Ardal League South East

Sunday 17th November 2024

Kick Off 14.00 Actual 14.01

Canton 1 Croesyceilliog 0, attendance 68

74’ 1-0

@ Cardiff International Sports Campus, SSI Pitch

Leckwith Road

Cardiff

CF11 8AZ

£5 Admission

No Programme.

Canton (Canton Liberal until last year) play at the Cardiff International Sports Campus, where they use the SSI pitch (whatever that is?). I’d seen Canton Liberal beat Grange Albion back in 2018, on a pitch that was to the right of the driveway as you enter off Leckwith Road, but that is now gone. Nine years before that I’d seen Grange Harlequins beat Garw S.B.G.W. 5-3 in a Welsh League Division 3 match, which was on the Athletics Stadium, to the left as you enter the complex. Canton’s ground is further along on the left hand side, running lengthways away from the main stand. Despite being in a cage, surprisingly it is not a 3G pitch, although it may be some type of hybrid grass/synthetic surface and is also lacking floodlights. There are two seated stands on the near side and spectator access is on all bar the far side, where the dugouts are situated. The only facilities available were toilets. There is also a car parking charge, but it was only £1, which covered you for four hours and could be payable with cash at a machine, rather than using the car parking app.

Canton have got at least half a dozen Sunday games scheduled. The first was last week, which finished 4-4. Unfortunately, nothing to match that from a neutral point of view, with today’s game being very dull and lucky it produced a goal at all. It was really poor at times. Canton played the ball sideways and backwards at every opportunity, whilst Croesyceilliog lacked any real quality going forward. The only goal came sixteen minutes from the end, when the ball was cut back from the right and powered in with a header from just inside the six yard box. The win sees Canton climb to second place in the league table, three points adrift of leaders Treowen Stars, but having played a game more. Croesyceilliog remain seventh.

Nice to have a reasonably clear run in both directions and the only rain encountered was during the first half and that was little more than drizzle. It leaves me with just N.F.A. in Ardal NW and Clydach in Ardal SW to complete the top three levels in Wales.

Amateur Football Combination

Premier Division

Saturday 16th November 2024

Kick Off 13.00 Actual 13.03

Honourable Artillery Company 3 Old Ignatian 0, attendance 20

22’ 1-0

70’ 2-0

90’ + 1, 3-0

@ Honourable Artillery Company Grounds

Armoury House

City Road

London

EC1Y 2BQ

No Admission or Programme.

I wouldn’t normally target this league as a single game option on a Saturday, but this isn’t your normal run of the mill ground. Yes, it’s just a pitch, which is part roped off, but it’s the setting that really sets this apart. HAC play the majority of their home games elsewhere, but occasionally play at their ‘real home’, here at Armoury House, very close to the centre of London. I would have visited here three weeks ago, when l’d done a morning game in North London, but I missed the deadline for registering interest in order to gain access. No problem though, as they tweeted on Thursday that today’s game would also be here and by replying to their tweet, you got ‘added to the list’. Production of my driving licence for identification purposes at the gate, confirmed all was good and I was in. I’d actually been here before, but that was for rugby league, back in 2010, when I saw Harlequins R.L. thrash London Skolars 56-0 in the ‘Capital Challenge’ (glorified name for a friendly). That was played on the rugby pitch here, which today hosted a rugby union match, with a far bigger crowd than the football attracted. Both that, and the parallel pitch to it (where the game was played three weeks ago that I missed and today covered by a huge marquee) are the other side of the cricket square from the ‘front pitch’ that hosted our game today, which has the backdrop of Armoury House and is lined intermittently by trees and mobile guns/cannons. Plenty of ‘marching practice’ going on today too, on the parade area between the building and the pitch.

On paper, this looked like being a comfortable home win. HAC were unbeaten coming into this (W4 D1) sitting third in the league table. Ignatian were second bottom, having lost all four of their games so far. It turned out to be a really good contest and a three goal winning margin certainly flattered the hosts. Ignatian hit the post, before HAC grabbed the lead midway through the first half. Late in the half Ignatian saw a couple of good chances saved by the home ‘keeper and also hit the post again, before HAC had a goal ruled off for handball. HAC finally got the all important second goal with twenty minutes left, finishing a diagonal ball into the box with a stooping header at the far post and added number three in stoppage time, with another far post header, this time coming from a corner.

I was slumming it today, going by train to London Bridge, then taking the tube two stops north to Moorgate on the Northern Line, culminating in the last few hundred yards on foot along City Road, with the ground on the left. £19.70 return and although the outbound went okay, the return reminded me just why I’d rather drive. Got back to Redhill, but the next train to Reigate wasn’t for another 27 minutes. Not worth waiting, so I walked home from Redhill, which took half an hour. I’d have had a fifteen minute walk from Reigate Station anyway, so still got home earlier than expected. Thankfully, it will be back in the car for the next game.

Sheffield & Hallamshire County Senior League

Premier Division

Saturday 9th November 2024

Kick Off 14.00 Actual 14.02

Swinton Athletic 1 Wombwell Main 2, attendance 100

14’ 0-1

51’ 0-2

60’ 1-2

@ Swinton Recreation Ground

The Miners Welfare

Park Road

Swinton

S64 8JH

No Admission or Programme.

I arrived here just over an hour before kick off, just as the players were starting to drift in. It’s a very neat ground for Step 7. The pitch is fully railed, with dugouts set either side of a very smart seated stand, with everything set out in the club colours of black and white. The changing rooms are perched on the top of the grass bank as you enter, with the outside covered in murals and whilst there are no facilities here, the club seemed to use the ‘pub’ next door, which was also where the majority of those arriving by car had parked.

On the field, Swinton are not doing very well, currently bottom of the league table, having managed just two draws from their opening ten matches, although most of their defeats have been by narrow margins. Wombwell Main were seventh and had a healthy following, which is not surprising as it’s only five miles up the road from here. When the visitors took an early lead, I feared the worst for Swinton, but they gave as good as they got and were unlucky to still be trailing at halftime. Six minutes into the second half Wombwell made it 0-2, playing a striker through from the halfway line and he went on to calmly beat the ‘keeper. On the hour mark Swinton pulled a goal back, when a cross from the right was finished with a shot on the turn at the near post. It was end to end stuff for the remainder, but Swinton just couldn’t force an equaliser.

Yesterday the SatNav decided on Dartford Crossing, M11 and A1 for the northbound journey, but went for the more traditional M1 coming back, despite the endless roadworks and speed restrictions, but no other problems occurred, so home for 19.30.

Below photo : Hearing ‘off of’ is bad enough….reading it might be worse?…..just why is ‘of’ needed in this sentence?

Sheffield & District Fair Play League

Division 1

Saturday 9th November 2024

Kick Off 10.30 Actual 10.29!

Crookes Crusaders 3 Sheffield West End 2, attendance 2

14’ 0-1

17’ 1-1

24’ 1-2

86’ 2-2

90’ 3-2

@ The Sheffield College – Hillsborough Campus, 3G Pitch

Livesey Street

Hillsborough

Sheffield

S6 2ET

No Admission or Programme.

Having stayed overnight in Sheffield, doing a 10.30 kick off in the Sheffield & District Fair Play League was the perfect start to the day. This wasn’t my first choice game. I’d headed to Hammer & Pincers first, but on arrival, there was a kids game about to kick off on the 3G pitch at Tapton School, where according to F.A. Full Time, the game was being played. At least it was only a fifteen minute drive for an alternative, on the 3G pitch at the Hillsborough Campus of Sheffield College, across the road from Owlerton Greyhound/Speedway Stadium. Ample parking, with the pitch at the far end, running lengthways away from the buildings, with spectator access along the entire right hand side. It is where Sheffield & Hallamshire County Senior League team Ecclesfield Red Rose play their home matches.

The game was 7th versus 8th in the league table and was an excellent watch from start to finish. SWE went ahead with an angled shot into the far corner, but a far post header saw Crookes level within three minutes. A quick break, finished one on one into the bottom corner, saw SWE regain the lead seven minutes later and although Crookes hit the post twice, it remained 1-2 at halftime. Crookes hit the post again in the second half, but finally drew level with four minutes left, when a long ball was finished with a looping header from 12 yards, that went in off the inside of the post and having equalised so late, they then grabbed a last minute winner, when a mix up between two attackers seemed to confuse the home defence and a scuffed shot, which totally wrong footed the ‘keeper, found it’s way into the bottom corner.

With the game having kicked off a minute early and a quick halftime, where everyone stayed on the pitch, this was over by 12.07, leaving ample time to head for a second match.

Central Midlands Alliance League

Premier Division North

Friday 8th November 2024

Kick Off 20.00 Actual 20.03

Kiveton Miners Welfare 1 Hatfield Town 1, attendance 79

25’ 1-0

62’ 1-1

@ Olympic Legacy Park Community Stadium

Worksop Road

Attercliffe

Sheffield

S9 3TL

£4 Admission

£2 Programme available, didn’t bother buying.

The Olympic Legacy Park Stadium was opened in 2022, built on part of the former site of the Don Valley Stadium, which itself was only opened in 1990 and subsequently closed in 2013, before being demolished over the following twelve months or so. The former ground had a 25,000 capacity, built to host the 1991 World Student Games and was somewhere I’d visited three times, twice for football (Sheffield United Reserves 1 Sunderland Reserves 4 Central League Div 1 December 1996 and Rotherham United 2 Rochdale 1 Football League, League 2 in August 2009) and once for rugby league (Sheffield Eagles 19 Featherstone Rovers 12 Challenge Cup 1st Round February 1991). The new stadium has a 3G pitch and seated stand for just over 700 and is a rarity in the fact that spectators have access to all four sides of the pitch, although due to the rugby markings (Sheffield Eagles are also based here), you are set back from the action and the rugby posts remain in place behind each goal. Even this sized ground is far too big for this level of football (the official crowd was 15 higher than my headcount) and the only facility available to spectators was the toilets. The home club did set up a temporary ‘tea bar’ on a table at the entrance, where admission money was collected and a match day programme was available to those who wanted one. At least the car parking was free, although parking restrictions were not in place in the surrounding streets for an evening game.

The match was 12th (out of 16) versus 5th in the league table and was well contested throughout. Kiveton took the lead midway through the first half, cutting inside before finishing left footed into the bottom corner from the edge of the 18 yard box. Hatfield thought they’d levelled the scores ten minutes before halftime, but the effort was disallowed for offside and the home ‘keeper made three or four really good saves in the last few minutes, to see them go in 1-0 up at the break. The second half created fewer chances, but the visitors grabbed an equaliser just after the hour mark, when a ball in from the left was finished into the far corner.

After tonight I’m left with just S.J.R. Worksop to visit in this division. As for Olympic Legacy Park, I’ll be back for a Sheffield Eagles game sometime, probably next Summer.

Portugal

Primeira Liga

Monday 4th November 2024

Kick Off 20.15 Actual 20.18

Clube Desportivo Nacional 2 Clube Desportivo Santa Clara 0, attendance 1,425

9’ 1-0

13’ 2-0 (pen)

@ Estadio da Madeira

Camino do Terco

9060-329 Funchal

Madeira

€50 Admission

No Programme.

Tonight was the final match of the trip and a game at Estadio da Madeira, home of Clube Desportivo Nacional, the other half of ‘the big two’ on the island, although they are (in my opinion) the second club (despite currently sitting a division above city rival Clube Sport Maritimo). They shared the Estadio do Maritimo up until 2008, when Nacional made the move to the newly built stadium here, which for some reason is built high above the city and certainly not accessible without transport. The main stadium has an all seated capacity of 5,132 and there are also three other pitches at the complex, including the ground where their ‘B’ team play, the Cristiano Ronaldo Futebol Campus-Estadio, named after their now world famous ex youth team player, who was born in Funchal. Unusually, the Estadio da Madeira only has stands along the sides, the main one being fully covered, with the other only covered in the middle third, whilst the goal ends just have mesh fencing. Tickets for this game were not available to buy online, so we’d bought them in the club office in Funchal on Thursday afternoon, although the crowd was so pathetically small that we could have waited until arriving for the game. Having bought the tickets in advance was a slight gamble though, as the last home game here, versus Benfica, had been postponed half an hour before kick off, due to fog. It was a little disconcerting, when ten minutes before kick off, cloud began swirling across the pitch. Thankfully, it only lasted about five minutes and once it lifted it remained clear. On the way up to the stadium (via the ‘Bolt’ app) the driver moaned most of the way and said he wouldn’t have taken the trip if he’d realised where we were heading before accepting it. When he realised we were going to the match (what else would we be heading there for on a Monday night?) he started going on about how everyone hates going here, due to it’s location and because of how many games are lost to fog!

The match certainly affected both ends of the table. Nacional were second bottom, but knew a win would lift them clear of the relegation zone, whilst Santa Clara, from The Azores, were fifth and three points here would see them climb back into fourth and a qualifying position for the European competitions. Nacional got off to a perfect start, when Isaac headed in a cross from the right that looped over the ‘keeper from 12 yards. Four minutes later it was 2-0, when Ruben Macedo coolly dispatched a penalty that was awarded for a handball. They could have put the game beyond doubt, but missed an absolute sitter in stoppage time at the end of the first half, when a ball found a striker unmarked at the far post, but instead of shooting into the open side of the goal, he went for the side the ball had come from, which saw the ‘keeper make an initial save, before scooping the ball off the goal line. Neither side really looked like scoring, in a second half that was very dull. Santa Clara were very poor throughout and it is hard to see how they’ve managed to be so far up the table. Not too much to shout about for the 18 fans in the away section.

After the game we managed to get a ‘Bolt’ to pick us up at the corner of the stadium, which we were in within a minute of the final whistle and back at our hotel by 22.30. It was €13 getting up to the stadium and just €11 coming back down. So, another successful trip completed and a relief to have got the two Madeiran teams in the top levels of the Portuguese League done on the same trip. Back home on the British Airways 1505 flight to London Gatwick on Tuesday afternoon, which left on time.

Above photo : The Estadio da Madeira (underlined in red) as viewed from our hotel, shows just how high above sea level it is.

Portugal

Associacao de Futebol da Madeira

Divisao de Honra

Sunday 3rd November 2024

Kick Off 16.30 On Time!

Clube Desportivo 1st de Maio 3 C.F. Andorinha 2, attendance 147

35’ 1-0

41’ 2-0

54’ 2-1

60’ 3-1

87’ 3-2

@ Campo de Futebol do Caminho 1st de Maio

Rua Campo 1st de Maio

Sao Goncalo

9060-418 Funchal

Madeira

€3 Admission

No Programme.

Today was an opportunity to visit a ground in Divisao Honra (the top division) of the Madeira regional league. The ground of C.D. 1st de Maio is just over five miles east of Funchal centre and a twenty minute drive from our hotel, which was once again via Bolt and cost €13 outbound and an extra €2 back, due to ‘surge demand’. The ground is way up above the city. The sun was left down below, whilst the ground was shrouded in low cloud for the vast majority of the game, with blue sky finally appearing late in the second half. There is a small clubhouse outside the entrance, serving hot/cold drinks and various snack items. Tickets have to be purchased from a window to the right of the ground entrance and once inside, spectator viewing is limited to the near side and behind the left hand goal end. In one corner there is a section of open metal seating, whilst to the right of the entrance is a raised area, which was basically where fans were using the concrete steps to sit on. The dugouts are on the far side and the ground also has floodlights, which were switched on during the second half. Despite now having a synthetic pitch, the ground retains all it’s old character and it must have been quite a job levelling the pitch into the hillside when first built.

The match was 10th versus 9th (out of 12), with both sides having drawn one and lost one of their opening two games. There were plenty of chances early on, but it wasn’t until ten minutes before halftime that Maio broke the deadlock, finishing into the bottom corner from the edge of the box. Six minutes later they doubled their lead, breaking quickly after defending a corner and finishing with a curling shot into the far corner from just inside the box. Andorinha pulled it back to 2-1 nine minutes into the second half, when a deep cross from the right was guided back into the far corner with a cushioned volley. On the hour mark Maio restored their two goal lead, glancing a header into the far corner from a right wing cross and it looked like the game was safe. Andorinha made it interesting with a 30 yarder into the top corner with three minutes left, to make it 3-2 and the locals were not impressed when the board went up to show there would be seven minutes of stoppage time to be added, but they held on to take their first win of the season.

It was only an eight minute wait after the game before being picked up and back at the hotel barely twenty five minutes after the final whistle.

Portugal

Associacao de Futebol da Madeira

1 Divisao

Saturday 2nd November 2024

Kick Off 19.30 Actual 19.32

C.F. Carvalheiro 8 C.F. Canical ‘B’ 0, attendance 103

7’ 1-0, 20’ 2-0, 41’ 3-0

50’ 4-0, 52’ 5-0, 64’ 6-0, 76’ 7-0, 84’ 8-0

@ Campo de Futebol Adelino Rodrigues

Rua Nova de Alegria

9060 – 282 Funchal

Madeira

No Admission or Programme.

Below the top four levels in Portugal the game becomes regional, rather like our county leagues in England. Here on Madeira there are two levels, each playing their fixtures on one designated day. Today was the turn of 1 Divisao, the lower of the two. Only three of those were with the first team as hosts, so I opted for the one here at Campo de Futebol Adelino Rodrigues, just to the east of central Funchal. It was not only the nearest, but also the easiest to get to, being just a ten minute ride from the hotel with ‘Bolt’, which cost €6.65 each way. As with this afternoon, it was a ground I’d had a look at when holidaying here 20 years ago. It is tightly hemmed in, but does have spectator access on three sides, with the just the goal end housing the changing rooms being out of bounds. There are seats bolted to the steps along each side and standing at the other end, with trees growing amongst the terracing. They could do with a few more floodlight bulbs, even allowing for the odd one not working, as it was very dark and patchy in large areas of the pitch. Apart from toilet blocks in opposite diagonal corners, there are no other facilities available. The 3G pitch was laid here around 2003, replacing a ‘dirt’ pitch. It would have been grass at one time though, as it hosted Portuguese league football between 1954 and 1957, when it was temporarily home to both C.S Maritimo and C.D. Nacional, whilst renovation work was taking place at Estadio dos Barreiros (now known as Estadio do Maritimo) where I’d been this afternoon. Nowadays the capacity is listed as 3,000, but would have been higher in those days as it would have been pre-seats as well as pre-safety certificates!

This was the first game I’d seen in the regional leagues and it was between two teams who’d lost their opening fixtures last week. It is probably one of the weaker leagues, due to a much smaller pool of players to choose from than on the mainland or nearer the larger cities, but it was entertaining enough, although it did end up as a real thrashing in the end. Three goals in the first half saw the game comfortably won for Carvalheiro and another five followed during the second half. They should easily have made it into double figures, but wasted a host of chances, especially late on.

Having been dry and sunny all day, it was disappointing to have a twenty minute spell of very light rain during the second half. It was still warm though and the trees behind the goal managed to keep us dry.

Portugal

Liga 2

Saturday November 2nd 2024

Kick Off 14.00 Actual 14.02

Club Sport Maritimo 1 F.C. Penafiel 2, attendance 7,211

1’ 1-0

31’ 1-1

61’ 1-2

@ Estadio do Maritimo

Rua dos Barreiros

9000-619 Funchal

Madeira

€15 Admission, Print at Home Ticket

No Programme.

Having visited the training complex of Maritimo yesterday for the U19 game, today it was the chance to see the first team, at the Estadio do Maritimo. I’d seen the ground before, during a holiday in 2004, out of football season. Since then the ground has undergone a huge rebuild between 2009 and 2016, including removing the running track from around the pitch. It was originally opened in 1957, when it was known as Campo dos Barreiros and although previously larger, the capacity these days is 10,932 all seated and rather oddly, a couple of the old floodlight pylons remain in place. It has been home to all three of the Madeira teams to have played in the Portuguese League at one stage (CD Nacional 1957- 1998 and Uniao 1957- 2008 and again from 2011-2012) but is now solely used by Maritimo and occasionally by Portugal for international matches.

Tickets were easily booked online, although it would have been no problem purchasing them at the stadium prior to kick off. There were plenty of empty seats and although the official attendance was given as 7,211 I’d be surprised if there were more than 6,000 actually present. There was certainly plenty of room in the away section, where I only counted 26 fans! No need for a taxi for this one as it was no more than 15 minutes walk from our hotel. The only problem was that it was uphill all the way. In fact, most things in Funchal involve walking uphill. There were a couple of mobile food and drink stalls outside, which were very busy. Once inside the ground the refreshments were just the usual snacks and very bland looking sandwiches, so best to eat before heading in.

The match was 5th versus 2nd in the league table, with Penafiel having been top until last weekends defeat at home to Academico Viseu. Many spectators hadn’t even got to their seats before Maritimo opened the scoring after just 37 seconds, when a cut back from the right was touched in at the near post by Carlos Daniel. Penafiel levelled just after the half hour mark, when Reko headed in from 6 yards, having been unmarked at a corner. Just after the hour mark a ball in from the right was curled into the far corner by Robinho, in what turned out to be the winner. Maritimo did have a header cleared off the line minutes later, but Penafiel hung on for the three points, aided by the usual time wasting/cheating and rolling about at every opportunity, which is something that is all too common in Portuguese football. They certainly won’t be bothered though, as they go back to the top of the table for at least the next two days, as this mornings leaders Tondela don’t play until Monday night.

Even with eight minutes of stoppage time, we were finished just after 4 o’clock, so ample time to make a gentle stroll back down to the hotel before heading out to eat and then sampling a game in the local regional league this evening….

Above and below photos show the former ticket booth now partially demolished.

Portugal

Campeonato Nacional U19 II Divisao

Serie D

Friday 1st November 2024

Kick Off 15.00 Actual 14.58!

Club Sport Maritimo U19 1 F.C. Alverca U19 2, attendance 143

74’ 0-1

85’ 1-1 (pen)

86’ 1-2 (pen)

@ Complexo Desportivo do Club Sport Maritimo, Pitch 2

Rua Campo do Maritimo

Sao Roque

9020-207 Funchal

Madeira

No Admission or Programme.

A short break on the island of Madeira, with the main objective being to see games at the two big clubs here, with this unexpected bonus game here at the training complex of Club Sport Maritimo fitting in with the schedule perfectly. It was a Bank Holiday in Portugal today and I’m not too sure if this had any bearing on the game being played this afternoon or not, as all other matches in this league are tomorrow, or whether it was due to the first team playing on Saturday afternoon and they didn’t want to clash with that, or simply flight schedules?

Anyway, it was little more than a ten minute drive north from our hotel, using the ‘Bolt’ app and costing €7.30 each way for the four mile journey. Far cheaper than getting a hire car and far quicker than getting there by bus, although this would have been easy too, with regular bus options heading within easy reach of the ground. There are two pitches here, which run parallel to each other. There is a grass pitch, nearer to the road, with terracing/concrete seating on two sides and certainly having plenty of charm and character. Then, beyond that, the synthetic pitch, which was hosting today’s game. Behind the goal there is a large multiple storey building that houses the changing rooms and up above a snack bar, with a viewing area, where quite a few watched from. The only accessible spectator area pitch side is along about three quarters of one side, consisting of five rows of concrete steps, with painted lines marking out the ‘seats’, whilst others stood at the back of the top row. The other end looked down over houses and beyond that the North Atlantic Ocean. The perfect backdrop, especially with it being 25 or 26 degrees, even with occasional cloud cover and a gentle wind. Certainly makes a change from what England tends to throw up in November.

The match was a slow burner. Neither side achieved much of note in the first half and the second period followed the same pattern. Too much squealing and rolling about (blatant cheating). It looked almost certain to finish goalless. Then suddenly, with sixteen minutes left, a long ball over the top was finished with an angled shot into the far corner to give Alverca the lead. The remainder of the game was brilliant, as both teams attacked at will. With five minutes left, Maritimo equalised from the penalty spot, but having fought hard to get back in it, they then gave away a penalty within seconds of the restart, which Alverca duly scored from. There were six or seven minutes of stoppage time too, but the visitors managed to hold on for the win. Not a bad start to the weekend…..