Northern League

Division 2

Friday 24th July 2026

Kick Off 19.30 On Time!

Darlington Town 0 F.C. Hartlepool 0, attendance 209

@ Eastbourne Community Stadium

Lapwing Drive

off Bourne Avenue

Eastbourne

Darlington

DL1 1LJ

£7 Admission

Programme available, didn’t bother buying.

A long slog up to the North East for the season opener in the second level of the Northern League. I’d seen Darlington Cleveland Bridge play a game on the Athletics Track pitch here back in 2010, but a new ground has been developed since, to the east of the track. It’s a 3G set up, but has spectator access on three sides, with just the far goal end being inaccessible. On the entrance side are a number of portable units, housing changing rooms and toilets, whilst beyond it is a seated kit stand. The opposite side has two separate areas of covered standing. There’s loads of car parking and rather unusually for this level, catering is only available from a mobile caterer out in the car park, which is far from ideal.

Darlington Town had finished 13th (out of 22) last season, whilst F.C. Hartlepool had finished fourth, going on to lose in the play offs for promotion. It was a very tight game and soon became obvious that goals would be at a premium. Hartlepool had the better of the first half, but it was no surprise that it remained goalless at halftime. Darlington shaded the second half. A deflected shot fell to their No.9, but he dragged the rebound wide of the far post and minutes later they saw a free kick from the edge of the D go just wide, but that was about it as far as real chances went. Eight minutes of stoppage time, during which a member of the Darlington coaching staff received a red card, still wasn’t enough to produce a goal and in the end both teams will probably be happy with getting a point.

Friendly

Tuesday 21st July 2026

Kick Off 19.15 Actual 19.14

Paget Rangers 2 Tipton Town 2, attendance 23

19’ 1-0 (pen)

53’ 1-1

67’ 1-2

78’ 2-2

@ North Birmingham Academy, 3G Pitch

395 College Road

Birmingham

B44 0HF

No Admission or Programme.

This was a an all Step 7 clash, with Midlands League Division 2 hosting West Midlands (Regional) League Premier Division, at the neutral venue of North Birmingham Academy. It’s a standard cage set up, with spectator access along three quarters of one side.

A nineteenth minute penalty saw Paget take the lead. Tipton came on strong in the last ten to fifteen minutes of the half, with four or five good chances, all on target, but it remained 1-0 at halftime. Paget had a man sin binned seven minutes into the second half and within a minute Tipton equalised, when a corner from the left was headed in from six yards. Midway through the half they went in front, when a free kick on the edge of the box was tapped to the side and smashed in low into the bottom corner. Paget made it 2-2 with twelve minutes left, heading in at the near post from a corner on the right.

The usual M25 crawl from the M3 to M40 junction outbound. The return saw three separate sections on the M40, between Warwick and Banbury, where it was down to one lane due to ‘roadworks’ and the same again on the M25, where it was single lane from J11 to J10, but still home for 23.30.

Friendly

Saturday 18th July 2026

Kick Off 14.00 Actual 14.01

Wishaw Juniors 1 Carluke Rovers 2, attendance 79

24’ 1-0 (pen)

28’ 1-1

37’ 1-2 (pen)

@ Beltane Park

Marshall Street

Wishaw

ML2 0NG

£5 Admission

No Programme.

It was just over three hours drive south from Peterhead to Wishaw, just southeast of Motherwell. Wishaw has some famous sporting links. It has produced multiple World Snooker Champion ‘The Wizard of Wishaw’ John Higgins, Tommy Gemmell, ‘Lisbon Lion’ and Celtic legend, who has a recently unveiled statue in the town, near to the street where he grew up and of course, the local football team Wishaw Juniors, who have played here at Beltane Park since 2011, having previously played at Wishaw Sports Centre.

The ground is enclosed by mesh fencing, with the pitch fenced off on all bar a small section behind the far goal. There’s a two storey building housing changing rooms and committee room on the halfway line to the right when looking from behind the goal end backing onto Marshall Street. A tea bar serving pies and hot and cold drinks is served from a portacabin to the rear of the building and there’s a small area of cover on this side too, as well as a small stand catering for wheelchair users just to the left of the entrance gate.

The match was an all West of Scotland League clash, with Division 4 hosting Division 3. I’d seen Carluke lose at home on Monday night in the semi-final of the Clydesdale Cup, against higher level opposition, but they looked much better today, where they were the higher level of the two teams. It was Wishaw who broke the deadlock after twenty four minutes though, scoring with a penalty awarded for a foul by the ‘keeper. A drinks break immediately followed and four minutes after the restart Carluke equalised, when a long ball was flicked on and poked past the ‘keeper into the bottom corner. Eight minutes before halftime, another penalty, this time for the visitors, awarded for a push in the back, saw the game finish 1-2 at the break. Plenty of chances at both ends in the second half, but no more goals.

So, that brought down the curtain on the trip, with eleven games seen, all on previously unvisited grounds for me, seeing 57 goals in the process. An overnight stop in Cheshire broke up the journey, before heading for home after breakfast on Sunday. Clear journey until SatNav diverted off the M25 from J14 to J11, avoiding a long stationary queue….things here in the South-East just never change.

North East Scotland F.A.

League 1

Friday 17th July 2026

Kick Off 19.00 On Time!

Glenugie United 4 St. Combs 3, attendance 44

34’ 0-1

37’ 1-1

54’ 2-1

66’ 2-2

70’ 2-3

71’ 3-3

88’ 4-3

@ Barclay Park

Ugie Street

Buchanhaven

Peterhead

AB42 1HG

No Admission or Programme.

For the second time this week I did a game in League 1 of the North East Scotland F.A. Glenugie United play at Barclay Park in Buchanhaven, in the north of Peterhead. It’s just an open pitch, with a pavilion. Beyond the far touchline is the ground of Buchanhaven Hearts, running the opposite way to the pitch here, whilst behind the goal to the right is a Morrisons supermarket (originally a Safeway) built on the former Recreation Ground home of now Scottish League club Peterhead. I was lucky enough to see a match there in 1995, two years before they vacated the ground for their new Balmoor Stadium less than a mile away.

Tonight’s match was 5th versus 6th in the league table and was a great watch as a neutral. A quick break down the right was finished with an angled shot that went in off the far post to give St. Combs a thirty fourth minute lead, but it was cancelled out three minutes later, when a huge clearance was chased by a striker, just preventing it from going over the dead ball line and then playing the ball square for an easy tap in. Nine minutes into the second half a cracking 30 yarder into the top corner saw Glenugie take the lead, but a stooping header at the far post saw the visitors make it 2-2 on sixty six minutes. Four minutes later they were back in front, when a free kick from in their own half was spilled by the ‘keeper and volleyed in by a striker following in. Within a minute it was 3-3, when a cross from the right produced a shot that was blocked, but as it fell on the edge of the box it was volleyed back into the bottom corner. Glenugie then grabbed the winner with two minutes left, when a corner from the left was headed in at the far post. A rare occurrence in stoppage time – a ball lofted high into the box sailed over the bar and landed flush on the spikes of the metal railings separating the ground from Morrisons – it wasn’t just the visitors that were deflated at the end!

This was only my third game I’ve seen in this league and it’s great if goals are your thing. I’ve now had a 7-6, 5-2 and 4-3!

Friendly

Thursday 16th July 2026

Kick Off 19.30 Actual 19.33

Inverness Thistle 2 Fort William 2, attendance 94

23’ 0-1

32’ 0-2

45’ + 1, 1-2

47’ 2-2

@ Ferry Brae Park

Ferry Brae

North Kessock

IV1 3YH

No Admission or Programme.

Tonight’s game was a trip onto the Black Isle, on the north side of the Beauly Firth from Inverness. As with last night, it was a friendly between two teams from the same division, this time the North Caledonian League. The ground is very basic for this level. The changing rooms are across the road from the ground, which is a grass pitch enclosed by mesh fencing and it was roped behind the near goal end from the corner to the edge of the 18 yard box and along the right hand touchline about three quarters of the way. A mobile food van, on the road outside, offered various catering options.

Inverness Thistle have links to the former club of the same name, that played in the Highland League up until the merger with Caledonian that formed Inverness Caledonian Thistle back in the mid 90’s. They play in the same colours as their predecessors, but are not a direct continuation, but a revival club of sorts. Fort William however, are the same club that were relegated from the Highland League in 2022, having played at that level for nearly forty years.

It was Fort William that broke the deadlock after twenty three minutes, when a long ball was helped on and finished one on one against the ‘keeper. Nine minutes later they made it 0-2, when another ball over the top saw a striker win the race with the ‘keeper, nicking it past him and rolling the ball into the empty net. A minute into stoppage time a speculative shot from distance beat the ‘keeper at his near post to make it 1-2 at the interval. Thistle made it 2-2 two minutes into the second half, when a through ball down the left saw a shot whipped in at the near post. Thistle also had the ball in the net again with eighteen minutes left, but it was ruled out for offside.

Friendly

Wednesday 15th July 2026

Kick Off 19.30 Actual 19.31

Dufftown 3 Buckie Rovers 0, attendance 43

11’ 1-0

60’ 2-0

71’ 3-0

@ Westburn Park

Hill Street

Dufftown

AB55 4EL

£6 Admission

No Programme.

Tonight was a trip into ‘whisky country’ and the town of Dufftown, seventeen miles south of our accommodation in Elgin and a mile or so from the world famous Glenfiddich Distillery. Westburn Park is in Hill Street, a right turn as you enter the town from the north on the A941. Car parking is available in the street, or the field opposite, which is where the Dufftown Highland Games are hosted. The pitch is fully railed, with a large double dugout on the entrance side and an original concrete one opposite. Raised grass banking is on the near side, where the changing room building and tea bar are situated, with a seated stand below, offset towards the corner of the pitch.

The match was between two teams in the North of Scotland League Championship Division. Dufftown finished tenth last season, whilst Buckie Rovers are new to the league, having made the step up from the Moray & District Welfare F.A. Dufftown opened the scoring after eleven minutes, cutting in from the right and curling a shot left footed into the far corner of the net. Buckie missed a great chance just before halftime, failing to score having been played through one on one against the ‘keeper and Dufftown also hit the post with the last chance of the half. The hosts doubled their lead on the hour mark, smashing in a 20 yard free kick that gave the ‘keeper no chance and they wrapped up the scoring with nineteen minutes left, when a corner from the left was headed in from two yards, right in front of the ‘keeper.

North East Scotland F.A.

League 1

Tuesday 14th July 2026

Kick Off 19.00 Actual 18.59

Mormond Thistle 5 Invercairn United 2, attendance 35

14’ 0-1

37’ 1-1

46’ 1-2

50’ 2-2

55’ 3-2 (pen)

57’ 4-2

65’ 5-2

@ Bert Fowlie Arena

Ritchie Hall

Sleigh Crescent

Strichen

AB43 6TY

No Admission or Programme.

Tonight was a trip to the North East Scotland League, in the village of Strichen, some eight miles southwest of Fraserburgh. Mormond Thistle play at the Bert Fowlie Arena, which is just an open pitch behind Ritchie Hall, on the eastern edge of the village. There’s a good sized car park and toilets are available in the main building, but that’s it as far as spectator facilities go.

The match was 3rd versus 2nd in the league table, where a win for either side would see them leapfrog Longside Athletic at the top of the table, as the leaders were in cup action tonight. A draw would see the top three stay as they were. Invercairn took a fourteenth minute lead, breaking down the right before pulling the ball back for a first time shot low into the far corner of the net. It was the first time they’d managed to get out of their own half since the kick off. The equaliser came after thirty seven minutes, holding off a defender before twisting and sending a low shot into the far corner. Mormond almost went in front right on halftime, but a looping 25 yarder hit the crossbar, so it remained 1-1 at the break. Within seconds of the restart Invercairn went back in front, when a pull back across the box was smashed in from close range. Five minutes later a stooping header at the far post saw Mormond level it up at 2-2 and five minutes later they made it 3-2, scoring with a penalty. It was 4-2 a couple of minutes later, when a long punt forward saw a forward hold off a defender before shooting on the turn, giving the ‘keeper no chance. Eight minutes later it was 5-2, when a header back across the box was met with another header that went over the ‘keeper. Somehow, that was the end of the scoring, but certainly not the end of the chances, as both teams could easily have scored another couple each.

The win now sees Mormond Thistle go above former leaders Longside Thistle on goal difference and they still have two games in hand to extend their lead further.

Clydesdale Cup Semi-Final

Monday 13th July 2026

Kick Off 20.15 Actual 20.18

Carluke Rovers 0 Lanark United 1, attendance 143

35’ 0-1

@ The John Cumming Stadium

135 Carnwath Road

Carluke

ML8 4EA

£7 Admission

No Programme.

The John Cumming Stadium is in the east of the town, at the rear of Carluke High School. It’s a 3G pitch, set inside an 8 lane running track. There’s a section of covered standing on the changing room side of the ground, flanked by three open steps of terrace that run to the corners. Grass banking runs behind the left hand goal end, running around and along about twenty yards of the far side. As with the game at Glenvale on Friday night, spare goals (three on each side) are lazily left along each touchline, which really limits the view for spectators and made even worse due to the track already distancing you from the action. It really isn’t good enough, especially when clubs are charging admission, not that the club will give a toss whether spectators can see the pitch or not, as long as they’ve got your money.

The game was an all West of Scotland League tie, with Division 3 hosting Division 1. It was hard fought, as you’d expect from a local derby with a cup final place at stake, even if you only have to win two games to actually win it. Lanark took the lead ten minutes before halftime. I was distracted during the build up, so have no idea how it came about, just seeing the action seconds before the ball crossed the line. Carluke’s best chance came ten minutes into the second half, when a long throw in was met with a volley that was well saved by the ‘keeper. Lanark should have put the game out of sight with nineteen minutes left, but they missed a penalty, easily saved by the home ‘keeper. Ten minutes later they brought out another save from the ‘keeper, when a corner played short was tipped over as it headed for the top corner.

If the dreadful viewing/sight lines weren’t bad enough, we were also subjected to an absolute battering from the midges too, making the second half almost unbearable.

Lanark will now play the winners of the Lesmahagow versus Forth Wanderers tie in next week’s final.

Below photos show typical poor spectator viewing at these type of grounds.

John Scarlett Summer Cup 4 Team Tournament

3rd/4th Place Play Off

Sunday 12th July 2026

Kick Off 12.30 On Time!

Whitletts Victoria 3 Kilmarnock U19 0, attendance 160

35’ 1-0

60’ 2-0

85’ 3-0

@ New Voluntary Park

Glenmuir Place

Whitletts

Ayr

KA8 9RW

£7 Admission (covering 3rd/4th PO and Final)

No Programme.

Today was the culmination of this 4 Team Tournament hosted by Whitletts Victoria. Yesterday’s games had seen Whitletts lose 1-2 to Annbank United Community, followed by Darvel beating Kilmarnock U19 4-3 in the Semi-Finals. I prefer to watch the actual home club if possible, so it meant the 3rd/4th place match that would be my game.

Although it’s a 3G ground, it does have spectator access on three sides as well as a seated stand, although typically, with no hatched area in front, it means you can have an obscured view if you don’t pick your seat carefully, as people stand right in front, totally oblivious of their ignorance. The clubhouse was open throughout and there’s also a snack bar too.

Whitletts thought they’d taken an early lead, but a throw in from the right, which went in off the far post, was rightly disallowed, as it went in directly without anyone getting a touch. They did take the lead ten minutes before halftime though, when a long throw on the right was poked in from three yards. The second goal came on the hour mark, when a diagonal cross from the left was headed in at the far post. Kilmarnock never looked like getting back in it and it was no surprise to see Whitletts add a third goal five minutes from the end, scoring from a 20 yard free kick that went straight through the wall.

So, the hosts took third place and for the record, Darvel beat Annbank United 3-1 in the final.

Friendly

Saturday 11th July 2026

Kick Off 14.00 On Time!

Port Glasgow Juniors 3 Neilston 3, attendance 82

2’ 1-0

4’ 2-0

23’ 3-0

25’ 3-1

29’ 3-2

77’ 3-3

@ Parklea Community Sports Facility, 3G Stadium Pitch

off Greenock Road (A8)

Parkhill

Port Glasgow

PA14 6TR

Admission by Donation

No Programme.

Game two of the day saw more caged football, at the Parklea home of Port Glasgow Juniors, or ‘The Undertakers’ as they are nicknamed, thought to originate from them having played in an all black kit when they were first formed. It took forty two minutes to drive back north, before heading west along the A8, with the ground on the right just before reaching Port Glasgow, sandwiched between the railway line and the River Clyde. Although it’s a caged pitch, it is far better than you’d expect. There’s spectator access on three sides, with just the goal at the western end being out of bounds. There’s even two separate sections of covered terrace, bookending the changing room building, with the dugouts in the centre of this side. The tea bar operated from here too, doing hot and cold food/drinks, although the menu was smaller than for a normal league game.

The match was between two West of Scotland League teams, with Division 2 hosting Division 1. Port Glasgow got off to a flyer, scoring twice in the opening four minutes, firstly poking in from close range after a cross was played back into the box having been partially cleared, before cutting in from the left and beating the ‘keeper low at the near post. Midway through the half it was 3-0, playing a free kick across the box which was smashed into the bottom corner. Two minutes later Neilston got one back, when a ball into the box was finished with a shot on the turn into the far corner. Minutes later they got another one, following up on an angled shot that the ‘keeper saved, but couldn’t direct the ball away from the danger area. Port Glasgow then had a goal ruled out for offside, with the game remaining 3-2 at the interval. The hosts hit the crossbar early in the second half, with far fewer chances created than in the first half, but Neilston grabbed a deserved equaliser with thirteen minutes left, breaking quickly down the left and despite the cross being over hit, it was kept in play and squared across the box for a side footed finish from twelve yards.