Buckley Town 1-2 Mold Alexandra (Cymru North)
We lost a good football man at the weekend. Gary Hayward was a non league manager who I worked with, who had spells at Hednesford and Buxton amongst others, a larger than life character who's ethos was built on team spirit, he had an old fashioned no nonsense temperament but he liked his sides to play, later in life illness got the better of him and he even managed his final few games from a wheelchair after amputation in both his legs, football was his life, without it he sadly deteriorated, but worth remembering so many good times. He certainly taught me a thing or two about the game.
I've been scratching around a bit for a Tuesday night out and I've got a last minute number on the Welsh border, Cymru North rivals Buckley Town and Mold Alexandra are less than five miles apart in distance, four places separate them in the table but the clubs have near identical for and against records, just a couple of games left in the season, neither can go up or down, Buckley in fifth, Mold in ninth, ironically two of the final three games are against each other with the potential for a third in the cup.
Formed in 1977 after an amalgamation of Buckley Rovers and Buckley Wanderers, Buckley Town spent almost a quarter of a century in the Cymru Alliance before relegation to the regional Wrexham league which they won in 2018. They became founder members of the Cymru North after the Alliance changed names in 2019 and have sat in the middle echelons of the division ever since, this is their highest finish to a season so far. Famous players include Mickey Thomas whilst Ryan Shawcross appeared for the club as a junior and Danny Collins played for both Buckley and Mold before going on to have a career with Sunderland and Stoke City amongst others.
Formed in 1929, Mold Alexandra might be best known as the first ever club of Michael Owen, the former England frontman starting his career as a Junior scoring 34 goals in 24 games during one pre-teen season ahead of his move to Liverpool. The club based at Alyn Park have won the Welsh National League four times and are in their third campaign in the Cymru North.
I'm out the door for 3:30pm ahead of a half seven kick off, across the A50 through Stoke and down the Nantwich by pass around Crewe before heading out of Cheshire towards the A55 and Welsh border after passing the notable Snugburys Ice Cream on the old Chester Road.
The Venue
I'm parked up outside an industrial estate on the edge of town before making my way up towards the ground entrance, elevated with views out to England you don't actually need to pay at the turnstiles to get a glimpse of the action, one side of the pitch has a high mesh fence to stop stray balls hitting the road, stand behind that and you can see plenty of the pitch.
Inside though is a real quirky home, left in places to rot, in others not, the club house and changing rooms high up behind the goal, a large seated stand to the right is condemned, out of action, one on the left much smaller in use, the pitch hasn't been mowed for a week, plenty of grass on it, looks more fitting for a rugby match than soccer.
I take a walk around the perimeter where I kick a few balls back into play under the open barriers that separate the standing section and pitch, of all 'stadiums' I've been to of late, this is easily the most run down, in England it would struggle to pass step 5 or 6 which intrigues me to how lenient the Welsh FA is on facility demands, but it has a tea bar, it has toilets, it has good old fashioned concrete dugouts, and a pitch from the 1970s, you can't help feeling nostalgic about it all, as the two sets of teams go about their warm ups in lowering April sunlight.
The Game
Buckley in all red, Mold in all blue, it's like an old fashioned Subbuteo set out there as action is under way, players flicked into regimental position, there's no time for getting it down to play. Up an under is order of the day.
It's horrible but high tempo, Buckley manager Asa Hamilton angers his frustration early doors at the linesman who gives a goal kick instead of a corner, "Gavin" he shouts. "I can see that from here".
White Turkey teeth and mop top shaven around the sides, the sun tanned Edwards is raging with every decision by now, he's well out of his technical area, there is no technical area, as a crowd of youths behind him stand, encourage, and giggle, in front of a no standing sign.
It seems there's no law and order in these parts, "that's fucking shit" is repeatedly sworn by the Buckley manager to the officials, he's marching down like he's on something as his ultras laugh every time he berates the ref, some lads head off before a smell of cannabis floats over, at least my view is less obstructed for sitting on the back row of the stand and trying to peer over their standing heads in front.
For all the thud and smash involved in the game it's a moment of brilliance that opens the scoring, the ball falling to Manu Lawal on the edge of the area who perfectly executes a volley into the corner of the net.
That lead doesn't last for long as Buckley level with a belter themselves, the ball sitting nicely for number nine Connor Littler who smashes home from outside the box. It hasn't been pretty, but the finishing is devastating.
The Score
There's time for a few handbags as the Buckley manager throws yet another tantrum after not getting his way, he kicks the ball at a Mold player to earn himself a yellow card, then Buckley's goalkeeper has a moment of madness, he tries to quickly clear a kick from his hands but smashes it against the backside of an opponent, the ball bobbling around the box falls to Fabrizio Murtas who prods the visitors into the lead.
If ever a goal was to sum up a game, that rages tempers further as another home player is booked for saying Mold's striker obstructed their goalkeeper, then back to action as both teams kick it to each other until the whistle for half time.
It's hell for leather, real grassroots local rivalry, Mold however are the calm, quieting presence, unattractively but effectively going about their stuff, Buckley aren't nasty, they play percentage football and have an irate Manager, but that gets the crowd of youths up on his side and makes them a nasty bunch to play against.
It's far from a classic as Asa pulls off his number eleven after just a couple of minutes of the second half, then he brings on himself, to save the day, but despite a lot of the football played in the Mold Alexandra half, it's not pretty, it's not controlled, and neither goalkeeper, both very small looking in size, are hardly tested at all.
In the end I start to will Mold on who have defended exceptionally well against a team that throw the kitchen sink at them, late on Buckley have a goal rightly ruled out for offside, but it's the away side I'm most impressed with, and it's the away side who take all three points.
There's still time for some kicking off after the whistle as player Manager Asa Hamilton pushes the Ref's buttons one too many times, he's sent off for saying something which probably included an 'F' word, and on the walk out one of the coaching staff offers a visiting fan out, "you fucking bell end" he says... "Come on you fat bastard".
The Stars
Despite Buckley being the higher of the two in the division I did feel impressed more by what Mold had to offer. The home side defended well, their centre halves doing the most basic of basics, whilst in striker Connor Littler they have a good forward who knows where the net is.
But Mold had a couple of gems, 19 year old winger Fabrizio Murtas carried the ball well on a bobbly pitch, he's powerful and inventive and one who's game could progress, whilst centre forward Owen Cordiner, just 23 years old, he the nice touch for a big man cliche glided on the pitch in movement, reminding me of a player I used to work with, Alex Ford who was briefly at Ilkeston Town and Hucknall many moons ago, Cordiner was often isolated but ran his socks off and his hold up play particularly down the channels was impressive.
And on a day when defences were on top, special mention to centre halves Craig Rogers and Dafydd Griffith who with a combined age of 73 played their part in a backs to the walls second half performance of stern and solid resilience.
The Verdict
Welsh football at level two is more grassroots than I had imagined. It's a shame because the Globe is a beautiful ground, just a little neglected in parts, maybe they don't have the funds, but I would like to see the Welsh FA take charge, organisation is key, the two teams ahead of kick off didn't even walk out together, it was throw back football that is only these days in England seen in Sunday league.
Pitch awful, conditions perfect, the players themselves all gave 120% and the fans came in numbers, a good crowd over 300 it felt, a proper derby where both teams will go again in ten days time, to draw curtain on solid seasons for each, I expect more fireworks to come.
The Teams
Buckley Town: Ryan Goldston, Adam Smith, Adam Boydell, Daniel Burgess, Callum Humphries (Liam Driscoll 58), Nicholas Grogan, Scott McHarrie, Aled Bellis, Connor Littler, Bradley Knight (Asa Hamilton 66), Iwan Jones (Max Moore 47).
Mold Alexandra: Michael Crossley, Joshua Watkin (Morgan Roberts 71), Lucas Gregson, Craig Rogers, Ryan Coney, Fabrizio Murtas, Owen Cordiner (Rhys Edwards 90), Emmanuel Lawal, Cynan Edwards (Ellis Hickey 46), Dafydd Griffith, Henry Nash.
7:30pm Kick Off. Tuesday 1st April 2025, The Globe, Buckley (att 300 est).
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