Gwent County League

Division 3

Wednesday 30th August 2017

Kick Off 18.30 Actual 18.25

The Oak 1 Rhymney 1,   attendance 65

7′ 1-0

49′ 1-1

@ Ebbw Vale Sports Centre, 3G Pitch

Lime Avenue

Ebbw Vale

NP23 6GL

No Admission

Programme free, 8 pages.

The Oak, who are based in Tredegar, but play their games here in Ebbw Vale, are new into the league this season, having won the North Gwent League last season.

Ebbw Vale Sports Centre is built on the site of the old steelworks and was funded by regeneration money from the European Union. It is better than the majority of the 3G caged pitches that are popping up all over the place, as viewing is accessible from all four sides of the pitch and there is also raised standing on the side of the pitch where the dugouts are situated.

Oak took the lead, then were battered for the rest of the half. Once Rhymney drew level they took their foot off the gas and neither side ever looked like getting a winner.

Despite the game being finished just after 8 o’clock, closures on the M4, in Wales, and then the M25, one junction from home, meant not getting in until just after midnight.

Herts Senior County League

Division 1

Tuesday 29th August 2017

Kick Off 18.30 Actual 18.28

Weston 3 Stevenage Borough Community 0,  attendance 32

2′ 1-0

18′ 2-0

29′ 3-0

@ Weston Recreation Ground

Maiden Street

Weston

SG4 7AA

No admission or programme.

Weston have made the switch from Sunday to Saturday football this season and have started off with two wins and a draw from their opening three fixtures.

Despite kicking off two minutes early, the Referee played 2 x 40 minute halves and a quick turnaround at halftime meant we were done and dusted by 19.54.

Below: A small section of cover (or original dugout) that is sadly no longer in use and hidden behind the new dugouts.

South Wales Alliance League

Division 2

Monday 28th August 2017

Kick Off 17.00 Actual 17.11

Llanrumney United 3 Cardiff Cosmopolitan 1,  attendance 215

22′ 1-0

52′ 1-1

61′ 2-1

77′ 3-1

@ Riverside Park

Hartland Road

Llanrumney

CF3 4JL

£3 Admission

£1 Programme (didn’t bother as I won’t buy programmes on ground hops organised by Groundhop UK).

At last, the final game on this years South Wales Hop. This was easily the worst ground of the weekend, being a railed off pitch in a huge field, where it was a good 500 yards from the changing rooms to the pitch.

I had already visited the lunchtime match on offer, at St.Josephs, so spent the afternoon on the seafront in Penarth instead, before making the twenty minute drive east to Llanrumney.

As well as the worst ground of this trip, it was also the least welcoming club and they didn’t even bother doing any hot food or drinks, although pizza did materialise late on. The weather on all 4 days was glorious. The quality of football on offer was probably the worst I have ever watched on any Ground Hop !

South Wales Alliance League

Division 1

Monday 28th August 2017

Kick Off 11.00 Actual 11.04

Cogan Coronation 0 A.F.C. Whitchurch 6,  attendance 227

11′ 0-1

26′ 0-2

49′ 0-3

53′ 0-4

72′ 0-5 (pen)

90′ + 1, 0-6

@ Penarth Leisure Centre

Andrew Road

Cogan

Penarth

CF64 2NS

£3 Admission

£1 Programme (didn’t bother as I won’t buy programmes on ground hops organised by Groundhop UK).

So, on to the last day of the South Wales Hop and a day around the outskirts of Cardiff. There is certainly nothing scenic here and despite plenty of goals, it was too one sided as Cogan were dreadful, even allowing for having a man sent off when it was already 0-4.

South Wales Alliance League

Division 2

Sunday 27th August 2017

Kick Off 14.00 Actual 14.03

Cwmbach Royal Stars S.C. 0 Tynte Rovers 1,   attendance 267

2′ 0-1

@ Cwmbach Recreation Ground

Cwmbach Road/Blaenant-y-Groes Road

Cwmbach

CF44 0DY

£3 Admission

£1 Programme (didn’t bother as I won’t buy programmes on ground hops organised by Groundhop UK).

Another nice easy journey of 2.8 miles to the second game of the day. Another dull match, but at least it was nice and sunny and again very scenic.

At the end of this game, the majority of the crowd headed north for the final hop game of the day at Brecon Corinthians. I had visited them back in 1994, when they were in the top division of the Welsh League, so didn’t bother with an extra 50 miles round trip just to see another game.

South Wales Alliance League

Division 1

Sunday 27th August 2017

Kick Off 11.00 Actual 10.58

Penrhiwceiber Constitutional Athletic 0 F.C. Cwmaman 2,  attendance 292

41′ 0-1

47′ 0-2

@ Pentwyn Field

Rheola Street

Penrhiwceiber

CF45 3TE

£3 Admission

£1 Programme (didn’t bother as I won’t buy programmes on ground hops organised by Groundhop UK).

A game with very little between the two teams, won by goals either side of halftime, the second being a superbly struck free kick.

The ground is more or less next door to that of Welsh League side Penrhiwceiber Rangers. The railed off pitch at the ground immediately beyond Rangers ground is where the players get changed, with another two railed pitches being further along a rough dirt track. The nearest of these two is used by Cons.

South Wales Alliance League

Premier Division

Saturday 26th August 2017

Kick Off 18.45 Actual 18.32

Ynyshir Albions 2 Ton & Gelli B.C. 1,  attendance 260

7′ 1-0

11′ 2-0

41′ 2-1

@ Ynyshir Oval

Church Terrace

Ynyshir

CF39 0ET

£ 3 Admission

£1 Programme (didn’t bother as I won’t buy programmes on ground hops organised by Groundhop UK).

This was the furthest distance between grounds for today. Even this was only 4.1 miles, making a total of just 7.8 miles driving between all four matches. It is hard to believe that even the most inept ground hopper couldn’t manage to negotiate this without having their hands held for them, but the fact that 2 coach loads couldn’t, is astonishing !

Once again, a pretty average match, especially in the visitors case. If Ynyshir had converted a penalty just before the break, it may have made for a better second half.

The original kick off time of 18.45 was rumoured to have been brought forward to 18.30, after seeing how the light had faded the night before at Cwm Welfare, which had started at 18.30.

One thing that today tells me, is that 4 games in a day is too many. All the games just blend in to one as the day drags on, which may also be the reason for thinking the games are no that good to watch.

South Wales Alliance League

Division 2

Saturday 26th August 2017

Kick Off 16.00 Actual 15.58

Penrhiwfer 0 Blaenrhondda 2,  attendance 225

40′ 0-1

74′ 0-2

@ Queen Elizabeth II Community Field

Dinas Isaf West

Penrhiwfer

CF40 1XX

£3 Admission

£1 Programme (didn’t bother as I won’t buy programmes on ground hops organised by Groundhop UK).

Another easy drive, this ground being just 2.5 miles from the previous one. Both these clubs have played in the Welsh League in the past, but this is not the same ground that was used during the seasons when Penrhiwfer were members. That ground was replaced by the school at the far end of their new home, although it does house the changing rooms for the new ground.

Sadly, yet another dull match, probably the worst one of the weekend so far. It may have been a different story if the hosts hadn’t missed a penalty just before the hour mark.

South Wales Alliance League

Division 1

Saturday 26th August 2017

Kick Off 13.15 Actual 13.16

Tonyrefail B.G.C. 2 Cefn Cribwr B.C. 3,  attendance 283

5′ 0-1

31′ 0-2

68′ 1-2 (pen)

77′ 1-3

87′ 2-3

@ Tyn-y Bryn Park

Waunrhydd Road

Tonyrefail

CF39 8EW

£3 Admission

£1 Programme (didn’t bother as I won’t buy programmes on ground hops organised by Groundhop UK).

Below : match ticket

It was just 1.2 miles drive to the second match of the day. The changing rooms for the ground are at Tonyrefail Leisure Centre, but the pitch is some 400-500 yards walk across the park at the furthest point away from the building that it could be. The visitors were always in control and despite there being five goals, this wasn’t very good.

South Wales Alliance League

Division 1

Saturday 26th August 2017

Kick Off 10.45 Actual 10.47

Trebanog 4 Garw S.G.B.C. 0,   attendance 265

3′ 1-0

11′ 2-0

53′ 3-0

58′ 4-0

@ The Colliseum

Trebanog Road

Trebanog

CF39 9DT

£3 Admission

£1 Programme, (didn’t bother as I won’t buy programmes on ground hops organised by Groundhop UK).

This was the first of four scheduled games today. The first 15 minutes of each half were good, but the rest of the game was very average.