Hampshire Premier League

Senior Division

Monday 31st August 2026

Kick Off 15.00 Actual 15.03

Denmead 1 A.F.C. Shirley 9, attendance 49

8’ 0-1, 20’ 0-2, 38’ 1-2, 45’ + 2 1-3, 45’ + 4 1-4

54’ 1-5, 62’ 1-6, 68’ 1-7, 71’ 1-8, 90’ + 4 1-9

@ King George’s Field

Ashling Park Road

Denmead

PO7 6EH

No Admission or Programme.

I’d only visited Denmead for a home game on 21st April, when they were playing at Thirty Two Acres in Farlington. It was a fully railed pitch, with a pair of dugouts and a very impressive clubhouse. They’ve now moved back to their own village, playing here at King George’s Field. It’s a real downgrade from last season, being an open pitch in a large field, roped off on all four sides, as well as a pair of portable dugouts. Car parking is available in the surrounding roads and although there’s a large brick built changing room building, it only has toilets available, as far as spectator amenities go.

I had concerns as to whether today’s game would actually take place, as Denmead were rock bottom in the league table, with just a single point from their opening five games, as well as failing to raise a team for their home game versus Crofton Saints at the start of the month. They’d been hammered 1-9 at home to Locks Heath on Saturday, so it didn’t look too promising, but the game did indeed go ahead as scheduled.

It only took Shirley eight minutes to go in front and they doubled their lead by the twentieth minute. Seven minutes before Halftime Denmead pulled a goal back, when a long throw in was met with a flicked header that found the far corner. Shirley saw a free kick saved, as well as the follow up, in the final minute of the half, before scoring twice in stoppage time to lead 1-4 at the break. The game was over as a contest and it was just a case of how many more they’d score in the second half. It turned out to be four. A through ball was poked under the ‘keeper to make it 1-5, followed by a header at the far post to bring up the half dozen. A 25 yarder, in off the post, followed by an unmarked tap in made it eight, with the final goal coming with what turned out to be the final kick off the match, four minutes into stoppage time. There can’t be too many teams that have lost two successive home games 1-9 at this level, but on a positive note, at least they kept the defeats in the single digits!

Amazingly, for a Bank Holiday, not a single delay on the M25 or A3 in either direction. So, that’s the top division of the Hampshire Premier League complete and just the 3G pitch used by Whiteley Wanderers in Division 1 required for the full set.

Cambridgeshire County League

Senior B Division

Wednesday 26th August 2026

Kick Off 18.15 On Time!

Fenstanton 1 Stretham 1, attendance 33

66’ 0-1 (pen)

90’ + 3, 1-1

@ The Cricket Field

Hall Green Lane

Fenstanton

PE28 9JH

No Admission or Programme.

I’d only been to a Fenstanton home game two years and two days ago. With their normal pitch being in a dreadful state, this match was switched to the adjacent Cricket Field pitch. They still got changed at their own changing room building, before heading down an alleyway to the side of the entrance that leads to a footbridge over a stream. The outline of the (former?) cricket pitch was clearly visible, with the football pitch inside, running widthways and roped along the near side.

Fenstanton had lost their opening game against Hemingfords United Reserves, whilst Stretham had beaten Cottenham United in their first match. There wasn’t much between them tonight, in a game that Stretham will be disappointed not to have hung on for all three points. The visitors had the better of the first half, wasting a couple of decent chances, with Fenstanton offering very little. Stretham broke the deadlock midway through the second half, scoring with a penalty that was awarded for a handball. Fenstanton saw a header from a corner come back off the crossbar with a couple of minutes left, before grabbing an equaliser three minutes into stoppage time, when a diagonal free kick in from the left was headed in unmarked from six yards.

Route north, collecting a passenger in Uxbridge, was via M25, M1, A421, A1 and A14. The much more conventional route using A10 and A1 coming back. Surprisingly, no traffic problems either way and home just after ten o’clock.

Below : 1. The normal home pitch and 2. The Cricket Field pitch.

Kent County League

Division 2 Central & East

Tuesday 25th August 2026

Kick Off 18.15 Actual 18.17

Charing 1 Littlebourne 4, attendance 28

9’ 0-1 (pen)

19’ 0-2

51’ 0-3

73’ 1-3

74’ 1-4

@ Arthur Baker Playing Field

The Moat

Charing

TN27 0JJ

No Admission or Programme.

Nice to have a rare midweek trip that didn’t involve facing either of the M25’s worst areas….Dartford Crossing or anywhere passing Heathrow Airport. However, despite this, I thought I’d end up not getting a game tonight after all. All was going well until just past Clacket Lane Services. Suddenly the motorway ground to a halt. Nothing moved for twenty minutes, but thankfully we then started to move (there were two vehicles on the hard shoulder that had collided) and I arrived about twenty five minutes before kick off.

Charing play at Arthur Baker Playing Field. It’s nothing special, just a partly roped off pitch in a huge field. No space in the car park, due to kids training taking place, but no problem parking in the road outside. There’s a very nice clubhouse/pavilion, to the left as you enter the car park with tables outside on the patio area at the front and the pitch slightly to the right, running lengthways away from here.

Both teams had started their season’s with a defeat. Charing lost 2-3 at home to Minster Reserves, whilst Littlebourne went down 4-0 away at Margate Reserves. A trip just inside the box saw Littlebourne awarded a penalty after just nine minutes, which was duly converted to make it 0-1 and they doubled their lead ten minutes later, when a ball pulled back from the right was hammered high into the roof of the net. Six minutes into the second half they made it 0-3, when a corner from the right was headed into his own net by a Charing defender, totally messing up his attempt to cut out the cross. With seventeen minutes left Charing got back into it, when a long range shot was saved by the ‘keeper, with the follow up shot striking the top of the crossbar, sending the ball high over the trees behind…..or so we thought. The linesman flagged for a goal, claiming the shot went through the net. Nobody stood our side of the pitch saw anything other than the ball hitting the crossbar. Oddly, there were no appeals from the Littlebourne defenders (the striker who had the shot certainly didn’t think he’d scored, judging by the look on his face and shake of the head as he turned away) and everyone just accepted the decision. At least justice was done a minute later, with the visitors restoring their three goal lead, when an angled shot from the right found the far corner of the net.

No traffic problems whatsoever on the return journey, so home just before nine o’clock.

North Wales Coast East League

Premier Division

Saturday 22nd August 2026

Kick Off 14.30 On Time!

C.P.D. Llansannan 3 Llandudno Swifts 3, attendance 40

22’ 0-1

26’ 0-2

30’ 1-2

45’ 2-2 (pen)

58’ 2-3

90’ 3-3 (pen)

@ Cae Chwarae

Maes Gagor

Llansannan

LL16 5LJ

£3 Admission

No Programme.

After staying overnight in Bridgnorth, it was a drive of around two hours up to North Wales, with SatNav taking me the scenic route of the A5 up to Cerrigydrudion, then north on the B4501 through the hills of Nynydd Hiraethog, passing Llyn Brenig and onwards to Llansannan. The ground is at the end of Maes Gogor, a cul-de-sac on the left hand side as you head south out of the village. The pitch is set down below the car park/changing room building as you enter, running widthways in front of you, with raised grass banking on the near side and Afon Aled running beyond the far touchline. The pitch is almost completely railed, with a pair of dugouts on the river side. It’s certainly a very pleasant place to watch a game on a day like this and for the first time this season, it was nice to see a pitch with areas of green coming through, rather than the rock hard straw looking ones I’ve seen my majority of games on so far.

It was 2nd versus 3rd in the early league table, both teams having won their opening two games, as have current leaders Llanfairfechan Town, who have by far the better goal difference of the three. Swifts were two goals up after scoring twice in five minutes midway through the first half, following in on an initial save by the ‘keeper for the first, before an angled shot spilled by the ‘keeper saw an easy tap in for the second. Four minutes later a long punt over the top saw the Swifts ‘keeper collide with his own defender as they went to clear the ball, leaving a home striker to walk the ball into an empty net. Right on halftime, a penalty awarded for a foul just inside the angle of the box, saw Llansannan level it up at 2-2. Just before the hour mark Swifts went back in front, when a long ball over the top was latched onto by a striker who rounded the ‘keeper before scoring from a tight angle. Right on ninety minutes Llansannan were awarded a penalty. Swifts had a man sent off for arguing about whether it was a handball or not, before the penalty was converted to make it 3-3.

SatNav opted for dual carriageway and motorway coming home, after picking up the A55 coast road at St. Asaph. A rare drive where there wasn’t a single delay on the route and back home home for eight thirty.

Shropshire County League

Premier Division

Friday 21st August 2026

Kick Off 18.30 Actual 18.32

Shrewsbury Up & Comers 1 Ercall Rangers 1, attendance 95

59’ 1-0

74’ 1-1

@ Salop Unison Club

Abbey Foregate

Shrewsbury

SY2 6LY

£3 Admission

No Programme.

Despite living under twenty miles from this ground for around thirty years, I never got here for a game. I did attempt a game here in April 2023, but wrong information on the F.A. Full Time website (not really a surprise!) saw me arrive at the ground, but cricket was taking place and the game was switched to an outside grass pitch at London Road Sports Centre, about a mile up the road. At least it was a new ground visit for me. In September of the same year I saw them play a Friday night match, again switched to London Road due to cricket, with the floodlit pitch inside the athletics track hosting the match this time. At least tonight was third time lucky, helped by advances in social media, with both clubs stating the venue on their respective sites.

The Salop Unison Club is easy to find when entering the town on the A458 from Bridgnorth, which I was, as the entrance is just off the roundabout with the easily visible Lord Hill’s Column adjacent and the pitch is at the back of the Shropshire Council buildings, via a lane that leads off Abbey Foregate. There’s a sizeable car park, with a table set up at the entrance to take admission. On entering, the clubhouse (where you had to sign in if you wanted a drink) is to the left, as are the changing rooms, with picnic tables on the grassed area in front. The cricket pitch is nearest, with the football pitch to the left, running lengthways away from here. Dugouts are on the far side, whilst the pitch is roped behind the near goal end and along the right hand touchline until just beyond the cricket square. As expected, the pitch was bone dry, but very flat and in good condition otherwise.

Up & Comers started the evening third bottom in the league table, having lost their opening three games by just one goal (1-2, 2-3, 0-1). Ercall Rangers had faired much better, winning their opening two, before a 0-0 draw at Llanymynech, but they had suffered their first defeat by losing 1-2 at home to Wrockwardine Wood Juniors on Wednesday night. Tonight’s game was keenly contested, with Ercall probably the less happy of the two with their point. It took until almost the hour mark for the opening goal to arrive, when Up & Comers scored from a free kick just outside the box that beat the ‘keeper low into the bottom corner. Ercall equalised with sixteen minutes left, when an over hit cross from the left was controlled and finished with a low shot back into the far corner. Minutes later they saw a header hit the crossbar, that bounced down onto the goal line before being hacked clear and also had a shot in injury time that spun up into the air and clipped the top of the crossbar.

Northamptonshire Combination League

Wednesday 19th August 2026

Kick Off 18.30 Actual 18.33

Wilby 4 Stanwick Rovers 1, attendance 51

8’ 0-1 (pen)

10’ 1-1

24’ 2-1

55’ 3-1

64’ 4-1

@ Wilby Recreation Ground

Main Road

Wilby

NN8 2UE

No Admission or Programme.

For a second successive night it was a game in Northamptonshire, in the village of Wilby, just southwest of Wellingborough. The ground is off Northampton Road and is just an open pitch, with a pair of brick built dugouts. There’s a small car park, but they did open the gate that allowed half a dozen cars to park inside the field once the former was full. The pitch runs widthways in front of you, with a considerable slope down towards the road, with the changing room/clubhouse building behind the right hand goal end, where a tea bar and toilets were available. As is now the norm, the game was on straw, rather than grass.

Both teams had opened their seasons with emphatic home wins, Wilby beating Corby Stewart & Lloyds Reserves 4-1 and Stanwick Rovers beating McPave 5-0. The visitors got off to the perfect start, scoring with a penalty after just eight minutes, but held the lead for just two minutes, before a 25 yarder, in off the far post, levelled the scores. Midway through the half Wilby went in front, when a diagonal free kick from the right was headed into the far corner. They made it 3-1 ten minutes into the second half, when a ball over the top saw a player cut inside from the left, beating two defenders, before sending a shot low under the ‘keeper. They rounded off the scoring nine minutes later, with a shot on the turn into the far corner. Stanwick almost pulled one back a few minutes later, but a free kick fumbled by the Wilby ‘keeper hit the far post, but bounced back right into his arms as he scrambled to his feet.

The usual M25 problems between M4 and M40 junctions saw SatNav divert along M4 and A408 via Uxbridge on the outbound journey and the return saw a closure of the M1 at J8, not advertised on the overhead gantries or picked up by SatNav until just past J9, meant losing around thirty five minutes queuing the last 800 yards to exit the motorway and the diversion route via Hemel Hempstead was also very busy, with roadworks operating on the diversion route too.

Northamptonshire Combination League

Division 1

Tuesday 18th August 2026

Kick Off 18.30 Actual 18.32

West Haddon Albion 3 Kingsthorpe Jets 1, attendance 36

12’ 0-1

29’ 1-1

37’ 2-1 (pen)

43’ 3-1

@ West Haddon Playing Field

Northampton Road

West Haddon

NN6 7AR

No Admission or Programme.

Tonight was a trip to a game in the second level of the Northants Combination. West Haddon is a village about five miles east of M1 Junction 18, with the ground on the left hand side of Northampton Road when heading eastwards out of the village. It’s also home to the cricket club, with the changing rooms doubling as the cricket pavilion, whilst the football pitch is to the right of the driveway as you enter, basically in the adjacent field. It’s just an open pitch, with three small sized youth pitches beyond the far touchline and a small changing room building in the right hand corner that serves the junior sides. As with every grass pitch currently, it was bone dry and straw coloured, but at least it was flat and not a dust bowl.

West Haddon had opened up their season with a 2-0 defeat at Corby Rovers, whilst Kingsthorpe Jets had lost 2-3 at home to Brixworth All Saints in their opener, so both came into this looking to get their first points on the board. Kingsthorpe took a twelfth minute lead, when a through ball saw the ‘keeper save the initial shot, but the follow up volley gave him no chance. They missed two absolute sitters, which could have sewn the game up in the opening twenty minutes, before West Haddon equalised just before the half hour mark, when a ball pulled back across the box was volleyed in from six yards. Eight minutes later the hosts edged in front, scoring with a penalty that was awarded for a handball. Two minutes before halftime they made it 3-1, when an in swinging corner from the right was headed off the line but met with a header from 6 yards that gave the ‘keeper no chance. The second half lacked the goalmouth action of the first, with the best chance seeing Kingsthorpe hit the crossbar with a 25 yarder in the dying minutes.

Journey north was fine, apart from slow moving traffic on the M25 from J14 for a couple of miles beyond the M4 intersection. Return journey saw no problems whatsoever, being too early for any roadworks to kick in and home just before ten o’clock.

North Wales Coast West League

Division 1

Saturday 15th August 2026

Kick Off 14.30 Actual 14.25

Deiniolen 2 Glantraeth 0 (Abandoned 63 minutes, due to fighting), attendance 55

36’ 1-0

59’ 2-0

@ Cae Bwthyn

Deiniolen

LL55 3LR

£3 Admission

No Programme.

Despite heavy traffic on the A55, which SatNav avoided by taking the coastal route via Flint and Holywell, it was still a drive of under ninety minutes west from my overnight hotel into Gwynedd, on the edge of Snowdonia.

The Cae Bwthyn ground is tightly hemmed in, with the pitch barely meeting minimum requirements. There’s a changing room building and a very small car park. A tea bar was set up on a table next to the building, with spectator access limited to behind one goal and about twenty yards along the adjoining side, but it is raised well above the pitch and offers a decent view, despite the high mesh fencing that surrounds the pitch. Looking from the top of the banking, the dugouts are to the left and there are views beyond the other goal across to Ynys Mon. Despite a lack of rain, the pitch wasn’t too bad and was probably the best grass pitch I’ve encountered so far this season, not that the bar’s very high!

Deiniolen had opened the season with a 5-1 win away at Llanerchymedd, whilst Glantraeth had lost 3-0 at home to Mountain Rangers in their first game. Today’s match was very even for the first half hour or so, before Deiniolen opened the scoring nine minutes before halftime, when a cross from the right was only cleared to the edge of the box and returned with a first time shot into the bottom corner of net. A minute before halftime they almost scored a second, but the header clipped the crossbar. Just before the hour mark the second goal did arrive though, when a corner from the right was hit to the far post and hooked back across to the edge of the eighteen yard box, where a powerful shot gave the ‘keeper no chance. Four minutes later the match came to an abrupt end, when it was abandoned due to a scuffle/pushing following a corner. No punches were actually thrown at all, but it didn’t help that everyone rushed in, including both benches. The referee just shook his head, threw his arms in the air and walked off. He never actually blew his whistle at any stage. Glantraeth players walked off, but Deiniolen remained on the pitch. About five minutes later it was obvious we wouldn’t be restarting and a minute later the referee exited the changing rooms, still in his kit and headed for his car. I assume, as I don’t speak Welsh, that the comments directed at him from three or four home ‘supporters’ as he headed off were not complimentary.

Not a great end to the day, but at least I’d got a 300 mile drive home to forget about it. Return journey was all good, apart from a three or four mile queue approaching the M6/M5 intersection and home just before nine o’clock.

F.A. Vase 1st Qualifying Round

Friday 14th August 2026

Kick Off 19.45 Actual 19.47

Woolton 1 A.F.C. Liverpool 0, attendance 252

71’ 1-0

@ Simpson Sports Hub, 3G Stadium Pitch

Hillfoot Road

Woolton

Liverpool

L25 7UJ

£6 Admission

£2 Programme (never saw any), but free Team Sheet available.

I very rarely have an opportunity to pick up a new ground visit in the F.A. Vase these days, due to the removal of replays and the fact I prefer to visit floodlit venues during midweek, rather then wasting a Saturday on them. This local derby was an all North West Counties League tie, with Division 1 North (Step 6) hosting Premier Division (Step 5).

The ground is somewhat typical of cage set ups at this level. There’s a seated kit stand and a small section of cover, both on the touchline next to the car park/changing rooms/clubhouse (hot and cold food and drinks available), with spectator access also behind the left hand goal end. A pair of dugouts are on the far side and a plus point here, which I’ve yet to see elsewhere, was all the spare sets of goalposts were covered in green meshing, making them far less of a distraction and certainly improves the viewing experience.

The match was very keenly contested, with no hint that these two played at different levels, but never produced much in the way of goalmouth action. The only goal came with nineteen minutes left, when a long ball over the top saw the Liverpool ‘keeper collide with a defender as he came out to clear on the edge of the box, leaving a Woolton striker an easy tap in that he rolled into the empty net. Liverpool thought they’d levelled the scores with six minutes left, with a cracking shot into the top corner, but it was ruled out for offside.

Journey up to the Northwest was horrendous, as it always is on a Friday, taking five and a half hours. At least an overnight stay meant not having to suffer the regular roadworks coming back.