North Gloucestershire League

Division 1

Wednesday 23rd April 2024

Kick Off 18.30 On Time!

Soudley 1 Longhope 0, attendance 76

26’ 1-0

@ Soudley Recreation Ground

Lower Road

Soudley

GL14 2TZ

No Admission or Programme.

An early afternoon confirmation from the home club secretary, that the game was going ahead okay, saw me head to the Forest of Dean, for a game at the top end of what is the second level in this league. Longhope were already crowned champions, whilst Soudley required two points from their last two games in order to pip Redmarley & Tibberton United to the runners up spot and with it, promotion to the Premier Division for next season. Even if they hadn’t got a favourable result tonight, they would surely beat already relegated Ross Juniors in their final game, but you never know.

It was an excellent game, that was in the balance right up to the final whistle. Both teams went at it with 100% commitment throughout. It was surprising that it only produced the one goal, as there were plenty of chances at both ends. Longhope hit the post in the first quarter of an hour, but the decisive goal came after twenty six minutes, when a ball in from on the right was finished with a looping header at the far post to give Soudley the lead and they hung on to deservedly take the win they needed. Full credit to Longhope, as despite not really having anything to play for, certainly didn’t take the game lightly. They pressed hard for an equaliser, but just couldn’t get through a resolute home defence and they finished the game with ten men, when they had a player sent off in the last minute for a second yellow card offence.

Home to Soudley is the recreation ground in the village. The changing rooms are in the building behind the goal, which also acts as the village hall. The pitch is tightly enclosed and has a pair of dugouts on the far side, that are constructed with a small area of cover in between, which would fit about half a dozen people. Another trouble free journey in both directions too, rounding off a decent trip.

Cambridgeshire County League

Senior B Division

Tuesday 22nd April 2025

Kick Off 18.15 Actual 18.18

Thurlow 2 Sawston Rovers 1, attendance 34

22’ 0-1

56’ 1-1

64’ 2-1

@ Great Thurlow Recreation Ground

Wratting Road

Great Thurlow

CB9 7LJ

No Admission or Programme.

Tonight’s game was 2nd versus 6th in the league table, with Thurlow in a three way battle with Histon Reserves and St. Ives Town Reserves for the runners up spot behind already crowned champions Sawston United. The reverse fixture was only played on Saturday, which Sawston Rovers had won 5-0, so Thurlow knew it wouldn’t be easy to get the three points they needed in their battle to get one of the promotion places.

First half chances were few and far between, but a diagonal ball in from the left was touched in at the far post to give Sawston the lead midway through the half. Eleven minutes into the second half Thurlow drew level, when a mix up between two defenders presented them with an easy finish. Minutes later they hit the post, with the follow up coming back off the crossbar, but it only took them another two minutes to edge in front, smashing an indirect free kick low past the ‘keeper from 8 yards and the result never really looked in doubt from that moment.

The ground here at Great Thurlow Recreation Ground is very basic and shared with the local cricket club. There is a brick built pavilion/changing room, with the cricket field in front. The football play to the left, with grass banking running along one side, with plenty of car parking along the top.

Despite kicking off three minutes late, a quick halftime break, where everyone stayed out on the pitch, meant we were still finished by eight o’clock. Nice to have no traffic problems in either direction.

Devon & Exeter League

Division 5

Monday 21st April 2025

Kick Off 15.00 Actual 14.58!

Cheriton Fitzpaine 0 Willand XI 1, attendance 23

58’ 0-1

@ White Cross

White Cross Hill

Cheriton Fitzpaine

EX17 4HE

No Admission or Programme.

I had a choice of three games in this league today, opting for Cheriton Fitzpaine in Division 5. There were two reasons for this. Firstly, they’re a club who’ve played in the higher levels of the league in the past and secondly, it was a game with something still riding on it. This was the last game of the season for the hosts, who are third from bottom in the league table and if they lost, they could still be overtaken by Awliscombe and Chagford, who currently occupy the bottom two places. Willand XI, however, are still in with a chance of promotion, but more importantly, a chance of winning the league. They came into this sitting second, two points clear of third placed Axminster Town Reserves and four points behind leaders City Raiders, with this being the first of their two games in hand they had over them.

It was closer than I’d been expecting. Cheriton Fitzpaine fought very hard for the entire ninety minutes and proved a hard nut for Willand XI to crack, which seemed to be a recurring story, as the reverse fixture had finished 0-0 a month ago. The best chance of the first half saw Willand hit the crossbar, with the rebound fired well over the top. The second half saw the visitors pile on the pressure. They had a goal ruled out for offside eleven minutes into the second half, but made the breakthrough just two minutes later, when a diagonal cross from the right was finished from close range and that was enough to seal the points.So, Willand know if they win their last two games they’re champions, whilst Cheriton Fitzpaine will have a nervous wait hoping the bottom two don’t pick up enough points from their last games to overhaul them, although previous results point towards this being very unlikely.

The ground here at White Cross Hill is a cracker for the level they play at. It’s to the east of the village, which is roughly halfway between Crediton and Tiverton. There is enough parking inside the ground for the crowds they get, with the pitch running lengthways in front of you as you enter. The pitch is railed along the near touchline, with a small section of cover on the far side, next to the dugouts, with advert boards on the wooden fencing going from there to the corner. The two storey clubhouse/changing rooms are in the far right corner, where there was a tea bar in operation, with snacks limited to chocolate bars and small tubs of Pringles.

The game finished at 16.45 and with SatNav avoiding a huge chunk of the A303 coming back, arrival home was just after 9 o’clock.

St. Piran League

Premier Division East

Saturday 19th April 2025

Kick Off 14.30 Actual 14.29!

Gunnislake 6 North Petherwin 2, attendance 45

5’ 1-0

8’ 2-0

43’ 2-1

49’ 3-1

60’ 4-1

64’ 5-1

68’ 5-2

87’ 6-2

@ Butts Meadow

The Butts

Albaston

PL18 9SD

£3 Admission

No Programme.

With the game at Nanpean finishing by 12.45, it gave plenty of scope for an afternoon match, although knowing whether games had survived the weather was another thing, especially as very few of my options had up to date social media accounts. However, I’d been tipped off that Gunnislake were definitely going ahead okay, so I decided to head there. It was a drive back east of just under an hour, with the SatNav choosing a very rural route, rather than the more obvious A30, but it was traffic free, so no problem. They actually play in the middle of nowhere, south of the village of Albaston, which itself is south of Gunnislake. Entering the ground there is plenty of parking on the grass, with the changing rooms immediately to the right, where there was also a tea bar in operation. The pitch is about fifty yards away, running widthways and enclosed by wooden fencing, with plenty of advert boards and a pair of brick built dugouts on the far side. No cover, but thankfully it remained dry throughout and patches of blue sky started to appear as the game wore on.

North Petherwin had little to play for, sitting fifth in the league table, but with no chance of winning it. It was a different story for Gunnislake, as they were second from bottom (two go down), but with games in hand on the three clubs above them, know a couple of wins could be enough to see them pull clear. They got off to a flyer and were 2-0 up after just eight minutes, lobbing the ‘keeper from just inside the box for the first, before a cross from the right was blocked by a defender, but fell perfectly for a player following in to grab the second. The visitors pulled a goal back just before halftime to keep the second half interesting. A cross from the left was finished at the far post to put Gunnislake 3-1 ahead just four minutes into the second half and although the visitors hit the crossbar, Gunnislake made it 4-1 on the hour mark, rounding the ‘keeper after beating the offside trap. Within five minutes they made it 5-1, but a flicked header, from a corner on the left, saw North Petherwin get one back. They never looked like adding to it and Gunnislake rounded off the scoring, when a first time shot from the edge of the box looped over the ‘keeper to make it 6-2 with three minutes left.

St. Piran League

Division 1 East

Saturday 19th April 2025

Kick Off 11.00 On Time!

Nanpean Rovers 6 Roche 0, attendance 432

5’ 1-0

35’ 2-0

37’ 3-0

85’ 4-0

86’ 5-0

90’ 6-0

@ Victoria Bottoms Playing Field

Fore Street (B3279)

Nanpean

PL26 7YE

£4 Admission

£3 Programme available, didn’t bother buying.

This was the only ground I’d be visiting on the organised ‘hop weekend. Any doubt over whether the game would go ahead okay were soon put at ease by an early tweet from Nanpean that the pitch had survived the heavy rain of yesterday and that the pitch was playable. Nanpean were formed in 1901 and over the years have played in the Cornwall Combination, South Western League, East Cornwall Premier League and they’re now in the St. Piran League, where they currently sit second in Division 1 (level 2 of the league), only trailing league leaders Looe Town on goal difference, although they have played one game more. With visitors Roche sitting bottom of the table, with just one win and a draw from their 23 games so far, today was a good opportunity to not only pick up the three points, but also try and make up some of the goal difference deficit too.

It only took them five minutes to make the breakthrough and if it wasn’t for a number of saves by the Roche ‘keeper, they could have been out of sight early on. However, they didn’t score their second until ten minutes before halftime, flicking in a corner at the near post and quickly followed this with a finish into the bottom corner to see them lead 3-0 at the break. Despite creating a hatful of chances, their fourth goal didn’t arrive until five minutes from the end, but it sparked them back into life. Within a minute they scored again, with a shot from the edge of the box that gave the ‘keeper no chance, before scoring a sixth in the last minute, when what looked like a cross in from the left evaded everyone and went into the far corner of the net.

Victoria Bottoms is a cracking ground, certainly in the ‘quirky’ category, with raised viewing on three sides and a rather unique piece of cover behind one goal, with a viewing area on top of it’s roof. The pitch held up well and we had no rain at all, which was certainly a bonus. A good turnout too, although it didn’t feel quite as big as the official attendance given.

Perry Street & District League

Bill Bailey Cup Final

Friday 18th April 2025

Kick Off 11.00 Actual 10.56!

Merriott Moretti 3 Charmouth United 2, attendance 135

5’ 1-0

9’ 1-1

12’ 1-2

21’ 2-2

52’ 3-2

@ Beaminster Memorial Playing Field

Hogshill Street

Beaminster

DT8 3AA

£2 Admission

No Programme.

After an overnight stop in Weymouth, it was an easy 40 minute drive north west to Beaminster, for today’s Perry Street & District League Bill Bailey Cup Final, which is for teams in Division 2 of the league, between champions Merriott Moretti and fifth in the table Charmouth United and played at the ground of Dorset League club Beaminster. It’s a ground shared with cricket and has a covered area on the front of the clubhouse/changing room building. The pitch, which was in excellent condition, was roped along the clubhouse side of the pitch and round as far as the goal at the entrance end, with car parking around the edge of the cricket pitch and hot food and drinks available throughout the game.

Merriott had won the two league meetings between them by 5-0 at home and 7-1 away, so came into this as firm favourites. It all looked to be going to form when they went in front after just five minutes, cutting in from the right, before finishing left footed low into the near corner. Four minutes later Charmouth were level, touching in a corner from the right at the near post and three minutes later they went ahead, powering in a header, from another corner on the right. We’d only had twenty one minutes when Merriott made it 2-2, when a corner eluded the ‘keeper’s attempt to punch clear and was headed in at the far post.

A minute into the second half Charmouth hit the crossbar, but that was the last time they looked like adding to the two goals they’d scored already and Merriott soon went 3-2 in front, when a cross from the right was met with a header that the ‘keeper saved, but was followed in from close range. They also hit the post late on, but that was it as far as the scoring went. It was an excellent game, played in horrible weather, with rain that started early in the game and gradually got worse. No problems with the pitch though, as it was in superb condition.

I had planned to do a second game today and was heading for an afternoon cup match at Uplowman United in the Devon & Exeter League, but it was postponed whilst en route.

Gwent Premier League

Premier Division

Wednesday 16th April 2025

Kick Off 18.15 Actual 18.19

Rogerstone 0 Monmouth Town 1, attendance 75

59’ 0-1

@ Newport Fugitives Athletic Club

High Cross Road (B4591)

High Cross

NP10 9AE

No Admission or Programme.

When I last saw Rogerstone play at home, it was at their former Welfare Ground, where they lost 1-2 to Newport Corinthians back in August 2018. They’ve since moved to Newport Fugitives Athletic Club, which is a venue shared with cricket. From the clubhouse/changing rooms the pitch is on the far side of the cricket field. The pitch is railed off and has a pair of dugouts on the left hand touchline. Hard standing is along one side and part of one end. Behind the near goal end, towards the corner, is a 100 seat stand that is still under construction and currently out of bounds, although they were welding the roof framework during the early stages of the match, so it won’t be too long before it’s in use.

The match was 4th versus 3rd in the league table. Cwmbran Town have already won the league, winning 27 of their 28 games played and are unbeaten with just two games left. Monmouth Town can still overtake second in the table Lliswerry, who they trailed by 13 points coming into this, with five games in hand. It was an excellent game that could have gone either way. Both teams went at it from start to finish. Monmouth had a miss hit cross that came back off the far post and Rogerstone had one cleared off the line and then missed a one on one chance late in the first half, but it remained goalless at the break. Monmouth grabbed the winner just before the hour mark, when a back pass fell short and the striker nipped in to poke it past the ‘keeper into the far corner. Rogerstone pushed hard for an equaliser and despite a ridiculous eleven minutes of stoppage time added, Monmouth held on for the win.

Tonight’s game now sees the top two divisions of this league completed, with just Thornwell Red & White to do in the bottom division. Surprisingly trouble free journey in both directions, just beating the M25 lane closures by a matter of minutes coming home.

Cambridgeshire County League

Senior B Division

Tuesday 15th April 2025

Kick Off 18.15 Actual 18.14!

Swavesey Institute 1 Fordham 5, attendance 24

12’ 0-1

23’ 0-2

60’ 0-3

73’ 0-4

82’ 0-5

84’ 1-5

@ Swavesey Recreation Ground

Middle Watch/High Street

Swavesey

CB24 4QU

No Admission or Programme.

Tonight was a trip to Cambridgeshire, just off the A14, to the north west of Cambridge, for a clash between two teams at the bottom end of the league. The ground is on the right when entering the village coming from the A14. No car park, but plenty of street parking, with the ground entrance opposite School Lane. There’s a small sized kids pitch nearest the entrance, with the main pitch beyond, running lengthways away from here. The changing room building is to the right, with the pitch roped along the touchline that side and there is a section of advertising boards running from the near corner to the six yard box. Swavesey Institute were propping up the table, seven points adrift of next to bottom Over Sports Reserves, but still having enough games to get themselves clear of relegation, whilst Fordham were four places above them and knew a win here tonight should see them secure their place in this division for next season.

Fordham went ahead early, heading in after nipping in front of the ‘keeper to beat him to a cross in from the left. They doubled their lead midway through the half, when a corner from the right was touched in at the near post. They made the game safe when they made it 0-3 on the hour mark, with a cracking 20 yard free kick into the bottom corner, before two more in the last ten minutes saw them go 0-5 up. Swavesey did get the final goal of the night though, heading in a corner at the far post.

The game was played in persistent rain from about ten minutes in, which got steadier as the game went on. Despite kicking off a minute early, I made it just 43 minutes played in the first half and 40 in the second, as the Referee blew for full time as soon as we restarted after Swavesey had scored their consolation goal. With a short halftime, where everyone stayed out on the pitch, we were done and dusted for 19.42 with the shortened halves played, although I doubt anyone else will have even noticed.

With problems approaching the Dartford Crossing, SatNav took me clockwise round the M25 instead for the outbound journey, although that was little better in the end and took almost three hours, due to a tedious crawl of traffic from J9 to J18. The return, via M11 and Dartford Crossing, was done in a more reasonable 1 hour 40 minutes.

Thames Valley Premier League

Division 3

Monday 14th April 2025

Kick Off 18.00

Harchester Hawks P Berks County Rovers P (Match Postponed)

@ Waingels College, 3G Pitch

Waingels Road

Woodley

RG5 4RF

So, the first no show of the early kick offs and not surprisingly in one of the worst three leagues in the South East (East Berkshire and Middlesex County would push them close) as far as organisation goes. No one there by 17.45, so gave up and headed home, although game still showing as going ahead on the league’s F.A. Full Time website. However, arrived home an hour later and match now being shown as postponed. Unfortunately, with no way of confirming the game as neither club or league bother with social media and no phone number on F.A. Find a Club either.

Mid Sussex League

Division 3 North

Saturday 12th April 2025

Kick Off 14.00 Actual 14.03

Caterham 6 Dormansland Rockets 0, attendance 22

31’ 1-0

32’ 2-0

33’ 3-0

52’ 4-0

63’ 5-0

83’ 6-0

@ Caterham Pumas Youth F.C.

Fox Lane

Old Coulsdon

CR3 5QS

No Admission or Programme.

My quest to see a first team home game on every venue in the Sussex football pyramid continued today, albeit for a game between two teams from Surrey, on what could just be a one off game played here. It was the third time I’d seen Caterham host, each time being at a different venue and coincidentally, all played in April. First up was 2021, when they lost 0-5 to West Hoathley Reserves in Division 5 North, which was played at Queens Park in Caterham. Next was last year and a 2-6 defeat to A.S. Crawley in Division 3 North, played at Old Coulsdon Colts F.C. and today, it was at the home of Caterham Pumas F.C. in Old Coulsdon. It’s primarily a youth set up, with three separate areas of cover on the main youth pitch, two of which have seats, but today’s game was on what is currently the only full sized adult pitch, which had an excellent playing surface, but nothing else facility wise. It is to the right as you enter the complex from the car park, with the clubhouse/changing rooms in the building in the far left hand corner.

At least the match still had something on it, as far as Dormansland Rockets were concerned. They started the day in third place in the league table, trailing leaders A.S. Crawley by six points and second placed Wakehams Green by four points, but had a game in hand over both, so promotion was very much possible, as indeed was winning the league itself, but they’d need to win their last three games to have a realistic chance of achieving either. Caterham were 7th (out of 9) and already safe from going down, but with games in hand on all the clubs above them, could still manage a fourth place finish.

Dormansland were the better side early on, but failed to take advantage. Caterham broke the deadlock after thirty one minutes, with a first time shot into the bottom corner and amazingly scored twice more in the next two minutes to make it 3-0, firstly with an own goal, high into the roof of the net when trying to block a cross, quickly followed by a ricochet that fell perfectly for a side foot finish from close range. They thought they’d scored a penalty five minutes into the second half, but it was ruled out for ‘encroachment’ according to the Referee. Two minutes later they did score goal number four, when a corner from the left was smashed into the top corner from the edge of the 18 yard box. Just after the hour mark it was 5-0, touching in a cut back from the right at the near post and they rounded off the scoring when they added a sixth goal with seven minutes left, when a spectacular first time shot from inside the centre circle looped over the stranded ‘keeper, who could only turn and watch as the ball sailed over his head into the empty net.