impressed me most was that I got a mention, yay! Thanks Joe!

As for Alder House, yeah, overall I was impressed! Sure, people may say it's a little dated but in my opinion it’s not dated, it’s nice, homely sort of welcoming. I like it! As you go thought the turnstile to the left of you is what I am going to call, The Changing Room End, as you may go guessed this end is home to the changing rooms and the very modern Emirates stadium like tunnel. In front of you is what I am going to call the club house stand. The homily clubhouse, refreshments area, a small 3 row deep seating stand and a small standing terrace can be located here. To the right is The No Name Stand, I can’t think of a name for this one. And finally, at the side of you is the Dugouts end, this consist of the two dugouts and a seated stand that runs around 1/4 length of the pitch.

After going through the turnstile and soaking up the ground, I and Dylan went searching for some food. Whilst searching I heard someone say "I recognize that face, you’re the one I need to impress", it was the voice of club secretary Emil Anderson, after talking for a while little did Emil know my granddad is ex Colls winger (I think) Brian Taylor, after Emil still not being able to get over that fact, he talked about my Granddad playing for the Colls, nicknames etc. Little did I know Emil knows my Mum, in fact my family, when Emil and my Mum were kids his family and mine went on holiday together, where, I don’t know (I was not born at this time)! I can honestly say Emil is one of the nicest people in football!

Anyway, enough of that!

The game, the Colls needed three points to continue their promotion push and after a Tuesday night defeat to Ashton Town, they needed to catch up, whereas Northwitch are pretty much safe in mid-table!

The first half was a good one, despite no goals being scored. It was rare to actually see Northwitch get out of their own half, Atherton sent wave after wave of attack but could not find their way past the Villa keeper. It is clear the Colls' work on their set pieces at training as they were superb! After the 10 minute mark they had a string of about 3 corners and each time they always ended up on target. Atherton very nearly took the lead on around the 20 minute mark, Mitch Leace made a superb run and was spotted the ball played through to him, he shot, but just wide of the Villa goal.

Half Time!

At half time I went in search for something to eat, I came across the well-presented refreshments area on the Club House side and bought one of the best and probably biggest pies I have had in a while, I don’t know who the baker was but they deserve a medal! I also bought a hot chocolate for 90p which again was good value.

Second half and the Colls kept piling the pressure on the Villa goal with wonderful football, the pitch at Alder House isn’t lets say the best, but fair play to the Colls' they played some wonderful passing football. The deadlock was finally broken on the 65th minute a goal by Danny Smith, a set piece goal, free kick was whipped in and Smith was there to riffle the ball in the back of the net. And on the 85th minute Colls' doubled their lead thanks to Paul Atherton, a wonderful cross was whipped into the box and Atherton has the simple task of placing the ball into the back of the net.

Full Time! Superb Game!

After saying bye and thanks to Emil myself and Dylan headed back to Atherton train Station and waited for the train to arrive, when it did we got the connection from Salford Crescent to Bromley Cross after a quick stop off at McDonalds.

Overall, I had a superb day at Alder House, Atherton Collieries are a progressing football club why, in true deserve to be in a higher division. I would like to thank Joe for my mention in the programme and of course Emil for his superb hospitality. I will be definitely be visiting the Colls' again and looking forward to it!