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Baildon Trinity Athletic v Great Preston

6.50pm  30 April 2015

West Yorkshire League, Division Two
Baildon Trinity Athletic 6 Great Preston 3 (att 6)

It was a late decision to head to Baildon; I only spotted the fixture had been brought forward from the weekend when looking for possible games to attend on Saturday. I was glad I came, as despite an inauspicious beginning it turned into a decent evening's entertainment.

Getting to Baildon, north of Bradford near Shipley, in rush hour isn't easy. Great Preston players drove into the car park just after the scheduled 6.30pm kick off time. They were changed quickly and, thankfully, by the game got underway a heavy rain and hail showers had just passed.

Goals flowed throughout the 80 minutes (the late start meant two 40 minutes halves). Baildon were ahead early, Great Preston equalised, but the home side were back in front before half time.

Two goals at the start of the second half put Baildon firmly on control. Great Preston scored a second, and looked keen to make a game of it, but it wasn't to be as the sides traded more goals towards the end.

It wasn't the best standard of football, and it certainly wasn't the best playing surface, but there was no doubting the commitment and entertainment on show,

Baildon Trinity Athletic play at a ground they share with the local rugby and cricket clubs, although judging by the facilities the football club is a distant third in the pecking order.

I'm unsure why they left their previous ground, which had a railed-off pitch and adjacent dressing rooms, but the unrailed, unroped pitch they use now is the "second" rugby pitch. Football goals are wheeled into place in front of rugby posts, and players cross the main rugby pitch to get to and from the changing rooms. Surprisingly, the pitch has a floodlight pylon in each corner, although I doubt they'll ever be used for West Yorkshire League games.









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