United Counties League

Division 1

Tuesday 10th October 2017

Kick Off 19.45 Actual 19.49

Melton Town 1 Lutterworth Athletic 2,  attendance 83

21’ 0-1 (pen)

73’ 1-1

82’ 1-2

@ Melton Sports Village

( known as Digital Deadline Park under the current sponsor name)

Burton Road

Melton Mowbray

LE13 1DR

£5 Admission, including programme* , 12 pages.

I had previously visited Melton Town back on 27th July 1991 (3-3, versus Desborough Town, PSF) when they were members of the Central Midlands League. In those days, they played at Egerton Park, in Leicester Road, but the club were disbanded in 1992 when they were forced to take down their floodlights as they hadn’t got the necessary planning permission.

The current Chairman reformed the club in 2004, under the name Melton Mowbray, playing in the Leicester & District League, before moving to the North Leicestershire League in 2010. They won the league at the first attempt, which gained them promotion into the Leicestershire Senior League, Division 1. They were now based at the All England Sports Ground, Saxby Road, which I visited on 29th August 2011 (4-2, versus Hathern, League Cup 1st Round).

In 2016, having gained promotion into the United Counties League, they moved to their current ground and their name changed back to Melton Town. Despite this being a new ground, the club are rumoured to be on the move again, although this time it will only be to a different part of Melton Sports Village, in a ground that will be shared with the rugby club, who are also already based here at M.S.V.  on the other side of the car park to the football.

This was 10th v 6th at the start of play, although the visitors have now moved up to third place in the league table following this narrow win.

*Despite being advertised as £1, the programme was given away free with the admission charge. It is unusual, as far as match programmes go, as it is square, rather than the run of the mill rectangular shape.

Independent Schools F.A. Cup 2nd Round

Tuesday 10th October 2017

Kick Off 13.00 Actual 12.57

Aldenham School 0 Leeds Grammar School 3,  attendance 16

38’ 0-1

66’ 0-2

79’ 0-3

@ Aldenham Road

Letchmore Heath

Radlett

WD6 3AJ

No Admission or Programme.

Leeds were dominant throughout, coasting to a comfortable win. Despite offering very little up front, Aldenham did manage to hit the woodwork three times and, had one of the efforts gone in, then we could have had a totally different outcome.

With the match done and dusted by just after 14.30 it gave ample time to head up the M1 for my second match of the day.

Dorset Premier League

Saturday 7th October 2017

Kick Off 15.00 Actual 15.04

Mere Town 0 Hamworthy Recreation 3,  attendance 33

2’ 0-1

40’ 0-2

73’ 0-3 (pen)

@ Mere Recreation Ground

Queens Road

Mere

BA12 6EW

No Admission or Programme.

Mere are actually from Wiltshire, but apart from a brief spell playing in their own county, they have competed in the Dorset League system since the 1970’s and having reached the Dorset Premier League, are now playing at their highest ever level.

Todays game was 5th v 2nd in the league table. Hamworthy were always on top and were very good on the break. A red card for the visitors, with a couple of minutes left, came too late to make any difference to the outcome, although Mere also then had a man sent off in stoppage time.

Todays visit completes the Dorset Premier League for me.

Arthurian League

Premier Division

Saturday 7th October 2017

Kick Off 10.30 Actual 10.35

Old Etonians 2 Kings College Wimbledon Old Boys 2,  attendance 8

2’ 0-1

42’ 0-2

46’ 1-2

80’ 2-2

@ Eton College, Dutchman’s Pitch 1

Pococks Lane (B3026)

Eton

SL4 6HR

No admission or programme.

The early kick off here gave another opportunity of a double. There was a bit of very light drizzle for parts of the first half, but it was never going to be a problem with the pitch in immaculate condition. Having let what looked to be a comfortable two goal lead slip, Kings could have won it in the last minute when a 25 yard effort hit the inside of the post/crossbar and somehow failed to go in.

Staffordshire County Senior League

League Challenge Cup 2nd Round

Wednesday 4th October 2017

Kick Off 19.30 Actual 19.31

Leek C.S.O.B. 4 Ashbourne 2,  attendance 24

25’ 1-0

42’ 2-0

60’ 3-0

63’ 3-1

86’ 4-1

88’ 4-2

@ Pointon Park

Felthouse Lane

Cheddleton

ST13 7BP

No Admission or programme.

Until they made the move to Pointon Park, Leek C.S.O.B. (County School Old Boys) played their home matches at Harrison Park, home of Leek Town. It was as long ago as 12th February 1992, when I saw them lose 1-3 to Stafford M.S.H.D. there in a Staffordshire Senior League match.

Leek were always in control of this, but they seemed to be unable to kill the visitors off, even though they won by a two goal margin. Thankfully, the rain arrived an hour later than forecast, and became steadier as the game went on, but the immaculate pitch stood up to it without a problem.

F.A. Cup 3rd Qualifying Round Replay

Tuesday 3rd October 2017

Kick Off 19.45 Actual 19.46

F.C. United of Manchester 1 Stockport County 0,  attendance 1,688

48’ 1-0

@ Broadhurst Park

310 Lightbowne Road

Moston

Manchester

M40 0FJ

£10 Admission

£1.50 Programme, 16 pages.

I was not looking forward to visiting this ground as I am certainly not a fan of anything to do with Manchester United. In fact, apart from going to Old Trafford, this is probably the least appealing place I could think of ever visiting. I had even contemplated never coming at all, or perhaps seeing a neutral match here, so as not to have to ‘suffer’ the experience. In the end, I gave in. At least all my admission money wouldn’t be going towards the club, as being a cup tie, both Stockport and the F.A. would take a cut. Even the programme was cheaper than normal, as it was a smaller issue due to the short notice of producing it.

Once you get past the red, white and black colours of the club and the constant ‘United’ and ‘anti-City ‘songs, from a club formed due to their so called dislike of all things ‘Glazer and Sky’, It is not too bad……not something I would relish again, but at least it is out of the way now and it completes visits to all the grounds at Step 2.

On Saturday, Stockport led 3-0, but somehow let it slip, with the game ending 3-3, giving United a second successive home replay in the F.A. Cup, having beaten Handsworth Parramore in the last round. This game looked to be swinging towards County again when United had a man sent off after 24 minutes and even more so when they received another red card five minutes before the break. Surely United couldn’t hold out for 50 minutes and a further half an hour of extra time, to take their chances in a penalty shoot out, with two players short.

Three minutes into the second half a speculative cross hit the crossbar and the follow up shot was awkwardly tipped over by the ‘keeper. The corner kick was headed down from near the penalty spot and the centre forward flicked the ball into the net from a yard out. Despite being under the cosh, a combination of luck and dogged determination meant they somehow kept the ball out of their goal and hung on for a very unlikely win. They now travel to A.F.C. Telford United in the next round.

Hellenic League

Division 2 East

Saturday 30th September 2017

Kick Off 15.00. On Time

Stokenchurch 3 Long Crendon 1,  attendance 27

23′ 1-0

27′ 2-0

48′ 3-0

86′ 3-1

@ Loop Burrow

Park Lane

Stokenchurch

HP14 3TQ

No admission or programme.

I took the opportunity to visit Stokenchurch for a fixture versus a fellow first team, something that is not easy in the Hellenic League as the lower divisions are crammed with reserve and development teams. In fact, they won’t host another first team until December.

Today was 8th v 5th, although it was only the third league match of the season for the hosts. Long Crendon, who are new into the league this season, had played four games before today. If the visitors had put as much effort in to playing, as they did to moaning constantly at the Referee, then this might have been a more even contest.

Arthurian League

Premier Division

Saturday 30th September 2017

Kick Off 11.00 Actual 11.13

Kings College Wimbledon Old Boys 1 Old Wykehamists 0,  attendance 5

41′ 1-0

@ Southfields Academy, 3G Pitch

333 Merton Road

Wandsworth

SW18 5JU

No admission or programme.

I started off today at a ground I had visited previously on 11th February 2012, when I saw Old Hamptonians 3 Dorking 4, in a Southern Combination Cup match. Today’s game was nowhere near as entertaining. Very few chances and Kings missed a chance to double their lead when they had a penalty saved just before the hour mark.

Independant Schools F.A. Cup 1st Round

Thursday 28th September 2017

Kick Off 14.30 Actual 14.32

A.C.S. Hillingdon 1 Bury Grammar School 1 (AET) 2-4 pens,  attendance 23

34′ 0-1

56′ 1-1

@ Iver Fields Sports Ground

Billet Lane

Iver Heath

SL0 0LT

No Admission

Team Sheet, free.

This was a dreadful game and neither team really deserved to win. A.C.S. (American Community School) missed their first two penalties in the shootout and there was no way back, as Bury scored their first four kicks to win it and they now entertain Harrodian School in the next round.

Spartan South Midlands League

League Challenge Trophy 2nd Round

Wednesday 27th September 2017

Kick Off 19.45 Actual 19.53

Park View 1 Cockfosters 3,  attendance 36

11′ 0-1

26′ 0-2

70′ 1-2

78′ 1-3

@ New River Stadium

New River Sports Centre

White Hart Lane

Wood Green

N22 5QW

No Admission

£2 Programme, 16 pages, 1 blank.

This is yet another stadium that I have previously visited to watch rugby league. On 29th June 2003, I saw London Skolars 6 Workington Town 52, attendance 324, in National League 2. The only change of note since then is that the grass pitch is now a 3G surface, which was probably a good thing tonight as it poured with rain for most of the match, although Park View did have their first home midweek game this season postponed due to a waterlogged pitch, so perhaps not.

Park View have started well in their first season in the Spartan South Midlands League, Division 2, and are unbeaten, winning five of their first six matches, which sees them second in the table. Cockfosters are two divisions higher, so were always favourites to win this.

Another match that kicked off late for no apparent reason, other than the incompetence of the match officials to get started on time and the game didn’t finish until 21.43.