Match Information
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Mendip Broadwalk 1-0 Longwell Green Sports
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When: Saturday 14th December 2024
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Kick-off: 3pm
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Where: BBS Park, Filwood Playing Fields, Creswicke Road, Knowle West, Bristol, Avon BS4 1UQ
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Competition: Western Football League Division One
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Attendance: 51
Mendip Broadwalk are currently 2024/25 newcomers within our National League System at Step 6 in the Western League Division One.
Freshly promoted from the Somerset County League Premier Division, they clinched pole position by a five point margin. The club were formed in 2015 courtesy of merging Mendip United FC – who had origins at the Mendip Gate public house - and predominantly youth-based Broadwalk FC.
I liked the pre-match tweet ahead of today’s fixture specifically targeting Bristol City and Bristol Rovers fans: “50% off entrance for anyone showing a ticket from the 12:30 City v QPR match (or anyone showing a City or Rovers season ticket)”.
Spectators at Ashton Gate could probably have walked the two mile distance in half an hour. Another tweet stated an appetising festive matchday offer: “Free mince pie with every hot beverage from the ticket box/snack hut”.
Accordingly, I embarked on my 300 mile round trip utilising the M25, M4 and M32 and the motorways were mostly clear of hold-ups but the last four miles into Bristol took nearly half an hour due to heavy traffic.
Mendip Broadwalk‘s BBS Park (sponsors BBS Plumbing & Heating Supplies) lies in Knowle West which is a south-east of Bristol neighbourhood housing 12,000 residents.
Ground Description
The venue has improved rapidly to attain Step 6 grading requirements. Floodlights were installed by Wiseman Lighting Ltd in March 2023, the main arena has been entirely enclosed via six feet high wooden fencing and spectator accommodation was added.
A 50-seater grandstand from Elite Stands UK was crane hoisted in on one touchline during August this year. It includes electric vandal-proof roller shutters and is called ‘The Team Excell Stand’.
Meanwhile, a new scaffolding constructed covered standing platform is on the opposite side. Plenty of advertising hoardings show the club are pro-active locally.
The tea room, upstairs bar (incorporating big screen Sky TV football action) and dressing rooms are outside the ground in a building next to spacious car parking provision. Refreshments are also available at the entry hut.
An adjacent second pitch is fully railed with dug outs and further playing areas stretch into the distance on a 15 acre site.
More than 300 children regularly use facilities here as part of the Mendip Broadwalk youth set-up catering for boys and girls aged seven years upwards. Indeed, I was told: “You can’t move on Sundays because there are so many kids involved!”
Programme Details
A 32 page online edition that I can print out for my extensive collection of groundhopping memorabilia.
Interesting contents embraced the club chairman’s notes, a recent match report, the manager’s viewpoint, sponsorship details, fixtures & results, histories of both teams, league table, player Q&A, Western League bulletin, Non-League Paper column, reserves/ ‘A’ team/youth fixtures & results, addresses directory for other Western League sides and the all-important line-ups.
The Match
A relatively mild winter afternoon saw temperatures reach 8° whilst hazy sunshine illuminated first half proceedings.
On the pitch, tenth hosted sixth in Western League Division One standings so anyone possessing good knowledge of live betting amidst football betting stakes would have predicted a tight game.
Mendip Broadwalk dominated early proceedings leading to Jacob O’Donnell crisply scoring from close range on the stroke of half-time.
Longwell Green Sports subsequently rallied and rattled the crossbar through Liam Oswin’s fierce shot. However, the home side held firm for a solitary goal victory.
The People
Everyone I met at Mendip Broadwalk was really friendly. In particular, joint manager Richard O’Connor welcomed me when I arrived and chairman Kevin Wade answered all my assorted queries throughout the game.
Significantly, hard-working club volunteers had been present at BBS Park since 9.30am this morning and duly spent two and a half hours repairing damage to players’ walkway fencing caused by high winds earlier in the week.
Additionally, it was nice to spot one or two familiar faces from opponents Longwell Green Sports who were my landmark 2,500 football ground visited back on Saturday 25th March 2023.
Football grounds visited: 2,612
*Credit for the photos in this article belongs to Tony Incenzo*
