Welsh League

Division 3

Wednesday 23rd May 2018

Kick Off 18.30 Actual 18.47

Panteg 4 Tredegar Town 1,  attendance 26

27’ 0-1

55’ 1-1

71’ 2-1

83’ 3-1

86’ 4-1

@ Panteg House Sportsground

Greenhill Road

Griffithstown

NP4 5BE

No Admission or Programme.

It is quite a while since I was at a match that kicked off as late behind schedule as this. Apparently Tredegar had been caught up in traffic en route. The pitch is quite a walk from the changing rooms, so at least a bit of time was caught up with both teams remaining pitchside for halftime.

Despite being a mid table match, which was 11th v 10th in the league table, this was a really good match. The two late goals for Panteg gave them a winning margin that really didn’t reflect how even the match had actually been.

At the start of the week I needed five grounds to complete the Welsh League. By a stroke of luck, four of them were playing on successive nights this week, but I think after three consecutive nights over ‘The Bridge’, I will give Bridgend Street a miss tomorrow night. The other ground still needed in this league is STM Sports.

Welsh League

Division 2

Tuesday 22nd May 2018

Kick Off 18.30 Actual 18.34

A.F.C. Llwydcoed 0 Garden Village 3,  attendance 68

48’ 0-1

54’ 0-2

83’ 0-3

@ The Welfare Ground

Merthyr Road

Llwydcoed

CF44 0YE

£3 Admission, including Programme (from original match date of 31st March), 40 pages.

This was fourth bottom versus seventh in the league table. The first half was very even, but Garden Village totally dominated the second half and well deserved the win.

Welsh League

Division 3

Monday 21st May 2018

Kick Off 18.30 Actual 18.29

Treharris Athletic Western 5 Neuadd Wen 1,  attendance 70

45’ 1-0

48’ 2-0

65’ 2-1 (pen)

71’ 3-1 (pen)

74’ 4-1

83’ 5-1

@ Fochriw F.C.

Welfare Ground

Pontlottyn Road

Fochriw

CF81 9LS

£3 Admission, including Programme * 16 pages.

* The Programme, if you can actually call it a programme, was doctored from old programmes that had not been used up during the season. There was no mention whatsoever of tonight’s match, but it did contain all the adverts and club history etc.

I was surprised to see it was as far back as 23rd October 1999 that I had visited Treharris at their old Athletic Ground, Commercial Street, which was in their own village (Welsh League Division 3, 2-1 v Abercynon). As this was a noon kick off, I followed it up with U.W.I.C. 3 Goytre United 2, in Welsh League Division 1, which was also played on a ground that the home club no longer use.

This season Treharris are playing at the ground of Fochriw F.C. who currently don’t have a team, having resigned from the South Wales Alliance League at the end of 2015/16 season. Treharris hope to be on their own new ground for the start of next season.

The match tonight had nothing riding on it for Treharris as they will finish in fourth place in the league table no matter what. Neuadd Wen, however, need 1 point from their last two matches in order to climb off the bottom of the table, going above Ely Rangers, who have completed their fixtures, thus avoiding the single relegation place for this season.

It all looked to be going well for Neuadd Wen, until they conceded goals in quick succession either side of halftime. When they scored a penalty, pulling it back to 2-1, they were starting to get on top. Unfortunately, they then conceded a penalty themselves and once that was scored their heads went down and they were lucky they only conceded five goals in the end.

Neuadd Wen now go into their last match requiring a draw to stay up, but they still have a good chance of achieving it as their final match is away at Treowen Stars, who are only third off the bottom of the table themselves.

Belgium

West Vlaanderen Provincial 3A Eindronde

Promotion Play Off 2nd Leg

Sunday 20th May 2018

Kick Off 15.00 Actual 15.01

Union Sportive Ploegsteert-Bizet 1 Sporting Club Zonnebeke 3 (AET) (3-4 on Aggregate),  attendance 255

47’ 0-1

58’ 1-1

66’ 1-2

117’ 1-3

@ Stade Vanuxeem

Rue D’Armentieres 146

7782 Ploegsteert

€5 Admission

Team Sheet, free.

Ploegsteert are unusual as they are one of a handful of clubs in Belgium that play their football in a different Province to where they are based. They are actually in Hainaut, but play in the West Vlaanderen Provincial League.

The final league positions of these two was 3rd versus 2nd, but Ploegsteert had won the away leg last Sunday 2-1, so came into this match as favourites to gain promotion, especially as the ‘away goals’ rule was in use. They totally dominated the first half, but missed a hatful of chances. The opening goal for Zonnebeke, early in the second half, still made no difference to the overall tie and when Ploegsteert quickly levelled it at 1-1 on the day they seemed well in control. The visitors then made it 1-2, to level at 3-3 on aggregate, which meant if either team scored another goal then at least we wouldn’t be heading for extra time.

Sadly, neither team had a shot on target in the remaining 24 minutes, so into an extra thirty minutes we went. Again, neither team seemed interested in winning it, but Zonnebeke then had a man sent off with 18 minutes of extra time left, so surely Ploegsteert would take advantage of the extra man, but they just sat back and wasted time at every opportunity. With three minutes left, Zonnebeke played a free kick into the box from out on the touch line and as everyone jumped for the ball it took a deflection of someone’s head and looped over the ‘keeper for the winner, which sees them promoted to Provincial 2 next season.

The Tunnel didn’t behave too badly today, although it wasn’t really that busy. Our 10.20 outbound service was seven minutes late, whilst the 19.20 return (had to book this in case of extra time and penalties) was two minutes late.

Dorset League

Senior Division

Saturday 19th May 2018

Kick Off 14.00. On Time !

Corfe Castle 2 Chickerell United 1,  attendance 64

65’ 1-0

73’ 1-1

90’ 2-1

@ The Millennium Pavilion

Hollands Close

off West Street

Corfe Castle

BH20 5EB

No Admission or Programme.

This was 1st versus 2nd in the league table. Corfe Castle led Chickerell by a point, but this was the last match of the season for the visitors, so a win here would give the title to Corfe Castle. If Chickerell won, then Corfe would have to beat third placed Portland United Reserves away next week to win it, although with them being just 4 points behind themselves, with two matches to play, then they could also still win it. In fact, if Chickerell won today, then they could still win it if the Corfe-Portland United match was drawn.

As it turned out, Corfe won it with a last minute goal. Chickerell had been the better team for the first half, but offered very little after the break. The opening goal came from a long kick from the home ‘keeper which bounced once and was headed over the advancing away team ‘keeper from about 25 yards out. The equaliser came with a shot into the corner of the net from the edge of the 18 yard box.

North Bucks & District League

Premier Division

Thursday 17th May 2018

Kick Off 18.30 Actual 18.33

Hanslope 2 Towcester Town 4,  attendance 41

33’ 0-1

46’ 1-1

52’ 2-1

72’ 2-2

76’ 2-3

83’ 2-4

@ Hanslope Recreation Ground

Castlethorpe Road

Hanslope

MK19 7HQ

No Admission or Programme.

This was fifth versus first in the league table. Hanslope had nothing to play for, but Towcester certainly needed to get something from the match,as they are in a two way battle for the title with fourth placed Potterspury, who still have 3 matches left to play, whilst this was the final match for Towcester.

With work being carried out on the changing room building it meant they were not available to use. Unbelievably, for this level of football, the players and Referee got changed pitchside and left their kit bags in a pile, which is more akin to Sunday League football. It also looked like the Council hadn’t bothered cutting the grass for months and most of the pitch markings were very faint and could have done with being freshly marked.

This match took a while to burst in to action, but hotted up once Towcester went in front. Hanslope turned it round very quickly in the second half, but Towcester managed to level it up at 2-2 before going ahead again within a few minutes before finally making the game safe with seven minutes left.

Towcester, having now completed their fixtures, are 8 points clear of Potterspury, who will have to win their remaining 3 games to pip them for the title.

Vale of Clwyd and Conwy League

Division 1

Wednesday 16th May 2018

Kick Off 18.45 Actual 18.47

Betws-y-Coed 0 Rhuddlan Town 3,  attendance 18

50’ 0-1

53’ 0-2

88’ 0-3

@ Cae Llan

Station Road

Betws-y-Coed

LL24 0AE

No Admission

£1 Programme, 4 pages.

A 500 mile round trip for a match at this level would not normally be on the radar, but having been offered a lift here, then why not ?

Betws-y-Coed are second from bottom in the league table and it is easy to see why. Rhuddlan are fourth, but didn’t look very good either. It didn’t help either team that the pitch is one of the most undulating and sloping that I have seen a match on, but some of the poor control and wayward shooting was not all down to the pitch.

It was hard to tell which team were the strugglers in a very even first half. Five minutes into the second half the visitors broke the deadlock, but within a couple of minutes Betws-y-Coed were awarded a penalty. The kick was sent high and wide in as bad a penalty as you could wish to see. Rhuddlan then made it 0-2 less than a minute later, with a shot that took a huge deflection, killing off any hopes the hosts had of getting anything from the match, before a late third goal rounded things off for the visitors.

Gloucestershire Northern Senior League

Division 2

Tuesday 15th May 2018

Kick Off 18.45 Actual 18.52

Whitecroft 3 Lydney Town Reserves 0,  attendance 148

10’ 1-0

68’ 2-0

90’ 3-0

@ Grove Road

Whitecroft

GL15 4QJ

No Admission or Programme.

This Forest of Dean derby saw fifth in the league table host eighth. Whitecroft is only a couple of miles outside Lydney, so coupled with a warm, sunny evening, it certainly pulled in the locals for this one. It also helped that Whitecroft need to win their last two matches in order to gain promotion.

One of the downsides of visiting matches in places in the more remote areas, is if one of the teams fail to turn up, then it is often too late to reach an alternative. No such problem tonight though, as both teams were warming up half an hour before kick off. Unfortunately, it was the Referee who held up proceedings. Everyone was walking around mentioning that he hadn’t arrived, but none of them appeared to think of phoning him to check that he was actually coming. He eventually arrived at 18.38, which meant we ended up kicking off seven minutes later than scheduled !

Whitecroft were deserved winners and would have won by a much larger margin if it wasn’t for the Lydney ‘keeper, who pulled off endless saves and was probably the man of the match. Whitecroft remain in fifth place, but the three teams above them are all only one point better off, having completed their fixtures. A draw from their final match would see them finish fourth, due to a poorer goal difference than two of those above them, but a win will see them finish second and go up. They really ought to do it, as their last match is at home to second bottom in the table Winchcombe Town……..

Midland League

Division 2

Monday 14th May 2018

Kick Off 19.15 Actual 19.18

Redditch Borough 6 Hampton 0,  attendance 103

2’ 1-0 (pen)

8’ 2-0

11’ 3-0

30’ 4-0

78’ 5-0

90’ 6-0

@ Mettis Sports & Social Club

Cherry Tree Walk

Batchley

Redditch

B97 6PB

No Admission or Programme.

Redditch came into this second from bottom in the league table, but could still avoid relegation if they pick up enough points from their remaining matches. Hampton were fourth, but their position wouldn’t change regardless of the result here, which was a good job for them, as they had a man sent off just two minutes into the game, when a defender was red carded for a foul on a striker who was clean through, which, as a neutral, spoiled the game as a contest.

Having dispatched the penalty, Borough added two more in the next nine minutes and had the game sewn up by the time the fourth goal went in after half an hour. The game was pretty pedestrian from then on, before Borough added a couple more near the end as the ten men tired.

Below photo : Redditch open the scoring from the penalty spot.

East Sussex League

Premier Division

Saturday 12th May 2018

Kick Off 16.00 Actual 16.02

Hollington United 5 Sidley United 3,  attendance 130

2’ 1-0

6’ 1-1

23’ 1-2

68’ 2-2

77’ 2-3 (pen)

83’ 3-3 (pen)

88’ 4-3

90’ 5-3

@ Gibbons Field

Wishing Tree Road

St. Leonards-on-Sea

TN38 9LA

No Admission or Programme.

This match was a 16.00 kick off due to the Reserves match kicking off at 13.30 (they needed a win to be promoted, but conceded an 88th minute goal to draw 3-3 and miss out).

Hollington knew nothing but a win would see them retain the East Sussex League Premier Division title. On Wednesday they drew 2-2 at home to Battle Baptist, which left Battle two points clear at the top of the league table, but having completed their fixtures, with Hollington left with this match to play. Sidley were third,(they needed to match the result of fourth placed Rye Town, who were away to bottom club Crowhurst, to finish in this position) although some way back, but they were the only team to beat Hollington on their own patch last season, so it certainly wouldn’t be easy.

When Hollington went ahead after just two minutes it looked like it might be a bit of a stroll, but Sidley levelled quickly, then went ahead with a free kick from 25 yards that went in off the underside of the bar. Hollington pulled it back to 2-2, but Sidley were back in front when they scored a penalty with thirteen minutes left. The hosts converted a penalty of their own with seven minutes left to make it 3-3. They still needed another goal though. Sidley had a man sent off after 87 minutes and within a minute the title was won, as Hollington went ahead with a volley into the top corner of the net from the edge of the 18 yard box, before rounding it off with a superb 25 yard chip as the ninety minutes were up.

So Hollington won the league by a point, remaining unbeaten for the season. Sidley finished third, despite their defeat, as Crowhurst beat fourth placed Rye Town 3-2.

Below photo : Sidley score from the penalty spot to go ahead 2-3 with just thirteen minutes left.