Surrey South Eastern Combination League

Intermediate Division 1

Saturday 17th May 2025

Kick Off 14.00 Actual 14.07

Kew Park Rangers 1 London Hibernian 3, attendance 20

16’ 0-1

45’ + 1, 1-1

60’ 1-2

84’ 1-3

@ Richmond Athletic Ground (outer pitch)

Twickenham Road (A316)

Richmond upon Thames

TW9 2SF

No Admission or Programme.

I’m not a great fan of this league and haven’t done a game in it for years, due so was surprised when checking the venues of this division to find that this completed the current grounds. Richmond Athletic Ground is home to the rugby union clubs of Richmond and London Scottish, who play on the main stadium here. Today’s game was played on an outer pitch, the most northerly on the site, which was Pitch 6 if the board advertising pitch allocations was to be believed. The rugby posts remained in place, with portable football goals placed in front. There was a bit of a drama shortly before kick off, as the goals had been chained together and the padlock code that is normally used, had been changed. Luckily, they contacted someone by phone and we got underway seven minutes later than scheduled.

The match was 2nd versus 4th in the league table, with both clubs still able to win the league. KPR were very much outsiders in the race though, as this was their final game and they’d then be relying current leaders Selhurst and today’s visitors London Hibernian, who still have to play each other again, to lose their last few games. Unlikely, but you never know. Hibernian took an early lead, when a cross in from the left was left by a defender and put in unmarked at the far post. KPR levelled in first half stoppage time, when a corner from the right was finished with a shot into the bottom corner of the net. On the hour mark Hibernian we’re back in front, when a long ball over the top saw the striker beat a defender to the ball, nod it forward, then run on to finish one on one with the ‘keeper. They finally killed the game off with six minutes left, breaking quickly and finishing emphatically through the ‘keepers legs.

Leaders Selhurst also won this afternoon, so the title race is now between them and London Hibernian. Selhurst have a better goal difference by 20, as well as a six point lead, although Hibernian do still have a game in hand and host the leaders next Saturday.

Leicestershire County League

League 1

Tuesday 13th May 2025

Kick Off 18.30 On Time!

Kibworth Town 2 Leicester Rangers 1, attendance 139

2’ 1-0

71’ 2-0

85’ 2-1

@ Birds Barn

Fleckney Road

Kibworth Beauchamp

LE8 0HJ

No Admission or Programme.

There was certainly no doubt as to whether there was anything riding on tonight’s game. If either team won, they’d be crowned champions. If it ended in a draw, then it would be Old Aylestone that would take the title. Just to add a little more spice to it, only the top two get promoted, so tonight’s visitors had the most to lose, as they could miss out all together.

Kibworth were in front after just two minutes, cutting in from the left before beating the ‘keeper low inside his near post. Midway through the half they had a second ‘goal’ ruled out for offside, but there were very few chances at either end. Kibworth ended the half with a player being sin binned, but Leicester Rangers failed to take advantage with the extra man at the start of the second half. The decisive second goal came with nineteen minutes left, when a break down the left was pulled back across the box and finished with a diagonal shot off the inside of the far post to make it 2-0. Leicester did have a couple of decent shots, but both were tipped round the post by the home ‘keeper, but they just didn’t look like getting back into it. They did make it a nervy finish for Kibworth though, when a corner was headed clear of the box but returned with a first time shot that arced over the ‘keeper into the top corner, to make it 2-1 with five minutes left, but it was too little, too late.

The ground here at Birds Barn is impressive for this level. There is a clubhouse/changing room building as you enter a reasonable sized car park. There are a number of pitches here, with the main one a couple of hundred yards away. It’s fully railed and although the pitch was in decent condition, it did have a bit of a slope.

Belgium

Hainaut Provincial 2

Promotion Play Off

Sunday 11th May 2025

Kick Off 15.00 Actual 15.07

F.C. Etoiles d’Ere 1 Jeunesse Sportive Team Rosellies 0, attendance 133

57’ 1-0

@ Stade Andre Vanderhaegen

Rue Des Coquelicots

7500 Ere

No Admission or Programme.

Today we were bound for Ere, just southwest of Tournai and a promotion play off in the province of Hainaut. We were booked on the 09.24 shuttle from Folkestone, but actually went out on the earlier 08.36 train, which left one minute early. We’d stopped off en route for lunch in Woesten, before making the final 50 minute drive to the game, arriving around an hour before kick off.

There is a small car park, with the main pitch to the left as you enter. Only one side of the ground has spectator access, the same side as the dugouts. Two metal containers have been adapted to act as covered accommodation. To the right is the clubhouse/changing rooms and there’s a second pitch running parallel, which is floodlit, unlike the main one. There was no one taking admission money on arrival and surprisingly no one was seen to come round to take any money during the game either. They do appear to normally charge though, as there were a number of discarded match specific printed tickets lying around from previous games.

The match pitted 3rd in Division 2A versus 5th in Division 2C. It was a very poor game. Both sides seemed more interested in rolling about on the floor at every opportunity, continually feigning injury. The hosts were the worst offenders by far and were embarrassing at times. The first half was dreadful. The only real thing of note was the Referee picking up an injury a few minutes before halftime. He had treatment, but only lasted a couple more minutes before hobbling off the pitch. Luckily one of the Linesmen took over and after a few minutes we were back underway, but the halftime whistle didn’t arrive until 63 minutes after we’d kicked off! The second half was slightly better, with Ere at least looking like they finally had an intention of actually pushing forward in an effort to try and win the game. The only goal came twelve minutes after the interval, when a break down the right was played square across the box and finished at the far post. It always looked like one goal would be enough to win it and indeed it was. Etoiles d’Ere now advance to the next round and a three team round robin of matches against C.O. Trivieres and F.C. Gerpinnes.

With all the faffing about,including a drinks break in each half, the game never finished until 17.17, but a clear run back to The Tunnel saw us arrive in ample time for our booked 20.24 return crossing. We actually made it on to the 19.24 train instead, which left dead on time and with no motorway problems back in England I was home just before 20.15.

Essex Olympian League

Denny King Memorial Cup Semi-Final

Saturday 10th May 2025

Kick Off 14.00 Actual 14.02

Beacon Hill Rovers 2 Canning Town 2 (4-3 pens), attendance 22

8’ 0-1

17’ 1-1

19’ 1-2

79’ 2-2

@ Wickham Bishops Sports Fields

Great Totham Road

Wickham Bishops

CM8 3NP

No Admission or Programme.

We’re at that stage of the season where games are being called off at the drop of a hat, so I was looking for a match with something on it and a cup semi-final fitted the bill perfectly. These two are both in division 1 of the league, with this being 11th (out of 12) versus 6th as far as their league positions go. Even though it was a semi-final, BHR started the game with just the bare eleven players in attendance, although they did have one substitute by halftime.

Canning Town were ahead after just eight minutes, when a cross from the left saw a striker nipping in front of the ‘keeper at the near post and flick the ball into the net. A long ball over the top from the ‘keeper saw BHR draw level after seventeen minutes as the ball was helped on and finished from the edge of the box. Within two minutes Canning Town were back in front, when a cross from the left wasn’t cleared from the box and was finished with a side footed shot low into the corner of the net. Just before the hour mark BHR hit the post and as Canning Town sat back on their lead, they were finally caught out with eleven minutes left, when a defender tried to head the ball back to his ‘keeper, but it was well short and a BHR player reached it first, lobbing the ball in from the edge of the box. Minutes later, the hosts lost their ‘keeper to injury, replaced by an outfield player. They survived the final eight minutes, as well as a ridiculous fifteen minutes of added time, with the Referee finally blowing the final whistle right on an hours play since we’d started the half.

It was straight to penalties, which would have come as a relief to the player’s, as it was a really hot day. The hosts went first. Their first two kicks were both missed. High over the crossbar and saved by the ‘keeper. Canning Town had also seen their first kick saved as well. BHR scored their next four, but with Canning Town having their fifth kick saved, they then hit the post with their last one to send BHR into the final.

BHR play at the recreation ground in the village of Bishops Wickham, just east of Witham. There’s plenty of parking and a brick built clubhouse/changing room building, whilst the pitch is roped on three sides and has a pair of dugouts on the far side. Today’s visit now sees the top two divisions of this league complete and unbelievably, a trouble free journey in both directions. Not too many times that happens via Dartford Crossing!

Essex Olympian League

Premier Division

Wednesday 7th May 2025

Kick Off 18.45 Actual 18.49

A.C.D. United 4 Hashtag United Development 5, attendance 33

26’ 0-1

41’ 1-1

45’ + 1, 1-2

49’ 2-2

55’ 3-2 (pen)

63’ 3-3

65’ 4-3

75’ 4-4

77’ 4-5

@ Forest Glade Sports Club

Barleylands Road

Noak Bridge

CM11 2UD

No Admission or Programme.

With their Seymour Field ground in Ingatestone being unavailable, A.C.D. played this game at the home of Hashtag United Development instead. It’s a large sports field with numerous pitches of varying sizes, with this played on the main pitch, which is Pitch 5. It is nearest the car park and clubhouse and is railed off behind one goal and along one side and as far as the dugouts on the side backing on to the car park. With kids training sessions also taking place, the tea bar was open throughout the game.

The match was 12th versus 8th (out of 14), with both safe from relegation. Hashtag broke the deadlock when a break down the left was finished at the far post. ACD drew level four minutes before halftime, when a free kick from inside the centre circle was pumped into the box and headed back across the face of goal and poked in from close range. A minute into stoppage time Hashtag went back in front, latching onto a through ball and beating the ‘keeper at the near post.

Four minutes into the second half ACD were level at 2-2, when the Linesman (there were three officials appointed for this) flagged to signal a shot had crossed the line before being cleared and six minutes later the same Linesman flagged again, this time for a handball and they scored from the resulting penalty. If we’d had a club linesman, I doubt either decision would have been awarded. Just after the hour mark Hashtag made it 3-3, when a ball pulled back from the right was bundled in from close range. Two minutes later it was 4-3, when ACD scored after a corner wasn’t cleared from the box. Hashtag made it 4-4 with fifteen minutes left, heading in unmarked from a corner and two minutes later they grabbed the winner,when a long diagonal free kick from near the centre circle was met with a stooping header at the far post.

The journey here was a nightmare, taking just over two hours, with 90 minutes of that to do the mere 32 miles to Dartford Crossing. Return journey was a much more reasonable 55 minutes.

Northamptonshire Combination League

Division 1

Tuesday 6th May 2025

Kick Off 18.30 On Time!

A.F.C. Towcester 8 Crick Athletic 0, attendance 31

4’ 1-0

15’ 2-0

26’ 3-0

31’ 4-0

69’ 5-0

72’ 6-0

80’ 7-0

90’ 8-0

@ Towcester Recreation Ground

Islington Road

Towcester

NN12 6AU

No Admission or Programme.

A.F.C. Towcester came into this top of the table, knowing that winning their last two games would guarantee the title and they made light work of brushing aside 11th in the table Crick Athletic to easily take the three points. An angled shot into the bottom corner saw them open the scoring after just four minutes and we’d only just gone past the half hour mark when they made it 4-0 and it was job done as far as winning the game went. It took them twenty four minutes of the second half to get goal number five, touching in a cross from the right at the near post. Two more goals soon followed and in the final minute they headed in a corner at the far post to make it 8-0. They should now wrap up the league, as their final game is against bottom of the table Finedon Volta Reserves, who’ve already been relegated.

Home to A.F.C. Towcester is a pitch on the local recreation ground, just off the town centre. There is a small car park at the entrance and the changing rooms are hidden away behind the buildings on the right as you approach along Islington Road. Not surprisingly, everyone stayed out on the pitch for halftime and we were done and dusted for 20.07. At least the prompt finish meant dodging the roadworks for the homeward journey.

Cambridgeshire County League

Division 2B

Saturday 3rd May 2025

Kick Off 15.00 Actual 14.58!

Soham United 2 Wisbech St. Mary Reserves 5, attendance 37

18’ 0-1

21’ 0-2 (pen)

23’ 1-2

40’ 1-3

47’ 1-4

51’ 1-5

90’ 2-5

@ Qua Fen Common

Soham

CB7 5DQ

No Admission or Programme.

I gave away my two original options (both 3G) for this afternoon in favour of this. A fellow hopper at the morning game had received a positive reply that the game was going ahead okay and it was only a twelve minute drive away. Even better, it was on grass and the game still had something riding on it, as the visitors knew a win would see them finish in the second promotion place in the league.

The ground is to the north of the town, just off the A412 heading towards Ely, the ground being on the left as you head back in towards the town. There’s a small car park, as well as ample roadside parking. There’s a wooden changing room building, that also housed a tea bar. In front is a youth team pitch, with the men’s pitch to the right, roped along the near side and a pair of dugouts on the other. Wooden fencing, bordering fields, gives the pitch a more enclosed feel on the other three sides.

Wisbech St. Mary got off to a great start and were 0-2 up after twenty one minutes, the second being a penalty. An own goal saw Soham pull it back to 1-2 within minutes, as a defender diverted a cross into his own net when attempting to clear the ball. Wisbech restored their two goal lead five minutes before halftime, with a 25 yard free kick that went straight over the ‘keeper. They killed the game off when an easy finish at the far post made it 1-4 two minutes into the second half and almost scored again minutes later, but the effort hit the post. Minutes later they did make it 1-5 though, beating the keeper with a shot at the near post. Soham rounded off the scoring with a consolation goal in the last minute to give a final score of 2-5, beating the offside trap and finishing one on one against the ‘keeper.

A nice touch by the home club at halftime, when free tea or coffee was brought round on a tray to all the spectators, as it was the last game of the season and they wanted to use up some of their remaining stock. Rather than heading home after the game, I was on my way north, for my overnight hotel, in readiness for tomorrow’s rugby league ‘Magic Weekend’ at Newcastle United F.C.