This was unusual for a pre-season game, as both teams will play in Spartan South Midlands League Division 1 (Step 6) this season. It was played at the neutral venue of Northampton School for Boys, which is more or less opposite O.N Chenecks normal home venue, where I saw them draw 1-1 versus Higham Town in a United Counties League Division 1 match on 1st September 1995 and adjacent to St. Andrews Hospital, where I had seen Northampton Town U18 host West Bromwich Albion U18 in a Midland Youth League match on 17th February 1996.
Chenecks opened the scoring after eight minutes, with a 25 yard shot into the bottom corner, but two goals in five minutes saw Lutterworth turn it round midway through the half. The lead only lasted five minutes, before a cross from the right was finished with a header at the far post, which looped over the ‘keeper to make it 2-2. The winner came sixteen minutes from time, when a Lutterworth defender blindly played a ball back to his ’keeper, who was well out of position on the edge of the 18 yard box and the ball rolled past him into the empty net, to win it for the hosts.
A nice easy 15 mile drive kicked off the new season for me, as Southern Combination League Premier Division (Step 5) hosted Southern Counties East League Division 1 (Step 6), played at the neutral venue of Edenbridge Rugby Club, some four miles east of Lingfield.
Lingfield started the better of the two and it was no surprise that they broke the deadlock midway through the first half. Croydon levelled in stoppage time, tapping in from close range, after the ’keeper had saved an angled shot, to make it 1-1 at the break. The winner came eight minutes from time, with a cross from the right headed down into the bottom corner of the net at the near post.
A decent game, made all the better by a lack of what seem continual substitutions that normally occur in the early run outs during pre-season. At least a quarter of the crowd was made up of ground hoppers.
I was originally planning to do this game as part of a driving trip, which would be a ’day return’, aiming to return during the early hours, but when the numbers involved became five, rather than the normal four, I decided to drop out, as a 600 mile trip in cramped conditions didn’t appeal. Rather than miss out, I looked at driving it myself, but with Eurotunnel charging a ridiculous £194, plus 12 gallons of petrol to cover the trip, this was not a sensible option. In the end, I decided to fly. A return from London City Airport to Luxembourg City came in at £76, flying out with Luxair and returning with British Airways. The only downside would be travelling in and out of London on the train, which surprisingly took only 1 hour 17 minutes, including a couple of changes, having arrived into London Bridge, before taking the Jubilee Line and Docklands Light Railway to complete the journey. Wouldn’t it be nice if the railways were this reliable all the time.
My 1135 flight left 21 minutes late and lost another ten minutes once we landed, as we had to wait for the steps to arrive before we could disembark, but I had seven hours to play with before kick off, so not a problem. From the airport, bus number 29 takes just under 25 minutes to reach Gare Centrale, the main railway station, from where it was a five minute walk to my hotel. Unbelievably, all public transport in Luxembourg is free. Not just in Luxembourg City, but the entire country! It covers all buses, trains and the relatively new tram system. I hadn’t been to a match in Luxembourg since visiting C.S. Grevenmacher for a National League game on 10th August 2015, when I drove down from Brussels. In those days petrol was only €0.89 a litre in Luxembourg (usually 10-15 cents cheaper than in Belgium at the time), but I noticed it was €2.09 yesterday!
The Stade de Luxembourg is situated to the south of the city, just beyond the A6 motorway. Bus number 18 runs from Gare Centrale, taking nine minutes, dropping off right outside the stadium. Luxembourg played their first game here on 1st September 2021, when they hosted Azerbaijan in a World Cup Qualifier. The capacity is 9,386, which is perfectly adequate for the crowds they get and has been built to replace the soon to be demolished Stade Josy Barthel. I had seen Luxembourg beat Northern Ireland 3-2 there, in a World Cup Qualifying match back on 10th September 2013, which was their first win in that competition in 41 years!
Unlike some of the so called bigger nations, these two were taking the match very seriously. It is countries at the lower end of the ranking system that benefit most from the U.E.F.A. Nations League, as it gives them an opportunity to regularly win competitive matches and can only benefit them in future. This four team group is headed by Turkey, or should that now be Turkiye, whilst Luxembourg are second, with Faroe Islands third and Lithuania propping up the table. The reverse fixture last week saw Luxembourg come away with a 1-0 win, courtesy of a Rodrigues penalty and it was the same player who opened the scoring tonight, once again converting from the penalty spot, after he had been fouled by the ’keeper when put through on goal.
Both teams attacked at every opportunity, in what was a very entertaining game, but neither side were able to add any further goals before halftime. As the one minute of added time was announced at the end of the half, it signalled the arrival of the ‘M Block Fanatics’ (according to the banner on display), who were obviously demonstrating some sort of grievance by not taking up their seats during the first half. They certainly added to the atmosphere and were very vociferous for the remainder of the game.
When a cross from the left was volleyed in to make it 2-0 four minutes into the second half, it looked like Luxembourg might have gone on to win comfortably, but two goals by Bjartalio, the first a cracking left footed shot into the bottom corner, swiftly followed by a deflected shot that gave the ’keeper no chance, saw the Faroe Islands draw level at 2-2 just before the hour mark. Both teams had chances to win it and Luxembourg will probably be the more disappointed of the two to have come out of this with just one point. Brilliant game to watch as a neutral though.
After the match, despite my seat being at the furthest point possible from the bus stop, I still managed to make it onto the ’extra’ number 18 bus that was parked outside, rather than having to wait for the scheduled 23.03 I was intending to get. It ran direct to Gare Centrale and dropped off back in town just 18 minutes after the final whistle!
My return flight the next morning with British Airways, back to London City Airport, left a couple of minutes ahead of the advertised 10.55 departure and good tube connections, and just a thirteen minute wait for a train from London Bridge, meant back home just before 12.30. Excellent trip.
Above : Rodrigues is fouled by the Faroe Islands ’keeper and Below : The penalty is put away to make it 1-0.
Bentley Village 1 Askern Miners Reserves 1, attendance 155
14’ 0-1
83’ 1-1
@ Queen’s Drive
Bentley
DN5 9QB
No Admission or Programme.
This was the first game I had watched in the Doncaster League. It wasn’t a bad one to start with, as this was 2nd versus 3rd in the league table, with Bentley Village requiring a point to take the Division 1 (tier 2 of the league) title from Adwick Park Foresters, who had finished their fixtures and were top of the table on goal difference. The ground is little more than a pitch in a recreation ground, but for tonight’s game it was roped along one side and there were also three match officials appointed, which I assume would not normally be the case. A good crowd too, swelled by around 20 groundhoppers and a fair number of Adwick players, there to see if Askern could do them a huge favour.
The visitors came close to being party poopers. They went ahead after fourteen minutes, heading in at the far post, from a cross out on the left. Bentley Village looked very poor and certainly didn’t look like a team going for the title, especially one that had been unbeaten in the league this season. It remained 0-1 at the break, but the hosts piled the pressure on in the second half and the inevitable equaliser finally came, with just seven minutes left, when a mistake by the Askern ’keeper saw the ball lobbed back over him from just outside the box.
Above : Note the ridiculous colour clash of the Askern ’keeper and the home team!
Lepton Highlanders 3 Leeds City Reserves 2, attendance 175
3’ 1-0
16’ 2-0
26’ 2-1
52’ 2-2
80’ 3-2
@ Lepton Highlanders Sports & Social Club
Wakefield Road
Lepton
HD8 0LX
No Admission
£2 Programme, 8 pages.
This was the last match to be played in this division (third tier of the league, Step 9) and was a winner takes all as far as the league title went. It was 1st versus 3rd, and with just two promotion places available, it meant all three possible results would see a different outcome in both who took the title and who would end up in a higher division next season. Lepton Highlanders were on 48 points (+56 Goal Difference), as were second placed Woodkirk Valley (+ 29 GD), with Leeds City (+ 40 GD) a point further back.
Lepton got off to the perfect start, opening the scoring after just three minutes and we were only sixteen minutes in when they made it 2-0, beating the ’keeper at his near post, with an effort that really should have been saved. Ten minutes later the visitors pulled a goal back, shooting through the ’keeper’s legs, after a cross from the right wasn’t cleared. Seven minutes into the second half it was 2-2, after a poor punch clear by the ’keeper was lobbed back over him from the angle of the 18 yard box, going in off the far post. With ten minutes left Lepton netted the winner, cutting in from the right, before smashing the ball into the roof of the net. During the goal celebrations, one of their players suffered a suspected dislocated knee cap. An ambulance was called, but with none available, they were advised to get him into a car and drive him to hospital themselves! Surprisingly, we only had a seventeen minute delay, whilst the player was loaded into the car and taken away.
So Lepton take the title, and are promoted along with Woodkirk Valley, who finished second.
On arrival at the ground at 17.20 it was a bit concerning to find the gates locked and the place totally deserted, apart from another couple of ’hoppers. Thankfully, at 17.40, a player from each team arrived, then ten minutes later the gates were unlocked and the other players began to drift in. In the end though, they have to be given credit for getting underway just five minutes late. Parking is off Blue Hill Lane, where there is a small sized pitch , from where you walk down some grass banking and across another grassed area before reaching a much steeper drop, with the football pitch at the bottom. It is certainly a more pleasant walk getting down there than it is on the return!
The match was 5th versus 11th in the league table. It was hard to believe the first half finished goalless, as both teams pushed forward at every opportunity, in a very open game. Toller did get the ball in the net early on, but the ’goal’ wasn’t given, despite looking to be at least a yard over the line as the ’keeper scooped the ball clear. Toller did get the breakthrough just after the hour mark though, sparking a run of four goals in six minutes, when a long diagonal pass was finished with a shot across the ’keeper into the far corner. They doubled their lead two minutes later, but Wortley pulled it back to 1-2, shooting into the top corner from 16 yards, before Toller restored their two goal lead immediately to go 1-3 up. A clinical finish, from a one on one with the ’keeper, saw them go 1-4 up with twelve minutes left. Wortley did hit the woodwork twice in the closing stages, but were unable to reduce the deficit.
Brinklow 3 Folly Lane Boys Club Old Boys Association Reserves 3 (4-5 pens), attendance 104
13’ 0-1
41’ 0-2
43’ 1-2
51’ 1-3
53’ 2-3
81’ 3-3
@ Hawkes Mill Sports & Social Club
Hawkes Mill Lane
Allesley
Coventry
CV5 9FN
£3 Admission
No Programme.
In the end, it was the higher level team that took the honours, as the team that finished second in Division 2, played fourth in Division 1. Folly Lane were well on top in the first half. The opening goal was a cracker, as the player dived forward as a cross came in from the right, he back heeled it, looping the ball over the ’keeper. Four minutes before halftime it was 0-2, after a flick on was headed back across the six yard box into the far corner and Brinklow kept themselves in the game when they pulled a goal back just before halftime, finishing a through ball with a lob over the ’keeper.
Brinklow were much better after the break. In the opening minutes of the second half, they saw a header come back off the post, with the rebound hitting the crossbar, but soon found themselves 1-3 down, as Folly Lane scored with an angled shot that the ’keeper should really have saved, but within two minutes it was 2-3, as Brinklow punished a defensive error. Both teams created plenty of chances, before Brinklow levelled it up at 3-3 with nine minutes left, as their No.7 poked a shot past the ’keeper to complete his hattrick. Both teams could have won it in stoppage time. Folly Lane hit the crossbar with a looping header, before Brinklow missed a great chance, shooting straight at the ’keeper when clean through, in what turned out to be the last kick of the match.
It was straight to penalties. Brinklow went first, scoring their first four kicks, as did Folly Lane. The next kick was saved, the ’keeper diving to his left to turn it round the post. Folly Lane then made it 5 from 5 to win it.
Above : Brinklow pull it back to 1-2, with a lob over the ’keeper.
As far as final league positions go, this was 6th versus 4th in the table. Mayfield totally dominated the first half and led 0-3 at the break, courtesy of a hattrick from their No. 9. The opener came after nine minutes, an easy tap in, after his strike partner had beaten the ’keeper to a through ball, before pulling the ball back across the six yard box. The second came just after the half hour mark, when a block tackle saw the ball spin into the air, and he slid in at the far post, volleying in off the underside of the crossbar. The third came right on halftime, an excellent finish from the edge of the box.
Shirebrook looked a completely different team in the second half. Having created nothing in the first half, it took them just five minutes to pull one goal back, when a scramble in the box saw the ball blocked between defender and post, and although Mayfield cleared the ball, the Linesman signalled that the ball had crossed the line. Ten minutes later it was 2-3, when another close range finish from the hosts meant it was very much game on. Mayfield looked the more likely to get the all important next goal, although it was a bit of a surprise that it didn’t arrive until six minutes from time. A free kick from out on the left touchline was headed back across the six yard box and the ball was swept into the net from three yards.
The Surrey Premier County League (Step 7) is fed by the Surrey County Intermediate League (Western) and the Surrey South Eastern Combination League. I’ve always preferred the former of the two feeders, both for location of grounds and also the quality of football on offer. Today’s match certainly went a long way in changing my view on the playing standards, at least, in what was a ’winner takes all’ clash in Junior Division 1, which is Step 10, and the third tier of the S.S.E.C., sitting below the Intermediate Divisions 1 and 2.
Old Boys Clapham had finished the season top of the table, with 46 points (+ 25 Goal Difference) from their twenty games. Banstead Rovers came into this in second place on 44 points (+ 24 GD), with South Croydon in third, having amassed 43 points (+ 39 GD). Therefore, a win for either side would give them the title, whilst a draw would see Old Boys Clapham take the honours. Just to add a little more spice, if it was needed, only the top two teams get promoted!
The two sides were very evenly matched, in what was a game full of commitment. South Croydon broke the deadlock just after the half hour mark, glancing in a header at the near post, from a corner on the left, before doubling their lead just three minutes later, steering the ball into the far corner, after a pull back from the right. Four minutes before halftime Banstead Rovers had a chance to get back into it, but were unable to convert from the penalty spot.
South Croydon went 3-0 up on the hour, brilliantly curling in a shot with the outside of the foot, somehow avoiding the two defenders in the six yard box, after having been forced wide when beating the ’keeper to a through ball. Banstead pulled one back with seventeen minutes left, putting in the rebound, after a long range shot came back off the crossbar, but within two minutes, South Croydon restored their three goal lead, bundling in from 6 yards, after a shot had bounced down off the underside of the crossbar, to make it 4-1. Banstead did pull it back to 4-2, three minutes into stoppage time, but despite the Referee adding on a further seven minutes after the goal, South Croydon hung on to take the title and it will be Old Boys Clapham that join them in the higher division next season.
Above : Banstead see their first half penalty saved by the South Croydon ’keeper.
With the amount of games in this league that are awarded as walkovers, I wasn’t very confident of actually seeing a game tonight, especially with the visitors being bottom of the league table. However, I needn’t have worried. Both teams were out on the pitch doing their warm ups 10-15 minutes before the scheduled start and Stoke Poges had a full compliment of players, as well as three substitutes, which was good to see.
Old Windsor came into this 3rd in the league table, in a three way fight for the title, with current champions Singh Sabha Slough and Britwell. Unfortunately for Old Windsor, a 1-2 loss at home to Britwell on Saturday means the title is no longer in their own hands. Stoke Poges, on the other hand, really need to win two of their last three games, if they are to have a realistic chance of avoiding relegation.
Old Windsor got off to the perfect start, opening the scoring after ten minutes, then doubling their lead a minute later. Stoke Poges pulled one back within four minutes, but a clinical finish from just inside the box saw Old Windsor go 3-1 up midway through the half. Surprisingly, there were no more goals until the hosts made it 4-1 two minutes into the second half, heading in at the far post. The scoring was rounded off when Old Windsor added a fifth goal on sixty nine minutes, scoring from close range, after the ’keeper had saved the first effort.
The top three have all won their midweek matches, so it is still all to play for, although Britwell look to be favourites. Singh Sabha Slough stay top, with 35 points (+33 Goal Difference), with one game to play. Britwell are also on 35 points (+ 30 GD), but have two games left, as do third placed Old Windsor, who are on 34 points (+ 23 GD).
