Harchester Hawks P Berks County Rovers P (Match Postponed)
@ Waingels College, 3G Pitch
Waingels Road
Woodley
RG5 4RF
So, the first no show of the early kick offs and not surprisingly in one of the worst three leagues in the South East (East Berkshire and Middlesex County would push them close) as far as organisation goes. No one there by 17.45, so gave up and headed home, although game still showing as going ahead on the league’s F.A. Full Time website. However, arrived home an hour later and match now being shown as postponed. Unfortunately, with no way of confirming the game as neither club or league bother with social media and no phone number on F.A. Find a Club either.
My quest to see a first team home game on every venue in the Sussex football pyramid continued today, albeit for a game between two teams from Surrey, on what could just be a one off game played here. It was the third time I’d seen Caterham host, each time being at a different venue and coincidentally, all played in April. First up was 2021, when they lost 0-5 to West Hoathley Reserves in Division 5 North, which was played at Queens Park in Caterham. Next was last year and a 2-6 defeat to A.S. Crawley in Division 3 North, played at Old Coulsdon Colts F.C. and today, it was at the home of Caterham Pumas F.C. in Old Coulsdon. It’s primarily a youth set up, with three separate areas of cover on the main youth pitch, two of which have seats, but today’s game was on what is currently the only full sized adult pitch, which had an excellent playing surface, but nothing else facility wise. It is to the right as you enter the complex from the car park, with the clubhouse/changing rooms in the building in the far left hand corner.
At least the match still had something on it, as far as Dormansland Rockets were concerned. They started the day in third place in the league table, trailing leaders A.S. Crawley by six points and second placed Wakehams Green by four points, but had a game in hand over both, so promotion was very much possible, as indeed was winning the league itself, but they’d need to win their last three games to have a realistic chance of achieving either. Caterham were 7th (out of 9) and already safe from going down, but with games in hand on all the clubs above them, could still manage a fourth place finish.
Dormansland were the better side early on, but failed to take advantage. Caterham broke the deadlock after thirty one minutes, with a first time shot into the bottom corner and amazingly scored twice more in the next two minutes to make it 3-0, firstly with an own goal, high into the roof of the net when trying to block a cross, quickly followed by a ricochet that fell perfectly for a side foot finish from close range. They thought they’d scored a penalty five minutes into the second half, but it was ruled out for ‘encroachment’ according to the Referee. Two minutes later they did score goal number four, when a corner from the left was smashed into the top corner from the edge of the 18 yard box. Just after the hour mark it was 5-0, touching in a cut back from the right at the near post and they rounded off the scoring when they added a sixth goal with seven minutes left, when a spectacular first time shot from inside the centre circle looped over the stranded ‘keeper, who could only turn and watch as the ball sailed over his head into the empty net.
Tonight was a trip to The Cotswolds, for a game in the second level of this league, with 4th hosting 6th in the league table. The first half produced very few chances, but did see the visitors reduced to ten men after thirty two minutes, the player receiving a red card for abusive language, directed towards the Referee following an original awarding of a sin bin. Poulton did have a shot cleared off the line and then hit the post from the resulting corner, but it remained goalless at halftime.
Poulton had a man sin binned nine minutes into the second half and within five minutes Swindon Rovers took full advantage, scoring with a 30 yard free kick that somehow found the gap between the crossbar and despairing dive of the ‘keeper. With thirteen minutes left it was 0-2, when a corner from the right was volleyed in at the near post. Poulton pulled one back within two minutes, when a cross from the right was knocked down and finished with a first time shot into the bottom corner. They almost drew level in the last few minutes when a shot hit the crossbar, but the visitors hung on for the win.
The ground here at Poulton Cricket Club is on the left hand side when entering the village from the south. Access is via a lane adjacent to St. Michael & All Angels Church. There’s plenty of parking, with the pavilion/clubhouse in the near left hand corner, with the cricket pitch nearest the entrance and with the football to the left, the pitch running lengthways away from the building.
Surprisingly trouble free journey in both directions, taking just under two hours each way.
I rounded off my short trip to West Wales by taking in this top division game in the Pembrokeshire League, a league I’ve only done a handful of grounds in, which oddly includes two for Fishguard Sports. Anyway, Kilgetty play at the Kingsmoor Sports & Social Club, in the west of the village. As the name suggests, it’s a multi sport set up, shared with cricket and as well as the main game, there was a youth match taking place on an adjacent pitch. As you enter, there is a small car park, with the clubhouse (opened at 7pm)/changing rooms at the far end. The cricket pitch is right in front, with the football to the left, running parallel to James Park, the road leading into the complex. It was roped off along the near side and round as far as the six yard box at each end. There is a side to side slope and the pitch was dusty and sounded very hard. The far side offered a raised view, with a fence to lean on, but the view from here meant looking directly into the sun, so not ideal, but at least half the crowd watched from here.
The match was 8th versus 3rd in the league table. Kilgetty are safe from relegation, whilst Monkton Swifts are looking at a third placed finish as being the best they can hope for, as long as Tenby don’t win their two games in hand, which would see them leapfrog them. The big two in this league have already sewn things up at the top, with unbeaten Goodwick United crowned champions and Hakin United taking the runners up spot, nine points back, with both teams having one game left.
It was a decent contest, which Monkton Swifts gradually gained control of. They took an early lead, when a diagonal ball into the box was swept in from six yards. They doubled their lead just after the half hour mark, when a cross was pulled back from the right and a first time shot found the bottom corner, despite the ‘keeper getting a hand to it and a minute later they made the points safe when a long range effort made it 0-3. It was a surprise that the second half only produced one more goal, when a penalty was converted to make it 0-4 with twenty five minutes left.
Thanks to a prompt kick off and short halftime, where everyone stayed out on the pitch, I had the bonus of an hour of daylight for the long drive home. Still back ten minutes before midnight, despite the M4 being closed at J12.
Having stayed overnight in Newcastle Emlyn, it was a journey of around 50 minutes up the A487 coast road towards Aberystwyth for my second successive game in this league. Castle Hill Field is right in the centre of the village, adjacent to the village shop. The players get changed at the Community Centre, then walk from there, which, including the walk across to the pitch from the entrance, must be a good 250 yards. Not something you’d expect at a Tier 4 ground. The pitch, which had a slight slope, is actually a farmers field, with the playing area fenced off with wooden stakes and mesh wiring acting as infills, helping to keep the ball from going too far when not in play and acting as a barrier to keep the sheep out, as well as their droppings! There are a couple of Perspex dugouts, but that’s it! No toilets. Nothing….apart from a lovely rural setting and scenic backdrop whichever way you looked.
Unusually, considering it was in the same league, tonight’s game was scheduled for an 18.30 start, fifteen minutes later than last night. Everyone was there in good time though and we actually got underway three minutes early.
The match was 10th versus 6th in the league table, both out of the running as far as winning the league goes, but also well clear of the bottom places too. Llanilar went ahead after seven minutes, beating the offside trap before finishing from the edge of the box. Penparcau levelled ten minutes before halftime, when a long ball from inside their own half was met with a cushioned volley from 10 yards that gave the ‘keeper no chance. The visitors went ahead seven minutes into the second half, cutting in from the left and beating the ‘keeper at the near post. Ten minutes later it was 1-3, when a corner from the right was headed in at the far post. Despite the visitors having a man sent off with eight minutes left, picking up his second yellow card, they easily hung on to take all three points, enhancing their chances of a fourth place finish.
Even having kick off 15 minutes later than last night’s game, there was no problem whatsoever with getting the game in before darkness fell and the light was still good at the 20.04 final whistle. Despite being a warm sunny day, it got cool towards the end, as the sun dropped behind the hills. With the last two nights having gone to plan, it leaves me just Bont now to complete the league.
Ffostrasol Wanderers 4 Aberystwyth University 0, attendance 39
15’ 1-0
34’ 2-0
78’ 3-0
89’ 4-0
@ Troed-y-Rhiw Parc
A486 North
Ffostrasol
SA44 4TQ
£3 Admission
No Programme.
So, the start of a new week and another trip to Wales, hopefully for games at two of the three grounds I’ve yet to visit in this league. The village of Ffostrasol is about six miles north of Newcastle Emlyn, with the ground on the right hand side of the A486 as you head north towards New Quay and Aberaeron. Entering behind the goal, there is a small car park, with the changing rooms/clubhouse/tea bar in the corner. The pitch is railed at this end and along the right hand touchline down as far as the seated stand, which has four rows of bench seating and is flanked by a pair of dugouts. There is spectator access allowed on all four sides and it is when looking across towards the stand, that you realise just how much the pitch slopes, from the car park end down to the far goal.
Ffostrasol came into this sitting second in the league table, a massive 25 points behind leaders Knighton Town, who are still unbeaten after 29 games, winning 25 of them and scoring 144 goals in the process. Ffostrasol have only lost three games themselves and are in a battle with the next five or six clubs in the table who are vying for the runners up place. Aberystwyth University are thirteenth, five places off the bottom and safe from relegation
Ffostrasol easily saw off a limited University side, who although they battled right to the end, lacked any potency and only created a couple of chances in the entire game. The hosts opened the scoring after fifteen minutes, breaking quickly down the left before finishing with an angled shot into the far corner. They doubled their lead ten minutes before halftime, shooting first time from the angle of the 18 yard box, which gave the ‘keeper no chance as it found the far corner. It took them until twelve minutes from the end to make it 3-0, cutting in from the right before curling a left footed shot into the far corner, which the ‘keeper got a hand to, but couldn’t keep out and they rounded off the scoring a minute from time, when a cut back from the right was volleyed into the far corner from six yards.
There was certainly no problem with getting this finished in daylight and visibility was still good when I arrived back at my overnight base in Newcastle Emlyn.
Tintern Abbey 0 Severn Tunnel Non Political Club 1, attendance 220
90’ 0-1
@ Sudbrook Cricket Club F.C.
Mill Lane
Caldicot
NP26 5DD
£3 Admission, including 4 page Programme (with wrong spelling on cover!)
The journey back east from Croesyceilliog to Caldicot took twenty seven minutes, arriving in plenty of time for kick off, despite the game starting four minutes earlier than scheduled. There’s plenty of parking and admission was taken at the entrance to the cricket ground, with the pitch away to the left, running widthways and railed on three and a bit sides, with the area overlapping the cricket outfield being roped, whilst there’s a pair of dugouts on the far side. The clubhouse was open and doing a good trade both before and during the game.
The Harry Fishwick Cup is played for by teams in Division 2 of the league, which is the lowest level. Tintern Abbey are fourth in the league table, whilst Severn Tunnel are top, thirteen points clear of second placed Rockfield Rovers, having only lost one league game so far, so came into this as favourites. It wasn’t a great game and produced very little in the way of goal scoring opportunities. Severn Tunnel did have an early goal disallowed for offside and had a second half effort hit the crossbar. They did look the more likely to grab a winner and it came in the final minute, breaking clear from the halfway line before finishing into the bottom corner.
At least the early finish for an evening kick off meant the journey home was completed before the inevitable road work closures kicked in.
Croesyceilliog Athletic 1 Risca Town 6, attendance 30
1’ 0-1
7’ 0-2
8’ 1-2
40’ 1-3
59’ 1-4
65’ 1-5
77’ 1-6
@ The Dyke
Raglan Court
off Cardigan Crescent
Croesyceilliog
NP44 2QR
No Admission or Programme.
With the intention to do a second game at 5 o’clock, this game fitted the bill perfectly. It looked to be a good game too, with second in the league table hosting third. They were both on 44 points coming into this, trailing league leaders Pill Reserves by two points. In fact, Croesyceilliog had been top themselves until losing 0-2 at home to Pill in their last home game.
I’d never done a game in this league before, so wasn’t sure what to expect in either standard of football, or ground, but was pleasantly surprised by how good both were. Google maps just showed an open pitch, but it is fully railed off and has a couple of dugouts too, which although have a roof, are still lacking in any back or sides to them. The only thing that may hinder them in progressing up the pyramid is how narrow the pitch is, being no more than 5 yards from the edge of the 18 yard box to the touchline.
Risca got off to a great start, scoring in the opening ten seconds, following it up with a second goal after seven minutes, heading in at the near post from a corner on the right. A minute later Croesyceilliog pulled it back to 1-2, heading in from a cross that the ‘keeper should really have got to first and they thought they’d levelled the scores five minutes later, but the goal was ruled out for offside. A corner, that was only half cleared, was volleyed into the top corner to see Risca restore their two goal lead five minutes before halftime and by the time they made it 1-4 just before the hour mark, the points were safe. The goal of the game, a curler into the far corner from the angle of the 18 yard box saw them make it 1-5 with twenty minutes left. Shortly afterwards, Croesyceilliog lost their ‘keeper to injury, being replaced by an outfield player and five minutes later he was beaten by a shot on the turn, following a knock down from a long throw in, to round off a resounding 1-6 win for Risca, who now move up to second in the table.
Resolven A.F.C. 2 Glynneath Town 4, attendance 120
43’ 0-1
45’ 0-2
45’ + 1, 1-2
55’ 1-3
71’ 2-3
84’ 2-4
@ Resolven Park
Vaughan Avenue
Resolven
SA11 4HW
No Admission or Programme.
With very slim pickings tonight, I opted for this game in the top division of the Neath & District League, between two teams separated by five miles along the A465. Resolven came into this bottom of the league table, having won just one of their seventeen games so far, but only trail next to bottom Cilfrew Rovers by a single point and third bottom Ynysmeudwy by another four, so still in with a chance of climbing a couple of places. Glynneath are third, which is the best they can really hope to finish, as they trail second placed Llandarcy by 13 points and leaders Brynoch by another two.
The match was far closer than I’d been expecting and on this showing, it is hard to believe that Resolven have only managed to win one game so far this season. It was a game that was in the balance throughout and an excellent advert for the league. There were few goal scoring opportunities until the dying minutes of the first half, when the game burst into life. Glynneath broke the deadlock a couple of minutes before the break, when a corner from the right was volleyed in at the near post. They doubled their lead two minutes later, when a long throw in was headed in at the far post, with Resolven hooking one in from close range, a minute into stoppage time, to pull it back to 1-2.
Ten minutes into the second half Glynneath restored their two goal lead, when what looked more like an attempted cross, rather than shot, beat the ‘keeper at his near post. Resolven hit back again, with another close range finish to make it 2-3, but the visitors made the game safe when they added a fourth goal with six minutes left, dispossessing the ‘keeper in the six yard box before forcing the ball in from a tight angle.
Resolven Park is very basic. It’s just an open pitch, with the changing rooms hidden out of site at the back of the bowls club. Good to see a three figure crowd here, despite light rain falling for the majority of the match and even better to have had a trouble free journey each way, apart from a closure of the M4 at J11 on the return.
It was very slim pickings tonight, so I did only my second ever game in the Southampton League, for a match in Junior Division 3, the lowest of the four divisions that make up the league. It was played at Hunts Farm Sports Ground in Timsbury, which as the name suggests, is set up on former farm land. There’s a very smart changing room building and plenty of parking. It’s a huge field with six football pitches, four which were full sized and also hosts cricket. At least this was played on Pitch 1 (not that there’s anything to distinguish it from the others), in the near right hand corner from the car park, the pitch running lengthways away from here, to the right of the first cricket square.
The match was 5th versus 7th (out of 11), with CDC still having a chance of grabbing the second promotion place behind the unbeaten leaders Sarisbury Sparks, who are two points clear at the top and second placed Clarendon, who are two points adrift, but have played three games more. CDC trailed Sarisbury by eight points coming into this, with this being the first of their five games in hand, so they’re very much in with a chance of going up.
Shield started the better of the two, hitting the crossbar with a header early on, before taking the lead after twenty seven minutes with a 30 yard free kick that was spilled by the ‘keeper and bounced across the line. CDC levelled with a free kick of their own just four minutes later, when a 25 yarder found the bottom corner. They went in front seven minutes before halftime, when a corner from the right went straight in at the near post, with Shield having an effort hit the post just before the break. Five minutes into the second half CDC went 3-1 up, when a shot from the edge of the box went in off the post and they rounded off the scoring with seven minutes left, when a long ball over the top saw the ball taken round the ‘keeper and put in from a tight angle.
It was a glorious sunny evening, but did go rather cool as the sun dropped. We’d got underway just a couple of minutes late and with halftime taken out on the pitch, were finished for 19.46, so no problems with the light.
