Match: v Altrincham - Nationwide Football Conference

Date: Saturday, February 11th 2006

Result: Altrincham 2 Cambridge United 1

THE JOURNEY

Departure Time: 8.30am

Arrival at Ground: We broke our journey at Norton Canes on the M6 toll; a service station that was rapidly turning into a Conference supporters' convention centre thanks to the variety of non league fans milling around: Dagenham and Morecambe supporters were particularly evident.

It was actually a good day for football supporter spotting with a smattering of Barnet fans on their way to a postponement at Rochdale, Luton fans heading for a stuffing at Preston and a coach load of Everton supporters proclaiming themselves to be 'the people's club' - presumably the people in question are those of west Devon, given that their coach was based in Tiverton!

Even allowing for that leisurely coffee stop, and an unplanned exploration of Altrincham town centre, we parked by the ground at about 12.30pm.

AT THE GROUND

The Ground: From the main road, the outside of the ground looked well maintained, but it was a different story if you had time to wander round. The impression you got from that neat and tidy frontage was in marked contrast the exterior of the other three sides, which were run down to the point of near dereliction. On talking to some of the locals, it was clear that this neglect was a deliberate policy to help to persuade their local council that redevelopment is really necessary.

Inside Moss Lane the condition of the stadium falls somewhere between the spruce front and dilapidated back of the outside. A ramshackle collection of stands has the only seated areas along the main road side of the ground. The largest of these filled only the centre section, but was steep with a wide wooden floor. Fairly new, uncovered terracing was to the left of this stand, while a smaller, lower area of covered seating was to the right. It was from this side of the ground that you got the best view over rural parts of Cheshire with cows grazing in a nearby field, ignorant of the drama unfolding close by.

Opposite, covered terracing ran from penalty area to penalty area. Oddly, the roof was in three sections, with the central part almost half as high again as those to either side. Tucked behind one corner of this side of the ground was a collection of radio and phone masts on a tower that clearly wanted to be an electricity pylon when it grew up.

Low, covered terracing almost filled the area behind the goal to the right of this pylon and the numerous flags and banners we'd seen when Altrincham visited the Abbey earlier in the season were in position, attached to the corrugated iron back of this stand, even before the turnstiles were open.

At the other end of the ground, a higher range of open terracing ran from level with the edge of the six-yard box, behind the goal, to the corner flag next to the covered terrace side. The remaining section of this end appeared to contain a couple of green oil tanks, the type that might store domestic central heating fuel.

With sand-filled drainage trenches diagonally crossing the pitch like a prototype tartan, the playing surface looked less than even, and so it proved once the match was underway. But there was a nice touch before kick off with a sign placed on the pitch facing the visitors tunnel - the route onto the pitch from the home and away dressing rooms each being completely different - which read, 'Welcome Cambridge United to Moss Lane. Enjoy your visit.'

United Fans: Considering they were on an open terrace, U's fans were able to generate a decent amount of noise. And there was an unexpected bonus of the rain that you'd normally expect when there's no roof, waiting long enough after the end of the game for cars and coaches to be reached.

View from Away End: That lack of roof does, of course, make for an equal lack of anything to obstruct the view.

Home Fans: With a good array of songs, Moss Lane is another of these non League grounds that allows supporters to move round at half time towards the end their side is attacking

Stewards: Helpful and friendly.

Programme: £2 for 48 unnumbered pages, the size and contents of 'Robins Review' gave it the feel of a fanzine. The only thing that gave it away was the copious helping of adverts.

Food/Drink: There was a shop outside the ground that sold pies the size of dinner plates, but those who still had room found a good mixture of food available inside, much it with a home-made look. The quality was a bit of a mixture too - especially the hotdogs which combined a tasty sausage and soggy bread for £2.

State of Toilets: A bit of a potpourri here too, with a traditional small room with gutter in one corner of the ground, and a more modern portacabin type unit, with hand washing facilities behind the goal.

AFTERWARDS

The Journey Home: We were delayed by taking a wrong turn on the way out of Altrincham, thus seeing a little more of leafy Cheshire than planned, but there was still time to stop for a bite to eat on the way back. And once again a service station provided entertainment. This time it was Corley, with a chavalanche of kids in their customised cars turning up just as we were about to leave. There must have been over 50 of them filling the car park, playing music turned up so loud that it actually set my car alarm off!

Mileage: 363.1 miles

Total Distance for Season: 4,992.5 miles

Mark Johnson, with additional reporting by David Gray, Paul Johnson, Ryan Johnson and Gordon McMillan

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