St. Piran League

Division 2 West

Saturday 26th August 2023

Kick Off 15.00 Actual 15.03

Chacewater 1 Stithians 4, attendance 36

28’ 0-1

41’ 0-2

47’ 1-2

66’ 1-3

69’ 1-4

@ Chacewater Recreation Ground

Falmouth Road

Chacewater

TR4 8LP

No Admission or Programme.

After an overnight stop in Devon, it was an hour and a half drive into Cornwall, to the village of Chacewater, around five miles to the west of the county town of Truro.

Chacewater came into this having lost their opening two games by an aggregate score of 1-10, whilst Stithians were playing their first game of the season. The visitors opened the scoring when a break down the right was finished with a side foot finish and just before halftime they doubled their lead with a free kick that went over the wall into the top corner. Chacewater pulled it back to 1-2 within two minutes of the restart, but were unable to add to their tally. Midway through the half Stithians made it 1-3, when a punt into the box totally deceived the ‘keeper, sailing over his head into the far corner and they wrapped it up three minutes later, when a free kick from out on the left was cleverly diverted into the far corner with a flicked header by a striker with his back to goal. One rather odd thing came to light pre match, where it became apparent the away ‘keeper wasn’t allowed to wear his green shirt, as it would clash with the home green and black stripes. So instead he wore a burgundy one….which was exactly the same colour as his own team. Even more strangely, the away team subs had to wear hi-visibility bibs!

Chacewater Recreation Ground is in the centre of the village. There is no vehicle access, but free parking is available less than a hundred yards away, where there are also toilets. The small changing room pavilion at the ground also provides a bit of cover as well as being home to the tea bar. Viewing is on three sides of the pitch only, raised around most of it as it is partly dug into the side of a hill.

An odd feature within the ground….a carved tree stump.

Devon & Exeter League

Division 1

Friday 25th August 2023

Kick Off 18.30 Actual 18.32

Bow Amateur Athletic Club 1 Hatherleigh Town 3, attendance 43

18’ 0-1

31’ 1-1

59’ 1-2

66’ 1-3

@ Burston Meadows

Burston Lane

Bow

EX17 6LA

No Admission or Programme.

After suffering a gruelling six hour slog in pre-Bank Holiday traffic down to Devon (90 minutes just to reach the M3, which is only 25 minutes normally) it was time to do the opening game in Division 1 (the second tier) of the Devon & Exeter League. It was a bit of a worry to see the heavens open just minutes after pulling into the car park at the ground and it absolutely hammered it down. Luckily, the pitch was in good condition, as it should be at this time of year and being up on a hill, was a good drainer too. By kick off it had stopped and the remainder of the evening was dry, but wasn’t very warm.

Hatherleigh had a goal disallowed for offside after fifteen minutes, but it only took them another three minutes to break the deadlock, shooting into the far corner from the angle of the 18 yard box following a quickly taken corner. A through ball was finished at the near post to see Bow draw level just after the half hour mark and just before halftime it was their turn to have a goal ruled out for offside, so we went in level 1-1 at the break. Hatherleigh had a man sin binned nine minutes into the second half, but still managed to regain the lead and added a third goal soon after his return to make it 1-3 and it was game over. Bow did have a chance to reduce the arrears in the last minute, but they had a penalty saved by the ‘keeper.

The ground is good for this level. It is railed along the far side, which is full of advert boards and roped on half of the near side, where there’s also a couple of dugouts. Both ends are bordered with high mesh fencing. There was even a cup of tea available, served from a hatch in the changing room building.

Gloucestershire Northern Senior League

Division 2

Wednesday 23rd August 2023

Kick Off 18.30 Actual 18.31

Rodborough Old Boys 1 Staunton & Coarse 1, attendance 55

28’ 0-1

89’ 1-1

@ Archway School Sports Ground

Maypole Terrace

Paganhill

Stroud

GL5 4AU

No Admission or Programme.

Tonight’s match saw the completion of Division 2 of this league, with a visit to league newcomers Rodborough Old Boys, promoted from the Stroud & District League Division 1 as champions. They’ve had a decent start, winning two of their opening three games, whilst Staunton & Coarse opened up with a draw from their only match played so far.

There wasn’t much to choose between the two sides. Staunton & Coarse opened the scoring with a 25 yard free kick that the ‘keeper got a hand to, but couldn’t keep out. Rodborough missed a great chance to level it up with the last kick of the first half, but somehow managed to put the ball over the crossbar when unmarked at the far post. Rodborough pushed hard for an equaliser, dominating the second half, finally drawing level a minute from the end of normal time, catching the ‘keeper off his line with a long range effort and despite seven minutes of stoppage time, played mostly at one end of the pitch, the visitors held out for a point.

Home to Rodborough is Archway School. Plenty of parking, but nothing else facility wise. The pitch is to the left when entering from the car park off Maypole Terrace.

Northamptonshire Combination League

Premier Division

Tuesday 22nd August 2023

Kick Off 18.15 Actual 18.20

Kettering Nomads 4 Wollaston Victoria 3, attendance 39

31’ 0-1

35’ 0-2

52’ 1-2 (pen)

61’ 1-3

73’ 2-3

87’ 3-3

90’ + 3, 4-3

@ The John Lowther Football Centre

off Rushton Road

Glendon

NN14 1QF

No Admission or Programme

Tonight’s game was to see the defending champions host last season’s seventh placed finishers. Kettering Nomads had opened the season with a 2-1 win at Finedon Volta, whilst Wollaston Victoria were beaten 4-2 by Woodford United.

It was an excellent game from start to finish. Wollaston deservedly led 0-2 at the break, despite having a man sin binned late in the half. An early second half penalty, whilst the visitors were still a man short, saw it pulled back to 1-2, but Wollaston soon regained their two goal lead, smashing one into the bottom corner with a first time shot. Nomads headed in at the far post to make it 2-3 with seventeen minutes left and it looked odds on that they would get at least a point as they were now well on top. The equaliser came three minutes from the end, when a speculative shot appeared to deceive the ‘keeper and find the far corner and the inevitable winning goal arrived three minutes into stoppage time, when a cross from the right was met with a looping header that went high over the ‘keeper into the far corner.

According to the league’s F.A. Full Time website, this was, and still is, being shown as played at Islam Cricket Club, but was in fact at The John Lowther Football Centre (confirmed by the home club on Twitter) on an industrial park in Grendon, off the A43 just to the north of Kettering. It is a two pitch venue, both grass, running end to end. The one with the dugouts, nearest to the changing rooms, hosting tonight’s game. Looking at the pitch side sign and the badges on the corner flags, it appears to be something to do with Kettering F.C.

The usual traffic nonsense outbound, diverting off the M25 at J20, via Hemel Hempstead, before joining the M1 at J9, but a trouble free return journey, beating all the roadworks, arriving home dead on 10 pm.

Perry Street & District League

Chard Hospital Cup Semi-Final

Monday 21st August 2023

Kick Off 18.15 On Time!

Chard United 0 Forton Rangers 1, attendance 80

80’ + 2, 0-1

@ Jocelyn Park, Pitch 1

Millfield

Chard

TA20 2DA

No Admission or Programme.

The Chard Hospital Cup is open to teams in the the premier division of the Perry Street & District League, played as a curtain raiser to the league matches beginning, with the final played at the ground of Somerset County League club Chard Town. Matches are played as 2 x 40 minutes, with drawn games going straight to penalties.

This never looked like producing a goal and chances were at a premium, although the cup holders Forton did have a goal disallowed for offside late in the first half. Chard should have gone ahead in the second half, but they somehow headed over from a couple of yards out, with the goal gaping. A late sin bin saw Forton go down to ten men for the remainder of the game and it looked to be heading to penalties, but a couple of minutes into stoppage time the visitors nicked it, when a corner on the left was initially blocked, before being crossed back in and scrambled in at the far post.

Chard United play at Jocelyn Park. There are two pitches here, separated by buildings and trees. Tonight’s game was on Pitch 1, which is to the left hand side when entering from the car park.

Anglian Combination League

Division 1

Saturday 19th August 2023

Kick Off 14.30 Actual 14.33

Thetford Rovers 4 Wells Town 3, attendance 46

20’ 0-1

26’ 1-1 (pen)

36’ 2-1

46’ 2-2

62’ 3-2

77’ 4-2

80’ 4-3

@ Euston Playing Fields

The Street (A1088)

Euston

IP24 2QQ

No Admission or Programme.

Although Thetford is in Norfolk, Thetford Rovers actually play in the village of Euston, across the border in Suffolk, in the grounds of Euston Hall, home to The Dukes of Grafton. The pitch has a wooden barrier with a number of advert boards on the far side, whilst all the facilities are on the near side….changing rooms, toilets, tea bar, dugouts and even a small bit of cover, thankfully only needed today to shelter from the sun, rather than rain.

Thetford had started the season with a win and a loss from their opening two games, whilst Wells had drawn their only game played so far. It was a game that could have gone either way. The visitors had opened the scoring, but an equaliser from the penalty spot, and a tap in at the far post, saw Thetford turn it round to lead 2-1 at halftime. Wells made it 2-2 within seconds of the restart. There were chances at both ends as neither side were settling for a point. A diving header at the far post saw Thetford edge back in front just after the hour mark and the game looked to be made safe when they added a fourth goal thirteen minutes from time, walking the ball into an empty net after the ‘keeper had raced from goal, but scuffed his attempted clearance, leaving the striker an easy finish. Wells headed in from a corner, pulling it back to 4-3 with ten minutes left, but Thetford managed to hold on for the win.

Essex & Suffolk Border League

Premier Division

Wednesday 16th August 2023

Kick Off 18.30 Actual 18.34

Brightlingsea Town 3 Tiptree Heath 1, attendance 66

26’ 1-0

41’ 2-0

70’ 2-1

90’ + 2, 3-1

@ Strangers Corner Sports Complex

Church Road

Brightlingsea

CO7 0QT

No Admission or Programme.

Brightlingsea are newly promoted, having finished second in Division 1 last season, whilst Tiptree Heath had finished second in the Premier Division. Both teams had opened with a win, so it was a chance to go top of the table, albeit early days, if either could take the three points again tonight.

Brightlingsea opened the scoring when a long ball over the top was lobbed over the ‘keeper and they doubled their lead four minutes before halftime finishing at the second attempt after the initial shot hit the crossbar and was only partially cleared. Tiptree pulled it back to 2-1 midway through the second half, finishing at the near post from a ball hooked back across the six yard box. Brightlingsea finally made the game safe in stoppage time, chasing down a long ball over the top and getting the run off the ball from a challenge on the ‘keepers attempted clearance. Tiptree then had a man red carded for dissent, but not enough time left to make any difference to the score.

Strangers Corner is a desolate place, down a small track to the right as you enter Brightlingsea on the B1029. Despite having cricket, rugby and football pitches here, there is no parking, but the nearby streets have no restrictions. There is a changing room building just inside the entrance and the pitch was as far away on the far side as it could be (a good 250-300 yards). It was roped along the near side and had a pair of dugouts on the far side.

Wiltshire Senior League

Premier Division

Tuesday 15th August 2023

Kick Off 18.15 Actual 18.13

Blunsdon 1 Kingsdown 1, attendance 41

48’ 0-1

81’ 1-1

@ Blunsdon Recreation Ground

Sutton Park

Broad Blunsdon

SN26 7BB

No Admission or Programme.

I decided to complete the top division of this league with a game between two sides who’d won their opening league games. Blunsdon had finished fifth last season, whilst Kingsdown Lions (they’ve now dropped the ‘Lions’) are newly promoted, having finished second in Division 1. The ground is shared with cricket, but with no pitch overlap. The pitch is only accessible to spectators on one side and behind the goal end backing on to the changing rooms and tightly hemmed in by trees and fencing on the other two.

It was a decent game, keenly fought, but produced very few goal scoring opportunities. It was a relief to see Kingsdown break the deadlock three minutes into the second half, as it looked odds on to finish scoreless up until this point. Blunsdon deservedly levelled it up with nine minutes left, finishing off a free kick that was played square across the box with an unstoppable shot into the bottom corner that gave the ‘keeper no chance.

It was a pleasant surprise to not have a single traffic problem in either direction. Not too many times that can be said!

Anglian Combination League

Premier Division

Monday 14th August 2023

Kick Off 18.30 On Time!

Norwich C.E.Y.M.S. 1 Gorleston Reserves 1, attendance 48

12’ 1-0

81’ 1-1

@ Hilltops Sports Ground (Training Pitch)

Main Road (B1113)

Swardeston

NR14 8DS

No Admission or Programme.

C.E.Y.M.S. had finished fourth in the league table last season, whilst Gorleston Reserves are newly promoted, having finished as Division 1 runners up. It turned out to be a really decent game, that could have gone either way. C.E.Y.M.S. took an early lead when a break down the right was pulled back for a side footed finish. Gorleston levelled nine minutes from time, when following a blocked shot on the edge of the box, the striker switched from left to right foot before hammering his shot past the ‘keeper into the bottom corner.

Due to sharing with the local cricket club, the main pitch (to the left of the square) nor the alternate second pitch (to the right) are used during early season games, so this was played on the furthest of two pitches that are in the field away to the left, through the hedge that runs behind the main ground. Spectator access is limited to the near side, with the other three hemmed in by hedges. At least it is roped on this side and there are were also a pair of portable dugouts.