Northern League

Division 2

Saturday 18th January 2025

Kick Off 15.00 Actual 14.59!

Grangetown Boys Club 0 Yarm & Eaglesclffe 4, attendance 271

49’ 0-1

53’ 0-2

62’ 0-3

90’ 0-4

@ B & W Lifting Stadium

Grange Farm Road

Grangetown

Middlesbrough

TS6 7HP

£5 Admission

£3 Programme available, didn’t bother buying.

Until arriving at my morning game, this hadn’t been my intended destination this afternoon, although it was always a backup as it was kicking off an hour later than my other choices. However, with my first game kicking off an hour later than advertised, this became my only available option, if I was still to do a double. The home club had tweeted early on that there were no pitch problems and the temperature was set to be between 4 and 5 degrees during the afternoon according to the Met Office forecast.

Grangetown Boys Club are new into Northern League Division 2 this season, having finished second in the North Riding League Premier Division last season. The ground is very much a work in progress. It’s already floodlit and has a seated kit stand on one side and a covered standing area on the other. Hard standing is not yet complete, which means the far goal end from the entrance is out of bounds and you can only go along the right hand side as far as the section of cover at present, although the pathway beyond here is ready to have the concrete poured. There was a snack bar behind the entrance goal end that had a constant queue throughout the game, which did the usual hot and cold drinks, burgers, chips, etc.

Grangetown have found it hard going at Step 6, coming into this second bottom in the league table, having won just five of their 28 games played so far, whilst today’s visitors were second, in what looks like a three way fight for the title with current leaders Horden C.W. and third placed Jarrow, with just three points separating them, although Y&E have played two games more than the other two.

Grangetown didn’t get off to the best of starts, losing their ‘keeper to injury after just ten minutes, hurting himself when rushing out to challenge a Y&E player just outside the box. Despite an outfield player taking over in goal, he was never really tested and the game remained goalless at halftime. It only took the visitors four minutes of the second half to break the deadlock, when a deflected shot looped over the ‘keeper from the edge of the box. Four minutes later it was 0-2 and just after the hour it was 0-3, when a corner wasn’t properly cleared and was smashed in from the edge of the box. They could have added more, hitting the crossbar and post with two other efforts. Grangetown had a chance to pull one back with four minutes left, when they saw a penalty saved, before Y&E added a fourth goal in the final minute.

After today, I’m left with just Darlington Town to complete the Northern League now, which is also the only ground at Step 6 that I’ve yet to visit.

Football League Youth Alliance

North Division

Saturday 18th January 2025

Kick Off 12.00 Actual 12.02

Hartlepool United U18 3 Burton Albion U18 4, attendance 39

34’ 0-1

37’ 0-2

41’ 0-3 (pen)

42’ 1-3

47’ 2-3

61’ 3-3

90’ + 4, 3-4

@ Blackhall Welfare Park

Eleventh Street

Blackhall Colliery

TS27 4LX

No Admission or Programme.

Having had to scrape ice off the windscreen at my hotel, I was pleased to see that on arrival in Blackhall Colliery, some 35 or so miles down the coast, it was hovering between 2.5 and 3 degrees and despite evidence of an overnight frost, the pitch was in full sunshine and the cones were being placed ready for the warm ups. Unfortunately though, the match was not kicking off until noon, rather than the 11 o’clock kick off advertised on the Football League newsletter. Apparently, it had been changed some time yesterday. It meant my intended double was no longer possible, but I did have a 3 o’clock kick off to go with the morning game and at 11.15 the home club had tweeted there were no problems with the pitch, so it was all good after all, although a little disappointing to use up a floodlit ground visit on a Saturday.

Ordinarily, I’d have given the youth game a miss and headed off for a non floodlit ground elsewhere, but Blackhall Welfare Park is a ground well worth doing. It is railed on three sides, with just the goal end backing onto Eleventh Street lacking a barrier. There’s a pair of proper dugouts too, whilst the teams get changed in the cricket pavilion, just the other side of the fence, where there’s also a kids playground. Grass banking along one side of the ground offers a raised view, although it was much colder that side, as it remained almost entirely in the shade.

It was a bit of a slow burner, but once Burton opened the scoring just after the half hour mark, it burst into life. Two more goals in the next five minutes, the third of which was a penalty, saw it become 0-3 and the game looked to be over as a contest. However, Hartlepool hit back immediately, to go in 1-3 down at the break and within two minutes of the restart it was 2-3, finishing from just inside the box after Burton failed to clear a cross. It was 3-3 just after the hour mark, when the ‘keeper saved a shot from a striker cutting inside, but it fell perfectly for a player following in and he finished from a tight angle. It looked like ending in a draw, but Burton won it four minutes into stoppage time, when a player wriggled past three defenders before pulling the ball back across the 6 yard box and the ball fell perfectly for an easy side footed finish from five yards.

Northern Alliance League

Premier Division

Friday 17th January 2025

Kick Off 19.30 On Time!

A.F.C. Newbiggin 3 Wallington 2, attendance 170

55’ 1-0

61’ 2-0

62’ 2-1

64’ 2-2

90’ + 5, 3-2

@Newbiggin Sports & Community Hub

Woodhorn Road

Newbiggin-By-the-Sea

NE64 6HG

£3 Admission

£1 Programme, 12 pages.

It was a six hour drive up to the North East, for what was hopefully going to be the first of a four game weekend. The weather forecast was favourable for once and a phone call to the home club secretary just before 14.30 (leaving me time for a re-visit to Harrogate Town if the news wasn’t good) confirmed the game was going ahead okay. According to the Met Office, we would only just hit freezing tonight and that wasn’t until the game would be finished anyway. I certainly got a shock as I turned off the main road to head into Newbiggin, around an hour before kick off, where I met a gritting lorry salting the road…it was 8 degrees on the car temperature gauge! Good news though, as the floodlights were on and players were arriving and soon began their warm ups.

Newbiggin have aspirations to make the step up to the Northern League, with the ground currently being brought up to meet Step 6 grading. It obviously already has floodlights and a couple of seated kit stands are situated on the opposite side from the dugouts. At the moment there is minimal hard standing, but that is probably the easiest of jobs to complete. The changing rooms are set back behind the entrance goal end, inside the hub building, with admission money taken from a pay box that doubles as a tea/snack bar, where match day programmes are also available.

The match was 3rd versus 2nd (Wallington are the reigning champions), both clubs trailing unbeaten league leaders Burradon & New Fordley by seven points, with Wallington having two games in hand on the other two, so still all to play for, although It was a game that Newbiggin really needed to win if they were to remain in with a real shout of the title. It was a dull first half, with both defences on top. Wallington did get the ball in the net after seventeen minutes, but it was ruled out for offside and it remained goalless at halftime. The second half was the complete opposite of the first. End to end stuff, with both teams creating chances at will. Newbiggin broke the deadlock ten minutes after the break, firing low into the bottom corner. It sparked a mad ten minutes, where Newbiggin had a goal disallowed, then made it 2-0, poking in a corner at the near post, before two goals in three minutes saw Wallington level it up at 2-2. Neither side were settling for the draw and it was good to see none of the usual time wasting tactics that can often blight games. We finally got a winner five minutes into stoppage time, when a cross from the right was headed back across the six yard box and nodded in from close range to give Newbiggin all three points. Excellent start to the weekend and it looks like I dodged a bullet with the weather, as fellow top division side Cramlington United, just 8 miles south of Newbiggin, was postponed due to a frozen pitch.

Football League Youth Alliance Cup

South East 2 Group Match

Tuesday 14th January 2025

Kick Off 12.00 Actual 12.03

Sutton United U18 3 Gillingham U18 1, attendance 28

38’ 1-0

49’ 2-0

77’ 2-1

79’ 3-1

@ Cheam Sports Club

Peaches Close

Cheam

SM2 7BJ

No Admission or Programme.

I only became aware of this game thanks to a re-tweet on Twitter just before 10 o’clock, confirming venue and kick off time and that spectators were welcome. There are two full size pitches here, both running widthways in front of the clubhouse, with today’s game played on the pitch on the far side of the cricket square. There’s a pair of dugouts on the near side, with an area taped off for spectators along the opposite touchline.

This was the last game of this group, with Sutton needing a win to progress, whilst a draw would be enough to see Gillingham go through. It was an excellent game from start to finish, with both sides going for the win. Sutton opened the scoring seven minutes before halftime, with a 25 yarder that the ‘keeper should really have saved. They nearly doubled their lead with the last effort of the first half, but a near post shot came back off the post. Four minutes into the second half they did make it 2-0 though, when a ball was cut back across the six yard box from the right and touched in at the far post. They thought they’d grabbed a third, but it was disallowed for a foul on the ‘keeper, before Gillingham pulled one back with thirteen minutes left, finishing into the top corner from the edge of the D. The comeback was short lived though, as it only took Sutton two minutes to restore their two goal lead, heading down into the bottom corner, with the ball just crossing the line before the ‘keeper could scoop it away.

Kent County League

Division 1 West

Saturday 4th January 2025

Kick Off 14.00 Actual 13.59!

Parkwood Rangers 1 Equinoccial 5, attendance 29

11’ 0-1

27’ 0-2

64’ 0-3

71’ 1-3

79’ 1-4

90’ + 4, 1-5

@ Bexley Park Sports & Social Club, 3G Pitch

Calvert Drive

Bexley

DA2 7GA

No Admission or Programme.

With all my first choice games falling to waterlogged/frozen pitches, it soon became obvious that the only safe bet today was to go for a 3G pitch option. I’d only been to watch Parkwood Rangers here at Bexley Park Sports & Social Club as recently as April 2023, when rather than playing on the main pitch, they used one adjacent to the rugby pitch here instead, in an area that would have once been separated from the main complex by a hedge. There was very early evidence on that visit of work taking place in preparation for the installation of a 3G pitch, which would be between the current main pitch and the temporary one being used on my visit.

Whilst waiting for a reply from the home club as to whether the game was still on and, more importantly to me, definitely on the new 3G, I managed to contact the away team. It was two hours before kick off, but the Equinoccial contact number on the KCL website confirmed game on and yes, on the 3G……unbelievably, they had already arrived at the ground! Minutes later I received a reply via text from the home club confirming the same. Forty five minutes later I was at the ground myself. Two teams were beginning their warm up and setting up the goals and nets on the grass pitch! However, this was the reserves, who were at home in a Bromley & South London League match. Incredible that a game at this level was taking place on grass, when so many at higher levels were off. Despite being bitterly cold, which meant the Referee in our game was in full tracksuit as well as gloves and a hat, it remained dry and the forecast snow didn’t arrive until later in the evening.

The set up here is as you’d expect. Spectator access along three quarters of one side of the cage, with a pair of dugouts on the far side. It is a good 200 yards from the clubhouse, accessed by a tarmac walkway around the perimeter of the cricket pitch/grass football pitch. The match was 10th versus 4th in the league table. Equinoccial took an early lead and were well on top and their job certainly became easier when Parkwood had their ‘keeper sent off after twenty six minutes, rushing from his area and fouling a visiting player on the edge of the D. Equinoccial scored from the resulting free kick, which went in off the post and there looked to be no way back for Parkwood, which was how it turned out. It took until after the hour mark for the visitors to make it 0-3, with a 25 yarder into the bottom corner and although Parkwood scored next, with a deflected shot in off the post, it was little more than a consolation. Equinoccial restored their three goal lead with ten minutes left and added a fifth goal deep into stoppage time to round off a resounding 1-5 win.

Below photo shows the pitch layout here….

1 = 1st visit in April 2023, whilst red indicates the part railed grass pitch used by the reserves today, with the now in use 3G sandwiched between the two.

Isthmian League

North Division

Wednesday 1st January 2025

Kick Off 15.00 Actual 15.01

Cambridge City 1 Mildenhall 1, attendance 668

35’ 1-0

66’ 1-1

@ FWD-IP Community Stadium

West Way

Sawston

CB22 3FP

£10 Admission

£3 Programme available, didn’t bother buying.

I’d visited Cambridge City at their City Ground, in Milton Road, Cambridge, back in March 1991, when they beat V.S. Rugby 2-0 in a Southern League Premier Division match, in front of 353 spectators. They left that ground in 2013, ground sharing at Histon and St. Ives Town in the intervening years, but moved into their newly built Community Stadium at the end of November, attracting a crowd of 1,459 for the opening game versus Tilbury.

The new stadium is in Sawston, six miles south of Cambridge and a village where I’ve already seen games in the Cambridgeshire County League, played on three different venues ( May 2012 Sawston United – Sawston Recreation Ground, Mill Lane. April 2013 Sawston United – Spicers Sports Ground, New Road. May 2021 Sawston Phoenix- Lynton Way Recreation Ground, Lynton Way). Despite not yet being fully fitted out (clubhouse not yet in use and temporary changing rooms and mobile food caterers) the ground is impressive. There is a large seated main stand and covered sections on the other three sides too. Once again, weather was an issue (when isn’t it?) but the club had helpfully replied to me via Twitter that the game would be going ahead, posting the news on their Twitter account shortly afterwards. They were confident that the pitch was a good drainer, something I was pleased to hear, as the rain was relentless from Dartford Crossing and up the M11. It did ease off, but far later than the forecast from the Met Office had suggested, but the pitch was fine and was no worse at the final whistle than it had been at kick off.

The match was 11th versus 17th (out of 22). Cambridge went in front ten minutes before halftime, cutting in from the left, before finishing with a diagonal shot that went in off the far post. Mildenhall levelled midway through the second half, when a corner from the right was headed in at the far post, which although being hacked away by a defender, the Linesman signalled that the ball had already crossed the goal line before the clearance was made. It was good to see both teams go for the win, with the visitors perhaps more disappointed with sharing the points, as they were far stronger in the last twenty minutes.

Today’s visit completed the Isthmian League once again and also Step 4 too. I never thought a village this size could possibly have so many grounds. There’s also a brand new 3G pitch here at the new stadium, running end on to the main ground, so it looks like this might not be my last visit to Sawston……

Suffolk & Ipswich League

Senior Division

Saturday 28th December 2024

Kick Off 13.45 Actual 13.46

Sporting 87 7 Grundisburgh 2, attendance 34

8’ 1-0

20’ 1-1

40’ 2-1

47’ 3-1

57’ 3-2

61’ 4-2

64’ 5-2

70’ 6-2

88’ 7-2

@ Victory Sports Ground

Nowton Road

Bury St. Edmunds

IP33 2BT

No Admission

Programme free, 16 pages.

Both teams I hadn’t yet visited in the top division of the Suffolk & Ipswich were at home today (Halesworth Town being the other), so it was a good area to head for. I opted for Sporting 87, who play at Victory Sports Ground, in Bury St. Edmunds. It was formerly the works ground of the Greene King Brewery, opened in 1920 and is a venue shared with the town’s cricket club. It has also hosted Suffolk County Cricket matches, as is evident from the photo hanging in the clubhouse (see below).

The sports ground is split into two sections, divided by a line of conifer trees. Sporting 87 play on the same side as the cricket, with the pitch on the far side of the square, running widthways. It is roped along the near side and behind the left hand goal, whilst the far side, which also houses a pair of dugouts, is barriered off with a combination of rail and advertising boards. Plenty of parking, despite their reserve team also being at home, playing on a pitch to the left of the trees. The clubhouse/pavilion was open for use of toilets and although the bar was shut, hot drinks were available at halftime. There was also a match day programme, which surprisingly was free of charge and placed on the corner of the bar.

The match was 8th versus 13th in the league table. Sporting had taken an early lead, but Grundisburgh levelled twenty minutes in and had a header cleared off the line minutes later and having looked to be getting on top, they then had a man sent off for a ‘last man’ foul just outside the box and it didn’t take long for Sporting to take advantage of the extra man, scoring with an easy tap in to lead 2-1 at the break. It was 3-1 within minutes of the restart and it looked like Sporting would run away with it. Grundisburgh did pull it back to 3-2, but two goals in three minutes, the first a superb bicycle kick, saw Sporting extend their lead to 5-2 and the points were safe. The visitors still attacked at every opportunity, but conceded twice more, as they ran out of steam and they were in the game far more than the final 7-2 scoreline suggests and a great effort by the 10 men.

Another day where it was foggy/misty for the entirety, but it once again remained dry…..and no traffic problems whatsoever!

So, that rounds off 2024 as far as the ground hopping goes. A rather disappointing total of just 149 ‘new’ grounds visited (England 110, Wales 14, Scotland 12, Malta 5, Portugal 5, Spain 3), down by 35 on last year.

Midland League

Division 3

Thursday 26th December 2024

Kick Off 14.00 Actual 14.01

Balsall & Berkswell 5 Birmingham Tigers 1, attendance 12

22’ 1-0

56’ 2-0

58’ 3-0

62’ 4-0

71’ 4-1

73’ 5-1

@ The Triangle

Lavender Hall Lane

Balsall Common

CV7 7BN

No Admission or Programme.

This was one of just three grounds hosting a game in England today that I hadn’t yet visited. With the other two being in Cornwall (Pendeen Rovers and Truro City) it was the obvious choice, being in Balsall Common, roughly midway between Warwick and Birmingham. Very light traffic, combined with the roadworks shutdowns, meant a drive of about two and a quarter hours each way. Heading north on the A452 out of Balsall Common, Lavender Hall Lane is a right hand turn, with the ground a couple of hundred yards along on the left. There is a large car park, with the changing room building to the left. The pitch is to the right, on the far side of a cricket square, running lengthways, with grass banking along the right hand touchline, which houses a pair of dugouts, flanked either side by a small section of advertising boards, while the near side is roped from the corner to the halfway line. The only refreshments available were from a mobile coffee van, which was parked in the car park on the opposite side of the road and there to cater for the dog walkers, rather than the football.

The match was 8th versus 13th (out of 15) in the league table and a game unlikely to end goalless, as there had only been one draw in the 36 league games involving these two so far this season. Midway through the first half that run continued, when a diagonal cross in from wide on the left was finished with a cushioned volley at the far post to put the hosts ahead. They also hit the post a couple of times in the next few minutes, but it remained 1-0 at the break. Three goals, in a six minute spell around the hour mark, saw B&B make it 4-0 and the points were safe. Tigers did pull a goal back with nineteen minutes left, but it only took the hosts two minutes to restore their four goal lead, finishing from a tight angle after being played through on goal.

For once, rain wasn’t a problem today, but fog could have been. Although it was present for most of the game, it never really got bad enough to halt the game, although it was getting gloomy towards the end.