Stratford-upon-Avon Alliance League

Stratford Hospital Cup 1st Round

Thursday 8th August 2019

Kick Off 18.30 Actual 18.32

Welford on Avon 2 South Redditch Athletic 3, attendance 18

16’ 1-0

49’ 1-1

56’ 2-1

57’ 2-2

80’ 2-3

@ Meon Vale Leisure Centre

Bailey Avenue

Meon Vale

CV37 8QW

No Admission or Programme.

With their own ground in Welford-on-Avon still being used for cricket, it meant this match was switched to the relatively new complex here in Meon Vale, some 5 miles south of there. Despite having changing rooms on site, they were not used tonight, so the players got changed in the main Leisure Centre building and walked across the road to the pitch.

Welford looked well in charge, scoring the only goal of the half early on, and South Redditch were resorting to very heavy handed tactics. Two of the visitors strikers moaned at every decision and threats were made to the home club Linesman, which the pathetically weak Referee did nothing about. A minute before halftime one of them was ‘sin binned’ following two head butts and a third attempt at another. At the start of the second half, the 10 men, who had substituted the other moaner by now, looked a much better team and started to play some decent football. They soon levelled it up at 1-1 and even though they went behind again, it was level at 2-2 within a minute. Welford then had their ‘keeper sent off for handling the ball outside his area and it was then a case of just how long it would take South Redditch to score a winning goal, which they finally did with ten minutes left.

Friendly

Wednesday 7th August 2019

Kick Off 18.00 Actual 18.37

R.A.F. Regiment 10 Thetford Town 1, attendance 144

7’ 1-0

16’ 2-0

33’ 3-0

38’ 3-1

45’ 4-1

59’ 5-1

66’ 6-1

72’ 7-1

76’ 8-1

78’ 9-1

89’ 10-1

@ R.A.F. Honington

Heath Road

IP31 1EE

No Admission

Programme, by donation, 8 pages, 1 blank.

This match was played to raise funds to help send Jordon Brown to the U.S.A. to receive medical help that is more advanced than that available to him in the U.K. There was a decent turn out, for what was a real stroll in the park for the R.A.F. team. With Thetford Town having played an Eastern Counties League match last night, the squad tonight was mainly made up of the Reserves. The only reason most of them play for the Reserves, is because they have no Third Team! They were dreadful.

Southern Combination League

Premier Division

Tuesday 6th August 2019

Kick Off 19.45. On Time !

Broadbridge Heath 2 Loxwood 2, attendance 330

29’ 0-1

57’ 1-1

67’ 1-2

89’ 2-2

@ High Wood Hill Sports Ground

Wickhurst Lane

Broadbridge Heath

RH12 3YS

£6 Admission

£1 Programme, 32 pages, poor quality blurred colour printing.

I had been to watch Broadbridge Heath twice before. The first time was on Boxing Day 1998, in a Sussex County League Division 1 match, versus East Preston, which was abandoned at halftime due to a waterlogged pitch, with the score 0-2 at the time. I returned on 20th March 2012, when I saw them beat Uckfield Town 3-2 in a Sussex County League Division 3 match in front of 43 spectators. According to my notes that day, admission was £2, which included the programme.

Tonight was the first match at their new ground, which is only 100 yards or so from their old ground, which is still in use as an athletics arena. As with all new builds, it is bland and dull, with no thought gone into it whatsoever. At least it has a grass pitch, rather than 3G, although this looked in a really poor state and could do with some water on it. I really don’t like doing floodlit matches during the ‘early kick off’ time of the season, but with my only alternate choices for a new visit being a minimum 450 mile round trip, then why not, and it is only half an hours drive from home!

With it being the first match at their new home it attracted plenty of ‘hangers on’ and loads of kids. Add to that at least 30 ground hoppers and you see how they got a very impressive attendance of 330. Once the novelty value wears off though and the kids go back to school, they will more than likely go back to their normal 40-50 crowds for night matches.

Loxwood took the honour of scoring the first goal on the ground, somewhat against the run of play, to lead 0-1 at the break. Broadbridge Heath headed level, but their ‘keeper was beaten with a shot from a good 40 yards to see Loxwood regain the lead. As we approached the dying minutes, Broadbridge Heath levelled it up at 2-2, with a goal aided by a good advantage played by the Referee, following a foul in the build up.

Central Midlands League

Chairman’s Cup Final

Saturday 3rd August 2019

Kick Off 15.00 Actual 15.01

Pinxton 5 Bakewell Town 1, attendance 269

20’ 1-0 (pen)

32’ 2-0

33’ 3-0

57’ 3-1

66’ 4-1

87’ 5-1

@ Burton R.U.F.C.

Peel Croft

Lichfield Street

Burton upon Trent

DE14 3RH

£5 Admission

Programme available, but I won’t buy one at any event organised by or involving Groundhop U.K. in any capacity.

Although this was called the Chairman’s Cup Final, which was the League Challenge Cup winners (Pinxton) versus Division 1 Cup winners (Bakewell Town), it was really only a glorified friendly. It was part of a double header, with the ‘Invitational Cup Final’ between Netherseal St. Peters (Midland Regional Alliance League) and Renishaw Rangers (Central Midlands League North Division) having taken place at noon.

The fact of whether it was a competitive fixture, or a friendly, was of little importance. The main objective was to see a football match played on the ground used by Burton Swifts and then Burton United (a merger of Burton Swifts with Burton Wanderers) in the Second Division of the Football League between 1892 and 1907.

Apart from the fact that the crowd was largely made up of ground hoppers, it didn’t really have the feel of a normal ‘groundhop’ match. The catering was well below par and seemed to be what would be on offer for a rugby union matchday. The food was well overpriced and after two bites, what was left of the £3.50 hotdog I purchased was deposited in the bin. It was disgusting.

The match itself wasn’t great, not helped by the fact that the grass hadn’t been cut and was far too long to try and play football on and it was too one sided to hold the interest. Pinxton were just far too strong for Bakewell, which was perhaps to be expected.

Two years ago Burton R.U.F.C. announced that they would be leaving Peel Croft and moving to an out of town new build. We passed it on our way to St. George’s Park this morning and it really does look a soulless place. Sadly, Peel Croft’s day’s are numbered and yet another wonderful ground that oozes character will soon be no more and it will become a retail park once the rugby club move out.

Pre-Season Friendly

Saturday 3rd August 2019

Kick Off 12.00 Actual 12.02

Acorn Albion 5 The Butchers Arms 3, attendance 3

24’ 0-1

45’ 1-1

46’ 2-1

48’ 2-2

54’ 3-2

60’ 4-2

74’ 5-2

87’ 5-3

@ St. George’s Park, David Beckham Pitch 2, 3G

Newborough Road

Needwood

Burton upon Trent

DE13 9PD

No Admission or Programme.

The Central Midlands League were holding two matches at Burton R.U.F.C. today, with our plan to do the first of the matches at 12 o’clock, then head off for a second game at 3 o’clock. Of the three of us, only the driver would get two new ground visits, as we were unable to find anything suitable for the afternoon. However, as we were en route to our meeting point, I received a text message to say that Acorn Albion had tweeted that their friendly match today was being played at noon and would be at St. George’s Park, although we had no idea which pitch would be used. Two of us had been here before, as Derby County U23s have regularly used the show pitch ‘Wembley Pitch 6’ , so it was a case of turn up and hope for the best. It wasn’t much more than ten minutes drive to Burton R.U.F.C. from here, so it wasn’t going to be a problem. As it turned out, as we drove into the complex, we were pleased to see a team warming up on Pitch 2, who were wearing the yellow and black colours of Acorn Albion, so we would all be getting two new ground visits today after all, it was just that we would now be doing a game at the rugby ground as the second part of a double header.

Acorn Albion played their matches here at St. George’s Park when they were members of the Staffordshire County League Division 2, although they used Pitch 1 and Pitch 3 according to one of their officials, but this season they have transferred to the Midland Regional Alliance League Division 2 and have also moved to Marstons Sports Ground in Burton upon Trent, but that was hosting an event today, hence the switch of venue for this match. The Butchers Arms are from the Chesterfield Sunday League.

Butchers were the better side for the first half, but with this being their first outing of the season they tired noticeably as the second half went on. Acorn are well into their pre-season build up, so they were able to take full advantage, although overall a draw would have been a fair result.

One thing that was unusual today, considering the level of the two teams, was that we actually had four match officials. We asked one of the Linesmen why this was and he said it was because there was a chance that the Referee might not arrive in time as he had been running the line at Luton Town versus Middlesbrough in the League One opener last night!

Pre-Season Friendly

Wednesday 31st July 2019

Kick Off 19.00 On Time !

Old Roan 4 Bexley 4, attendance 9

10’ 1-0

25’ 1-1

30’ 1-2

31’ 1-3

59’ 1-4 (pen)

73’ 2-4

75’ 3-4

86’ 4-4

@ John Roan Foundation Playing Fields

Kidbrooke Park Road

London

SE3 9NF

No Admission or Programme.

Old Roan play in the Bromley & South London Alliance League Division 1, whilst Bexley are in Division 1 West of the Kent County League. Old Roan have previously played in the Kent County League themselves, but left the league at the end of the 2017/18 season.

Despite Old Roan taking an early lead Bexley settled into the game and turned it round to go in 1-3 up at the break. When they scored a penalty, to make it 1-4, it looked like it was all over, but following a number of substitutions they seemed to lose their way. When Old Roan pulled it back to 2-4 they really stepped up the pace and if they had levelled the score a little earlier than they did, then they might have even nicked a winner.

United Counties League

Division 1

Sunday 28th July 2019

Kick Off 17.15 Actual 17.16

Whittlesey Athletic 1 Huntingdon Town 2, attendance 340

70’ 0-1

72’ 1-1

84’ 1-2

@ Feldale Field

Drybread Road

Whittlesey

PE7 1XL

£4 Admission

Programme available, but I won’t buy one at any event organised by Groundhop U.K.

Whittlesey are newly promoted into the United Counties League, despite only finishing in fifth place of the Peterborough & District League last season. They were promoted into the league before, back in 2016, but dropped out after playing only a handful of matches, so I thought it might be a good idea to visit as early as possible into the season, just in case the same thing happens again and it would also see the league completed nice and early, as this was the only ground that I hadn’t visited in the United Counties League line up this season.

The ground is pretty basic for Step 6 and very much a work in progress. The ground is 3 sided, with no access on the dugouts side of the pitch and has a small bit of cover that has been built using scaffolding poles. The bases are in place for the floodlights, which are expected to be up and working by the end of September. Despite it being a horrible day weather wise, the club coped well with what is likely to be the biggest crowd they will get this season, due to it being a groundhop match and it was nice to see that the admission prices hadn’t been hugely inflated like most other matches on the ‘hop and it makes the price charged yesterday at Orton Rangers seem even more of a rip off. How can it possibly have been £1 more expensive to watch a match four levels lower than today ?

As for the match, it wasn’t great. Huntingdon finally broke the deadlock with twenty minutes left, but their lead only lasted two minutes. The winning goal, six minutes from time, was worthy of winning any match, as a 25 yard shot gave the ‘keeper no chance.

Peterborough & District League

Division 3

Saturday 27th July 2019

Kick Off 13.45 Actual 13.50

Orton Rangers 4 Parkside Athletic 1, attendance 220

31’ 1-0

41’ 2-0

56’ 2-1

71’ 3-1

76’ 4-1

@ Nene Valley Community Centre

Candy Street

Peterborough

PE2 9RE

£5 Admission

Programme available, but I won’t buy one at any event organised by Groundhop U.K.

This was the only one of the four grounds that I hadn’t visited previously on today’s ‘hop. It is certainly the most expensive admission I have ever paid for what is basically Step 10 football, and probably the most any club at this level have ever charged for a match.

Despite being such a low level, it was far more entertaining than the rubbish served up at last nights match. Despite raining for most of the first half, the pitch remained in superb condition and both teams gave it a real go. Orton were far the better team and could have won by a much greater margin. Parkside took the honour of ‘goal of the day’ though, with a fantastic lob from close on 35 yards, pulling the score back to 2-1, but they never looked like adding another.

Peterborough & District League

Premier Division

Friday 26th July 2019

Kick Off 19.00 Actual 19.06

Stamford Lions 1 Peterborough Polonia 1, attendance 204

16’ 1-0

65’ 1-1 (pen)

@ Borderville Sports Centre

Ryhall Road

Stamford

PE9 1US

£5 Admission

Programme available, but I won’t buy one at any event organised by Groundhop U.K.

This was the first match of this years United Counties League/Peterborough & District League Groundhop. For some reason the game was not played at the ground where Stamford Lions play their home matches (although that was a bonus as I have already been to the ground of Blackstones F.C. where they ground share) but was instead on a pitch at the rear of Borderville Sports Centre, where there is also a floodlit 3G pitch. Access was via the ground of Stamford F.C., which is adjacent to the Sports Centre and money was collected at a side gate.

The pitch is at the furthest point of the field, but it did have an enclosed feel to it as it was surrounded by grass banking on three sides. It has hosted games in this league in the past, but I don’t think it is currently used by any club at present.

The traffic was horrendous, with the journey up to Lincolnshire taking close on four and a half hours. The match was absolutely dreadful and certainly not worth the effort. As with most of the other matches I have seen in this league, it was dire and not a very good advert for Step 7 football.

Pre-Season Friendly

Tuesday 23rd July 2019

Kick Off 19.45 Actual 19.49

Harpenden Town 1 Ware 3, attendance 41

11’ 0-1

26’ 0-2

56’ 1-2

75’ 1-3

@ Roundwood Park Sports Centre, 3G Pitch

Roundwood Park

Harpenden

AL5 3AE

No Admission or Programme.

Harpenden play in the Premier Division of the Spartan South Midlands League, whilst Ware play one level higher, in the Isthmian League South Central Division.

The first half was dominated by Ware and they were well worth their 0-2 lead at the break. Harpenden made numerous changes for the second half and it certainly made a difference to the game, as they scored one, and could have added a couple more, as it became a much more even contest. Just as it looked like Harpenden may draw level, Ware broke away to make it 1-3.

As the match hit the 90 minute mark, dead on 21.30, the floodlights went off, as the timer reached its cut off point.