Derbyshire Summer League

Monday 2nd June 2025

Smithfield Uttoxeter 4 Red Lion 2, attendance 30

2’ 0-1

38’ 1-1

57’ 2-1

79’ 2-2

80’ 3-2

83’ 4-2

@ Oldfields Hall Middle School

Stone Road

Uttoxeter

ST14 7PJ

No Admission or Programme.

For the second successive season, this league has come up with a new ground for me to visit. It’s just an open pitch at Oldfields Hall Middle School in Uttoxeter. Parking was available inside the school grounds, with the pitch at the rear of the buildings, with a raised grass bank along the near side offering a decent view.

As is the norm for this league, the pitch was in poor condition. Also, there was the all too frequent late arrival of players. Red Lion only had nine players when we got underway a couple of minutes earlier than scheduled, but it didn’t do them any harm, as they were in front after just two minutes, latching on to a through ball that the ‘keeper failed to clear and going on to roll the ball into the empty net. Fifteen minutes in, a tenth player arrived for the visitors and eight minutes later they were at full strength, as their eleventh and final player turned up. Amazingly, they had kept their lead during this time, but seven minutes before halftime Smithfield drew level, scrambling the ball into after an initial block just inside the area. Red Lion looked to have gone in front again in stoppage time, when a shot hit the underside of the crossbar and clearly crossed the line, but the ‘home’ linesman said it hadn’t, so it wasn’t given.

The second half saw Smithfield hit the crossbar early on, before going 2-1 up just before the hour mark, easily finishing a pull back across the box from close range. A deflected shot from the edge of the box saw Red Lion level it up at 2-2 with eleven minutes left, but trailed again within a minute and another close range effort saw Smithfield round off the scoring to make it 4-2 with seven minutes left.

The journey north was fine once I’d cleared the M25 queue from J11-J17 and the return was totally trouble free, despite three sections of roadworks on the M1 starting to be coned off, which I got through without coming to a standstill.

Plymouth & West Devon Combination League

Supplementary League Cup Final

Saturday 31st May 2025

Kick Off 14.00 Actual 13.56!

Tamar View 1 The Lugger 4, attendance 85

7’ 0-1

31’ 1-1

58’ 1-2

77’ 1-3

86’ 1-4

@ Lee Moor Recreation Ground

Recreation Way

Lee Moor

PL7 5JH

No Admission or Programme.

It was an easy drive of just under two hours from my overnight stay in South Wales, arriving here in the village of Lee Moor, just inside the southern boundary of Dartmoor National Park, about an hour before kick off. It was good to see both teams beginning their warm ups and that the game was going ahead okay. Even cup finals are no guarantee of games definitely taking place these days, such is the apathy involved in many leagues/clubs in today’s society.

The ground has hosted step 7 football in the past, most recently as home to Plympton Athletic in the Devon League. The pitch is mostly railed off and has a couple of large wooden dugouts on the side nearest the entrance, whilst the far side has a stand with three rows of bench seating, with the changing rooms at the rear and there was a tea bar set up, selling hot and cold food/drinks. The pitch was in decent condition, with the surface best described as undulating, noticeably dipping away towards the corners. Tamar View play their home games on the 3G pitch at Devonport High School, but their reserves play here at Lee Moor, which still technically made this a neutral venue I suppose.

As far as final league positions go, it was 4th versus 6th in the table. Tamar View won 7-4 when they met in the league last Saturday and the reverse fixture at The Lugger had finished 5-5, so it certainly looked like there’d be a goal or two. They’d already met twice in cup matches too, with Tamar View coming out 2-1 winners in both games.

A diagonal cross from the right was volleyed in at the far post to give the Lugger a seventh minute lead, with Tamar View equalising just after the half hour mark, when a ball over the top was latched onto and smashed past the ‘keeper at his near post. Just before the hour mark The Lugger were back in front, hammering in a shot from close range after a corner wasn’t properly cleared. They made it 1-3 with thirteen minutes left, after a misplaced clearance from the Tamar View ‘keeper was returned with a first time shot from 30 yards that found the bottom corner. They added a fourth goal late on, with a 25 yarder that went in via a deflection and almost got a fifth goal in stoppage time, but it came back off the crossbar.

An excellent game to round off the ‘Winter’ season with. Even the drive home wasn’t too bad, although I did lose around half an hour, despite the SatNav diverting me off the A303 approaching the usual Stonehenge bottleneck, but that’s pretty much standard on that route these days.

Cardiff & District League

Lord Ninian Stuart Cup Final

Friday 30th May 2025

Kick Off 18.30 Actual 18.32

Splott Albion 3 A.F.C. Whitchurch 1, attendance 335

11’ 1-0

47’ 2-0

52’ 2-1

76’ 3-1

@ Gate Systems Arena

Splott Park

Muirton Road

Splott

CF24 2SJ

No Admission or Programme.

A couple of weeks ago there were two games scheduled on a Wednesday evening in this cup and I chose to do the tie at St. Mellons, rather than the one here at Splott Albion. It worked out perfectly for me, as St. Mellons lost on penalties, whilst Splott won their match, before also going on to win their semi-final and even better, they were now hosting the final of the competition too. The ground here is very good for this level. It’s enclosed by mesh fencing, with the pitch fully railed and there’s a pair of brick dugouts on the far side. There was also a tea bar in operation throughout the game. Rather oddly, considering there was a crowd well in excess of 300, no admission charge was taken.

These two are in the premier division of the league and far as league positions go, it was 2nd versus 6th in the final table. Splott went ahead after eleven minutes, when a ball over the top saw the striker just get there before the ‘keeper, but his shot was cleared off the line by a defender, but it only went a couple of yards before being smashed in at the far post. Two minutes into the second half Splott doubled their lead, when a deep cross from the right was put in at the far post. Five minutes later Whitchurch pulled one back, when a long ball forward fell perfectly for their striker and he turned and shot first time low into the far corner. They never really looked like getting an equaliser though and Splott made the game safe with fourteen minutes left, with a cracking 20 yarder into the top corner to make it 3-1.

Apart from the dreadful crawl around the M25 from J9 to J12, the journey down to Wales was pretty trouble free, even with a detour off the M4 near Chippenham to avoid a snarl up on the M4 north of Bristol. An overnight stop in Wales meant not having to battle any overnight roadworks for a change.

Montgomeryshire Amateur League

Saturday 24th May 2025

Kick Off 14.30 Actual 14.28!

Felindre 2 Trefonen 4, attendance 45

6’ 1-0 (pen)

25’ 1-1

31’ 1-2

56’ 2-2

61’ 2-3

71’ 2-4

@ Evergreen Field

Beguildy Road (B4355)

Felindre

LD7 1YL

£2 Admission

No Programme.

From my overnight stop in Porthmadog, it was a steady drive of around one and three quarter hours back into Mid Wales, to the village of Felindre, roughly halfway between Newtown and Knighton, with the ground on the left hand side of the B4355 if heading south, with access down a flight of steps, through a gated gap in the hedge. It’s just a pitch, with a pair of dugouts on the far side, which consisted of just the metal frames and no cover whatsoever. Just a matter of yards behind is the River Teme, which acts as the border between Wales and England. The players get changed at a building next to the village hall, where there’s also a small car park, then walk the 100 or so yards down the road to the ground.

With very few leagues still playing, or more to the point, teams actually bothering to turn up, this attracted hopper numbers just about getting into double figures. The game had nothing riding on it, as far as affecting the title or relegation matters go, with 10th (out of 13) hosting 6th in the league table. With no pressure on either side, it led to an open game. Felindre who took an early lead, scoring with a penalty, but Trefonen levelled after twenty five minutes, volleying in from the corner of the 18 yard area, after a throw in was headed clear from the six yard box. Six minutes later they went in front, following in from close range after the ‘keeper made a mess of dealing with a cross.

Felindre made it 2-2 nine minutes into the second half, when a through ball saw the ‘keeper lobbed from the edge of the box, with the ball coming back off the crossbar before being followed in from close range. It only took Trefonen six minutes to regain their lead, finishing one on one with the ‘keeper after a ball over the top and ten minutes later they made the game safe, after a break down the right was played across the box, for a tap in at the far post to make it 2-4.

Felindre only had the bare eleven players and just the one club official present. He had a busy day. He ran the line in the first half, before spending halftime going round the crowd collecting the admission money, before re-taking his flag duties for the second half. After today, I’m left with just St. Harmon needed to complete this league now. I saw them beat Penybont 1-0 in a Radnorshire Cup 1st Round match back in October 2000 and then lose 0-6 at home to Llandrindod Wells in the same round of that competition in September 2011, both played at different venues and they’ve now moved again, to a third ground.

Trouble free journey home, cross country via Leintwardine, Ludlow and Tenbury Wells, before picking up the M5 near Bromsgrove and a very quiet M42, M40 and M25 saw arrival home just before 19.45.

North Wales Coast West League

Premier Division Cup Semi-Final

Friday 23rd May 2025

Kick Off 18.30 On Time!

C.P.D. Penrhyndeudraeth 2 C.P.D. Llanberis 4, attendance 115

18’ 0-1

33’ 1-1

49’ 1-2

57’ 1-3

77’ 2-3

90’ + 6, 2-4

@ Maes Y Parc

A487 East

Penrhyndeudraeth

LL48 6LS

£3 Admission

No Programme.

An easy 40 minute drive down the coast saw me arrive in Porthmadog, where I was staying overnight and from there it was just a ten minute drive east to Penrhyndeudraeth, with the ground on the left hand side of the A487 as you head eastwards out of the village towards Dolgellau. The pitch is fully railed (parts of the rail behind the far goal are at chin height, so no good for leaning on) and there’s a seated kit stand behind the near goal, butted up to the corner, while there’s hard standing at one end and along one touchline and a pair of dugouts on the far side. There was a tea bar that was also doing hot dogs in the way of hot food.

As far as final league positions went, this was 7th versus 6th in the league table, with the winners of tonight’s game facing either Cemaes Bay or Mynydd Llandegai who were playing in the other semi final, which was also tonight. Llanberis, sadly minus the Locomotive prefix these days, went ahead after eighteen minutes, when an initial save by the ‘keeper was followed in from close range. Penrhyndeudraeth levelled just after the half hour mark, when a through ball sent a player clear and he cut inside onto his right foot and shot low inside the naer post. Four minutes into the second half the visitors went back in front, heading in at the far post from a corner on the right.Eight minutes later they increased their lead, when a ball into the box was touched in at the near post, possibly off a defender, which saw them go 1-3 up. With thirteen minutes left, a cross in from the right was forced in to pull it back to 2-3, with Penrhyndeudraeth pushing hard for an equaliser. I’d spoken to the Referee at halftime and he’d confirmed it would be extra time if the scores were level, rather than straight to penalties, which he thought might be a problem, with it being very dull and it rained for most of the match, which was a disappointing end to the day, having been glorious up until about an hour before kick off. Five minutes into stoppage time someone in the home dugout received a red card and a minute later Llanberis made the game safe, making it 2-4 after cutting in from the left and playing a ball across the face of the goal that was finished into the far corner. At least we wouldn’t be going to extra time, which was a relief, as the midges were absolutely relentless during the second half, making it very unpleasant as a spectator and it didn’t look much better for the players. A minute after the goal there was a red card for a home player, after he followed through on a defender, who’d just hacked the ball clear. Seconds later, at 20.26, the Referee blew the final whistle and ten minutes later, I was back at the hotel, by which time the rain was coming down much harder.

North Wales Coast West League

Premier Division

Thursday 22nd May 2025

Kick Off 19.00 Actual 18.52!

C.P.D. Pentraeth 5 C.P.D. Gwalchmai 3, attendance 97

3’ 1-0

9’ 1-1

28’ 2-1

45’ + 1, 3-1 (pen)

57’ 4-1

62’ 5-1

66’ 5-2

79’ 5-3

@ Bryniau Field

B5109

Pentraeth

LL75 8AZ

£3 Admission

No Programme.

Having stayed overnight in Rhyl, tonight was an opportunity to make a trip over to Ynys Mon, for an Anglesey derby, where 2nd bottom (already relegated) were hosting 2nd from top (guaranteed runners up). Despite nothing to play for, this was an excellent game and a warm sunny evening saw a crowd just short of one hundred turn out for this, probably helped by the fact that one of their youth teams was being presented with a cup that they’d recently won, which took place on the pitch during the halftime break.

Photographs don’t really do the ground justice. The pitch is fully railed, although the touchline running alongside the road is out of bounds, due to the lack of room behind the barrier and perimeter wall. There are two sides of hard standing and a pair of brick dugouts. Raised banking gives an elevated view from the far side, whilst the changing rooms/tea bar are behind the goal nearest the entrance. Car parking was organised brilliantly too, with three helpers already directing traffic well over an hour before kick off and no chance of the usual late arrivals turning up and selfishly blocking everyone else in, which is normally the case at non league level. Great backdrop too. Then there’s the pitch….it slopes from end to end, side to side and has a few undulations, just for good measure.

Pentraeth kicked downhill in the first half and were ahead after just three minutes. Quite a few missed the goal though, caught out by the game kicking off eight minutes earlier than advertised, when a ball pulled back from the left was finished with a low shot at the near post, which the ‘keeper should probably have saved. Some may have missed the equaliser too, as Gwalchmai made it 1-1 before we’d even had ten minutes, finishing with an angled shot from just inside the box. Just before the half hour Pentraeth were back in front, powering in a header from a corner. Gwalchmai saw a header hit the post and Pentraeth had a looping header clip the top of the crossbar, as both teams created good chances, before the hosts made it 3-1 in first half stoppage time, converting a penalty that was awarded for a handball.

Twelve minutes into the second half it was 4-1, breaking clear after intercepting a defensive throw in and minutes later Pentraeth made it 5-1, when a ball over the top was coolly put away in a one on one against the ‘keeper. Gwalchmai quickly replied with a low shot into the corner and with eleven minutes left pulled it back to 5-3, nicking the ball past the ‘keeper from a long clearance and clinically finding the bottom corner from the angle of the 18 yard box. They kept going right to the end, but had left themselves too much to do.

It was a very pleasant drive heading back towards the mainland, with Snowdonia in full sunshine and back at my hotel in about twelve minutes.

North Wales Coast East League

Premier Division

Wednesday 21st May 2025

Kick Off 18.30 On Time!

Kinmel Bay 0 Penmaenmawr Phoenix 0, attendance 150

@ Y Morfa Leisure Centre

Cader Avenue

Kinmel Bay

LL18 5HU

£3 Admission

No Programme.

This was 2nd verses 1st in the league table, with Penmaenmawr Phoenix two points clear. This was the last game of the season for Kinmel Bay, so they knew nothing short of a win would be enough for them, as it would see them go a point clear of the visitors and mean Penmaenmawr would then have to go away to third in the table Cerrigydrudion to get the point they’d require to take the title on goal difference. In the end they got the job done tonight. It was a game that produced very few clear cut scoring opportunities, but was fully committed from first whistle to last. The bone hard pitch certainly didn’t help matters, but that can’t be blamed for neither team managing to find the net. The nearest we came to a goal was when Penmaenmawr hit the post just before the hour mark, after a corner to the far post wasn’t cleared. I don’t recall either ‘keeper having much to do, apart from taking the odd goal kick or two. A couple of minutes from the end both teams had a man sent off following an off the ball incident and Kinmel Bay also had their manager sent off in stoppage time, which I assume was for dissent. The final whistle was greeted with huge cheers from the visiting players and a high number of their supporters present in a crowd of over 200, although the official attendance was given as 150, which I assume only counted those who’d paid to get in.

The ground is pretty poor for level 4. It’s a pitch at the back of the sports centre, with a pair of dugouts on the far side. Officially, spectators are limited to the near side of the pitch, but a caged area in the centre means barely half the length is actually useable. There were a couple of mobile food wagons operating and toilets were available inside the changing room building.

The journey up to North Wales took around four and a quarter hours, with the only hold up being at the M5/M6 intersection, which added ten minutes to the drive. At least I didn’t have to do the drive back, as I was staying overnight in Rhyl, just across the River Clwyd from Kinmel Bay, which was under ten minutes drive back from the ground.

Above : The league trophy and winners/runners up medals await the presentation.

Surrey South Eastern Combination League

Intermediate Division 1

Saturday 17th May 2025

Kick Off 14.00 Actual 14.07

Kew Park Rangers 1 London Hibernian 3, attendance 20

16’ 0-1

45’ + 1, 1-1

60’ 1-2

84’ 1-3

@ Richmond Athletic Ground (outer pitch)

Twickenham Road (A316)

Richmond upon Thames

TW9 2SF

No Admission or Programme.

I’m not a great fan of this league and haven’t done a game in it for years, due so was surprised when checking the venues of this division to find that this completed the current grounds. Richmond Athletic Ground is home to the rugby union clubs of Richmond and London Scottish, who play on the main stadium here. Today’s game was played on an outer pitch, the most northerly on the site, which was Pitch 6 if the board advertising pitch allocations was to be believed. The rugby posts remained in place, with portable football goals placed in front. There was a bit of a drama shortly before kick off, as the goals had been chained together and the padlock code that is normally used, had been changed. Luckily, they contacted someone by phone and we got underway seven minutes later than scheduled.

The match was 2nd versus 4th in the league table, with both clubs still able to win the league. KPR were very much outsiders in the race though, as this was their final game and they’d then be relying current leaders Selhurst and today’s visitors London Hibernian, who still have to play each other again, to lose their last few games. Unlikely, but you never know. Hibernian took an early lead, when a cross in from the left was left by a defender and put in unmarked at the far post. KPR levelled in first half stoppage time, when a corner from the right was finished with a shot into the bottom corner of the net. On the hour mark Hibernian we’re back in front, when a long ball over the top saw the striker beat a defender to the ball, nod it forward, then run on to finish one on one with the ‘keeper. They finally killed the game off with six minutes left, breaking quickly and finishing emphatically through the ‘keepers legs.

Leaders Selhurst also won this afternoon, so the title race is now between them and London Hibernian. Selhurst have a better goal difference by 20, as well as a six point lead, although Hibernian do still have a game in hand and host the leaders next Saturday.

Cardiff & District League

Lord Ninian Stuart Cup 2nd Round

Wednesday 14th May 2025

Kick Off 18.15 Actual 18.08!

St. Mellons 4 Llandaff Cosmos 4 (3-4 pens), attendance 32

7’ 0-1

11’ 0-2

19’ 0-3

45’ 0-4

60’ 1-4

69’ 2-4

81’ 3-4

90’ + 2, 4-4

@ Recreation Ground

Brockhampton Road

St. Mellons

CF3 0EF

No Admission or Programme.

I would have avoided this if it had been a league fixture as it was third bottom versus bottom in the league table, but being a cup match, there was less likelihood of getting a no show. I arrived at the ground just under an hour before kick off, bagging the last space in the very small car park, although there was also limited street parking too. Players from both teams were emerging from the St. Mellons Education Centre, where they get changed, before walking about one hundred yards to the end of the cul-de-sac, where a gate leads into the recreation ground. The pitch is to the right, running lengthways away from here, with a youth pitch beyond, running widthways and also hosting a game tonight.

It was a very odd game and certainly fits the ‘game of two halves’ category. Llandaff were 0-3 up after just nineteen minutes. Goals number one and three were gifted to them by the home ‘keeper, who should have done better with both efforts, but he could do nothing about the second, when a cross/shot from wide on the left found the far top corner. Right on halftime they made it 0-4, with a low shot from the edge of the box. The one sided nature of the game continued after the break, but it was now St. Mellons who were on top. They had a penalty saved just before the hour mark, but did get off the mark a minute later, heading in from a corner. Nine minutes later it was 2-4 and very much game on, when another corner was only cleared as far as the edge of the box and returned first time into the bottom corner of the net. With nine minutes left the hosts made it 3-4. A header hit the post and was scrambled wide, but from the resulting corner a header was powered in from close range. Two minutes into stoppage time they deservedly grabbed an equaliser, when a cross from out wide was met with a cushioned volley into the top corner.

Seconds later we went straight to penalties and in keeping with where all the goals had been scored during the match, they were taken at the far end. St. Mellons went first, with both teams scoring their first three kicks. The hosts saw their next kick saved, but Llandaff also missed their next one, blazing high and wide of the target. St. Mellons also missed their fifth one, again saved, before Llandaff netted the winner, to book themselves a home tie against Splott Albion on Saturday.

No problems traffic wise in either direction. Having kicked off seven minutes early and everyone staying on the pitch at halftime, we were still done and dusted well before eight o’clock, despite having gone to penalties.

Leicestershire County League

League 1

Tuesday 13th May 2025

Kick Off 18.30 On Time!

Kibworth Town 2 Leicester Rangers 1, attendance 139

2’ 1-0

71’ 2-0

85’ 2-1

@ Birds Barn

Fleckney Road

Kibworth Beauchamp

LE8 0HJ

No Admission or Programme.

There was certainly no doubt as to whether there was anything riding on tonight’s game. If either team won, they’d be crowned champions. If it ended in a draw, then it would be Old Aylestone that would take the title. Just to add a little more spice to it, only the top two get promoted, so tonight’s visitors had the most to lose, as they could miss out all together.

Kibworth were in front after just two minutes, cutting in from the left before beating the ‘keeper low inside his near post. Midway through the half they had a second ‘goal’ ruled out for offside, but there were very few chances at either end. Kibworth ended the half with a player being sin binned, but Leicester Rangers failed to take advantage with the extra man at the start of the second half. The decisive second goal came with nineteen minutes left, when a break down the left was pulled back across the box and finished with a diagonal shot off the inside of the far post to make it 2-0. Leicester did have a couple of decent shots, but both were tipped round the post by the home ‘keeper, but they just didn’t look like getting back into it. They did make it a nervy finish for Kibworth though, when a corner was headed clear of the box but returned with a first time shot that arced over the ‘keeper into the top corner, to make it 2-1 with five minutes left, but it was too little, too late.

The ground here at Birds Barn is impressive for this level. There is a clubhouse/changing room building as you enter a reasonable sized car park. There are a number of pitches here, with the main one a couple of hundred yards away. It’s fully railed and although the pitch was in decent condition, it did have a bit of a slope.