Match Information
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Middlezoy Rovers 5-2 Wincanton Town
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When: Saturday 16th December 2023
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Kick-off: 3pm
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Where: The Aerodrome, Main Road, Westonzoyland, Bridgwater, Somerset TA7 0LZ
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Competition: Western League Division One
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Attendance: 76
The names and addresses of some football grounds are particularly evocative. For example, most people know Lewes FC are based at The Dripping Pan. Another favourite of mine is Cobham FC’s Leg o Mutton Ground.
Then when Middlezoy Rovers were promoted to Step 6 of the national Non-League Pyramid this season, I spotted they play at the delightfully named Aerodrome in Westonzoyland – a place that actually sounds like a mysterious foreign country!
So I set off on the 370 mile round trip to watch a game, utilising the M4 and M5 motorways. Rovers are newcomers in the Western League Division One having ascended from the Somerset County League.
To reach this level, they completely enhanced their facilities in recent years by building a new clubhouse, installing floodlights and rotating the pitch 90 degrees on part of the former RAF Westonzoyland military airfield.
Located four miles east of Bridgwater, Westonzoyland is a village housing 1,800 residents.
Ground Description
I found everything was very neat and tidy. The impressive main Ethan Berry Pavilion contains the bar and dressing rooms plus a covered overhang next to the pitch for up to 200 spectators to follow any sports betting while taking in the action.
A 50-seater grandstand will be installed in the next few weeks. There is also an adjacent warm-up pitch and car parking.
Programme Details
A nice 16 page effort on sale at the entry window for £1.50p. It made an excellent souvenir of my day out in Somerset.
The Match
There were no football odds on the match but it was a thrilling affair.
Twelfth versus sixth in the league table providing plenty of entertainment including three goals deep into injury time at the end.
On target for Middlezoy Rovers were Acey Mead (29 minutes), Noah Brown (46 mins) Charlie Lintell (70 mins), James Millard (90+2 mins) and Liam Winter (90+4 mins).
Wincanton Town replied courtesy of Connor Williams (52 mins) and Tom Jarvis (90+1 mins).
The People
Craig Berry has been involved at Middlezoy Rovers for 31 years and is currently first team manager, club secretary and treasurer. He gave me a friendly welcome whilst speaking really proudly about his club’s rapid growth on and off the field.
Craig said: “Our new facilities were funded by the Football Foundation/Football Stadia Improvement Fund, Viridor Credits, Sedgemoor District Council and various smaller funding bodies. The total spent was £800,000.
“The pavilion build started in 2020. All work was undertaken by people connected to our club. The project happened because my son Ethan passed away at 13 months old through meningitis in 2004 and I wanted to leave something in his name which made a difference.
“The pitch was rotated at the start of the 2021 season so it was positioned outside the clubhouse. Our big issue in moving the playing surface was we created a duck pond since an area that used to be a car park would not drain.
“Therefore in the summer of 2022, we drilled multiple deep holes to create necessary drainage - filling these with clean stone, sand and soil mix. The effect was instant and the problem is getting better all the time assisted via Football Foundation funding for relative pitch maintenance equipment.
“Promotion to the Western League was driven by the challenge of our squad wanting to compete at a higher level. Every player lives locally within five miles of the club and no one is paid as they want to be part of the journey here.
“Not so long ago we had one aging adult team. But now, Middlezoy Rovers boasts three adult male sides, a ladies’ team, a veterans’ X1 and youth teams embracing under-7’s up to under 16’s.
“Looking to the future, progression past our current point in all honesty will come down to cold hard cash. We do not have a backer or big sponsor so we are self-sufficient.”
*Credit for the photos in this article belongs to Tony Incenzo*
