S.J.F.A. East Region

Midlands League

Wednesday 26th July 2023

Kick Off 19.00 Actual 19.04

Brechin Victoria 1 Lochee Harp 1, attendance 41

10’ 1-0

52’ 1-1

@ Victoria Park

Nursery Lane

Brechin

DD9 7ET

£6 Admission

No Programme.

I had seen Brechin Victoria win their opening game away at Coupar Angus on Saturday. Meanwhile visitors Lochee Harp had opened up their season by losing 1-4 at home to Dundee North End. They had both struggled a bit last season, having finished second bottom and third bottom respectively, so both teams would have fancied their chances coming in to this.

Brechin got off to a great start, opening the scoring after ten minutes, sweeping in from close range after a corner on the right was headed back across the six yard box. Lochee levelled it up seven minutes into the second half, smashing one in from 12 yards after the ball was pulled back from the right. Brechin should have gone back in front a couple of minutes later, but somehow headed wide when unmarked at the far post. Lochee had a man sent off on the hour mark, following a foul, but Brechin never made the numerical advantage count. They did force a fingertip save from the ‘keeper late on, but never really looked like getting a winner.

Victoria Park has two covered seated stands as well as an area of covered standing. There was even a row of seats perched high on the grass banking behind the left hand goal. Tea bar in operation…menu needs no introduction!

Above : The grass bank seats.

Above : Lochee Harp send the equaliser on it’s way.

Scottish Professional Football League

League Cup

Group C

Tuesday 25th July 2023

Kick Off 19.45 On Time!

Cove Rangers 0 Livingston 5, attendance 683

44’ 0-1

55’ 0-2

58’ 0-3

81’ 0-4

90’ + 2, 0-5

@ Balmoral Stadium

Wellington Circle Roundabout

Aberdeen

AB10 1ZT

£12 Admission

£3 Programme, 40 pages.

Tonight’s game meant I once again completed seeing a game on every ground in the Scottish Football League. It seems an age ago now, that I first achieved this when I saw a game at Forfar Athletic back in 1995. Wow, where have those 28 years gone?!

The day before visiting Forfar, I had been to see Cove Rangers play at home, which in those days was at their former Allan Park ground, which they left in 2015 and when they were still members of the Highland League. They moved here to the newly constructed Balmoral Stadium in 2018 and in 2019 gained promotion into the Scottish League, which was then followed by back to back promotions. It is fair to say the new stadium suits their needs, sensibly, for these parts, having a synthetic pitch, but I’d be surprised if it ever got on anyone’s ‘favourite grounds’ list. It is made up of five ‘temporary’ kit stands as well as the main stand, which is the only permanent structure and that only has just over 300 seats! Total capacity here is listed as 2,391.

The match was Championship versus Premiership as far as league placings go, but this was a group match in the League Cup, where there are groups of five teams and they play each other once, with luck of the draw deciding who you get home or away. Drawn games are decided by a penalty shoot out, where the winner gets an extra point. These two were unbeaten, Cove having beaten Brechin City and Clyde in their games, whilst Livingston had drawn with Hamilton Academical (but lost on penalties) and beaten Brechin City.

The first half was pretty even and had very few clear cut chances. Livingston broke the deadlock in the dying seconds of the half when a diagonal free kick was headed back across the six yard box and re-directed back into the far corner. The second goal was going to be crucial as far as the final outcome went. When it went the way of the visitors, ten minutes into the second half, it seemed to totally deflate Cove. Livingston totally overran them for the remainder of the game and it was a bit of a surprise that they only added three more goals, such was their dominance. Pick of the bunch was goal number four, curled into the top corner from 25 yards by Stephen Kelly.

Friendly

Monday 24th July 2023

Kick Off 19.30 Actual 19.28

Rothie Rovers 2 Cowie Thistle 1, attendance 76

39’ 1-0

68’ 1-1

76’ 2-1

@ Forgue Road (B9001)

Rothienorman

AB51 8UE

No Admission or Programme.

Rothie Rovers play in S.J.F.A. North Region Premier League, whilst Cowie Thistle are in the Aberdeenshire Amateur F.A. Premier Division. It was hard to believe this was a friendly, such was the intensity of both teams. There were plenty of chances, but it took until six minutes before halftime for Rothie to make the breakthrough, after a cross from the right was headed in at the far post. Cowie drew level midway through the second half, when a shot from the edge of the D found the bottom corner, but the ‘keeper should really have kept it out. Rothie won it with fourteen minutes left, when a shot from the corner of the 18 yard box was curled over the ‘keeper into the far top corner.

Rothie play in the village of Rothienorman, north of the A96 roughly halfway between Inverurie and Huntly. The ground is on the right hand side as you enter the village on the B9001, adjacent to the bowls club. No admission charge tonight, but the tea bar was up and running about half an hour before kick off, with pies and hot/cold drinks available.

The evening started off sunny, but went chilly during the second half. At least it remained dry.

Jamie Reid Testimonial

Sunday 23rd July 2023

Kick Off 13.00 Actual 13.04

Jeanfield Swifts 5 St. Johnstone U20 5, attendance 370

1-0 (6), 1-1 (15), 2-1 (26), 2-2 (38), 2-3 (42)

3-3 (50), 4-3 (58), 5-3 (60) pen, 5-4 (62), 5-5 (78)

@ Riverside Stadium

Bute Drive

Perth

PH1 3BP

£7 Admission

No Programme.

A decent crowd turned out for this and it would have been well in excess of 400 if you counted all the kids in the various bouncy castles installed as part of the event. Thankfully it remained dry, as the area of cover wouldn’t have been anywhere near big enough to accommodate a crowd of this size. It was odd that the only food on offer was from a mobile food wagon, which was very expensive and seemed to do little trade, but hardly surprising as it didn’t offer the normal fayre you’d expect at a Scottish non-League venue. Venison burgers didn’t really hit the mark somehow. No hot drinks either and ‘cold’ drinks were served from a table, rather than a fridge!

Jeanfield had played their first league match of the season yesterday in the East of Scotland League Premier Division, whilst the St. Johnstone team were still only recently back in training for the new season. With no pressure on either side it gave way to a good open game, with both teams playing with a positive attitude. Plenty of goals and numerous missed chances to boot. The visitors led 2-3 at halftime, but the hosts won the second half by the same score to see the honours shared in a 5-5 draw. I was quite surprised on checking my records afterwards that this is now the sixth time I’ve seen this scoreline.

A guard of honour from both teams had greeted the man of the day Jamie Reid onto the pitch before kick off and the biggest cheer of the day came when he stepped up to score from the penalty spot to put Jeanfield 5-3 up on the hour mark. Two late goals from the visitors would have done little to take the shine off his day and everyone would have gone home happy….apart from the defensive coaches!

Above : Jeanfield Swifts head in the opening goal of the day.

S.J.F.A. East Region

Midlands League

Saturday 22nd July 2023

Kick Off 14.30 On Time!

Coupar Angus 1 Brechin Victoria 2, attendance 65

26’ 0-1

42’ 1-1

72’ 1-2

@ Foxhall Park

Forfar Road

Coupar Angus

PH13 9AW

£6 Admission

No Programme.

It was good to finally get a proper competitive game in, with a season opener in the Midlands League and a match between the teams that had finished 13th and 18th (out of 19) in the league table last season. Leaving from an overnight stop in Carlisle, it started off with light rain/drizzle, but it improved the further we headed north, taking the route that skirted Glasgow, Stirling and Perth, arriving in Coupar Angus just after one o’clock, by which time blue sky was appearing and it was warming up nicely.

Brechin will certainly look to improve on last season, having won just four of their thirty six games and will be delighted to return north to Angus with three points safely in the bag. They opened the scoring just after the midway point of the first half, breaking away down the right before pulling the ball back for a finish into the top corner. Coupar Angus levelled just before halftime scoring at the far post from a cross on the right. Brechin won it with eighteen minutes left, driving in from the right hand side before squaring a pass for a left footed finish into the bottom corner. There didn’t look to be much between the two sides and the result could easily have gone in favour of the hosts. An excellent start to the trip.

Friendly

Thursday 20th July 2023

Kick Off 19.30 Actual 19.39

A.F.C. Croydon Athletic 4 Lingfield 2, attendance 35

27’ 1-0

35’ 2-0

45’ 2-1

46’ 2-2

56’ 3-2

65’ 4-2

@ Mayfield Stadium Training Pitch

off Mayfield Road

Thornton Heath

CR7 6DN

No Admission or Programme.

This was a Step 5 clash, as Combined Counties League Premier Division South hosted Southern Combination League Premier Division. I had been to the main stadium here (known then as NFC Sports Ground) back in March 1995 when I saw Croydon Athletic lose 1-2 to Hillingdon Borough in a London Spartan League Premier Division match. Tonight’s game was played on the training pitch here, which is on the right as you drive down the potholed track that leads to the stadium off Mayfield Road. Despite there being no floodlights, it was scheduled to kick off at 19.30, finally getting underway nine minutes late, due to Croydon making no effort whatsoever to get themselves out onto the pitch, even though they were out warming up when I arrived around 18.50.

It was a decent game, which threatened to boil over a couple of times following some hard, but fair, challenges. Croydon looked to be coasting when they led 2-0, but a goal a minute each side of halftime saw Lingfield draw level at 2-2, having offered very little up until this point. Croydon edged back in front when a block by the ‘keeper was followed in at the near post, before wrapping it up with a fourth goal nine minutes later, when a driving run from the left was played inside and finished with a shot on the turn.

Friendly

Wednesday 19th July 2023

Kick Off 19.30 On Time!

Minety 2 Purton 13, attendance 13

0-1 (4), 0-2 (21), 0-3 (29), 0-4 (30), 0-5 (32), 1-5 (40), 1-6 (46), 1-7 (50),

1-8 (57), 2-8 (66), 2-9 (72), 2-10 (73), 2-11 (79), 2-12 (80), 2-13 (86)

@ Minety Playing Fields

Horbury Hill

Minety

SN16 9QH

No Admission or Programme.

When I saw Minety play a home game versus Rodborough Old Boys in January last year, they were based at Badminton Memorial Hall, in Badminton, but they are now back playing in their own village. It is also home to the local rugby club as well as having a couple of tennis courts.

The match was Stroud & District League Division 3 (Step 12) versus Wiltshire Senior League Division 1 (Step 8). As expected, it went the way of the visitors. It was 1-5 at halftime and the goals continued to flow freely in the second half as the hosts tired. Pick of the goals were the opener for Minety, a 30 yard free kick and the the twelfth for Purton, curled into the top corner from 25 yards.

Friendly

Tuesday 18th July 2023

Kick Off 19.45 On Time!

Thame United 0 Milton Keynes Irish 4, attendance 53

44’ 0-1

52’ 0-2

61’ 0-3

78’ 0-4

@ Meadow View Park, 3G Pitch

Tythrop Way

Thame

OX9 3RN

No Admission or Programme.

This was the third different ground I have now seen a game on here at Meadow Park. First up was for the main stadium (ASM Stadium for sponsor purposes) back in February 2011, when I saw Thame United play Carterton in a Hellenic League Premier Division match, which was abandoned after 52 minutes due fog. I subsequently returned the following December, this time seeing a full game, when they beat Ardley United 1-0 (AET) in an Oxfordshire F.A. Senior Cup match. Then in May 2017 I was back to see a game on Pitch 2, It is railed, floodlit and has a pair of dugouts. There is even a small section of cover. I saw Thame Rangers beat Enfield Borough 3-2 in a Spartan South Midlands League Division 2 match that day. So, now for ground number three. It is a standard cage set up, with spectator viewing along three quarters of one side. It is behind the north end goal of pitch 2, running the opposite way and to the north east of the main stadium, where the clubhouse was open for the entirety.

Tonight’s match was Southern League Division 1 Central (Step 4) versus Spartan South Midlands League Premier Division (Step 5). Thame have recently lost their manager, which inevitably also means an exodus of players, so are trying to put together a new squad. MK Irish looked the stronger team, although it took until a minute before halftime for them to open the scoring. Three second half goals rounded off a resounding win for the visitors.

Friendly

Monday 17th July 2023

Kick Off 19.15 On Time!

Reigate Priory 3 Trenham 1, attendance 19

31’ 1-0

51’ 2-0

66’ 2-1

85’ 3-1 (pen)

@ Reigate School, 3G Pitch

Pendleton Road

Reigate

RH2 7NT

No Admission or Programme.

This was my nearest unvisited ground, less than five minutes drive from home. It is where Reigate Priory ‘A’ play their home games in Mid Sussex League Division 5 North. It also hosted one first team game at the end of last season. Yet another caged pitch with spectator viewing on just over half of one side.

Reigate Priory play in the Mid Sussex League Premier Division (Step 7), whilst according to the people involved with Trenham, they are newly formed and play in the Combined Counties League, although a Google search on the internet offers no information whatsoever and they don’t appear to be in the CCL constitution, so no idea what league they are actually in. I do know they had beaten Reigate Priory Reserves 4-2 in a friendly on Saturday, but that’s about it.

It was a decent game and rather unusually for a friendly, saw three penalties awarded, all for Reigate Priory, with only one of them actually scored! The first was missed, saved by the ‘keeper, but was put in on the follow up to put them ahead just after the half hour mark. They then had another awarded, but this one hit the outside of the post. A shot that took a deflection off a defender saw Priory go 2-0 up six minutes into the second half, before Trenham headed in from a corner to pull it back to 2-1 midway through the half. Priory made it 3-1 with five minutes left, making no mistake with penalty number three, given for a handball on the line.

Above : Third time lucky….Priory make it 3-1 from the penalty spot.

Friendly

Saturday 15th July 2023

Kick Off 15.00 Actual 15.01

Romsey Town 2 Laverstock & Ford 5, attendance 58

37’ 0-1

41’ 0-2

44’ 0-3

51’ 0-4

56’ 1-4 (pen)

78’ 1-5

90’ + 1, 2-5

@ University of Southampton Sports Ground

Wide Lane

Eastleigh

SO50 5PE

No Admission or Programme.

I had visited the University of Southampton Sports Ground previously, back in 2012, when I saw Fareham Town beat Sporting Bishops Waltham 10-0 in a friendly, which was played on the 3G pitch here. The attraction of today’s match was that it was on the main grass pitch (Pitch 1) which was helpfully confirmed by Romsey Town via Twitter. It is railed on three sides and roped along the other. There are also dugouts on the entrance side.

The match was Wessex League Division 1 (Step 6) versus Wessex League Premier Division (Step 5) and was a massive improvement on the game this morning, which is hardly surprising. There was a very strong wind blowing across the pitch, which didn’t affect the game too much. There was an occasional rain shower too, but the pitch remained in perfect condition, even though there had been another match on it before this.

Laverstock & Ford missed the opportunity to open the scoring after thirteen minutes when they had a penalty saved. They dominated the first half, finally making the breakthrough eight minutes before halftime. By the interval it was 0-3 and they made it 0-4 six minutes into the second half. A penalty saw Romsey pull it back to 1-4, but Laverstock restored their four goal lead with twelve minutes left. A stoppage time goal saw Romsey pull it back to 2-5. A really good game, played with 100% commitment throughout.

On one of the outer pitches, over in the far corner (Pitch 6 or 8) a good few hundred yards away, Michelmersh & Timsbury were playing Warsash Wasps in another friendly. It would certainly warrant another visit here for the other grass pitches.