4pm 5 January 2013
SJFA Scottish Junior Cup, Third Round Replay, at Ravenscraig Regional Sports Facility Indoor Arena
Thorniewood United 2 Camelon Juniors 3 (att 170)
Not the first time I've seen a game under a roof, but this was a curious late afternoon game at the very impressive sports centre built on part of the huge site of Motherwell's former steelworks.
Thorniewood's usual ground, Roberston Park, was declared unfit for this replay, and after six previous postponements the club had booked the all-weather indoor pitch at Ravenscraig to guarantee the game would go ahead whatever the weather.
They were rewarded with a bumper crowd, including many groundhoppers seeking their second game of the day, but not with any further progress in the Scottish Juniors primary cup competition.
The first match between the sides had ended 3-3, with all six goals in the first half, and the two sides provided another entertaining opening 45 minutes, with the score at 2-2 at the break. Camelon dominated the second half, but it took a 90th minute goal for them to win the tie.
Watching games outside on 3G pitches it's often easy to forget the surface isn't grass. But a game inside a sports hall, albeit a very large one with a full size football pitch, you can't escape the fact that it just doesn't feel right.
Players' shouts echo around, and when the ball hits the roof (which it did less often than I'd expected) play restarts with a drop ball. Pitchside the indoor arena has around 450 seats, although the best view is probably from the elevated balcony, accessed via a first floor cafe, behind the goal.
An odd experience, but better than another postponement for the two clubs, and a opportunity to visit an extra ground for me.
SJFA Scottish Junior Cup, Third Round Replay, at Ravenscraig Regional Sports Facility Indoor Arena
Thorniewood United 2 Camelon Juniors 3 (att 170)
Not the first time I've seen a game under a roof, but this was a curious late afternoon game at the very impressive sports centre built on part of the huge site of Motherwell's former steelworks.
Thorniewood's usual ground, Roberston Park, was declared unfit for this replay, and after six previous postponements the club had booked the all-weather indoor pitch at Ravenscraig to guarantee the game would go ahead whatever the weather.
They were rewarded with a bumper crowd, including many groundhoppers seeking their second game of the day, but not with any further progress in the Scottish Juniors primary cup competition.
The first match between the sides had ended 3-3, with all six goals in the first half, and the two sides provided another entertaining opening 45 minutes, with the score at 2-2 at the break. Camelon dominated the second half, but it took a 90th minute goal for them to win the tie.
Watching games outside on 3G pitches it's often easy to forget the surface isn't grass. But a game inside a sports hall, albeit a very large one with a full size football pitch, you can't escape the fact that it just doesn't feel right.
Players' shouts echo around, and when the ball hits the roof (which it did less often than I'd expected) play restarts with a drop ball. Pitchside the indoor arena has around 450 seats, although the best view is probably from the elevated balcony, accessed via a first floor cafe, behind the goal.
An odd experience, but better than another postponement for the two clubs, and a opportunity to visit an extra ground for me.
Comments
Post a Comment