Kent County League

The Leckie Family Cup 2nd Round

Saturday 24th October 2026

Kick Off 14.15 Actual 14.16

Barming 5 Deal Town Youth 4, attendance 8

20’ 1-0

26’ 1-1

32’ 2-1

38’ 3-1

47’ 4-1

50’ 4-2

51’ 5-2

59’ 5-3

70’ 5-4

@ The Maplesden Noakes School, 3G Pitch

Buckland Road

Maidstone

ME16 0TJ

No Admission or Programme.

By 10.30 I’d lost my first three choices of games on grass pitches, so opted for a 3G instead. This one is one of those dreadful cages with no spectator access inside the fence, but unlike the majority of those, you can actually watch the game from a raised area behind one goal end, which has very little in the way of obstructions, apart from the top foot or so of the fence when the ball was in the near right corner. Unless you’re a completist, I wouldn’t recommend coming here, as there’s nothing to offer bar ticking it off a list! I really can’t see why these grounds are accepted in hosting competitive football and it certainly doesn’t give a good impression for a county league to allow such venues to be used.

Anyway, onto the match. These two are both in Division 2 East of the league, with 4th (won all six league matches played so far) hosting 6th as far as league positions go. It turned out to be an excellent game, where both sides opted for all out attack from start to finish. Barming took a twentieth minute lead, following in an initial effort that had struck the crossbar. Deal levelled six minutes later, rounding the ‘keeper after winning the race to a ball over the top and thought they’d doubled their lead a couple of minutes later, but the effort was ruled out for offside. The hosts took full advantage and went back in front minutes later, sliding in to poke in a cross from the right at the far post. An angled shot into the far corner saw them extend their lead to 3-1 just before the break. Two minutes into the second half a 20 yarder into the top corner made it 4-1. Deal tapped in a rebound, following a 20 yarder that was saved by the ‘keeper, to make it 4-2, but conceded again within a minute to see Barming restore their three goal lead. An angled shot into the far corner saw Deal pull it back to 5-3 just before the hour mark and with twenty minutes left they scored again to make for an interesting finish, but they couldn’t force an equaliser.

It was a trouble free forty five minute drive each way. It rained throughout the match, with very wet roads coming back and the spray on the M25 stretch made for horrendous driving conditions.

Cheshire F.A. Senior Cup

1st Round

Tuesday 20th October 2026

Kick Off 20.00 Actual 19.59

Crewe 4 Alsager Town 2, attendance 96

24’ 0-1

31’ 0-2

59’ 1-2

61’ 2-2

83’ 3-2

90’ + 3, 4-2

@ The Excel, 3G Pitch

West Street

Woolstanwood

Crewe

CW2 8SJ

£5 Admission

£2 Programme available, 10 pages, didn’t bother buying.

Another midweek trip north for another one of the new clubs at Step 6 this season. The ground here at The Excel is a 3G cage, with spectator access behind the entrance end goal, where there are two sections of cover and along the left touchline, where a seated stand is due to be put in, but currently just has a couple of temporary awnings. The two storey clubhouse/changing rooms are outside the ground itself, where hot and cold food are available, but service is very slow, especially at halftime, not helped by the stewards refusing to let spectators out of the cage until all players and officials had left the pitch…still, it’s the club that suffers most here, as it cuts into the time available to spend money in the clubhouse. Totally unnecessary and poorly thought out! At least the attendance figure was genuine, with the official figure being just one higher than my headcount and only charging a fiver at this level was a pleasant surprise.

The match pitted two teams from North West Counties League Division 1 South, with 17th hosting 19th (out of 20) as far as league positions go. Alsager went ahead after twenty four minutes, scoring after a long punt forward was punched by a hesitant ‘keeper, but resulted in a visiting striker rolling the ball into an empty net as it failed to clear the box. They doubled their lead seven minutes later, when an initial shot was saved, but followed in with a shot into the roof of the net. Just before the hour mark Crewe got back in it, when a cross was met with a blocked shot, but the rebound was volleyed into the bottom corner. It only took them two minutes to draw level, finishing low into the corner after being played through on goal. It was end to end stuff, with Crewe going ahead for the first time in the match with just seven minutes left, sweeping in from six yards after the ‘keeper spilled a cross from the left. The game was finally made safe three minutes into stoppage time, when a shot was tipped onto the crossbar, before being nodded in from close range by Joshua Maris, which completed his hattrick.

No real problems heading north to the game. Coming back saw the M5 closed, so SatNav diverted via M6 instead to pick up the M42. Just one closure tonight on the M25, with it closed at J15, so diverted one junction towards London on the M4 before rejoining the M25 via the southbound slip road. The game didn’t finish until ten o’clock, but still home for 01.35.

Belgium

Hainaut Provincial 1

Sunday 18th October 2026

Kick Off 15.00 Actual 15.05

Erpion-Lacs de l’Eau d’Heure 3 R. Association Sportive Pays Blanc Antoinien 2, attendance 112

3’ 1-0

8’ 2-0

16’ 2-1

29’ 2-2

71’ 3-2

@ Stade Michel & Anne-Marie Algoet, Pitch 2 Synthetic

Ruelle Catton 36

6441 Erpion

€7 Admission

No Programme.

We were on the 0815 P&O ferry from Dover to Calais this morning, which ran to time, before making the 140 mile drive south east to the Belgian province of Hainaut, where 3rd in the league table were hosting 6th. I’d done a game at Erpion back in March 2014, when the club were known as Espoir Club Erpion, when they beat R. Baileux Sport 4-1 in a Hainaut Provincial 2 match in front of 129 spectators, which was the middle game of a treble for me, having done Jeunesse Sportive Froidchappeloise beforehand, then Sporting Club Montignies afterwards. In those days the main pitch here in Erpion was the grass one that runs widthways in front of the clubhouse, but they’ve since developed a 3G pitch, built in place of the former grass second pitch, which runs end on to the former main ground, but on a slightly higher plane. Spectator access is limited to the full length of each touchline, with a seated stand on one side and a pair of perspex dugouts opposite. The clubhouse remains as it was, with the changing rooms still adjacent to their former pitch, hidden out of sight, down below pitch level on the far side.

Erpion got off to a flying start, taking a third minute lead, when a cross cum shot from the left found it’s way into the far corner of the net, but it was hard to tell if this was directly in or had a touch from another player on the way. They doubled their lead five minutes later, when a ball over the top saw an initial shot saved, but it was followed in on the rebound by a supporting player. Antoinien pulled one back after sixteen minutes, cutting in from the right before a shot from the edge of the box went in via a deflection. They levelled it up at 2-2 just before the half hour mark, when a cross from the right was swept in at the far post. Surprisingly, there was only one goal in the second half and it was enough to win the game for Erpion, when a one-two on the edge of the box was finished with a low shot into the bottom corner with just under twenty minutes left. The win sees Erpion move up to second in the league table, where they trail leaders R.F.C. Luingnois by seven points after nine games played, whilst Antoinien drop to eighth.

The route back from Erpion is mainly in France and we stopped en route in Steenvorde for our evening meal, before heading onwards to Calais. Our 22.25 P&O crossing left on time and I was back home just before 00.30.

The following two photos show the grass pitch I saw Erpion play on in 2014. Unchanged in the intervening twelve years.

Mid Sussex League

Division 4 South

Saturday 17th October 2026

Kick Off 14.00 Actual 14.02

Scaynes Hill 1 Poets’ Corner 2, attendance 15

17’ 0-1

61’ 1-1

76’ 1-2

@ Scaynes Hill Recreation Ground

Lewes Road

Scaynes Hill

RH17 7PG

No Admission or Programme.

I picked this game for two reasons. Firstly, it was a nice sunny day and this is a ground prone to water logging and secondly, it would complete this division for me and along with it, complete the entire Mid Sussex League first team home grounds for the first time. It’s just an open pitch, at the rear of the Millennium Village Centre. There’s a reasonably sized car park, although it struggled to cope today, not because of the football, but the kids party taking place at the same time. The pitch runs lengthways away from the building and dips away dramatically, especially when standing in the corner nearest the car park, with players only visible from the knee upwards when they’re in the far penalty box!

The match was 8th (out of 11) versus 4th in the league table. The only goal of the first half saw the visitors take the lead after seventeen minutes, scoring with a quick breakaway having just defended a corner. The hosts equaliser came just after the hour mark, when a long clearance from their ‘keeper bounced well inside the other half of the pitch and as his opposite number hesitated to come and clear it, a striker nipped in to send a header looping over him from just inside the box. The visitors got the winner with fourteen minutes left, when a corner from the left was met with a header that went in off the underside of the crossbar. Scaynes Hill lost any chance of grabbing a late equaliser when they had a man sin binned with a couple of minutes left, before having a man sent off a minute into stoppage time for complaining about not being awarded a corner. The referee wrongly awarded a goal kick (he went with the decision of the away team linesman, who was blatantly cheating, as it was a definite corner) and the hosts had another man sent off after the final whistle, for carrying on the argument of the injustice of the goal kick being incorrectly awarded.

An easy drive of around forty five minutes each way and no traffic problems whatsoever.

North West Counties League

Division 1 North

Tuesday 13th October 2026

Kick Off 19.45 On Time!

A.F.C. Knowsley 2 Halewood Apollo 5, attendance 284

17’ 0-1

22’ 0-2

36’ 0-3

50’ 1-3

58’ 1-4

63’ 1-5

67’ 2-5

@ Lord Derby Pavilion

Knowsley Lane

Longview

L36 8JB

£7 Admission

£3 Programme available, 20 pages, didn’t bother buying.

It was a trip to Merseyside tonight for the first game under floodlights at North West Counties Division 1 North club A.F.C. Knowsley. Their Lord Derby Pavilion ground is still a work in progress, gradually being brought up to the ground grading required at Step 6. The clubhouse is immediately in front of you as you enter off Knowsley Lane, with ample parking at the front of the building, as well as round to the right. The pitch runs lengthways away from the building and is three sided as far as spectators go, with the left hand touchline (with Lord Derby Playing Fields behind) inaccessible. There’s minimal cover from an overhang on part of the clubhouse building, but that’s it. There’s a concrete base in place awaiting a seated stand to be installed, but it’s right between the two dugouts, so will be dreadful to watch the game from, with huge blind spots, but it will tick the boxes as far as grading is concerned, which is all the league/club will care about. Hot food and drinks were available from around 6 o’clock, with pies and sausage rolls (both sold out before halftime) and later on burgers and chips and they were well organised and efficient.

The match was 19th (out of 22) versus 6th in the league table and went to form. Apollo were ahead after seventeen minutes, following in after an initial shot had been saved by the ‘keeper. They doubled their lead five minutes later, sweeping in a cross from the right at the far post and it was 0-3 nine minutes before halftime, dispossessing a defender before cutting in from the left and curling a shot into the far corner from just inside the angle of the 18 yard box. An angled shot on the turn, that found the far corner, saw Knowsley pull it back to 1-3 five minutes into the second half, but they failed to build on it. Halewood had a goal ruled out for a foul on fifty seven minutes, but within a minute they did make it 1-4, with a cheeky back heeled finish into the far corner from the edge of the six yard box and five minutes later they added a fifth. Knowsley made it 2-5 midway through the half, with a shot that hit the underside of the crossbar and bounced down over the line and although it was hacked clear, it was signalled as a goal by the linesman. The final scoreline flattered Knowsley, with Halewood good value for the three points.

Journey up to Merseyside was trouble free, which is a real rarity. Coming back made up for it though. Firstly, no access from the M57 eastbound onto the M62 meant a five mile detour, before hitting two sections of the M6 where it was down to a single lane. The M5 was closed around West Bromwich, meaning continuing via the M6 to pick up the M42 and queuing traffic meant SatNav diverted off between J6 and J5 around Spaghetti Junction. The only problem from here onwards was the almost obligatory closure of the M25 between J10 and J9. Considering all the problems, pleased to get home at 01.50.

Berks & Bucks F.A.

Charles Twelftree Trophy 2nd Round

Saturday 10th October 2026

Kick Off 14.00 Actual 14.02

Cholsey United 2 F.C. Bracknell 2 (4-5 pens), attendance 23

18’ 0-1

24’ 0-2

52’ 1-2

65’ 2-2

@ Cholsey Recreation Ground

Station Road

Cholsey

OX10 9PT

No Admission or Programme.

This match pitted Oxfordshire Senior League Premier Division with East Berks League Premier Division, in a county cup competition for teams in or below the Regional Feeder Leagues. Cholsey Recreation Ground is very basic and not the best of grounds for me to have completed this division at. It’s just a single pitch, roped along part of one side. Car parking is at the entrance, off Station Road, with a brick built community building in front, which although housing toilets, remained closed throughout. The changing rooms are round to the left, with the pitch to the rear, running lengthways away from here, with tennis courts flanking the left touchline and Cholsey Skatepark the other….skateboarding is certainly of more interest to the local kids here, rather than the local football club, if you’re judging by the numbers taking part, including a couple who looked to be in their fifties!

Anyway, on to the football. Bracknell were ahead after eight minutes, chasing down a long ball over the top, just beating the ‘keeper to it, then squaring the ball for an easy tap in. After twenty minutes they had a goal ruled out for offside, but did double their lead four minutes later, when a corner was headed clear but crossed back into the box where a striker headed in as the ‘keeper failed to punch clear. On the half hour mark Cholsey lost their ‘keeper to injury and he was replaced by their right back, who, to be honest, looked better than the previous incumbent!

Seven minutes into the second half Cholsey got back in the game, when a diagonal shot from the left was saved, but followed in on the rebound. Midway through the half they levelled it up at 2-2, when a diagonal free kick from wide on the right was met with a stooping header at the far post. Bracknell thought they’d won it when they scored again with a minute left, but with the ball on it’s way in, a player in front of the shooter decided to help it on it’s way and was flagged offside.

For the second successive Saturday, my game was to be decided by penalties. Cholsey went first, but saw their first kick saved. Bracknell scored their first, but sent their second one over the crossbar and with all the others scored, we were level at 4-4 going into sudden death. Cholsey then saw their next one saved, but so did Bracknell, brilliantly stopped low near the foot of the post by the stand in ‘keeper. Cholsey then blazed another over the crossbar, before Bracknell netted again to win it.

It was only 63 miles to Cholsey, via M3 and a very congested Bracknell, before taking the M4 then heading north through Pangbourne. SatNav chose a more cross country route coming back, via Henley-on-Thames, before picking up the M4 just west of Maidenhead. The two routes were only a mile different, with the only hold up coming back being the usual M25 crawl approaching the M3 intersection.

Carmarthenshire League

Division 1

Wednesday 7th October 2026

Kick Off 19.00 Actual 18.58

Llandovery Town 1 Ammanford Reserves 0, attendance 68

29’ 1-0

@ Llandovery R.U.F.C.

Church Bank

Llandovery

SA20 0BA

No Admission or Programme.

I took the opportunity tonight to visit a ground that rarely stages midweek games, at what must surely be the best ground hosting Tier 6 football in Wales. Obviously, the fact that it’s the ground of Super Rygbi Cymru club Llandovery, who play at level two in Wales, certainly helps. It’s a cracking set up. There’s a 400 seat stand, with changing rooms below, on one side, flanked by two sections of covered standing, both having nine steps, whilst the opposite side has a section of four steps of cover, slightly offset from the halfway line. Car parking and clubhouse (remained closed) are behind the near goal end.

The match was 4th versus 6th (out of 12) and was an excellent watch from a neutral point, with both teams going at it from start to finish and of a standard far higher than you’d expect at this level. The only goal of the game went the way of the hosts after twenty nine minutes, when a corner from the left was headed in at the far post and Ammanford hit the post with a 25 yarder that turned out to be the last kick of the half. Three minutes into the second half Llandovery saw a 30 yard lob tipped onto the post by the ‘keeper, as he desperately back pedalled to reach it. It was end to end stuff and Llandovery almost doubled their lead with twenty minutes left, when a 25 yarder came back off the crossbar, but the rebound was headed straight into the ‘keeper’s arms as he struggled back to his feet. The win was enough to see Llandovery go top of the league table.

Not a single hold up heading west for the game. Even coming back I lost under ten minutes, despite the A40 by-pass around Brecon being closed, meaning SatNav diverting via back lanes into the town itself, rather than following the ridiculous out of the way route being suggested by the roadworks signs, which would have added considerable mileage. The M4 saw the bridge closed at the border, meaning diverting via the M48 crossing instead and the M4 was also closed at J18, but this was just a case of going off at the slip road and immediately rejoining.

F.A. Wales Amateur Trophy

2nd Round

Saturday 3rd October 2026

Kick Off 14.00 Actual 14.01

Talysarn Celts 4 Mynydd Isa 4 (5-4 pens), attendance 90

5’ 1-0

28’ 1-1

45’ + 1, 1-2

47’ 2-2

57’ 2-3

59’ 3-3

66’ 3-4

85’ 4-4

@ Gloddfa Glai

Bryncelin Road

Talysarn

LL54 6AB

£3 Admission

No Programme.

It was a drive of just under two hours from my overnight hotel into Wales, on the western side of Snowdonia National Park. The Gloddfa Glai home of Talysarn Celts is in the centre of the village and as you’d expect, has a cracking scenic backdrop, whichever way you look. Car parking is as you enter off Brycelin Road, with a second pitch nearest here, with the main pitch running end on beyond here. It’s railed on three sides and currently has hard standing on two. The changing rooms are on the right, where there was a tea bar, which served hot food and drinks, with a large dugout on the far side, which serves both teams. Raised grass banking runs along this side with the North Wales Pilgrims Way behind, sandwiched between the ground and Afon Llyfni. It was a surprise for a Tier 4 ground to see no cover at the ground, not that it was needed on such a glorious day, but it was very unusual that there were no spectator toilets…..I did ask, but was told they were in the changing rooms, which isn’t much use when you want to go at halftime and the players are in there! One thing that can’t be disputed is the quality of the pitch. Absolutely superb and was being mown and re-marked about an hour before kick off.

I’d picked this game as it was the only ground I hadn’t seen a game at in the North Wales Coast West League Premier Division, whilst the visitors play one level higher, in the Ardal North West at Tier 3. Talysarn got off to a great start, curling one into the top corner after five minutes, but Mynydd Isa levelled just before the half hour, smashing in from close range after the home ‘keeper had flapped at an attempt to deal with a corner from the right. The visitors edged in front a minute into stoppage time at the end of the first half, stooping at the near post to head in a diagonal free kick from the right. Talysarn were level two minutes into the second half, scrambling in from close range after a corner wasn’t cleared. A goal following a quick breakaway saw the visitors go 2-3 ahead ten minutes later, but the hosts were back level again within two minutes, when a shot from the angle of the 18 yard box went in off the underside of the crossbar. A downward header, back into the far corner, saw the visitors edge in front again to make it 3-4 with just over twenty minutes left. They couldn’t hang on though and Talysarn equalised again within two minutes five minutes left, when a corner from the left was headed in from six yards. We almost had a winner in the dying seconds, but a Mynydd Isa header, from a long throw, was headed off the line by a defender. So, it was on to a penalty shoot out to decider the winners. Mynydd Isa went first. They scored their first two, before number three was saved. Talysarn saw their first one saved, but were clinical with the rest and we were level after the initial five kicks each. Mynydd Isa hit the crossbar with their sixth one, leaving Talysarn the opportunity to win it, which they duly did. A great day out. The only negative point was the referee wearing all black, which isn’t great from a spectator’s point of view when one of the teams are playing in navy blue!

A totally traffic free drive home, arriving back a couple of minutes after nine.

Liverpool County F.A. Challenge Cup 1st Round

Friday 2nd October 2026

Kick Off 20.10 Actual 20.12

Sefton Athletic 2 Eagle Sports 0, attendance 54

5’ 1-0

61’ 2-0 (pen)

@ LCFA Sefton, 3G Pitch

Drummond Road

Thornton

Liverpool

L23 9YP

No Admission or Programme.

I saw Bootle play a Liverpool County Combination League match on a grass pitch here back in 2004, when the ground was known as the Civil Service Ground. The grass pitches are as they were, but a 3G caged pitch has now been built here too, adjacent to the car park/changing room building. It’s a standard set up, with spectator access along the full length of one side, with a tea bar and toilets available inside the building.

The match was an all Step 7 tie, with Liverpool Premier League hosting Cheshire League Premier Division. The hosts got off to a great start and were ahead after just five minutes, when a long ball over the top was finished from the edge of the box. They made the game safe just after the hour mark, courtesy of a penalty, awarded for a trip just inside the box and Eagle never looked like pulling back a two goal deficit.

Journey up saw the usual crawl on the M25 from J9 to J16 and then a diversion via the Black Country route due to queuing traffic approaching the M5/M6 intersection near Birmingham and it was slow moving heading past Keele Services on the M6 too. At least an overnight stop in the North West meant there’d be no worries about overnight roadworks, although with no access to the M57 after the game meant getting back to the M6 was via the M58, rather than the conventional M62 route.