Essex & Suffolk Border League

Premier Division

Wednesday 12th August 2026

Kick Off 18.30 Actual 18.34

The Rodings & Waltham 0 Gosfield United 2, attendance 57

15’ 0-1

34’ 0-2

@ Little Waltham Sports & Social Club

The Street

Little Waltham

CM3 3NY

No Admission or Programme.

This was the only ground in the top division of the Essex & Suffolk Border League I hadn’t yet visited. Thankfully, unlike a few other league’s in the South East, there were no games postponed in this league due to the solar eclipse….and nor should there have been. It didn’t even go dark. In fact, it was hard to say whether it even got dull at any stage, let alone dark.

The pitch is at the rear of the social club. It’s roped off and has a pair of portable dugouts, as well as a small area of cover, set back from the pitch and there’s a noticeable slope running the length of the pitch, dropping away from the buildings. As with all grass pitches at the moment, it was rock hard and bone dry, but perfectly playable. There’s a small car park, with additional parking on the grass area behind the entrance end goal and the clubhouse was open from five o’clock onwards.

These two have been promoted together from Division 1 for this season, with Gosfield having finished as champions, eight points clear of tonight’s hosts, although Rodings & Waltham did beat them here in the final game of the season back in April. This was Rodings & Waltham’s first game of the new season, whilst Gosfield had kicked off their season with a 4-1 defeat at early table toppers Hatfield Peverel on Saturday.

The visitors got off to a good start tonight and opened the scoring after fifteen minutes, when a long throw in from the right reached the far side of the 18 yard box, being hooked back over the ‘keeper and into the far corner of the net. They almost doubled their lead a few minutes later, but a shot hit the crossbar. They did get their second goal just after the half hour mark though, when they broke quickly and scored at the third attempt, having seen the first two efforts blocked. The second half produced very few chances, although Gosfield did hit the crossbar in the final minute.

The journey to Essex saw the all too common four mile queue approaching the Dartford Crossing, but at least the drive home was trouble free.

Dorset Premier League

Tuesday 11th August 2026

Kick Off 18.45 Actual 18.46

Bournemouth Electric 1 Cobham Sports 1, attendance 76

43’ 1-0

57’ 1-1

Bournemouth Electric Club

Broadway Lane

Bournemouth

BH8 0AA

£6 Admission

£2 Programme available, didn’t bother buying.

This match was between the teams who’d finished third and second in the final table last season and was the final ground I’d yet to visit in this league. Both teams had started off with a win in Saturday’s opening round of matches, Electric beating Hamworthy Recreation Reserves 3-1 and Cobham winning 4-0 against Mere Town.

The ground here is at the rear of the social club and is railed along the near side and behind the left hand goal as far as the edge of the far six yard box, with the rest of the ground inaccessible to spectators and there’s a pair of dugouts on the far side. The pitch was a real dust bowl, although there was evidence that the pitch had been watered in a few very lush green areas in each half.

It was a very evenly contested match, with little to choose between them. Electric hit the post midway through the half, before finally edging in front two minutes before halftime, when a corner from the right was headed into the bottom corner from near the penalty spot. Cobham equalised twelve minutes into the second half, when a ball over the top was finished one on one with a shot through the ‘keeper’s legs.

With the A31 closed near Ringwood, due to a fire that occurred over the weekend, SatNav took me via A303 and A338 via Salisbury (not ideal during rush hour) going and A35 via Christchurch and Lyndhurst coming back, with a lengthy closure of the M3 meaning diverting through Winchester and travelling parallel to the motorway for about ten miles. At least I managed to get past J9 on the M25 as it was just about to be closed.

South Wales Premier League

Division 1 West

Saturday 7th August 2026

Kick Off 14.00 Actual 14.01

F.C. Porthcawl 1 Tonyrefail Boys & Girls Club 0, attendance 39

60’ 1-0

@ Rest Bay Sports Ground

Rest Bay

Porthcawl

CF36 3UP

No Admission or Programme.

I picked this game purely due to it being the most westerly ground of those playing in this league today that I hadn’t visited and even better, it was on grass. The ground is only about 100 yards from the sea, adjacent to Royal Porthcawl Golf Club and the car park for Rest Bay Beach. This is the only choice as far as parking goes, with a £1 per hour tariff in the pay and display car park. The pitch is fully railed, with the majority having board infills. There’s a two storey building on the beach side of the ground that houses clubhouse/changing rooms and toilets, with a pair of dugouts in front, with views across to the North Devon coast when looking from the far side. As with all grass pitches at the moment, it could do with some rain, but despite being yellow and looking dead, it was well grassed.

The best chance of the first half saw the visitors have a point blank header saved in stoppage time, quickly followed by them having a man sin binned for complaining about an alleged foul that wasn’t given by the referee. They’d only been back up to full strength a matter of minutes when Porthcawl grabbed what turned out to be the only goal of the game, when a chip over the top from inside the centre circle was controlled on the run and poked past the ‘keeper into the bottom corner. Porthcawl also had a header cleared off the line by a defender and headed against the post from the resulting corner. Tonyrefail had a man sent off with four minutes left, for a foul on a player through on goal, with the hosts also finishing the game with ten men, picking up a second yellow card a minute into stoppage time, but the single goal was enough to take all three points.

It had been an easy thirty minute drive from my overnight hotel in Swansea and it was good to have a very rare trouble free journey home afterwards.

West Wales Premier League

Friday 7th August 2026

Kick Off 19.15 Actual 19.16

Penlan 2 Calsonic Kansei Swiss Valley 1, attendance 115

27’ 1-0

51’ 1-1

72’ 2-1

@ Cae Pen Tawe, 3G Pitch

Mynydd Newydd Playing Fields

Heol Gwyrosydd

Penlan

SA5 7BS

£5 Admission

No Programme.

When I came here in September 2024 Penlan played on a grass pitch about 300 yards from the main building (No.1 in below photo) which the WWPL have now deemed too far from the changing rooms to now comply with league regulations. A new pitch is under development, running widthways adjacent to the building (3), which they hope to be using later this season, or at the start of next, whilst tonight’s game was played on the Cae Pen Tawe 3G pitch (2), which is to the right as you enter the car park and is also home to the rugby club. It’s a caged pitch, with spectator access along three quarters of one side and a pair of dugouts opposite.

These two had opened up their season’s with 1-0 away wins, Penlan at Garden Village and CKSV at Llandarcy, so both were looking for a win that could see them top the table at the end of the night. Penlan opened the scoring just before the half hour mark, when a corner from the right was headed against the crossbar, but put in on the rebound. CKSV missed a great chance to draw level right on halftime, but the one on one chance was well saved by the home ‘keeper. Six minutes into the second half they did draw level though, this time coolly finishing one on one from a long ball that was flicked on. Midway through the half both teams had a man sent off following a foul near the halfway line. The CKSV player on the receiving end jumped up and grabbed the Penlan player by the throat, which was responded to with a head butt. Penlan got what turned out to be the winner with eighteen minutes left, cutting in from the left before shooting from long range. Somehow the ‘keeper completely misjudged it and only partially got his hands to it and it found its way into the far corner. They almost added a third goal late on, volleying high over the crossbar when it looked easier to score.

Halftime only lasted seven minutes, with everyone staying out on the pitch. Despite the quick turnaround, the floodlights were still turned on for the last fifteen minutes. The 190 mile drive down to Wales took over five hours, which isn’t great when less than ten miles of that was non motorway, but at least an overnight stop meant tomorrow’s game would see a much more relaxing drive….hopefully.

Midland League

Division 3

Wednesday 5th August 2026

Kick Off 19.45 Actual 19.47

Solihull Academy 4 Coventry Dunlop 1, attendance 43

12’ 1-0

26’ 2-0

30’ 3-0

67’ 3-1

80’ 4-1 (pen)

@ The Irish Centre Birmingham, 3G Pitch

205 Wheelers Lane

King’s Heath

Birmingham

B13 0ST

No Admission or Programme.

I’d only visited Solihull Academy last season, when they played on a 3G pitch at Tudor Grange Academy Solihull, but they’ve now moved to another 3G cage, at The Irish Centre, in King’s Heath. It’s a strange move, as unlike their previous ground, this one is the worst possible type you can get. It’s absolutely dreadful. There’s no spectator access inside the fence and it’s about a hundred yards from the changing rooms. If you’re not a completest, hoping to visit all the grounds in this league, then it’s certainly not one to waste your time coming to. I’m certainly glad I didn’t leave this for a Saturday as there are thousands of better places to go than this, but tonight, this was nearest unvisited ‘ground’. Surely it’s now time for the F.A. to outlaw clubs being allowed to play competitive matches on these awful set ups and only sanction them for friendlies and training.

These two had both scored eight goals in their opening games on Saturday, Dunlop winning 8-2 away at Birmingham Tigers and Solihull beating Leafield Athletic 8-1 here. The hosts opened the scoring after twelve minutes, when a ball across the box was swept in at the far post. Midway through the half they added a second, just nipping in front of the ‘keeper to poke in a cross from the right. On the half hour mark it was 3-0, when a quick break down the left was played through and slid under the ‘keeper. Dunlop did pull it back to 3-1 midway through the second half, sweeping in from close range after a pull back from the right, but never looked like adding to it. They had their ‘keeper red carded with fourteen minutes left, when a penalty was awarded against them, but no idea what for, as the ‘incident’ was at the far end of the pitch. It took four minutes before the penalty was finally taken and was easily put away to make it 4-1. The game got very scrappy from here, with some very questionable challenges flying in and somehow the final ten minutes elapsed with no further red cards issued.

The usual M25 problems outbound from J14 to M4 and the return saw SatNav divert off the M25 between J14 and J11, avoiding what the overhead signs were advertising as ‘heavy congestion ahead’.

Hampshire Premier League

Division 1

Tuesday 4th August 2026

Kick Off 19.45 Actual 19.50

Paulsgrove 1 Horndean United 2, attendance 83

37’ 0-1

78’ 1-1

79’ 1-2

@ King George V Football Hub, 3G Pitch 1

Northern Road

Cosham

PO6 3AY

No Admission or Programme.

When I last saw Paulsgrove play a home game, back in March 2008, they were playing at The Groves Club, in Paulsgrove itself. Nowadays they’re at the King George V Football Hub, on the north side of the M27 from Portsmouth. There’s plenty of free parking here as well as two full sized 3G cages, which run end on to each other. Tonight’s game was on Pitch 1, the furthest one from the changing rooms/car park. There’s spectator access behind the near goal and along the left touchline, but blighted by high sections of mesh fencing in places that mean only about half the area is of use. Hot food and drinks were available in the main building too. The only downside is having to register with the Hampshire F.A. to obtain a QR cove to gain access to the pitches.

Paulsgrove had finished bottom of the league last season and had lost their opening game 5-3 at North Waltham on Saturday, with Horndean also losing their opener, 2-0 at Whiteley Wanderers, in their first game since gaining promotion as champions of the Mid Solent League, so this was a good chance for both teams to get some points on the board. Horndean went ahead eight minutes before halftime, breaking quickly down the left and sending a low angled shot into the far corner. Paulsgrove equalised with twelve minutes left, with a shot from the edge of the box into the top corner, but they were behind again a minute later, when a free kick just outside the box beat the ‘keeper low at his near post.

Despite not leaving home until after five o’clock, it only took seventy minutes drive time down the M25/A3 to Hampshire. The return saw the A3 closed near Horndean, with SatNav diverting via the back lanes, meaning only a couple of minutes added to the journey time in the end.

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.