Berwick Charities Cup Final

Saturday 27th July 2024

Kick Off 18.30 On Time!

Crusaders 1 The Angel Alkis 4, attendance 230

13’ 0-1

44’ 0-2

47’ 1-2

72’ 1-3

77’ 1-4

@ The Stanks

Parade

Berwick-upon-Tweed

TD15 1DG

No Admission (raffle tickets/donations collected) or Programme.

Ever since seeing photographs of The Stanks it has been on my ‘to do list’ for a football match. There is just about enough room to squeeze a pitch into an area beneath the old defensive ramparts of Berwick-upon-Tweed and each summer it hosts the Berwick Charities Cup. Teams are basically pub teams/groups of mates that form teams just for this competition. Things like all team players not wearing matching kit doesn’t seem to be a problem and it does appear to be very much ‘Sunday League’ as far as stupid team names being used goes. You cant ever guarantee that games will take place either, making it a bit of a risk to travel especially for a game. However, as I was already up in the area and the fact it was the final of the competition, it was worth the effort to give it a go and it was only an hour and twenty minutes drive back from Edinburgh, arriving almost an hour before the scheduled start. Thankfully, not only did the game take place, it was of a far higher standard than I’d been expecting, between two excellent teams.

Angel Alkis took an early lead and having looked the better side for long periods, added a second just before halftime. When Crusaders pulled one back just two minutes into the second half it set the game up perfectly. It was end to end stuff, played with full commitment from both teams and although Crusaders pushed hard for an equaliser, it just wouldn’t come and when Angel Alkis made it 1-3 with eighteen minutes left, the cup was secured and they even added a fourth five minutes later. Hero of the night for them was Craig Bell, who scored all four of their goals, although two or three of their back line were also outstanding.

East of Scotland League

Division 3

Saturday 27th July 2024

Kick Off 14.30 Actual 14.28!

Edinburgh Community 1 Edinburgh United 5, attendance 57

16’ 1-0

18’ 1-1

26’ 1-2

52’ 1-3

76’ 1-4

77’ 1-5

@ St. Mark’s Park

Warriston Road

Edinburgh

EH7 4HN

£6 Admission

No Programme.

I intended doing the Berwick Charities Cup Final in Berwick upon Tweed tonight at 18.30, so was rather limited in picking a competitive game this afternoon within easy reach of there. This game fitted the bill perfectly, situated in the north of Edinburgh, about two and a half hours north of last night’s game in Washington and only an hour and a quarter drive back south across the border to Berwick and it would leave me with just Linton Hotspur to complete this division now. The ground consists of a railed pitch (set well back from the pitch) with a pair of dugouts on the left hand touchline and raised grass banking running behind the entrance goal end, continuing round to the far corner. Both the changing rooms and tea bar are outside the perimeter fencing and although there is a car park, it is very small, so street parking about 50 yards away did the job. There was a very heavy downpour in the half hour leading up to kick off, but no problem with the pitch, which was in superb condition.

Edinburgh United had been relegated last season, finishing second bottom, after a nine point deduction (they’d still have gone down without it) and life one level down didn’t get off to a very good start for them today, going behind after just sixteen minutes. They equalised a couple of minutes later though, with a cracking 25 yarder into the top corner and midway through the half they were in front, finishing a ball over the top that looked suspiciously offside. Early in the second half it was 1-3, when a corner from the left was headed downwards and cleared off the line, although the well placed Referee judged it was over the line before being booted away. With fourteen minutes left they made it 1-4, when a ball over the top was finished with a scuffed shot into the far corner and they made it 1-5 a minute later, when a mishit cross fell perfectly for a fellow striker following in. They could have added another couple late on, but saw a shot that came back off the crossbar tipped round the post on the rebound, before they hit the post with another chance having been played through one on one with the ‘keeper.

Northern League

Division 2

Friday 26th July 2024

Kick Off 19.45 Actual 19.47

Washington 1 Redcar Town 7, attendance 196

13’ 0-1

45’ 0-2 (pen)

46’ 0-3

62’ 0-4

74’ 0-5

84’ 1-5

86’ 1-6

90’ + 1, 1-7

@ Northern Area Playing Fields

off Stephenson Road

Washington

NE37 3HR

£5 Admission

Programme produced (but never saw them on sale)

So, at the second attempt, I finally got to see a game here at Washington. I came here on October 23rd last year, when the game was called off just 45 minutes before kick off due to a waterlogged pitch, despite it not having rained for two days! There was no hint of there being a problem, at least as far as their social media information (or lack of) was concerned. They never bothered replying to me on Twitter that night, so I wasn’t the least bit surprised to get no reply to my question of whether tonight’s game would go ahead without problems either. Thankfully it did…..it was a gruelling seven hour drive north, but at least I was rewarded with seeing a game this time!

Washington had finished second bottom in the league table last season, winning just six of their 42 matches, but avoided relegation, as there were no applicants looking to make the jump up to Step 6. It looks like being another battle for them again this time round. Redcar Town had only finished four places above them, but the gulf between the two teams tonight was huge. An early free kick saw Redcar go ahead, in a first half of very few chances, with a penalty doubling their lead in the final minute of the half. A minute into the second half it was 0-3 and over as a contest. Number four came just after the hour mark and when Washington then had a man sent off, it was a case of just how many more Redcar would get. Another free kick saw them make it 0-5 and although Washington got a consolation goal with six minutes left, when a diagonal ball into the box evaded everyone on it’s way into the far corner, Redcar restored their five goal margin a couple of minutes later and rounded off the scoring in stoppage time. There was still time for a melee, consisting of much pushing and shoving, resulting in a yellow card being shown to a player on each side, with proceedings brought to an end seconds after the restart.

Home to Washington is Northern Area Playing Field. The clubhouse/changing room building is behind the entrance end goal, with the pitch enclosed with a double railed plastic barrier. Along the left hand side is a small seated kit stand, as well as a covered standing area about half the size of the former. Both offer poor viewing though, as there are a pair of dugouts plonked in front of them. Both clubhouse and tea bar, which served hot food, were doing steady trade throughout. Switching the game to a Friday evening certainly paid off, with the crowd just short of 200, which is impressive for such a struggling team.

North East Wales League

Championship Division

Wednesday 24th July 2024

Kick Off 18.30 Actual 18.26!

C.P.D. Sychdyn United 1 Rhydymwyn 3, attendance 70

15’ 0-1

38’ 1-1

59’ 1-2

65’ 1-3

@ The Rec

Maes Bodlonfa

Mold

CH7 1DR

No Admission or Programme.

After the farce of last night at Acton, I arrived here early, just in case I had to head off to Broughton United, which unlike last night, offered me an alternative option of picking up a ‘new’ ground visit. An hour before kick off players were already arriving and shortly beginning their warm ups, so all was good to go. The Referee arrived before 6 o’clock too, although during a chat with him he mentioned “ I’ve had to call off games here before, due to the poor condition of the pitch”. Thankfully, it was okay tonight. It’s nothing more than a pitch in a recreation ground, roped along the majority of each touchline, running parallel to the road, with the changing room behind the near goal and a second, smaller sized pitch alongside.

The match was a decent contest from start to finish. Rhydymwyn broke the deadlock after fifteen minutes, volleying in from a cross on the right. Sychdyn had a shot cleared off the line, with the rebound then hitting the crossbar shortly afterwards, but did level the scores seven minutes before halftime, when a corner from the left was only partially cleared and after the first rebound was blocked, the second effort was finished with a spectacular bicycle kick from 10 yards that gave the ‘keeper no chance. Rhydymwyn restored their lead just before the hour mark, scoring from a rebound, after an initial headed effort was cleared off the line and six minutes later they made it 1-3, scoring with a free kick on the edge of the D that was right in the top corner.

North East Wales League

Championship Division

Tuesday 23rd July 2024

Kick Off 18.30

Acton P Bellevue P

@ Spider Park

Rhosnesni Lane

Acton

Wrexham

LL12 7NB

I had hoped this would be my first competitive game of the new season, but having arrived at the ground at 16.20, after a four hour drive, I checked social media and the Cymru app and noticed the game was now showing as having been postponed, about half an hour earlier, due to ‘pitch complications’, (according to a post on Twitter by Bellevue, but no mention whatsoever by Acton!) whatever that is supposed to mean. Very poor and doesn’t reflect well on either the host club, or the league.

Friendly

Saturday 20th July 2024

Kick Off 13.00 Actual 13.05

Yateley United 2 Holyport 3, attendance 26

27’ 0-1

28’ 0-2

32’ 0-3

51’ 1-3

83’ 2-3

@ Sandhurst School, 3G Pitch

Owlsmoor Road

Owlsmoor

GU47 0SD

No Admission or Programme (They produced a 40 page online one!)

I plumped for this game today as both teams had advertised it on Twitter and just in case there were any unforeseen problems, the 1 o’clock kick off left time to head elsewhere, but thankfully all was good. The pitch here at Sandhurst school is just a basic cage, with no spectator viewing area, but there was no problem watching from inside the fence, even though there were three match officials. Oddly, at least half the crowd chose to watch through the mesh, rather than pitch side.

The game was a clash between two Combined Counties League teams, with Division 1 (Step 6) hosting Premier Division North (Step 5). With the U23/Reserve teams playing each other immediately after the first team game, it meant there was no ridiculous amount of substitutes used, which helped with the flow of the game. I don’t recall anything of note happening, until Holyport broke the deadlock after 27 minutes, heading in unmarked from six yards, after the ‘keeper had failed to make contact with the ball as he attempted to punch a corner clear. Within a minute it was 0-2, intercepting a misplaced back pass, before scoring from a tight angle. A real purple patch saw them score a third goal just four minutes later, playing the ball across the six yard box to be easily converted at the far post.

Yateley made a game of it when they pulled a goal back early in the second half, with an excellent first time finish to a cross in from the right, but struggled to break down a resolute Holyport defence, although they did get it back to 2-3 with an angled finish into the far bottom corner with seven minutes left.

Friendly

Thursday 18th July 2024

Kick Off 18.30 Actual 18.33

Petworth 2 Stedham United 0, attendance 19

7’ 1-0

50’ 2-0

@ Lodsworth Village Hall

Heath End Lane

Lodsworth

GU28 9BY

No Admission or Programme.

Tonight was a chance to pick up an unusual venue in West Sussex, where this all West Sussex League clash (Premier Division v Championship) took place. Lodsworth don’t appear to have a Saturday team, but football of some level must still be played here, as the pitch was in good condition, although to say that it has a slope, both end to end and side to side, is an understatement! Cricket has been/still is? played here and there was a very busy bowls club adjacent, which meant the small car park was jam packed.

It was nice to finally do a midweek game on a warm, sunny evening, with the temperature hitting 27 degrees at kick off, which meant a drinks break in each half and it was still 21.5 degrees when the match finished and thankfully, the Referee had no problem with the colour clash of the kits, which may not have been the case if it had been a competitive fixture.
Petworth won a very well contested game with an early goal in each half, opening the scoring after a ball into the box was laid off perfectly for a finish into the bottom corner and they sealed the win when they added a second, cutting in from the left before beating the ‘keeper at the near post.

Friendly

Wednesday 17th July 2024

Kick Off 19.45 Actual 19.47

Tiptree Heath 1 Stanway Pegasus 7, attendance 49

8’ 0-1 (pen), 16’ 1-1, 25’ 1-2, 29’ 1-3, 42’ 1-4

49’ 1-5, 57’ 1-6, 77’ 1-7

@ Philip Morant School & College, 3G Pitch

Rembrandt Way

Colchester

CO3 4QS

No Admission or Programme.

This was Essex & Suffolk Border League Premier Division (Step 7) versus Eastern Counties League Division 1 North (Step 6). Despite only being one level difference between the two sides, the gulf between them was massive, with Tiptree fielding one trialist in their starting eleven, as well as having another five included in their eight substitutes. Stanway took the lead through an early penalty, but were soon pegged back when a ball pulled back from the right was finished into the far corner. Two more goals saw the visitors go 1-3 up just before the half hour mark, before a long range shot, which went in off the underside of the crossbar, saw them increase their lead just before halftime. The second half was very much one way traffic, with Stanway attacking at will and it could easily have been double figures in the end. Pick of the goals was their seventh, a thirty yarder that gave the ‘keeper no chance.

The game was played on the 3G pitch at Philip Morant School & College, which is a standard cage set up, with spectator viewing along three quarters of one side.

Friendly

Tuesday 16th July 2024

Kick Off 19.30 Actual 19.28!

British Airways 4 Oxhey Jets 4, attendance 21

6’ 0-1

22’ 1-1

34’ 1-2

61’ 1-3

64’ 2-3

69’ 3-3

86’ 3-4

90’ 4-4 (pen)

@ Sandgate F.C.

Bourne Farm Playing Fields

Bourne Avenue

Hayes

UB3 1PL

No Admission or Programme.

This was an all Combined Counties League clash, with newly promoted into Premier Division North (Step 5) hosting Division 1 (Step 6) and played at the neutral venue of Sandgate F.C. There is a changing room/clubhouse building as you enter, with the main pitch being in the far right hand corner, running away lengthways.

Both teams had large squads, but not enough for complete changes, which has happened in a number of the early pre-season games I’ve attended so far, with B.A. having 15 players and Oxhey Jets 19. Oxhey took an early lead, but were pegged back midway through the half, but Oxhey regained the lead to go in 1-2 up at halftime. B.A. hit the crossbar with a header in the early stages of the second half, but fell 1-3 behind just after the hour mark, but pulled it back to 2-3 almost immediately, before levelling it up at 3-3 with just over twenty minutes left, scoring the goal of the game, when a cross to the far side of the box was curled into the far top corner. It looked like Oxhey had won it, when a quick break saw the ball pulled back for an unmarked finish from six yards, but B.A. made it 4-4, scoring from the penalty spot, in what turned out to be the last kick of the match.

Friendly

Saturday 13th July 2024

Kick Off 15.00 Actual 14.57!

Hook 0 Headley 2, attendance 22

14’ 0-1

55’ 0-2

@ North Warnborough F.C.

The Street

North Warnborough

RG29 1BG

No Admission or Programme.

This was a clash between two Hampshire Premier League clubs, with Premier Division hosting Division 1, played at the home of Basingstoke & District League champions North Warnborough. The ground is off The Street, accessed only on foot, via a pathway between the houses, on the right hand side as you head towards Warnborough Green. It is a single pitch set up, enclosed by trees and hedges. There is a changing room building on the right hand side as you enter, with covered overhang, as well as a single row of bench seating along the front. There was also a tea bar, but sadly not open today.

Despite playing at different levels, this was very even throughout, but Headley had the more goal scoring opportunities and made the most of them. They went ahead after fourteen minutes, when a misplaced back pass was intercepted on the edge of the box and finished into the bottom corner. Hook nearly grabbed an equaliser early in the second half, but were thwarted by a point blank save by the Headley ‘keeper, tipping the effort over the crossbar and then he made another good save from the resulting corner, which then saw them break clear down the left, before playing the ball across the box for a tap in at the far post.

Yet another full weekend closure of the M25 in both directions between Junction 10 and 11 meant a cross country route into Hampshire via Dorking, Guildford and Aldershot, which surprisingly only took 1 hour 25 minutes.