What do you know - it was Good Friday again and what better to do than a traditional Easter 'Gong ground hop? Next year, pop into an early church service if you wish but why not grab your anorak and head off to the Illawarra for an Easter treat! We did! Again!

The well run Illawarra based Football South Coast association again laid it all out for us - a suite of games on Good Friday - with season 2010's Round 5 games set out over the weekend (including Youth, Reserves). Again all 1st grade games on Good Friday started at 3pm so we had to chose our single ground to target!

The essence of these 'hops' is to get to a far-flung ground, especially if public transport can be involved, and extra cachet can be gained for a new ground for a member/s of the hop! If you can move between grounds, as we did in 2008, then that is a real hoppers delight!

We decided to expand our horizons this time and leave the Premier League for later, and take in a game in the Illawarra Credit Union District League. This league consists of Warilla Wanderers, Helensburgh Thistle, Kiama Quarriers, University (of Wollongong), Shell City Falcons, Woonona Sharks, Berkeley Sports, and Shell Cove FC.

A few NSW based members of the BOTN writing and photography team put their hand up for this one. This time, although City Rail didn't have track-work, we decided that a return to some lunch and a memorabilia viewing at the Warren's 'Commercial' pub way down in Jamberoo was in order, the train journey component only took in Tuggerah to Sutherland, with a car shuffle to get down to Jamberoo and then get back to Epping (for those who came down by train).

None of us had been to Shell Cove FC, the 'Barbarians', ground at Myimbarr Park, Shellharbour - another one to tick off!

(The train from Tuggerah arrives at Epping, to pick up another hopper- BOTN photo by Chris Dunkerley)

The train trip was uneventful, broken only by the hopeful faces of children on the way to the Easter Show, and a coffee stop at Central. After a brief wait at Sutherland, we were off in a car with a peeling Sydney FC sticker, with our driver hoping the 3 Mariners fans on board would not weave too much navy and blue talk into the hour trip down. Lots of football talk and lovely scenery on a fine day got us to Jamberoo with a hunger and thirst.

(The Jamberoo Pub - BOTN photo by Peter Cole)
We met up with the 5th member of our party at the pub and ordered lunch. Grabbing our choice of beverage, we moved through this wonderland of football memories, out to the family dining area, though an outdoor area also beckoned.

(Memorabilia around the walls - BOTN photo by Peter Cole) Enjoying more football and football media related chat, and casting our eyes around the cornucopia of football items in the room, we drank and waited for lunch orders to be called.

(Some of the BOTN team at the Jamberoo Pub - BOTN photo by Peter Cole)
Food downed, and glasses drained, it was soon time to find our target - Myimbarr Park, Shellharbour. The new roadworks south of Albion Park Rail made that a doddle (though someone who drives their Mitsubishi Express Van harder than I ever did, made for an interesting view lying upside down on Shellharbour Drive with ambulance and police in attendance. Down through the huge expanse of large new houses on the hillier side of Shellharbour and left at Shellharbour Workers Club and a reserve with newly built complex of Football, Rugby, and Aussie Rules grounds came into view.

(The Myimbarr Park complex's football ground - BOTN photo by Chris Dunkerley)
We had found the home of Shell Cove FC, a suburban park but with large light stands and new impressive core facilities blocks. No perimeter fence, so goodwill took us by the ticket seller. No programme of course and no seating - this is the next level down from the more salubrious Premier League.

(The facilities - BOTN photo by Peter Cole)

The game we had chosen was one where we had no expectations, other than a 'start-on-time', 'get up you're not injured' type of game well known in the 'gong!

(The keener crowd (with cevaps in hand and voices oiled)) - BOTN photo by Nick Guoth)

We settled in, on a grassy bank near the south western corner flag and dragged out our camera gear.

(Cameras out - BOTN photo by Peter Cole)

Good times ... taking photos, dissecting play and commenting on the tactics ... whether we knew what we were talking about or not! Hey, we are football writers and photographers, not experts, and certainly not sports journalists.

An interesting game, with some light-hearted moments and 'bloopers' for the players, but still good to watch. The final whistle. Reluctantly with notes and photos taken we made our way to the nearby car park - another good day out indeed! Hopefully, more to come! See you at a ground near, or far from, you - at our next outing?

22 April 2011

The game?

Shell Cove FC 'Barbarians' 0 - Helensburgh Thistle FC 1

At Myimbarr Park, Shellharbour in the Illawarra Credit Union District League

Equal second placed Helensburgh came to Shellharbour to take on Shell Cove FC, who were playing their first game of the season at their home ground of Myimbarr Park, Shellharbour and looking to get off the bottom of thr table. Helensburgh were doing better in the early games, and looked most likely to score and perhaps should have had one in the first half, but it was late in the game when they had a man up that they had many chances and squandered them. Helensburgh 's no. 6 scored in second half and a red card was nanded to Shell Cove's no. 5 late in the game. A laugh a minute game at times.

Photo gallery: Photos by Nick Guoth, Chris Dunkerley, and Ray Sandell.

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Other Hop links:

See also Hamilton Trip to Newcastle ...
[ Opinion Article ... ] See also Easter 2010 Towradgi Ground Hop in the 'Gong ...
[ Opinion Article ... ] See also A Day Out in Dapto 2009 ...
[ Opinion Article ... ] See also Easter 2008 Ground Hop in the 'Gong ...
[ Opinion Article ... ]

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IFA web site