Belgium

Oost Vlaanderen Provincial 2B

Friday 15th March 2019

Kick Off 20.00 Actual 19.59

K.V.V. Windeke 1 K.V. Eendracht Winnik 0, attendance 117

19’ 1-0

@ Stationsstraat

Scheldewindeke

9860 Oosterzele

€5 Admission

Team Sheet, free.

Tonight saw a second trip across to Belgium in the last three days. It was 11th versus 10th in the league table, with the match moved to this evening to avoid a clash with a food festival that is taking place over the weekend.

The pitch was heavy at one end and did cut up a fair bit, but it could have been worse if the rain that arrived during the second half had been an hour or so earlier. Windeke kicked down the slope in the first half and took the lead through a close range finish from their No. 9 after nineteen minutes. He was the main culprit in why we had no further goals, as he missed another three glaring chances to put the game well out of reach. Luckily, for him, Winnik never looked like scoring, so his poor finishing never cost the team the three points.

We had left extra time for our journey down to The Tunnel, allowing for any problems with ‘Operation Stack’ which although apparently lifted the night before, might still have a knock on effect. As it turned out, we were in plenty of time for our 13.50 crossing and were offered the earlier 13.20 train instead, which we took and it left a couple of minutes early. The return journey saw us arrive in ample time for our booked 01.17 return. At check-in it showed this was now leaving early, at 01.15. Unfortunately, having come through Passport Control in under ten minutes, the screens were showing we were delayed (according to Eurotunnel it was due to delays at Border Control!) until 01.45. Even then, it didn’t leave until 01.52 and lost a further seven minutes during the crossing. To cap it off, the M20 was then closed from Junction 9-7, which added another fifteen minutes to the normal journey time home as we were diverted onto the A20.

Belgium

West Vlaanderen Provincial 3A

Wednesday 13th March 2019

Kick Off 20.00 Actual 19.58

K. Racing Club De Panne 3 K.V. Patronaat Gits 2, attendance 55

4’ 1-0

29’ 2-0

64’ 2-1

70’ 2-2

87’ 3-2

@ Veurnestraat 317

8660 De Panne

€5 Admission

No Programme.

This was yet another Wednesday where we headed across to Belgium, although it is only five minutes or so drive across the border from France and only 45 minutes from The Tunnel.

De Panne are thirteenth in the league table, with the visitors being sixth. An early goal, followed by a volley that gave the ‘keeper no chance, saw the hosts go 2-0 up in the first twenty minutes, which was totally against the form book, but they comfortably held the lead until halftime. Gits missed a penalty on 64 minutes, which was saved, but from the resulting corner, one of their substitutes pulled a goal back and six minutes later the same player volleyed in to level it up at 2-2. Neither team were happy with playing for a point, but rather than the visitors going on to get the winning goal, it was De Panne who nicked it, when a free kick on the left was met with a bullet header at the near post to wrap up the points.

We actually had a relatively trouble free journey to and from The Tunnel, but it could have been so different. As we approached Junction 7 of the M20 traffic ground to a halt. We had 100 yards to decide whether to get off the motorway or not, as the SatNav was aware there was a problem, but only thought it was a 12 minute queue at this stage. Thankfully, we gambled correctly, as the cause of the hold up was that the police had just put ‘Operation Stack’ into place, so the motorway from Junction 8-9 was being used as a lorry park, for those unable to board the ferries in Dover, due to problems with high winds from Storm Gareth.

As we were one of the first cars to exit onto the A20, the traffic was still moving, although a bit slow at times. We actually made it to check-in at 14.49 (14 minutes after it had officially closed) for our booked 15.20 crossing, but going to a manned booth, instead of the automated option, meant we were still given our slot. The train even left two minutes early!

The amount of lorries around the terminal in France was incredible, but was much better organised than in England, as one lane of the motorway was used for stacking lorries, with the other one for through traffic. Why is it, in England, that the first thought always seems to be ‘let’s shut the motorway’ to resolve the problem?

Anyway, although we were in single track filter lanes for long stretches of the journey back towards Calais, we had ample time to spare for our 23.50 return crossing, which left a minute ahead of schedule. At least the M20 back towards London wasn’t closed for the seemingly never ending overnight roadworks.

South Devon League

Division 1

Tuesday 12th March 2019

Kick Off 20.00 Actual 20.04

Paignton Saints 4 Babbacombe Corinthians 1, attendance 19

9’ 0-1

43’ 1-1

83’ 2-1

86’ 3-1 (pen)

88’ 4-1 (pen)

@ South Devon College Sports Centre, 3G Pitch

Eight Acre Drive

Off Waddeton Road

Paignton

TQ4 7TP

No Admission or Programme.

Paignton Saints normally play their home matches at the 3G Pitch at Paignton Community College. With that fully booked up during the week, they have booked the brand new facility here at South Devon College to play a couple of their matches in order to catch up on a bit of a fixture pile up, this game being the second match staged here.

It is better than a few of the grounds that have recently been allowed into the higher level South West Peninsula League in recent seasons. Spectators can watch from behind the near goal, or along the right hand side, where there is a 49 seat (plus 2 for wheelchair helpers) stand as well as a bit of covered standing. There are even two turnstiles at the cage entrance, although they were not in use tonight.

The match was top versus bottom in the league table, Saints having won eleven of their thirteen matches so far, with one draw and one defeat. Babbacombe went ahead against the run of play, but having edged in front, put in a superb defensive performance that really deserved a point for their efforts. Having been pegged back just before the break, they finally conceded a second goal with just seven minutes left on the clock, before two penalties, one for a foul and the second for handball, gave a score line that didn’t give a true reflection of how the game went. The win leaves Saints five points clear of second placed Torbay Police, who have played four games more than the leaders.

Suffolk & Ipswich League

Bob Coleman League Cup Semi Final

Saturday 9th March 2019

Kick Off 14.00 Actual 14.04

Crane Sports 4 Achilles 0, attendance 126

4’ 1-0

16’ 2-0

22’ 3-0

64’ 4-0

@ Gresham Sports & Social Club, Pitch C

312 Tuddenham Road

Ipswich

IP4 3QJ

No Admission or Programme.

This was certainly the game of the day in the Suffolk & Ipswich League fixture card. Crane Sports are top of the league table and are the cup holders. Achilles are the reigning league champions, but are currently fourth in the table, just two points behind the leaders, but with two games in hand.

Gresham Sports & Social Club consists of 5 pitches, of which at least one is for youth football. Three clubs play here in the Suffolk & Ipswich League, Crane Sports on Pitch C, which is in the far right corner when looking from the changing rooms, whilst Pitch A is home to fellow Senior Division club Coplestonians, and Division 2 side Tacket Street B.B.O.B. who were at home to Cockfield United this afternoon, which is the pitch in the far left corner of the field, separated from each other by a couple of lines of trees and Pitch B. All three pitches run lengthways from the changing rooms.

Sadly, the match was spoiled somewhat by a really strong wind that never subsided. Crane had the wind with them in the first half and made full use of it, blowing the opposition away with three goals in the opening twenty two minutes. It might have been different if Achilles hadn’t hit the crossbar, or had an effort disallowed for a foul, before Crane opened the scoring after just four minutes.

The three goal deficit was too much for the visitors to claw back and when they were caught on the break just after the hour mark, it was game over. To be fair, Achilles never really looked like they could get back into it, even before the fourth goal went in.

United States of America

Major League Soccer

Saturday 2nd March 2019

Kick Off 13.00 Actual 13.10

Philadelphia Union 1 Toronto F.C. 3, attendance 16,498

45’ + 3, 0-1

62’ 0-2

73’ 1-2 (pen)

90’ + 4, 1-3

@ Talen Energy Stadium

1, Stadium Drive

Chester

PA 19013

Admission $42 + $6.75 fees, Print at Home Ticket.

No Programme.

The Talen Energy Stadium (current sponsor name) was opened in 2010 and has an all seated capacity of 18,500. The stadium is in the town of Chester, some 14 miles south west of the centre of Philadelphia and is reached by taking the SEPTA (South Eastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority) train towards Wilmington, which takes around half an hour. It costs $5.25 each way and on matchdays the club run a free shuttle bus to and from the main station in Chester to the stadium.

It was a bit concerning to have arrived in Philadelphia on Friday afternoon to be greeted by 3 inches of freshly fallen snow, although unlike in England, everything was carrying on as normal and later that evening the club had tweeted pictures of the pitch having been cleared, so the game would be going ahead. Again, unlike at home, where the club would have just postponed the match and made no effort whatsoever in getting the game on.

This was the season opener for both clubs. In fact, it was actually the first match to get underway in the entire league. The standard in the MLS is improving, but most of the teams would probably struggle to survive in the Championship in England. The crowd, which looked far less than the announced figure, still have huge numbers who don’t appear to really understand what they are watching and certainly don’t get the basics of the offside rule and seem to think any tackle where their player falls over is a foul and a yellow card to the opposing teams player. They certainly didn’t get that the ball has to actually cross the goal line for it to count as a goal, which was evident when a shot was easily cleared. It didn’t help that VAR was in use for the match, which meant any close call took an age to decide on whether it was offside/handball/ a goal etc. etc.

Union had plenty of possession, but rarely threatened. Toronto did very little, but having had a penalty saved after 34 minutes, went ahead in stoppage time through American international Michael Bradley. The second half really opened up and Toronto went 0-2 up when Bradley added a second goal just after the hour mark. Union pulled a goal back from the penalty spot, but the visitors finally killed the game off with a third goal deep into stoppage time.

The match itself was certainly enjoyable and a decent watch as a neutral. What was a pain though, was the ten minutes late kicking off, not helped by having to go through two national anthems before we got underway. Added to five minutes stoppage time in each half and what felt like endless stoppages for VAR decisions and players rolling about pretending to be injured, then a match scheduled to kick off at 13.00 didn’t finish until 15.09 !

Thankfully, there wasn’t a train back in to Philadelphia until 15.54, so plenty of time for the shuttle bus to get back to the station and we could start thinking about the next sporting event, which was later that evening and was certainly the hottest ticket in town…………..

British Universities & Colleges Sport

South Eastern 1A

Wednesday 27th February 2019

Kick Off 16.15 Actual 16.17

Reading University 5 Surrey University 2, attendance 17

7’ 1-0 (pen)

18’ 2-0

45’ 2-1

66’ 3-1

70’ 4-1

71’ 5-1

85’ 5-2

@ South Reading Leisure Centre, 3G Pitch

Northumberland Avenue

Reading

RG2 8DF

No Admission or Programme.

Reading came into this in a 3 way tie at the top of the league table, but had the worst goal difference, but the fact that the other two, East London and Chichester, were playing each other today, meant they still had a chance of winning the league, although it is looking unlikely as East London will still have one match left after today and that is against Surrey, who have lost all their matches so far.

I had seen Reading win the reverse fixture by a single goal in a poor match. Today, it was much better. The early penalty set Reading on their way and they looked comfortable throughout. The goal of the game was undoubtedly the fourth for Reading, when a 35 yarder was curled over the ‘keeper.

Stroud & District League

Presidents Cup Quarter Final

Sunday 24th February 2019

Kick Off 14.00 Actual 13.57

Tredworth Tigers 5 Leonard Stanley 1, attendance 29

12’ 1-0

15’ 2-0

28’ 3-0

46’ 4-0

54’ 5-0

59’ 5-1

@ The Spa

Spa Road

Gloucester

GL1 1UY

No Admission or Programme.

Over the years, the Stroud Charity Cups have been played on Sundays, but having now gone under the umbrella of the Stroud & District League, rather than being run independently, most of the matches are now scheduled for Saturdays. With a number of clubs still entered who play at a higher level, then it still throws up the odd Sunday match, with this being such a case.

Tredworth Tigers are in fourth place in the top division of the Stroud & District League, with Leonard Stanley playing two levels higher, in the Gloucestershire Northern Senior League Division 1, albeit bottom of the league table, having won just two matches in the process.

Tredworth, led by former Gloucester City striker Lee Smith, had the game wrapped up after half an hour, easing into a 3-0 lead, although Stanley did hit both crossbar and post, but were unable to convert anything. Two early second half strikes made it 5-0, before the visitors scored the final goal of the match just before the hour mark.

Cambridgeshire F.A. Cliff Bullen Challenge Cup

Semi Final

Saturday 23rd February 2019

Kick Off 13.45 Actual 13.48

Thorney 1 Whittlesey Athletic 2, attendance 53

4’ 0-1

88’ 1-1

90’ + 4, 1-2 (pen)

@ Campbell Drive Playing Fields

Campbell Drive

Gunthorpe

Peterborough

PE4 7ZL

No Admission or Programme.

I wasn’t really sure what standing this competition had, as it involves teams from the Cambridgeshire County League and the Peterborough & District League, but it is certainly a long standing competition. It was first played for in 1897, under the name of ‘Senior Cup’, before becoming the Challenge Cup in 1921 and then adding Cliff Bullen to its name in 2004. The other semi final tie was an all Cambridgeshire County League affair, whilst this one was between two teams in the Premier Division of the Peterborough & District League, which was 3rd versus 7th as far as league positions go.

Over the last couple of years I have only seen matches in this league during the late July groundhops, where the football has been awful, as teams still have players on holiday and it is just too early in the season for them to have gained any match fitness. However, watching a match when both teams are fully in the swing of things, certainly makes this league look much better than the impression gained during the ‘hops. It is also nice to see a match under normal conditions and of course, there are no ‘rip off’ admission charges, or one off programmes produced for the match either.

Whittlesey went ahead early on, but just couldn’t get the second goal to kill the game off. Both teams had chances to score, although it looked like the one goal would decide it. With two minutes left, the inevitable happened, when Thorney scrambled in an equaliser out of nothing and it looked like we would be heading to penalties to decide it, as there would be no extra time, but four minutes into stoppage time Whittlesey were awarded a penalty and duly scored. A further four minutes were played, in which Thorney had a couple of good chances, but the visitors held on.