Sheffield & District Fair Play League

Division 1

Saturday 9th November 2024

Kick Off 10.30 Actual 10.29!

Crookes Crusaders 3 Sheffield West End 2, attendance 2

14’ 0-1

17’ 1-1

24’ 1-2

86’ 2-2

90’ 3-2

@ The Sheffield College – Hillsborough Campus, 3G Pitch

Livesey Street

Hillsborough

Sheffield

S6 2ET

No Admission or Programme.

Having stayed overnight in Sheffield, doing a 10.30 kick off in the Sheffield & District Fair Play League was the perfect start to the day. This wasn’t my first choice game. I’d headed to Hammer & Pincers first, but on arrival, there was a kids game about to kick off on the 3G pitch at Tapton School, where according to F.A. Full Time, the game was being played. At least it was only a fifteen minute drive for an alternative, on the 3G pitch at the Hillsborough Campus of Sheffield College, across the road from Owlerton Greyhound/Speedway Stadium. Ample parking, with the pitch at the far end, running lengthways away from the buildings, with spectator access along the entire right hand side. It is where Sheffield & Hallamshire County Senior League team Ecclesfield Red Rose play their home matches.

The game was 7th versus 8th in the league table and was an excellent watch from start to finish. SWE went ahead with an angled shot into the far corner, but a far post header saw Crookes level within three minutes. A quick break, finished one on one into the bottom corner, saw SWE regain the lead seven minutes later and although Crookes hit the post twice, it remained 1-2 at halftime. Crookes hit the post again in the second half, but finally drew level with four minutes left, when a long ball was finished with a looping header from 12 yards, that went in off the inside of the post and having equalised so late, they then grabbed a last minute winner, when a mix up between two attackers seemed to confuse the home defence and a scuffed shot, which totally wrong footed the ‘keeper, found it’s way into the bottom corner.

With the game having kicked off a minute early and a quick halftime, where everyone stayed on the pitch, this was over by 12.07, leaving ample time to head for a second match.

Central Midlands Alliance League

Premier Division North

Friday 8th November 2024

Kick Off 20.00 Actual 20.03

Kiveton Miners Welfare 1 Hatfield Town 1, attendance 79

25’ 1-0

62’ 1-1

@ Olympic Legacy Park Community Stadium

Worksop Road

Attercliffe

Sheffield

S9 3TL

£4 Admission

£2 Programme available, didn’t bother buying.

The Olympic Legacy Park Stadium was opened in 2022, built on part of the former site of the Don Valley Stadium, which itself was only opened in 1990 and subsequently closed in 2013, before being demolished over the following twelve months or so. The former ground had a 25,000 capacity, built to host the 1991 World Student Games and was somewhere I’d visited three times, twice for football (Sheffield United Reserves 1 Sunderland Reserves 4 Central League Div 1 December 1996 and Rotherham United 2 Rochdale 1 Football League, League 2 in August 2009) and once for rugby league (Sheffield Eagles 19 Featherstone Rovers 12 Challenge Cup 1st Round February 1991). The new stadium has a 3G pitch and seated stand for just over 700 and is a rarity in the fact that spectators have access to all four sides of the pitch, although due to the rugby markings (Sheffield Eagles are also based here), you are set back from the action and the rugby posts remain in place behind each goal. Even this sized ground is far too big for this level of football (the official crowd was 15 higher than my headcount) and the only facility available to spectators was the toilets. The home club did set up a temporary ‘tea bar’ on a table at the entrance, where admission money was collected and a match day programme was available to those who wanted one. At least the car parking was free, although parking restrictions were not in place in the surrounding streets for an evening game.

The match was 12th (out of 16) versus 5th in the league table and was well contested throughout. Kiveton took the lead midway through the first half, cutting inside before finishing left footed into the bottom corner from the edge of the 18 yard box. Hatfield thought they’d levelled the scores ten minutes before halftime, but the effort was disallowed for offside and the home ‘keeper made three or four really good saves in the last few minutes, to see them go in 1-0 up at the break. The second half created fewer chances, but the visitors grabbed an equaliser just after the hour mark, when a ball in from the left was finished into the far corner.

After tonight I’m left with just S.J.R. Worksop to visit in this division. As for Olympic Legacy Park, I’ll be back for a Sheffield Eagles game sometime, probably next Summer.

Portugal

Primeira Liga

Monday 4th November 2024

Kick Off 20.15 Actual 20.18

Clube Desportivo Nacional 2 Clube Desportivo Santa Clara 0, attendance 1,425

9’ 1-0

13’ 2-0 (pen)

@ Estadio da Madeira

Camino do Terco

9060-329 Funchal

Madeira

€50 Admission

No Programme.

Tonight was the final match of the trip and a game at Estadio da Madeira, home of Clube Desportivo Nacional, the other half of ‘the big two’ on the island, although they are (in my opinion) the second club (despite currently sitting a division above city rival Clube Sport Maritimo). They shared the Estadio do Maritimo up until 2008, when Nacional made the move to the newly built stadium here, which for some reason is built high above the city and certainly not accessible without transport. The main stadium has an all seated capacity of 5,132 and there are also three other pitches at the complex, including the ground where their ‘B’ team play, the Cristiano Ronaldo Futebol Campus-Estadio, named after their now world famous ex youth team player, who was born in Funchal. Unusually, the Estadio da Madeira only has stands along the sides, the main one being fully covered, with the other only covered in the middle third, whilst the goal ends just have mesh fencing. Tickets for this game were not available to buy online, so we’d bought them in the club office in Funchal on Thursday afternoon, although the crowd was so pathetically small that we could have waited until arriving for the game. Having bought the tickets in advance was a slight gamble though, as the last home game here, versus Benfica, had been postponed half an hour before kick off, due to fog. It was a little disconcerting, when ten minutes before kick off, cloud began swirling across the pitch. Thankfully, it only lasted about five minutes and once it lifted it remained clear. On the way up to the stadium (via the ‘Bolt’ app) the driver moaned most of the way and said he wouldn’t have taken the trip if he’d realised where we were heading before accepting it. When he realised we were going to the match (what else would we be heading there for on a Monday night?) he started going on about how everyone hates going here, due to it’s location and because of how many games are lost to fog!

The match certainly affected both ends of the table. Nacional were second bottom, but knew a win would lift them clear of the relegation zone, whilst Santa Clara, from The Azores, were fifth and three points here would see them climb back into fourth and a qualifying position for the European competitions. Nacional got off to a perfect start, when Isaac headed in a cross from the right that looped over the ‘keeper from 12 yards. Four minutes later it was 2-0, when Ruben Macedo coolly dispatched a penalty that was awarded for a handball. They could have put the game beyond doubt, but missed an absolute sitter in stoppage time at the end of the first half, when a ball found a striker unmarked at the far post, but instead of shooting into the open side of the goal, he went for the side the ball had come from, which saw the ‘keeper make an initial save, before scooping the ball off the goal line. Neither side really looked like scoring, in a second half that was very dull. Santa Clara were very poor throughout and it is hard to see how they’ve managed to be so far up the table. Not too much to shout about for the 18 fans in the away section.

After the game we managed to get a ‘Bolt’ to pick us up at the corner of the stadium, which we were in within a minute of the final whistle and back at our hotel by 22.30. It was €13 getting up to the stadium and just €11 coming back down. So, another successful trip completed and a relief to have got the two Madeiran teams in the top levels of the Portuguese League done on the same trip. Back home on the British Airways 1505 flight to London Gatwick on Tuesday afternoon, which left on time.

Above photo : The Estadio da Madeira (underlined in red) as viewed from our hotel, shows just how high above sea level it is.

Portugal

Associacao de Futebol da Madeira

Divisao de Honra

Sunday 3rd November 2024

Kick Off 16.30 On Time!

Clube Desportivo 1st de Maio 3 C.F. Andorinha 2, attendance 147

35’ 1-0

41’ 2-0

54’ 2-1

60’ 3-1

87’ 3-2

@ Campo de Futebol do Caminho 1st de Maio

Rua Campo 1st de Maio

Sao Goncalo

9060-418 Funchal

Madeira

€3 Admission

No Programme.

Today was an opportunity to visit a ground in Divisao Honra (the top division) of the Madeira regional league. The ground of C.D. 1st de Maio is just over five miles east of Funchal centre and a twenty minute drive from our hotel, which was once again via Bolt and cost €13 outbound and an extra €2 back, due to ‘surge demand’. The ground is way up above the city. The sun was left down below, whilst the ground was shrouded in low cloud for the vast majority of the game, with blue sky finally appearing late in the second half. There is a small clubhouse outside the entrance, serving hot/cold drinks and various snack items. Tickets have to be purchased from a window to the right of the ground entrance and once inside, spectator viewing is limited to the near side and behind the left hand goal end. In one corner there is a section of open metal seating, whilst to the right of the entrance is a raised area, which was basically where fans were using the concrete steps to sit on. The dugouts are on the far side and the ground also has floodlights, which were switched on during the second half. Despite now having a synthetic pitch, the ground retains all it’s old character and it must have been quite a job levelling the pitch into the hillside when first built.

The match was 10th versus 9th (out of 12), with both sides having drawn one and lost one of their opening two games. There were plenty of chances early on, but it wasn’t until ten minutes before halftime that Maio broke the deadlock, finishing into the bottom corner from the edge of the box. Six minutes later they doubled their lead, breaking quickly after defending a corner and finishing with a curling shot into the far corner from just inside the box. Andorinha pulled it back to 2-1 nine minutes into the second half, when a deep cross from the right was guided back into the far corner with a cushioned volley. On the hour mark Maio restored their two goal lead, glancing a header into the far corner from a right wing cross and it looked like the game was safe. Andorinha made it interesting with a 30 yarder into the top corner with three minutes left, to make it 3-2 and the locals were not impressed when the board went up to show there would be seven minutes of stoppage time to be added, but they held on to take their first win of the season.

It was only an eight minute wait after the game before being picked up and back at the hotel barely twenty five minutes after the final whistle.

Portugal

Associacao de Futebol da Madeira

1 Divisao

Saturday 2nd November 2024

Kick Off 19.30 Actual 19.32

C.F. Carvalheiro 8 C.F. Canical ‘B’ 0, attendance 103

7’ 1-0, 20’ 2-0, 41’ 3-0

50’ 4-0, 52’ 5-0, 64’ 6-0, 76’ 7-0, 84’ 8-0

@ Campo de Futebol Adelino Rodrigues

Rua Nova de Alegria

9060 – 282 Funchal

Madeira

No Admission or Programme.

Below the top four levels in Portugal the game becomes regional, rather like our county leagues in England. Here on Madeira there are two levels, each playing their fixtures on one designated day. Today was the turn of 1 Divisao, the lower of the two. Only three of those were with the first team as hosts, so I opted for the one here at Campo de Futebol Adelino Rodrigues, just to the east of central Funchal. It was not only the nearest, but also the easiest to get to, being just a ten minute ride from the hotel with ‘Bolt’, which cost €6.65 each way. As with this afternoon, it was a ground I’d had a look at when holidaying here 20 years ago. It is tightly hemmed in, but does have spectator access on three sides, with the just the goal end housing the changing rooms being out of bounds. There are seats bolted to the steps along each side and standing at the other end, with trees growing amongst the terracing. They could do with a few more floodlight bulbs, even allowing for the odd one not working, as it was very dark and patchy in large areas of the pitch. Apart from toilet blocks in opposite diagonal corners, there are no other facilities available. The 3G pitch was laid here around 2003, replacing a ‘dirt’ pitch. It would have been grass at one time though, as it hosted Portuguese league football between 1954 and 1957, when it was temporarily home to both C.S Maritimo and C.D. Nacional, whilst renovation work was taking place at Estadio dos Barreiros (now known as Estadio do Maritimo) where I’d been this afternoon. Nowadays the capacity is listed as 3,000, but would have been higher in those days as it would have been pre-seats as well as pre-safety certificates!

This was the first game I’d seen in the regional leagues and it was between two teams who’d lost their opening fixtures last week. It is probably one of the weaker leagues, due to a much smaller pool of players to choose from than on the mainland or nearer the larger cities, but it was entertaining enough, although it did end up as a real thrashing in the end. Three goals in the first half saw the game comfortably won for Carvalheiro and another five followed during the second half. They should easily have made it into double figures, but wasted a host of chances, especially late on.

Having been dry and sunny all day, it was disappointing to have a twenty minute spell of very light rain during the second half. It was still warm though and the trees behind the goal managed to keep us dry.

Portugal

Liga 2

Saturday November 2nd 2024

Kick Off 14.00 Actual 14.02

Club Sport Maritimo 1 F.C. Penafiel 2, attendance 7,211

1’ 1-0

31’ 1-1

61’ 1-2

@ Estadio do Maritimo

Rua dos Barreiros

9000-619 Funchal

Madeira

€15 Admission, Print at Home Ticket

No Programme.

Having visited the training complex of Maritimo yesterday for the U19 game, today it was the chance to see the first team, at the Estadio do Maritimo. I’d seen the ground before, during a holiday in 2004, out of football season. Since then the ground has undergone a huge rebuild between 2009 and 2016, including removing the running track from around the pitch. It was originally opened in 1957, when it was known as Campo dos Barreiros and although previously larger, the capacity these days is 10,932 all seated and rather oddly, a couple of the old floodlight pylons remain in place. It has been home to all three of the Madeira teams to have played in the Portuguese League at one stage (CD Nacional 1957- 1998 and Uniao 1957- 2008 and again from 2011-2012) but is now solely used by Maritimo and occasionally by Portugal for international matches.

Tickets were easily booked online, although it would have been no problem purchasing them at the stadium prior to kick off. There were plenty of empty seats and although the official attendance was given as 7,211 I’d be surprised if there were more than 6,000 actually present. There was certainly plenty of room in the away section, where I only counted 26 fans! No need for a taxi for this one as it was no more than 15 minutes walk from our hotel. The only problem was that it was uphill all the way. In fact, most things in Funchal involve walking uphill. There were a couple of mobile food and drink stalls outside, which were very busy. Once inside the ground the refreshments were just the usual snacks and very bland looking sandwiches, so best to eat before heading in.

The match was 5th versus 2nd in the league table, with Penafiel having been top until last weekends defeat at home to Academico Viseu. Many spectators hadn’t even got to their seats before Maritimo opened the scoring after just 37 seconds, when a cut back from the right was touched in at the near post by Carlos Daniel. Penafiel levelled just after the half hour mark, when Reko headed in from 6 yards, having been unmarked at a corner. Just after the hour mark a ball in from the right was curled into the far corner by Robinho, in what turned out to be the winner. Maritimo did have a header cleared off the line minutes later, but Penafiel hung on for the three points, aided by the usual time wasting/cheating and rolling about at every opportunity, which is something that is all too common in Portuguese football. They certainly won’t be bothered though, as they go back to the top of the table for at least the next two days, as this mornings leaders Tondela don’t play until Monday night.

Even with eight minutes of stoppage time, we were finished just after 4 o’clock, so ample time to make a gentle stroll back down to the hotel before heading out to eat and then sampling a game in the local regional league this evening….

Above and below photos show the former ticket booth now partially demolished.

Portugal

Campeonato Nacional U19 II Divisao

Serie D

Friday 1st November 2024

Kick Off 15.00 Actual 14.58!

Club Sport Maritimo U19 1 F.C. Alverca U19 2, attendance 143

74’ 0-1

85’ 1-1 (pen)

86’ 1-2 (pen)

@ Complexo Desportivo do Club Sport Maritimo, Pitch 2

Rua Campo do Maritimo

Sao Roque

9020-207 Funchal

Madeira

No Admission or Programme.

A short break on the island of Madeira, with the main objective being to see games at the two big clubs here, with this unexpected bonus game here at the training complex of Club Sport Maritimo fitting in with the schedule perfectly. It was a Bank Holiday in Portugal today and I’m not too sure if this had any bearing on the game being played this afternoon or not, as all other matches in this league are tomorrow, or whether it was due to the first team playing on Saturday afternoon and they didn’t want to clash with that, or simply flight schedules?

Anyway, it was little more than a ten minute drive north from our hotel, using the ‘Bolt’ app and costing €7.30 each way for the four mile journey. Far cheaper than getting a hire car and far quicker than getting there by bus, although this would have been easy too, with regular bus options heading within easy reach of the ground. There are two pitches here, which run parallel to each other. There is a grass pitch, nearer to the road, with terracing/concrete seating on two sides and certainly having plenty of charm and character. Then, beyond that, the synthetic pitch, which was hosting today’s game. Behind the goal there is a large multiple storey building that houses the changing rooms and up above a snack bar, with a viewing area, where quite a few watched from. The only accessible spectator area pitch side is along about three quarters of one side, consisting of five rows of concrete steps, with painted lines marking out the ‘seats’, whilst others stood at the back of the top row. The other end looked down over houses and beyond that the North Atlantic Ocean. The perfect backdrop, especially with it being 25 or 26 degrees, even with occasional cloud cover and a gentle wind. Certainly makes a change from what England tends to throw up in November.

The match was a slow burner. Neither side achieved much of note in the first half and the second period followed the same pattern. Too much squealing and rolling about (blatant cheating). It looked almost certain to finish goalless. Then suddenly, with sixteen minutes left, a long ball over the top was finished with an angled shot into the far corner to give Alverca the lead. The remainder of the game was brilliant, as both teams attacked at will. With five minutes left, Maritimo equalised from the penalty spot, but having fought hard to get back in it, they then gave away a penalty within seconds of the restart, which Alverca duly scored from. There were six or seven minutes of stoppage time too, but the visitors managed to hold on for the win. Not a bad start to the weekend…..

Cambridgeshire County League

Premier Division Cup 1st Round

Saturday 26th October 2024

Kick Off 15.00 Actual 15.02

Witchford 96 1 Over Sports 6, attendance 52

12’ 0-1

25’ 1-1

44’ 1-2

45’ 1-3

65’ 1-4

74’ 1-5

86’ 1-6

@ Witchford Sports & Social Club

Bedwell Hey Lane

Witchford

CB6 2JN

No Admission or Programme.

The journey from Highgate to Witchford, just south west of Ely, saw me arrive an hour before kick off, for what was the only ground I hadn’t yet visited in the Premier Division of the Cambridgeshire County League. Minutes later the two teams emerged from the changing rooms to begin their pre match warm ups and the pitch was looking good. The Witchford Sports & Social Club was busy and not just with those here for the football. There are four pool tables and four dartboards too, with the bar serving hot and cold drinks and the normal snacks you’d expect. Not the biggest of car parks, but plenty of room on the road outside. There’s just the one pitch here, running widthways when looking from the building, set back about 50 yards. It’s railed along each side with a plastic barrier and has a pair of dugouts on the far side.

As far as league positions go, this was 9th versus 5th and until the last couple of minutes of the first half, it would have been hard to say which way it would go. Over went ahead after twelve minutes, but an angled shot into the far corner saw Witchford draw level midway through the half. Over then hit them with a quick fire double right at the end of the half, scoring first with a first time finish from twenty yards, quickly followed by a curled finish into the far top corner, to see them go in 1-3 up at the break. Over hit the crossbar early in the second half and three more goals followed at ten minute intervals to see them run out resounding 1-6 winners, which was a fair reflection of their dominance.

Arthurian League

Arthur Dunn Cup 1st Round

Saturday 26th October 2024

Kick Off 10.30 On Time!

Old Cholmeleians 3 Old Merchant Taylors 2, attendance 23

20’ 0-1

22’ 1-1

39’ 2-1

46’ 3-1

77’ 3-2

@ Highgate School

Bishopswood Road

Highgate

London

N6 4NY

No Admission or Programme.

The Arthur Dunn Cup offers a rare opportunity to visit the proper home grounds of the host teams, rather than the normal random venues dotted around London that they play their league matches at. I managed to park right opposite the entrance to Highgate School in Bishopswood Road. On entering, the football pitch is in the far right hand corner, running lengthways (parallel with Bishopswood Road) away from you, with the far goal backing onto Hampstead Lane. The players get changed in the main cricket pavilion (there is a small one behind the far goal too) which is to the left, on the far side of the cricket pitch from the football and toilets were available in here.

With the early kick off, it meant ample time to head to a second game, even allowing for the possibility of extra time and penalties being needed. On paper, that didn’t look like being a problem, as this was Premier Division versus Division 2, although it only just went in favour of the hosts. OMT volleyed in from close range to take the lead after twenty minutes, but Cholmeleians levelled within two minutes and then hit the crossbar a minute later, before taking the lead six minutes before halftime. When they made it 3-1 a minute into the second half, sliding in to finish at the near post, it looked like job done, but OMT still looked dangerous and made for an edgy finish, when they pulled it back to 3-2 with thirteen minutes left, with an angled shot into the far corner.

With the game finished by around 12.15, I was able to stick to my preferred afternoon match, heading north to Cambridgeshire, where I’d hopefully be completing the top division of the Cambridgeshire County League.

National League

Wednesday 23rd October 2024

Kick Off 19.45 Actual 19.47

Wealdstone 3 Braintree Town 2, attendance 1,163

10’ 1-0

13’ 1-1

16’ 1-2

54’ 2-2

67’ 3-2

@ Grosvenor Vale

Ruislip

HA4 6JQ

£5 Admission

£3 Programme available, didn’t bother buying.

I’d visited Wealdstone at their former Lower Mead ground in Harrow back on 23rd March 1991, when they lost 1-3 to Waterlooville (att. 474) in a Southern League Premier Division match, just weeks before they vacated the ground, which has now been built on. After a number of ground shares, they moved in with Ruislip Manor, at the ground here at Grosvenor Vale, which later became their permanent home. I’d seen Ruislip Manor beat Aldershot Town here in an Isthmian League Division 1 match back in February 1995, so a revisit was long overdue. To be honest, I don’t remember anything of that visit. The ground would certainly have been less developed than it is now, with its hotchpotch of stands and side to side sloping pitch giving it some charm and it has a capacity of just over 4,000. That wasn’t tested tonight, despite a superb offer of £5 admission price (normally £18 for standing) for all, with the game designated as a ‘Community Trust Game’. Good to see it included the away section too and not just an advance price either! I had a cheeseburger with chips and a cup of tea and still ended up a quid up on the normal cost of just getting in!

Anyway, on to the match. It was an early season relegation battle, with second bottom hosting fifth from bottom (4 go down) and a game where both teams would have fancied their chances of taking the three points. Wealdstone went in front inside ten minutes, when a corner on the right was swept in at the far post by Ashford. Braintree were level four minutes later, when a diagonal free kick into the box was met by Annesley, whose flicked header at the near post found the far corner. Two minutes later the visitors were ahead, when Powell intercepted an awful defensive pass and finished with the goal gaping. Wealdstone levelled nine minutes into the second half, when a ball in from the right was put in by Reid and they got what turned out to be the winner midway through the half, when Ashford scored his second goal of the game, finishing with a left footed shot that was deflected past the ‘keeper at his near post.

Having arrived at the ground just over an hour before kick off, I’d managed to grab a parking space in Grosvenor Vale (the road that gives the stadium it’s name), no more than 100 yards from the entrance. It certainly paid off, as a quick getaway meant I was able to beat the M25 overnight closure at J10 on the way home.