Spartan South Midlands League

Division 1 Knockout Cup

Semi Final

Tuesday 17th January 2023

Kick Off 19.45 Actual 19.47

Moulton 1 Eaton Socon 4, attendance 122

6’ 0-1

24’ 0-2

56’ 1-2

68’ 1-3

89’ 1-4

@ Brunting Road

Moulton

NN3 7QF

£5 Admission

£2 Programme, 20 pages.

Tonight’s match completed visits to all the grounds in the Spartan South Midlands League for me. Although it is a 3G cage, it has a standard kit seated stand, and has spectator access on three sides, with just the goal end to the left of the entrance not in use. The clubhouse is outside the ground.

As far as league positions go, this was 6th versus 8th. The two clubs met last week in a league match at Eaton Socon, which Moulton had won 5-0, so I was expecting a comfortable home win in this, but it turned out to be the complete opposite. It took the visitors just six minutes to go in front and they had a couple more decent chances before doubling their lead after 24 minutes, when a cross/shot from wide on the right sailed over the ‘keeper into the far top corner. Eleven minutes into the second half Moulton pulled it back to 1-2, shooting left footed into the bottom corner, with the ‘keeper getting a hand to it, but unable to keep it out. The visitors replied immediately, but having lobbed the ‘keeper, the ball was cleared off the line by a defender. They soon restored their two goal lead though, forcing in from close range after an initial save by the ‘keeper. They rounded off the scoring a minute from time, smashing one in following a one-two on the edge of the box.

Eaton Socon will now play either Holmer Green or Ampthill Town in the final.

Kent County League

Division 1 West

Saturday 14th January 2023

Kick Off 14.00 Actual 14.03

Danson Sports 2 Welling Park 2, attendance 15

14’ 0-1

16’ 1-1

77’ 1-2

90’ + 5, 2-2

@ Mayplace Sports Field, 3G Pitch

Perry Street

Crayford

DA1 4RB

No Admission or Programme.

Once again the Met Office forecast of heavy rain for 12 hours up until around 3 o’clock this afternoon was totally off the mark, with a number of my options on grass pitches going ahead, but I’d already decided to play it safe and visit yet another cage set up, this one having spectator access along three quarters of one side. Annoyingly, it has one of those curtain wires across the centre, used to divide the pitch for small sided games. I gave up counting how many times the ball hit it, after it was already at seven before we had even reached halftime!

The match was 5th versus 3rd in the league table, having drawn the reverse fixture 1-1 last Saturday. Welling Park went ahead after fourteen minutes, the striker just beating the ‘keeper to a through ball and poking it past him into the bottom corner. Danson levelled within two minutes with an angled shot into the far corner, which the ‘keeper got a touch to, but couldn’t keep out. It looked like Welling Park had won it when they went back in front late in the second half, scrambling in from close range after a corner hadn’t been cleared, but deep into stoppage time Danson made it 2-2, powering in a header from inside the 6 yard box after a corner was cleared and crossed back into the box.

Anyone travelling here by car needs to be careful of the car park charge, especially if it’s a cup match that might go to extra time and/or penalties, although you can park in the road outside if you don’t mind walking a hundred yards!

Arthurian League

Junior League Cup

2nd Round

Saturday 14th January 2023

Kick Off 10.45 Actual 10.52

Old Sennockians 2 Old Alleynians III’s 1, attendance 3

8’ 1-0

65’ 2-0

81’ 2-1

@ Harris Academy, 3G Pitch

Tintagel Road

Orpington

BR5 4LG

No Admission or Programme.

Non stop rain on Friday meant Sennockians switched their game to the 3G pitch here at Harris Academy. Although there is no spectator access inside the cage, there is a raised viewing area that gives around 95% of unrestricted sight lines, so no problem.

The Junior League Cup is contested by teams from Division 2 and below, with this being bottom of Division 2 versus third in Division 3. I had been a bit apprehensive about watching a third team, but needn’t have been, as they turned up with a full compliment of players, as well as having three substitutes (one more than Sennockians!) and were a decent side to watch.

Sennockians went ahead after eight minutes, when a corner from the right was headed in off the underside of the crossbar from just inside the 6 yard box. Chances came at both ends and it was a surprise that it took until midway through the second half for a second goal to arrive, when a far post header, again from a corner on the right, saw Sennockians double their lead. Alleynians made for an interesting last ten minutes when a long range effort made it 2-1 and they had a couple of decent chances to draw level, but just fell short.

F.A. Sunday Cup

3rd Round

Sunday 8th January 2023

Kick Off 14.30 Actual 14.33

Baiteze 2 Burghfield 0, attendance 48

8’ 1-0

73’ 2-0

@ Chigwell School, 3G Pitch

High Road

Chigwell

IG7 6DP

No Admission or Programme.

Baiteze, who play in the Essex Corinthian Sunday League Senior Division (5th place in the table, but have only played 5 games so far) are the current F.A. Sunday Cup holders, having beaten Highgate Albion 2-0 at Millwall F.C. in last seasons final. Burghfield play in the Premier Division of the Reading & District Sunday League, where they are oddly bottom of the table, albeit having played just three games, only managing a single point so far.

Baiteze went ahead after eight minutes, finishing with a shot on the turn, following a header back into the box after a cross wasn’t cleared. Little else of note happened in a pretty dull first half. Burghfield had the better of the second half and had a couple of half chances, but Baiteze made the game safe when they added a second goal seventeen minutes from time, breaking down the left and playing the ball across for an easy finish, although the scorer looked to be well offside. Any chance of a comeback disappeared when Burghfield missed a penalty with eight minutes left, shooting over the crossbar.

The ground is a standard cage, with one side for spectator viewing, although intermittent sections of high mesh fencing mean only about half of it is of use. It is a good 300-400 yards walk down to the pitch from the car park. The players got changed in the old pavilion that you pass on the walk from the car park to the cage.

Isthmian League

South East Division

Saturday 7th January 2023

Kick Off 15.00 Actual 15.03

Haywards Heath Town 1 V.C.D. Athletic 1, attendance 279

65’ 1-0

76’ 1-1

@ Hanbury Park Stadium

Allen Road

Haywards Heath

RH16 3PT

£10 Admission

Programme available, didn’t bother buying.

With my earlier game in Uckfield finished shortly before 2 o’clock, it gave me ample time to drive the twenty five minutes or so west to Haywards Heath. The last time I came here was back in December 2009, when they were still in Sussex County League Division 3. That night they beat Dorking Wanderers 3-1 (att.68). It is fair to say both clubs have risen dramatically in the intervening years, especially the visitors!

Today’s match was 17th versus 9th in the league table. It wasn’t exactly a thriller and it looked at one stage that it was nailed on to finish goalless. The only decent chance in the first half saw Haywards Heath go close two minutes before the break, but an overhead kick was turned over the crossbar. The second half was better. In the opening five minutes the hosts went close, but shot wide. V.C.D. replied with a volley that was saved by the ‘keeper. Haywards Heath had an effort scrambled off the line, but with 25 minutes left the deadlock was finally broken. A foul on the edge of the D saw Alex Laing hit an unstoppable shot into the top corner. V.C.D. levelled with fourteen minutes left when a free kick from wide on the right was headed down from close range just crossed the line as a defender tried to clear. The visitors almost won it when a deflected shot was tipped over by Collings and when Jack Bath was sent off for the visitors (picking up a second yellow card) with two minutes of normal time left, both teams settled for a point apiece.

The rain that had been forecast for this afternoon arrived just as we headed into stoppage time. It was raining quite hard for the walk back to the car and the first 15 minutes of the drive home was particularly bad, with standing water across the whole road in a number of places.

Mid Sussex League

Montgomery Cup

2nd Round

Saturday 7th January 2023

Kick Off 12.00 Actual 12.08

Ridgewood 3 Balcombe 2, attendance 28

30’ 1-0

34’ 2-0

37’ 3-0

55’ 3-1

71’ 3-2

@ Uckfield Leisure Centre, 3G Pitch

Downsview Crescent

Uckfield

TN22 1UB

No Admission or Programme.

I had naively believed the weather forecast today, so opted for a 3G option to play it safe, but the three hours of heavy rain starting at 11 o’clock (according to the Met Office forecast) never materialised. In fact, it never even rained and there were even odd patches of blue sky during the second half!

When I last saw Ridgewood play a home game, back in April 2021 (0-0 v Reigate Priory att.12) they played at Convent Field, which is adjacent to The Dripping Pan, home of Lewes F.C. Nowadays they play at Uckfield Leisure Centre, on the now all too familiar 3G cage set up, with viewing restricted to one side.

Apart from the attraction of a noon kick off (their Reserves were at home at 2 o’clock) it was also the only ground I hadn’t visited in this division and now leaves me with just five clubs left to complete the entire league. The match itself was also of interest, as 3rd in the Championship Division (W8 L2) hosted 6th in the Premier Division (W8 D1 L4). Very little happened in the opening half hour, but a miss kick by the visitor’s ‘keeper presented Ridgewood with an easy opening goal. An angled shot into the far top corner, followed by a close range finish, saw them race into a three goal lead within seven minutes of breaking the deadlock.

The second half saw Ridgewood try to protect what they had, rather than push for more goals. An unmarked header saw the lead reduced to 3-1 ten minutes into the second half, before a cross from the right was finished with a scuffed shot that looped over the ‘keeper to make it 3-2 as we headed into the last twenty minutes. In the end, the three goal head start was too much for Balcombe to overcome and Ridgewood held on for the win.

Plenty of time for me to head off for a second game at 3 o’clock…..

Midland League

Division 3

Monday 2nd January 2023

Kick Off 14.00 Actual 14.02

Wake Green Amateur 3 A.F.C. Solihull 2, attendance 59

25’ 0-1

53’ 1-1

55’ 2-1

77’ 3-1

80’ 3-2

@ The Holloway

Drawbridge Road

Major’s Green

Shirley

B90 1DD

No Admission or Programme.

I had been informed by the home club Secretary last night that there was to be a pitch inspection around 10 o’clock this morning and received a text message around 10.20 to say that all was fine and we were good to go! The Holloway has three pitches, with the main one on a higher plateau to the other two, running widthways in front of the clubhouse/changing rooms.

The match was 4th (W7, D2, L3) versus 2nd (W9, D1, L2) in the league table and was a very even contest. The only goal of the first half went the way of the visitors, when a cross from the left was headed in from six yards and they could have doubled their lead, but a second effort was disallowed for a foul on the ‘keeper. It didn’t take Wake Green long to turn things round in the second half. A goal on the break, followed in after an initial save, then a square ball tapped in at the far post saw them go 2-1 up within ten minutes of the restart. The game looked safe when a cross from the right was volleyed in at the near post to make it 3-1, but the visitors hit back almost immediately, with a cracking 25 yard free kick that went straight over the ‘keeper, setting up an interesting last ten minutes. Solihull almost drew level when a header came back off the underside of the crossbar, but Wake Green held out for the win.

National League South

Sunday 1st January 2023

Kick Off 15.00 Actual 15.01

Welling United 2 Tonbridge Angels 1, attendance 932

14’ 1-0

23’ 1-1

44’ 2-1

@ Park View Road

Welling

DA16 1SY

£15 Admission

£3 Programme available, didn’t bother buying.

Today was a trip to a ground I hadn’t visited since Boxing Day 1989, when I saw Welling United beat Fisher Athletic 2-0 in a Conference (National League) match in front of 1,208 spectators. That had been a morning kick off and I followed it up later that afternoon with Barnet beating Enfield 2-0 in the same league, which was played in front of a crowd of 4,481 at their old Underhill ground. Traffic never seemed to be such a problem in those days for such a double, but to be fair, the M25 was in fine form today, taking a shade over 40 minutes drive both ways.

Today’s match was 12th versus 10th in the league table and was the reverse of the Boxing Day fixture at Tonbridge, which Welling had won 1-0. It was another tight game. Welling started brightly and hit the crossbar in the opening five minutes, before breaking the deadlock ten minutes later, when Taylor Maloney beat the ‘keeper with a cracker into the top corner from 20 yards. The lead only lasted nine minutes though, as Lewis Gard finished coolly to make it 1-1. Welling edged back in front right on halftime, when Ade Azeez volleyed in from close range, following a low cross in from the left and only a great save by their ‘keeper, from a deflected shot, saw them cling on to their lead in the dying seconds of the half.

The second period saw Tonbridge create the better chances, as Welling appeared to settle for what they had. They were certainly hanging on desperately towards the end, especially in the last ten minutes and the visitors probably deserved to nick a point, but it wasn’t to be.

Somerset County League

Division 1

Saturday 31st December 2022

Kick Off 13.00 Actual 13.01

Uphill Castle 4 Somerton Town 1, attendance 35

2’ 1-0 (pen)

27’ 2-0

60’ 3-0

72’ 3-1

74’ 4-1

@ Weston-super-Mare F.C. 3G Pitch

Winterstoke Road

Weston-super-Mare

BS24 9AA

No Admission or Programme.

Rather than risk a grass pitch, I rounded off the year by once again playing it safe by doing a 3G pitch. Uphill Castle play on the 3G cage that runs parallel to the main Weston-super-Mare F.C. ground (which I had visited on 27th October 2004 for a 3-0 win in a National League South match versus St. Albans City). On 10th May 1997 I had seen Westland United lose 1-2 to Shirehampton in a Somerset Senior League Premier Division match that was played on a grass pitch here, but that was beyond a line of trees that are still in situ, clearly visible to the left of the car park as you enter the complex.

The cage is unusual, in the fact that the only designated spectator area is at the goal end where you enter. There is a small bit of overhang off the changing room building in one corner, but the view of the pitch is through the mesh fence, so not really much use!

The match was 2nd (W9 D4 L1) versus 5th ( W6 D3 L1) in the league table and was a good advert for this level of football. Uphill Castle were ahead from the penalty spot after just two minutes. Somerton had a goal disallowed for offside in the opening ten minutes and were gradually getting on top, but conceded a second goal just before the half hour mark, with an angled shot into the far corner, to go in trailing 2-0 at the break.

Uphill Castle dominated the second half and the visitor’s keeper was forced to tip a curling shot round the post, but was beaten again soon afterwards, as a first time shot made it 3-0 on the hour mark. Somerton headed in from a corner to pull it back to 3-1 with eighteen minutes left, but there was no hope of a comeback, as Uphill restored their three goal lead two minutes later.

Today’s match leaves Mendip Broadwalk as the only ground not visited in the top two divisions of this league now. After a year (and life for that matter!) that nearly ended so abruptly for me in July, it is nice to be back on the circuit. I’m pleased to have managed 140 new ground visits (lowest total since 1998, not counting the badly affected Covid-19 year), although my back to back best year totals of 343 and 396 (2013-2014) are now unlikely to ever be challenged, but never say never….

National League South

Thursday 29th December 2022

Kick Off 15.00 Actual 14.59

Braintree Town 1 Chippenham Town 1, attendance 728

52’ 0-1

75’ 1-1

@ Dunmow Group Stadium

Clockhouse Way

off Cressing Road

Braintree

CM7 3DE

£15 Admission

Programme available, didn’t bother buying.

Today completed the final part of the jigsaw in my recovery from the cardiac arrest that I suffered in July….I actually drove to the match on my own, although I did meet a mate here. My only previous visit was in March 1992, when I saw Braintree beat Witney Town 1-0 (att.174) in a Southern League Southern Division match. It is now a nice neat and compact ground, where you are certainly close to the action. It seemed strange that it was an afternoon kick off, as it wasn’t a Bank Holiday, but it pulled in a decent crowd, with a fair number of ‘hoppers present, although I thought the crowd was probably a couple of hundred fewer than the official figure announced.

The match was 9th versus 22nd (out of 24) in the league table. To be fair, It wasn’t great. In fact, it was turgid at times. It was no surprise to see it was still goalless at halftime. It was the visitors who broke the deadlock seven minutes into the second half though, when Jordan Young scored with a shot into the far corner from the angle of the 18 yard box. Braintree were level with fifteen minutes left, Kyran Clements shooting first time into the bottom corner, after a long throw was only cleared as far as the edge of the box. Three minutes later Braintree had Jack Cawley sent off for picking up a second yellow card and the game slowly drifted to a conclusion. Neither side deserved more than a point.