Friendly

Thursday 11th July 2024

Kick Off 18.30 On Time!

Hullbridge Sports 2 Catholic United 1, attendance 42

53’ 1-0

67’ 2-0

69’ 2-1 (pen)

@ Hullbridge Sports Club, Pitch 2

Lower Road

Hullbridge

SS5 6BJ

No Admission or Programme.

I’d been to the stadium pitch here at Hullbridge Sports & Social Club back in October 1998, when I saw Hullbridge Sports beat St. Neots Town on penalties, after a 1-1 draw, in a midweek F.A. Vase 2nd Qualifying Round Replay and walking through the stadium to gain access to Pitch 2, I have to say, I have no recollection whatsoever of the ground. Hardly surprising I suppose….

Anyway, once through the stadium, you exit behind the far goal to a number of other pitches, with Pitch 2 running widthways in front of you. It had an excellent playing surface and is roped off and has a couple of dugouts (just frames, not covered) on the near side, whilst there is a small seated kit stand opposite.

The match was Essex Senior League (Step 5) versus Essex Olympian League Premier Division (Step7) with both teams having a squad of around 17/18 players. It was a decent contest and played with no hint of it being just a friendly. It was still goalless at halftime, with Catholic United having had a penalty saved being the best of the chances. Hullbridge broke the deadlock seven minutes into the second half, cutting in from the right, before a one-two on the edge of the box was finished into the near corner. Midway through the half it was 2-0, heading a diagonal cross back across the box for a first time finish into the corner. Catholic pulled a goal back two minutes later, this time making no mistake from the penalty spot.

Friendly

Tuesday 9th July 2024

Kick Off 19.30 Actual 19.39

Kings Langley 4 Dunstable Town 2, attendance 53

37’ 1-0

51’ 1-1

53’ 2-1

73’ 3-1

84’ 4-1

85’ 4-2

@ Kings Langley School, 3G Pitch

Love Lane

Kings Langley

WD4 9HN

No Admission or Programme.

This was Southern League Division 1 Central (Step 4) versus Spartan South Midlands League Premier Division (Step 5) and was played on the brand new 3G pitch at Kings Langley School. It is a typical cage set up, with standing along three quarters of one side, with both team ‘benches’ setting up on the far side.

It was another game where both teams fielded almost completely different teams in each half. The first half was very tight and after having hit the post midway through, Kings Langley broke the deadlock when a cross in from the right was finished from close range eight minutes before the break. An angled shot into the far corner saw Dunstable draw level six minutes into the second half, but Kings Langley restored their lead minutes later, heading in from six yards. Having added a third goal, they made it 4-1 with the goal of the game, scoring direct from a free kick on the edge of the D, before Dunstable rounded off the scoring with five minutes left, finishing from close range, after a cross from the right was half blocked and followed in to make it 4-2.

Another night of dismal weather, but thankfully the drizzle disappeared early in the second half.

Friendly

Saturday 6th July 2024

Kick Off 12.00 Actual 12.04

Saffron Walden Town 4 Dunmow Town 4, attendance 49

25’ 1-0

39’ 1-1

47’ 1-2

48’ 1-3

56’ 2-3

60’ 2-4

81’ 3-4

82’ 4-4

@ Lime Avenue Playing Fields

Lime Avenue

Saffron Walden

CB10 2GE

No Admission or Programme.

This was Essex Senior League (Step 5) v Eastern Counties League Division 1 South (Step 6), a clash between two teams who will share the Catons Lane ground of Saffron Walden Town this season. With the main stadium being unavailable, as it was staging a function, this was played at Lime Avenue Playing Fields, a couple of hundred yards to the north and was brought forward to a noon kick off to enable players/supporters ample time to get home for the England game. There are two pitches here, separated by a changing room building and car park, with today’s game played on the most northern of the two.

The journey up the M11 was very wet and it continued to rain for most of the first half, although it did brighten up during the second half. Saffron Walden opened the scoring midway through the first half, but Dunmow drew level six minutes before the break. Two goals within a minute of each other, saw Dunmow open up a 1-3 lead just three minutes into the second half and although Saffron Walden pulled one back, the visitors restored their two goal lead on the hour mark. Saffron made it 3-4 with nine minutes left, cutting in from the right, before finishing into the far corner and levelled it up at 4-4 a minute later, with a cracking finish into the top corner from the edge of the 18 yard box.

Friendly

Thursday 4th July 2024

Kick Off 19.00 Actual 19.15

Clevedon Town 3 Nailsea United 4, attendance 42

21’ 0-1

30’ 1-1

41’ 2-1

60’ 2-2

62’ 2-3

67’ 2-4

86’ 3-4

@ Hand Stadium, 3G Pitch

Davis Lane

Clevedon

BS21 6TG

No Admission or Programme.

I’d visited the main stadium here twice, oddly just six weeks apart, both in 1993, but this was an opportunity to see a game on the 3G pitch here. It is immediately in front of you, as you enter the car park off Davis Lane, running parallel to the stadium. There is a changing room building in the near left corner, with a small section of covered standing on the left hand side, just beyond the halfway line, although the view of the pitch is obscured in one corner, whilst there are a couple of brick built dugouts on the opposite side, albeit not covered! No problem watching inside the fence, with ample room all the way round. The game kicked off fifteen minutes late and with the weather being blustery and grey overhead, as well as a couple of showers in each half, it meant the Referee requested that the floodlights were switched on for the last fifteen minutes, which wouldn’t have been needed had they kicked off when they should have done.

The match was Western League Premier Division (Step 5) versus Somerset County League Premier Division (Step 7), with Clevedon fielding ten different outfield players in each half, as well as a kit change at halftime, which led to a colour clash, whilst Nailsea had the ‘normal’ five substitutes. It was end to end stuff and despite having an early penalty saved, Nailsea went in front midway through the first half, but Clevedon had turned it round to lead 2-1 at the break. Nailsea hit the post with a long range effort, before levelling the score at 2-2 on the hour, edging in front when they scored direct from a corner just two minutes later before soon making it 2-4, following a quick break down the left. Clevedon did pull it back to 3-4 with four minutes left and there was still time for Nailsea to go close to getting a fifth, but a 25 yarder came back off the crossbar.

Friendly

Tuesday 2nd July 2024

Kick Off 19.45 Actual 19.59

Takeley 0 Redbridge 1, attendance 27

72’ 0-1

@ Mark Hall Sports Centre, 3G Pitch

London Road

Harlow

CM17 9LX

No Admission or Programme.

This was my first pre-season game in the build up to the new season, played at the neutral venue of Mark Hall Sports Centre. It was in the 3G cage, which despite having no designated spectator area, there was no problem watching from inside the fence.

The game was Essex Senior League Premier Division (Step 5) versus Isthmian League Division 1 North (Step 4), with both teams having a squad of around 20 players, with most of the substitutions taking place at halftime, which helped with the flow of the game. Despite being end to end stuff, it looked like we’d be lucky to get a goal. Takeley had the best first half chance, hitting the post in the final minutes, with two follow ups both blocked. Redbridge had the better of the second half, getting the winning goal with eighteen minutes left, when a long ball over the top saw the striker just nick the ball past the on rushing ‘keeper, before finishing with a shot on the turn from the edge of the box.

Rugby League

National Conference League

Premier Division

Saturday 22nd June 2024

Kick Off 14.30 Actual 14.32

Siddal 30 Rochdale Mayfield 22, attendance 430

@ Siddal Sports & Community Centre

Exley Lane

Siddal

HX3 9EW

£3 Admission

No Programme.

This was the game of the day in the Premier Division, with 2nd hosting 3rd in the league table, level on points, with just two fewer than leaders West Hull. It certainly got off to a quick start, with Rochdale in front within ten seconds, when the kick off saw the bounce of the ball totally misjudged by the defence and the ball fell kindly for the visitors, resulting in a try near the posts, easily converted. Six minutes later it was 0-12 as Siddal conceded a second try. The hosts hit back with a try of their own and midway through the half levelled the score at 12-12, which remained the score at halftime.

Siddal edged ahead just three minutes into the second half to lead 18-12, but Rochdale soon levelled at 18-18 and the next try would be crucial. It went the way of the hosts and they scored another to increase their lead to 30-18 inside the last ten minutes and the points were safe. Rochdale did manage to score the last try of the day, to pull it back to 30-22, but too late to affect the outcome.

There are two parallel pitches here, the main one being floodlit and fully railed off, on the lower plateau of the two. Very scenic backdrop, especially on a day like this and the weather will have certainly helped in attracting such a good crowd, with the clubhouse and tea bar both doing a roaring trade.

Derbyshire Summer League

Wednesday 19th June 2024

Kick Off 19.00 Actual 19.02

Bramshall 4 Broughton Wanderers 2, attendance 35

11’ 0-1

32’ 1-1 (pen)

61’ 1-2

86’ 2-2

89’ 3-2

90’ + 2, 4-2

@ Bramshall Road (B5027)

Bramshall

ST14 5BE

No Admission or Programme.

This was the first game I’d done in this league for five years, as new venues are quite a rarity. New entrants Bramshall bucked the trend when joining this year, as they play at a previously unused ground, as far as the Summer League goes, playing in the village itself. It’s to the east, on the left hand side of the B5027 road when heading towards Uttoxeter, sandwiched between Stocks Lane and Bramshall Farm. There is a single pitch, with a small wooden changing room building on the far side, with car parking inside the field, along both touchlines.

The match was 2nd versus 6th (out of 8) and looked for long periods that there might be a bit of an upset. Broughton took an early lead, which was cancelled out by a penalty half an hour in and when Bramshall had a player sent off for trying to head butt a Broughton player on the hour mark, followed quickly by a second goal for the visitors, which put them 1-2 up a minute later, it looked like a real uphill battle for Bramshall to get anything from the game. But, despite being a man short, they managed to force an equaliser with four minutes left and then headed in from a corner in the last minute, to put them ahead and they even managed a fourth goal in stoppage time, to wrap up a 4-2 win.