Cambridgeshire County League

Division 2A

Tuesday 9th April 2024

18.15

Match Postponed

@ Balsham Recreation Ground

Church Lane

Balsham

CB21 4DS.

The Cambridgeshire County League is one of those leagues that finding out about whether games are on or not are nigh on impossible to confirm, especially as the social media of most clubs at this level is non existent. I’d left home at 15.30, with the game on the F.A. Fulltime website still showing as ‘on’ or should that be ‘not off’? Anyway, I arrived at the ground at 17.00 to find the gate to the car park open, but it was deserted. I checked the website again, with the match now showing as postponed. I can only assume one or other of the teams couldn’t be bothered to raise at team ? (It was 3rd bottom v 2nd bottom) as there was no problem with the pitch.

I did have a backup though…twenty minutes away, where Cambridge Ambassadors were hosting Girton United at Trumpington College 3G pitch. Well, according to F.A. Full Time it was there. Again it was deserted on arrival. A quick check on Ambassadors Twitter showed that the game was being played at Comberton Village College, which is another 3G, but the kick off was 18.45, so plenty of time to head there in time for kick off. Unfortunately, no one here either. Inside the venue I was told that the club had cancelled their booking. A few minutes later they tweeted that the game was ‘underway’. No mention of where it was being played, but it transpires it was at Girton, where I’ve been anyway. The F.A. Fulltime results page shows it as having been played at Trumpington!

Unfortunately, when you are down to the levels I now find myself frequenting these days, (the more you do, the further down the barrel you go!) these things tend to happen at least once a season. On a Saturday you can invariably find an alternative, but not so easy on a Tuesday night, especially with the early kick offs. I’m now 13 grounds off my next milestone, as far as number of grounds visited goes and it was certainly an unlucky number tonight….4 hours driving and just over 200 miles wasted….as well as £4 on the Dartford Crossing.

Oh well, surely I’ll be okay tomorrow, although I won’t hold my breath, as I’m planning on a game in the West Sussex League, which is anything but reliable…

Essex & Suffolk Border League

Premier Division

Saturday 6th April 2024

Kick Off 15.00 Actual 15.02

Belle Vue Social Club 2 Tiptree Heath 1, attendance 25

30’ 0-1

60’ 1-1

74’ 2-1

@ Garrison A Cricket Ground

Napier Road

Colchester

CO2 7GA

No Admission or Programme.

Today’s game was a visit to the last ground I hadn’t seen a game on in this division and a game between the teams 12th (out of 15) and 2nd in the league table. I’d received an early reply to a text message that the game was going ahead okay and arrived at the ground just as the three match officials were doing a quick walk of the pitch. No problems whatsoever, with the playing surface in immaculate condition. The car park here is payable by app only, so I parked across the road in a standard pay and display car park instead. When entering the ground from the car park, the pavilion/changing rooms are to the right, whilst the pitch is on the far side of the cricket square, running widthways, butting up to St. John’s Green Primary School. The pitch is roped along the near side and has a couple of portable dugouts, although they were just frames without the covers.

It was a good even contest, played with a strong wind blowing across the pitch, but at least it was dry! Tiptree Heath led at the break, having gone ahead after half an hour with a finish from just inside the 18 yard box. Belle Vue equalised on the hour, when a cross field ball put the winger through and he finished diagonally into the far corner and they grabbed the winner with sixteen minutes left, when a long throw in Was flicked on and finished from close range.

Despite the defeat Tiptree remain second in the table. Colne Athletic won the title a few weeks ago, but there are still four clubs who can grab the runners up spot. Belle Vue move up two places into tenth.

Kent County League

Division 3 West Cup

Group A

Thursday 4th April 2024

Kick Off 18.15 Actual 18.26

Agenda 3 A.F.C. Lewisham 2, attendance 14

8’ 1-0

32’ 2-0

46’ 2-1

63’ 2-2

80’ 3-2

@ The Memorial Ground

Belvedere Sports Club

101a Woolwich Road

Belvedere

London

SE2 0DY

No Admission or Programme.

Belvedere Sports Club has two pitches, running widthways when looking from the clubhouse building, separated by a cricket square. Tonight’s game was on the further of the two, roped along the near side and railed on the other, where there are two brick built dugouts, both without a roof, (although they were leaning up against the back of each) and a quite substantial sloping pitch dropping away to the left.

I’d had a very quick reply via text message from the home club that the game was going ahead okay and arrived just over an hour before kick off to see the corner flags being put out and nets start to be up. The person doing the job was wearing a top with a Belvedere F.C. badge on (they are the main club here, with Agenda being the tenants) and I was very surprised to find out a little later that he was also the Referee!

The players didn’t start arriving until around 17.30 and it soon became evident that there was no chance of kicking off at the advertised time of 18.15. We finally got underway at 18.26, with the Referee very sensibly opting to play 2 x 40 minute halves. Lewisham only had ten players when we kicked off, with an outfield player taking over in goal temporarily, whilst the proper ‘keeper was getting changed by the dugout, as he was one of the last players to arrive.

The stand in pulled off a superb save early on, but even though Lewisham were up to full strength about five minutes in, it only took Agenda eight minutes to open the scoring. The first twenty minutes was one way traffic, but once Lewisham settled down, it became a really good contest and was much more the type of game you’d expect from two teams who are currently second and third in this division. They’ve already played each other twice in the league (2-1 here and 2-2 at Lewisham) whilst Agenda won 3-1 (AET) when they met in the West Kent Challenge Shield Semi-Final a couple of weeks ago.

It was 2-0 after 32 minutes and Agenda looked to be cruising. Six minutes into the second half Lewisham got back in it, with a 20 yarder into the bottom corner and just after the hour mark they drew level, with a 25 yarder looping over the ‘keeper into the top corner. Both sides went all out for a winner, with Agenda nicking it right on eighty minutes, finishing clinically from the edge of the box after being played through on goal. Three minutes of stoppage time were played and it was very dark when the final whistle went at 19.55.

Gwent Premier League

Premier Division

Wednesday 3rd April 2024

Kick Off 18.30 Actual 18.27

Monmouth Town 4 Lucas Cwmbran 0, attendance 110

8’ 1-0

48’ 2-0

68’ 3-0

76’ 4-0

@ Monmouth Sports Ground

Blestium Street

Monmouth

NP25 3AF

No Admission

£1 Programme, 8 pages.

I’d seen a game at Monmouth Sports Ground back in April 2008, when Monmouth Town beat Cwmamman United 2-1 in a Welsh League Division 3 match. The pitch they played on that day is still there, but is now permanently used by the rugby club, whilst the football have moved to the other side of the cricket square, where they have railed off the pitch and erected a small seated stand, with the clubhouse/changing rooms now directly behind one goal.

Above : The cover on the old pitch.

Tonight’s match was 6th versus 13th in the league table. Monmouth have no chance of winning the league, but Lucas Cwmbran are only four places off the bottom, having a seven point gap over bottom club Coed Eva Athletic, six points over second bottom Wattsville and are three points above third bottom Newport Civil Service. They have games in hand over all three, so should be safe.

The game was shown as an 18.30 kick off on the Cymru App, but the club had tweeted that the game would kick off at the earlier and far more sensible time of 18.15. However, neither the Referee or the visitors had any intention of going for the earlier start, despite all being ready at least ten minutes before we finally got underway at 18.27. No hint of playing reduced halves either and although we got the full game in, it was very dark for the last ten minutes or so as the Referee blew the final whistle at 20.04.

With no real pressure on either side, it turned out to be a really good, end to end game, which has often been the case when I’ve watched games in this league over the years. Monmouth opened the scoring after just eight minutes, shooting in at the near post, which surprisingly was the only goal of the first half. Three minutes into the second half they made it 2-0, finishing into the bottom corner after a one two on the edge of the box and goal number three arrived twenty minutes later. Lucas Cwmbran had a chance to get back into it, but had a penalty saved with seventeen minutes left and shortly afterwards Monmouth added goal number four, when a cross from the right was spilled by the ‘keeper and followed in from close range.

Cambridgeshire County League

Division 2A

Tuesday 2nd April 2024

Kick Off 18.15 Actual 18.19

Histon Hornets 4 Steeple Morden 1, attendance 34

22’ 1-0

45’ 2-0

48’ 3-0

82’ 3-1

83’ 4-1

@ Histon & Impington Recreation Ground

New Road

Impington

CB24 9EL

No Admission or Programme.

Histon & Impington Recreation Ground hosts cricket and tennis, as well as the football club. The pitch was roped along part of one side, which extended slightly further due to the cricket square being protected. The playing surface was absolutely superb, perhaps a reflection of the fact Ipswich Town F.C. have some sort of tie up here. The modern changing room building is on the left as you enter from the car park, with the pitch further along, running widthways, with tennis courts behind one goal, whilst behind the fence at the other goal end is the ground of Histon F.C. Unusually for a ground at this level, especially for an early evening kick off, there was a tea bar in operation, with hot food and drinks available, although rather pricey.

The match was 7th versus 13th (out of 14) in the league table, with Histon Hornets safe in mid table, whilst visitors Steeple Morden have games in hand on the two teams above them, so still have a chance of avoiding relegation. It took Histon until midway through the first half to make the breakthrough, lobbing the ‘keeper from the edge of the box after being played clear and they doubled their lead in the final minute of the half, when a through ball was nicked past the ‘keeper for a supporting player to tap into the unguarded net. Three minutes into the second half it was 3-0, heading in a corner from six yards. As the gloom descended, not helped by light rain now falling, Steeple Morden pulled a goal back with eight minutes left, with a long range shot into the bottom corner and from the kick off Histon immediately made it 4-1, shooting in from the centre circle (second consecutive day I’ve now seen a goal scored like this!), no doubt aided by the ‘keeper suffering with visibility. Before the game resumed, the Referee called both Captains together and the game was called to a halt, with six minutes still to play, although the F.A. Full Time website shows the final result as 4-1, rather than the game having been abandoned.

Had the game not kicked off four minutes late in the first place, then it may just have run it’s full course, although had it not been for the floodlights of the tennis courts and those of Histon F.C. (their Reserves were playing at 19.45) being on, then we wouldn’t have managed to play anywhere near the amount we actually did!

Above photo…..the final few seconds…

East Sussex League

Premier Division

Monday 1st April 2024

Kick Off 14.00 On Time!

St. Leonards Social 1 Punnetts Town 7, attendance 19

19’ 0-1

34’ 0-2

40’ 0-3

61’ 0-4

64’ 0-5

70’ 0-6

73’ 1-6

90’ 1-7

@ Tilekiln Playing Fields, Pitch 2

Ingleside

Hollington

St. Leonards

TN38 9RZ

No Admission or Programme.

I had already done a game here at Tilekiln Playing Fields, when I saw Rock-a-Nore draw 1-1 versus St. Leonards Social back in April 2010, a game which was played on Pitch 3. That pitch is furthest from the changing rooms and is actually down on a lower level, separated from the main field by a row of trees/hedge, with the pitch running lengthways away from the complex. It was only about ten minutes drive from Westfield to St. Leonards and as F.A. Full Time was showing that today’s game was on Pitch 2, then it was worth driving here just to see if that was correct. It turned out it was and the allocated pitch number was also correct, being the furthest of the two pitches from the entrance, both running widthways as you look across from the changing rooms and separated by what was an old cricket square.

The match was 10th (out of 12) versus 2nd in the league table and in the end went very much as expected. Punnetts Town played some really good football, which was no mean feat considering the grass was in urgent need of a cut and certainly didn’t help with their passing game, but they still totally overran the hosts. It was 0-3 by halftime, the pick of which was the third goal, a 30 yarder into the bottom corner. Two more just after the hour mark made it 0-5, before a three on one break saw it become 0-6 with twenty minutes left. St. Leonards did pull one back minutes later, courtesy of a cracking 25 yard free kick that bounced right in front of the ‘keeper, skidding off the turf and totally mis footing him on it’s way in. They even went close a couple of times in the next five minutes, but it was Punnetts Town who rounded off the scoring when they made it 1-7 in the dying seconds.

Mid Sussex League

Premier Division

Monday 1st April 2024

Kick Off 11.00 Actual 11.06

Westfield 3 Sedlescombe Rangers 1, attendance 103

26’ 1-0

31’ 2-0

32’ 2-1

84’ 3-1

@ Knight & Davey Community Stadium

The Tawnies

Main Road

Westfield

TN35 4SL

No Admission or Programme.

I had seen Westfield play a home game back in December 2007, when they drew 3-3 with Rustington in a Sussex County League Division 2 match in front of 56 spectators. That game was played on their Parish Field ground, but they have now moved to the brand new Knight & Davey Community Stadium, which is 100 yards further out of town, on the opposite side of Main Road to the former (still there and hosting a youth game this morning). The changing room building is on the near side, where you enter from the car park, with this being the only side of the pitch currently railed off, with the dugouts opposite. Hard standing is available on the entrance side too, as well as behind the goal to the right. The pitch was in excellent condition (it was hosting a reserves game after this) and the club had tweeted early this morning that the game was definitely going ahead okay.

The match was 4th versus 12th (second bottom) in the league table. Westfield opened the scoring after twenty six minutes, when a cross from the right was finished with a header flicked into the far corner. They doubled their lead five minutes later, when another cross from the right was played back across the six yard box and hooked in from close range. From the re-start Sedlescombe made an instant reply, when the ball was tapped to the side and the striker hit a shot from a yard inside his own half that sailed over the ‘keeper, as he desperately back pedalled trying to tip the ball over the crossbar. The second half saw Westfield get on top, but they struggled to kill the game off. They did see a free kick come back off the post just before the hour mark, before finally making the game safe with six minutes left, converting a corner from the left with a downward header at the far post.

The result sees both teams end the day in the same league position that they started in, Westfield ten points adrift of league leaders Reigate Priory, although they do have two games in hand, whilst Seddlescombe trail third bottom Rotherfield by sixteen points and despite having six games in hand, look certain to go down.

Essex Olympian League

Division 1

Saturday 30th March 2024

Kick Off 14.00 Actual 14.06

A.C.D. United 3 Manford Way 1, attendance 12

7’ 1-0

44’ 2-0

69’ 2-1 (pen)

78’ 3-1

@ Seymour Field

New Road

Ingatestone

CM4 0HH

No Admission or Programme.

A.C.D United only moved to the ground here at Ingatestone this season, but there are rumours they may be playing elsewhere next season, so I took the opportunity to visit today, just in case. I received a very quick reply from the home club via text message that the game was going ahead okay and apart from the usual 3 or 4 mile queue at Dartford Tunnel and a fifteen minute delay trying to exit the M25 onto the A12, I still arrived twenty five minutes before the scheduled kick off. Entering off New Road, there is a very small car park, with the changing room building to the right. The pitch is directly in front, running widthways and roped off along both sides.

The match was 4th versus 7th in the league table and was a decent contest from start to finish. ACD were ahead early, following in from close range after the ‘keeper had spilled a cross from wide on the left. They didn’t add their second goal until a minute before halftime, cutting 9n from the right, before finishing left footed into the bottom corner from just inside the 18 yard box. Manford Way pulled one back from the penalty spot, awarded for a handball, with just over twenty minutes left, but ACD made the game safe when they added a third goal twelve minutes from time, hitting an angled shot from 20 yards that gave the ‘keeper no chance.

Only the top two go up from this division and today’s win now sees ACD move up two places into third place, two points behind second placed Harold Hill, with Wakering Sports eight points clear at the top, although they’ve played three more games than the two chasers.

North West Counties League

Division 1 North

Friday 29th March 2024

Kick Off 12.30 On Time!

F.C. St. Helens 3 Runcorn Town 2, attendance 392

27’ 0-1

28’ 1-1

36’ 2-1

49’ 2-2

78’ 3-2 (pen)

@ Windleshaw Sports Ground

Windleshaw Road

Denton’s Green

St. Helens

WA10 6TD

£5 Admission

£2 Programme, 28 pages.

Finding a previously unvisited ground hosting a match on a Good Friday is getting harder as each year passes, with fewer leagues now scheduling games on this day, but rather surprisingly, I had a choice of three to pick from. One in North Wales, but at a soulless 3G cage with no spectator viewing area. Another in Warrington, also being played on 3G, but not the regular home venue of the host club, or the one here in St. Helens, which was my preferred choice, as it was on grass and also the one with the earlier kick off (brought forward from 3pm to avoid a clash with the St. Helens v Wigan Warriors RL game that was live on tv and being shown in the clubhouse)…. As well as re-completing the North West Counties League once again, it also had something on the game….a win would see the hosts clinch the league title!

Despite it being 1st versus 13th in the league table, it wasn’t as straightforward a win as it would seem. Runcorn had won the reverse fixture 2-1 back in September, before winning 3-1 in a league cup game when they met the following month. There was little between the two today, in a game that could have gone either way. Runcorn opened the scoring in the twenty seventh minute, breaking down the left before cutting inside to see a shot saved by the ‘keeper, but the rebound followed in. St. Helens levelled immediately, when a mix up between ‘keeper and defender saw the striker nip between the two. He was fouled by the ‘keeper, but managed to score from a tight angle before the Referee had a chance to award a penalty. Another defensive mix up, when not dealing with a diagonal through ball, saw St. Helens edge in front eight minutes later, but Runcorn made it 2-2 a couple of minutes into the second half, setting the game up perfectly and had a couple of really good chances to have gone back in front. With twelve minutes left, St. Helens got what turned out to be the winning goal, coolly dispatching a penalty which was awarded after the ‘keeper brought down a home player just inside the box. Any hope of a Runcorn comeback soon disappeared though, as they had a player sent off just three minutes later and St. Helens comfortably held out for the remainder, although it ended up 10 a side for the last few seconds of stoppage time, when the hosts had a player red carded as well, but too late to alter the outcome.

Traffic wasn’t as bad as I had feared and it was under four hours drive each way. Even the weather was kind. Although it rained all the way up the M40 and there was quite a downpour around Warrington on the way back, it remained dry and sunny for the match. A good job really, as there were a few soft looking areas around the centre of the pitch that may not have took too much more of the wet stuff.