F.A. Wales Amateur Trophy

1st Qualifying Round

Saturday 1st August 2026

Kick Off 14.00 Actual 13.59

Mardy 3 Twyn-Y-Ffald Blues 1, attendance 41

6’ 1-0

21’ 2-0

54’ 2-1

65’ 3-1

@ Mardy Recreation Ground

St. David’s Road

Mardy

NP7 6HE

No Admission or Programme.

The first few rounds of matches in the F.A. wales Amateur Trophy offer the chance to see some unusual match ups. My destination today was Mardy, just north of Abergavenny. The hosts were in the second division of the Gwent Premier League last season, but have taken a voluntary demotion into the Gwent Central League Division 1. Twyn-Y-Fflad, who I’d never even heard of before yesterday, are in the North Gwent League Premier Division. With the ground formerly hosting Tier 5 football, it’s railed off and has a pair of dugouts, although these consisted of just framework and a wooden bench, with no cover on either. The pitch is behind the Community Hall, running lengthways away from the building. The car park was small, but plenty of street parking too. The pitch was dreadful. Dry, dead looking and rock hard. I watched nervously as the referee did his pre match inspection about fifty minutes prior to the start, but he was happy with it…”it’s flat and there are no holes, so no one’s going to turn any ankles. Well give it a go”….all was good.

Mardy were ahead after just six minutes, when a mishit cross from wide on the right looped over the ‘keeper into the far corner. Fifteen minutes later they doubled their lead, cutting in from the right and squeezing a shot between ‘keeper and near post. Blues best chance came ten minutes before halftime, when a chipped shot over the ‘keeper was headed off the line. Nine minutes into the second half Blues did pull it back to 2-1, cutting in from the right and shooting left footed. The defence stood motionless as the ball bobbled towards the far post and into the bottom corner. Mardy restored their two goal lead eleven minutes later, when a long throw from the right was met with a flicked header that found the far corner and it was enough to see them into the next round.

Delays heading west saw the usual M25 J10-J11 crawl and a very slow M4 from M32 to M5 junctions, as expected during the summertime. Coming back was fine, apart from the queue heading towards J10 on the M25. So much for the multi millions of pounds wasted on ‘improving’ the junction.

North Wales Coast League West

Premier Division

Wednesday 29th July 2026

Kick Off 18.30 Actual 18.31

Gaerwen 5 Nantlle Vale 3, attendance 112

7’ 1-0

12’ 2-0

18’ 3-0

23’ 3-1

35’ 4-1

41’ 5-1

70’ 5-2

90’ + 2, 5-3

@ Cae Rhosfain

Lon Groes

Gaerwen

LL60 6DD

£3 Admission

No Programme.

It was a trip to Ynys Mon tonight, for one of the opening round of matches of the new season in this league. The village of Gaerwen is just a few miles from the mainland, just south of the A55 that runs to the ferry port of Holyhead. The Cae Rhosfain ground is fully railed and has hard standing on three sides, with the far goal end just grassed. The changing rooms/toilets/tea bar (hot drinks and burgers/chips available) are to the right as you enter off Lon Groes, whilst a pair of dugouts and three small sections of cover are on the far side, although only one of the three had a fully intact roof, with a backdrop of Snowdonia beyond, although low cloud meant it looked far less impressive than it would on a clear day.

Gaerwen got off to a great start, when a corner from the right was headed down and swept in from six yards after seven minutes. Five minutes later they added a second, when a diagonal cross saw a mix up between ‘keeper and defender, leaving a tap in from a few yards out. Six minutes later it was 3-0, when a long punt forward saw a first time shot fly into the bottom corner. We’d still only played twenty three minutes when the fourth goal arrived, this time going the way of the visitors, when a cross from the right was headed in at the far post. We had a lull of twelve minutes before Gaerwen restored their three goal lead, when a cross from the right was cut out by a defender, only to fall perfectly for an easy tap in to make it 4-1. It got even worse for the visitors when their right back played a ball back to his ‘keeper, who somehow totally missed the ball and it was walked into an empty net to give Gaerwen a 5-1 lead at the break. With twenty minutes left a far post header from a corner saw Nantlle Vale pull it back to 5-2, just as the heavens opened. Thankfully, I was right next to the only fully covered stand and just managed to squeeze in. Those not so lucky headed for home, with around half the crowd dispersing at this point. The visitors hit the crossbar a minute into stoppage time, before getting another goal in the dying second to make it 5-3, forcing the ball over the line after a couple of blocked shots following a corner on the right.

An overnight stop in Bangor, followed by a leisurely drive home on Thursday morning. All good, until reaching the M25/M3 junction, hitting the slow crawl of traffic until exiting at J8.

Northern League

Division 2

Saturday 25th July 2026

Kick Off 15.00 Actual 14.58

Seaton Carew 0 A.F.C. Newbiggin 3, attendance 135

23’ 0-1

37’ 0-2

90’ + 2, 0-3

@ The Phoenix 2 Retail Arena

Hornby Park

Elizabeth Way

Seaton Carew

TS25 2AZ

£6 Admission

No Programme (Apparently problems with the printing. They were accepting payment/addresses with promise of sending copies on, not that I bothered).

So, with my penultimate ground in the Northern League visited last night at Darlington Town, today would tick off the final one. It was a drive of just under half an hour from my overnight hotel in Darlington to the coastal town of Seaton Carew, just south of Hartlepool. Entering the town from the south, the ground is the first thing you come to on the left hand side as you come along the A178, opposite the golf course, with the seafront a few hundred yards further on.

Seaton Carew were making their debut at Step 6 today, having won the Wearside League last season and the ground is slowly being brought up to the required standard. You head from the car park past the cricket pitch and pavilion (there was a game on today), where a newly laid concrete path takes you a good two hundred yards down to the football ground. The entrance is in the near corner/behind the goal, where the pitch runs lengthways away from you, parallel to the main road. There’s a tea bar adjacent to the pay box and a small area of cover just beyond here. The pitch is fully railed and has hard standing on all four sides, with a pair of dugouts to the left. The changing rooms/toilets and a second tea bar are behind the far goal end. No sign of any seats or floodlights yet, both of which are mandatory at this level and no evidence of any preparation work for them either.

Seaton Carew’s debut was against a team who’d finished twelfth last season, in what was their first season in the league, having been promoted from the Northern Alliance last May. The hosts started brightly, hitting the crossbar two minutes in and could have fallen behind minutes later, when a Newbiggin free kick came back off the crossbar. Midway through the half the visitors did break the deadlock though, when a diagonal ball into the box was touched in at the near post. They doubled their lead eight minutes before halftime, when another diagonal ball into the box, this time from a free kick, was poked in from three yards out, right in the centre of the goal. The hosts rarely threatened and both teams seemed to struggle with the dry/hard pitch and windy conditions. Newbiggin should have scored a third goal just before the hour mark, but having been played through the ball was clipped over the ‘keeper, but hit the top of the crossbar. They did eventually get a third though, two minutes into stoppage time, breaking down the left and squaring a pass which saw the first shot saved by the ‘keeper, but followed in by a supporting player to wrap up a comfortable win.

It was a ninety minute dry back south to my overnight accommodation in South Yorkshire, with the intention of taking in a rugby league match at Sheffield Eagles tomorrow.

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.