Football recap - September 2023

All the football matches I went to in September. (Numbers continue from previous posts.)

Game 17: Caerau Ely 3-0 Trefelin BGC 

Reason for going: it was a Friday evening cup game, and I hadn't seen an evening game at Caerau Ely since they had the floodlights installed.

Point of interest: the club had printed some programmes because some "ground hoppers" had phoned up and said they were only coming if there was a printed programme. I don't know if the hoppers turned up or not, but I got a programme.

Game 18: Pontypridd United 1-0 Barry Town

Reason for going: one of Barry's closest away games of the season.

Point of interest: I'm not a great believer in nominative determinism, but the referee was called Mr Pratt. He didn't have a good game. Ponty's winner was a contentious penalty.

Game 19: Taff's Well 1-1 Carmarthen Town 

Reason for going: I like going to Taff's Well. They have a proper clubhouse with the walls covered in memorabilia and club history. 

Point of interest: There was a goal scored at both ends of the pitch for a change - I have seen far more goals scored at the top of the fearsome sloping pitch than at the bottom. 

Game 20: Barry Town 1-4 Connah's Quay Nomads

Reason for going: This was the only Barry home game I could get to this month.

Point of interest: Connah's Quay Nomads have always been a hoofball team full of elbows and shoving at corners. Except they have evolved. This was one of the best footballing displays I've seen by a Cymru Premier team and they dominated Barry as easily as the scoreline suggests. Also it was very hot and I think this is the first time I've seen a game halted for a drinks break in September.

Game 21: Shrewsbury Town 0-2 Bristol Rovers

Reason for going: It was my nephew, Zac's, birthday and we went with a bunch of his mates instead of having a party.

Point of interest: This was my fifth game in September, marking a new high point for games in September for me. (The previous record was 4 games.)

I didn't get to any more games in the final two weeks of the month - but I did manage to see the Meadow again, through the train window on the way up to Manchester for a work event at the very end of the month!