Pre-Season Friendly

Wednesday 31st July 2019

Kick Off 19.00 On Time !

Old Roan 4 Bexley 4, attendance 9

10’ 1-0

25’ 1-1

30’ 1-2

31’ 1-3

59’ 1-4 (pen)

73’ 2-4

75’ 3-4

86’ 4-4

@ John Roan Foundation Playing Fields

Kidbrooke Park Road

London

SE3 9NF

No Admission or Programme.

Old Roan play in the Bromley & South London Alliance League Division 1, whilst Bexley are in Division 1 West of the Kent County League. Old Roan have previously played in the Kent County League themselves, but left the league at the end of the 2017/18 season.

Despite Old Roan taking an early lead Bexley settled into the game and turned it round to go in 1-3 up at the break. When they scored a penalty, to make it 1-4, it looked like it was all over, but following a number of substitutions they seemed to lose their way. When Old Roan pulled it back to 2-4 they really stepped up the pace and if they had levelled the score a little earlier than they did, then they might have even nicked a winner.

United Counties League

Division 1

Sunday 28th July 2019

Kick Off 17.15 Actual 17.16

Whittlesey Athletic 1 Huntingdon Town 2, attendance 340

70’ 0-1

72’ 1-1

84’ 1-2

@ Feldale Field

Drybread Road

Whittlesey

PE7 1XL

£4 Admission

Programme available, but I won’t buy one at any event organised by Groundhop U.K.

Whittlesey are newly promoted into the United Counties League, despite only finishing in fifth place of the Peterborough & District League last season. They were promoted into the league before, back in 2016, but dropped out after playing only a handful of matches, so I thought it might be a good idea to visit as early as possible into the season, just in case the same thing happens again and it would also see the league completed nice and early, as this was the only ground that I hadn’t visited in the United Counties League line up this season.

The ground is pretty basic for Step 6 and very much a work in progress. The ground is 3 sided, with no access on the dugouts side of the pitch and has a small bit of cover that has been built using scaffolding poles. The bases are in place for the floodlights, which are expected to be up and working by the end of September. Despite it being a horrible day weather wise, the club coped well with what is likely to be the biggest crowd they will get this season, due to it being a groundhop match and it was nice to see that the admission prices hadn’t been hugely inflated like most other matches on the ‘hop and it makes the price charged yesterday at Orton Rangers seem even more of a rip off. How can it possibly have been £1 more expensive to watch a match four levels lower than today ?

As for the match, it wasn’t great. Huntingdon finally broke the deadlock with twenty minutes left, but their lead only lasted two minutes. The winning goal, six minutes from time, was worthy of winning any match, as a 25 yard shot gave the ‘keeper no chance.

Peterborough & District League

Division 3

Saturday 27th July 2019

Kick Off 13.45 Actual 13.50

Orton Rangers 4 Parkside Athletic 1, attendance 220

31’ 1-0

41’ 2-0

56’ 2-1

71’ 3-1

76’ 4-1

@ Nene Valley Community Centre

Candy Street

Peterborough

PE2 9RE

£5 Admission

Programme available, but I won’t buy one at any event organised by Groundhop U.K.

This was the only one of the four grounds that I hadn’t visited previously on today’s ‘hop. It is certainly the most expensive admission I have ever paid for what is basically Step 10 football, and probably the most any club at this level have ever charged for a match.

Despite being such a low level, it was far more entertaining than the rubbish served up at last nights match. Despite raining for most of the first half, the pitch remained in superb condition and both teams gave it a real go. Orton were far the better team and could have won by a much greater margin. Parkside took the honour of ‘goal of the day’ though, with a fantastic lob from close on 35 yards, pulling the score back to 2-1, but they never looked like adding another.

Peterborough & District League

Premier Division

Friday 26th July 2019

Kick Off 19.00 Actual 19.06

Stamford Lions 1 Peterborough Polonia 1, attendance 204

16’ 1-0

65’ 1-1 (pen)

@ Borderville Sports Centre

Ryhall Road

Stamford

PE9 1US

£5 Admission

Programme available, but I won’t buy one at any event organised by Groundhop U.K.

This was the first match of this years United Counties League/Peterborough & District League Groundhop. For some reason the game was not played at the ground where Stamford Lions play their home matches (although that was a bonus as I have already been to the ground of Blackstones F.C. where they ground share) but was instead on a pitch at the rear of Borderville Sports Centre, where there is also a floodlit 3G pitch. Access was via the ground of Stamford F.C., which is adjacent to the Sports Centre and money was collected at a side gate.

The pitch is at the furthest point of the field, but it did have an enclosed feel to it as it was surrounded by grass banking on three sides. It has hosted games in this league in the past, but I don’t think it is currently used by any club at present.

The traffic was horrendous, with the journey up to Lincolnshire taking close on four and a half hours. The match was absolutely dreadful and certainly not worth the effort. As with most of the other matches I have seen in this league, it was dire and not a very good advert for Step 7 football.

Pre-Season Friendly

Tuesday 23rd July 2019

Kick Off 19.45 Actual 19.49

Harpenden Town 1 Ware 3, attendance 41

11’ 0-1

26’ 0-2

56’ 1-2

75’ 1-3

@ Roundwood Park Sports Centre, 3G Pitch

Roundwood Park

Harpenden

AL5 3AE

No Admission or Programme.

Harpenden play in the Premier Division of the Spartan South Midlands League, whilst Ware play one level higher, in the Isthmian League South Central Division.

The first half was dominated by Ware and they were well worth their 0-2 lead at the break. Harpenden made numerous changes for the second half and it certainly made a difference to the game, as they scored one, and could have added a couple more, as it became a much more even contest. Just as it looked like Harpenden may draw level, Ware broke away to make it 1-3.

As the match hit the 90 minute mark, dead on 21.30, the floodlights went off, as the timer reached its cut off point.

Khalsa Football Federation

Derby Tournament

Division 1 Semi Final

Saturday 20th July 2019

Kick Off 15.00 Actual 15.05

Bradford Athletic 5 F.C. Panjab Sandwell 1, attendance 11

16’ 1-0

18’ 2-0

31’ 3-0

57’ 3-1

69’ 4-1

82’ 5-1

@ Darley Playing Fields, Pitch 2

Old Chester Road

Derby

DE1 3SA

No Admission

Tournament Programme, free, 24 pages.

These two teams lacked any real quality, but it served up a pretty entertaining match despite this. Bradford had a man sent off when they were already leading 4-1 and when they made it 5-1 the game was finished and yet again it was a short half, this time by 7 minutes. According to the Referee it was because Sandwell had “had enough”.

Khalsa Football Federation

Derby Tournament

Premier Division

Saturday 20th July 2019

Kick Off 13.00 Actual 13.07

Azaad Sports 4 Singh Brothers Derby 2, attendance 32

39’ 1-0

50’ 2-0

73’ 3-0

75’ 3-1

80’ 4-1 (pen)

81’ 4-2

@ Darley Playing Fields, Pitch 4

Old Chester Road

Derby

DE1 3SA

No Admission

Tournament Programme, free, 24 pages.

Azaad Sports came into this leading the table and only second placed F.C. Khalsa Leicester could catch them. Singh Brothers Derby never looked like winning this. Azaad Sports held a comfortable 2-0 lead, before both teams scored twice in a nine minute spell as we approached the final 17 minutes to make it 4-2. As in the last match, the game was cut short, this time by six minutes.

Khalsa Football Federation

Derby Tournament

Premier 2 Division

Saturday 20th July 2019

Kick Off 11.15 Actual 11.17

Wonder Vaults 2 A.F.C. Coventry Lions 3, attendance 14

24’ 1-0

40’ 1-1

50’ 1-2

58’ 1-3

87’ 2-3

@ Darley Playing Fields, Pitch 1

Old Chester Road

Derby

DE1 3SA

No Admission

Tournament Programme, free, 24 pages.

This match was bottom versus second bottom in the league table and whoever won would retain their place in Premier 2 Division. It was pretty poor quality and easy to see how they are the two worst teams. When Lions went 1-3 up just before the hour mark it looked all over. Wonder Vaults pulled it back to 2-3 with three minutes left, but the Referee then blew the final whistle, although there was no protest from the losers about the short timing of the match, despite it meaning they will be relegated to Division 1 for next years competition.

Khalsa Football Federation

Derby Tournament

Division 2

Saturday 20th July 2019

Kick Off 09.30 Actual 09.35

Shere Punjab Youth 6 Sikh Hunters Reserves 2, attendance 9

16’ 1-0

25’ 1-1

33’ 2-1

36’ 2-2

60’ 3-2

62’ 4-2

73’ 5-2

80’ 6-2

@ Darley Playing Fields, Pitch 3

Old Chester Road

Derby

DE1 3SA

No Admission

Tournament Programme, free, 24 pages.

With 4 pitches in use today, it meant that this was our only choice of match if we were to do all four pitches back to back, rather than having to wait round for the final set of matches in order to complete the set. This was by far the most basic venue I have visited for a Khalsa Tournament and was certainly the worst supported as far as spectator numbers go. In fact, it would be fair to say that the ground hoppers in attendance outnumbered everyone else!

The match itself was quite even during the first half, which ended 2-2, but Shere Punjab Youth won comfortably in the end and could have won by a far bigger margin.

Pre-Season Friendly

Thursday 18th July 2019

Kick Off 19.00 Actual 19.05

Clanfield 1 United Services Portsmouth 2, attendance 21

9’ 0-1

53’ 0-2

90’ 1-2

@ Havant Academy

Wakefords Way

Havant

PO9 5JD

No Admission or Programme.

Clanfield are in the Hampshire Premier League Senior Division, whilst United Services Portsmouth play one level higher, in the Wessex League Division 1.

U.S.P. had two matches tonight, playing a mixed squad in each game. The team that came here were noticeably better than Clanfield, but were very wasteful with their chances. An early goal in each half was all they managed from a very dominant display. The Clanfield goal, in the last minute, was only their second shot on target in the match.