New Speedcut football pitches for top London sports club

One of London's leading sports clubs, the Rowley Lane Maccabi Sports Association in Barnet, has had its extensive sports facilities increased by two football pitches, built by Speedcut Contractors.

Home to London Maccabi Lions FC, winners of the Herts Senior County League last season and promoted to South Midlands Division One League, the club is also base for London Maccabi Vale Cricket Club.

Sportsturf consultant Gordon Jaaback said: "Building the new pitches was an interesting assignment and not without problems because of delays in getting planning permission because of various issues, including moving trees. Speedcut Contractors carried out all the work in a very professional manner."

As well as the two new football pitches, Maccabi Sports Club has a full-size 3G artificial football pitch, two full-size grass pitches, two junior grass pitches and a cricket pitch.

They also have a bowling green and hard-surface tennis courts for what is a very active sports club for both seniors and juniors. The club has an excellent reputation for developing young sportsmen and women.

London Maccabi Lions have more than 30 senior and junior football teams and Rowley Lane Maccabi Sports Association is one of the leading sports clubs in the outer London area, being close to the M25 and A1. Immanuel College, Bushey, uses Rowley Lane for both football and cricket for its students.

To create the two new football pitches, on land which had been fairways for an old nine-hole golf course, more than 20,000 cubic metres of earth was moved. Several trees had to be moved and transplanted.

Then the heavy London clay sub-soil was ripped and disc cultivated before gypsum was incorporated, to encourage particle aggregation. Speedcut then graded, replaced the topsoil, stone-picked and installed main and lateral drainage.

The top surface was then given a final grading by Speedcut before sowing with a Barenbrug BAR 9 ryegrass seed mix in early July.

A 100 cubic metre water tank and a travelling boom and sprinkler irrigation system was installed by Maddison Water Technology using Javelin rainguns.

Severe dry weather in July meant that irrigation was required constantly, the travelling boom applying 8mm of water on each pass.

Football should be played on the new pitches in late autumn - but with only light play. Next year the pitches will be sand-slit and a sand dressing applied before heavy use begins.

Adam Solomons, chairman of Rowley Lane Maccabi Sports Association, says: "This is an exciting time to be involved with the club and we are looking forward to a great season."

Speedcut managing director Dick Franklin said: "Rowley Lane's pitches were a challenging project and we are delighted with the results."
SPEEDCUT DETAILS: 01865 331479 www.speedcutcontractors.co.uk