Cambridgeshire County League

Senior B Division

Wednesday 25th August 2021

Kick Off 18.15. On Time !

Houghton & Wyton 3 Hardwick 6, attendance 48

21’ 1-0

41’ 1-1

50’ 1-2

51’ 1-3

59’ 1-4

67’ 1-5

70’ 2-5

80’ 3-5

85’ 3-6

@ Houghton Playing Field

St. Ives Road

Houghton

PE28 2BJ

No Admission or Programme.

For the second successive night we ended up doing our second choice match. We had intended going to Dearne & District in the Central Midlands League, but they didn’t bother replying to a question on Twitter, (well, actually they did, but not until halfway through the first half of our match!) regarding whether or not they were issuing a programme (sadly yet another indication of how poor this league has become), so we headed here instead and it turned out to be an excellent choice.

The first half was a case of Houghton & Wyton not allowing Hardwick to settle and having edged in front, it really gave them something to hold on to. When Hardwick levelled it up at 1-1 just before halftime it set the second half up nicely. The team talk must have been quite something, as the visitors were transformed after the break. They scored three times before the hour mark and could easily have doubled this. They soon made it 1-5, before Houghton & Wyton pulled back a couple of goals. Hardwick then rounded off the scoring to make it 3-6. They were well worth the win and they now sit top of the league table, having won all three of their matches played.

Somerset County League

Division 3

Tuesday 24th August 2021

Kick Off 18.30 Actual 18.28

Cam Valley 9 Bishop Sutton Reserves 3, attendance 53

11’ 1-0

13’ 2-0

27’ 3-0

28’ 4-0

33’ 4-1

37’ 5-1

45’ 6-1

49’ 7-1

70’ 7-2 (pen)

72’ 8-2

87’ 8-3

90’ 9-3

@ Cam Valley Sports Club

Bristol Road

Paulton

BS39 7NX

No Admission or Programme.

Cam Valley are new in the Somerset County League this season, having come up from the Mid-Somerset League Premier Division, where they topped the table before COVID-19 brought the season to a halt. This match wasn’t even first choice tonight, but having seen my intended game in Leicestershire was postponed, it was a case of finding an alternative. I was then offered a lift to Somerset, with Congresbury being their intended destination (that finished 1-0) , but as I had already been there, way back in 1999, we settled on Cam Valley and what a good choice it was!

Although it is too early to read anything into league positions, this was 2nd versus 3rd in the table. I would be surprised if Bishop Sutton Reserves are in the top three at the seasons end. Cam Valley should be challenging for promotion though. They have certainly adapted well to their step up to the County League. It was one of those games where it looked like there would be a goal from every attack, with the hosts the more deadly in front of goal.

It was 6-1 by halftime and when Cam Valley scored again, just minutes into the second half, it looked like double figures were on the cards. Bishop Sutton Reserves did stem the tide somewhat and they wasted a couple of very good chances that could have made the score far more respectable. When they scored a late goal to make it 8-3, I thought It might be a ‘new score’ for me (it wasn’t, my records show I’d seen this three times already), but from a free kick Cam Valley went 9-3 up with the last kick of the match. This was definitely a score line I hadn’t seen before. Not often that happens, especially after 46 years of watching football.

Essex Olympian League

Premier Division

Saturday 21st August 2021

Kick Off 14.00 Actual 13.59

Basildon Town 5 Leigh Ramblers 0, attendance 60

24’ 1-0

30’ 2-0

40’ 3-0

56’ 4-0

65’ 5-0

@ Basildon Sport & Leisure Club

Gardiners Way

off Gardiners Lane South

Basildon

SS14 3AP

No Admission or Programme.

I never got round to visiting this ground before Basildon Town made the move this season to ground share at nearby Basildon United (they were at home in the F.A. Cup today, hence Town playing here), a ground that meets the necessary grading to obtain Step 6 football, which is the aim of the club.

The first half was a good contest, despite Basildon going in 3-0 up at the break. When it became 4-0 early in the second half, it was game over. Another goal was added, but the game deteriorated badly. The last twenty five minutes just dragged on and it was a relief when the final whistle went. Basildon looked a good side and did what they had to, cruising to an easy three points and they top the league table having won their opening two matches.

Kent County League

Division 1 West

Wednesday 18th August 2021

Kick Off 18.30 Actual 18.31

Crayford Arrows 3 Danson Sports 1, attendance 35

11’ 1-0

44’ 1-1

79’ 2-1

90’ + 4, 3-1

@ Bakersfield

Crayford Arrows Sports Club

Perry Street

Crayford

DA1 4RL

No Admission or Programme.

This could certainly be classed as a local derby, as Danson Sports play 500 yards further north along Perry Street. The game was played on the pitch in front of the clubhouse and was railed off along the majority of the near touch line. There is a second pitch running parallel beyond this, that has a pair of brick built dugouts on the far side.

Crayford went ahead early on, when a free kick was knocked down and finished with a first time shot. Danson levelled just before halftime with a neat lob from just inside the 18 yard box. Both teams should have scored more goals from the chances on offer, missed through poor finishing and a number of good saves by both ‘keepers from one on one efforts. Crayford edged back in front late on, with a tap in after a header came back off the post, and they rounded things off with a breakaway goal deep into stoppage time, to secure a 3-1 win.

Kent County League

Division 1 Central & East

Tuesday 17th August 2021

Kick Off 18.30 Actual 18.34

Cuxton 91 2 Guru Nanak 0, attendance 119

43’ 1-0

76’ 2-0 (pen)

@ Cuxton Community Ground

Bush Road

Cuxton

ME2 1EY

No Admission

£1.50 Programme, 20 pages.

Cuxton have moved across the road from Cuxton Recreation Ground to their new facility that is next to the Cuxton Social Club, with this being their first competitive fixture played here. Unusually, despite there being just one entrance and the ground being fully enclosed, they don’t charge admission, but do produce a decent programme, although as we know, not everyone buys one. They would be better off charging an entrance fee and giving away the programme, therefore getting something from everyone and if this is to be their normal sized crowd, then surely it would benefit them greatly.

Guru Nanak started the more brightly, in a first half that slowly turned the way of the hosts. A corner played towards the angle of the 18 yard box was hit first time into the bottom corner of the net to give Cuxton the breakthrough late in the half. The second half was more dominant for Cuxton and it would have been more comfortable for them if they had put away just one of the numerous chances they failed to convert. They did add a second goal, from the penalty spot, to finally make the game safe in the last quarter of an hour. Both teams contributed to what was a good game to watch as a neutral.

North Wales Coast West League

Division 1

Saturday 14th August 2021

Kick Off 18.00 Actual 18.02

Bethesda Rovers 1 Waunfawr 6, attendance 52

10’ 0-1

12’ 0-2

13’ 0-3

18’ 0-4

40’ 1-4

60’ 1-5

78’ 1-6

@ Bethesda Rugby Club, Pitch 2

Dol Dafydd

Station Road

Bethesda

LL57 3NE

No Admission or Programme.

The drive from St. Asaph took just over forty minutes, the only downside being that it was further from home. Bethesda Rovers play at the ground of Bethesda Rugby Club, using the second pitch. It is part railed along each side and the football goals are placed in front of the rugby posts. It is also floodlit, but they are unlikely to play games when these are required. The place was very busy, as it doubles up as a campsite (in excess of 100 tents), due to the close proximity of Snowdonia National Park.

Bethesda Rovers were only formed in the summer and were a late addition to the league. They are finding life very difficult so far, having lost their first two matches, both at home, by 3-9 and 0-8. When Waunfawr went 0-4 up inside twenty minutes, it looked like Bethesda might be on the end of a far bigger thrashing, but a goal for the hosts just before halftime meant it was only 1-4 at the break and a combination of Bethesda being more competitive, and Waunfawr taking their foot off the pedal, saw the visitors score just twice more in the second half.

Thankfully, there were no motorway closures coming home, so it was only four and a half hours drive back.

Ardal League North West

Saturday 14th August 2021

Kick Off 14.30 Actual 14.33

St. Asaph City 2 Blaenau Ffestiniog Amateurs 2, attendance 27

53’ 0-1

61’ 1-1

90’ 1-2

90’ + 2, 2-2

@ Roe Plas

off High Street

St. Asaph

LL17 0RF

No Admission

£1 Programme, 16 pages.

The chance of a double in North Wales was too good to miss, that is, if you are interested in football, rather than just programmes. The fact that there would be no programme at the evening game meant I was making the near ten hour return trip on my own, so I started the day at a ground most others had already visited, as it was part of a ground hop some years back, rather than visit a ground that others still needed.

The ground is developing nicely. It is fully railed and has hard standing along one side and behind the goal at the entrance end. A brand new seated stand was opened at the last home match, but they charge £3 (you get your programme free) to sit in it, so only three people made use of it, despite it raining for the majority of the first half. It seems odd to charge, when a pathetic crowd of just 27 were here for a game in Tier 3 of the Welsh pyramid.

When I arrived an hour before kick off, I saw two people run to a car and drive off hurriedly. Apparently, one of the Blaenau players had forgotten his boots, so they were heading into Rhyl to buy a new pair, making it back just minutes before kick off. It was a good job they did, as they only had a 12 man squad today.

The match was fourth bottom versus second bottom, with both teams feeling this was a winnable game. They created plenty of chances and it was a surprise that it was still goalless at halftime. Blaenau broke the deadlock early in the second half, a free kick that hit the wall was driven back into the bottom corner, giving the ‘keeper no chance. Having already used their substitute, the visitors were down to ten men on the hour mark, when a player had to leave the pitch for a brief spell due to injury and within a minute St. Asaph levelled it up at 1-1. Both sides went for the win and as we hit the 90 minute mark Blaenau looked to have scored the winner, with a deflected free kick, but two minutes into stoppage time St. Asaph netted a deserved equaliser.

This now leaves me with just Llanuwchllyn and Saltney Town left to visit in order to complete the top three tiers in Wales.

Friendly

Friday 13th August 2021

Kick Off 19.00 Actual 18.58

Tongham 3 Ash United Reserves 1, attendance 31

32’ 1-0

51’ 2-0

79’ 3-0

87’ 3-1

@ Queen’s Parade

Queen’s Avenue

Aldershot

GU11 2JL

No Admission or Programme.

I had done the three grounds across the road in Queen’s Avenue (Wavell Ground 3G Pitch, Army Rugby Stadium and Aldershot Miltary Stadium) for football, with this being a chance to complete the set. The pitch used is directly opposite the Military Stadium, nearest to the concrete driveway that separates the football and rugby pitches from the Aldershot Polo Fields. Unusually, it is partially floodlit, with all three pylons along the same side of the pitch and the lights were on for the duration of the match.

Tongham play in the Guildford & Woking Alliance Premier Division, whilst Ash United Reserves are in the Reserve Division of the Surrey Elite Intermediate League. It was very competitive, between two evenly matches teams. Tongham led 1-0 at the break and began to dominate as the the second half went on. They added two more goals before Ash got a late consolation goal to make it 3-1.

Central Midlands League

Premier Division South

Wednesday 11th August 2021

Kick Off 18.45. On Time !

Wirksworth Ivanhoe 0 Mickleover Royal British Legion 1, attendance 83

60’ 0-1

@ Wirksworth Recreation Ground

off Millers Green

Wirksworth

DE4 4BL

No Admission

£2 Programme, 8 pages.

Going back 20 odd years ago, the Central Midlands League was a competition I tried to keep up to date with and enjoyed watching games in. Nowadays, I’m not so bothered, as it is nowhere near the standard it once was and is one of a handful of leagues that I feel are no longer required (along with Spartan South Midlands League Division 2, Hellenic League Division 2 and Southern Combination League Division 2). Regional leagues that are on the same level as the county leagues are just pointless, meaning unnecessary extra travel for clubs and the standard of football is no better than playing within their own county.

Tonight’s match did little to change my opinion on how the standard of football in the Central Midlands League has dropped over the years. This was very poor, as expected, and it was a relief that we actually managed to see a goal at all. The winner came on the hour mark, when the visitors striker took the ball wide of the ‘keeper before finishing with a shot into the far corner of the net.

Stratford-upon-Avon Alliance

Stratford Hospital Cup 1st Round

Tuesday 10th August 2021

Kick Off 18.30 Actual 18.29

Bearley United 0 A.F.C. Alcester Town 3, attendance 43

20’ 0-1 (pen)

56’ 0-2

70’ 0-3

@ Bearley Sports & Social Club

Snitterfield Road

Bearley

CV37 0SR

No Admission or Programme.

Tonight’s match saw Division 2 host Division 1. I think the award for ‘worst team seen this season’ will take some beating, even at this early stage, with Bearley United having one hand firmly on the ‘trophy’. They were absolutely dreadful, although to their credit, they never gave up, but they were so inept in every department. The real mystery is how a team from a level above only managed to beat them by three goals!