Sunday 13 March 2011

Cove

Cove play in the Combined Counties League Premier Division. Sadly it's not a ground I've seen a game at yet, as on the day of this visit, back in February 2010, the match was rained off.



It's a bit off the main road, up this track.



There is a decent size car park when you get there though.



This is the clubhouse, to the left of the entrance.



I walked into the ground through these open gates.



Entrance booth by them.



Along this side is wide open hard standing, the dugouts ahead, on the right.



Here is the clubhouse, set back on the left.



The covered area is over the halfway line, on the far side.



One of the dugouts.



And the other one, with the gate next to it, where the players enter the field of play.



The pitch was very heavy, with rain still coming down, awaiting the pitch inspection.



By the dugout we see the goal down the far end, open to the elements. Note the groundsman valiantly working away on the pitch, his cuppa atop the dugout.



A little blurred, but the mug is from the local Rushmoor Concert Band.



Moving on, there is hard standing to the corner.



Not so much space behind the goal, also open & railed.



Here we look back down the side.



At this end it's hard standing, with a strip of grass behind.



Cover to the left, & puddles in the goalmouth.



More hard standing, leading up to the cover.



The first section is flat covered standing, the newer seats past it, but a few seats in front of the raised step.



Here it is, pitchside.



The seated area is named after Ron Brown, the late Club President.



Seats in club colours.



Going past the seating we look back at them.



Then some more cover which you can stand under, before the open hard standing resumes to the corner.



The soaked groundsman continues his losing battle to save the match.



The bar & dugouts, over the other side.



Fair enough, it's far too muddy to walk on anyway!



The Club youngsters have their own site.



From the corner, glancing back along the covered side.



This end is practically the same as the other one.



From behind here we have another angle of the cover.



Directly behind the goal.



Almost to the corner, and we can see where we came in.



Nice to see the club involved with a local hospice.



And, finally, looking down the stretch where we began our brief visit.



This is a snap from outside the ground, on the exterior wall of the ground, taken in the park behind it!