West Midlands (Regional) League

Division 1

Saturday 8th April 2017

Kick Off 15.00 Actual 15.02

Darlaston Town (1874) 2 St. Martins 0,  attendance 70

38′ 1-0

90′ + 4, 2-0

@ The Paycare Ground

Bentley Leisure Pavilion

Bentley Road North

WS2 0EA

£3 Admission

£1 Programme, 24 pages (3 were blank)

So, a second successive Saturday visiting a ground in the West Midlands (Regional) League Division 1, this time for a league fixture, which was seventh versus tenth in the table. It was the last home game of the season for Darlaston, although they do have three away matches left.

This must be one of the most expensive places to watch football at this level, being double the price paid at Old Wulfrunians last week, although buying a programme is not compulsory.

Another even match, played in the unusually warm April temperature of 22 degrees. Darlaston looked like winning it by the only goal of the game, having  missed a penalty a couple of minutes from the end, saved by the St. Martins number 9, who had replaced the injured ‘keeper with ten minutes remaining, but did get the second goal with the last kick of the match.

Mid Sussex League

Premier Division

Wednesday 5th April 2017

Kick Off 18.15 Actual 18.16

Copthorne 5 Forest Row 0,  attendance 36

6′ 1-0

52′ 2-0

71′ 3-0 (pen)

88′ 4-0

90′ 5-0

@ King George V Playing Field

Copthorne Bank

Copthorne

RH10 3JQ

No admission or programme.

Another mid table battle, as ninth hosted sixth in the league table. It was pretty even until the third goal went in and the two late strikes don’t really give a true reflection of the match.

Spartan South Midlands League

Division 2

Tuesday 4th April 2017

Kick Off 18.15 Actual 18.19

M.K. Gallacticos 3 Mursley United 2,  attendance 45

37′ 1-0

48′ 1-1

55′ 2-1

64′ 2-2

73′ 3-2

@ North Furzton Sports Ground

Lynmouth Crescent

Milton Keynes

MK4 1HD

No admission or programme.

Despite this game being 8th v 13th and nothing really riding on it, it turned out to be a really good match. The scoring was opened by Christopher Wreh, the former Arsenal and Liberia striker, according to many of the groundhoppers present. In fact, it wasn’t ‘him’, but his son of the same name !

The score line would have been greater had Gallacticos not missed a last minute penalty, blazed high over the bar, awarded after the Mursley ‘keeper had been red carded for a foul. I couldn’t tell whether it was the right decision or not as it was far too dark to see it properly as it was at the far end of the pitch from where I was stood. Despite only playing 2 x 40 minutes, it was still very dark at the final whistle at 19.51. Little point in playing shorter halves if the officials and both teams then go back to the changing rooms for the half time break.

Belgium

Hainaut Provincial 2A

Sunday 2nd April 2017

Kick Off 17.30, On Time.

R.U.S. Flobecquoise 1 A.C. Estaimbourg 2,  attendance 67

60′ 0-1

64′ 0-2

90′ 1-2

@ Stade Robert Delfairiere

8, Rue Lieutenant Cotton

7880 Flobecq

No Admission or Programme.

It was 16 miles east from Molenbaix to Flobecq, so we were parked up at the ground by 17.18. During my time living in Belgium, I had been here before, again it was to be the second part of a double, but having arrived to see the game was going ahead on the second pitch, due to the main pitch being totally unplayable, I had instead gone a few miles up the road to watch F.C. Ellezellois, where the game was played on a pitch far worse than the one at Flobecq !

No problems weather wise tonight, for a game that was bottom v mid table. In fact, Flobecq had only managed 4 points all season, but were always in with a chance in this one, although having scored their last minute goal, the Centre Forward was then red carded in stoppage time to signal yet another defeat.

Two things of note about tonight’s game. Firstly, it was very unusual for no admission to be charged and just as unexpected to be at a Belgian ground where hot food was available. Only burgers, but better than nothing, which would be the case at 99% of the other grounds in Belgium.

It was a trouble free drive back to Calais, with plenty of time to spare for our 2220 booking on the Tunnel back to Folkestone. Unfortunately, technical problems during loading meant an hour sat there, before being taken off the train and reloaded to a different one that would hopefully work. It did, but another train had broken down in the tunnel, so by the time that had been towed out of the way, we arrived back in England 3 hours later than we should have.

Belgium

Hainaut Provincial 2A

Sunday 2nd April 2017

Kick Off 15.00, On Time.

R.F.C. Molenbaix 5 A.S. Obigies 0,  attendance 95

8′ 1-0

48′ 2-0 (OG)

57′ 3-0

59′ 4-0

65′ 5-0 (pen)

@ 1, Rue du Chateau 

7760 Molenbaix

€5 Admission

No Programme.

So, this was to be the first game of a double header today. It was a nice easy 90 odd mile drive from the tunnel, for a game that was top of the table versus fourth bottom, the points being important at both ends of the league table.

An early goal for the hosts led to a pretty dull first half. They then had a player sent off in stoppage time at the end of the first half, bringing the game to life after the restart. It was hard to believe that it was the 10 men that were handing out the thrashing.

Just a couple of minutes stoppage time were played at the end of the match, so plenty of time to head off for our second game of the day, which was in the same division.

West Midlands (Regional) League

Division 1 League Cup

Quarter Final

Saturday 1st April 2017

Kick Off 15.00 Actual 14.59

Old Wulfrunians 1 Tipton Town 0,  attendance 39

90′ + 2, 1-0

@ Old Wulfrunians Memorial Ground

253a Castlecroft Road

Wolverhampton

WV3 8NA

£2 Admission, including Programme, 12 pages.

If ever there was a game that perfectly fits the description of ‘cancelling each other out’, then this was it. Even by league position it was 6th v 5th. I think everybody had resigned themselves that we were going into extra time, when a corner was headed in off the underside of the bar to finally break the deadlock with the last effort of the match.

Hampshire Premier League

Senior Division

Wednesday 29th March 2017

Kick Off 18.00 Actual 18.02

Colden Common 1 Bush Hill 2,  attendance 23

13′ 0-1

47′ 1-1

76′ 1-2

@ Colden Common Park

Boyes Lane

SO21 1TA

No admission or programme.

This is supposed to be a temporary ground for Colden Common, whilst the changing rooms at their Main Road ground are brought up to standard for the Hampshire Premier League.

Bush Hill arrived as league leaders, and after this win, require a maximum of 4 more points to take the title, if Fleetlands pick up maximum points from their remaining fixtures.

With the game kicking off a couple of minutes late, and quite a bit of cloud cover, the game was played as 2 x 40 minute halves. As it was all over by 19.30 it would probably have been possible to get the other 10 minutes in before it was too dark (photo below was taken at the final whistle) but much more sensible not to have risked it.

Gwent County League

Division 1

Tuesday 28th March 2017

Kick Off 18.00 Actual 17.56 !

Albion Rovers 5 Cwmbran Town 1,  attendance 30

10′ 1-0

43′ 1-1

64′ 2-1

78′ 3-1

80′ 4-1

86′ 5-1

@ Kimberley Park

Malpas Way

Newport

NP20 7BH

No admission or programme.

These two clubs have played at higher levels of the Welsh Pyramid than they currently ply their trade, the top division of the Gwent County League being the fifth level of football in Wales. I never got to visit Albion Rovers during their days in the Welsh League, whilst Cwmbran Town have played in the League of Wales, as it was known when it was formed, being the inaugural champions, thus going on to represent Wales in European Competition.

When I arrived at the ground at 17.35, I was surprised to see both teams on the pitch, although half a dozen home players were either forking the pitch, or sweeping standing water from the near goalmouth. This came as a complete surprise to me, as I had not encountered any rain en route.

The Referee had completed his inspection and said that as long as the water was cleared, then the game would go ahead on the proper pitch. If not, it would take place on a parallel pitch that had no facilities whatsoever, although they would need to get clearance from the Gwent County League Secretary to do this, as it is a league requirement that all pitches must be railed off. Ten minutes later, the nets were up and we were good to go…..on the proper pitch.

Albion were the better team throughout and were certainly not flattered by the result. If it wasn’t for a 12 point deduction, they would be well in the running for the league title and would be 4th in the table, three points behind the teams in 3rd and 2nd, with a game in hand on both and just a further 2 points adrift of leaders Malpas United, but with 4 games in hand ! Unfortunately, the points loss leaves them in ninth place.

Having kicked off some four minutes early, followed by a quick halftime turnaround, this was all over by 19.34, before it became too gloomy and an excellent start to the early evening kick offs where the clubs without floodlights are now able to schedule midweek games.

Hellenic League

Division 2 West

Saturday 25th March 2017

Kick Off 15.00  Actual 15.02

Bourton Rovers 2 Moreton Rangers 1,  attendance 124

25′ 0-1

47′ 1-1

83′ 2-1

@ Rissington Road

Bourton-on-the-Water

GL54 2EB

No admission or programme.

This was 3rd v 2nd at the start of play and a rare chance to do a league fixture involving two first teams, due to the Hellenic League being one of the worst leagues in the Step 5 to Step 7 bracket for being swamped with Reserve sides. A typical local derby, the visitors being from Moreton-in-Marsh, 8 miles up the road. It was a keenly fought contest, but looked like boiling over at times and the inevitable red card went the way of the visitors on 66 minutes.

What was totally laughable, was the official attendance for the game….251. As it is a two sided ground, the photos clearly show how exaggerated this figure was.

British Universities & Colleges Sport

South Eastern 2A

Wednesday 22nd March 2017

Kick Off 14.00 Actual 14.06

University Reading 3 St. Mary’s University 0,  attendance 17

31′ 1-0

67′ 2-0

87′ 3-0

@ University Reading Sports Park

Bulmershe Pavilion

Woodlands Avenue

RG6 1HY

No admission or programme.

With rain overnight and it forecast to continue for most of today, I gave up on the idea of heading north for Bilborough Town and settled for a guaranteed game, with the possibility of going to Hythe & Dibden in the evening. As it turned out, it was the correct decision, as both evening games were postponed. A phone call to Reading at 12 o’clock had confirmed that the game here was going ahead and even at the end of the game, the pitch looked just as good as it had at the start.

This division could still be won by three different teams, as going into this, the table stood at…….

St. Mary’s, Played 9, Pts 16……..Reading, Played 8, Pts 15…….Brunel, Played 9, Pts 15

This meant that St.Marys would have won the league with a win. The victory for Reading leaves them 3 Pts clear of Brunel, but with an inferior goal difference. The last game just happens to be Brunel v Reading, although Reading seemed of the opinion that they should receive a walkover win, as Brunel have failed to so far agree to a new date for this previously postponed fixture.