Isthmian League

Premier Division

Tuesday 15th October 2024

Kick Off 19.45 Actual 19.48

Cray Wanderers 1 Chatham Town 4, attendance 532

36’ 0-1

38’ 0-2

41’ 0-3

44’ 1-3

47’ 1-4

@ Flamingo Park Sports & Leisure

Sidcup By-Pass (A20)

Chislehurst

BR7 6HL

£12 Admission

£3 Programme available, didn’t bother buying.

I’d visited Cray Wanderers at their former ground in Oxford Road, Sidcup back in May 1994, when they lost 0-2 to Sheppey United in a Kent League match. I’d also seen them play a friendly at home to Crockenhill in 2011, which was played at Hoblingwell Wood Recreation Ground, in St. Paul’s Cray. The ground in Sidcup is still there, now hosting Kent County League matches, but a lack of floodlights meant Cray moving out in 2011, using the ground of Bromley FC in order to meet ground grading requirements, before finally moving into their own ground here at Flamingo Park at the start of this season. Despite having a 3G pitch, it is a proper ground. There’s spectator access on all four sides, with a 300 seat stand being the only cover at present and a large clubhouse behind one goal, which also had a viewing balcony. Plenty of hot food on offer too. Entrance to the ground is off the A20 dual carriageway, on the left hand side when heading in towards London when coming off the M25. Plenty of car parking (free of charge!) and the only downside, is that on exiting, you have to travel half a mile in towards London before the first set of traffic lights, where you’re able to get onto the eastbound carriageway.

It wasn’t the type of game that you’d normally pick as a neutral, with bottom of the table Cray (won just once in 7 games) hosting fifth bottom Chatham (one place outside the relegation zone), who’d only picked up 8 points from their eight games so far, but at least it was a match where both teams would have fancied their chances of picking up a much needed win. It had been pretty uneventful before Sid Nelson broke the deadlock for the visitors nine minutes before halftime, heading in from a corner on the left. Two minutes later Freddie Sears (ex England U19/U20/U21 international and plenty of Football League experience with spells at West Ham United, Colchester United and Ipswich Town) smashed in the second from close range after a corner had been flicked on at the near post and three minutes later he made it 0-3, finishing from close range after the ball was pulled back from the right. There was still time for Stefan Ilic to give Cray hope for the second half, volleying in at the near post to make it 1-3 at the break. We’d only played three minutes of the second half, when Sears completed his hat trick, to put Chatham 1-4 up and there would be no way back for Cray from here.

On Saturday there were over 1,200 here for the F.A. Cup tie versus Tonbridge Angels, but tonight there were ‘only’ 532, with at least a couple of dozen ‘hoppers in attendance and a good turnout from Chatham. I was surprised how quick it was to exit the car park and I was home just before 10.30. So, that’s Step 3 complete once again, leaving just the new Truro City ground (Step 2) required in the top eight levels in England.

Essex Olympian League

Premier Division

Saturday 12th October 2024

Kick Off 14.00 Actual 14.04

Toby 1 Old Southendian 2, attendance 32

42’ 0-1

43’ 1-1 (pen)

49’ 1-2

@ Mansion Sports Club

Barleylands Farm (Site 2)

Barleylands Road

Noak Bridge

CM11 2UF

No Admission or Programme.

I wanted to be home to watch the Rugby League Grand Final between Wigan Warriors and Hull Kingston Rovers, which was kicking off at 6 o’clock and this game fitted the bill perfectly. It was the only ground I hadn’t visited in the Essex Olympian League Premier Division and it pitted 13th (out of 14) against top of the table and the only unbeaten team, who’d won 7 of their first nine games and led second in the table Runwell Sports by six points, as well as having a vastly superior goal difference.

Although Toby have won just once so far this season, they have only suffered one heavy defeat (1-5 v Runwell), with three of their defeats being by just a single goal. They certainly made Old Southendian work hard for the three points today and it took until three minutes before halftime for the visitors to break the deadlock, cutting in from the right and pulling the ball back for a first time finish into the bottom corner from 12 yards. Straight from the restart Toby punted the ball forward and their striker won the race with defender and ‘keeper to nip between them and finish from a tight angle. However, the Referee disallowed it and after much discussion with the Linesman, awarded a penalty instead, which was duly dispatched to make it 1-1. Four minutes into the second half Old Southendian were back in front, when a cross from the right was finished with a diving header at the far post. I expected them to comfortably go on and win it by a few goals from here, but Toby never gave up and although they applied pressure in the last ten minutes, they were unable to break down a very resilient defence and the visitors hung on to take all three points.

The ground here at Mansion Sports Club is new for Toby this season, with this being their third game here. It’s not easy to find. If you head north once leaving the A127, then turn left up Barleylands Road, you need to turn left into the ground of F.C. Redwing, where you drive past some pitches on the right before finally getting a few small signs pointing to Toby F.C. About another 200 yards further on you reach the car park. There is a roped off pitch in front of you, with the clubhouse/changing rooms to the right, with the main pitch beyond. It is also fully roped through plastic posts and apart from the trees along one side, there is no other shelter, although they served their purpose during the worst of the rain midway through the second half. Although I didn’t venture inside, I noticed hot drinks did appear to be available from the clubhouse.

Surprisingly trouble free journey in both directions, with the usual 8-9 mile queue towards the Dartford Crossing not even encountered outbound and back home for the Grand Final with an hour to spare.

Middlesex F.A. Intermediate Cup

1st Round

Saturday 5th October 2024

Kick Off 14.00 Actual 14.05

Actonians 2 Pitshanger Dynamo 0, attendance 12

33’ 1-0

69’ 2-0

@ Actonians Sports Club

Gunnersbury Drive

Acton

London

W5 4LL

No Admission or Programme.

The drive west from my morning game took eleven minutes. Although there were a couple of spaces in the very compact car park here at Actonians Sports Club, I decided to park on the road outside, bagging the last space, where there are no Saturday parking restrictions. It is somewhat typical of these large sports grounds around the capital, catering for rugby, cricket, tennis and bowling, as well of course, football. The pitch runs lengthways in front of the cricket pavilion/changing rooms, bordering the cricket square on one side and tennis courts on the other, whilst houses back onto the far goal end. The pitch here was in superb condition and a credit to the groundsman. Yet again, totally blanked by both clubs Twitter accounts (if ever something was in a state of decline, then this is surely it) in trying to confirm the venue and kick off time for this, but text messages to both clubs contact numbers were answered within minutes of each other.

I’d expected it to be far busier here than it was, as there was a type of fun day also taking place. The crowd there was even smaller than the dozen watching the football and there were a few enjoying a drink in the sun, sat at the tables outside the clubhouse, where hot food was also available. The game was in the opening round of the Middlesex F.A. Intermediate Cup, where 5th in Southern Amateur League (not part of the football pyramid) were hosting Step 7 side Pitshanger Dynamo, currently sitting bottom of Middlesex County League Premier Division, having lost all five league games they’ve played so far this season.

The first half saw plenty of chances at both ends, with the only goal of the half going the way of Actonians just after the half hour mark, courtesy of a 25 yarder that went in off the post. The crucial second goal came with just over twenty minutes left, when a deflected cross fell perfectly for an angled shot into the far corner. Pitshanger had a man sent off in the last minute, following what looked like a stamp on a home player, but the game was already decided by then.

Arthurian League

Division 5

Saturday 5th October 2024

Kick Off 11.30 Actual 11.37

Old Oundelians 0 Old Wykehamists II 7, attendance 5

11’ 0-1

39’ 0-2

52’ 0-3

66’ 0-4

72’ 0-5

74’ 0-6

90’ 0-7

@ Club Des Sports, 3G Pitch 3

The Park Club

East Acton Lane

London

W3 7HB

No Admission or Programme.

I’d seen a game here back in December 2018, which was played on the main pitch, right next to the clubhouse. Since then they’ve added a second 11 a side 3G pitch, albeit a dreadful cage with no designated spectator area, although no problem watching from inside the fence. There were even a number of chairs to sit on, left inside, after the hordes of parents had left at the end of the kids training sessions that were on the pitch beforehand. Unlike my previous visit, I avoided the extortionate parking charges, choosing instead to park in the road opposite the entrance, where there are no restrictions on a Saturday, even if it meant a 50 yard walk!

Although part of Club Des Sports, the new pitch is quite a hike. You either wander round the side of some tennis courts, entering the outfield of the adjoining cricket field, or walk through the David Lloyd car park, where you gain access via a gate in the fence. Surprisingly, the cage here has its own changing rooms and clubhouse (probably due to the cricket) and the cafe was open throughout.

With two games scheduled here this morning (10.30 and 11.30) I was guaranteed of seeing one of them played on the new pitch. The near useless F.A. Full Time website can’t be relied upon for accuracy when it comes to which pitch games are on, even if they do give the information, but they don’t even bother stating the pitch numbers for here! I arrived just before 10.30, just to be safe. The early match was being played on the pitch I’d already done, so I had a hour to kill before the Division 5 (bottom level of league) game, where 9th were hosting 3rd in the league table. It was actually quite even during the first half, with OW leading 0-2 at the break. An early second half goal made the points safe and it was very much one way traffic for the last half an hour, where they added four more without reply, with the final goal coming with the last kick of the match.

Kent County League

Division 2 East

Saturday 28th September 2024

Kick Off 14.45 Actual 14.51

Bocca Juniors 4 Gillingham Town 3, attendance 43

15’ 1-0

31’ 1-1

35’ 2-1

40’ 3-1

46’ 3-2

64’ 3-3

73’ 4-3

@ Pitchside, 3G Pitch

Stanhope Road

Stanhope

Ashford

TN23 5RN

No Admission or Programme.

The 19 mile drive south east from this mornings game took 38 minutes, all without motorways and along some very narrow lanes, arriving around twenty five minutes before the scheduled kick off, but as it kicked off six minutes late, there was plenty of time to spare. The ground here is as bad as it gets. It’s a 3G cage, but without a designated spectator area. There is a grass pitch running parallel, with the changing rooms beyond that, about 50 yards away. Quite how the F.A. or indeed any league in the country allow/want these set ups being used for competitive games is beyond me (this mornings visitors Skippers also play here). Anyway, it seemed no problem watching inside the fence. That is, until the second half was about to start. A member of staff had arrived during halftime and told everyone to get behind the fence, or the Police would be called to forcibly remove those not complying. It meant the first 15-20 minutes of the second half were spent peering through the mesh, but once she’d left, those who’d bothered to stay, slowly edged their way back inside, albeit limited to the area immediately adjacent to the gate.

Bocca Juniors had started the day top of the league table, having been replaced by Skippers, who’d won my earlier game, but knew a win here would see them return as leaders. Gillingham Town came into this in ninth place and for long periods never looked liked getting anything from the game. A speculative effort that sailed over the ‘keeper, dropping into the far corner, saw Bocca take the lead, but Gillingham hit back to level the scores just after the half hour mark, heading in a diagonal free kick at the far post. Bocca hit back with two goals in five minutes to lead 3-1 at the break. Within a minute of the restart the visitors pulled a goal back and having had another effort hit the post, made it 3-3 just after the hour, volleying in from close range after a ball was pulled back across the six yard box. Bocca managed to edge back in front with seventeen minutes left and although Gillingham did get an equaliser, the Referee failed to notice the ball had crossed the line before the ‘keeper got to it, so it wasn’t awarded.

Kent County League

Division 2 East

Saturday 28th September 2024

Kick Off 12.00 Actual 12.01

Len Valley 0 Skippers 3, attendance 17

43’ 0-1

50’ 0-2

65’ 0-3 (pen)

@ The Staxson Stadium, Pitch 2

Woodstock Park Sports & Social Club

Broadoak Road

Milstead

Sittingbourne

ME9 8AD

No Admission or Programme.

An early kick off here, meant the perfect opportunity to tick off the outside pitch here at The Staxson Stadium, home of Sittingbourne F.C. who were hosting Plymouth Parkway on the main pitch at 3 o’clock in an F.A. Cup match. I’d been to the main stadium back in March 2011, when I saw Norton Sports lose 1-2 to Herne Bay in a Kent League match.

Today’s game was 2nd versus 3rd in the league table and whatever the result, one of them would be top of the table at the end, with current leaders Bocca Juniors not kicking off until later in the afternoon. As it turned out, it was the visitors who grabbed top spot, courtesy of a 0-3 win that was closer than the scoreline suggests. They went ahead two minutes before halftime, cutting in from the right and finishing left footed into the bottom corner. Goal number two arrived five minutes into the second half, when a corner from the right was hooked back across the six yard box and nodded in from close range, with the third coming just after the hour mark, dispatched from the penalty spot by Ben Pilcher, to complete his hattrick.

As mentioned, this was played on the back pitch (confirmed to me via Twitter from the League, a question ignored by both clubs). The players got changed in the main stadium though, despite there being changing rooms for the outer pitch. Oddly, as the Sittingbourne players were arriving for their game, they appeared to be using the outer changing rooms. Entry is via a pathway leading behind the near goal end of the main stadium from the car park, where you pass the changing room building on the left. There are two pitches, end to end, running widthways in front of you, with this being on the left hand one, nearer to the building. It was roped along the near touchline, whilst the ‘benches’ occupied the far side.

It was quite surprising to only see four other ‘hoppers at the game, as there would have been quite a number of afternoon options available to double up with this one, especially with everyone having stayed out on the pitch at halftime and we were done and dusted by 13.38.

Essex Senior League

Peter Butcher Memorial Trophy

Preliminary Round

Wednesday25th September 2024

Kick Off 19.45 Actual 19.52

Athletic Newham 2 Halstead Town 4, attendance 27

9’ 0-1

45’ 1-1

60’ 1-2

74’ 2-2

80’ 2-3

87’ 2-4

@ Bobby Moore Sports Hub, 3G Pitch 1

Parsloes Park

Terrace Walk

Dagenham

RM9 5PU

£7 Admission

No Programme.

I’d been to a game here at Bobby Moore Sports Hub back in January, when I saw C.S.M. London host F.C. Baresi in an Essex Alliance League cup match. That match was played on Pitch 2 (the middle of three parallel 3G pitches here), but tonight was an opportunity to see a game on Pitch 1, which is the main ‘stadium pitch’ here. It is the one nearest the hub building and changing rooms and has four separate areas of cover. There are two 76 seated kit stands as well as a couple of sections of covered standing, both comprising of four steps. It is good from a spectator view point too, as unlike many caged set ups, there is access on three sides (just the right hand goal end out of bounds) and the dugouts are placed on the side not occupying any of the covered areas. As well as being home to Athletic Newham (Step 5), it also hosts May & Baker (Step 6) and a number of games in the Essex Alliance League (Step 7). There is a decent cafe here too, accessible before going inside the cage, where there is a good choice and very reasonably priced.

Tonight’s game was a cup match, but as far as league positions go, it was 10th versus 18th (out of 20) in the league table. Halstead took an early lead, courtesy of an own goal, in a very open game that was end to end for the entirety. Athletic Newham had a man sent off two minutes before halftime, following a foul in the centre circle, as Halstead tried to break quickly, but they still managed to draw level in the dying seconds, finishing with an angled shot into the far corner that the ‘keeper got a hand to. Halstead were back in front on the hour, forcing the ball in after two blocked shots and they nearly added a third soon after, but it came back off the post. Newham equalised for the second time with sixteen minutes left, when a pull back across the box was controlled before being finished into the bottom corner from twelve yards. Halstead regained the lead for a third time with ten minutes left, touching in a ball across the face of the goal at the far post, before making the game safe when they added a fourth in the closing minutes, scrambling in at the far post after a corner wasn’t cleared. Excellent game and full credit to Newham, as it was never obvious that they were playing with a man short for more than half the match. Typically, for games in this area, it had kicked off seven minutes late and it didn’t finish until 21.49.

Hellenic League

Premier Division

Tuesday 24th September 2024

Kick Off 19.45 On Time!

Hartpury University 4 Hereford Pegasus 1, attendance 268

3’ 0-1

25’ 1-1

71’ 2-1

72’ 3-1

90’ 4-1

@ Hartpury University Stadium

Hartpury Sports Academy

off A417

Hartpury

GL19 3BG

£8 Admission

No Programme.

I first came to a game at Hartpury University back in March 2006, when they were known as U.W.E. Hartpury. I saw them beat Sheffield Hallam University 2-1 in a British Universities Sports Association Cup Semi Final, which was played on the grass pitch (No. 13 on map) to the left of the driveway as you enter the complex. They subsequently used that ground when they entered into the football pyramid, but this season, with promotion into Step 5, they are now hosting games on the main stadium here (No. 8 on map), which was originally home to just their rugby team, who currently play at the second level nationally. There is a full length seated stand and access for spectators on all four sides. There is a bar at the back of the stand and food and drink were available from mobile catering units. The crowd tonight was very impressive for this level and certainly looked higher than the official figure of 268. An interesting point of note though is that students based here get in free and apparently, the number of paying customers totalled just 44!

The match was between two teams who’d got off to good starts this season, as 3rd hosted 5th in the league table. Hereford Pegasus were ahead after just three minutes, when a shot from the edge of the box found the bottom corner. Hartpury levelled with a close range finish midway through the half and thought they’d gone in front just before halftime, but the goal was ruled out for offside. They did go ahead with nineteen minutes left though, dinking the ball over the ‘keeper when played through on goal and a minute later it was 3-1, finishing with a first time shot. They added a fourth goal in the final minute, cutting in from the left before giving the ‘keeper no chance.

West Wales Premier League

Saturday 21st September 2024

Kick Off 17.30 On Time!

Mumbles Rangers 7 Bryn Rovers 0, attendance 160

22’ 1-0

23’ 2-0

41’ 3-0

50’ 4-0

56’ 5-0

68’ 6-0

88’ 7-0

@ Swansea University Sports Park, 3G Pitch

Sketty Lane

Swansea

SA2 8QB

£3 Admission

£2 Programme available, but I won’t buy one at any event organised by Groundhop U.K.

When I visited Mumbles Rangers previously they were in the Swansea Senior League, where I saw them lose 1-5 to Brynawel in a Premier Division match, which was a 6pm midweek kick off on 17th September 2019. They played at Underhill Park back then, in Mumbles itself. That ground has had a total revamp, including the installation of a 3G pitch, so it seems rather odd that they are now playing at a 3G pitch in Swansea, rather than using their own ground. The stadium pitch here at Swansea University was visited for a Welsh League game in December 2017, but tonight’s game was played on the 3G pitch that runs parallel to that, to the south. You still enter through the stadium and the tea bar and toilets were available there, as the caged set up has no facilities of its own, although it does have the benefit of spectator access along the whole of one side, as well as grass banking along the entirety, which offered a good view from the top, making it a much better match day experience, even with a decent crowd present.

The match was 9th versus 16th (bottom). As expected, it was a comfortable home win. Mumbles were coasting after two goals in as many minutes saw them go 2-0 up midway through the first half, before adding a third goal just before halftime. They even missed a penalty too, although most people present thought that the ball had come back off the wheel inside the goal frame, rather than hitting the post, which is how the Referee seemed to think it stayed out. Anyway, it wasn’t going to affect the outcome. It only took five minutes of the second half before goal number four did arrive. Two more goals soon followed, before the scoring was rounded off with two minutes left, giving the hosts a resounding 7-0 win, leaving Bryn rooted to the bottom of the table, having now lost all eight games they’ve played.

Luckily for me, I’d already visited the two scheduled games for tomorrow, so headed straight home after the final whistle, where a clear run meant arriving back just before 11 pm.

West Wales Premier League

Saturday 21st September 2024

Kick Off 14.00 Actual 14.01

Penlan A.F.C. 0 Rockspur 1, attendance 332

40’ 0-1

@ Mynydd Newydd Playing Fields

Heol Gwyrosydd

Penlan

SA5 7BS

£3 Admission

£2 Programme available, but I won’t buy one at any event organised by Groundhop U.K.

It was only twelve or thirteen minutes drive from Ynystawe to Penlan, on the northern fringes of Swansea, for the next game. The entrance lane into the ground off Heol Gwyrosydd opens out into a large car park, with the clubhouse/changing rooms in front of you. Penlan Rugby Club play on a pitch to the right, whilst to the rear of the building is a huge expanse of grass, home to a number of Swansea Senior League teams (there was a game on one of the pitches today) and also the enclosed pitch of Penlan A.F.C. It is as far to the left of the complex as it could possibly be, around 250 yards from the building. There was a gap in the metal perimeter fencing that was accessible off Heol Emrys, which was almost pitchside, but it wasn’t the most salubrious area to have parked your car, judging by the state of the houses backing onto the ground. The clubhouse here was busy and the hot food on offer was excellent. Plenty of choice and ran to almost military style precision by the five or six manning operations. Hot drinks were served from a separate area, which meant everyone was served quickly. It was a shame it was so far from the pitch, as it would have been well worth another visit at halftime!

The match was 8th versus 1st in the league table, the visitors coming into this with a 100% winning record from their opening nine games, amassing a goal difference of +37 in the process. Although short on goals, it certainly wasn’t lacking in commitment. A little too much at times! Rockspur had a man sent off midway through the first half, but still managed to score what turned out to be the winning goal five minutes before the break, when a diagonal free kick into the box was headed back across the face of goal and finished with a shot on the turn that found the bottom corner. Penlan did have a goal ruled out for offside just after the hour mark, but never really looked drawing level. The closing stages were a real red card fest. Penlan were first, levelling the game up as ten a side. This was shortly followed by a second one for Rockspur (10 v 9) and in the last throes Penlan lost another two, which saw us finish with just eight versus nine at the final whistle. It’s not always the case, but yes, it was that kind of game.