Anglian Combination League

Division 2

Saturday 5th March 2022

Kick Off 14.30 Actual 14.31

Beccles Caxton 4 Norwich C.E.Y.M.S. Reserves 4, attendance 23

15’ 0-1

33’ 1-1

34’ 1-2

68’ 1-3

72’ 2-3

78’ 3-3

82’ 3-4

87’ 4-4

@ Caxton Meadow

Ken Markland Way

Off Common Lane

Beccles

NR34 9BU

No Admission or Programme.

A weekend break in Southwold dictated today’s choice of match. In fact, this one wasn’t even considered, until teams who couldn’t be bothered to play games, along with heavy overnight rain, saw matches disappear at an alarming rate. First choice was Division 4 leaders Mutford & Wrentham versus Hemsby, but the visitors requested a call off, despite the F.A. Full Time website showing them having 83 registered players! This is absolutely pathetic and really reflects badly on the league, let alone the club. Top division games at Norwich C.E.Y.M.S. and Blofield United fell victim to waterlogged pitches, but my other choice at Stalham Town, in Division 1, was still on. The visiting team had tweeted they had been told it was ”still on at the minute. Fingers crossed”. I didn’t fancy taking a chance of a late call off and by the time I had spoken to someone at the home club, my SatNav was giving me an arrival time of just four minutes before kick off. I set off, but had only driven a few hundred yards, when the very helpful Beccles Caxton Secretary returned my call. He confirmed their game was on. It was only 25 minutes drive to Beccles, so no pressure. The only reason I had dismissed this was because it was against reserve opposition, but it turned out to be a cracker.

Every so often, you come across a real gem of a ground and it was certainly the case here. There can’t be too many grounds better than this at Step 9. It certainly made a change from standing in a field! Apart from wooden fencing, on almost three full sides of the pitch, there were dugouts, a stand and even a tea bar. A really good set up. Parking is at the College Meadow ground of Beccles Town F.C. and a walk along the dirt track between that ground and the cricket pitch (to the right), sees Caxton Meadow appear in front of you to the left, beyond a small astro training area that has been converted from some old tennis courts. There is also access from Beccles Station, via a footbridge.

It was 10th versus 12th (out of 14) in the league table. Norwich C.E.Y.M.S. started the brighter and opened the scoring fifteen minutes in. Caxton levelled just after the half hour mark, but within a minute C.E.Y.M.S. were back in front and it remained 1-2 at halftime. When it went 1-3 midway through the second half, it looked all over. Caxton pulled one back, when a scuffed shot totally deceived the ’keeper, before a ball clipped into the box was slid in, on the volley, to make it 3-3 with twelve minutes left. Having fought hard to draw level, Caxton went behind again, a break down the right saw a first time cross, put in at the far post to make it 3-4. Three minutes from time it was 4-4, when a C.E.Y.M.S. defender trying to cut out a cross, diverted the ball past his own ’keeper to see the points shared. Caxton had a man sent off in the last minute, picking up a second yellow card, and despite both teams having a chance to win it in stoppage time, a draw was a fair result.

British Universities & Colleges Sport

Midlands 4A

Wednesday 2nd March 2022

Kick Off 15.00 Actual 15.04

University Wolverhampton 0 Brooksby Melton College 1, attendance 6

87’ 0-1

@ University of Wolverhampton, Walsall Campus, 3G Pitch

Broadway (A4148)

Walsall

WS1 3TA

No Admission or Programme.

As with last Wednesday’s visit to University of Bath, this was another complex where I was returning to see a game played on a third different pitch. On 11th March 2009 I saw Wolverhampton lose 3-4 to Aston University, on a pitch immediately to the left of the driveway as you enter off Broadway. That pitch is now partially covered by additional car parking. Then on 9th June 2018 I saw Singh Brothers Derby beat A.F.C. Coventry Lions 3-1 in a Khalsa Football Federation Tournament match, which was played on a pitch adjacent to the former pitch, beyond a line of trees and sandwiched between these and the boundary fence of Walsall Rugby Club. Although the pitch is still there, it looks like it is no longer in use and hasn’t had the grass cut in months.

Today’s game was on the 3G pitch, a standard cage with spectator access along three quarters of one side. The match was 4th versus 3rd in the league table. It wasn’t high on quality and saw very few clear cut chances created. Wolverhampton were the better side for long periods, but just didn’t capitalise. BMC came on strong in the closing stages and nicked the win in the dying minutes. A through ball found their No.9 and he held off two defenders, before firing low into the far corner from the edge of the box.

West Sussex League

Premier Division

Saturday 26th February 2022

Kick Off 14.00 Actual 14.02

Lavant 2 Petworth 2, attendance 12

11’ 0-1

18’ 1-1

67’ 1-2

88’ 2-2

@ Florence Park

Pound Farm Road

Chichester

PO19 7TB

No Admission or Programme.

When I last saw Lavant play at home, it was at Raughmere Park, in the village itself, but that ground has been given over to housing. They are developing a new ground further down the hill, on the opposite side of the road to the Village Hall, which they are hoping will be in use for the start of next season. In the meantime, they are playing this season’s home games at Florence Park, in Chichester. After today, they only have two more games scheduled here, both of which I am unavailable for, so it was the ideal time to tick this one off, which would once again complete the top division for me.

The game was a real basement battle, as bottom of the table hosted second bottom. Lavant had only managed to pick up three points from their opening thirteen matches, all from draws, whilst Petworth had managed two wins and two draws from their eleven matches so far.

Lavant are under new management for the final five games of the season, but it will be more about turning their fortunes round for next season, as avoiding relegation this time round now looks very unlikely, having failed to take all three points today. Petworth took the lead on eleven minutes, but Lavant levelled the score within seven minutes and it was still 1-1 at halftime. Midway through the second half the visitors edged back in front and really should have gone on to win the game, but having failed to take a number of good chances, they were pegged back with just two minutes left. A diagonal ball into the box, from a free kick out on the right, saw a looping header at the far post go over the ’keeper and drop in the far corner to give the hosts a share of the points.

Hampshire Combination & Development League

U23 Division East

Thursday 24th February 2022

Kick Off 20.05 Actual 20.07

A.F.C. Hiltingbury U23 1 Romsey Town U23 4, attendance 12

1’ 0-1

22’ 0-2

28’ 1-2

41’ 1-3

60’ 1-4

@ Perins School, 3G Pitch

Pound Hill

New Alresford

SO24 9BS

No Admission or Programme.

This was 11th (bottom) versus 7th in the league table. Despite having just two wins from their opening twelve matches, Hiltingbury knew a win tonight would lift them two places up the table. However, it wasn’t to be. They went 0-1 down within a minute of the start and Romsey doubled their lead midway through the half, as they looked to be coasting to an easy win. Hiltingbury did pull it back to 1-2, but the two goal lead was restored before halftime and Romsey rounded off the scoring when they made it 1-4 on the hour mark.

The cage had no spectator viewing area, but the match officials had no problem allowing watching from inside the fence.

South Wales Alliance League

Division 1

Wednesday 23rd February 2022

Kick Off 19.00 Actual 19.02

Clwb Cymric 4 Penrhiwfer 0, attendance 43

16’ 1-0

22’ 2-0

28’ 3-0

55’ 4-0

@ Ocean Park Arena, 3G Pitch

Beignon Close

off Ocean Way

Cardiff

CF24 5HF

No Admission or Programme.

Ocean Park Arena is situated between Cardiff city centre and Cardiff Docks. There is an indoor training area and a second 3G pitch of smaller dimensions to suit youth football. The main pitch has spectator access behind the near goal and along the left hand side, where there are also a couple of 100 seat atcost stands.

The match was 4th versus 14th (out of 15) in the league table and went pretty much to form. Clwb Cymric were 3-0 up inside half an hour, with three quality finishes and had also hit the crossbar before they opened the scoring, as well as having another effort deflected against the woodwork shortly before halftime. Ten minutes into the second half they rounded off the scoring, when a shot on the turn went over the ’keeper from 30 yards out, finding the top corner. They did manage to hit the crossbar once more, but never looked like adding to their goal tally in a routine win.

The win lifts them up to third in the table, some 10 points adrift of leaders Vale United and five behind second placed Cardiff Airport, who have three games in hand on the other two. Unfortunately for Clwb Cymric, the four teams below them have enough games in hand to go above them as well, so gaining promotion is not going to be easy for them.

British Universities & Colleges Sport

National Championship

Quarter Final

Wednesday 23rd February 2022

Kick Off 13.00 Actual 13.03

University Bath 1 University Loughborough 2, attendance 120

32’ 0-1

61’ 1-1 (pen)

87’ 1-2 (pen)

@ University of Bath Sports Training Village

St Johns Sports Pitches, Pitch 1

Norwood Avenue

Claverdon Down

Bath

BA2 7AY

No Admission or Programme.

This was the third time I had visited the Sports Training Village. The first time was for Bristol Rovers U18 0 Swindon Town U18 0, in a Football League Youth Alliance match, back on 12th February 2000, when they played on a pitch to the rear of the athletics track. The second visit was for a game on the athletics track pitch itself, on 30th April 2001, where Team Bath beat Larkhall Athletic 2-0 in a Western League Division 1 match. Today’s match was played on Pitch 1 of the St. Johns Sports Pitches, which is on the right hand side of Norwood Avenue when entering the complex off Claverdon Down Road and a good 400 yards before reaching the athletics track.

The match was between two very evenly matched teams and it became obvious from very early on it wasn’t going to be a goal fest. The pitch certainly didn’t help and was very bobbly, which made playing good football difficult for both sides. Loughborough went ahead just after the half hour mark, finishing from a tight angle, after rounding the ’keeper following a flick on from a long ball. Just after the hour mark, out of nothing, Bath drew level from the penalty spot, following a trip on a striker cutting into the box. There were a couple of half chances for each side, before Loughborough won it with a penalty of their own, with just three minutes left.

Hellenic League

Division 1

Tuesday 22nd February 2022

Kick Off 19.45 Actual 19.49

Studley 3 F.C. Stratford 0, attendance 116 (official 87)

12’ 1-0

18’ 2-0

46’ 3-0

@ The Beehive, 3G Pitch

Abbeyfields Drive

off Birmingham Road

Studley

B80 7BF

£6 Admission

£1 Programme. Wasn’t offered one at gate, so assume sold out?

When I last came here, on 13th May 1993, it was to see Studley B.K.L. lose 1-2 to Bloxwich Town in a Midland Combination League Premier Division match. The game was played on the pitch that runs widthways when exiting the back of the clubhouse. Tonight’s game was on the 3G pitch beyond this, running parallel to the former pitch and accessed through a caged in walkway. At least there is spectator viewing around the entire pitch and there is even a seated stand on the far side.

It is widely perceived that the Hellenic League is the worst Step 5/6 in the pyramid, with some very basic grounds, although this is probably improving slowly. It certainly doesn’t help when they have the dreadful Step 7 level of their league, that doesn’t even feed automatically to the division above and if there was ever a league that needed to be absorbed back into county league football, then this would be top of the list, with the Central Midlands League a close second.

At least tonight’s fixture had the look of a decent game, as 2nd hosted 7th in the league table. Studley missed the chance to go top of the table on Saturday, but they suffered a surprise 1-4 defeat at home to Malmesbury Victoria. There was no chance of a slip up tonight though. They were 2-0 up after just eighteen minutes, before Stratford then lost their ’keeper to injury seven minutes later, replaced by an outfield player. Any chance of a comeback disappeared a minute into the second half when Studley made it 3-0. It was very comfortable from then on and they cruised to an easy three points.

They now top the table with just six games remaining. They are a point clear of Clanfield 85, who only have three to play, whilst Worcester Raiders are third, a further two points back, but they also have six games left.

There was a large turn out of ground hoppers tonight, probably in the high twenties, despite this being one of the hosts on the up coming Hellenic League ’Hop at Easter. I was surprised that the difference between the number actually watching the game, compared to the official attendance differed by 29. That’s quite a few ‘hangers on’ getting a freebie. They will certainly be in for a shock when the Groundhop U.K. fanfare rolls in to town.

Oxfordshire Senior League

Ben Turner Cup

Quarter Final

Saturday 19th February 2022

Kick Off 14.00 Actual 14.01

Oxford Irish Athletic 2 Garsington 4, attendance 22

7’ 0-1

33’ 1-1

44’ 1-2

51’ 1-3

56’ 2-3

81’ 2-4

@ The Oxford Academy, 3G Pitch

Sandy Lane West

Littlemore

Oxford

OX4 6JZ

No Admission or Programme.

I had decided early on that I wasn’t going to risk a late call off on a grass pitch this afternoon, so played safe by choosing an easy 3G option. It isn’t something that I’m too keen on for a Saturday afternoon, but this cup tie had caught my eye before I knew that they were playing the game here, as the F.A. Full Time website shows the wrong venue, but the club did tweet the correct ground and it was a ground move that had gone under the radar, as they have played quite a few games here already this season.

The match was 7th in Division 1 versus 9th in the Premier Division. Garsington went ahead early on, sliding in the opener at the far post, before seeing a header come back off the post that could have doubled their lead. Irish levelled just after the half hour mark, with Garsington missing the chance to regain the lead within a minute, seeing a penalty saved, but they did regain the lead a minute before halftime, with a cracking finish into the top corner. The visitors went 1-3 up six minutes into the second half and it looked like they were heading for a comfortable win, but a mistake by the ’keeper, trying to clear a through ball, saw the striker roll the ball into the empty net to pull it back to 2-3. Garsington finally killed the game off nine minutes from time, when a diagonal ball from the right was smashed into the roof of the net to make it 2-4.

The cage has a spectator viewing area along three quarters of one side.

Football League Youth Alliance

South West Conference

Saturday 19th February 2022

Kick Off 11.00 Actual 11.01

Oxford United U18 3 Portsmouth U18 0, attendance 23

24’ 1-0

57’ 2-0

69’ 3-0

@ The Oxford Sports Park

Oxford United Training Centre

Horspath Road

Oxford

OX4 2RR

No Admission or Programme.

It was back on 30th October 1993 that I saw Oxford United U18 last play a home match. Oddly, it was also against Portsmouth, a 3-2 win in a South East Counties Youth League Cup 2nd Round match, which was played at Brasenose College Sports Ground. Today was a chance to see them at their new training facility, which was officially opened on 18th December 2019.

Today’s match was the final league game of the season, as 5th hosted 3rd in the South West Conference table. Oxford needed a win to guarantee a top five finish, which would advance them into the Merit League, where they play against the top five teams from the South East Conference.

Three hours of heavy rain were forecast for Oxford from 11 o’clock onwards, but at least it meant the game was likely to go ahead, although not guaranteed to finish. A couple of minutes before kick off it duly arrived and it was very unpleasant trying to watch the game in near horizontal rain and a biting wind. The only plus point was that it was coming into our backs, blowing diagonally across the pitch.

Oxford led 1-0 at the break, courtesy of a left footed shot that the ’keeper was unable to keep out, despite getting two hands to it. They added two second half goals, a 20 yarder that gave the ’keeper no chance, then a brilliant 25 yarder curled into the top corner, both of which were wind assisted. They deserved the win though and if it wasn’t for a number of good saves by the Portsmouth ’keeper, the winning margin would have been far greater.

Cheshire League

Premier Division

Wednesday 16th February 2022

Kick Off 20.00 Actual 20.02

Egerton 0 Middlewich Town 1, attendance 29

90’+ 6, 0-1

@ Egerton Youth Club, 3G Pitch

Mereheath Lane

Knutsford

WA16 6SL

No Admission or Programme.

When I saw Egerton beat Daten 3-1 in a Cheshire League Division 1 match on 30th August 2016, it was played on the railed off grass pitch to the right of the building as you enter the car park. The 3G cage is to the rear of the building and as well as spectator access along the near side and behind the goal to the right, there is even a small section of cover!

The match was 2nd versus 7th in the league table. Egerton had the chance to leapfrog leaders F.C. St. Helens when they played away there on Saturday, but a 0-0 draw saw them come into this game still trailing them by two points, knowing that a win tonight would send them top. There were plenty of chances for both teams. Middlewich were just unlucky that the final touch just didn’t come off for them, whilst Egerton just couldn’t seem to hit the target. I lost count of the number of times they hit free kicks from good positions sailing over the cage fences. Two late substitutions saw Egerton really step it up, but we looked to be heading for a certain 0-0, as it was still goalless as we went into the sixth minute of stoppage time. A ball into the box then saw a striker, defender and ’keeper challenge for the ball and it ended up dropping right in front of the gaping net, where the striker lashed it in for an unlikely looking winner.

Despite it being windy, which was blowing mainly across the pitch, it didn’t affect the game and neither the players or match officials seemed the least bit concerned. Thankfully it never rained all evening.