Rugby League

National Conference League

Premier Division

Saturday 22nd June 2024

Kick Off 14.30 Actual 14.32

Siddal 30 Rochdale Mayfield 22, attendance 430

@ Siddal Sports & Community Centre

Exley Lane

Siddal

HX3 9EW

£3 Admission

No Programme.

This was the game of the day in the Premier Division, with 2nd hosting 3rd in the league table, level on points, with just two fewer than leaders West Hull. It certainly got off to a quick start, with Rochdale in front within ten seconds, when the kick off saw the bounce of the ball totally misjudged by the defence and the ball fell kindly for the visitors, resulting in a try near the posts, easily converted. Six minutes later it was 0-12 as Siddal conceded a second try. The hosts hit back with a try of their own and midway through the half levelled the score at 12-12, which remained the score at halftime.

Siddal edged ahead just three minutes into the second half to lead 18-12, but Rochdale soon levelled at 18-18 and the next try would be crucial. It went the way of the hosts and they scored another to increase their lead to 30-18 inside the last ten minutes and the points were safe. Rochdale did manage to score the last try of the day, to pull it back to 30-22, but too late to affect the outcome.

There are two parallel pitches here, the main one being floodlit and fully railed off, on the lower plateau of the two. Very scenic backdrop, especially on a day like this and the weather will have certainly helped in attracting such a good crowd, with the clubhouse and tea bar both doing a roaring trade.

Derbyshire Summer League

Wednesday 19th June 2024

Kick Off 19.00 Actual 19.02

Bramshall 4 Broughton Wanderers 2, attendance 35

11’ 0-1

32’ 1-1 (pen)

61’ 1-2

86’ 2-2

89’ 3-2

90’ + 2, 4-2

@ Bramshall Road (B5027)

Bramshall

ST14 5BE

No Admission or Programme.

This was the first game I’d done in this league for five years, as new venues are quite a rarity. New entrants Bramshall bucked the trend when joining this year, as they play at a previously unused ground, as far as the Summer League goes, playing in the village itself. It’s to the east, on the left hand side of the B5027 road when heading towards Uttoxeter, sandwiched between Stocks Lane and Bramshall Farm. There is a single pitch, with a small wooden changing room building on the far side, with car parking inside the field, along both touchlines.

The match was 2nd versus 6th (out of 8) and looked for long periods that there might be a bit of an upset. Broughton took an early lead, which was cancelled out by a penalty half an hour in and when Bramshall had a player sent off for trying to head butt a Broughton player on the hour mark, followed quickly by a second goal for the visitors, which put them 1-2 up a minute later, it looked like a real uphill battle for Bramshall to get anything from the game. But, despite being a man short, they managed to force an equaliser with four minutes left and then headed in from a corner in the last minute, to put them ahead and they even managed a fourth goal in stoppage time, to wrap up a 4-2 win.

Humber Premier League

Thursday 30th May 2024

Kick Off 18.45 Actual 18.56

Cherry Burton 0 Sculcoates Amateurs 4, attendance 53

35’ 0-1

70’ 0-2

90’ + 1, 0-3

90’ + 3, 0-4

@ Cherry Burton Sports Field

The Meadows

Cherry Burton

HU17 7SD

No Admission

£1 Programme, 4 pages.

This game was 2nd bottom v 2nd in the league table and was the last Humber Premier League game of the season. It certainly had something on it, at least at the bottom end of the table, as Cherry Burton knew nothing other than a win would see them relegated to the East Riding County League. There had already been an attempt to get this game played earlier in the week, when it was abandoned due to a waterlogged pitch on Tuesday night, with the score 0-0 at the time.

Tonight’s game was just as tight, with the deadlock not broken until ten minutes before halftime, when a break down the right was finished with an angled shot into the bottom corner. Cherry Burton had enough chances to have been in front, but when Sculcoates made it 0-2 with twenty minutes left, it was game over and they rounded off the scoring with two more goals in stoppage time, both from Jake Harman, which completed his hattrick, having also scored the opener.

Cherry Burton Sports Field hosts both cricket and football. There is a large wooden pavilion, with the football pitch to the left when looking out. It is hemmed in by hedges along the far side, where there are a pair of wooden dugouts and behind the far goal, with tennis courts behind the near goal. The near side, bordering the cricket pitch, was part roped.

The journey up to Humberside was horrendous, with the SatNav taking us via A1, Lincoln and across the Humber Bridge (only £1.50 toll), arriving six hours after I’d left home to meet up for a lift. Home via M1, which seems to have more roadworks on it than areas without and even after being dropped off, I still had to negotiate the M25 closed for access from the M40 at J16 and also closed from J15 to J13. Arrived home thirteen and a half hours after I’d left!

Devon & Exeter League

Bill Slee Cup Semi Final

Tuesday 28th May 2024

Kick Off 19.00 Actual 18.58!

Farway United 1 Exmouth Spartans 1, (3-5 pens) attendance 26

9’ 0-1

45’ 1-1

@ Eastlee Park

Money Acre Road

Farway

EX24 6EF

No Admission or Programme.

With this being a cup semi final, I was confident both teams would turn up (sadly, not always the case in many leagues these days!) and a phone call to the home team manager at lunchtime confirmed it was indeed all good to go. Farway is in East Devon, around five miles south of Honiton. The ground is to the north of the village, in between Church Green and Farway itself, on the right hand side of Money Acre Road as you head south. There is a very small car park and a wooden changing room/clubhouse building (hot drinks available) on the right as you enter, with the pitch down below, running widthways. Almost the entire crowd watched from the raised area, where there are also a number of wooden benches, whilst the far side has a couple of wooden dugouts. Quite a feat to find a flat enough area around here to accommodate a football pitch!

The game was between two teams from Division 2 of the league, with 6th hosting 8th, as far as final league positions go. Both goals came in the first half, Exmouth taking the lead after nine minutes, when a cross from the right was slid in from six yards and Farway levelling in the final minute of the half, when a free kick from the angle of the 18 yard box beat the ‘keeper at the near post.

Despite having a man sin binned early in the second half, Exmouth managed to hold out and once back at the full compliment probably had the better chances to win it. In the dying seconds they had a point blank header tipped around the post from a free kick and then saw a shot come back off the other post from the resulting corner.

Straight to penalties at ninety minutes. Exmouth went first and scored all five of theirs. Farway scored their first three, but number four was saved. According to F.A. Full Time it was 4-5 on penalties, which cannot possibly be correct when the team going first scored the final kick of the shootout!

Doncaster League

Division 1 Knock Out Cup Final

Saturday 25th May 2024

Kick Off 11.00 Actual 11.04

Bawtry Town 3 A.F.C. Doncaster Town 3 (A.E.T.) (5-6 pens) attendance 214

7’ 1-0

26’ 1-1

71’ 1-2

90’ + 1, 2-2

106’ 2-3

118’ 3-3

@ Doncaster Knights R.U.F.C.

Castle Park

Armthorpe Road

Doncaster

DN2 5QB

£5 Admission

£2 Programme available, didn’t bother buying.

With the Doncaster League playing their three Saturday finals here today (there are two Sunday League ones tomorrow) it was a great opportunity to see a football match at the Castle Park home of Doncaster Knights R.U.F.C. who play in the R.F.U. Championship. It’s an impressive set up, with a capacity of around 5,000, with a large main stand with 1,650 seats and an open ten step terrace opposite, whilst there is a section of open seating at one end. As well as a mobile caterer (very expensive) there was a food/drink outlet behind the left hand goal end, but without doubt, the best for value was certainly from the large bar beneath the main stand. Car parking was available, free of charge, in the club car park as you enter off Armthorpe Road.

We opted for the first game of the day, the Division 1 Knock Out Cup Final, scheduled to kick off at 11 o’clock, which got underway four minutes late. It was 2nd versus 5th, as far as final league positions go and looked like it would be going to form when Bawtry took a seventh minute lead and were in total control of the early exchanges, but Doncaster drew level midway through the half and it became much more even. Doncaster edged in front with nineteen minutes left, when they finished a through ball with a one on one finish into the top corner, that came back off the stanchion of the goal frame. It looked like it would be enough to win the cup, but a minute into stoppage time Bawtry drew level, when a ball over the top saw the striker win the race against the on rushing ‘keeper and nick it past him, before an easy finish from close range.

So, extra time beckoned. Very little of note in the first period, apart from what seemed like continual stoppages, as players went down with cramp after almost every challenge. A minute into the second period and Doncaster were back in front, breaking quickly down the right, before playing the ball across for a finish into the bottom corner. Once again they were close to the winning line, but with two minutes left, a header was flicked on and the ball was dispatched into the bottom corner of the net to make it 3-3.

It was now left to penalties to decide the winners. Despite missing their first kick, which hit the crossbar, Doncaster scored their next six. Bawtry had seen their second kick saved and their seventh one sail high over the crossbar, so Doncaster took the shootout 6-5. What with the late kick off, a drinks break in each half, as well as what seemed like endless stoppage time, followed by the extra time and penalties, it was pushing 14.00 when this finally finished. Thankfully, our planned afternoon game, which was due to kick off at 14.30, was only fifteen minutes drive from here, so no need to panic.

Weston-super-Mare & District League

Division 1

Thursday 23rd May 2024

Kick Off 18.30 Actual 18.33

Churchill Club 70 1 Weston Town 2, attendance 55

15’ 1-0

65’ 1-1

85’ 1-2

@ Churchill Recreation Ground

Ladymead Lane

Churchill

BS25 5NH

No Admission or Programme.

I never got to see a game here when Churchill Club played in the Somerset County League, despite it being as recently as 2017, when they then dropped into the Weston-super-Mare & District League. I was lucky I came to see this game tonight, as we were told this was the last ever game before the club merges with Congresbury and ups sticks to -play first team games some four miles north of here, although the ground itself is still going to remain. The sports ground is also home to the local cricket club, with the football changing rooms being next to the car park as you enter off Ladymead Lane. The pitch runs widthways, beyond a hedge, with the changing rooms in the left hand corner and a double sized concrete dugout on this side. Although the majority of the crowd watched from the near side, it was possible to watch from all four sides, with the far side slightly raised in one corner.

As for the match, where 6th hosted 2nd, there was plenty to play for. Churchill were playing for the pride of the club going out on a positive note, whilst Weston, the reigning champions, had to win in order to pip league leaders Isle of Wedmore to the title, by virtue of having a better goal difference. From a neutral point of view, the game got off to a perfect start, with Churchill going ahead after fifteen minutes, chasing down a long ball, before lobbing it over the on rushing ‘keeper and finishing from a tight angle. Churchill fought hard and they looked the more likely to add a second, rather than Weston draw level.

As the second half wore on, Weston began to get on top and it felt like a constant pressure building up on the Churchill goal. The equaliser came shortly after Weston had hit the post, when a cross was finished with a looping header that found its way in despite the ‘keeper getting his fingers to it. They now had twenty five minutes to find a winner, with the remainder of the game now being played almost entirely in the Churchill half of the pitch. Weston thought they’d won it, but had a goal disallowed for offside, but with just five minutes left, they finally got the all important goal, when a cross from the right wasn’t cleared and the ball ran loose to be smashed in from close range.

Essex & Suffolk Border League

Division 4

Wednesday 22nd May 2024

Kick Off 18.30 Actual 18.28!

Ramsey & Mistley 0 Tendring District 2, attendance 25

2’ 0-1

65’ 0-2

@ Furze Hill Recreation Ground

Shrublands Road

Mistley

CO11 1HS

No Admission or Programme.

I’d received positive replies from both clubs that this was going ahead okay, so it was off to Essex for this local derby, with 11th hosting 10th (out of 13) in the table. I assume they’re both safe from relegation, but you never know these days. It was certainly competitive and both teams gave it 100% throughout. As well as battling each other, perhaps the biggest obstacle was the pitch! It was dreadful. As I arrived, I saw various areas being mowed, but they only tackled the worst parts. The grass was far too long and despite overnight rain, the pitch sounded very hard in places.

Tendring went in front after just two minutes, heading in a corner on the left from a couple of yards out. They doubled their lead midway through the second half, with a cracking long range effort that beat the ‘keeper into the bottom corner. Ramsey & Mistley did have a goal ruled out for offside and Tendring almost added a third late on, when a lob over the ‘keeper came back off the crossbar, but it finished 0-2.

Home to Ramsey & Mistley is Furze Hill Recreation Ground in Mistley. It’s a large expanse of grass with a couple of parallel pitches, one for football, running widthways in front of the buildings and the furthest one for rugby. The football changing rooms are first as you enter the car park, followed by the village hall and then rugby clubhouse, which was open for business, serving drinks, sweets, crisps, etc.

Middlesex County League

Division 1 (East & Central)

Monday 20th May 2024

Kick Off 19.00 Actual 19.08

Kulture Club 2 Aloysius 2, attendance 22

35’ 0-1 (pen)

66’ 1-1

79’ 1-2

80’ 2-2

@ St. Aloysius’ College Sports Ground

Hurst Avenue

London

N6 5TX

No Admission or Programme.

Luckily, Kulture Klub had posted this venue change on Twitter, as Football Mitoo was (and still is on the results page) showing the game as being played at Henry Barrass Stadium and I’d also received a reply via text message from the home club confirming the venue. It’s a typical college ground, with a number of sports catered for, with tonight’s game played on the pitch running parallel to the driveway leading into the small car park as you enter off Hurst Avenue. Plenty of street parking too and you certainly don’t need to worry about your car around these parts, as it is one of the more affluent areas of London.

The match was 2nd versus 7th (out of 12) in the league table, the last game for both teams, with Kulture Klub guaranteed to finish as runners up and Aloysius able to finish one place higher with a win from this. There was certainly nothing to suggest anything end of season about it, apart from the fact that it kicked off eight minutes late and despite plenty of light, the Referee opted for 2 x 40 minute halves. Plenty of chances at both ends, but the only goal of the first half was a penalty for Aloysius after 35 minutes. Kulture Klub levelled after 66 minutes, cutting inside, before finishing with a shot into the far corner from the angle of the 18 yard box. Aloysius looked to have won it with a free kick round the wall from the edge of the D in the last minute, but straight from the restart, Kulture Klub broke forward and were awarded a free kick 25 yards out, which flew past the ‘keeper to make it 2-2.

Northamptonshire Combination League

Division 1

Saturday 18th May 2024

Kick Off 14.30 Actual 14.32

Wootton St. George 2 A.F.C. Towcester 2, attendance 174

8’ 0-1

12’ 0-2

64’ 1-2

90’ 2-2

@ Wootton Community & Sports Centre

Curtlee Hill

Wootton

NN4 6ED

No Admission or Programme.

There was certainly no doubt about whether or not this game had something on it. 2nd versus 1st in the league table, with Wootton two points behind and this being the final game for both. A Wootton win would see them take the title, but any other result would see it go to Towcester. This game had actually been played once already, but was abandoned after seventy minutes following an injury to Towcester player Michael Watson, so was rescheduled for today.

A win for Wootton was certainly not out of the question. They’d won the reverse fixture 2-1 back in September and had also won the League Cup match by the same score, when the two teams met in the final at Cogenhoe United at the start of the month. However, a nightmare start today, where they were 0-2 down after 12 minutes, left them too much to do. A through ball that was finished with a curling shot into the corner opened the scoring, before a cross from the left was put in unmarked at the far post to double the lead four minutes later.

The second half came to life just after the hour mark, when a powerful run down the right saw a cross played into the box, which was laid off for a shot that was hammered in from 12 yards, despite the ‘keeper getting a hand to it. It was now a case of getting a second. It did come, but not until the final minute. Again it came from a cross from the right, which wasn’t cleared and it was smashed in at the far post to make it 2-2. Within seconds they had a great chance to win it, but failed to convert another cross in from the right and Towcester broke away to score what they thought was a third goal, but it was disallowed for offside. A minute later it was all over.

The ground here at Wootton Community & Sports Centre is pretty basic. The pitch runs widthways in front of the building and was roped along the near side. There was a cafe in the Community Centre doing a brisk business and a decent crowd for this level, although not as many as had been at the original fixture a few weeks back, according to a couple of ‘hoppers at the game who’d also been here that day.

Central Midlands Alliance League

Premier Division South

Friday 17th May 2024

Kick Off 18.30 Actual 18.31

Mayfield 1 Mickleover Royal British Legion 4, attendance 52 (official figure on F.A. Fulltime given as 100!)

24’ 0-1 (pen)

49’ 1-1

60’ 1-2

72’ 1-3

82’ 1-4

@ Ashbourne Recreation Ground

Cockayne Avenue

Ashbourne

DE6 1EJ

No Admission or Programme* (advertised one on Twitter, but never saw anyone with one).

I had seen a game at Ashbourne Recreation Ground previously, back in August 2004, when I saw Wheel Inn lose 1-4 to Doveridge in the Ashbourne Summer League, where the game was played on a pitch on the other side of the brook from the main area, which was accessible via a small footbridge. Tonight’s game was played on the main pitch though, which was the only ground I hadn’t visited in this division. The pitch runs lengthways away from the raised clubhouse/changing room building, with a small section of covered bench seating on the right hand side at the halfway line, with the pitch part roped along this side and a pair of portable dugouts opposite, backing onto the cricket square. The far end of the pitch, where it backs onto the brook was very soft and walking behind that end was very boggy. The club had mentioned on Twitter that there was to be a pitch inspection, but mentioned no time. A question of whether the game was going ahead was ignored on their Twitter, but I managed to contact the Secretary just after 12 o’clock and she informed me the inspection was currently taking place and 45 minutes later she messaged me to confirm it was game on!

Mayfield were sitting in 14th place in the league table (out of 18 if you count Nottingham, who dropped out during the season), with this being their final game of the season and could still be overtaken by both Teversal and Arnold Town, who both have one game to play and are a point behind, but both have a better goal difference. Mickleover R.B.L. were fifth, but a win tonight would see them finish one place higher.

It was a pretty drab first half, where the only goal saw Mickleover score with a penalty midway through. The second half was much better. Mayfield equalised four minutes after the interval and could have gone in front minutes later, when a shot was fumbled by the ‘keeper, but the follow up was cleared off the line. On the hour mark Mickleover were back in front, when a left footed shot from the edge of the D gave the ‘keeper no chance and they made the game safe with eighteen minutes left, controlling and finishing a cross from the right with a shot into the bottom corner, to make it 1-3. Eight minutes from the end it was 1-4, when a one-two on the edge of the box was finished into the far corner.