Wimborne - 85 not out

 

This is a ground I have been threatening to visit for some time, and on a wet October night I finally made it, the 85^th ground I have now been to.

I couldn’t start without discussing how I got there and ultimately the person who encouraged me to go.  A work colleague who often talks about the club and the games he goes to, little did I know they were Mr Wimborne.

Some may take this as an insult, but I would hope this person sees it as the compliment that it is intended to be, it is a representation of the community that every club should strive to be.  They could not take more than 2 steps without someone saying hello to them and seemingly knew everyone in the ground, from the EFL legend that is Jimmy Glass to the friends and family of players and staff. They were also responsible for putting the club flags up pre game and even has the commitment to swap ends with them at half time.

As I digress further from the game itself the importance of such communities that Wimborne offers should not be underestimated, this is an excellent example of people, mostly men, getting together and creating friendships.  This is something that was missed so dearly and lost for some fans all together during the Covid-19 restrictions.

Anyway, back to the game.  After a bit of driving adventure through Wimborne due to a dodgy sat nav I eventually followed the road through the new housing estate to the purpose built Wyatt Homes Stadium.  And what a great stadium it is for its level, I am sure there would be many conference teams jealous of the facilities they have.  I have also been to a lot of new grounds and they all seem to soulless and lacking character, this is not the case at Wimborne.

A welcoming entrance and an open plan and sizable bar area greet you, a positive atmosphere and friendly demeanour from all.  This is subsequently the same area that hospitality is served in and that the post-match interviews are conducted.  The exit leads straight onto the edge of the pitch with two seated areas to the left and standing areas behind each goal as well as dug outs on the far side of the pitch, I am reliably informed that behind this is the artificial pitch that the team trains on.

The game itself did not begin well, in fact the first 45 minutes produced nothing major to note other than contentious refereeing decisions that you would expect at this level.  The second half started much more brightly and in the torrential rain that blew across the pitch the game was over in a 9 minute spell that saw Wimborne score three. 

Tiverton managed just 3 shots all game and it was no surprise that South West team found themselves on the hunt for a new manager just days later after parting ways with Leigh Robinson.  Meanwhile Tim Sills went through his post-match interview in good spirits and presented himself well, although somewhat dubiously claimed the first half was always part of the plan to wear down the opposition.  Maybe it was and that is why I am not a manager, or perhaps they just got better in the second half, I will let those in attendance make their own conclusion.

It has been a while since I have been to a random game and I would recommend anyone in the area to go and support the Magpies if they happen to be around on a home game.  You will be made to feel welcome get to tick off another ground in the lower leagues of England.