Midland League

Division 2

Monday 14th May 2018

Kick Off 19.15 Actual 19.18

Redditch Borough 6 Hampton 0,  attendance 103

2’ 1-0 (pen)

8’ 2-0

11’ 3-0

30’ 4-0

78’ 5-0

90’ 6-0

@ Mettis Sports & Social Club

Cherry Tree Walk

Batchley

Redditch

B97 6PB

No Admission or Programme.

Redditch came into this second from bottom in the league table, but could still avoid relegation if they pick up enough points from their remaining matches. Hampton were fourth, but their position wouldn’t change regardless of the result here, which was a good job for them, as they had a man sent off just two minutes into the game, when a defender was red carded for a foul on a striker who was clean through, which, as a neutral, spoiled the game as a contest.

Having dispatched the penalty, Borough added two more in the next nine minutes and had the game sewn up by the time the fourth goal went in after half an hour. The game was pretty pedestrian from then on, before Borough added a couple more near the end as the ten men tired.

Below photo : Redditch open the scoring from the penalty spot.

East Sussex League

Premier Division

Saturday 12th May 2018

Kick Off 16.00 Actual 16.02

Hollington United 5 Sidley United 3,  attendance 130

2’ 1-0

6’ 1-1

23’ 1-2

68’ 2-2

77’ 2-3 (pen)

83’ 3-3 (pen)

88’ 4-3

90’ 5-3

@ Gibbons Field

Wishing Tree Road

St. Leonards-on-Sea

TN38 9LA

No Admission or Programme.

This match was a 16.00 kick off due to the Reserves match kicking off at 13.30 (they needed a win to be promoted, but conceded an 88th minute goal to draw 3-3 and miss out).

Hollington knew nothing but a win would see them retain the East Sussex League Premier Division title. On Wednesday they drew 2-2 at home to Battle Baptist, which left Battle two points clear at the top of the league table, but having completed their fixtures, with Hollington left with this match to play. Sidley were third,(they needed to match the result of fourth placed Rye Town, who were away to bottom club Crowhurst, to finish in this position) although some way back, but they were the only team to beat Hollington on their own patch last season, so it certainly wouldn’t be easy.

When Hollington went ahead after just two minutes it looked like it might be a bit of a stroll, but Sidley levelled quickly, then went ahead with a free kick from 25 yards that went in off the underside of the bar. Hollington pulled it back to 2-2, but Sidley were back in front when they scored a penalty with thirteen minutes left. The hosts converted a penalty of their own with seven minutes left to make it 3-3. They still needed another goal though. Sidley had a man sent off after 87 minutes and within a minute the title was won, as Hollington went ahead with a volley into the top corner of the net from the edge of the 18 yard box, before rounding it off with a superb 25 yard chip as the ninety minutes were up.

So Hollington won the league by a point, remaining unbeaten for the season. Sidley finished third, despite their defeat, as Crowhurst beat fourth placed Rye Town 3-2.

Below photo : Sidley score from the penalty spot to go ahead 2-3 with just thirteen minutes left.

Belgium

West Vlaanderen Provincial 3A Eindronde

Promotion Play Off Semi Final 2nd Leg

Thursday 10th May 2018

Kick Off 15.00 Actual 15.03

K.S.V. Veurne 2 Union Sportive Ploegsteert-Bizet 3 (AET) 3-4 on Aggregate,  attendance 238

41’ 0-1

43’ 1-1

94’ 2-1

98’ 2-2 (pen)

113’ 2-3

@ Stedelijk Sportpark Will Tura

Noordstraat 142

8630 Veurne

€5 Admission

Team Sheet, free.

It was Ascension Day in Belgium today, which meant a good opportunity of doing an afternoon match and being home at a reasonable time.

On final league positions this was 4th versus 3rd in the league table. The 1st leg had finished 1-1, so the tie was still very much alive. Sadly, the opening 90 minutes today was pretty dire, with both teams scoring late in the first half to go in level at 1-1 (2-2 on aggregate). The away goal rule would apply, so we knew if either team were to score in the second half, there would be no extra time. Neither team ever looked like scoring, but with extra time looming, Ploegsteert had a man red carded for picking up a second yellow card, so surely Veurne would go on to win it now, playing an extra half hour with a man advantage.

Veurne scored early in extra time, but four minutes later the 10 men were level, equalising from the penalty spot, but more crucially was the fact it was now 3-3 on aggregate and that would take the visitors through on the ‘away goals’ rule. Rather than hold on to what they had, Ploegsteert kept attacking, being rewarded with what turned out to be the winner with seven minutes left. Veurne then had to score twice in the time remaining time to win the tie, but despite constant pressure, it was not to be their day.

For once, The Tunnel ran without any of the usual problems. Our outbound 10.50 train left 8 minutes early, then on the return we managed to get on the 18.50 (we were booked on the 19.20 in case our match went to extra time and penalties) which left a minute early. As Veurne is only just across the French border and the match finished at 17.34, I was in the house exactly 2 hours after the final whistle at 19.34 !

Midland League

Division 3

Wednesday 9th May 2018

Kick Off 19.00 Actual 19.06

Continental Star 5 Birmingham Tigers 1,  attendance 17

5’ 1-0

16’ 2-0

30’ 3-0

71’ 4-0

80’ 5-0

81’ 5-1

@ The Hub

101 Holford Drive

Perry Barr

Birmingham

B42 2TU

No Admission or Programme.

This was very much end of season fayre as thirteenth in the league table entertained the team two places above them. Star had it won in the opening half hour, by which time they were 3-0 up. With ten minutes left they made it 5-0, but conceded within a minute. A couple of minutes later they gave away a penalty, but it was saved by their ‘keeper. The Referee blew for full time a couple of minutes early, but not sure if this was because of fading light, or whether he had just had enough.

Below photo : Nice sight to see as you enter the gate to the ground. Just shows what kind of world we live in these days.

Northants Combination League

Premier Division

Tuesday 8th May 2018

Kick Off 18.30 Actual 18.32

Roade 3 Spratton 0,  attendance 31

8’ 1-0

84’ 2-0

90’ + 2, 3-0

@ Connolly Way

off Hyde Road

Roade

NN7 2LU

No Admission or Programme.

This was 7th versus 12th (2nd bottom) in the league table, in what was the last match of the season for both teams. Spratton have climbed off the bottom of the table, having drawn their last two away games, but have failed to win any of their previous 23, having picked up 9 draws along the way, so this was the last chance for them to get a win on the board.

Roade went in front early on with a breakaway goal that was a good 7-8 yards offside. The Spratton ‘keeper was their man of the match, pulling off endless saves to keep them in it. The two late goals were a little harsh on the visitors, but the score line did reflect how the game had gone. It means that Brixworth All Saints will have to win their final match to leapfrog Spratton at the foot of the table, whilst Roade finish the season in fifth place.

South West Peninsula League

Division 1 West

Monday 7th May 2018

Kick Off 14.00 Actual 14.02

Wendron United 1 Millbrook 6,  attendance 61

11’ 0-1 (pen)

23’ 0-2

43’ 0-3

48’ 0-4

50’ 0-5

58’ 1-5

83’ 1-6

@ Under Lane

Carnkie

TR13 0EH

£3 Admission

No Programme.

As I expected, Illogan R.B.L. couldn’t be bothered to play their ‘bottom of the table’ decider at home to Bude Town, but it won’t bother them one bit as they will get a pathetic punishment for failing to fulfill the fixture, so I was at one of my back up matches, here at Wendron United. It shows what a sorry state the South West Peninsula League is in when a number of other matches were also off due to cry offs, one of which was the Premier Division match at Sticker, which I also still need, due to the away team not fancying it !

As with the match I saw at Bude Town on Saturday, Wendron United are another club who don’t bother doing a match programme, which as said before, is, or was, a league requirement to do so.

The match itself was 5th bottom versus top in the league table. Millbrook knew a win would mean that only Ludgvan can now prevent them from winning the league, but will have to win their last two matches, both of which are away, to do so, as Millbrook now lead them by 5 points and still have one match to play themselves, so are very much in the driving seat.

Below photo : Millbrook open the scoring from the penalty spot.

North Devon League

Intermediate Division 1

Sunday 6th May 2018

Kick Off 15.00 Actual 14.55

Bridgerule 5 North Molton Sports Club Reserves 2,  attendance 11

38’ 0-1

44’ 1-1

48’ 2-1

52’ 2-2

58’ 3-2

82’ 4-2

87’ 5-2

@ Vinnicombe Park

Chapel Corner

Bridgerule

EX22 7EN

No Admission or Programme.

The North Devon League is not the most reliable for Sunday fixtures actually taking place and is sadly one of the worst hit leagues for having teams that cry off from fixtures at short notice. Thankfully, there were no such problems here today, as arriving at the ground an hour before kick off, there were already players from both teams there and pretty much everyone was there by 14.10. It was perhaps helped by the fact that it was 6th versus 1st in the league table and Bridgerule had a resounding 11-0 away win yesterday.

The Referee got the game started five minutes early, on a really hot afternoon, with a two minute drinks break taken halfway through each half. North Molton finally broke the deadlock on 38 minutes, but were pegged back when a clearance off the goal line hit the ‘keeper on the back, rebounding into the net, just before halftime. Bridgerule came on strongly in the second half and could have easily bagged another couple more goals, such was their dominance. The win now sees them move up to fifth in the league table, ten points off today’s visitors.

South West Peninsula League

Division 1 West

Saturday 5th May 2018

Kick Off 14.00  On Time !

Bude Town 3 Wendron United 1,  attendance 54

26’ 1-0 (pen)

72’ 2-0

78’ 3-0

88’ 3-1

@ Broadclose Park

Broadclose Hill

Bude

EX23 8DR

£3 Admission

No Programme.

I was quite lucky to notice that the kick off time for this match had been brought forward by an hour. I spotted the time had altered on the league website at around midnight on Friday, but neither club had any mention of it on their twitter accounts. Wendron did tweet about it being a 14.00 kick off at around 9 o’clock on Saturday morning (apparently they wanted to get home early due to a number of their players attending an evening wedding reception), but Bude didn’t bother, which may explain why there were only around 20 people in the ground at kick off, although it did increase over the next twenty minutes or so !

Another thing Bude don’t bother with is producing a matchday programme, which I believe they are supposed to do as a league requirement, but it probably isn’t worth their while with such low crowds.

Bude are bottom of the league table, but only because they have an inferior goal difference to Illogan R.B.L., whilst Wendron are fifth from bottom, but are in no danger of being relegated.

Bude were up for it from the start and should have been two goals to the good before finally making the breakthrough from the penalty spot, with the Referee awarding the penalty for a handball just inside the 18 yard box, which he apparently saw from inside the centre circle from where he was well behind play (only club linesmen in this division, who don’t do anything except offsides and balls in/out).

A cracking dipping shot from 25 yards doubled their lead, before the ‘keeper dropped a high ball to gift a tap in from a couple of yards for the third. Wendron got their consolation goal when their striker coolly slotted past the ‘keeper following a defensive mix up.

So, with Illogan R.B.L. beating St. Blazey 3-0 today, it is on to Bank Holiday Monday, and the last game of the season, where Illogan will host Bude, to decide who finishes bottom of the table. Bude will occupy last position, unless they win the match, so they go into it as slight underdogs. Despite this being a match I plan to watch, I am not convinced that Illogan will actually bother to turn up, as they have already thrown a match against third from bottom Plymstock United, so what is to stop them doing the same here ? The punishment for failing to fulfil fixtures is nowhere near harsh enough, so clubs would rather pay a fine than turn up and play matches…….anyway, all will be revealed on Monday.

Below photo : Bude take the lead from the penalty spot.

Devon & Exeter League

Division 1

Friday 4th May 2018

Kick Off 19.00 Actual 19.04

Colyton 5 University of Exeter 2nds 1,  attendance 69

37’ 0-1

41’ 1-1

49’ 2-1

55’ 3-1

73’ 4-1

86’ 5-1

@ The Peace Memorial Playing Field

Coly Road

Colyton

EX24 6PU

No Admission or Programme.

This was 1st versus 2nd in the league table. Colyton kept their unbeaten record intact, having won 13 and drawn 3 of their 16 matches. University were the better side for long periods of the first half, taking the lead with a free kick curled into the top corner after 37 minutes, but only led for four minutes. In the second half the students were given a real lesson in finishing and were lucky to only lose by a four goal margin in the end, such was the dominance of the hosts.

Colyton now lead the division by 5 points and still have three games in hand over University. Third placed Perry Street & Yonder Hill trail the students by a further 6 points, but do have two games in hand, so are still in contention for promotion at the end of the season.

Cambridgeshire County League

Division Senior B

Thursday 3rd May 2018

Kick Off 18.45. On Time !

Bluntisham Rangers 2 March Town United Reserves 0,  attendance 26

33’ 1-0

61’ 2-0 (pen)

@ Bluntisham Recreation Ground

Mill Lane

Bluntisham

PE28 3LP

No Admission or Programme.

Despite this being a mid table match, with neither side able to finish in either a promotion or relegation position, this was really hard fought. Both goals were scored by the home Number 9, his first goal being coolly slotted in, having beaten a couple of defenders, as well as rounding the ‘keeper.

The Referee, who was being assessed, gave March very few decisions and they felt hard done by on a number of occasions and rightly so. Some of the fouls he failed to award were baffling.

Car parking was at a premium tonight, as there was also a cricket match taking place and the building that houses the changing rooms was being used as a polling station !