Gwent County League

Division 1

Saturday 25th August 2018

Kick Off 16.15 Actual 16.00

Villa Dino Christchurch 1 Newport Civil Service 3,  attendance 201

8’ 0-1

10’ 0-2

60’ 1-2

79’ 1-3

@ Whiteheads Sports & Social Club

Park View

Bassaleg

NP10 8LA

£3 Admission

Programme available, but I won’t buy one on any event organised by Groundhop UK.

This game will sadly be remembered more by some for the fact that it kicked off earlier than advertised, rather than for it being a really good match. The match kicked off 15 minutes earlier than advertised for some reason, meaning quite a number of ‘hoppers missed the first two goals of the match (some might say it was their own fault for nipping to the pub in between matches). Quite why the organisers didn’t bother to tell anyone about the earlier start is a mystery, although they have form for this, as those of us at Ponlottyn a few years ago will well know.

Anyway, Civil Service were in command early on and ran out deserved winners.

At least the early kick off meant I was home before 8.15pm, even with dropping off a couple of passengers near Heathrow Airport.

Gwent County League

Division 2

Saturday 25th August 2018

Kick Off 13.30 Actual 13.31

Rogerstone 1 Newport Corinthians 2,  attendance 161

30’ 0-1 (pen)

81’ 0-2

90’ + 1, 1-2

@ The Welfare Ground

School Terrace

Rogerstone

NP10 9EQ

£3 Admission

Programme available, but I won’t by one at any event organised by Groundhop UK.

It was less than ten minutes drive south from Risca to the second match of the day.

Rogerstone are newly promoted this season. They will wonder how they failed to win this one, having missed a ridiculous amount of chances when it was still 0-1, as much due to poor finishing as a real in form Corinthians ‘keeper. The second goal for the visitors came completely against the run of play, before Rogerstone finally netted in stoppage time.

Gwent County League

Division 1

Saturday 25th August 2018

Kick Off 11.00 Actual 10.59

A.C. Pontymister 3 Blaenavon Blues 2,  attendance 236

27’ 0-1

53’ 1-1

72’ 2-1

76’ 2-2

86’ 3-2 (pen)

@ The Longbridge

Bridge Street

Risca

NP11 6DE

£3 Admission

Programme available, but I won’t buy one at any event organised by Groundhop UK.

Having been home last night, as the driver for the Canton Liberal match was going to Arsenal versus West Ham United today, it meant another trip across The Bridge this morning to take in the first three matches of the ‘Hop, which would all be in the Gwent County League. Thankfully, it was only the fourth match of today’s scheduled games that we had both visited (the ground hosted Newport Y.M.C.A. when they were in the Welsh League) so we could get home nice and early.

Usually, the Gwent County League is good value for entertainment, but the first half here was far from it. The second half was much better and more like we are used to.

South Wales Alliance League

Premier Division

Friday 24th August 2018

Kick Off 18.30 Actual 18.35

Canton Liberal 2 Grange Albion 1,  attendance 189

4’ 1-0

43’ 1-1

50’ 2-1

@ Lawrenny Avenue

Cardiff

CF11 8BR

£3 Admission

Programme available, but I won’t buy one on any event organised by Groundhop UK.

This was the first match on this years ‘South Wales Hop’. As usual on these events, there is a high mark up on the admission price, which would normally be free, whilst most of the clubs that would never bother doing a match programme, actually issue one for their big pay  day as the Groundhop UK fanfare rolls into town.

It is a bit of a strange one when it comes to the actual address of this ground. The changing rooms are in Lawrenny Avenue, but on their twitter account they continually refer to it as Cardiff Sports Campus, which is off Leckwith Road, whilst the postcode of CF11 8AZ that they give is that of the Leckwith Athletic Stadium !

Anyway, it is nothing more than a pitch with just the one side accessible to spectators and totally lacking in any facilities. However, it would be hard to find a pitch anywhere in Wales hosting football at non-league level with a better playing surface than this.

Despite being a local derby, this was a pretty poor match.

Above photo : Canton open the scoring with a well taken free kick.

Herts Senior County League

Division 1

Thursday 23rd August 2018

Kick Off 18.30 Actual 18.33

Welham Albion 4 Lemsford 0,  attendance 80

4’ 1-0 (pen)

35’ 2-0

54’ 3-0

64’ 4-0

@ The Burns Pavilion

Welham Green Recreation Ground

Bushwood Close

Welham Green

AL9 7YZ

No Admission

£3 Programme, didn’t purchase.

This game was organised as a ‘Groundhop Match’ by Tony Incenzo of Talk Sport (although he didn’t actually turn up) which meant the match was moved from Tuesday evening to tonight. Unfortunately, the ground was used previously by North Mymms, so the crowd was far fewer than any official ‘Groundhop’ I have been to. It has been claimed that there were 105 present, but three of us only counted 78 to 80, of which only about 30 were ‘hoppers.

As for the match, Welham converted an early penalty and never looked like losing it. A four goal margin was perhaps a little harsh on Lemsford.

Thames Valley Premier League

Premier Division

Wednesday 22nd August 2018

Kick Off 18.00 Actual 18.01

Burghfield 3 Wrightchoice & Unity C.S.A. 3,  attendance 41

2’ 0-1

30’ 0-2

50’ 1-2

58’ 1-3

69’ 2-3

90’ 3-3

@ Burghfield Recreation Ground

Recreation Road

Burghfield Common

RG7 3EN

No Admission or Programme.

With this being such an early kick off, I was expecting proceedings to begin a bit later than scheduled, but on arrival at the ground at 17.28, it was nice to see both teams already on the pitch doing their warm ups !

Burghfield have been promoted into the Premier Division this season, losing their opening match 1-5 at home to Wraysbury Village on Saturday. It was the opening match of the season for the visitors tonight and when they led 0-2 and 1-3, it looked like being a second defeat for the hosts. Having reduced the arrears to 2-3, Burghfield scored what looked to be a cracking volleyed equaliser with a couple of minutes left, but it was ruled to have been offside. They were not to be denied though and as we reached the ninety minute mark they headed a deserved equaliser.

Gwent County League

Division 3

Tuesday 21st August 2018

Kick Off 18.30. On Time !

Crickhowell 3 Cwmcarn Athletic 2,  attendance 45

13’ 0-1

24’ 1-1

30’ 2-1

47’ 2-2

53’ 3-2

@ Elvicta

A40 Beaufort Street

Crickhowell

NP8 1EB

No Admission

Programme, none available for spectators, but Secretary e-mailed copy for self printing, 10 pages.

This is probably one of the better grounds in this league, helped by the fact that Crickhowell have played at a higher level in the past, having spent a number of years as members of the Mid Wales League.

This was the season opener for both teams, so it is hard to judge what type of season they will have. Crickhowell could have won more comfortably, had they not had a penalty saved just after the hour mark.

Below photo : Crickhowell level it up at 1-1.

Professional Development League

Monday 20th August 2018

Kick Off 13.00 Actual 13.03

Queens Park Rangers U23 3 Nottingham Forest U23 3,  attendance 106

21’ 1-0

35’ 2-0 (pen)

54’ 2-1

59’ 2-2

61’ 2-3

71’ 3-3

@ Harlington Sports Ground

Sipson Lane

UB3 5AQ

No Admission

Team Sheet, free.

This was my third and probably final visit to Harlington Sports Ground. I had previously seen Chelsea U18 play here (21.9.2002) on a pitch in the far left hand corner of the ground when looking from the entrance, before returning on 25th October 2017, when I saw Imperial College play on the 3G Pitch, which is to the right of the clubhouse, adjacent to the entrance. Today’s pitch is to the left of the entrance and runs lengthways in front of the clubhouse.

Forest were really poor in the first half and deservedly trailed 2-0 at the break. They then scored three times in a seven minute spell around the hour mark, but Rangers levelled it up at 3-3 with the goal of the game from the corner of the 18 yard box.

Having to be discreet, along with the fact that spectators are limited to one side of the pitch, made taking photos awkward, but I did manage to get a few snaps…….

Leicestershire Senior League

Division 1

Saturday 18th August 2018

Kick Off 15.00 Actual 15.01

Magna ‘73 4 Highfield Rangers 2,  attendance 28

27’ 1-0

47’ 1-1

49’ 2-1

61’ 3-1 (pen)

68’ 3-2

86’ 4-2

@ Meadows Sports Ground

Leicester Road

Countesthorpe

LE8 5QW

No Admission or Programme.

This match was certainly not on the radar when we headed up the M1 this morning. We were actually intending to watch Stapleford Town versus Attenborough in the Nottinghamshire Senior League (chosen because the home club were issuing their first ever programme and the driver today is obsessed with programmes for some reason), but at 13.52 it became apparent that Attenborough could not be bothered to turn up and play the fixture, giving the pathetic excuse of a lack of players as the reason. This is the problem with many leagues nowadays. They seem to think that the league looks more ‘professional’ if they force clubs to issue programmes, when surely getting clubs to actually turn up and play their matches would give people a far better impression. Perhaps I’m wrong ?

Anyway, we needed to find an alternative match. This would normally be straightforward, but when the three of us in the car have visited a total of 14,000 grounds combined, the task is much harder. By the time we had settled on Magna ‘73, we would be arriving at the ground in 52 minutes time, according to SatNav, just a minute before the scheduled 3 o’clock kick off. As it was, we arrived at 14.57, so plenty of time !

Magna should have really had this sewn up well before halftime, but a combination of woeful finishing and an away ‘keeper in top form meant the visitors were always in with a chance of getting something from the game. It was only when Magna scored their fourth goal that the three points looked safe for them.

In the end it turned out to be a good day out. I can now add Attenborough to my list of clubs to avoid as an away team, especially if I want the match to take place !

Gloucestershire Northern Senior League

Reg Davis Memorial Cup Quarter Final

Wednesday 15th August 2018

Kick Off 18.30 Actual 18.29

Woolaston 1 Bredon 0,  attendance 61

89’ 1-0

@ Woolaston Memorial Hall

Swains Field, off Netherend Crescent

Woolaston

GL15 6SU

No Admission or Programme.

Despite being in the Forest of Dean, Woolaston is much more accessible coming from the south, via the M4, then heading north through Chepstow. It is much easier than battling the traffic on the A40 if going via Oxford and Gloucester and with four of us in the car the £5.60 toll to get into Wales doesn’t feel too bad. According to a sign just before the toll booths, the charges will finally cease in December 2018 !

Tonights match was between two teams who had won their opening Division 2 matches at the weekend. It looked destined to be heading for penalties, but Woolaston finally made the breakthrough with a minute left to play. I can’t recall Bredon making the home ‘keeper make a save, whilst the home teams finishing was awful.