Witney & District League

Premier Division

Saturday 18th September 2021

Kick Off 17.00 Actual 17.03

Hanborough 2 Hailey 3, attendance 161 (official)

40’ 1-0

57’ 2-0

71’ 2-1

74’ 2-2 (pen)

83’ 2-3

@ Hanborough Playing Field Association

Roosevelt Road

Long Hanborough

OX29 8JG

£4 Admission, including programme, whether you wanted it or not. ( I never want or will buy a programme at any event organised by Groundhop U.K.)

In the end the journey from Summertown Stars back to here was trouble free and we were parked up by 16.32. We had even more time to spare than we thought as the match kicked off three minutes late. The league don’t give the impression of being a well run set up. On the Full Time website they couldn’t even be bothered to put an address on for this match, simply listing the venue as ‘Hanborough First’.

The game was of a better standard than the morning match, although it would have to go some to be any worse. At least we were getting to see a Premier Division match, but it is still a total rip off to charge £4 for what is basically Step 9 football. Hanborough have dropped down into this league from the Oxfordshire Senior League, a drop of two levels, as they were in the Premier Division last season.

The first half was very poor. Both teams had a goal disallowed and Hailey missed a 28th minute penalty, which was well saved by the ‘keeper. Five minutes before halftime Hanborough edged in front and when they went 2-0 up just before the hour mark, it looked like they were coasting to an easy win. Hailey pulled one back on 71 minutes, then levelled it up at 2-2 with a penalty three minutes later. Hailey then completed an unlikely looking turnaround, when they netted the winner seven minutes from time. Hanborough could have rescued a point, but a good save from the visitors ‘keeper in the last minute prevented them from doing so.

Just like the last Witney & District League ‘hop, the football has been of very poor quality. Even allowing for the level we are at, you’d hope for better. Still, it could be different tomorrow, although don’t bank on it. We are starting off with a Division 4 match, where the opposition are a Reserve team……

Oxfordshire Senior League

Premier Division

Saturday 18th September 2021

Kick Off 14.30 Actual 14.29

Summertown Stars 6 Marston Saints 2, attendance 63

2’ 1-0

34’ 2-0

36’ 3-0

62’ 3-1

64’ 4-1

70’ 5-1

85’ 5-2 (pen)

87’ 6-2

@ Northway Community Centre

45 Dora Carr Close

Headington

Oxford

OX3 9RF

No Admission or Programme.

Thankfully, I had already been to the second ground on the organised ground hop. I have nothing against Freeland F.C., having enjoyed my visit there, and always feel a bit sorry for whichever club draws the short straw and has to play the Saturday afternoon match on such events, as they invariably attract the fewest spectators. It certainly didn’t help them that they had issued programmes in the past for Oxfordshire F.A. Senior Cup matches, attracting those who have to have a piece of paper to count the match and they had only just dropped down to the Witney and District League from the higher level Oxfordshire Senior League this season. The final nail in the coffin was the fact that various other matches could be reached and still give time to get to Hanborough for the 17.00 kick off, where the ‘hop would be rounding off the day.

I opted for the match at Summertown Stars, as I could comfortably make it to Hanborough in 25 minutes from there. One ‘hopper tried to give me a bum steer by claiming that Oxford Irish Athletic F.C. had tweeted this morning that they were playing at Northway this afternoon, so Summertown can’t be playing there, (I won’t name the former resident of Oxford now residing near a shopping outlet village off Junction 9 of the M40), but it was a blatant lie. The club hadn’t tweeted for 3 days! I knew it wasn’t true,( I already knew that OIA weren’t even playing at home today) and Summertown had already confirmed they were indeed playing there. Are some people that stupid that they think others are incapable of checking things for themselves. Obviously some are! Even if the evening match was brought forward at short notice, which has been done before on Groundhop U.K. events, I would still get there.

The ground here was much better than I was expecting and was quite pleasant considering the area it is in. Unusually, the visitors had a shorter distance to travel to the suburb of Headington than the hosts did, for this East Oxford derby. Summertown had started the season with a 6-2 home win and a 4-5 away defeat, whilst Marston had lost their only match played so far 0-6.

It was unlikely that this game would fail to produce a goal, at least judging by the previous score lines and within two minutes the opener duly arrived for the hosts, when a cross from the right was swept in from 6 yards. The second goal came after 34 minutes, although it looked well offside, then two minutes later a penalty made it 3-0, the home No.9 completing his hat trick from the spot.

Marston reduced the arrears when a shot on the turn from close range made it 3-1, but the three goal cushion was restored a couple of minutes later, before a cross from the right was put in at the far post to make it 5-1 with twenty minutes left. Five minutes from time Marston pulled it back to 5-2 with a penalty, but a quick response from Summertown saw a 25 yarder loop over the ‘keeper to make it 6-2.

It could be a long season for Marston, if they can’t tighten up at the back, but if it’s goals you’re after, then Summertown are the team to watch. Their three matches have now produced 25 goals.

Witney & District League

Division 2

Saturday 18th September 2021

Kick Off 11.00 Actual 10.59

Cassington Rangers 0 Ducklington 0, attendance 133 (official)

@ Cassington Recreation Ground

Elms Road

Cassington

OX29 4DR

£4 Admission, including programme, whether you wanted it or not.(I never want or will buy a programme at any event organised by Groundhop U.K)

If there was anything good that came out of the COVID-19 pandemic, it was the fact that it brought a halt to the organised ground hops, but it was only a matter of time before they returned. I’m old enough to remember when ‘hops were all about the clubs, back in the days when Mike Amos (North East) and Phil Hiscox (South West) ran absolutely superb weekends, the like of which we haven’t seen since. On the plus side, the low level of the leagues that are staging the events these days, means it usually gives me an opportunity to pick up a few new grounds. The standard of football can’t drop much lower than this and it certainly puts things into perspective when you are charged £4 for the privilege, at grounds that would never charge admission for any other game. It’s even more ridiculous when you consider that it is just £10 to watch Premier League Brentford at their new ground, when they host Oldham Athletic on Tuesday night in the League Cup.

It was also rare on an organised event for programmes to run out, but there is always a risk of that happening when people are forced into buying one, whether they want it or not. Mine was deposited in the nearest bin, but I was surprised by the number of people who hadn’t got one. Allegedly, one programme less hopper even paid £5 for a copy! The mind boggles.

Anyway, on to the match. The standard of football was abysmal. Despite the lack of skill, the game produced endless goalmouth chances. Ducklington even hit the post and crossbar, but the breakthrough never came. Quite how it remained goalless is a mystery.