Gwent Premier League

Division 2

Thursday 9th April 2026

Kick Off 18.00 Actual 18.04

The Oak 0 Riverside Rovers 4, attendance 26

35’ 0-1

45’ + 3, 0-2

50’ 0-3

87’ 0-4

@ The Recreation Ground (Tredegar R.U.F.C.)

Stable Lane

Tredegar

NP22 4BH

No Admission or Programme.

When I came to The Recreation Ground in January 1999, I saw Tredegar Town beat Garw 3-0 in a Welsh League Division 3 match, which was played on a pitch beyond the rugby ground, running lengthways away from it. The pitch is still there, as are floodlights, but there’s no longer a rail around the pitch, so it doesn’t meet league requirements these days. Tonight was an opportunity to see a game on the rugby pitch, at the second time of trying. I came here on a Saturday in November, hoping to see an F.C. Tredegar match, who normally play next door at Tredegar Leisure Centre, but it was called off due to a waterlogged pitch and I had to head elsewhere. The Oak are now using the rugby pitch here, as their own ground at Ebbw Vale Sports Centre is having a new 3G pitch laid, so it was a good chance to finally tick this one off. I arrived nice and early, leaving time to head off to an alternate game if required. The portable goals were in place, in front of the rugby posts and the corner flags were out, but when the player’s came out to warm up, they removed the flags and proceeded to make their way to the far pitch, which I’d done and put them there instead, before beginning their warm up. According to a player I spoke to, they’d used that pitch the last time they were here, but thankfully, the experienced Referee was having none of it and made them move back to the rugby pitch, as “it’s got a barrier, as required for Gwent Premier matches and that’s where we’re playing”. I feel a younger Referee may have buckled, but thankfully this one stuck to his guns Phew.

The rugby ground was worth making the effort for. There’s a large car park, with the changing room building behind the goal at the entrance end. The pitch is railed on three sides, albeit set back a bit and has a magnificent 250 seat stand, with dugouts in front. Either side of this are two sections of open terracing and there’s another section on the far side too. The ground also has floodlights, but they weren’t needed for tonight’s six o’clock kick off.

The match was 9th versus 4th in the league table and was very evenly contested up until The Oak had a man red carded (2 x yellow) after twenty seven minutes. The ten men only held out for seven minutes before Riverside made the breakthrough, when a header from a diagonal free kick looked to have crossed the line, bouncing back out off one of the wheels on the frame, but the rebound was smashed in from close range anyway, removing any doubt over whether it had already gone in. In stoppage time the visitors doubled their lead, powering in a header from a corner on the left. A one on one finish saw them go 0-3 up five minutes into the second half and the fourth goal arrived three minutes from the end, heading in unmarked from close range.

The game finished at 19.46, by which time the temperature had dropped dramatically and I had daylight up until reaching the M4 for my drive home. No problems, apart from queuing for a couple of hundred yards on the M25 at J10, where they were about to close the motorway.

Above : The old scoreboard has seen better days….

Southampton League

Premier Division

Wednesday 8th April 2026

Kick Off 18.15 Actual 18.20

Braishfield 3 Dynamo Dockside 3, attendance 22

17’ 1-0

22’ 2-0 (pen)

30’ 2-1

32’ 2-2 (pen)

84’ 3-2 (pen)

89’ 3-3

@ Braishfield Recreation Ground

Braishfield Road

Braishfield

SO51 0PX

No Admission or Programme.

I never got to see a game at Braishfield when they were members of the Hampshire League from 1986-2000, but tonight was the perfect opportunity to put that right. The ground here is nothing more than a pitch, bookended with a car park behind one goal and the changing room building behind the other, with a gentle slope towards the latter. The pitch runs parallel to the road that runs through the village, with a few park benches dotted around the perimeter.

The match was 4th versus 7th in the league table. Barring a freak set of results, Dynamo Dockside will avoid relegation from this nine team division, whilst Braishfield are very much in with a shout of the title. They came into this five points adrift of leaders Sporting Wessex and four points behind second placed Fordingbridge Turks, with two games in hand over both. They’re a point behind third placed Select Generation too, but as they’ve played two games more than the top two, they’re very much the outsiders. Fifth placed Lyndhurst could also still win it, as they’re only three points behind Braishfield and still have a game in hand.

It looked to be going to plan for Braishfield, opening the scoring after seventeen minutes, before doubling their lead five minutes later, scoring with a penalty that was awarded for a handball. However, half an hour in, Dockside headed in from a corner to make it 2-1, before netting the equaliser with a penalty of their own two minutes later. Braishfield thought they’d gone back in front just before halftime, but the goal was ruled out for offside. When Braishfield were awarded their second penalty, with fifteen minutes left, it looked like the perfect opportunity to regain the lead, but the kick was sent wide of the left hand post. Not to worry though, as they were awarded their third penalty of the night, for another handball and this one was duly dispatched to make it 3-2. With a minute left to play, a ball down the right was finished with an angled shot that beat the ‘keeper low at his near post to level it up at 3-3.

It was only when looking at the league tables that I realised this completed the division for me, although it’s not that difficult when only seven of the nine clubs are first teams. It was a traffic free drive down the M3 to Hampshire, approaching Braishfield from the A303, with the car temperature showing 27 degrees at one point. No trouble on the return either, via the more direct cross country route to Winchester and taking the M3 from there and home for 21.25.

Swindon & District Community League

Division 1

Tuesday 7th April 2026

Kick Off 18.15 Actual 18.13

Spectrum 3 Ramsbury 5, attendance 26

5’ 1-0 (pen)

23’ 1-1

44’ 2-1

72’ 2-2 (pen)

74’ 2-3

76’ 2-4

90’ + 2, 2-5

90’ + 2, 3-5

@ Nalgo Sports & Leisure Community Club

610 Cricklade Road

Penhill

Swindon

SN2 7AP

No Admission or Programme.

Tonight’s game was in the second level of the Swindon & District League, played at Nalgo Sports & Leisure Community Club. There are two full sized pitches here, with the one to the north of the cricket square hosting the game, where 6th in the league table hosted 4th.

Spectrum are the only team in the division yet to draw a game this season, whilst Ramsbury were unbeaten, having won 11 of their 12 games coming into this, so it looked unlikely to be goalless and it certainly went to form. Ramsbury had two goals ruled out for offside in the opening three minutes, before a fifth minute penalty saw Spectrum go in front. Ramsbury levelled midway through the half, having seen a penalty saved, but scoring from the rebound. A minute before halftime Spectrum went back in front, when an attempted header back to the ‘keeper fell short and a striker nipped in to lob the ball in from the edge of the 18 yard box.

Both teams were attacking at every opportunity, leading to loads of chances, but the game swung dramatically in favour of the visitors when Spectrum had a man sin binned with 18 minutes left, arguing the decision to award a penalty to the visitors. Ramsbury certainly made the most of the extra man. They duly dispatched the penalty, before grabbing the lead two minutes later, with a shot on the turn from 20 yards that flew into the top corner. Two minutes later it was 2-4, when a shot bobbled into the bottom corner from twenty yards and despite being back to full strength a few minutes later, there was no way back for Spectrum. A deflected shot, that wrong footed the home ‘keeper, saw Ramsbury make it 2-5 a couple of minutes into stoppage time and right from the restart the ball was launched towards the goal, hitting the crossbar and then the back of the ‘keeper and across the line to make it 3-5. The final whistle came seconds later.

Ramsbury are now up to third with this win, with the top two being promoted. They trail leaders Purton Kingsdown Development by just two points now and still have six games in hand! They’re only a point behind second placed Lambourn Sports Reserves too, who they have three games in hand over, so they now look nailed on for promotion and more than likely the league title too….although you never know in football.

No hold ups in either direction, which is very rare these days. An earlier than scheduled kick off, as well as a halftime of just under ten minutes, meant the game was finished for 19.57 and home for 21.30.

Somerset County League

Division 3

Monday 6th April 2026

Kick Off 15.00 Actual 15.01

Axbridge United 3 Chew Magna 3, attendance 66

11’ 1-0

17’ 1-1

21’ 2-1

34’ 3-1

38’ 3-2

90’ + 4, 3-3

@ The Furlong Recreation Ground

Penn Way

Axbridge

BS26 2DQ

No Admission or Programme.

A few days away in Cornwall was rounded off with this game in Somerset en route home. It’s a basic venue, with a roped off pitch that runs lengthways in front of the changing room building, sloping down to the far goal end and having a couple of portable dugouts on the right hand side. The small car park soon filled up, but plenty of parking available in Penn Way.

The match was 2nd versus 3rd in the league table. Axbridge came into this level on points with leaders Castle Cary, who they’d lost 3-0 to on Saturday, to relinquish top spot, but have four games in hand on them, so are still likely to finish top. Chew Magna currently occupy the final promotion place, two points ahead of fourth placed Broad Plain House, but having played a game more.

As expected, there was very little between the two sides today and was a quick chance for Axbridge to gain revenge for the 3-2 defeat they suffered away at Chew Magna nine days ago, which was their first defeat in the league this season. They got off to the perfect start today, going ahead after eleven minutes, with a 20 yard shot that just eluded the ‘keeper as he tried to tip it wide of the goal. A cross from the right, touched in at the near post levelled the scores six minutes later, but Axbridge soon regained the lead, with a corner played to the edge of the D that was met with a shot that was diverted with a header that flew over the ‘keeper. They thought they’d added a third goal a couple of minutes later, but it was ruled out for a handball. They soon did get a third goal though, when a free kick from wide on the left was met with a close range header that went in off the underside of the crossbar. Seven minutes before halftime Chew Magna pulled it back to 3-2, when a diagonal free kick was touched in from close range.

The second half was end to end stuff, with both teams creating plenty of chances. When the visitors had a man sin binned with three minutes left, it looked like they’d blown their chance of getting back into it, but four minutes into stoppage time the ten men grabbed a deserved equaliser, when a cross from wide on the right was finished with a stooping header at the far post and seconds later the Referee blew the final whistle.

So, that’s this division completed, leaving me just Isle of Wedmore, who are currently third in Division 2, to complete all four divisions of this league now. An excellent day was rounded off with delays of under ten minutes on the drive home, all on the M5 heading north back towards Bristol, before picking up the M4.

St. Piran League

Premier Division (West)

Saturday 4th April 2026

Kick Off 14.30 On Time!

Pendeen Rovers 1 Ludgvan 4, attendance 110

8’ 0-1

29’ 0-2

35’ 0-3

41’ 0-4

90’ + 4, 1-4

@ Borlase Park

Calartha Road

Pendeen

TR19 7DX

£3 Admission, including 16 page Programme.

After staying overnight in Cornwall, I decided to tick off the most westerly ground in England that I’d yet to visit…..Borlase Park, home of Pendeen Rovers, just ten miles from Land’s End. On a clear day it gives a superb view of the Atlantic Ocean. You could still see the sea today, but it was very overcast and the wind blowing across the pitch was horrendous and never let up all afternoon. At least it remained dry though, as there’s no cover here to offer any sort of shelter. Car parking is pitchside, backing towards the coast, with the clubhouse/changing rooms behind the goal. The dugouts are opposite, either side of the old changing room building, where there would have been an overhang cover at one time, but currently lacking its roof. The pitch is fully railed, with a pitch that slopes sideways, falling away towards the sea.

Pendeen came into this sitting top of the table, level on points with second placed Porthleven, but with a game in hand. Ludgvan were twelfth, having won Division 1 (West) last season and the reverse fixture two weeks ago had only seen Pendeen win by the only goal of the match. They also managed a very credible 2-2 draw at home to Porthleven on Tuesday night too, so it wouldn’t be as easy as the league table suggested.

We’d played no more than a minute before we had a stoppage for dog mess to be removed from the pitch. It certainly didn’t affect Ludgvan too much though, as they went ahead after eight minutes, when a cross from the right was deflected in off a defender at the far post. Just before the half hour mark they doubled their lead, when a wind assisted corner from the right sailed over the ‘keeper into the far corner of the net. Six minutes later it was 0-3, when a 25 yard free kick was bent around the outside of the wall and beat the ‘keeper low into the bottom corner. Incredibly, they then made it 0-4 four minutes before halftime, when another corner from the right was tapped in at the far post. Pendeen never looked like turning things round in the second half, despite having the near gale force wind at their backs. Ludgvan had a man red carded in the dying minutes, following some pushing and shoving after the award of a free kick to Pendeen. It was too late to have any bearing on the outcome, but the hosts did pull a goal back four minutes into stoppage time, when a cross from the right went in via a deflection, possibly off a defender.

Admission was collected by a club volunteer, who came round just after kick off, with programmes given away with the admission fee. It’s worth popping inside the clubhouse at some stage, with the walls decorated in loads of old newspaper clippings and photos that document the history of the club.

This was only the second league defeat of the season for Pendeen, which now sees them replaced at the top of the table by Porthleven, but it could have been worse, as a 1-1 draw at home to St. Agnes only sees them hold a one point lead and Pendeen still have a game in hand. The win for Ludgvan sees them climb above Redruth United into eleventh place.

St. Piran League

Premier Division (East)

Friday 3rd April 2026

Kick Off 11.00 Actual 11.03

St. Mawgan 0 Kilkhampton 1, attendance 40

78’ 0-1

@ Trevarrian Park

off Morgan Porth Hill

Trevarrian

TR8 4AQ

No Admission or Programme.

There was very little choice for me today, as far as doing a game at a previously unvisited ground went. It was this game or nothing, so it was an easy choice to head down to Cornwall. Staying overnight on Thursday meant the change of kick off at a few days notice, bringing the game forward to 11am from the previously advertised 2.30pm made little difference to me. Trevarrion Park, named after the caravan park that you have to enter through to reach the ground, is progressing into a venue that would see them able to make the step up to Step 6, with floodlights now being the major requirement to tick all the boxes. There’s plenty of parking and you enter in the corner. The clubhouse/changing rooms are behind the near goal, from where the tea bar was in operation throughout the game. The pitch is fully railed and has hard standing behind the near goal and along the left hand touchline, where there’s an 80 odd seated stand, flanked by a pair of wooden dugouts.

The match was 3rd versus 7th in the league table and wasn’t a game that will live long in the memory. A strong wind didn’t help, with both teams struggling to master it, but at least it didn’t rain, as the ground is pretty exposed and it would have made it quite an unpleasant experience. In the end, I suppose we were lucky that we actually saw a goal, which went the way of the visitors, when with twelve minutes left, they sent a free kick left footed around the outside of the defensive wall, but inside the far post to nick all three points. Both teams remain where they started the day in the table.

Bedfordshire County League

Division 1

Wednesday 1st April 2026

Kick Off 18.15 Actual 18.07

Lea Sports P.S.G. 0 Bedford Albion 0, attendance 8

@ Pirton Recreation Ground

Walnut Tree Road

Pirton

SG5 3PX

No Admission or Programme.

I never got here when Pirton played games here in the South Midlands League back in the early 1990’s, but hardly surprising, as I wasn’t really targeting that level at the time, as I was only recently into ground hopping. Pirton Recreation Ground is now home to Lea Sports P.S.G. (stands for Pirton Shillington Gravenhurst, rather than a nod to the current French/European champions). There’s a couple of football pitches and a cricket pitch, as well as a large clubhouse/changing room building, with tonight’s game being on the pitch with a small stand, which is to the right of the complex when looking from the building/car park.

The match was 11th (out of 13) versus 8th in the league table and despite it failing to produce a goal, it was a very good game that kept the interest from start to finish, with neither side settling for the draw. The hosts came closest to breaking the deadlock in the first half, with a header that was cleared off the line. Bedford created the better second half chances, but were denied late on by a couple of point blank saves by the home ‘keeper and another couple of shots blocked by some resolute home defending.

With everyone present and warmed up in good time, the Referee was able to get the game underway eight minutes ahead of the scheduled 18.15 kick off. With everyone staying on the pitch for a quick halftime turnaround, we were done and dusted for 19.42. The light had just about held out, but would certainly have been a problem without the early start.

The M1 was slow, as expected, heading north from the M25/J6A to Luton, but no problems otherwise, whilst the return journey was totally trouble free, which is a real rarity these days.