Hampshire Premier League

Senior Division

Saturday 22nd February 2020

Kick Off 16.30 Actual 16.31

Liphook United 0 Infinity 4, attendance 33

26’ 0-1

62’ 0-2

66’ 0-3

82’ 0-4

@ Front Lawn Community Hub, 3G Pitch

Somborne Drive

Havant

PO9 5AN

No Admission or Programme.

It seems ridiculous that Liphook United played their ‘home’ game some twenty miles from their base, on a hired 3G pitch, but at least the unusual late kick off meant it gave me a double today and also completed visits to all the Hampshire Premier League grounds for me, as this is where Denmead play their matches in Division 1.

I saw Infinity lose 4-0 away at Bush Hill on the last day of last season, in what was a title decider, with both teams going into the match level on points, but with Bush Hill having the better goal difference. It looks very much like it being a two way battle for the title between the same two clubs this time round as well. Infinity came into this match unbeaten in the league this season, topping the league table, with 18 wins and 3 draws from their twenty one games. Bush Hill are currently third in the league table, some 15 points adrift, but they have four games in hand.

Infinity were just too good for Liphook (8th in the league table) in every department. Somehow, it took twenty six minutes before the breakthrough was made, when a cross from the right was headed in from six yards. It should have been all over by halftime, but Liphook rode their luck and it was still only 0-1 at halftime. The second half was more of the same and it was a case of just how many Infinity would score. Just after the hour mark it was all over. Two more headers, the first from a corner and the second headed past the ‘keeper at the near post, four minutes later, made it 0-3. The final goal came eight minutes from the end with a shot on the run finding the bottom corner of the net from the edge of the box.

The gap remains the same at the top of the league table after this as Bush Hill beat second placed Paulsgrove 5-1 today.

Hampshire Premier League

Division 1

Saturday 22 February 2020

Kick Off 14.00 Actual 14.08

A.F.C. Petersfield 2 Michelmersh & Timsbury 3, attendance 10

18’ 0-1

26’ 1-1

45’ 1-2 (pen)

77’ 2-2 (pen)

87’ 2-3

@ The Petersfield School, 3G Pitch

Cranford Road

Petersfield

GU32 3LU

No Admission or Programme.

I try to avoid doing 3G pitches on a Saturday, preferring to save them in case they host a midweek match, or even do them for friendlies at the start of the season, as games in cages don’t really feel like proper games. I only chose to break the rule today as it meant a double was possible and both matches were more or less guaranteed to go ahead.

This wasn’t really a one off venue. A.F.C. Petersfield normally play home matches at Love Lane (on a pitch adjacent to the ground of Petersfield Town) where I visited on 18th March 2017, seeing them lose 0-1 to Upham. They have now played five home games (out of 11) here at The Petersfield School. Today was their last home match of the season, due to there being just twelve teams in this division.

With this being second bottom versus fourth bottom in the league table, I wasn’t expecting great things. I was expecting a rather better match than the one these two very poor teams put on though. Neither team had much idea and quite how five goals were scored is a mystery. M & T took the lead with a free kick that went straight into the net with little attempt to block it. Petersfield levelled with a goal out of nothing, when a turn inside the centre circle saw their striker race clear and score with a shot off the inside of the far post. A penalty on the stroke of halftime made it 1-2 to the visitors, before Petersfield levelled through a penalty of their own, making it 2-2 with thirteen minutes left. A draw would have been a fair result, but a 25 yard free kick into the top corner of the net won it for M & T three minutes from the end.

Having kicked off eight minutes late, plus numerous injuries (mostly fake)it meant this didn’t finish until dead on 16.00. Luckily it was only eighteen minutes drive to my second match.

Leicestershire Senior League

Premier Division

Tuesday 18th February 2020

Kick Off 20.15 Actual 20.18

F.C. Guru Nanak Gurdwara 2 Rugby Borough 9, attendance 19

8’ 0-1

42’ 1-1

43’ 1-2

49’ 1-3

56’ 1-4

59’ 1-5

70’ 1-6

75’ 1-7

81’ 1-8

89’ 2-8

90’+2, 2-9

@ Riverside Football Ground, 3G Pitch

Braunstone Lane East

Leicester

LE3 2FW

No Admission or Programme.

With the main grass pitch being unfit (G.N.G. warmed up on it so it couldn’t have been that bad) this match was switched to the 3G Pitch, which runs end on to the main ground and is nothing more than a cage. There is no designated spectator area, but we were allowed to stand inside the cage to watch. A couple of minutes before kick off there was a flash of lightning, followed by a rumble of thunder. We then had a five minute hailstorm, then five or ten minutes of rain, none of which were forecast. At least it remained dry from here onwards, although there was a very cold wind.

The match was 12th versus 7th in the league table, but there was a huge gulf between the two teams. Rugby scored early on and looked well in control. G.N.G. did come back into it and did well to level it up three minutes before the break, but conceded again within a minute to go in 1-2 down at the break. An early second half goal made it 1-3 and from then on it was one way traffic. Rugby should have scored well into double figures, such was their dominance.

Northern Ireland

Premier Intermediate League

Saturday 15th February 2020

Kick Off 15.00. On Time !

Moyola Park 1 Dollingstown 4, attendance 56

29’ 0-1

32’ 0-2

63’ 1-2

81’ 1-3

84’ 1-4

@ Mill Meadow

26 Bridge Street

Castledawson

BT45 8EB

£6 Admission

No Programme.

I chose this match for two reasons. Firstly, there was a threat that the rain that was accompanying Storm Dennis may be a problem, but it wouldn’t affect this match due to the 3G surface. Secondly, it would make full use of the hire car, as Castledawson is 36 miles northwest of Belfast and much harder to reach if on public transport. Of my other two choices of game today, both on grass pitches, Knockbreda (just under an hours journey from Belfast City Centre using bus and then on foot) was called off less than an hour before kick off. The other, Dundela (easily walkable from Belfast City Centre) went ahead without problems.

It was 140 years ago yesterday, that Moyola Park played their first ever match, beating Cliftonville 3-0 in a friendly match. On 9th April 1881 they were inaugural winners of the Irish F.A. Cup, beating Cliftonville 1-0 in the final, which to this day is their only trophy they have won at Senior level. Nowadays, they play in the Premier Intermediate League, which is level three of Northern Irish football.

I had been to Moyola Park before, when I saw them lose 0-1 to Ballymena United in a pre-season friendly on 31st July 2007, whilst I was in Northern Ireland for a week to watch the ‘Milk Cup’ Youth Tournament’. In those days they played at their ‘Moyola Park’ ground, which was part of the country estate of the same name. They left the ground at the end of the 2008/09 season, playing the first part of the 2009/10 season at Coagh United’s Hagan Park, before moving to their new ground on 16th January 2010, when they hosted Lurgan Celtic.

Moyola Park came into this second bottom in the league table, but a win would see them climb three places. Dollingstown were fifth, but a win would see them rise to third. Dollingstown looked the better team from the off, going close a number of times, before finally making the breakthrough when a fumble by the ‘keeper was put in from close range by substitute Aaron Duke, who was on early due to an injury to Thompson. Duke added a second a few minutes later, going round the ‘keeper and finishing from a tight angle to give the visitors a 0-2 lead at halftime.

Just after the hour mark Moyola Park were back in it, when a volley from the edge of the box was half blocked by the ‘keeper, but the ball was spinning viciously and he was unable to stop it crossing the goal line. The game remained in the balance, but with nine minutes left, a pass was taken down by Duke and smashed into the top corner of the net, to complete his hat trick and seal the points for the visitors. Three minutes later he added his fourth goal of the day, stooping to head in from close range, after a shot had rebounded off the crossbar, to make it 1-4.

Storm Dennis wasn’t really much of a storm after all. It had rained for around forty five minutes before kick off, but remained dry then until a heavy downpour five minutes before halftime. The dark clouds moved in at the start of the second half, resulting in the floodlights being turned on, but after a brief rain shower, it soon moved on and there was blue sky and sunshine for brief spells during the second half.

Northern Ireland

Premiership

Friday 14th February 2020

Kick Off 19.45 Actual 19.44

Warrenpoint Town 2 Institute 2, attendance 194

19’ 1-0

42’ 1-1

83’ 2-1

89’ 2-2

@ Milltown

88 Upper Dromore Road

Warrenpoint

BT34 3PN

£12 Admission

No Programme.

With all Premiership matches switched to Friday night, to avoid teams playing the same day as the League Cup Final at Windsor Park tomorrow night, it was a perfect opportunity to visit the only ground I hadn’t been to in the top division in Northern Ireland. Despite it being second bottom versus bottom in the league table, it was very much all to play for. Warrenpoint held a two point lead coming into the match and knew a win would probably ensure their survival in the top flight. Institute knew anything other than a defeat would be a good result.

Warrenpoint opened the scoring with a deflected shot that gave the ‘keeper no chance of making a save and also saw a shot smash against the crossbar as they attempted to double their lead. Three minutes before the break it was 1-1, when Institute swept the ball in from 8 yards after a cross was not cleared. The second half saw both teams go close and after a couple of good chances for the visitors, Warrenpoint broke away and a cross from the right was sent into the bottom corner by a cushioned volley, for what would surely be the winner. Institute showed some real fight though and with a minute left they were awarded a free kick wide on the left. It was floated into the six yard box and as a number of players challenged for the ball it ended up being flicked into the net for what was probably a deserved equaliser.

Spartan South Midlands League

Division 1

Tuesday 11th February 2020

Kick Off 19.45 Actual 19.50

Stotfold 0 London Lions 0, attendance 168 (official)

@ New Roker Park

Arlesey Road

Stotfold

SG5 4HE

£6 Admission

Programme available, didn’t bother buying.

I visited Stotfold at their old Roker Park ground back on 23rd February 1995, when they beat Potton United 5-1 in a United Counties League Premier Division match. On Saturday they played the first match at the brand new ‘New Roker Park’, attracting a very impressive 644 crowd, although it doesn’t look like many of those will return, as tonight’s crowd was only 168 and over twenty of those were groundhoppers.

The ground is exactly what you would expect of any new ground built these days for Step 5 or Step 6 clubs. A seated Atcost stand, a small metal section of standing area and a green barrier around the pitch. The only difference here is that it has a grass pitch, as opposed to the usual 3G pitches that are becoming all too common. As far as dull and bland goes, it is up there with the best!

The match itself was absolutely dreadful. It was 6th versus 8th in the league table, with very little to choose between two very negative teams. London Lions did have a goal disallowed for a foul and also managed a shot against the crossbar. I think Stotfold did have one shot, or perhaps two. Neither chance looked like being a goal.

Spain

La Liga

Sunday 9th February 2020

Kick Off 18.30 Actual 18.32

Real Club Celta Vigo 2 Sevilla F.C. 1, attendance 20,375

23’ 0-1

78’ 1-1

90’+1, 2-1

@ Estadio de Balaidos

Avenida de Balaidos

36210 Vigo

€30 Admission, Print at Home Ticket

No Programme.

Problems obtaining tickets for this match led to us buying the tickets for our other matches at the stadiums on the day. Celta finally put the tickets on sale on the Tuesday before the match, but the website immediately crashed, not helped by the fact they had decided to offer members the chance to buy up to 4 tickets each at just €5 per ticket. By the following day it was back up and running, but not long enough to obtain tickets. As a way of an apology, they said members could now obtain two tickets free of charge. Our chances of getting tickets were now looking slimmer. It was late on Thursday evening before I managed to choose our seats online, but the website went down again before completing the transaction! Finally, two tickets were purchased. Or so I thought. The money was taken, but the e-mail came through saying there was a problem issuing the tickets. Even worse, there was no reference number! The bank was contacted and they confirmed that Celta had taken the €60 (2 tickets) from the account. An hour and a half later, another e-mail appeared, this time containing the tickets to download. Phew!

The Estadio de Balaidos was opened in 1928, undergoing renovation in 2004, then again from 2015-18. Capacity is apparently somewhere between 29,000-31,000, depending where you read, but it is more likely lower than both those figures, especially if you take into account that tonight’s attendance was just over 20,000 and there was no way there were another 9,000 empty seats.

Just like Valladolid last night, this is a stadium that hosted matches during the 1982 World Cup Finals. It hosted three group 1 games, involving Italy versus Poland, Peru and Cameroon respectively. The two side stands look far more modern, with cladding on the outside masking the older structure below. The exterior of the two goal ends is more likely original. The stadium was easily walkable from our hotel, which was a real bonus, as there seemed no obvious parking at, or near the stadium. When entering the ground we had another first, when we had to produce our passports to confirm the number matched that on the ticket.

Celta had started the weekend sitting in 19th place (Out of 20) in the league table, but were actually bottom at the time of kicking off the match, as R.C.D. Espanyol had climbed above them by winning their game earlier in the day. Sevilla were fourth and on the evidence of the first half, they would comfortably maintain their position. A mistake by the full back saw En-Nesyri break through and clip the ball past the on rushing ‘keeper to open the scoring for the visitors. Three more one on one chances were wasted, but it didn’t really matter as Celta never threatened. The second half was a complete turnaround. As bad as Celta were in the first half, Sevilla were equally as poor in the second. The game looked to be drifting to a dull 0-1 result, then out of nothing Celta levelled the scores. The ball was taken around the ‘keeper by Iago Aspas, who forced his shot in at the near post, despite two defenders best efforts to keep it out. It was one way traffic from here. Celta attacked at every opportunity and just as we entered stoppage time, the Sevilla defence were unable to prevent the ball being played across the box and second half substitute Sisto fired in the winning goal that went in off the far post.

It was an unlikely outcome, with Celta trailing as we entered the last quarter of an hour, but the win was enough to lift them out of the relegation zone on 20 points. The bottom three clubs all have 18 points.

Spain

Segunda B Division

Group 1

Sunday 9th February 2020

Kick Off 12.00 Actual 12.01

Real Club Celta Vigo ‘B’ 3 Sociedad Cultural Recreativa Pena Deportiva 1, attendance 475

12’ 1-0

73’ 2-0

81’ 2-1 (pen)

84’ 3-1

@ Campo de Futbol Municipal de Barreiro

Avenida de Ramon Nieto 326

Barreiro

36214 Vigo

€15 Admission

Team Sheet, free.

It was an early start today to do a match in the third level of the national league. The 271 mile journey west to the Galician coast took just shy of 4 hours. If the match at Real Valladolid C.F. hadn’t been moved to Saturday evening, we would have had a much easier 1 hour 25 minute drive from Braga instead, but everything doesn’t always go to plan.

The ground here is owned by Vigo City Council and as well as hosting Celta ‘B’ games it is also home to Gran Pena F.C., who play in the fifth level of Spanish football. Capacity is given as 4,500, which is generous to say the least. Perhaps, like the attendance figures for this match, it is rather inflated. My crowd count of 475 was well short of the 750 and 900 crowds quoted in the newspapers at the hotel!

The result was not expected. Celta came into this match in eighteenth place (third bottom) in the league table, whilst Pena Deportiva, who are from the island of Ibiza, were in fifth place, only being outside the promotion play off places due to having an inferior goal difference. A mazy run, beating three players, ended with a shot into the far corner of the net to open the scoring for Celta after twelve minutes. The second goal didn’t come until the seventy third minute, when a cross from the left was headed in to make it 2-0. Pena Deportiva were back in it when they scored a penalty with just under ten minutes left, but within a few minutes it was 3-1, when a free kick was curled into the box and headed down into the bottom corner of the net.

Spain

La Liga

Saturday 8th February 2020

Kick Off 18.30 Actual 18.31

Real Valladolid C.F. 1 Villarreal C.F. 1, attendance 19,557

15’ 1-0

53’ 1-1

@ Estadio Jose Zorrilla

Avenida del Mundial 82

47014 Valladolid

€40 Admission

No Programme.

The Estadio Jose Zorrilla was opened in 1982 and was used as a venue during the 1982 World Cup Finals, hosting three group matches involving France, Kuwait and Czechoslovakia. The current capacity is 27,846 with plans to increase to 40,000 in the future. From the outside it doesn’t look that big, but when you enter through the turnstiles you realise it is because the first tier of seats are below ground level.

Calling in at the stadium on our way to the afternoon match turned out to be invaluable. We were told that at six o’clock, which would be around the time we would be arriving, the car park queue would be long and slow. Instead, we were advised to use the supermarket car park on the opposite side of the stadium. As it turned out, the SatNav took us in the direction of the main stadium car park. Indeed the queue was bad, but we just followed the lead of the locals and parked on the grass at the side of the road running alongside. It was only a few hundred yards walk to the stadium from here and we headed straight to the ticket office (it was closed when we were here earlier) to find no queue, so tickets were quickly obtained and we were in our seats twenty minutes before kick off. Result!

The match was 14th versus 7th in the league table. Villarreal have been on a reasonable run lately, bar a defeat to second tier club C.D. Mirandes on Wednesday night in the Copa Del Rey, the scheduling of which was the cause of our game tonight being put back a day. Valladolid attacked from the off and it looked like that had taken an early lead, but the goal was chalked off for offside. It only took them fifteen minutes to open the scoring though, when a cross from the right was volleyed in from 15 yards. They missed some good chances, but just couldn’t find the second goal. Villarreal came back into the game during the second half, equalising eight minutes in. Until now we had assumed that the 17 fans in the away section of the stadium was the sum of their support, but it turned out that there were much larger numbers present, judging by the amount of people in our vicinity who celebrated the goal. It took V.A.R. four minutes to finally decide the goal should stand. Does it really need to take that long to check a replay of any incident.

Both teams went for a winning goal, rather than settle for a draw. It was end to end stuff, but littered with yellow cards as the game became stretched. The atmosphere was good and the place must be absolutely rocking when full. The stadium looked very impressive from the inside too, perhaps helped by the seats being in the purple and white club colours, which is a little bit different to the usual red, blue, black etc.

Spain

1st Division Regional

Castillo-León Group B

Saturday 8th February 2020

Kick Off 16.00 Actual 16.01

Betis C.F. Valladolid 0 Club Deportivo Onzonilla 0, attendance 54

@ Nemesio Gomez Ruperez “Peque”

Calle Canterac 73

47012 Valladolid

No Admission or Programme.

Even though we were in Portugal, and I had managed to find us three new ground visits today, which would have culminated at Sporting Clube Braga with a 18.00 kick off, we decided to head back east into Spain. There were two reasons for this. Firstly, this trip was booked with the intention of being a “Spanish weekend”. Secondly, my mate is trying to complete visits to all the La Liga grounds, and there were originally going to be two more off his list done this weekend, so that is what became the priority.

The only problem with this though, would be finding a match that was doable with the 18.30 evening match at Real Valladolid C.F. We came up trumps, when on Thursday, the day the kick off times are released (ridiculously late) there was a 16.00 kick off at Betis C.F. who play in the fifth level of Spanish football. Our drive in the morning was only 262 miles, which took just over three and a half hours. The good thing was, we would enter the city near to the ground of Real Valladolid C.F. so we could call in and get a feel for the area, then do a dummy run of sorts to the ground of Betis C.F. to make sure it was actually viable. It was, taking just twelve minutes to cover the journey to the east of the city, which was a fraction under three miles.

The match was 11th versus 8th in the league table. It became obvious quite early on that we would be lucky to see a goal today, and so it turned out. Betis C.F. did have a goal disallowed, but neither side looked like scoring in truth. They were just too evenly matched.