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.

Khalsa Football Federation

Derby Tournament

Division 1 Semi Final

Saturday 20th July 2019

Kick Off 15.00 Actual 15.05

Bradford Athletic 5 F.C. Panjab Sandwell 1, attendance 11

16’ 1-0

18’ 2-0

31’ 3-0

57’ 3-1

69’ 4-1

82’ 5-1

@ Darley Playing Fields, Pitch 2

Old Chester Road

Derby

DE1 3SA

No Admission

Tournament Programme, free, 24 pages.

These two teams lacked any real quality, but it served up a pretty entertaining match despite this. Bradford had a man sent off when they were already leading 4-1 and when they made it 5-1 the game was finished and yet again it was a short half, this time by 7 minutes. According to the Referee it was because Sandwell had “had enough”.

Khalsa Football Federation

Derby Tournament

Premier Division

Saturday 20th July 2019

Kick Off 13.00 Actual 13.07

Azaad Sports 4 Singh Brothers Derby 2, attendance 32

39’ 1-0

50’ 2-0

73’ 3-0

75’ 3-1

80’ 4-1 (pen)

81’ 4-2

@ Darley Playing Fields, Pitch 4

Old Chester Road

Derby

DE1 3SA

No Admission

Tournament Programme, free, 24 pages.

Azaad Sports came into this leading the table and only second placed F.C. Khalsa Leicester could catch them. Singh Brothers Derby never looked like winning this. Azaad Sports held a comfortable 2-0 lead, before both teams scored twice in a nine minute spell as we approached the final 17 minutes to make it 4-2. As in the last match, the game was cut short, this time by six minutes.

Khalsa Football Federation

Derby Tournament

Premier 2 Division

Saturday 20th July 2019

Kick Off 11.15 Actual 11.17

Wonder Vaults 2 A.F.C. Coventry Lions 3, attendance 14

24’ 1-0

40’ 1-1

50’ 1-2

58’ 1-3

87’ 2-3

@ Darley Playing Fields, Pitch 1

Old Chester Road

Derby

DE1 3SA

No Admission

Tournament Programme, free, 24 pages.

This match was bottom versus second bottom in the league table and whoever won would retain their place in Premier 2 Division. It was pretty poor quality and easy to see how they are the two worst teams. When Lions went 1-3 up just before the hour mark it looked all over. Wonder Vaults pulled it back to 2-3 with three minutes left, but the Referee then blew the final whistle, although there was no protest from the losers about the short timing of the match, despite it meaning they will be relegated to Division 1 for next years competition.

Khalsa Football Federation

Derby Tournament

Division 2

Saturday 20th July 2019

Kick Off 09.30 Actual 09.35

Shere Punjab Youth 6 Sikh Hunters Reserves 2, attendance 9

16’ 1-0

25’ 1-1

33’ 2-1

36’ 2-2

60’ 3-2

62’ 4-2

73’ 5-2

80’ 6-2

@ Darley Playing Fields, Pitch 3

Old Chester Road

Derby

DE1 3SA

No Admission

Tournament Programme, free, 24 pages.

With 4 pitches in use today, it meant that this was our only choice of match if we were to do all four pitches back to back, rather than having to wait round for the final set of matches in order to complete the set. This was by far the most basic venue I have visited for a Khalsa Tournament and was certainly the worst supported as far as spectator numbers go. In fact, it would be fair to say that the ground hoppers in attendance outnumbered everyone else!

The match itself was quite even during the first half, which ended 2-2, but Shere Punjab Youth won comfortably in the end and could have won by a far bigger margin.

Pre-Season Friendly

Thursday 18th July 2019

Kick Off 19.00 Actual 19.05

Clanfield 1 United Services Portsmouth 2, attendance 21

9’ 0-1

53’ 0-2

90’ 1-2

@ Havant Academy

Wakefords Way

Havant

PO9 5JD

No Admission or Programme.

Clanfield are in the Hampshire Premier League Senior Division, whilst United Services Portsmouth play one level higher, in the Wessex League Division 1.

U.S.P. had two matches tonight, playing a mixed squad in each game. The team that came here were noticeably better than Clanfield, but were very wasteful with their chances. An early goal in each half was all they managed from a very dominant display. The Clanfield goal, in the last minute, was only their second shot on target in the match.

Pre-Season Friendly

Wednesday 17th July 2019

Kick Off 19.30. On Time !

Erith Town 1 Rochester United 5, attendance 30

20’ 1-0

26’ 1-1

47’ 1-2

66’ 1-3

84’ 1-4

89’ 1-5

@ King Henry School, 3G Pitch

Avenue Road

enter via Ramsden Road

Erith

DA8 3BN

No Admission or Programme.

Erith are in the Southern Counties East League Premier Division, whilst Rochester play in Division 1 of the same league. This was as one sided as the score line suggests. Rochester were well on top, especially in the second half, and they could easily have doubled their amount of goals scored.

Pre-Season Friendly

Tuesday 16th July 2019

Kick Off 19.15 Actual 19.17

Frimley Green 1 Metropolitan Police 4, attendance 33

10’ 0-1

19’ 0-2

59’ 1-2

63’ 1-3

82’ 1-4

@ Frimley Lodge Park, 3G Pitch

Sturt Road

Frimley Green

GU16 6HY

No Admission or Programme.

Frimley Green are newly promoted into the Combined Counties League Premier Division, whilst Met Police are in the Southern League, Premier Division South.

Met Police were far superior, although at 0-2 Frimley Green started to create some chances and make a game of it. At halftime Met Police changed their entire outfield team, as well as playing in a totally different coloured kit to the first half. Oddly, the second half was played with both teams playing in the same direction as they had done in the first half. I can’t recall seeing this in a match before. Frimley Green did pull it back to 1-2 just before the hour mark, but the young Police team added two more goals for a deserved 1-4 win.