Match Information
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Sturminster Newton United 1-2 Calne Town
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When: Saturday 9th November 2024
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Kick-off: 3pm
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Where: Barnetts Field, Honeymead Lane, Sturminster Newton, Dorset DT10 1EW
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Competition: Jewson Western Football League Division One
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Attendance: 123
I completed visits to all the grounds across the Western League’s two divisions (Non-League Steps 5 and 6) last April at Wincanton Town FC.
But as I mentioned in my recent appearance on the league’s podcast hosted by Ian Nockolds, I subsequently need the newly promoted clubs – namely Avonmouth FC, Ivybridge Town FC, Mendip Broadwalk FC and Sturminster Newton United FC.
So I decided to target Sturminster for my next groundhop. They’ve attained this level after clinching the Dorset Premier League title last season.
Accordingly, I set off on my 300 mile round trip via the M25, M3 and A303. Sturminster Newton itself is a town housing 4,400 residents towards the north of Dorset.
Ground Description
It is floodlit with hard standing on two sides and halfway line cover benefitting 100 spectators.
I noticed the concrete base has been laid anticipating imminent delivery of a new prefab seated grandstand.
Programme Details
A 16 page homespun production on sale at the entry hut for £2. Contents incorporated editorial notes, the respective histories of both teams, league table and matchday line-ups.
I was fascinated to read Sturminster were actually the first ever West Country club to participate in the FA Cup way back in 1874/75 under their original name of Panthers FC.
The Match
The teams emerged 10 minutes before kick-off to join a Remembrance ceremony.
Members of the local Royal British Legion laid a wreath and The Last Post was expertly played on a trumpet.
This fixture featured 11th place hosting the table toppers so anyone possessing intensive knowledge of football betting and live betting stakes would have fancied an away banker.
Even so, Sturminster drew first blood on 11 minutes once George Coleman fired home a penalty.
However a spirited second half renaissance brought Calne Town goals courtesy of Nat Bell (49 mins) and Tom Dowell (78 mins) amidst light fog drawing in towards the end.
The People
Everybody I met was very friendly from Roland on the gate to chairman Lee Bright who came over and said hello to me during the game. Club manager Nick Squires was extremely helpful in confirming the match arrangements on Twitter X direct messages. In addition, I enjoyed chatting to Sturminster’s director of football Dan Carroll. He is also academy coach developer at AFC Bournemouth.
Furthermore, assistant manager Martin Silk told me: “Winning the Dorset Premier League in 2023/24 was the culmination of continuous effort, both on and off the pitch. The way we won the league, overhauling Blandford in our final games, was a massive moment for everyone involved.
“Then after closely studying the ground requirements, we knew there was plenty of work to do to reach Step 6 criteria. The club strived to bring about the following…
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- Improve the home changing rooms. They were one square metre too small. So we demolished and rebuilt a wall to create the necessary size.
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- Improve the away changing rooms which were one and a half square metres too small. We removed a wall and rebuilt the shower area.
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- The match officials’ room was one and a half square metres too small. We knocked it down and rebuilt.
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- 30 linear metres of perimeter fencing was increased in height.
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- 40 extra metres of perimeter fencing was added.
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- Two sides of the ground were concreted for hard standing areas.
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- The base for a stand (now on order) was concreted.
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- A turnstile was installed.
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- We defined a safe walkway for players and officials from the changing rooms to the touchline.
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- Our floodlights were upgraded to LED and adjusted to meet regulations.
“This was achieved thanks to the incredible input of our committee, supporters and volunteers. None of it would have been possible without their dedication to secure the club’s status in Step 6.
“Currently analysing our first season of Western League membership, with 18 games gone we are sitting comfortably in mid-table signifying a solid start. Yet the feeling amongst our management team is we should be higher in the division.
“If we had applied ourselves a little better in some circumstances, we could have more points than we do.
“We are certainly playing good football and have earned the respect of a number of the already established sides - including those aiming for promotion. This was seen most notably on Saturday in entertaining leaders Calne Town at home.
“The celebrations when they scored and at full-time showed what a tough and valuable victory it was for them.
“Overall, I am proud of our results to date. We are collectively learning a great deal as we are introduced to this new tier of football and the demands it places on all of us.
“Our hopes for the remainder of the campaign are to continue to develop the group of players, while playing to our footballing style and building on patterns of play.
“We want to boost the players’ confidence through their experience and ongoing exposure of Step 6 action. We would look to score more of the opportunities coming our way, be competitive in every match and see how far the journey takes us.
“The club is ambitious and will back the players and management. But it will not do anything which puts stable financial standing in jeopardy. With success comes hard work and that is the ethos throughout Sturminster Newton United.”
*Credit for the photos in this article belongs to Tony Incenzo*
