Border Amateur F.A.

Colin Campbell Cup Final

Friday 28th March 2025

Kick Off 19.30 On Time!

Duns Amateurs 4 Chirnside United 0, attendance 210

14’ 1-0

42’ 2-0

45’ 3-0

79’ 4-0

@ Volunteer Park Stadium

Buccleuch Road

Hawick

TD9 0EG

No Admission or Programme.

There was plenty of time after leaving this afternoon’s game to head north to my overnight hotel in Carlisle, before making the onward drive up the A7 to Hawick, in the Scottish Borders, for the Colin Campbell Cup Final, contested by two teams from the top division of the Border Amateur League. It wasn’t exactly local for the two finalists. Duns had travelled forty miles and Chirnside is another six miles to the east of there and both teams arrived by coach. The attraction for me was the fact that the game was being staged at Volunteer Park Stadium, which is not a regular football venue for any club side and primarily home to Hawick Linden R.U.F.C. It has a 3G pitch, with spectator access on three sides (the left hand goal end is out of bounds) and a large stand, with wooden bench seating, roughly half a pitch length, slightly offset from the halfway line. Considering it was a cup final, there was no admission charge, nor catering and there was only one available toilet, in one of the portacabin changing rooms, that was for use of everyone, regardless of gender.

This was my first game I’d attended in this league and the standard was far better than I’d been expecting. It went to form, as second in the league table Duns beat the team four places below them. The opening goal came after fourteen minutes, cutting in from the left before finishing into the far corner. Chirnside saw a 25 yard free kick hit the post, with their best effort of the early exchanges, but Duns doubled their lead three minutes before halftime, finishing into the bottom corner after being played clear with a diagonal pass that split the defence wide open. The killer third goal came right on halftime, with a shot on the turn from twelve yards and there would be no way back for Chirnside from there. They never gave up, but never really threatened. Duns rounded off the scoring with eleven minutes left, when a free kick from near the centre circle was launched into the box and hooked in from eight yards.

National League U19 Alliance

North Division

Friday 28th March 2025

Kick Off 13.00 Actual 13.02

A.F.C. Fylde U19 3 York City U19 2, attendance 13

19’ 1-0

21’ 2-0

34’ 2-1

82’ 2-2

90’ + 1, 3-2

@ Mill Farm Sports Village, 3G Pitch

Coronation Way

off Fleetwood Road

Wesham

PR4 3JZ

No Admission or Programme.

As I was already planning on doing a game in Scotland in the evening, this fitted in perfectly and even better, it was less than ten miles off route! The Mill Farm Sports Village is adjacent to the main stadium of A.F.C. Fylde and as well as being home to Fylde Hockey Club, who have their own pitch, complete with stand, there is also a 3G football pitch. Spectator access is along the whole of one side, with viewing also behind the goal end that backs on to the two storey clubhouse/changing room building, although you’re looking through mesh if you choose that option. No problem getting in. You simply register at the reception and the clubhouse was open for the duration.

The match was 7th versus 4th in the league table in what is the top level of the league. York are still in with a chance of taking the title, coming into this six points adrift of leaders Farsley Celtic, but with a game in hand. They didn’t get off to a great start though, going behind after nineteen minutes, when a cross from the right was touched in at the near post and they conceded a second within minutes, seeing an attempted pass across the face of the 18 yard box intercepted and easily finished from 15 yards. Just after the half hour mark they pulled it back to 2-1, finishing with an angled shot into the far corner, following a quick break down the right. With eight minutes left they deservedly levelled it up at 2-2, finishing one on one after a long ball over the top. They pushed hard for a winner, but lost out to a stoppage time winner for Fylde, when a cross from the right was fumbled by the ‘keeper and smashed into the net from 10 yards. There was still time for them to waste a glorious chance to grab a point, but somehow they managed to head over the crossbar with the goal gaping.