Having exhausted most of the West of Scotland Football League grounds, I decided that I would make the most of a break in the weather and head a little further afield today to tick off another ground from the East, namely Volunteer Park, the home of Armadale Thistle.
Armadale Thistle are the latest (since 1936) incarnation of a local Armadale football club and Volunteer Park has been their home since 1881, named from an association with C Company of the Royal Scots Volunteer Battalion who had moved to Armadale a year or so beforehand.
Volunteer Park has recently undergone an upgrade with the installation of a new 3G plastic pitch and the club have only just resumed playing their home matches at home having been using Bathgate Thistle’s, Creamery Park, for most of the season so far while works were being completed.
I found the ground fairly easily and parked at the back end where it seems the turnstiles are no longer in use. Entering the ground at the other end, I immediately warmed to the club as the man taking the entrance money recongnised and commented on my Argyle shirt (although his interest only appeared to stretch to the fact that the pilgrims featured on his betting coupon for the day and that the shirt colour was green – the latter not particularly well thought out as Armadale play in a similar shade of blue to the other Glasgow team).
I don’t know that I’m a massive fan of plastic pitches but it’s probably the answer for wider community use and survival for smaller sides and it looked good. The ground boasts a long covered stand running a good way along one side of the pitch with a row of seats at the front. The snack bar was well stocked and I chose a very tasty chicken curry pie from a selection of four or five different options.
Form
On the occasion of my visit, Thistle were hosting Livingston United in a 2nd versus 3rd clash in EoSFL Division 3.
Both sides had started the season well and, after 10 games apiece, Armadale sat in second place having won 7 and drawn 1 of their games to amass 22 points and a healthy +17 goal difference. Visitors, Livingston trailed their hosts by 2 points but remained unbeaten prior to this game with 5 wins and 5 draws.
Given how close they were in the league, I struggled with my pre-match prediction but, in the end, I plumped for a 2-2 draw.
The Game
The match was keenly contested and of a quality fitting the league positions of the two sides. Although it was United that scored the only goal of the first half, there was little between the two sides if I’m honest.
When Livingston’s lead was doubled courtesy of a headed own goal early in the second half it looked like Thistle’s luck was out. The hosts responded immediately however to give themselves hope and midway through the second half they smashed home an equaliser that was not only deserved but gave me hope that my pre-match prediction might be correct for the first time ever!
With only five minutes to go, Livingston forced a corner and my prediction glory was put to the sword as the resultant cross was headed home to give the visitors a late lead.
Thistle spent the rest of the game battering their visitors but a series of corners and blocked shots failed to secure the equaliser they probably deserved.
FT: Armadale Thistle 2 Livingston United 3.
An entertaining game and a pleasant afternoon at my 160th football ground was made better with news from Devon that Plymouth Argyle had beaten Accrington Stanley 3 – 0 to maintain their unbeaten home record this season and keep them at the summit of English League 1.
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