North Devon League

Intermediate Division 1

Sunday 6th May 2018

Kick Off 15.00 Actual 14.55

Bridgerule 5 North Molton Sports Club Reserves 2,  attendance 11

38’ 0-1

44’ 1-1

48’ 2-1

52’ 2-2

58’ 3-2

82’ 4-2

87’ 5-2

@ Vinnicombe Park

Chapel Corner

Bridgerule

EX22 7EN

No Admission or Programme.

The North Devon League is not the most reliable for Sunday fixtures actually taking place and is sadly one of the worst hit leagues for having teams that cry off from fixtures at short notice. Thankfully, there were no such problems here today, as arriving at the ground an hour before kick off, there were already players from both teams there and pretty much everyone was there by 14.10. It was perhaps helped by the fact that it was 6th versus 1st in the league table and Bridgerule had a resounding 11-0 away win yesterday.

The Referee got the game started five minutes early, on a really hot afternoon, with a two minute drinks break taken halfway through each half. North Molton finally broke the deadlock on 38 minutes, but were pegged back when a clearance off the goal line hit the ‘keeper on the back, rebounding into the net, just before halftime. Bridgerule came on strongly in the second half and could have easily bagged another couple more goals, such was their dominance. The win now sees them move up to fifth in the league table, ten points off today’s visitors.

South West Peninsula League

Division 1 West

Saturday 5th May 2018

Kick Off 14.00  On Time !

Bude Town 3 Wendron United 1,  attendance 54

26’ 1-0 (pen)

72’ 2-0

78’ 3-0

88’ 3-1

@ Broadclose Park

Broadclose Hill

Bude

EX23 8DR

£3 Admission

No Programme.

I was quite lucky to notice that the kick off time for this match had been brought forward by an hour. I spotted the time had altered on the league website at around midnight on Friday, but neither club had any mention of it on their twitter accounts. Wendron did tweet about it being a 14.00 kick off at around 9 o’clock on Saturday morning (apparently they wanted to get home early due to a number of their players attending an evening wedding reception), but Bude didn’t bother, which may explain why there were only around 20 people in the ground at kick off, although it did increase over the next twenty minutes or so !

Another thing Bude don’t bother with is producing a matchday programme, which I believe they are supposed to do as a league requirement, but it probably isn’t worth their while with such low crowds.

Bude are bottom of the league table, but only because they have an inferior goal difference to Illogan R.B.L., whilst Wendron are fifth from bottom, but are in no danger of being relegated.

Bude were up for it from the start and should have been two goals to the good before finally making the breakthrough from the penalty spot, with the Referee awarding the penalty for a handball just inside the 18 yard box, which he apparently saw from inside the centre circle from where he was well behind play (only club linesmen in this division, who don’t do anything except offsides and balls in/out).

A cracking dipping shot from 25 yards doubled their lead, before the ‘keeper dropped a high ball to gift a tap in from a couple of yards for the third. Wendron got their consolation goal when their striker coolly slotted past the ‘keeper following a defensive mix up.

So, with Illogan R.B.L. beating St. Blazey 3-0 today, it is on to Bank Holiday Monday, and the last game of the season, where Illogan will host Bude, to decide who finishes bottom of the table. Bude will occupy last position, unless they win the match, so they go into it as slight underdogs. Despite this being a match I plan to watch, I am not convinced that Illogan will actually bother to turn up, as they have already thrown a match against third from bottom Plymstock United, so what is to stop them doing the same here ? The punishment for failing to fulfil fixtures is nowhere near harsh enough, so clubs would rather pay a fine than turn up and play matches…….anyway, all will be revealed on Monday.

Below photo : Bude take the lead from the penalty spot.

Devon & Exeter League

Division 1

Friday 4th May 2018

Kick Off 19.00 Actual 19.04

Colyton 5 University of Exeter 2nds 1,  attendance 69

37’ 0-1

41’ 1-1

49’ 2-1

55’ 3-1

73’ 4-1

86’ 5-1

@ The Peace Memorial Playing Field

Coly Road

Colyton

EX24 6PU

No Admission or Programme.

This was 1st versus 2nd in the league table. Colyton kept their unbeaten record intact, having won 13 and drawn 3 of their 16 matches. University were the better side for long periods of the first half, taking the lead with a free kick curled into the top corner after 37 minutes, but only led for four minutes. In the second half the students were given a real lesson in finishing and were lucky to only lose by a four goal margin in the end, such was the dominance of the hosts.

Colyton now lead the division by 5 points and still have three games in hand over University. Third placed Perry Street & Yonder Hill trail the students by a further 6 points, but do have two games in hand, so are still in contention for promotion at the end of the season.

Cambridgeshire County League

Division Senior B

Thursday 3rd May 2018

Kick Off 18.45. On Time !

Bluntisham Rangers 2 March Town United Reserves 0,  attendance 26

33’ 1-0

61’ 2-0 (pen)

@ Bluntisham Recreation Ground

Mill Lane

Bluntisham

PE28 3LP

No Admission or Programme.

Despite this being a mid table match, with neither side able to finish in either a promotion or relegation position, this was really hard fought. Both goals were scored by the home Number 9, his first goal being coolly slotted in, having beaten a couple of defenders, as well as rounding the ‘keeper.

The Referee, who was being assessed, gave March very few decisions and they felt hard done by on a number of occasions and rightly so. Some of the fouls he failed to award were baffling.

Car parking was at a premium tonight, as there was also a cricket match taking place and the building that houses the changing rooms was being used as a polling station !

Gloucestershire County League

Wednesday 2nd May 2018

Kick Off 18.30 Actual 18.32

Little Stoke 1 Broadwell Amateurs 2,  attendance 26

11’ 0-1

36’ 0-2

38’ 1-2

@ Little Stoke Park

Little Stoke Lane

Little Stoke

Bristol

BS34 6HR

No Admission

£2 Programme, 16 pages.

This was 11th versus 6th in the league table. Six minutes after taking the lead, Broadwell had a man sent off for an alleged headbutt, with the Little Stoke player involved only receiving a yellow card, despite twice grabbing the Broadwell player by the throat and pushing him in the face during the melee that followed. Thankfully, the poor decision by the Referee to not give them both red cards didn’t affect the match as a spectacle.

Broadwell went two up, which gave them something to really hang on to, but the deficit was reduced almost immediately with a well placed header from 15 yards. In the second half, Little Stoke didn’t even manage a shot on target and Broadwell easily hung on for the three points, taking them up to fourth place in the league.

Cambridgeshire County League

Division Senior A

Tuesday 1st May 2018

Kick Off 18.45 Actual 18.51

Fowlmere 0 Ely City Reserves 4,  attendance 36

32’ 0-1

58’ 0-2

67’ 0-3

82’ 0-4

@ Eternit Sports & Social Club

Whaddon Road

Meldreth

SG8 5RL

No Admission or Programme.

Fowlmere have been playing here in Meldreth for the last two seasons, but are hoping to return to their normal home ground, back in their own village, for next season.

Ely City Reserves arrived here tonight knowing that a point would see them promoted into the Premier Division. Fowlmere, who are in fourth place in the league table, gave as good as they got for the opening half hour, but the young Ely side dominated once they had gone ahead. Apart from the four goals, there were another half a dozen efforts that struck a post, with a couple of those coming from the hosts.

This now leaves Ely two points behind league leaders Bar Hill, with both teams having two matches to play. Bar Hill may not have been top however, as in three of their last five matches, the opposition teams have failed to turn up, (all three matches awarded as walkover wins for Bar Hill) which if they had, perhaps the full nine points would not have been gained. Unfortunately, clubs are not punished enough for failing to fulfill matches, which means teams can win leagues by default, which may be the case here, although it is not the fault of Bar Hill, but it certainly doesn’t reflect too well on the Cambridgeshire County League.

North Bucks & District League

Division 1

Monday 30th April 2018

Kick Off 18.30 Actual 18.40

Steeple Claydon 1 M.K. Wanderers 2,  attendance 13

34’ 0-1

36’ 1-1

87’ 1-2

@ Steeple Claydon Recreation Ground

North End Road

Steeple Claydon

MK18 2PG

No Admission or Programme.

This was 6th versus 5th in the league table, the visitors having played at a higher level in the past, having been in the Spartan South Midlands League when I visited their ground back on 3rd May 2010.

Both teams were warming up at 18.10, so I don’t know why we got started ten minutes late. There was certainly nothing end of season about this match, which was pretty even throughout. MK took the lead with a 25 yard free kick, which seemed to deceive the ‘keeper, who was not helped by looking into the sun, before Claydon scrambled an equaliser within a couple of minutes. MK looked the most likely to win it, which they did, when a ball was cut back for a low shot past the ‘keeper from 12 yards, three minutes from the end.

Welsh Alliance League

Division 2

Saturday 28th April 2018

Kick Off 14.30 Actual 14.32

Prestatyn Sports 3 Y Felinheli 1,  attendance 32

28’ 1-0

45’ 2-0

53’ 2-1

76’ 3-1

@ The Recreation Ground

Nant-y-Gro

Gronant

LL19 9YP

No Admission

£1 Programme, 16 pages.

This was 2nd versus 5th in the league table. Glan Conwy were top on 59 points from 27 games (out of 28), with Prestatyn Sports on 57 points (22 /28) in second place and the only other title contender being third placed Bodedern Athletic on 55 points (22/28)

If you like watching your football where one team continually moan at every decision and constantly berate the officials with the worst foul and abusive language imaginable, then Prestatyn Sports fit the bill perfectly. It is a shame, because they actually play some very good football and it is easy to see how they are challenging for the league title.

With the match still scoreless, Felinheli were awarded a penalty. This sparked a torrent of abuse from the Prestatyn Manager, which saw him red carded and he continued to shout obscenities at the top of his voice as he walked behind the goal on his way to the changing rooms. The ‘keeper and one of the centre backs should really have joined him, but the Referee seemed to ignore the abuse he received from the pair of them a matter of inches from his face. All totally unnecessary, and, as is so often the case, the penalty was missed, the ‘keeper pushing the ball against the post, before it was scrambled clear.

Seven minutes later Prestatyn headed in the opener, then as halftime approached Felinheli had a man sent off for a second yellow card offence, (the Referee couldn’t find his red card, so had to borrow one from his Assistant, to show to the recipient) before the second goal of the match for the hosts put them 2-0 up in the dying seconds of the half. Felinheli pulled one back early in the second half, but with ten men, were unable to add to it. Prestatyn inevitability added their third goal to make it safe.

In readiness for their expected promotion, the pitch has been railed off and new dugouts have been built, in order to meet the criteria for Division 1. There was more good news for them in the title race, as Bodedern Athletic were beaten 4-3 at Blaenau Ffestiniog, meaning they now trail Prestatyn by 5 points, both clubs having 5 matches to play.

Below photo : Y Felinheli see their penalty saved by the Prestatyn ‘keeper.

Surrey County Intermediate League (Western)

Premier Division

Thursday 26th April 2018

Kick Off 18.30 Actual 18.29

Worplesdon Phoenix 1 University of Surrey 2,  attendance 11

6’ 0-1

14’ 1-1 (pen)

18’ 1-2

@ Worplesdon Memorial Ground

Perry Hill

Worplesdon

GU3 3RF

No Admission or Programme.

This was 9th versus 6th in the league table, although University would have been in fourth place if it wasn’t for a 3 point deduction. The match started at a whirlwind pace, but settled down into a really even contest. Worplesdon had their ‘keeper sent off after 57 minutes, when he ran from his goal and got involved in a bit of pushing inside the centre circle. Despite being a man light, it was Phoenix who looked more likely to get the next goal, but it never came. University never even forced the stand in ‘keeper into making a single save in his 33 minutes between the posts.

This now completes visits to all the grounds in this division.

Below photo : Worplesdon ‘keeper beaten at his near post for the opening goal of the match.

Below photo : Worplesdon score from the penalty spot.

Midland League

Division 3

Wednesday 25th April 2018

Kick Off 18.45 Actual 18.50

Leamington Hibernian 0 C.T. Shush 4,  attendance 24

37’ 0-1

45’ 0-2

55’ 0-3

83’ 0-4

@ Cubbington Playing Fields

Stonehouse Close

Cubbington

CV32 7LR

No Admission or Programme.

This was the third ground I have now seen Leamington Hibernian play home matches at, following Campion School & Community College (2-2 v Tipton Town Reserves, Midland Combination Division 3, 3rd May 1999) and Bishops Tatchbrook Sports & Social Club (1-2 v Austrey Rangers, Midland League Division  3, 20th December 2014).

We arrived at the ground at around 17.15 to see the pitch set up ready for play and confirmed the match was all set to go ahead. However, as we headed into the village to get food,it started to rain, but instead of a brief shower, which is what we had endured for most of the day, this was a heavier downpour which lasted a good 15 minutes. On returning to the ground, we were told that the Referee was not happy with one area of the pitch, but a decision would be made in around 15 minutes time as to whether the game would be able to go ahead. Thankfully, with the Groundsman managing to fork away a couple of small puddles, with the rest of the pitch being pretty firm under foot, the pitch was given the go ahead. By this time it was only 35 minutes until kick off, so there would have been no chance of reaching any alternative match at a ground the three of us hadn’t already visited, so we had a lucky escape.

The visitors, formed in 2014, have a bit of an unusual name. The ‘C.T.’ stands for Chelmsley Town, which is where they are from (although they also use the old Chelmsley Town F.C. ground, they are not connected to them), whilst the ‘Shush’ comes from Shush UK Ltd.

Hibs have struggled badly this season, only managing to win one of their 26 league matches so far this season, with just three draws on top of that, so it is no great surprise that they are bottom of the table. With the visitors only being fifth from bottom themselves, this was a rare match where the hosts had a realistic chance of getting some more points. There was little between the two sides, but Shush opened the scoring with a 30 yard shot that went in off the post, before adding the second in the dying seconds of the first half. When the third goal went in early in the second half there was no way back for Hibs.

One thing that is certainly worth a mention here, is the hard work put in by husband and wife duo Jim and Joy Barry, who have run the club for the last 44 years !