A flood-affected football club has resolved pitch compaction issues thanks to a machine injecting compressed air beneath the playing surface.
Caersws Football Club, founded in the late 19th century, adopted its present name in 1974 when it shed its amateur status. The club’s first successes came in the ‘60s, winning the Mid-Wales League and the Welsh Amateur Cup. In 1992 it became founder members of the League of Wales and later won the League Cup twice.
The team plays at the 4,000 capacity Recreation Ground, Caersws. Situated close to the River Severn, the ground floods regularly when the river bursts its banks in winter months. But once the flood water subsides, the pitch would be unplayable for up to a fortnight due to standing water on the pitch. The club had to move matches to another club’s ground, which had a 3G synthetic pitch, to meet the demands of the league schedule.
In the 2023/24 season, Caersws managed only one game from November to January. Playing elsewhere also meant supporters would not travel to games, so the issues mounted.
Investigations into the causes revealed the pitch to be sitting on 0.7 m deep clay and constant rolling over the years had further compacted the surface. Normal aeration would have no impact on the problem.
Caersws Club chair Neil Lewis had heard of the work by Terrain Aeration on other pitches and called the company in to see if they could resolve the issue. Its Terralift machines feature a JCB road hammer and probe, which reaches a depth of one metre where it releases a blast of compressed air.

This fractures the soil, creating fissures to allow drainage and as the probe is withdrawn, dried seaweed is injected, which expands and contracts when wet to keep the holes open. The process is repeated on a grid system, usually at two-metre intervals, to interlink the fracturing. The probe holes are backfilled with an aggregate and the surface is almost immediately playable.
“This season we had only one first team and a second team game postponed,” says Neil. “The Grounds Management Association took a core sample and found even though the topsoil was wet, the soil at depth was dry.

“We have also had the pitch scarified to remove thatch, so next season will see it drain even better. The difference since Terrain Aeration did their work is incredible and we will promote them to other clubs and associations looking for a drainage solution.
“It saved money, there was no digging and being non-invasive, it enabled us to play a pre-season friendly the same night as the work was done. Why would you not do it?”
www.terrainaeration.co.uk