Ground Number #236: Kirkby Road
Tuesday 23rd November 2016
Barwell 1-0 Matlock Town
Northern Premier League
Attendance: 142
Admission: £6 (Student)
It speaks volumes about how weak the non-league scene is in Leicestershire that Barwell, along with Coalville Town, are the two best performing clubs in the county. These two are only behind a certain Champions League competing club in the region. Since the extinction of Hinckley 5 years ago, there are no clubs of any real stature.
Barwell is a small village just outside Hinckley, and takes about 20-25 minutes to reach by bus from Leicester centre. It seemed pleasant enough, with 3 reasonable sized pubs within a short radius.
The ground itself, however, is nothing to write home about. It's very, very basic, with three sides virtually entirely uncovered with no terracing. The main stand is decent with good elevation, but aside from that, it's a pretty bland affair. The social clubhouse is 50 metres down the road by the main gates, so it's not one where you can escape from the on-field boredom either.
By contrast, the opponents, who I had only just visited on Saturday, have possibly one of the most scenic grounds in the country (see photos). Their travelling support probably made up a third of this (very poor) crowd on this bitterly cold evening. But they will have been disappointed with the very deflating performance they put out. This was a crap game of very few chances, and it was Barwell who settled it in the first half with a looping deflected shot.
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