Mid Sussex League

Division 2 North

Saturday 14th December 2024

Kick Off 14.00 On Time!

Ifield Albion 1 Old Oxted Town 1, attendance 15

68’ 1-0

78’ 1-1

@ Cherry Lane Playing Fields, Pitch 2

Cherry Lane

Langley Green

Crawley

RH11 7NX

No Admission or Programme.

I only decided on doing this game about 40 minutes prior to it kicking off. I’d originally intended doing the Premier Division basement battle between Godstone and Ridgewood, at the unusual venue of Oakwood Sports Centre, rather than their normal home ground. No problem confirming both venue change and kick off, via a text message to the home club and I arrived at the ground about 13.10. I was very disappointed to find that it was being played on a brand new 3G caged pitch (no mention of it being 3G on the league website on either their F.A. Full Time or Football Mitoo pages and too new to show on either Google or Apple Maps). It seemed a waste to do a synthetic pitch on such a nice day and a quick check of the fixtures showed that the Ifield Albion game was still on (or at least not yet postponed) at Cherry Lane. The only problem was, I’d already done a pitch here (Phoenix United, on Pitch 6, back in 2013), but according to the website the game today was on Pitch 2 and as it was only 12 minutes drive, I had time to head there and still make it back here if there was a problem.

Entering the car park off Cherry Lane, there is a brick built changing room block next to the car park, with the playing fields split into three distinct sections. There are four pitches, two full size and two that looked smaller (plus 2 cricket squares) in the nearest one, with todays game indeed taking place on Pitch 2, with London Gatwick Airport as a backdrop beyond the far touchline, with a constant stream of planes taking off throughout the game. Pitches 5, 6 and 7 are a bit of a hike from here and there was a game on one of those today, as you could just about make out figures in kits in the distance. Nothing here but a pitch (something you have accept occasionally, especially if you want to complete leagues) and a bit of a soggy walk underfoot to reach it, despite it not having rained that much this week. Cherry Lane is normally one of the first to be called off by Crawley Council when it is wet, so perhaps I’d got lucky today.

The match was 9th versus 5th (out of 11), between the only two teams in the division who were yet to draw a match this season, although today’s result put an end to that. Old Oxted hit the post in the opening minutes, but that was it as far as goal opportunities went for the remainder of the half. Ifield made the breakthrough midway through the second half, when a ball pulled back from the right was finished into the bottom corner. Old Oxted equalised with twelve minutes left, when a corner on the left was headed in from six yards. Not too much goalmouth action, but a decent game nonetheless. It doesn’t look like I missed too much at Godstone either, as that finished 0-0!

Below photo shows the layout of the 4 regular pitches in use here (the ones done are in red) for 1st team matches.

Mid Sussex League

Division 4 South

Saturday 7th December 2024

Kick Off 14.00 Actual 14.01

Scaynes Hill 7 Ansty Reserves 3, attendance 9

3’ 0-1

11’ 1-1

18’ 2-1

34’ 3-1

41’ 4-1

49’ 4-2

64’ 5-2

67’ 6-2

81’ 7-2

82’ 7-3

@ Oathall Community College, 3G Pitch

Appledore Gardens

Haywards Heath

RH16 2AQ

No Admission or Programme.

I’d resigned myself to having to do a game on an artificial pitch today, with my first two choices on grass falling victim to the weather by 09.30. I was now down to a revised choice of two, both in the Mid Sussex League, one in Burgess Hill and the other in Hailsham. However, a final check on FA Fulltime and Football Mitoo just before 12 o’clock, was showing that Scaynes Hill were now playing their game on the 3G at Oathall Community College, which was confirmed with an immediate reply via text message from the home club. The venue is occasionally used during bad weather, but rarely with a first team as hosts, so it fitted the bill perfectly. It’s a standard cage set up, with a designated spectator area along just over half of one side and the pitch had so many rubber crumbs on it that it looked more black, than green, in colour. I assume the changing rooms were unavailable, as both teams and the Referee arrived already changed and they remained on the pitch for what was a very short halftime.

The game was 1st versus 4th in the league table and despite the scoreline, a result that was very harsh on Ansty. The difference between the two sides was the finishing. Scaynes Hill were clinical. Despite going behind early on, they somehow managed to turn it round and take a 4-1 lead into the interval, despite being outplayed for the majority of the half. Ansty pulled it back to 4-2 within minutes of the restart and again had the better chances. Scaynes Hill restored their three goal lead just after the hour mark, which finally made the game safe, soon adding a sixth goal minutes later. A shot into the bottom corner saw them make it 7-2 with nine minutes left, before Ansty rounded off the scoring a minute later, volleying in from the edge of the box.

Great entertainment, on an afternoon where there were just a couple of squally showers and winds nowhere near as bad as forecast.

Lancashire F.A. Challenge Trophy

2nd Round

Tuesday 3rd December 2024

Kick Off 19.45 Actual 19.46

Thornton Cleveleys 1 Radcliffe 4, attendance 249

13’ 0-1

23’ 0-2 (pen)

54’ 0-3

74’ 0-4

81’ 1-4

@ Gamble Road

Thornton Cleveleys

FY5 4JH

£5 Admission

£2 Programme available, didn’t bother buying.

When I last saw a Thornton Cleveleys home game, back in October 2000, they played on a ground to the north of Gamble Road, which is now under housing, but in 2021 they moved to a new ground to the south of this road, backing on to the Poolfoot Farm Training Complex of Fleetwood Town F.C. The new ground has enabled them to make the step up to the North West Counties League, having won the West Lancashire League Premier Division last season. The ground doesn’t yet meet the grading for this level. It only has spectator access on two sides (along the entrance/clubhouse side and behind the right hand goal), with a pair of dugouts on the far side. There is a small section of covered standing, but no evidence of any seats, or even any area that may be earmarked for them. There is a good sized clubhouse, accessed once inside the ground and a snack bar pitch side too. It was bitterly cold and there were a couple of spells of light rain, which thankfully didn’t last long, especially as the pitch wasn’t looking to be at it’s best.

Thornton Cleveleys have struggled since being promoted, currently 13th in the league table, whilst Radcliffe play four levels higher, in National League North, sitting in 21st place (out of 24). Right from the off, it looked to be a case of how long could Thornton hold out. It turned out to be thirteen minutes, before Tom Walker controlled a ball across the box from the left and finished with a curling shot into the bottom corner. Ten minutes later it was 0-2, when Anthony Dudley converted a penalty and it was pretty much game over. Nine minutes into the second half Tonde Owalab made it 0-3, when a quick break was finished with a shot from the edge of the box that went in off the underside of the crossbar. With sixteen minutes left Owalab scored again, to make it 0-4, finishing into the bottom corner after a one two on the edge of the box, before Jordan Beavers got a late consolation for the hosts, nipping in at the near post to touch in a cross from the right. Radcliffe now visit Bacup Borough in the next round.

The journey in both directions was like going back twenty years. Just eight minutes of delays heading up to the Fylde coast (mainly at the M5/M6 intersection) and only a couple of minutes on the return, arriving home at 01.40. So, that’s the North West Counties League re-completed once more and back down to half a dozen clubs required at Step 1 to 6 now.

Kent County League

Bill Manklow Inter-Regional Challenge Cup

3rd Round

Saturday 30th November 2024

Kick Off 13.30 Actual 13.32

Long Lane 2 Peckham Town 1, attendance 47 (official)

5’ 0-1

42’ 1-1 (pen)

61’ 2-1

@ Kidbrooke Playing Fields, Pitch 1

Dursley Road

Kidbrooke

London

SE3 8PB

No Admission or Programme.

I’d been to games here at Kidbrooke Playing Fields twice before. In January 2022 I saw V.C.D. Athletic U19 beat Charlton Athletic Trust U19 in a National League U19 Alliance match, played on the 3G pitch. Then, at the start of this season, I saw the two teams who ground share here, South East Athletic and Long Lane, play a midweek early kick off in Kent County League Division 1 West match, which finished 1-2 and was played on Pitch 3, due to reseeding work being undertaken on the main pitch, which they normally both use for home games. With Long Lane Reserves also at home today (they played on Pitch 3), it was a good opportunity to get a game on the main railed off pitch, situated between the two pitches I’d already done here. Despite having no reply on Twitter (too often the case), I received a very quick response from the Long Lane Manager via text that the game was going ahead okay and that it was indeed taking place on the railed off grass pitch. Apart from a hold up caused by queuing traffic getting past an accident in the M25 roadworks near Clacket Lane, which more or less doubled the journey time, I only arrived about 25 minutes before kick off, but easily grabbed a space in the large car park here, helped by a mass exodus of parents leaving as a kids training session was just finishing on the 3G pitch. The clubhouse is behind the near goal end of the cage and was serving hot food and drinks. The changing rooms are in a separate building, with Pitch 1 being beyond the cage, running widthways, with grass banking along one side and behind one end. The pitch is fully railed, with plenty of advert boards and there’s a pair of dugouts on the near side.

The game saw 6th place in Division 1 West host 6th place in the Premier Division. It only took the visitors five minutes to make the breakthrough, when a cross from wide on the left was headed in from six yards. They could have easily added half a dozen more, but the home ‘keeper was in top form and along with some determined defending, Long Lane somehow managed to keep it at 0-1, then out of nothing, a rare attack, late in the half, saw them level the scores from the penalty spot. Just after the hour mark the hosts went in front, when a one two on the edge of the box saw a scuffed shot find the bottom corner, totally wrong footing the ‘keeper. Long Lane now had something to hang on to and when Peckham had a man sent off with fourteen minutes left, their job became easier and they managed to see the game out. At least two thirds of the crowd were with Peckham and the official figure must have included those watching the Reserve game as well, as the number watching the main game never got above thirty.

Mid Sussex League

Division 3 South

Saturday 23rd November 2024

Kick Off 14.00 Actual 13.59!

Portslade Athletic 4 Lancing United 3, attendance 5

20’ 1-0

27’ 2-0

28’ 2-1

29’ 2-2

29’ 3-2

76’ 4-2

89’ 4-3

@ Hove Park School & Sixth Form Centre (Valley Campus), 3G Pitch

Hangleton Way

Hove

BN3 8AD

No Admission or Programme.

With a number of my first choice games falling victim to the weather early on, I decided to play it safe and go for the easy 3G option, heading down to the Sussex coast, just to the west of Brighton. It began raining again as I headed down the M23 and didn’t stop until the last few minutes of the game, albeit only briefly. This is one of those dreadful cages with no designated spectator area, although there was no problem with watching from inside the fence. Unfortunately, if you want to complete leagues/divisions, you have to put up with these awful set ups occasionally.

The match was 7th versus 4th in the league table. Portslade’s seven league matches coming into this had produced 47 goals, with three matches finishing with a 7-3 scoreline (two were defeats), so I was certainly expecting to see goals. Lancing were the only team in the division yet to lose a game, with a 100% winning start from their four games played, scoring twelve goals so far. The game matched the stats. It was end to end from start to finish. Defending went out of the window and this could easily have finished with both teams reaching double figures. Portslade scored first, with an angled shot into the far corner after twenty minutes. They doubled their lead seven minutes later, sparking a mad spell which saw four goals in just three minutes! A quick fire double saw Lancing make it 2-2, but Portslade regained the lead immediately, when a long ball forward was touched past the ‘keeper into the corner. Somehow, the score remained 3-2 at halftime.

Lancing had a man sent off ten minutes into the second half, for picking up a second yellow card, but they still looked like getting back into it. They hit the post with a header and had a back healed effort also hit the post, with the ‘keeper well beaten, but Portslade managed to finally score their fourth goal with fourteen minutes left, when a cross wasn’t cleared and was finished low into the far corner. They then a header of their own hit the crossbar, before Lancing pulled it back to 4-3 in the dying minutes, but too late to grab an equaliser.

So, another division completed and a step nearer to finishing all the first team venues in Sussex. At least you can count the ones still needed on one hand now.

Wiltshire Senior League

Premier Division

Friday 22nd November 2024

Kick Off 19.30 Actual 19.34

Park United 3 Malmesbury Victoria Development 3, attendance 48

29’ 1-0 (pen)

54’ 1-1

62’ 2-1

68’ 2-2 (pen)

85’ 3-2

88’ 3-3

@ Stanley Park Sports Ground, 3G Pitch

Stanley Lane

Chippenham

SN15 3RP

Admission by donation

No Programme.

I’d seen F.C. Chippenham Youth play a Wiltshire Senior League match on a grass pitch here previously, but hadn’t been back to do a game on the 3G pitch, mainly due to not trusting that the game would definitely take place on the synthetic pitch. No such problems tonight though, as it’s the only floodlit pitch here, so I was safe! The 3G cage runs parallel to the main grass pitch and has spectator access along about three quarters of one side. There is a small seated stand and two other covered areas on this side, but rather annoyingly, the dugouts are carried out (no thought whatsoever by the club towards spectators) and plonked right in front, so much of this side gives poor viewing, especially as most of the coaches/substitutes stand alongside, rather than sitting down anyway. No reason why they can’t be placed on the far side, where there was ample room.

The match was 4th versus 18th (bottom) and was a real slow burner. Apparently, Vics have had an influx of new players and the team on view tonight certainly didn’t look like a team propping up the table, with just one win and one draw to show from their opening thirteen games. Park led 1-0 at the break, courtesy of a penalty just before the half hour mark. Vics levelled nine minutes into the second half, following in after the ‘keeper failed to cut out a cross, but Park were back in front just after the hour. Vics soon made it 2-2, with a penalty of their own, but despite it being constant end to end stuff, it looked like that would be the end of the scoring, until a deflected own goal, when trying to cut out a cross, saw Park edge back in front with five minutes left. Vics deservedly made it 3-3 in the dying minutes, when a diagonal ball to the far side of the 18 yard box was finished with a cushioned shot back into the far corner.

It looks like a third visit may be required too, as they are currently constructing a second 3G pitch here, to the left of the driveway as you enter the complex. At least tonight’s visit means that the top division is definitely completed now, with no loose ends to tie up.

Ardal League South East

Sunday 17th November 2024

Kick Off 14.00 Actual 14.01

Canton 1 Croesyceilliog 0, attendance 68

74’ 1-0

@ Cardiff International Sports Campus, SSI Pitch

Leckwith Road

Cardiff

CF11 8AZ

£5 Admission

No Programme.

Canton (Canton Liberal until last year) play at the Cardiff International Sports Campus, where they use the SSI pitch (whatever that is?). I’d seen Canton Liberal beat Grange Albion back in 2018, on a pitch that was to the right of the driveway as you enter off Leckwith Road, but that is now gone. Nine years before that I’d seen Grange Harlequins beat Garw S.B.G.W. 5-3 in a Welsh League Division 3 match, which was on the Athletics Stadium, to the left as you enter the complex. Canton’s ground is further along on the left hand side, running lengthways away from the main stand. Despite being in a cage, surprisingly it is not a 3G pitch, although it may be some type of hybrid grass/synthetic surface and is also lacking floodlights. There are two seated stands on the near side and spectator access is on all bar the far side, where the dugouts are situated. The only facilities available were toilets. There is also a car parking charge, but it was only £1, which covered you for four hours and could be payable with cash at a machine, rather than using the car parking app.

Canton have got at least half a dozen Sunday games scheduled. The first was last week, which finished 4-4. Unfortunately, nothing to match that from a neutral point of view, with today’s game being very dull and lucky it produced a goal at all. It was really poor at times. Canton played the ball sideways and backwards at every opportunity, whilst Croesyceilliog lacked any real quality going forward. The only goal came sixteen minutes from the end, when the ball was cut back from the right and powered in with a header from just inside the six yard box. The win sees Canton climb to second place in the league table, three points adrift of leaders Treowen Stars, but having played a game more. Croesyceilliog remain seventh.

Nice to have a reasonably clear run in both directions and the only rain encountered was during the first half and that was little more than drizzle. It leaves me with just N.F.A. in Ardal NW and Clydach in Ardal SW to complete the top three levels in Wales.

Amateur Football Combination

Premier Division

Saturday 16th November 2024

Kick Off 13.00 Actual 13.03

Honourable Artillery Company 3 Old Ignatian 0, attendance 20

22’ 1-0

70’ 2-0

90’ + 1, 3-0

@ Honourable Artillery Company Grounds

Armoury House

City Road

London

EC1Y 2BQ

No Admission or Programme.

I wouldn’t normally target this league as a single game option on a Saturday, but this isn’t your normal run of the mill ground. Yes, it’s just a pitch, which is part roped off, but it’s the setting that really sets this apart. HAC play the majority of their home games elsewhere, but occasionally play at their ‘real home’, here at Armoury House, very close to the centre of London. I would have visited here three weeks ago, when l’d done a morning game in North London, but I missed the deadline for registering interest in order to gain access. No problem though, as they tweeted on Thursday that today’s game would also be here and by replying to their tweet, you got ‘added to the list’. Production of my driving licence for identification purposes at the gate, confirmed all was good and I was in. I’d actually been here before, but that was for rugby league, back in 2010, when I saw Harlequins R.L. thrash London Skolars 56-0 in the ‘Capital Challenge’ (glorified name for a friendly). That was played on the rugby pitch here, which today hosted a rugby union match, with a far bigger crowd than the football attracted. Both that, and the parallel pitch to it (where the game was played three weeks ago that I missed and today covered by a huge marquee) are the other side of the cricket square from the ‘front pitch’ that hosted our game today, which has the backdrop of Armoury House and is lined intermittently by trees and mobile guns/cannons. Plenty of ‘marching practice’ going on today too, on the parade area between the building and the pitch.

On paper, this looked like being a comfortable home win. HAC were unbeaten coming into this (W4 D1) sitting third in the league table. Ignatian were second bottom, having lost all four of their games so far. It turned out to be a really good contest and a three goal winning margin certainly flattered the hosts. Ignatian hit the post, before HAC grabbed the lead midway through the first half. Late in the half Ignatian saw a couple of good chances saved by the home ‘keeper and also hit the post again, before HAC had a goal ruled off for handball. HAC finally got the all important second goal with twenty minutes left, finishing a diagonal ball into the box with a stooping header at the far post and added number three in stoppage time, with another far post header, this time coming from a corner.

I was slumming it today, going by train to London Bridge, then taking the tube two stops north to Moorgate on the Northern Line, culminating in the last few hundred yards on foot along City Road, with the ground on the left. £19.70 return and although the outbound went okay, the return reminded me just why I’d rather drive. Got back to Redhill, but the next train to Reigate wasn’t for another 27 minutes. Not worth waiting, so I walked home from Redhill, which took half an hour. I’d have had a fifteen minute walk from Reigate Station anyway, so still got home earlier than expected. Thankfully, it will be back in the car for the next game.

Sheffield & Hallamshire County Senior League

Premier Division

Saturday 9th November 2024

Kick Off 14.00 Actual 14.02

Swinton Athletic 1 Wombwell Main 2, attendance 100

14’ 0-1

51’ 0-2

60’ 1-2

@ Swinton Recreation Ground

The Miners Welfare

Park Road

Swinton

S64 8JH

No Admission or Programme.

I arrived here just over an hour before kick off, just as the players were starting to drift in. It’s a very neat ground for Step 7. The pitch is fully railed, with dugouts set either side of a very smart seated stand, with everything set out in the club colours of black and white. The changing rooms are perched on the top of the grass bank as you enter, with the outside covered in murals and whilst there are no facilities here, the club seemed to use the ‘pub’ next door, which was also where the majority of those arriving by car had parked.

On the field, Swinton are not doing very well, currently bottom of the league table, having managed just two draws from their opening ten matches, although most of their defeats have been by narrow margins. Wombwell Main were seventh and had a healthy following, which is not surprising as it’s only five miles up the road from here. When the visitors took an early lead, I feared the worst for Swinton, but they gave as good as they got and were unlucky to still be trailing at halftime. Six minutes into the second half Wombwell made it 0-2, playing a striker through from the halfway line and he went on to calmly beat the ‘keeper. On the hour mark Swinton pulled a goal back, when a cross from the right was finished with a shot on the turn at the near post. It was end to end stuff for the remainder, but Swinton just couldn’t force an equaliser.

Yesterday the SatNav decided on Dartford Crossing, M11 and A1 for the northbound journey, but went for the more traditional M1 coming back, despite the endless roadworks and speed restrictions, but no other problems occurred, so home for 19.30.

Below photo : Hearing ‘off of’ is bad enough….reading it might be worse?…..just why is ‘of’ needed in this sentence?

Sheffield & District Fair Play League

Division 1

Saturday 9th November 2024

Kick Off 10.30 Actual 10.29!

Crookes Crusaders 3 Sheffield West End 2, attendance 2

14’ 0-1

17’ 1-1

24’ 1-2

86’ 2-2

90’ 3-2

@ The Sheffield College – Hillsborough Campus, 3G Pitch

Livesey Street

Hillsborough

Sheffield

S6 2ET

No Admission or Programme.

Having stayed overnight in Sheffield, doing a 10.30 kick off in the Sheffield & District Fair Play League was the perfect start to the day. This wasn’t my first choice game. I’d headed to Hammer & Pincers first, but on arrival, there was a kids game about to kick off on the 3G pitch at Tapton School, where according to F.A. Full Time, the game was being played. At least it was only a fifteen minute drive for an alternative, on the 3G pitch at the Hillsborough Campus of Sheffield College, across the road from Owlerton Greyhound/Speedway Stadium. Ample parking, with the pitch at the far end, running lengthways away from the buildings, with spectator access along the entire right hand side. It is where Sheffield & Hallamshire County Senior League team Ecclesfield Red Rose play their home matches.

The game was 7th versus 8th in the league table and was an excellent watch from start to finish. SWE went ahead with an angled shot into the far corner, but a far post header saw Crookes level within three minutes. A quick break, finished one on one into the bottom corner, saw SWE regain the lead seven minutes later and although Crookes hit the post twice, it remained 1-2 at halftime. Crookes hit the post again in the second half, but finally drew level with four minutes left, when a long ball was finished with a looping header from 12 yards, that went in off the inside of the post and having equalised so late, they then grabbed a last minute winner, when a mix up between two attackers seemed to confuse the home defence and a scuffed shot, which totally wrong footed the ‘keeper, found it’s way into the bottom corner.

With the game having kicked off a minute early and a quick halftime, where everyone stayed on the pitch, this was over by 12.07, leaving ample time to head for a second match.