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.

Central Midlands Alliance League

Premier Division North

Friday 8th November 2024

Kick Off 20.00 Actual 20.03

Kiveton Miners Welfare 1 Hatfield Town 1, attendance 79

25’ 1-0

62’ 1-1

@ Olympic Legacy Park Community Stadium

Worksop Road

Attercliffe

Sheffield

S9 3TL

£4 Admission

£2 Programme available, didn’t bother buying.

The Olympic Legacy Park Stadium was opened in 2022, built on part of the former site of the Don Valley Stadium, which itself was only opened in 1990 and subsequently closed in 2013, before being demolished over the following twelve months or so. The former ground had a 25,000 capacity, built to host the 1991 World Student Games and was somewhere I’d visited three times, twice for football (Sheffield United Reserves 1 Sunderland Reserves 4 Central League Div 1 December 1996 and Rotherham United 2 Rochdale 1 Football League, League 2 in August 2009) and once for rugby league (Sheffield Eagles 19 Featherstone Rovers 12 Challenge Cup 1st Round February 1991). The new stadium has a 3G pitch and seated stand for just over 700 and is a rarity in the fact that spectators have access to all four sides of the pitch, although due to the rugby markings (Sheffield Eagles are also based here), you are set back from the action and the rugby posts remain in place behind each goal. Even this sized ground is far too big for this level of football (the official crowd was 15 higher than my headcount) and the only facility available to spectators was the toilets. The home club did set up a temporary ‘tea bar’ on a table at the entrance, where admission money was collected and a match day programme was available to those who wanted one. At least the car parking was free, although parking restrictions were not in place in the surrounding streets for an evening game.

The match was 12th (out of 16) versus 5th in the league table and was well contested throughout. Kiveton took the lead midway through the first half, cutting inside before finishing left footed into the bottom corner from the edge of the 18 yard box. Hatfield thought they’d levelled the scores ten minutes before halftime, but the effort was disallowed for offside and the home ‘keeper made three or four really good saves in the last few minutes, to see them go in 1-0 up at the break. The second half created fewer chances, but the visitors grabbed an equaliser just after the hour mark, when a ball in from the left was finished into the far corner.

After tonight I’m left with just S.J.R. Worksop to visit in this division. As for Olympic Legacy Park, I’ll be back for a Sheffield Eagles game sometime, probably next Summer.

Portugal

Primeira Liga

Monday 4th November 2024

Kick Off 20.15 Actual 20.18

Clube Desportivo Nacional 2 Clube Desportivo Santa Clara 0, attendance 1,425

9’ 1-0

13’ 2-0 (pen)

@ Estadio da Madeira

Camino do Terco

9060-329 Funchal

Madeira

€50 Admission

No Programme.

Tonight was the final match of the trip and a game at Estadio da Madeira, home of Clube Desportivo Nacional, the other half of ‘the big two’ on the island, although they are (in my opinion) the second club (despite currently sitting a division above city rival Clube Sport Maritimo). They shared the Estadio do Maritimo up until 2008, when Nacional made the move to the newly built stadium here, which for some reason is built high above the city and certainly not accessible without transport. The main stadium has an all seated capacity of 5,132 and there are also three other pitches at the complex, including the ground where their ‘B’ team play, the Cristiano Ronaldo Futebol Campus-Estadio, named after their now world famous ex youth team player, who was born in Funchal. Unusually, the Estadio da Madeira only has stands along the sides, the main one being fully covered, with the other only covered in the middle third, whilst the goal ends just have mesh fencing. Tickets for this game were not available to buy online, so we’d bought them in the club office in Funchal on Thursday afternoon, although the crowd was so pathetically small that we could have waited until arriving for the game. Having bought the tickets in advance was a slight gamble though, as the last home game here, versus Benfica, had been postponed half an hour before kick off, due to fog. It was a little disconcerting, when ten minutes before kick off, cloud began swirling across the pitch. Thankfully, it only lasted about five minutes and once it lifted it remained clear. On the way up to the stadium (via the ‘Bolt’ app) the driver moaned most of the way and said he wouldn’t have taken the trip if he’d realised where we were heading before accepting it. When he realised we were going to the match (what else would we be heading there for on a Monday night?) he started going on about how everyone hates going here, due to it’s location and because of how many games are lost to fog!

The match certainly affected both ends of the table. Nacional were second bottom, but knew a win would lift them clear of the relegation zone, whilst Santa Clara, from The Azores, were fifth and three points here would see them climb back into fourth and a qualifying position for the European competitions. Nacional got off to a perfect start, when Isaac headed in a cross from the right that looped over the ‘keeper from 12 yards. Four minutes later it was 2-0, when Ruben Macedo coolly dispatched a penalty that was awarded for a handball. They could have put the game beyond doubt, but missed an absolute sitter in stoppage time at the end of the first half, when a ball found a striker unmarked at the far post, but instead of shooting into the open side of the goal, he went for the side the ball had come from, which saw the ‘keeper make an initial save, before scooping the ball off the goal line. Neither side really looked like scoring, in a second half that was very dull. Santa Clara were very poor throughout and it is hard to see how they’ve managed to be so far up the table. Not too much to shout about for the 18 fans in the away section.

After the game we managed to get a ‘Bolt’ to pick us up at the corner of the stadium, which we were in within a minute of the final whistle and back at our hotel by 22.30. It was €13 getting up to the stadium and just €11 coming back down. So, another successful trip completed and a relief to have got the two Madeiran teams in the top levels of the Portuguese League done on the same trip. Back home on the British Airways 1505 flight to London Gatwick on Tuesday afternoon, which left on time.

Above photo : The Estadio da Madeira (underlined in red) as viewed from our hotel, shows just how high above sea level it is.

Portugal

Associacao de Futebol da Madeira

Divisao de Honra

Sunday 3rd November 2024

Kick Off 16.30 On Time!

Clube Desportivo 1st de Maio 3 C.F. Andorinha 2, attendance 147

35’ 1-0

41’ 2-0

54’ 2-1

60’ 3-1

87’ 3-2

@ Campo de Futebol do Caminho 1st de Maio

Rua Campo 1st de Maio

Sao Goncalo

9060-418 Funchal

Madeira

€3 Admission

No Programme.

Today was an opportunity to visit a ground in Divisao Honra (the top division) of the Madeira regional league. The ground of C.D. 1st de Maio is just over five miles east of Funchal centre and a twenty minute drive from our hotel, which was once again via Bolt and cost €13 outbound and an extra €2 back, due to ‘surge demand’. The ground is way up above the city. The sun was left down below, whilst the ground was shrouded in low cloud for the vast majority of the game, with blue sky finally appearing late in the second half. There is a small clubhouse outside the entrance, serving hot/cold drinks and various snack items. Tickets have to be purchased from a window to the right of the ground entrance and once inside, spectator viewing is limited to the near side and behind the left hand goal end. In one corner there is a section of open metal seating, whilst to the right of the entrance is a raised area, which was basically where fans were using the concrete steps to sit on. The dugouts are on the far side and the ground also has floodlights, which were switched on during the second half. Despite now having a synthetic pitch, the ground retains all it’s old character and it must have been quite a job levelling the pitch into the hillside when first built.

The match was 10th versus 9th (out of 12), with both sides having drawn one and lost one of their opening two games. There were plenty of chances early on, but it wasn’t until ten minutes before halftime that Maio broke the deadlock, finishing into the bottom corner from the edge of the box. Six minutes later they doubled their lead, breaking quickly after defending a corner and finishing with a curling shot into the far corner from just inside the box. Andorinha pulled it back to 2-1 nine minutes into the second half, when a deep cross from the right was guided back into the far corner with a cushioned volley. On the hour mark Maio restored their two goal lead, glancing a header into the far corner from a right wing cross and it looked like the game was safe. Andorinha made it interesting with a 30 yarder into the top corner with three minutes left, to make it 3-2 and the locals were not impressed when the board went up to show there would be seven minutes of stoppage time to be added, but they held on to take their first win of the season.

It was only an eight minute wait after the game before being picked up and back at the hotel barely twenty five minutes after the final whistle.