Spain

R.F.E.F. Primera Division

Group 1

Sunday 18th February 2024

Kick Off 12.00 On Time!

Real Union Club 1 Real Club Celta Vigo ‘B’ 1, attendance 1,100

75’ 0-1

90’ + 5, 1-1

@ Estadio Gal

Patricio Arabolaza Kalea 2

20304 Irun

€15 Admission + €0.96 booking fee, Print at Home ticket

No Programme.

This morning we drove 3 hours east to the town of Irun, which borders France, where the Bidasoa River, that runs behind the Estadio Gal, forms the border between the two countries. Although now plying their trade in the third level of Spanish football, Real Union Club are steeped in history, albeit in their earlier days. They were formed in 1915 (merger of Irun Sporting Club and Racing Club Irun) and were founder members of La Liga in 1929, although they were relegated in 1932 and have yet to make a return to the top level of Spanish football. Although they have played 10 seasons in the Segunda Division, they have spent the vast majority of their time as a lower level club. They have won the Spanish Cup (Copa del Rey) four times though, in 1913 as Racing Club, then again in 1918, 1924 and 1927 after the merger, as well as finishing as runners up in 1922. The days of winning trophies may be long gone, but they do currently have a famous owner, Aston Villa manager Unai Emery, so perhaps the glory days might return….

The Estadio Gal has an all seated capacity of around 5,500 with just the goal end to the left (when looking from the main stand) being open to the elements, although not a problem today, as it was a glorious sunny day. We actually had seats in the stand opposite the main one, although there was no problem sitting anywhere on that side, or behind either goal, for that matter. We did sit at the open end for a while, where it was nice to be watching in just a tee-shirt, but a relief to get back into the shade after a while. Certainly not the sort of problem I’m faced with when watching football back in England during February!

The match was 13th versus 5th in the league table and certainly on the evidence of the first half, looked certain to finish goalless. A very drab first half had little of note, apart from Union hitting the post in stoppage time. The second half wasn’t that much better, but Vigo managed to break the deadlock with fifteen minutes left, shooting low into the far corner after a blocked effort rebounded perfectly to finish at the second attempt. From this point onwards the game deteriorated rapidly, as they decided to try and hang on for the win, cheating and rolling about after every challenge and time wasting at every opportunity. Thankfully, they didn’t manage to hold out and five minutes into stoppage time Union managed to grab an equaliser, when a cross from the left was only partially cleared and a shot from the edge of the box found the bottom corner.

We had parked alongside the river, behind the stand we had bought tickets for, but the ground was only accessible via the main stand side when we arrived, but we noticed that they were also allowing spectators to access via a ramp at the back of our stand as kick off approached. We had a real stroke of luck, as the gate remained open at the final whistle, saving us a walk around three sides of the ground and we were back in the car and on the road within minutes of the final whistle. Every little bit helps and as we had just over 150 miles drive to our next game, which was kicking off at 18.30, we certainly weren’t complaining.

Above : The outside of the stand by the river

Below : The view across the river to France from the same position.

Spain

Segunda Division

Saturday 17th February 2024

Kick Off 18.30 Actual 18.29

Real Sporting Gijon 1 Valladolid C.F. 1, attendance 21,130

27’ 0-1

51’ 1-1

@ Estadio Municipal El Molinon

Luis Adaro Ruiz Falco

33203 Gijon

€35 Admission + €1 booking fee, Print at Home ticket

No Programme.

We were on the 0830 (which left 33 minutes late) Vueling flight out of Gatwick, bound for Bilbao. It was to be a shorter trip than normal, as our only option last night would have been a level 5 game, on an artificial pitch, which we felt wasn’t worth paying an extra day for hire car and hotel and it was heading the opposite way that we wanted to go today anyway. Hire car was duly collected and there was plenty of time to head the 170 miles west along the north coast of Spain, with time to check in at our overnight hotel en-route, to the town of Gijon, in the Asturias region. The ground here was opened around 1908 and has been home to Sporting Gijon since 1917, undergoing a number of renovations over the years and also hosted group matches in the 1982 World Cup and currently has an all seated capacity of 29,371. It has four individual stands, which vary between two and four tiers, but has a continuous wrap around with all four corners filled in. We parked just off the first roundabout after exiting the motorway, parking in one of the residential streets, from where it was about 15 minutes walk to the stadium and ideal for a quick getaway after the match. Tickets had already been purchased, so ample time to grab something to eat in a tapas bar right next to the stadium.

The match was 4th versus 6th in the league table and attracted a crowd close on 4,000 more than their average attendance so far this season and a good atmosphere was produced from start to finish. I can only imagine what it must have been like at their last home game, which was a sell out for the visit of Real Oviedo in the Asturian derby. I was impressed by the turnout for the visitors today, although it’s probably one of their shorter trips (by Spanish standards) as it is only a three hour drive!

The game was end to end from start to finish. Both sides certainly came here with the intention of trying to take all three points. Valladolid opened the scoring just before the half hour mark, beating the ‘keeper from a tight angle at his near post and Gijon levelled six minutes into the second half, when the ball was cut back from the right and smashed first time low into the far corner.

Excellent game and stadium to start off our mini trip. It was an hours drive back east to our overnight hotel near Llanes, which would give us a bit of a head start for tomorrow’s first match.

Dorset F.A. Senior Cup 1st Round

Tuesday 13th February 2024

Kick Off 19.30 Actual 19.34

Wimborne Town 8 Weymouth 1, attendance 193

6’ 1-0

30’ 2-0

31’ 2-1

42’ 3-1

48’ 4-1

77’ 5-1 (pen)

84’ 6-1

90’ + 1, 7-1

90’ + 2, 8-1

@ New Cuthbury, 3G Pitch

Ainsley Road

Wimborne Minster

BH21 2FU

No Admission or Programme.

This tie had already been postponed four times, twice at each club’s ground and was switched to the 3G pitch tonight in order to finally get it played. It is behind the main ground, running parallel and is a typical cage set up, with spectator viewing along three quarters of one side, with dugouts opposite. Entrance was via the main stadium, with clubhouse and tea bar in operation, but rather oddly, no admission was taken and no programme issued, although I believe teams sheets were available.

The match was Southern League Division 1 South (Step 4) versus National League South (Step 2), but It is fair to say, Weymouth didn’t take the game seriously, opting to put out a very young team, who were totally overrun by Wimborne. It was 2-0 after half an hour and although Weymouth pulled a goal back almost immediately, they never looked like adding to it and fell 3-1 behind in the dying minutes of the half and it could have been worse, but Wimborne had a penalty saved in stoppage time. The second half was one way traffic. An early goal killed off the game, before a second penalty, this time scored, made it 5-1. Number six came with six minutes left and two more in stoppage time rounded things off.

Hampshire Premier League

Premier Division

Saturday 10th February 2024

Kick Off 14.00 Actual 14.11

Hook 4 Fleet Spurs 1, attendance 35

32’ 1-0

35’ 2-0

48’ 3-0

51’ 3-1

86’ 4-1

@ Papermill Avenue

Hook

RG27 9QU

No Admission or Programme.

With Hook’s normal home venue at King George V Playing Field once again being unable to host due to pitch problems, this game was switched to Papermill Avenue, which is off London Road, to the east of the town. The pitch is immediately on the right as you enter the road, but access is a couple of hundred yards further on, past the health club. There is a large car park and a few portacabins that act as changing rooms. In front of the car park is a rugby pitch (water logged today) whilst beyond, and on a slightly higher plain, is the football pitch, which had a right to left slope, which would have certainly helped with the drainage. It was roped off along one side and round as far as each goal, with a few plastic chairs placed either side of the halfway line acting as dugouts.

The club had tweeted the change of venue yesterday and had also tweeted early this morning that the game was going ahead as planned. So it was all good to go! The match was a real basement battle, as second bottom (P16 W5 D3 L8) hosted bottom (P18 W1 D1 L16) of the league table. As expected, it wasn’t high on quality, but both teams gave it a real go. After all, they would both have looked at this as winnable. Hook totally dominated the first half, finally breaking the deadlock just after half an hour, with a shot from the edge of the box that went in off the post and within minutes doubled their lead, heading in from a corner on the left. Three minutes into the second half it was 3-0, this time volleying in at the far post, again from a corner. Fleet soon pulled it back to 3-1, but never really looked like adding a second. Hook rounded things off with goal number four late on, finishing with a low shot that beat the ‘keeper at his near post.

The defeat leaves Fleet anchored to the bottom and just a matter of time now until their relegation is confirmed. Hook now rise to 12th (5th from bottom), where a single point separates the five clubs fighting to avoid the drop in accompanying today’s visitors down into Division 1.

Lincolnshire League

Wednesday 7th February 2024

Kick Off 19.45 Actual 19.46

Crowle Colts 4 Keelby United 4, attendance 76

5’ 0-1

7’ 1-1

38’ 2-1

47’ 3-1

50’ 3-2

67’ 3-3

75’ 4-3

89’ 4-4

@ Windsor Park

Godnow Road

Crowle

DN17 4EE

No Admission

£1.50 Programme, 12 pages.

Tonight’s game saw a trip to North Lincolnshire, a few miles west of Scunthorpe, for a game that was 3rd versus 9th in the league table. A win for Crowle would see them leapfrog second placed Ruston Sports and cut the gap on leaders Nettleham to six points, although this would be having played a game more than the top two.

Keelby opened the scoring after five minutes, but Crowle were level within two minutes and although they just about shaded the first half, it took them until seven minutes before halftime to go ahead, when a cross from the left was met with a header just inside the six yard box. When they made it 3-1 two minutes into the second half, all looked to be going well, but Keelby quickly hit back to make it 3-2, firing high into the roof of the net and almost equalised shortly after, when a shot hit the crossbar. Midway through the half they did draw level, when a header went in off the inside of the post. Crowle thought they’d won it, when they went 4-3 up with fifteen minutes left, with a well placed shot finished into the far top corner, but Keelby made it 4-4 with a minute left, when a ball across the six yard box was put into his own net by a Crowle defender as he attempted to clear.

The ground is a work in progress. The pitch is fully railed and there are a pair of dugouts. The ground has recently become floodlit (this was the first league game they’ve played under the lights) and there is evidence that what looks like hard standing will be going behind the goal end nearest the car park, whilst the clubhouse (did hot food and drinks)/changing room building is set back from the pitch, along the left hand side as you enter.

Surprisingly good journey each way and with no motorway closures I was home an hour after midnight.

Mid Sussex League

Somerville Cup Quarter Final

Saturday 3rd February 2024

Kick Off 14.00 Actual 14.04

Ashurst Wood 0 Welcroft Park Rangers 3, attendance 18

21’ 0-1

58’ 0-2

89’ 0-3

@ Ashurst Wood Recreation Ground

Hammerwood Road

Ashurst Wood

RH19 3TG

No Admission or Programme.

When I saw Ashurst Wood play at home previously, back in 2011, they were using the 3G pitch at East Grinstead Sports Club in Saint Hill, but they are now playing back on the recreation ground in their own village. In front of the changing rooms there are a couple of kids pitches, with the main pitch beyond, running widthways and having a fair slope from right to left, as well as undulating in numerous directions. There are various entrances, via alleyways from the surrounding roads, with the changing room building on the side nearest to Hammerwood Road, which was where the majority of the players were parked, as there is no car park here.

The match was 8th in Division 2 North versus 2nd in Division 2 South. It was a decent contest from start to finish. Welcroft Park Rangers led 0-1 at halftime, having opened the scoring when a corner from the right was headed back across the six yard box and poked in from close range. Just before the hour mark Ashurst Wood almost levelled the scores, hitting the crossbar with a free kick from 25 yards, but within a minute it was 0-2, as Welcroft Park worked the ball across from the left and finished with a shot from the right smashed high into the net. Goal number three arrived a minute from the end, when a ball over the top saw the striker just beat the ‘keeper in a race to the ball, nicking it past him, before rolling it into an empty net.

Middlesex F.A. Senior Cup

Quarter Final

Tuesday 31st January 2024

Kick Off 19.45 Actual 19.48

Barnet 0 North Greenford United 3, attendance 130

23’ 0-1

61’ 0-2

63’ 0-3

@ The Hive, 3G Pitch (North side)

Camrose Avenue

Edgware

HA8 6AG

£5 Admission

Programme, online only.

Team Sheet, free.

This was my fourth visit to The Hive complex and the fourth different pitch/ground I’ve seen a game played on here. First time was for London University versus Cambridge University in a Representative Match in January 2011, played on a grass pitch, to the right of the driveway/car park as you enter. Next up was for the stadium itself, this time for a 0-0 draw between Barnet and Welling United in a National League game on a Tuesday night in November 2013, driving over on a day trip whilst I was living in Belgium. Visit number three was in December 2019, this time for a Middlesex F.A. Senior Cup match, which Barnet lost on penalties to Staines Town, after a 1-1 draw, which was played on the 3G Pitch to the left of the entrance (the nearer of the two parrallel ones here) and finally tonight…..this was played on a newer 3G, built on the north side of the complex, running end on to the main stadium. Tickets were bought from the ticket office next to the turnstiles and once inside there was also a tea bar in operation. Spectator access is limited to nearly three quarters of one side, which has a section of metal terracing consisting of ten steps, whilst dugouts are on the far side.

Barnet are currently sitting in third place in the National League, hoping to make a return to the Football League, whilst North Greenford United are in Combined Counties League Premier Division North (Step 5). As with so many ‘big clubs’, Barnet clearly don’t see the county cup as high on their list of priorities, fielding a very young side, who although played some nice football at times, were comfortably beaten tonight. NGU opened the scoring midway through the first half, scoring with a flicked header at the near post from a corner on the left. Barnet went close twice early in the second half, hitting the post and having another effort disallowed for offside and from this, the quickly taken free kick saw NGU immediately break away down the left before finishing across the ‘keeper into the far corner. Two minutes later it was 0-3 and game over, as a ball over the top was controlled and finished with another shot into the bottom corner.

Essex Alliance League

Senior Division Cup Quarter Final

Monday 29th January 2024

Kick Off 19.30 Actual 19.40

C.S.M. London 3 F.C. Baresi 5, attendance 37

15’ 0-1

30’ 0-2

33’ 1-2

68’ 2-2

82’ 3-2

84’ 3-3

85’ 3-4

90’ + 1, 3-5

@ Parsloes Park Sports Hub, 3G Pitch 2

Terrace Walk

Dagenham

RM9 5PU

No Admission or Programme.

The Parsloes Park Sports Hub has three 3G pitches, all running parallel to each other. The stadium pitch (where May & Baker will be playing their Eastern Counties League games) is nearest to the clubhouse/car park, with two standard cage set ups beyond, with Pitch 2, which hosted tonight’s game, being the nearer of the two. Both of these have spectator viewing on three sides and dugouts on the inaccessible side.

This cup tie was 10th versus 1st as far as league positions go and was excellent to watch from a neutral point of view. Baresi went in front after fifteen minutes, heading in a corner at the far post. CSM had a goal ruled out for offside before Baresi doubled their lead on the half hour mark, but minutes later CSM pulled it back to 1-2, finishing left footed into the bottom corner from the edge of the 18 yard box. It was 2-2 midway through the second half and both teams went all out for a winner. Baresi had a goal disallowed for offside, before CSM went 3-2 up with eight minutes left. Baresi levelled again within two minutes, finishing at the far post and a minute later went 3-4 ahead, finishing a one on one against the ‘keeper having been played through on goal. They finally killed the game off in stoppage time, smashing the ball in at the near post after CSM lost the ball when trying to play out from the back.

Surrey F.A. Junior Cup

2nd Preliminary Round

Saturday 27th January 2024

Kick Off 13.30 Actual 13.32

Horsell 4 Walton Hill 0, attendance 10

16’ 1-0 (pen)

83’ 2-0

85’ 3-0

90’ + 1, 4-0

@ Brockwood Recreation Ground

Sheets Heath Lane

Brockwood

GU24 0EH

No Admission or Programme.

I was planning on doing a rugby league match at 5pm in Chiswick, so this Surrey F.A. Junior Cup match fitted the bill perfectly, even if it went to extra time and/or penalties. The match was top of Guildford & Woking Alliance League Division 1 versus top of Surrey South Eastern Combination League Junior Division 2. It was a very hard fought game from start to finish, with the final score not reflecting how even the game had been, although the better side certainly ran out deserved winners on chances created, although a four goal defeat was harsh on Walton.

It looked like an early penalty was going to be enough to win it for Horsell, but they finally made the game safe when they got the all important second goal with just seven minutes left, when a long ball was miskicked by the Walton ‘keeper as he attempted to clear and the ball was walked into the empty net. Two minutes later it was three, when another ball over the top was controlled with one touch and fired low into the bottom corner and another ball over the top saw the striker win a race with the ‘keeper and a defender to lob the ball in for number four in stoppage time.

The ground is shared with cricket and the wooden changing room building is flanked by a tennis court on each side, whilst car parking is behind the near goal as you enter off Sheets Heath Lane.

F.A. Cup 4th Round

Thursday 25th January 2024

Kick Off 19.45 On Time!

A.F.C. Bournemouth 5 Swansea City 0, attendance 10,166

6’ 1-0, 9’ 2-0, 15’ 3-0, 35’ 4-0, 44’ 5-0

@ Vitality Stadium (Dean Court)

Kings Park

Bournemouth

BH7 7AF

£20 Admission + £1.50 booking fee

£3.50 Programme available, didn’t bother buying.

I had visited Dean Court (pre sponsor names) back in April 1990, when I saw Bournemouth draw 1-1 versus Wolverhampton Wanderers in a Division 2 match (att. 7,448). At the end of the 2000/01 season, the ground was knocked down (pitch turned 90 degrees) and then fully rebuilt (11,307 capacity) over the coming months, which meant they had to play a number of home games at the ground of non-League Dorchester Town (saw them beat Notts County 4-2 there in Division 2 att. 3,206 on October 27th) whilst work was completed to a useable level.

I never thought I’d bother coming back here, but being a rare Thursday night game, with the offer of a lift, as well as cheap tickets (our seats are £45 for league games), it was the perfect chance to come and tidy this one up. Tickets were available online, but only in one section of the ground (when I booked them on Saturday evening) and were just £20 (plus a flat £3 booking fee). No option to print your own ticket, but rather oddly, sent out by post. They arrived just after 11 o’clock yesterday morning, so at least we wouldn’t have to go via the ticket office to try and obtain a replacement. Having arrived ridiculously early, we had time to go and eat before returning to the ground and managed to park no more than 200 yards from the stadium (parking restrictions cease at 5pm during the week) which meant an easy getaway afterwards.

Although this was Premier League (12th) versus Championship (16th), you never know whether the higher placed club will take the game seriously. Even clubs who haven’t won a trophy in years don’t seem to care whether they win or not. It wasn’t the case tonight, certainly from a home point of view. Bournemouth were absolutely superb, although Swansea certainly did their best to aid in that, as they were wide open and continued to try and play out from the back, when it became apparent very early on that they couldn’t do so!

It only took Bournemouth seven minutes to open the scoring, when Kelly swept in a Brooks free kick at the far post and goal number two arrived three minutes later, when Brooks cut the ball back for Scott to finish from close range. It was soon 3-0, as Swansea were caught trying to play out from the back, resulting in a Scott interception and a finish from Sinisterra. A rare Swansea attack saw them hit the post and go close with the rebound, but goal number four arrived on 35 minutes, this time finished clinically by Scott, after being played through by Solanke and it was 5-0 in the dying seconds of the half when a Sinisterra cross was put in by Solanke.

The second half, not surprisingly, never produced much. Loads of substitutions and very little in the way of goal mouth action. No messing about with added time at the end of the match though, as the final whistle was blown at 90 minutes 01 second according to the video screen clock!

As for the ground….its functional, but very cramped. It certainly doesn’t feel like you’re at a Premier League stadium, but more like being at League 1 or 2, or one of the better National League grounds.