Welcome to the latest installment of the Gloucester Groundhopper blog.
For this chapter, we headed to Hartpury for some Hellenic League Division One action as Hartpury University took on newly promoted Devizes Town at Hartpury College.
It's All In The Name
The Acorns are Hartpury University's nickname. Hartpury's insignia has been an acorn for almost 20 years. It is more than a reflection of the lovely scenery that surrounds them; it represents the promise that exists within. Hartpury claims to provide everything an acorn needs to grow, including the greatest facilities, staff, and environment to support pupils' potential to grow strong.
Some Notable Former Students:
Billy Burns- Rugby Player
Alex Cuthbert- Rugby Player
Lewis Hilton- Footballer
Sebastian Negri- Rugby Player
Mustapha Bundu- Footballer
A History Lesson From The Gloucester Groundhopper:
Hartpury was founded as an agricultural education centre following WWII, with only 50 students. They now have over 4,500 students studying at both the university and the college, which is a record figure.
Hartpury College formed and entered Hartpury University in Hellenic League Division Two North. Following a good season in the Herefordshire FA County League, the team got promoted to Hellenic League Division One in 2022. They advanced to the Play-Off Final, but were defeated on penalties by Milton United.
Matchday: Hartpury University FC 6-0 Devizes Town
We travelled to Hartpury on a cool, summer evening as we sought yet another goal fest. Finding the ground was fairly simple, as Hartpury College is easily found on a satnav. The only thing that could be said is the signage towards the correct area of the campus could be slightly larger as it was fairly hard to spot. There is free parking available at the ground, and there are plenty of friendly members of staff who will direct you in the right direction.
The ticketing system was a breath of fresh air. The tickets were easily accessible online at the reasonable price of £4 for an adult. No booking fees either. Arriving at the ground, you merely show your ticket to the man on the turnstile and they let you in. With certain clubs, there's an element of trust involved when paying for entry (essentially its easy not to) so when Hartpury University employed a wristband system to show you have paid, it was a relief that a club had some logic regarding ticketing.
There is food available at the ground. Without going into detail, it is always nice to see a club defer away from the standard burgers and hotdogs at a football game. The club has a wagon that cooks fresh pizzas and another that serves fresh cakes. Both for a reasonable price.
The ground itself is a ground you'd expect to see at the level they team play at. There is one stand which can house about 100 people. One thing I will say is that if the club starts to progress through the leagues (I would say that it is likely that they will be promoted this season), they would need to start thinking of ways to upgrade the ground. Closing the ground off would be a good way to start.
One final point: the idea that Hartpury University had regarding entering a team into men's football is a master stroke. With the goal of progressing players and nurturing their careers, being given the experience of playing men's football rather than academy football is a masterstroke. They will learn the tricks of the trade, and when these players join other teams, it won't be as much of a culture shock to them.
Teamsheet
Hartpury University
Manager: Martin Longworth
Jacob Muir
Oscar McClure
Will Jenkinson
George Sims
Josh Roney
Alex Hainault (c)
Jake Bevan ⚽️
Riley McGregor
Phil Kay ⚽️ ⚽️ ⚽️
Luke Salter
Ben Baxter
Substitutes
Owen Giles
Jacob Towns ⚽️
Luca Robinson
Louis Manning ⚽️
Mike Symons
Devizes Town
Manager: Chris Allen
Jack Cross
Logan Anning
Matthew Russell
Jack Coward
John Bazley
Will Stead (c)
Jamie Walters
Dan Skinner
Max Wyatt
Jamal Chevolleau
Rhys Talmash
Substitutes
Luke Hopper
Jordan Kirk
Lenny Gale
Jamie Cunning
Jack Baker
Despite the final score, the opening twenty minutes of the game were quite even. Hartpury, however, drew first blood as Phil Kay finished off a clinical counter attack. Soon after, George Sims drove out from the back with the ball, which was followed by some nice play on the outskirts of the area that led to Kay slotting home to double the lead. Jake Bevan scored from close range just before halftime to make it 3-0.
Kay completed his hat-trick shortly after halftime by rounding the goalie and shooting into the bottom left corner. It was five about twenty minutes later when Louis Manning confidently knocked in Luke Salter's low cross at the back post. Devizes' heads then dropped, and it seemed inevitable that Hartpury would get another goal. That goal came when Jacob Towns' original effort was blocked, but the rebound fell back to him on the edge of the area, where he volleyed into the net. Devizes had a late chance to get one back after goalkeeper Jacob Muir took down the striker in the air for a penalty. Muir subsequently made amends for the foul with a strong arm to his bottom left, preserving the Acorns' six goal advantage, and more importantly, their clean sheet.
Scores On The Doors
Atmosphere: 2/10
Food and Drink: 6/10
Stadium: 3/10
Welcome: 7.5/10
Overall Experience: 5.5/10
GG
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