Kensington Dragons 5 London Tigers 0, attendance 20
22’ 1-0
28’ 2-0 (pen)
72’ 3-0
81’ 4-0
82’ 5-0
@ Ark Burlington Danes Academy, 3G Pitch
White Rose Way
off Du Cane Road
London
W12 0TN
No Admission or Programme.
With their normal home venue at the Linford Christie Stadium being unavailable tonight, this game was switched to the nearby Ark Burlington Danes Academy, further east along Du Cane Road, which has a caged 3G pitch, which has no designated spectator area, but with a wide gap between touchline and fence, the three match officials had no problem with us watching from inside the fence.
The match was 11th versus 15th (out of 17) and was a decent contest, despite the scoreline suggesting otherwise. Kensington Dragons led 2-0 at halftime, having opened the scoring midway through the half with a shot curled into the far corner from the angle of the 18 yard box and doubled their lead minutes later, scoring from a penalty, that was awarded despite the foul taking place a good yard outside the box. They never made it 3-0 until eighteen minutes from the end and two goals in two minutes, both 30 yarders, scored by the same player (first one gave the ‘keeper no chance and the second was a free kick off the inside of the post) made it 5-0 with just under ten minutes left. They even had another effort disallowed for offside in the dying minutes.
Treherbert Boys & Girls Club 2 F.C. Cwmaman 1, attendance 387
29’ 1-0
38’ 2-0
61’ 2-1
@ Baglan 3G Pitch
off Baglan Street ( A4061)
Treherbert
CF42 5AW
£3 Admission, including Programme, 12 pages.
It seemed a waste to be doing a 3G pitch on such a glorious evening, but this was certainly one of the games of the day as far as having something to play for. It was 3rd versus 2nd, with the visitors knowing a victory would see them leapfrog leaders Bridgend Street at the top of the table. They’ve finished their fixtures and hold a one point lead over Cwmaman (who still have two games to play, including this one, as well as holding a one goal superior goal difference over the leaders). A win for Treherbert would guarantee them third place. A big win could possibly see them take second place, but they would need a ten goal swing on goal difference, as well as hoping Cwmaman lose their last game.
There was a crowd of just under 400 here, including a fair few from Cwmaman. It was end to end stuff. Treherbert went ahead just before the half hour mark, whipping in a shot into the bottom corner from the edge of the box and they doubled their lead nine minutes later, cutting in from the right before playing the ball across for a low finish into the corner. Cwmaman could easily have led at the break, but every time they broke through, the home ‘keeper was always perfectly placed to keep them out. Just after the hour mark Cwmaman pulled a goal back, beating the offside trap before beating the ‘keeper at the near post. Treherbert had a man sent off with sixteen minutes left, following a second yellow card, but Cwmaman never took advantage of having the extra man. It finished ten aside, when the visitors had a man sin binned in stoppage time, but the game was out of reach by then anyway.
Although the ground is a 3G cage, it has spectator access on all four sides, which is a vast improvement on most/all others you come across, giving it a feel of being a ‘proper’ ground. One bonus of doing it in daylight was that you got the full extent of the fantastic scenic views. Not something you can say about many 3G grounds! There is a seated stand too, in the club colours of green and white, but the view of the pitch from here is awful, as spectators are allowed to stand against the rail in front, totally obscuring the view. A table was set up in the corner nearest the changing rooms, where tea/coffee/soft drinks/chocolate were available and as mentioned in the heading, a programme was issued and given away with admission. Very little content on the actual match and something you wouldn’t want to pay for!
So, Cwmaman now go to fourth in the table Cardiff Airport in their final match, looking to secure the win needed to take the title, although assuming goal difference is worked on most goals scored being the deciding factor if two clubs finish with the same total, then a 5-5 draw or higher would be enough.
With Hinton’s normal home venue at Holtwhites Sports & Social Club (visited January 2011) giving over to cricket at this stage of the season, they have to find an alternative venue to stage these late season games. Last May I saw them lose 0-1 to Chipperfield Corinthians, in a game played at Hadley Wood Sports Trust, so was pleased to see them use another temporary ground tonight and even better, somewhere I hadn’t seen a game at. There is a 3G pitch hidden behind the trees here at Ashmole Academy, but the game was played on the grass pitch at the front of the building, adjacent to the car park. No changing rooms in use though. The players and three match officials changed pitch side! The added attraction of a 4 page programme certainly added to the crowd, with around 20 ‘hoppers in attendance.
The match was 5th versus 13th in the league table. Hinton could finish one place higher, but only on goal difference, whilst Lemsford could drop a place, but are four points clear of the relegation zone and are safe from the drop. Despite the 5-0 scoreline, this was not as straightforward a win as it would appear. Two goals in the first quarter of an hour saw Hinton lead 2-0, but Lemsford had seen a shot hit the crossbar when it was still goalless. They hit the crossbar again, but within seconds Hinton broke away to make it 3-0 three minutes before halftime. Before the interval Lemsford hit the woodwork twice more, hitting the crossbar with the goal gaping, then hitting the post again. The second half had fewer chances than the first, with Hinton grabbing a fourth goal with twenty four minutes left, heading in a rebound after the ‘keeper had saved the initial shot, before a defensive mix up left an easy finish for goal number five with twelve minutes left.
With the M25 closed all weekend in both directions between J9 and J10, which would cause total gridlock in the area, I needed to head somewhere via the Dartford Crossing to avoid the chaos and chose this game, where 4th hosted 6th in the league table. A win for Stanground would guarantee them third place, but depending on Uppingham Town losing away at Wittering Premiair, could see them finish as runners up, whilst Leverington also had a chance of grabbing a third place finish, as they trailed incumbents Crowland Town, who’ve finished their fixtures, by six points, but had two games to play (including this) and have the better goal difference.
In blistering heat, where there were drinks breaks in each half, it was still goalless at halftime, but only thanks to the Leverington ‘keeper, who made countless saves to keep the hosts out and the visitors almost broke the deadlock, but had a goal disallowed for offside in the closing minutes of the half. Unfortunately for Leverington they lost their ‘keeper to injury four minutes into the second half, following a late challenge to an over hit through ball from a home striker, which signalled the end of their resistance. Just two minutes later his stand in was beaten with a looping header from 10 yards….scored by the player who had inflicted the injury on their normal ‘keeper. Stanground then scored twice more in the next fourteen minutes and the points were safe. Leverington did pull it back to 3-1 in the final minute, but a finish into the bottom corner, following a goal mouth scramble, saw Stanground make it 4-1 a couple of minutes into stoppage time.
Home to Stanground Sports is Stanground Sports Centre. The pitch is fully railed and has a pair of dugouts and an excellent playing surface. Ample car parking too. Toilets available in the main building and the only refreshments were hot drinks from a vending machine in the reception area.
St. John’s College 0 St. Catharine’s College 0 (AET) (4-5 pens), attendance 339
@ St. John’s College Playing Fields
Grange Road
Cambridge
CB3 0HF
No Admission
2 Different Programmes available, A4 and A5 size. Didn’t bother buying.
St. John’s won the toss to determine who would host the final, hence it being played at their very impressive ground in Grange Road, although there is also access off Queen’s Road at the eastern end, but the former being the designated address. Players get changed in the main pavilion, which faces the cricket pitch (Queen’s Road side) with the football pitch at the rear, running parallel to a rugby pitch (Grange Road side). It was roped off for tonight’s game and had as good a playing surface as you’d find anywhere. It was absolutely immaculate.
Unfortunately, the game was poor and offered very little in the way of goalmouth action. To make it worse, we had to suffer an extra 30 minutes as well, which was even more turgid than the previous 90! Neither side deserved to win and it was obvious from very early in the match that we’d be lucky to see a goal and sure enough it finished 0-0. So, on to the penalties. St. John’s went first and scored their first four, before their fifth was sent high over the crossbar. St. Catharine’s were 100% with theirs, so it was a bit of an upset, as they play a division lower than their hosts.
Tongwynlais 0 Cwmbach Royal Stars S.C. 3, attendance 82
52’ 0-1
81’ 0-2
88’ 0-3
@ Iron Bridge Road
Tongwynlais
CF15 7NJ
No Admission or Programme.
Tonight’s game was 5th versus 1st in the league table, with Tongwynlais able to finish fourth with a win tonight, whilst Cwmbach Royal Stars had wrapped up the title on Saturday, having beaten their nearest challengers Cardiff Cosmopolitan 5-2 away. They still had something to play for tonight though….avoid defeat and they would have gone unbeaten all season in the league, having won 15 and drawn 4 of their games so far.
The first half had been quite even, although little in the way of goalmouth action, so no surprise it was still goalless at the break. Seven minutes into the second half Cwmbach broke the deadlock, when a ball in from the right was finished into the bottom corner from the angle of the six yard box. They never looked like being pegged back, let alone actually lose it and they rounded off a comfortable win with two goals in the last nine minutes, both angled finishes into the far corner.
The ground here at Iron Bridge Road is enclosed by a triangle of the M4, the A470 towards Merthyr Tydfil and the River Taff. The pitch is in front of the changing room building and is fully railed off and has a dugout on each side, with the car park behind the goal as you enter. There is a second railed pitch, running at right angles to the main one, about 20 yards beyond the far touchline.
Tonight’s game was 1st versus 4th in the league table, with Corby Strip Mills knowing that a win against the reigning champions would give them the league title. They came into this on the back of twelve consecutive league wins, but went behind to a nineteenth minute opener for the visitors, which certainly made it more interesting from a neutral point of view. Corby had a goal disallowed for offside, but soon levelled with a downward header at the far post and were in front four minutes later, when a diagonal ball into the box saw hesitation between ‘keeper and defender, which allowed a striker to nip between them, chesting down the ball, before shooting into the bottom corner and they managed to add another one in the final minute of the half. When they made it 4-1 just five minutes into the second half, the title was secured. Goal number five arrived just before the hour mark and although Kettering pulled it back to 5-2 with fourteen minutes left, Corby rounded off the scoring with a shot into the bottom corner from the edge of the box which was immediately followed by the final whistle.
The game was played on Pitch 1 here at Glebe Park, the furthest of two pitches from the changing rooms/car park on the south side of the complex. As is all too often the case with these hired venues, as opposed to a club owned ground, the pitch was poor and the grass could certainly do with cutting. It was roped off on all four sides and was a pleasant setting on a rare warm and sunny evening. The nice weather will have certainly helped in attracting an excellent crowd of just under 200.
The journey from the earlier game at A.F.C. Solihull, on a surprisingly quiet M42/M5/M6/M54, saw us arrive here around 45 minutes before kick off. The ground here, shared with the local bowls club, is good for the level, being railed off on two sides and hemmed in by hedges on the other two, which are out of bounds to spectators and there’s a pair of dugouts too. Grass banking at one end gives an excellent view of the game as well as of the backdrop of The Wrekin to the west. Hot food and drinks were served in the clubhouse building throughout the game.
5th in the table Albrighton (they’ve since risen a place following the League awarding points from previously postponed fixtures) were hosting a Cannock Dynamo team that had already finished in a promotion place, but needing a win from this, their final game, to take the title, as second placed Newhall United still have two games to play and were only five points behind them. An early penalty set them on their way and they got the crucial second goal three minutes before halftime, finishing with a shot across the ‘keeper after controlling a ball in from the left. The game was put beyond doubt two minutes into the second half, when a downward header at the far post made it 0-3.
The journey round the M25 and then up the M40 as far as High Wycombe was in very wet conditions, but further north it looked more promising and by the time we arrived at the ground, just north of Earlswood, off Junction 3 of the M42, the sun had appeared. A.F.C. Solihull had moved here to the ground of Leafield Athletic, (who play in the Birmingham A.F.A. League) part way through the season, so it attracted a fair number of ground hoppers today. We arrived a good ninety minutes before kick off and the clubhouse was already open, with a good supply of hot drinks and food on offer, as well as the usual chocolate/crisps etc. There are two pitches here, both part railed, with the game taking place on the main one, running widthways in front of the clubhouse.
The hosts had wrapped up the league title already, with the trophy presentation taking place after today’s game, whilst Feckenham were fifth, but could still finish third. A pretty uneventful first half ended goalless, but when Solihull broke the deadlock twelve minutes into the second half, things changed completely and they totally dominated for the remainder of the game. They made it 2-0 with sixteen minutes left, heading in at the near post and added two more in the last seven minutes to round off the scoring, with a tap in from six yards followed by an angled shot into the far corner. The win sees Solihull finish the season six points clear of Northfield Town at the top of the table.
Today’s game was 4th versus 6th in the league table. It was the last game of the season for Nelson, but if Tongwynlais were to win here today, then beat top of the table Cwmbach Royal Stars in their final game, then they would be the ones taking that fourth place. Tongwynlais got off to the perfect start, going ahead after eleven minutes, finishing high into the near top corner of the net, after a through ball beat the offside trap. They doubled their lead twelve minutes into the second half, when a cross from wide on the left was left by both ‘keeper and defender, but it dropped to a striker at the far post, who finished with a cushioned volley. They could have added a third minutes later, but a 25 yarder hit the crossbar. Nelson got a consolation goal a minute into stoppage time, heading in at the far post, from a corner on the left and they could have grabbed an unlikely looking point in the dying seconds, when they had a headed goal disallowed for offside and another effort cleared off the line, with the ‘keeper stranded, but the visitors held on for the win.
Home to Nelson Cavaliers is Wern Park. The changing rooms/car park are as you enter off Caerphilly Road, whilst the pitch is down below, hidden from sight. It is railed on both sides and along the majority of both ends, with the dugouts on the side of the steep grass bank that runs along the near side, where there is a small section of three steps of wooden ‘terracing’ (people sat on it), but the view of the pitch was badly obscured by the dugouts.
