Dorset Senior League Cup Final

Monday 31st May 2021

Kick Off 13.00 Actual 12.58

Chickerell United 2 Sturminster Marshall 7, attendance 209

2’ 1-0

5’ 1-1

9’ 1-2

14’ 1-3

45’+ 2, 2-3

54’ 2-4

57’ 2-5

60’ 2-6

78’ 2-7

@ Milborne St. Andrew Sports Club

Lane End

Milborne St. Andrew

DT11 0JA

No Admission

£1 Programme, 4 pages, produced by Chickerell United

The Dorset Senior League Cup will only be played for this season as it was introduced to fill the void following the COVID-19 lockdown. The final was played here at the neutral venue in Milborne St. Andrew, and it has to be said, what a superb venue for the level of football it hosts. The pitch was immaculate and it was good to see two teams really go for it. As a neutral spectator you would be pushed to see a better game than this.

Most finals are cagey affairs, but this saw Chickerell ahead inside two minutes, then 1-3 down before we had played quarter of an hour. Sturminster Marshall had the better chances to increase their lead, but a goal in stoppage time saw Chickerell reduce the arrears to 2-3 at halftime. It set the game up perfectly for the second half. By the hour mark Sturminster Marshall had scored three more goals which meant there was to be no comeback and it became 2-7 when they scored their final goal twelve minutes from time.

The only downside on the day was that the Bank Holiday traffic meant the return journey to our meet point, close to Junction 11 of the M25, took just over an hour longer on the return than it had heading down to Dorset.

Cambridge University F.A.

Cuppers Final

Saturday 29th May 2021

Kick Off 18.00 On Time !

Fitzwilliam College 2 Homerton College 1, attendance 375

70’ 0-1

71’ 1-1

76’ 2-1

@ Fitzwilliam College Playing Field

93 Oxford Road

Cambridge

CB4 3PH

No Admission or Programme *

I don’t think I’ve ever been to a final in any competition before where one team played in 4 different designs of shirt (two without numbers on the back) plus another three players wearing plain t-shirts of various shades of blue. It made the fact that there were at least five different colours of socks on display seem irrelevant. Homerton College looked an absolute disgrace and made the game have a ‘Mickey Mouse’ feel to it. At least Fitzwilliam College took pride and wore complete matching kit.

The game itself was of really poor quality and looked destined to be heading for a goalless draw as neither team looked capable of scoring. Then suddenly the game came to life in a mad seven minute spell. Homerton went ahead with a rising shot into the far corner of the net with twenty minutes left, but within a minute Fitzwilliam had a shot blocked before the follow up found it’s way through the crowded box to level things up again. Five minutes later an angled shot went in off the far post to put Fitzwilliam 2-1 up. It was a relief that Homerton couldn’t find an equaliser as anything more than ninety minutes would have been a real endurance test.

*Fitzwilliam had produced a 12 page programme that was basically just pen pictures of their squad. No copies were available at the match though, as they were done for pre-order only.

Surrey Elite Intermediate League

League Cup Semi Final

Saturday 29th May 2021

Kick Off 13.00 Actual 13.16

Spartans Youth 1 Worcester Park 3, attendance 26

3’ 0-1

23’ 0-2

36’ 1-2

86’ 1-3

@ Carville Hall Park North

Lionel Road North

Brentford

TW8 9QT

No Admission or Programme.

Spartans Youth have been ground sharing at Northwood F.C. this season, an arrangement that will continue into next season, but since the reopening following the COVID-19 lockdown, they have been playing their matches back at their own ground. Carville Hall Park North is certainly not the easiest ground to visit by car, as far as parking is concerned. There is a very small car park, easily filled by players/officials, with parking in the road outside being pay by phone only. The nearest free street parking is about 12/13 minutes walk away. The ground is on the north side of the M4 from the new ground of Brentford F.C., which is only around 500 yards away, so the parking problem is only likely to get worse.

The traffic had been horrendous en route and on arrival at the ground it became apparent that the game would be starting late as two of the officials still hadn’t arrived. In the end we kicked off sixteen minutes late and started with a ‘home linesman’, filling in for the last one to arrive, who took over around 25 minutes into the game. By that time Worcester Park were 0-2 up and it could have been two or three more as they totally dominated the early exchanges. Spartans did pull it back to 1-2 before halftime, but they never looked like scoring a second goal. The pace dropped dramatically in the second half as both teams struggled with the heat. Worcester Park finally killed the game off four minutes from time, when a through ball saw the striker just beat the ‘keeper to the ball, nicking it past home and rolling it into an empty net, rounding off a well deserved 1-3 win.

Sevenoaks & District League

Division 3

Thursday 27th May 2021

Kick Off 18.45 Actual 18.39

Horsmonden 1 Green Street Green Rovers 1, attendance 60

24’ 0-1

90’+ 4, 1-1

@ Horsmonden Sports Ground

Maidstone Road

Horsmonden

TN12 8NE

No Admission or Programme.

Tonight’s match was 4th versus 1st in the league table. GSGR won the league last night without kicking a ball, as Kemsing United Reserves, the only team that could catch them, lost away to bottom of the table Kings Hill Development. Horsmonden, on the other hand, were one of four teams that could still finish second in the table, therefore being promoted, but they needed to win tonight (would have lifted them up to 2nd) as this was their last match of the season, then hope results went in their favour on Saturday.

It was very even throughout and there was little between the two sides. GSGR went ahead with a shot that hit the underside of the crossbar and bounced behind the line before spinning away, which the Referee awarded as a goal, despite the home club linesman saying it hadn’t crossed the line. It certainly looked a goal, but it didn’t help that there appeared to be no goal line markings between the posts! As well as winning the league, GSGR would also win any competition that involved moaning and whining at every decision. They were relentless and certainly didn’t come across as a very sporting bunch.

At least Horsmonden managed to avoid defeat, even if they fell short of the victory they needed. Late into added time a shot rebounded off the post, but it was put away by a striker following in. The point leaves them third in the table, but they may drop a couple of places if the two teams below them win their final games.

Essex Olympian League

Division 1

Wednesday 26th May 2021

Kick Off 19.00 Actual 19.02

Ramsden Scotia 1 Ongar Town 3, attendance 46

23’ 1-0

45’ 1-1

54’ 1-2

86’ 1-3

@ Nursery Sports Field

Downham Road

Ramsden Heath

CM11 1PU

No Admission or Programme.

The Essex Olympian League has become a bit of a farce in the last week, with numerous clubs pulling out of their matches as they can’t be bothered to raise a team. Thankfully, there was no problem here, as 8th in the league table hosted the champions. A win for Ramsden would see them in with a chance of finishing fifth, whilst visitors Ongar were looking to remain unbeaten for the season, this being their penultimate match.

Ramsden opened the scoring midway through the first half and if Ongar were going to keep their unbeaten run going, then they were certainly going to have to work hard for it. They were well on top, but were wasting a huge number of good chances, as well as coming up against a home ‘keeper in top form. When Ramsden had a man red carded (two yellow card offences)five minutes before halftime, it turned the game in the visitors favour. They levelled on the stroke of halftime and got their second goal early in the second half, but they struggled to kill the game off and it was only in the last five minutes that they finally made it 1-3.

Sevenoaks & District League

Premier Division

Tuesday 25th May 2021

Kick Off 18.30 Actual 18.33

Nomads 6 West Kingsdown 1, attendance 25

1’ 1-0

7’ 2-0

24’ 2-1

33’ 3-1

40’ 4-1

46’ 5-1

75’ 6-1

@ Mowshurst Cottage

Four Elms Road

Mowshurst

TN8 6LP

No Admission or Programme.

Tonight’s match was 1st versus 7th in the league table. Nomads are another Sevenoaks & District League club that have previously played in the Kent County League, having spent three seasons at the higher level, gaining promotion in their first season, before leaving the league in 2018. Despite their lowly finishing position this season, West Kingsdown are making the step up to county level for next season.

The battle for the title could still see any of the top four teams able to win it coming into this. Nomads were on 29 points (2 to play), F.C. Revo 27 points (2 to play), Potters 27 points (1 to play), then St. Lawrence 26 points (2 to play). After tonight’s fixtures it is now down to just the top two, as F.C. Revo beat St. Lawrence 8-4 in the other game played this evening. Crucially, Nomads have a better goal difference of +9 over F.C. Revo, so a draw could be enough for them in their last match.

The game here was just too comfortable for Nomads. They opened each half with a goal within thirty seconds and apart from a brief spell when West Kingsdown pulled it back to 2-1 midway through the first half, it was never in doubt that it was going to be a home win.

Yeovil & District League

Division 1

Monday 24th May 2021

Kick Off 18.30 Actual 18.34

Wyndham Athletic 1 Ilchester 2, attendance 24

48’ 0-1

54’ 1-1

88’ 1-2

@ Bradford Abbas Sports & Recreational Club

Farm Road

Bradford Abbas

DT9 6RP

No Admission or Programme.

Tonight’s match was 2nd versus 3rd in the league table. Ashcott Reserves and Wyndham had already secured the two promotion places, but the title was still up for grabs. Ashcott (2 to play) were 5 points clear, but Wyndham have a game in hand and if they were to win tonight, then win away at already relegated Pen Mill Athletic on Thursday, then it would set up a title decider as they host Ashcott on Saturday.

However, things didn’t quite go to plan. They were very much second best tonight and Ilchester really should have won by more. Even allowing for a strong wind that spoiled the game somewhat, Wyndham were awful and didn’t even manage an effort on goal first half. Ilchester broke the deadlock three minutes into the second half, when a corner was headed in at the far post, but Wyndham levelled six minutes later when they also scored with a header from a corner. The expected onslaught from the hosts never materialised and Ilchester finally killed the game off two minutes from time, with a 20 yard shot that dipped over the ‘keeper. The result sees Ilchester confirm a third place finish.

Despite the defeat, Wyndham could still have been in with a shout of taking the title if Ashcott had slipped up at A.F.C. Strode tonight. They didn’t. They won 7-1.

Oxfordshire Senior League

Premier Cup Semi Final

Saturday 22nd May 2021

Kick Off 17.00 Actual 16.59

Yarnton 0 Kennington Athletic 1, attendance 87

79’ 0-1

@ Littlemarsh Playing Fields

Green Lane

Yarnton

OX5 1QE

No Admission or Programme.

I never visited Yarnton when they played in the Hellenic League, although as it is 23 years since they dropped down, after having spent seven seasons at the higher level, then perhaps it’s not that surprising. With the late kick off here, due to the Reserves also being at home today, this was the perfect time to visit, especially as it was only 40 minutes drive north from my afternoon match at Goring United. Kennington were actually drawn at home in the tie, but due to unavailability of their ground it meant the match was switched to Yarnton.

It was a game of few chances, but Kennington were the better side for the majority. Yarnton did have a shot that hit the post with the ‘keeper well beaten, but the visitors had missed a number of good chances that should have seen them out of sight. It looked like we might be heading for extra time, until a Kennington striker nipped in front of a Yarnton defender and shot across the keeper into the far corner of the net, to win it for the visitors with eleven minutes left. They now face Launton Sports in the final on Bank Holiday Monday at Old Woodstock Town.

Thames Valley Premier League

Division 2

Saturday 22nd May 2021

Kick Off 14.00 Actual 14.01

Goring United 8 Twyford & Ruscombe 1, attendance 30

8’ 1-0

10’ 1-1

21’ 2-1

30’ 3-1

54’ 4-1

65’ 5-1

73’ 6-1

83’ 7-1

90’+ 3, 8-1

@ Sheepcot Field

Gatehampton Road

Goring

RG8 0EN

No Admission or Programme.

With the amount of teams now failing to fulfill fixtures, it was a case of finding a game with something on it, although even that can’t be enough to guarantee games will actually take place at the moment. The game wasn’t being played at their normal ground in Upper Red Cross Road, due to cricket taking over there, but was some 400 yards away, on the other side of the railway line, at a ground that is also home to the local tennis club. I wasn’t able to confirm the game was definitely going ahead, so set off more in hope than expectation. Goring did reply to my text that the game was indeed on…..but, three minutes into the match!

Goring were second in the league table, where any of the top five teams could still make the two promotion places. Twyford & Ruscombe were second from bottom, but a single win could see them climb two places, so relegation is certainly not guaranteed. An early free kick put Goring ahead, but a deflected shot brought the visitors level within two minutes. By halftime it was 3-1, as a header from a corner, and an angled shot across the ‘keeper put Goring in command and an early second half goal for the hosts put the points beyond doubt. Twyford & Ruscombe battled well throughout, but had nothing to offer in attack. Four more goals rounded off an emphatic 8-1 win for Goring, although it wasn’t as easy as the score line suggests.

East Berkshire League

Division 1

Wednesday 19th May 2021

Kick Off 18.00 Actual 18.13

Stoke Poges Saints 0 Old Windsor Reserves 4, attendance 19

31’ 0-1

55’ 0-2

57’ 0-3

61’ 0-4

@ Bells Hill Recreation Ground

Bells Hill

Stoke Poges

SL2 4EG

No Admission or Programme.

I have done very few games in this league, as in my experience it is not the most reliable for games actually taking place at this time of the season, especially midweek. No problems tonight though, as 2nd hosted 3rd in the league table. Old Windsor Reserves were well deserved winners. Having led 0-1 at the break, three goals in a six minute spell around the hour mark sealed a comfortable win, with the fourth goal being the pick of the bunch, when a run and cross from the right was headed in powerfully at the far post.

The win sees the two clubs swap places in the table. Old Windsor Reserves now trail leaders Iver Heath by 4 points, but do still have a game in hand. Unfortunately, as their first team are in the Premier Division, they will be unable to be promoted, even if they do go on to win the league.