Professional Development League

Tuesday 17th October 2023

Kick Off 13.30 On Time!

Ipswich Town U21 4 Watford U21 1, attendance 65

39’ 1-0

59’ 2-0

70’ 2-1

76’ 3-1

87’ 4-1

@ Ipswich Town F.C. Training Ground

Bent Lane

Rushmere St. Andrew

IP4 5RG

No Admission

Team Sheet, free.

When I saw Ipswich Town U19 play Wimbledon U19 in a F.A. Premier Academy League match back in 2004, they played at Playford Road, which is now the first team training ground. The youth teams play on the opposite side of the road, accessed via Bent Lane. There is a decent sized car park, manned by stewards, with the entrance to the complex being via a gate in the corner. Spectators are held here until a few minutes before kick off. There are three pitches, today’s game being played on the main one, running parallel with Woodbridge Road and railed along most of the near side with a plastic barrier, a t.v. tower just beyond the halfway line being as far as you could go. The dugouts are opposite.

It took until six minutes before halftime for Ipswich to break the deadlock, clipping the ball over the ‘keeper when played through. Goal number two came just before the hour, through a 20 yarder into the bottom corner. A close range header saw Watford pull it back to 2-1 with twenty minutes left, but Ipswich hit back with a header of their own to make it 3-1, before adding number four with three minutes left, finishing into the bottom corner after being played through on the right. Ipswich had a man sent off in stoppage time for a foul on a striker through on goal, but too late to make any difference to the final score.

Surprisingly clear run in both directions. Minimal traffic at Dartford Crossing and only a couple of minutes lost through the roadworks on the A12 on the return journey.

Central Midlands Alliance League

Premier Division South

Saturday 14th October 2023

Kick Off 15.00 Actual 14.59

A.F.C. Normanton 0 Bakewell Town 2, attendance 85

76’ 0-1

90’ + 5, 0-2

@ The Boundary Recreation Ground

Lea Bank

Broadmeadows

DE55 3LH

£2 Admission

£2 Programme, 12 pages.

My morning game had finished shortly before 12.15, so I had plenty of time to make it to an afternoon match. The game here at A.F.C. Normanton was my first choice, but I noticed on Twitter that someone had questioned how the 10.30 pitch inspection had gone. Apparently they had mentioned on their Facebook page about the inspection. They hadn’t bothered to reply to the original question, nor to my tweet asking the same, but as I’d got to drive within a mile or so of the ground to go home, then I headed there anyway, just to see if anything would be happening. I was here before one o’clock and was surprised that they were already set up with a table at the entrance, where admission was being taken and match day programmes were available. Even the tea bar was ready, doing hot dogs, burgers, chips and the usual tea/coffee, sweets and crisps. Although the walk around the recently railed pitch was very wet in places, the pitch itself looked very good. Thankfully, there was just a brief rain shower during the opening few minutes and another one during the last ten minutes, which also produced a double rainbow overhead.

The match was 6th versus 8th in the league table and produced a decent contest, between two very evenly matched sides. There were very few clear cut chances and I’d resigned myself to getting my second 0-0 in a matter of days, but somehow Bakewell managed to nick it with two late goals. The opener came fourteen minutes from time, when a long ball forward found a striker with his back to goal. He controlled it and hit a shot on the turn into the bottom corner from just outside the 18 yard box. They nearly added a second in the last minute, but hit the post with that effort, then in stoppage time one of their defenders cleared off the line, with his ‘keeper well beaten and they immediately broke away down the right and played the ball inside for a cool finish to wrap up the points.

Sheffield & District Fair Play League

Division 1

Saturday 14th October 2023

Kick Off 10.30

Treeton Terriers 6 Hammer & Pincers 1, attendance 15

4’ 1-0, 17’ 2-0, 41’ 3-0

46’ 3-1, 70’ 4-1, 83’ 5-1, 90’ 6-1

@ Treeton Cricket & Football Club

Washfield Lane

Treeton

S60 5PU

No Admission or Programme.

Having stayed overnight near Rotherham, this morning was the perfect opportunity to take in my first game in the Sheffield & District Fair Play League, which is a Saturday morning league where games kick off at 10.30, so plenty of time to head off for a second game afterwards and where better place to start than at league leaders Treeton Terriers, who were hosting fourth in the table Hammer & Pincers.

The standard was far higher than I’d been expecting, helped perhaps by it being two of the better teams involved and is certainly something I would watch in future. It only took Treeton four minutes to go in front and they had doubled their lead after just seventeen minutes. The visitors went close when an initial shot hit the post, before the follow up rebounded off the crossbar, but it was Treeton who got the all important next goal just before halftime, clipping the ball over the ‘keeper after being played through on goal.

Hammer & Pincers pulled a goal back within seconds of the restart through a long range diagonal shot that sailed over the ‘keeper into the far corner. A far post header ended any hopes of a comeback though, as Treeton made it 4-1 with twenty minutes left. Goal number five, which looked offside, came with seven minutes left and saw the visitors have a man sin binned for the remainder of the game after arguing the decision and Treeton made it 6-1 with what turned out to be the final kick of the match.

The ground is shared with the cricket club, which houses the changing rooms. The football pitch is to the left when looking from the building, just beyond the cricket pavilion in the near left corner. There are a pair of dugouts on the far side, with the left hand goal backing onto grass banking, whilst the other end is tree line. The pitch was in good condition and sloped down towards the right hand goal.

Central Midlands Alliance League

Premier Division North

Friday 13th October 2023

Kick Off 19.45 Actual 19.46

Dearne & District 5 Elite 0, attendance 376

8’ 1-0

10’ 2-0

45’ + 2, 3-0

47’ 4-0

59’ 5-0

@ Welfare Community Stadium

Goldthorpe Green (B6098)

Goldthorpe

S63 9EH

£3 Admission

£1 Programme, 12 pages.

I had only visited Dearne & District back in February, when they had beaten Dinnington Town 3-0 (att.115), in a game that was also played in Goldthorpe, but at their former ground in Kingsmark Way. They have since moved a couple of miles away and are developing a nice ground adjacent to Dearne Cricket Club. It is still a work in progress. There is a small section of cover. Hard standing is already laid along the entrance side and cleared ready for laying the concrete behind the right hand goal end too. More importantly though, is the fact that they have been able to erect floodlights here. They now have a ground with the potential to progress up the pyramid, although the changing rooms being 50 yards outside the ground may be a problem? Despite the recent rain, the pitch was in superb condition. I’d called in at lunchtime to check things out and the pitch was being readied then! At least I could check-in at a hotel safe in the knowledge that the game would go ahead.

Not only is the ground one that could soon be hosting Step 6 football, but the team certainly look good enough for the step up. They had finished runners-up to Retford United last season, but there looks to be no stopping them this time round. They had a 100% win rate coming into this, sitting top of the table, having won all eleven games, amassing a +41 goal difference in the process. Elite were fifth.

The reverse fixture has already been played. Dearne had won that 4-2 and they were out of the blocks quickly tonight, going two up after just ten minutes. Elite did settle into it and created a few chances of their own. Dearne didn’t add their third goal until stoppage time at the end of the half, when a cross from the right was finished with a looping header over the ‘keeper. Any chance of a comeback for Elite soon disappeared, as Dearne made it 4-0 two minutes after the restart and goal number five came on the hour, coolly lobbing the ‘keeper after latching on to a through ball.

Anyone planning a visit here would do well to ignore the information on the more than useless F.A. Full Time website for this league. It shows all previous Dearne home games this season, including this one on the updated results page, as having been played at the old ground!

Wearside League

Premier Division

Thursday 12th October 2023

Kick Off 19.00 Actual 19.03

Hartlepool Pools Youth 2 Richmond Town 2, attendance 77

15’ 0-1

35’ 0-2

59’ 1-2

81’ 2-2

@ High Tunstall College of Science, 3G Pitch

Elwick Road

West Park

Hartlepool

TS26 0LQ

£3 Admission

No Programme.

Tonight’s game was 5th versus 11th in the league table. It was the visitors who broke the deadlock after fifteen minutes, when a ball in from the left was controlled and finished with a shot on the turn that found the bottom corner. Pools should have levelled when the Richmond ‘keeper somehow pulled off a double save, before the third shot came back off the crossbar, but within minutes Richmond doubled their lead ten minutes before halftime, when another cross in from the left was finished with a first time shot, again finding the bottom corner. Pools pulled a goal back just before the hour mark and grabbed an equaliser with nine minutes left, when a cross from the right was put in at the far post. Richmond were certainly the better side first half, but Pools edged the second and a draw was a fair outcome in the end.

Typical cage set up. Spectator viewing along three quarters of one side and a pair of dugouts opposite. Admission (cash or card) was taken at the entrance gate, in the far right hand corner when looking from the car park. A table was set up selling refreshments as well.
Just Seaton Carew and South Moor A.F.C. left to visit now in this division. Having once again stayed overnight, it was little more than twenty minutes drive for this one from my base in Stockton-on-Tees. Heading back southwards tomorrow.

Northern League

Division 1

Wednesday 11th October 2023

Kick Off 19.45 Actual 19.46

Boro Rangers 0 Heaton Stannington 0, attendance 222

@ Phoenix Park

Trinity Catholic College

Lacy Road

Middlesbrough

TS4 3JW

£7 Admission

No Programme.

At least with tonight’s game being on a 3G pitch I had no worries about the game going ahead. Providing it didn’t snow! Tonight was the first midweek game played under the floodlights here and only the second match since Boro Rangers moved in here at the end of last month. Tonight’s official crowd was only 39 fewer than for the ground opener, with ‘hopper numbers into double figures. Although the ground is in a cage, it does have spectator access along one side and behind each end from the corner to the far side of the 18 yard box. The dugouts are on the inaccessible far side. There are two seated kit stands, both with 50 seats, bookending a section of seven steps of terracing. Viewing from the seats looked awful though, as they are set back from the touchline and people standing along the rail would give very poor sight lines of the game. Another case of ticking boxes, but not really fit for purpose! Catering and toilets (just one cubicle each for men/women) are outside the cage, but inside the pay gate. If you wanted anything during the match you’d be out of view of the pitch, not that that worries some people! The changing rooms are in a building behind the far goal end, about 20-30 yards beyond the fencing. You certainly don’t get the feeling of being at a Step 5 game.

Boro Rangers are newly promoted, having won Division 1 last season and came into this sitting in 11th place in the league table, whilst visitors Heaton Stannington were 5th. The two were very evenly matched and it came as little surprise that it failed to produce a goal, although it wasn’t as bad as you’d expect from a 0-0. The visitors did have a first half effort ruled out for offside, after a shot had redounded off the post and Boro had a looping shot come back off the crossbar early in the second half, but there were no real clear cut chances at either end.

So, after the farce of last night, that just leaves me with Washington to complete this league now……good luck will certainly be required to get a game in there! As I said yesterday, they might be one I just can’t be bothered with!

Northern League

Division 2

Tuesday 10th October 2023

Kick Off 19.45

Match Postponed at 19.00

Washington P Prudhoe Youth Club P

@ Northern Area Playing Fields

off Stephenson Road

Washington

NE37 3HR

No Admission or Programme.

Well, what a waste of an evening this was! Not to mention the near six hour drive and petrol and hotel costs. I knew that Washington had their home game called off on Saturday, due to a waterlogged pitch, so tweeted the club last night regarding whether there were likely to be any problems tonight pitch wise. Typically, the message wasn’t answered and when they re-tweeted about the match again this afternoon, I (wrongly) assumed all must be okay? No mention whatsoever about the pitch, but why would there be. It was between 22.5 and 23.5 degrees driving up and sunny, with a nice light wind too. And no rain whatsoever!!! Anyway, I arrived at the ground about 18.30 and saw the car park start to fill up. The floodlights were on and the pitch was freshly marked and nets and corner flags were up. Unfortunately, the Referee decided that the pitch was unplayable. It was an area a yard or two square, in one penalty area, apparently, so it was off! Quite how a pitch can be deemed waterlogged on a day like today is baffling. It’s not as if we’re talking about ‘parks football’ here. Now, if it had actually rained, then that’s a different matter……

This should have been my penultimate ground in the Northern League, but one that I’ll probably never bother doing now, as I could never trust that the game would actually take place…..I remember the days when this was a ‘proper’ league! I could do it on a Saturday of course, when there would be numerous alternatives, but as the ground is floodlit, it seems such a waste. Even back up games are no use if the call off comes too late, of course. Had this been called off earlier this afternoon, I’d have done a re-visit at Harrogate Town instead. I hadn’t been there since May 1991 (Ground No.349 at the time) when they drew 1-1 versus Farsley Celtic in a Northern Premier League Division 1 match. They’ve had quite a rise since then. They’re now in the Football League and the ground must have improved a bit too.

It will come as little surprise that the game here at Washington was the only game off tonight in league and cup matches involving Northern League teams. Just to rub it in a bit more, it finished 3-5 at Harrogate!

F.A. Sunday Cup

1st Round

Sunday 8th October 2023

Kick Off 14.00 Actual 13.59

Community Football Academy 11 Thurmaston Design & Print Company 0, attendance 54

17’ 1-0, 19’ 2-0, 21’ 3-0, 34’ 4-0, 38’ 5-0,

52’ 6-0, 72’ 7-0, 78’ 8-0, 85’ 9-0, 87’ 10-0, 90’ 11-0

@ Beauchamp College, 3G Pitch

Ridge Way

Oadby

LE2 5TP

£3 Admission

No Programme.

This was an all Leicestershire tie, with Leicester Alliance Sunday League hosting Leicester & Charnwood Sunday League, played at Beauchamp College in Oadby. It is a typical cage set up, with spectator viewing along three quarters of one side, although part of this is through high mesh fencing, so probably just short of half the pitch should really be counted as viewing area. There are a pair of dugouts on the far side and the normal multi coloured /multi sport pitch markings. Although there was a dividing wire across the centre of the pitch beforehand, it was unhooked before kick off.

It was a reasonable contest for the first twenty minutes or so, but once CFA opened up a three goal lead, which was increased to 5-0 by halftime, it was just a case of how many more goals they’d rack up in the second half. As it was, it was just the six. Thurmaston just gave up in the last ten minutes and a double figure score became inevitable. Goal number ten duly arrived with three minutes left and they added another one dead on ninety minutes, with the Referee immediately blowing the full time whistle.

Above : Goal number four on it’s way into the bottom corner.

Essex F.A. Premier Cup

1st Round

Saturday 7th October 2023

Kick Off 14.00 Actual 14.03

Old Chelmsfordians 2 Colne Athletic 2 (8-9 pens) attendance 19

4’ 0-1

28’ 0-2

69’ 1-2

75’ 2-2 (pen)

@ Memorial Sports Field

Old Chelmsfordians Association

Lawford Lane

off Roxwell Road

Writtle

CM1 2NS

No Admission or Programme.

The drive from Ilford to Writtle, to the west of Chelmsford, saw me arrive an hour before kick off, with the SatNav taking me on a route that avoided the A12 in its entirety, mostly on ‘B’ roads. The sports ground and car park were very busy as Old Chelmsfordians ‘A’ team were also at home today in a Mid-Essex League game. There are two pitches here, both running widthways. The nearest one to the clubhouse/car park was hosting the ‘A’ team game, whilst the furthest one, beyond the cricket square, was where the first team were playing. The far side was roped off and was also home to a 50 seat stand.

The match was a Step 7 clash, with 5th in Essex Olympian League Premier Division (W4 D2 L2) hosting 1st in Essex & Suffolk Border League Premier Division (W10 D0 L1). Colne Athletic only took four minutes to open the scoring, when a ball in from the left wasn’t fully cleared and was finished with a low shot into the far bottom corner of the net. They doubled their lead with a shot that curled over the ‘keeper from the angle of the 18 yard box into the far corner. Their job looked to be made easier when Chelmsfordians had a player sin binned two minutes later and they were then down to nine men when their ‘keeper was also sin binned seven minutes after that. Their club linesman was also sent off following the second incident, but they managed to survive with their goal intact during this time.

With twenty one minutes left they pulled a goal back, walking the ball into an empty net, after their striker won a race with the Colne ‘keeper to a ball over the top. Four minutes later they were level, netting from the penalty spot, where Colne had a man sin binned for arguing over the decision. Both teams had a chance to win it. Chelmsfordians saw a header come back off the crossbar and Colne saw the home ‘keeper pull off a point blank save right on ninety minutes. It was straight to penalties. The first 16 were scored, before Chelmsfordians saw their next one saved. Colne then won it with their next kick. As with my game on Wednesday night, the F.A Full Time website shows the incorrect score of the shootout. According to them it was 9-10.