Southern Counties F.A. Challenge Cup

Quarter Final

Wednesday 4th February 2026

Kick Off 19.45 Actual 19.49

Mid Annandale 3 Gretna 2008 5, attendance 87

32’ 0-1

34’ 0-2

48’ 0-3

61’ 1-3

69’ 2-3

74’ 3-3

82’ 3-4

89’ 3-5

@ New King Edward Park

Matthew’s Loaning

Lockerbie

DG11 2NB

£4 Admission

No Programme.

I’d seen Mid Annandale play a home game at King Edward Park back in July 2003, when they lost 1-2 to Dumfries in a South of Scotland League, League Cup 1st Round match, which was played on a grass pitch near the changing rooms. They still use the same buildings, but have since developed a 3G pitch, sandwiched between the railway line and some industrial buildings and this is now known as ‘New’ King Edward Park, complete with seated stand and spectator areas along each touchline, although the side with the dugouts was only occupied by ‘hangers on’ tonight. There’s a toilet block and a tea bar too, with hot food and drinks and the usual sweets/chocolate etc. available.

The match was South of Scotland League (9th) versus Lowland League (17th), with the visitors being the cup holders. There wasn’t a great deal to separate them early on, but when Gretna broke the deadlock after 32 minutes, poking in from close range following a knock down from a corner, followed by a second goal two minutes later, it looked to be heading for an easy away win. When they made it 0-3 three minutes into the second half, cutting in from the left and smashing a shot high into the far corner, it looked like it was game over. Just after the hour mark Mid Annandale pulled one back though and eight minutes later they got a second, poking a through ball past the ‘keeper from the edge of the box, having won the race to a through ball. The comeback was completed five minutes later, when a corner from the right was fumbled by the ‘keeper and volleyed in from six yards. As we entered the last ten minutes Gretna missed an open goal at the far post, somehow heading wide of the target from a couple of yards out, but it only took them another two minutes to edge back in front, when a slick three man move was squared across the edge of the box and finished with a low shot into bottom corner of the net. They made certain of the win in the last couple of minutes, when a corner from the right wasn’t cleared and ended with a shot from the corner of the six yard box that went in off the far post to make it 3-5.

The final whistle went at 21.43 and I was glad I was staying overnight in Carlisle, before taking a leisurely drive home in the morning. Just leaves me with Lochmaben left to do in the South of Scotland League now.

Portugal

Associacao de Futebol do Porto

Campeonato Divisao Elite

Sunday 1st February 2026

Kick Off 18.00 Actual 18.01

Sport Club Castelo Maia 2 Associacao Desportivo Grijo 0, attendance 205

6’ 1-0

36’ 2-0

@ Estadio Municipal Dr. Costa Lima

Rua do Campo de Futebol

Castelo da Maia

4475-169 Maia

€5 Admission

No Programme.

Despite the earlier game not finishing until 17.23 we were still parked up at the second game for 17.35 as it was only five miles drive north east. We parked in the street adjacent to the ground, right outside the original old entrance gate, which has the club initials and year of formation depicted.

Nowadays you enter behind the goal, having purchased your ticket at the bilheteira on the corner. As with this afternoon, it’s a ground that has a 3G pitch, with one large stand along the side and no spectator access to the other three sides, although it is evident this ground has hosted football at a higher level in the past and is more characterful than the dreadful cage set ups that blight our non league system these days, having been a grass pitch in bygone days.

The match was 9th versus 4th in the league table. It was a decent enough watch, but was never going to match the superb spectacle of this afternoon. The hosts took an early lead, when a quick break down the left was finished with an angled shot into the far corner. The second goal came nine minutes before halftime, when a corner from the right saw the ‘keeper come to clear, but he missed his punch and the ball was nodded in from six yards. Plenty of chances created at both ends, but neither side looked like adding to the scoring.

As with earlier, the pitch suffered from the rain, with it being much more persistent as the game wore on. Never in doubt of not getting to a finish though…at least that’s the impression I got. The flight home with TAP from Porto to London Gatwick wasn’t until Monday evening and a break in the weather meant a nice stroll along the beach in Pavoa de Varzim before heading back to the airport. The 1820 flight left 20 minutes late and we were sat five rows behind West Ham United manager Nino Espírito Santo, who I doubt was hoping to tie up a transfer deadline day signing of any of the players I’d witnessed this weekend, although being West Ham, you never know….

Portugal

Associacao de Futebol do Porto

Campeonato Divisao Elite

Sunday 1st February 2026

Kick Off 15.30 On Time!

Desportivo Leca Balio 3 Valadares Gaia 5, attendance 147

1’ 1-0

5’ 1-1

42’ 1-2

60’ 1-3

67’ 1-4

74’ 2-4

88’ 2-5

90’ 3-5

@ Complexo Desportivo de Leca do Balio

Rua de Dom Dinis

4465-612 Leca do Balio

€6 Admission

No Programme.

Today should have started with a game at Liga 2 club Uniao Leiria, who play at a stadium that hosted games in the Euro 2004 Championship, but storm damage on Thursday evening meant the game was postponed. There were still double opportunities though, but it would mean both being at a lower level and instead of driving miles, I opted to stay north of Porto. First up was Desportivo Leca Balio, whose ground has a large stand on one side, but with no access to the other three. Toilets are under the stand and there’s a small clubhouse behind the near goal end. There is a small car park, but with plentiful street parking, not a problem. Luckily, it has a 3G pitch, as it started raining shortly before kick off and by the end the pitch was starting to flood, although the ball was still just about running freely through an increasing number of puddles. However, neither the Referee or teams seemed the slightest bit bothered. I doubt very much that the game would have continued here in England, such is our health and safety/blame culture these days and clubs looking for any excuse to not actually play games if possible.

The game was at level six in the pyramid, with 6th hosting 12th in the league table. It was an excellent watch, with both teams opting for an all out attack approach, which was superb from a neutral point of view. Leca were ahead inside a minute, but were pegged back four minutes later. Three minutes before halftime a through ball down the left was finished with a 20 yarder into the top corner to give Gaia a 1-2 lead at the break. On the hour mark a deflected shot saw them go 1-3 up and midway through the half a one two on the edge of the box was finished low into the far corner to make it 1-4. A low angled shot saw Leca pull one back with sixteen minutes left, to make it 2-4, before they had another effort ruled out for offside a few minutes later. Gaia hit the bar with a 30 yard free kick, before adding a fifth goal with two minutes left with a 25 yarder into the top corner. The hosts then got a last minute goal to make it 3-5 and the final whistle blew as the game re-started.

Portugal

Primeira Liga

Saturday 31st January 2026

Kick Off 18.00 On Time!

Rio Ave 0 F.C. Arouca 3, attendance 1,842

44’ 0-1

53’ 0-2

66’ 0-3

@ Estadio do Rio Ave Futebol Clube

Rua de Dom Sancho I

4480-876 Vila do Conde

€13 Admission

No Programme.

The 41 mile drive west from Felgueiras took about 45 minutes, calling in at the club shop at the stadium to buy tickets for the match, prior to heading off to check in at the hotel. There was no panic with getting in though, as the crowd of 1,842 was well short of the 5,244 stated capacity of this one sided ground. There’s a single stand, with cover in the centre section only, flanked by a block of open seats (one for away fans, the other for non members). It’s pretty poor to be staging top level football. Loads of free parking in the surrounding roads though and a tram stop right outside the ground too, which links you with Porto Airport.

The match was 12th versus 15th in the league table and was a game that barely set the pulses racing. Very pedestrian stuff, with build up play far too slow, with caution always the chosen option, rather than trying to be creative. I don’t recall too much of note from a dreadful first half, apart from Arouca breaking the deadlock in the final minute of the half, when a corner from the right was headed back across the six yard box and met with a close range header that beat the ‘keeper. Eight minutes into the second half they doubled their lead, when a cross was headed back across the box, resulting in an aerial challenge which struck a defender on the shoulder and sent the ball looping back over his ‘keeper for an unfortunate own goal. Their third goal came with twenty four minutes left, cutting in from the left before sending an angled shot into the far corner of the net from just outside the six yard box. They also had a header ruled out for offside with sixteen minutes left. Rio Ave offered nothing. The nearest they came to scoring was when an Arouca defender sliced a clearance against his own post in the final minute.

Portugal

Liga 2

Saturday 31st January 2026

Kick Off 11.00 On Time!

F.C. Felgueiras 1 Grupo Desportivo Chaves 0, attendance 850

40’ 1-0

@ Estadio Municipal Doutor Machado de Matos

Rua do Futebol Clube de Felgueiras 7

4610-808 Felgueiras

€10 Admission

No Programme.

This morning saw a 12 mile drive south east from Guimaraes to the town of Felgueiras, which took about twenty five minutes, arriving just under half an hour before kick off. No problem parking in the street next to the ground and tickets were purchased from the ticket outlet on the corner of the ground. The ground is two sided, with no access behind either goal and has a capacity of 6,587, which is probably rarely tested and certainly not with today’s turn out. As it was drizzling at the time, we opted for the covered side of the ground, but this soon cleared and it was very pleasant in the winter sunshine. The opposite side was open terrace, with the 65 away fans situated in the left hand side section as you looked across. The usual hot and cold drinks and snacks were available, reasonably priced. Despite there having been very heavy rain for the last few days, the pitch was in superb condition, but quite a few divots appeared during the warm ups and again during the match.

It was 11th versus 8th in the league table and another game that if you’re being kind you’d describe as being dull and lacklustre. The hosts did hit the crossbar with a free kick just after the half hour mark, before making the breakthrough five minutes before halftime, when a corner on the left was cleared and returned first time and poked in at the far post. They decided to sit back and try and protect what they’d got, rather than kill the game off by adding a second goal. Chaves went close late on, hitting the near post from a tight angle, having a diving header tipped around the post and having another header from a corner tipped over the crossbar. Their best chance came nine minutes into stoppage time, when they were awarded a penalty, but a pathetic stuttered run up was followed by an equally pathetic shot that was easily saved by the ‘keeper, low down to his left hand post.

Portugal

Primeira Liga

Friday 30th January 2025

Kick Off 20.45 Actual 20.49

Vitoria Sport Clube 1 Moreirense 0, attendance 10,826

66’ 1-0 (pen)

@ Estadio Dom Afonso Henriques

Avenida de Sao Goncalo 888

4810-527 Guimaraes

€15 Admission

No Programme.

Travelled out from London Gatwick on TAP yesterday morning, which departed 40 minutes late, bound for Porto and a few days in a rather wet and windy north west Portugal. First up was two nights in Guimaraes, the second of which would take in a match at Vitoria Sport Clube, who play at the 29,464 capacity Estadio Dom Afonso Henriques, which hosted games during the Euro 2004 Championship. Tickets were easily obtained from the club office at the stadium on Thursday afternoon, with no identification required, although as a non member you were limited to three areas. It would have been no problem buying tickets on the night though, as the ground was only just over a third full, with the visitors contributing about 200 of those. We chose to sit in the only one of the three areas available to us that were covered, in the top tier of the end behind the goal at the north end, which was a good choice, especially when the rain arrived (yet again) during the first half, causing those in the open areas to run for cover. The stadium is like an elongated horseshoe, with the stand that runs behind the south goal running straight across the bottom.

It was 9th versus 6th as far as league positions go, so we’d expected a decent game. Unfortunately, we got the opposite. Two teams lacking any ambition at all in getting forward, content with constant sideways and backwards passing, with the latter certainly favoured where possible. Every goal kick saw two defenders and the ‘keeper pass it between them around the six yard box, before playing it out to either fullback as the opposition closed them down, then back to the ‘keeper and start again. Neither side were any good at it, but both continued to play this way regardless. There was only one goal attempt in the first half, when a shot from the visitors was tipped round the post. The second half improved, but not by much. Vitoria did finally create a chance or two, but it was probably fitting that the only goal came from the penalty spot midway through the half. It was duly dispatched to give the hosts all three points.

There was late drama though, as after five of the seven added minutes of stoppage time had been played, the floodlights flickered. The bulbs then went out on two of them, followed about thirty seconds later by the other two. After fourteen minutes of darkness, they gradually came back on and the final couple of minutes were played out, with the final whistle sounding at 23.00. The stadium was in sight of our hotel and the lights had been on over three and a half hours before kick off, which probably didn’t help in them failing and it was after midnight before they were finally turned off!

Above : The floodlights going out didn’t seem to bother most of the crowd……

Mid Sussex League

Junior Charity Cup 2nd Round

Saturday 24th January 2026

Kick Off 16.00 Actual 16.02

Ifield 4 Old Oxted Town 3, attendance 41

14’ 1-0

21’ 2-0 (pen)

25’ 2-1

29’ 2-2

44’ 3-2

45’ + 2, 3-3

50’ 4-3

@ Oakwood School Sports Centre, 3G Pitch

Balcombe Road

Horley

RH6 9AE

No Admission or Programme.

It was an easy twenty five minute drive back into Surrey, to the northern outskirts of Horley, for the second game of the day and another game switched from the club’s normal home venue due to a waterlogged pitch. It’s a standard cage set up, with a spectator area along three quarters of one side and a pair of dugouts opposite.

The match pitted 3rd in Division 3 North against 2nd in Division 2 North, with both sides a real credit to their respective divisions and an end to end game for the entire ninety minutes. Ifield took a fourteenth minute lead, heading a corner from the left back across the six yard box, where it was swept in from close range. They doubled their lead with a penalty seven minutes later, but two goals in a four minute spell saw Old Oxted level the scores just before the half hour mark, heading in from a corner before a curled shot in off the far post made it 2-2. A quick breakaway goal saw Ifield regain the lead a minute before halftime, but the visitors pulled it back to 3-3 in stoppage time, finishing low into the far corner, after a through ball had split the defence wide open. Five minutes into the second half Ifield went back in front, when a 20 yarder deflected over the ‘keeper and despite pushing hard for an equaliser, the nearest Old Oxted came to levelling things up was when a shot on the turn hit the foot of the post, before being hacked clear, as we entered the last twenty minutes.

Mid Sussex League

Division 2 North

Saturday 24th January 2025

Kick Off 12.00 Actual 12.03

A.S. Crawley 9 Ifield Albion 0, attendance 17

2’ 1-0

6’ 2-0

36’ 3-0

45’ + 4, 4-0

46’ 5-0

55’ 6-0

59’ 7-0

78’ 8-0

83’ 9-0

@ The Forest School, 3G Pitch

Comptons Lane

Horsham

RH13 5NL

No Admission or Programme.

Once again a week with plenty of rain meant grass pitches may have been a risky option today, so a 3G pitch was the safest bet and this noon kick off (it was hosting Horsham Trinity’s home West Sussex League match at 2pm) was ideal, as it also offered the chance of picking up a double. The ground here at The Forest School is a standard cage set up, with three quarters of one side allocated to spectator viewing and a pair of plastic dugouts on the far side.

The match saw the league leaders, with a 100% winning record, host tenth in the table and it went as expected. Two goals in the opening six minutes saw the hosts race into a two goal lead, but it took them half an hour to add a third goal, before curing another in from the angle of the 18 yard box in stoppage time to give them a 4-0 lead at halftime. A close range tap in saw them score again a minute after the restart, with two more added before the hour mark. With twelve minutes left they added an eighth, followed by a shot on the turn into the far corner for number nine five minutes later. They were desperate to hit double figures, going full on for another goal, but somehow the Ifield defence held out, despite having their ‘keeper red carded late on, following a fracas after a foul on the edge of the box, that also saw each team have a player booked.

Kent F.A. Junior ‘A’ Cup

3rd Round

Saturday 17th January 2026

Kick Off 13.30 Actual 13.29

Gillingham Town 1 Old Roan 3, attendance 8

6’ 0-1

29’ 0-2

74’ 0-3

77’ 1-3

@ Chatham Garrison Sports Ground

Sally Port Gardens

Brompton

ME7 5BT

No Admission or Programme.

Today’s game was a county cup tie between two teams from the Kent County League, with 8th in Division 2 East hosting 3rd in Division 2 West, Old Roan having won all eight league games they’ve played so far. The adverse weather had seen this game postponed last week, but no such problems today and I had an immediate response from the home club confirming this. Chatham Garrison Sports Ground is in Brompton, roughly halfway between Chatham and Gillingham and has a couple of grass pitches, a rugby pitch (that runs across today’s pitch) and a 3G hockey pitch. There’s a small car park and brick built changing room building, with the football to the left looking from here, with the near goal butting up to the caged pitch. It’s roped along about a third of the far touchline, whilst the two ‘dugouts’ were set up opposite.

Old Roan took an early lead, catching out the home defence with a quickly taken free kick, enabling the striker to finish one on one against the ‘keeper. They doubled their lead just before the half hour mark, with a 30 yarder into the top corner, which the ‘keeper got a hand to, but couldn’t keep out. We had a break of about five minutes around the hour mark, when soil had to be fetched from around the perimeter fence, to fill a hole in the pitch that was a good six inches deep. Apparently it had been there all game, but no one had gone near enough for it to have been a problem until then. The visitors made it 0-3 with sixteen minutes left, sweeping in a rebound at the far post, after an initial shot was saved, before Gillingham pulled one back three minutes later, breaking quickly down the left, before cutting inside where the first shot was saved, but followed in from twelve yards. They also had a shot cleared off the line late on, but never looked like getting level.