National Association Intercollegiate Athletics

Sunday 25th September 2016

Kick off 16.00

Dallas Christian College Crusaders v Southwestern Adventist University Knights,  MATCH POSTPONED

@ 2700, Christian Parkway

Farmers Branch, TX 75234.

There was no way of checking this one on the day, so I can only assume that the very brief rain shower at 9am was the reason for it being called off. Their website just says cancelled due to weather.

National Collegiate Athletic Association Division II

Heartland Conference

Saturday 24th September 2016

Kick off 13.00 Actual 13.03

St. Edwards University Hilltoppers 4 University Texas-Permian Basin Falcons 1,  attendance 188

@ Lewis-Chen Family Field

3001, South Congress Avenue

Austin, TX 78704

No admission or programme.

St. Edwards were far too strong, maintaining their 100% start with their eighth win of the season.

National Collegiate Athletic Association Division III

Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference

Friday 23rd September 2016

Kick off 15.00 Actual 15.01

University Dallas Crusaders 2 Southwestern University Pirates 3 (OT),  attendance 202

2′ 1-0

45′ 1-1

73′ 1-2

87′ 2-2

93′ 2-3

@ Crusaders Field

1845, East Northgate Drive

Irving, TX 75062

No Admission

Team Sheet, free, double sided.

Well, as they say, just like London busses…..second consecutive game going into overtime. Letting in such a late equaliser didn’t affect Pirates too much as they scored with the first attempt on goal in overtime.

National Collegiate Athletic Association Division III

American Southwest Conference

Thursday 22nd September 2016

Kick off 19.30 Actual 19.40

University Texas Dallas Comets 2 Concordia University Texas Tornados 1 (OT),  attendance 293

6′ 1-0

41′ 1-1

92′ 2-1

@ UTD Soccer Field

800, West Campbell Road

Richardson, TX 75080

$5 Admission

Team Sheet, free, double sided.

This was my first University match scheduled as a double header with the Women’s match, which started at 17.30. I arrived at 19.10, just as the first game finished, so no reason for our match to start 10 minutes late, other than the incompetence of the match officials. It was also the first time I have encountered the fact that America doesn’t do draws. In the college system, games that are level (I won’t say tie, as that is something worn with a shirt) then go into ‘overtime’ (surely this is something done at work to earn a little extra cash). This consists of a possible two more periods of 10 minutes, unless someone scores at any stage, which is game over, much the same as the ‘golden goal’ method. Only had to wait 90 seconds for a winner, but at least there was only about 5 minutes faffing about before we got restarted at the end of normal time.

United Soccer League

Western Conference

Wednesday 21st September 2016

Kick off 19.30 Actual 19.33

Tulsa Roughnecks F.C. 1 Swope Park Rangers 3,  attendance 2,449

5′ 0-1

9′ 0-2

19′ 1-2 (pen)

27′ 1-3

@ ONEOK Field

201, North Elgin Avenue

Tulsa, OK 74120

$10 Admission

Programme free, 20 pages.

So, I finally got to see a Tulsa Roughnecks home game. This was the rearranged date for the ridiculously postponed match that I had a wasted 500 mile trip for back on 6th August. I had already missed two more opportunities of coming here since the farce of that game, as they hosted Rio Grande Valley F.C. Toros on Thursday 18th August and then Oklahoma City Energy F.C. two days later. Both times I made a phone call to the club, but on each occasion there was a recorded message stating that a decision on whether the match was going ahead, which both did, would be made nearer kick off time. No help whatsoever to me, or even any visiting fans, if there were indeed any likely to travel. Even today I had to risk it being on. I had once again phoned the club, this time miraculously having my call answered. I was told by the girl that the game was in no doubt of going ahead as ” it’s a lovely sunny day and 90 degrees”. Somehow I just didn’t trust this as it was cooler than the day they called the game off for waterlogging, so I set off more in hope than expectation.

The current Roughnecks are not the same club that played in the North American Soccer League from 1978 until the league folded in 1984. The new franchise were formed in 2014, adopting the name Roughnecks in homage to the original club. They play at ONEOK Field, a 7,833 capacity stadium, opened in 2010, which is home to theTulsa Drillers Minor League Baseball team.

Roughnecks are currently bottom of the league and on this showing it is hard to imagine how they could be anything but. They were an absolute shambles and SPR just did what they had to, gaining an easy three points in their quest to make the end of season play offs. This has to be one of the most laughable official attendances. I would have said there were less than 400 here, as photos of the stands clearly show.

National Association Intercollegiate Athletics

Monday 22nd August 2016

Kick off 11.00 Actual 11.04

Southwestern Assemblies of God University Lions 2 Paul Quinn College Tigers 1,  attendance 27

30′ 0-1

55′ 1-1 (pen)

75′ 2-1 (pen)

@ S.A.G.U. Soccer Field

1200, Sycamore Street

Waxahachie, TX 75165

No admission or programme.

I had confirmed this match was indeed an 11am kick off when I spoke to the S.A.G.U. coach on Saturday evening. I was also concerned about access to the match during a weekday, with the pitch being on the campus, especially with possible parking problems this may have caused, but no problems whatsoever.

The only concern, as it turned out, was the weather. With 5 minutes left there was a flash of lightening, which signalled everyone heading for the changing rooms. Once the storm had moved on the players returned to complete the game.

Friendly Match

Saturday 20th August 2016

Kick off 18.00 Actual 17.55

Southwestern Assemblies of God University Lions 0 Coastal Bend College Cougars 3,  attendance 89

7′ 0-1

18′ 0-2

78′ 0-3

@ Life High School Stadium

170, Butcher Road

Waxahachie, TX 75165

No admission or programme.

I was lucky to pick up this fixture when reading their website to check out their home match on Monday. Pretty much one way traffic once the early goal went in and played at a good pace throughout.

United Soccer League

Western Conference

Saturday 6th August 2016

Kick off 19.30

Tulsa Roughnecks F.C. v Swope Park Rangers,  MATCH POSTPONED.

@ ONEOK Field

201, North Elgin Avenue

Tulsa, OK 74120

Left Dallas at 8am on a nice clear morning, arriving in Tulsa at noon, under blue skies and a very hot 94 degrees. Having spent the day doing the touristy things it was time to head for match. Parked near the stadium at around 6.45pm and joined other groups heading for the game. Was absolutely amazed when someone coming away from the stadium said the game had been postponed. Well, the weather had dramatically altered by now……..it was only 91 degrees ! Apparently, the game was off due to waterlogging, caused by heavy rain in Tulsa on Friday. There had been no mention whatsoever on their website concerning this and let’s face it, just how wet could a pitch be having been baked all day long by the sun in temperatures of 90 degrees plus ? Obviously this is a club who are bottom of the table in both league position and the way they treat potential customers. Still, at least it was only a 500 mile round trip.

International Champions Cup

Wednesday 3rd August 2016

Kick off 20.00 Actual 20.33

A.C. Milan 1 Chelsea F.C. 3,  attendance 64,101

24′ 0-1 B. Traore

38′ 1-1 G. Bonaventura

70′ 1-2 Oscar (pen)

87′ 1-3 Oscar

@ U.S. Bank Stadium

401, Chicago Avenue

Minneapolis, MN 55415

Admission $42 + $16.07 fees, Print at home ticket.

No programme.

The U.S. Bank stadium is brand new and tonight’s match was the first ever sporting match to be played here. Perhaps this explained the late start, a ridiculous 33 minutes behind schedule, although no announcement was made regarding this. It is a fixed-roof stadium, located in Downtown East and is on the site of the former Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome. It is home to the Minnesota Vikings of the N.F.L. and is designed on the outside to resemble a Viking ship. Capacity here is 66,200, expandable to 70,000, for future events, such as the Super Bowl in 2018.

I had flown direct from St. Louis into Minneapolis, rather than nipping home to Dallas for a night, having arrived early Tuesday evening. Again, I used a hotel near the airport,  as it guaranteed public transport would be readily available. The airport is served by the Blue Line of the METRO rail system, which is on the same line as the U.S. Bank Stadium, (using the same name for the station) just 10 stops away. Fares are $1.75 each way and having a ticket pre purchased for the return journey meant I was on the second train back towards the airport pretty quickly after the game.

I have totally lost touch with Italian football. I used to keep an eye on Milans results as they were the first Italian club I visited, but of today’s players it was just the Japanese player Keisuke Honda that I recognised and he only played the last 23 minutes. Chelsea, as would be expected, were very familiar. Just Olaoluwa Aina that was unknown to me.

Flight back to Dallas would be early tomorrow morning.