Friendly

Thursday 3rd July 2025

Kick Off 19.30 Actual 19.31

Bilston Town 0 Haughmond 1, attendance 102

90’ + 1, 0-1

@ City of Wolverhampton College, 3G Pitch

Wellington Road (A41)

Bilston

WV14 6BT

No Admission or Programme.

This was a Step 6 match up, with Midland League Division 1 hosting North West Counties League Division 1 South, played at the neutral venue of City of Wolverhampton College. It’s just a caged pitch, with no designated spectator area. We opted to watch from inside the fence, stood on the same side as both team ‘benches’ and actually managed to bag seats next to the Haughmond team, who decided not to use them. For some reason (there was no one preventing access) everyone else opted for the outside the fence view, which also meant looking directly into the sun.

It was very even throughout and looked unlikely that it would produce a goal. It looked like Bilston had broken the deadlock with sixteen minutes left, when a fumble by the Haughmond ‘keeper was put into the net, but it was disallowed for offside. Minutes later they saw a volley come back off the far post after a flick on from a corner and they also had a 20 yarder well saved by the ‘keeper. Haughmond managed to nick it in stoppage time, when their left back curled in a ball from wide on the left and it eluded everyone on its way into the far corner.

The journey up to the Midlands wasn’t great, as it took me about 100 minutes just to get the 37 miles to the pick up point at Uxbridge, although it was a clear run from there. Coming back, the only problem was the M25 being closed between J9 and J8.

Friendly

Wednesday 2nd July 2025

Kick Off 19.30 Actual 19.31

Daventry Town 2 Baldock Town 2, attendance 71

21’ 0-1 (pen)

30’ 0-2

89’ 1-2

90’ + 3, 2-2

@ Daventry Sports Park, 3G Pitch

Browns Lane

Daventry

NN11 4NS

No Admission or Programme.

Daventry Sports Park is situated next door to the Elderstubbs home ground of Daventry Town, which I’d visited in March 1993, for a 2-1 win versus Raunds Town. It’s a caged pitch, with spectator access along three quarters of one side, with a number of grass pitches here too. There’s ample car parking and a brick built changing room building. There was a mobile catering wagon, but we opted for the clubhouse at the stadium, as it was open well before kick off and was serving hot food at reasonable prices.

Both teams are in Step 5, with this being United Counties League Premier Division South versus Spartan South Midlands League Premier Division. Daventry hit the post early on, but then fell behind after conceding a penalty after twenty one minutes. Seven minutes later they had a chance to draw level, with a penalty of their own, but it was hit wide and a couple of minutes later a quick break was finished with an angled shot into the far corner to give Baldock a 0-2 lead. Eight minutes before halftime the visitors were awarded their second penalty of the night, but it was well saved by the ‘keeper.

Twenty minutes into the second half things were levelled up as far as penalties being awarded goes, with Daventry also being awarded their second one of the game, but the same player who’d missed their first one, also missed this, but it was saved rather than missing the target. A minute from the end, a quick break down the right was played across the six yard box, for an easy tap in at the far post, which saw Daventry pull it back to 1-2 and in stoppage time they managed to snatch an unlikely looking draw, when a cross from the right saw a striker out jump the defence to send a looping header over the ‘keeper.

I’d had a lift to this one, but having collected my car on the return, then had to endure the M25 being closed between J17 and J16 and again between J9 and J8, which resulted in an arrival home exactly three hours after the final whistle. Not great for a ground just 105 miles from home.

Friendly

Tuesday 1st July 2025

Kick Off 18.45 Actual 18.59

Stanway Rovers 3 Halstead Town 1, attendance 56

19’ 1-0

42’ 2-0

45’ + 1, 2-1

63’ 3-1

@ Stanway Rovers Y.F.C.

Spring Lane

Lexden

CO3 4AZ

No Admission or Programme.

Tonight saw an opportunity to do a game at a ground rarely used for Saturday adult football, with Stanway Rovers opening up their pre season campaign at the ground of Stanway Rovers Y.F.C. which attracted ground hopper numbers well into double figures. It is located just off the A12, to the west of Colchester, exiting the dual carriageway towards the city centre and exiting left at the first roundabout, with the ground a couple of hundred yards on the right. It’s a large field, with ample car parking and is also home to the local tennis club. There is a small changing room building, with overhang on the front, with toilets available at the rear. The pitch was in front of here, running widthways, with both teams ‘benches’ setting up on the far side.

The match was newly promoted into the Isthmian League North Division (Step 4) versus Essex Senior League (Step 5). Stanway opened the scoring with an angled shot into the far corner after nineteen minutes and doubled their lead three minutes before halftime. Halstead pulled a goal back a minute into stoppage time, touching in a corner from the right at the near post. Stanway restored their two goal lead just after the hour mark, when a cross in from the right was finished with a stooping header from 6 yards.

The journey to Essex saw a 25 minute or so delay queuing at the Dartford Crossing, but totally trouble free return drive, so home dead on ten o’clock.