Match Information
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Wolverhampton Casuals 2-1 Tividale
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When: Saturday 13th August 2022
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Kick-off: 3pm
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Where: Brinsford Stadium, Brinsford Lane, Coven Heath, Wolverhampton, WV10 7PR
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Competition: Midland League Premier Division
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Attendance: 63
I have been to Wolverhampton several times in the past for groundhopping adventures and it is a real hotbed of football.
Obviously, the main club in this area are Wolverhampton Wanderers. My first trip to Molineux was when I was at school completing visits to all the 92 League grounds.
Since then, I’ve been back to the region to take in fixtures at Wolverhampton Sporting Community FC and Wolverhampton United FC.
Therefore it was high time for me to make another 225 mile round trip so that I could witness a match at Wolverhampton Casuals.
Roadworks on the M6 motorway added to my journey time but I arrived an hour before kick-off. I have to say that their opponents in this fixture – Tividale FC – have always held a real fascination for me.
Result of my @MidlandLeague match today :@WolvesCassies 2 @TiviFCofficial 1
— Tony Incenzo - my 50th football season (@TonyIncenzo) August 13, 2022
Attendance 63, excellent programme by @353photo Football grounds visited - 2,456@nonleagueshow @NonLeagueCrowd @NonLeaguePaper pic.twitter.com/yaZ2i3hFQz
This stems from the fact that Daily Mail journalist Brian James wrote a famous book entitled ‘Journey to Wembley’ where he chronicled the 1976/77 FA Cup competition.
Brian intrepidly started out by watching Tividale win at Hinckley Athletic in the Preliminary Round of the Cup and then followed the victors of each subsequent game all the way to the Final where Manchester United beat Liverpool 2-1.
In my view, it is still one of the best football publications of all-time with fantastic anecdotes and photography. I wrote a copycat book myself in 1984/85 where I commenced my FA Cup odyssey at Dudley Town v Heanor Town.
Unlike Mr James though, I didn’t latch on to each winning club as I preferred to pick out a tie of interest in each round. My 100 page publication took a good three months to write and sold very well at the time.
Although I have to chuckle nowadays when I see that copies are currently available on Ebay for only 99p!
Ground Description
Located just off a country lane in Coven Heath, which is on the northern edge of Wolverhampton’s urban area. Entry is via a pay hut into the club car park.
The main feature of spectator accommodation is a sturdy, 160-seater grandstand containing four rows of benches.
There also is a second railed off pitch which I understand is used for training and Sunday League football. The clubhouse did a roaring trade in cold drinks on what was an extremely hot day amidst temperatures topping 33°C.
Programme Details
The ‘Brinsford Gazette’ is an excellent publication that encompasses plenty of stimulating reading about Wolverhampton Casuals and Non-League football in general.
It comes from the admirable stable of Garry Griffiths at 353 Photography. Garry also produces programmes for several other local clubs including AFC Wulfrunians, Bilston Town FC and Sporting Khalsa FC.
The Match
I managed to escape the relentless sun by finding some shade created by a thicket of tall bushes behind the dug-outs. The referee sensibly allotted two drinks’ breaks during the game.
Tividale led 1-0 at half-time after Jamie Hunt powerfully scored with a half-volley in the 23rd minute. But things changed in the second half as Casuals bounced back through a close range header by Nathaniel Graham on 59 minutes.
This was followed by Matthew Hearsey’s winner deep into injury time where he curled home a glorious angled shot via the underside of the crossbar.
The People
Wolverhampton Casuals vice-chairman Paul Tudor made me literally laugh out loud at one of his pre-match broadcasts on the club’s public address tannoy.
In view of those sweltering weather conditions, Paul announced: “I would like to welcome all spectators for the match today. Excuse my lack of enthusiasm but I am actually sweating my what-sits off here!"
*Credit for all of the photos in this article belongs to @TonyIncenzo*
FIRST PUBLISHED: 7th September 2022
