Friendly

Thursday 10th July 2025

Kick Off 19.00 Actual 18.57!

Leven United A.F.C. 2 Burntisland Shipyard 1, attendance 68

41’ 0-1

83’ 1-1

85’ 2-1

@ King George V Park

Park Drive

Broom

Leven

KY8 5BL

No Admission or Programme.

Tonight’s game saw Kingdom of Fife A.F.A. Premiership host East of Scotland League Division 2. King George V Park has a fully railed pitch and is enclosed from the larger King George V Memorial Playing Field with mesh fencing. There is a changing room building in one corner, which also housed a tea bar, with hot and cold drinks available.

It wasn’t overly hot tonight, but there was still a drinks break taken during each half and it was just after the first one that a bout of pushing and shoving resulted in a sin bin for each side. There had been few clear cut chances, but Burntisland managed to nick a goal four minutes before halftime and it looked like that might have been enough to win it. They did hit the crossbar midway through the second half, but never looked like adding to their first half strike. Leven equalised with seven minutes left, sweeping in a right wing cross from close range and two minutes later grabbed the winner, finishing into the bottom corner after a one-two on the edge of the box.

Friendly

Wednesday 9th July 2025

Kick Off 19.30 On Time!

Langholm Legion 1 Abbey Vale 3, attendance 60

8’ 1-0

61’ 1-1

66’ 1-2

76’ 1-3

@ Eskdale Sport & Leisure Centre, 3G Pitch (Scholars 3G)

Thomas Telford Road

Langholm

DG13 0BL

No Admission or Programme.

Another start of a Scottish tour, beginning in The Borders, with a friendly between Langholm Legion (Border Amateur League ‘A’ Division) and Abbey Vale (South of Scotland League), played on the 3G pitch at Eskdale Sport & Leisure Centre, which the home club refer to as ‘Scholars 3G’. Unlike the dreadful set ups that blight the non-league game these days, this has an artificial pitch, but without the awful mesh fencing and spectators can view from the entire perimeter. No facilities here though, not even toilets.

Langholm went ahead after just eight minutes, with a 25 yard free kick that beat the ‘keeper low at his near post. Abbey Vale were level just after the hour mark, when a cross from the left was headed in from six yards. Five minutes later they went in front, when a driving run through the centre of the defence was finished with a low shot into the bottom corner from just outside the 18 yards found box. They made it 1-3 with fourteen minutes left, when a one-two on the edge of the box was smashed high into the near top corner.

It was an excellent game. It’s just a pity the midges were almost unbearable, especially during the second half. It doesn’t help that the ground is tree lined on two sides and the River Esk runs behind the dugouts on the far side of the ground.

Friendly

Tuesday 8th July 2025

Kick Off 19.45 On Time!

Sawbridgeworth Town 2 Witham Town 3, attendance 46

1’ 1-0

7’ 2-0

15’ 2-1

30’ 2-2

57’ 2-3

@ Leventhorpe Leisure Centre, 3G Pitch

Cambridge Road

Sawbridgeworth

CB21 9BY

No Admission or Programme.

This was Spartan South Midlands League Premier Division (Step 5) versus Isthmian League Division 1 North (Step 5), played at Leventhorpe Leisure Centre. It’s a standard 3G caged pitch, with spectator access along three quarters of one side.

A near post finish saw Sawbridgeworth go ahead inside the first minute and they doubled their lead six minutes later, when a ball over the top was lobbed over the ‘keeper from the edge of the box. Witham pulled one back after quarter of an hour, with a shot from the edge of the box going in via the underside of the crossbar and they were level by the half hour mark, when a free kick from 25 yards found the bottom corner. There were plenty of changes at halftime for both teams and the only goal of the second half went the way of Witham after fifty seven minutes, when a corner wasn’t cleared and was shot high into the roof of the net.

The journey to Sawbridgeworth was awful. It took close on two and a half hours to drive the sixty odd miles, with the return taking just an hour and a quarter.

Friendly

Saturday 5th July 2025

Kick Off 14.00 On Time!

Stourbridge 4 Dudley Town 2, attendance 586

10’ 1-0

20’ 2-0

22’ 2-1

31’ 2-2 (pen)

52’ 3-2

67’ 4-2

@ Stourbridge R.U.F.C.

Stourton Park

Bridgnorth Road

Stourton

DY7 6QZ

£8 Admission, booked in advance online (£2 saving)

£2 Programme available, didn’t bother buying.

This was a ground I’d passed numerous times over the years, but never thought I’d ever visit to see football played here. This was the first of four pre-season friendlies that Stourbridge will be hosting here and the rare venue meant there were well in excess of fifty groundhoppers here! When heading from Stourbridge to Bridgnorth, the ground is on the left hand side of the A458, just before you reach Stourton. There’s ample car parking, which was good to see was free of charge and there were plenty of stewards directing you to a space. There are four pitches here, with the game played on the main one, which is floodlit and has a large seated stand on one side and raised viewing along the other, where there’s a two storey clubhouse, that has a viewing balcony leading off the bar area. Decent hot pasties, with four varieties on offer, were served at the far end of the ground, which were priced more to cater for the rugby crowds, but were selling well despite being expensive. The playing surface is artificial and as it’s primarily for rugby, the football markings were not so easy to pick out, especially the touchlines.

Stourbridge are in the Southern League Central Premier Division (Step 3), whilst Dudley Town are in the Midland League Premier Division, two steps lower. Stourbridge were ahead after just ten minutes, finishing a through ball with an angled shot low into the far corner and they doubled their lead ten minutes later with a shot from the edge of the box. Within two minutes Dudley pulled one back, when a cross from the right was headed in from 6 yards and nine minutes later they made it 2-2, converting a penalty. Five minutes into the second half, another cross from the right was headed in at the far post to see Stourbridge go back in front and midway through the second half they added a fourth, with an angled shot under the ‘keeper.

The day got off to a bad start, when it took me a couple of minutes short of two hours to get the 37 miles to Uxbridge, where I arrived half an hour late to pick up a couple of passengers for the drive north. It was plain sailing from here though and we arrived just under an hour before kick off, enabling one very relieved passenger to grab himself the second to last programme (you could have pre ordered them via Twitter)! The return south was totally trouble free and I was back home just before 18.30, rounding off an excellent day out, with a cracking ground ticked off.

Friendly

Thursday 3rd July 2025

Kick Off 19.30 Actual 19.31

Bilston Town 0 Haughmond 1, attendance 102

90’ + 1, 0-1

@ City of Wolverhampton College, 3G Pitch

Wellington Road (A41)

Bilston

WV14 6BT

No Admission or Programme.

This was a Step 6 match up, with Midland League Division 1 hosting North West Counties League Division 1 South, played at the neutral venue of City of Wolverhampton College. It’s just a caged pitch, with no designated spectator area. We opted to watch from inside the fence, stood on the same side as both team ‘benches’ and actually managed to bag seats next to the Haughmond team, who decided not to use them. For some reason (there was no one preventing access) everyone else opted for the outside the fence view, which also meant looking directly into the sun.

It was very even throughout and looked unlikely that it would produce a goal. It looked like Bilston had broken the deadlock with sixteen minutes left, when a fumble by the Haughmond ‘keeper was put into the net, but it was disallowed for offside. Minutes later they saw a volley come back off the far post after a flick on from a corner and they also had a 20 yarder well saved by the ‘keeper. Haughmond managed to nick it in stoppage time, when their left back curled in a ball from wide on the left and it eluded everyone on its way into the far corner.

The journey up to the Midlands wasn’t great, as it took me about 100 minutes just to get the 37 miles to the pick up point at Uxbridge, although it was a clear run from there. Coming back, the only problem was the M25 being closed between J9 and J8.

Friendly

Wednesday 2nd July 2025

Kick Off 19.30 Actual 19.31

Daventry Town 2 Baldock Town 2, attendance 71

21’ 0-1 (pen)

30’ 0-2

89’ 1-2

90’ + 3, 2-2

@ Daventry Sports Park, 3G Pitch

Browns Lane

Daventry

NN11 4NS

No Admission or Programme.

Daventry Sports Park is situated next door to the Elderstubbs home ground of Daventry Town, which I’d visited in March 1993, for a 2-1 win versus Raunds Town. It’s a caged pitch, with spectator access along three quarters of one side, with a number of grass pitches here too. There’s ample car parking and a brick built changing room building. There was a mobile catering wagon, but we opted for the clubhouse at the stadium, as it was open well before kick off and was serving hot food at reasonable prices.

Both teams are in Step 5, with this being United Counties League Premier Division South versus Spartan South Midlands League Premier Division. Daventry hit the post early on, but then fell behind after conceding a penalty after twenty one minutes. Seven minutes later they had a chance to draw level, with a penalty of their own, but it was hit wide and a couple of minutes later a quick break was finished with an angled shot into the far corner to give Baldock a 0-2 lead. Eight minutes before halftime the visitors were awarded their second penalty of the night, but it was well saved by the ‘keeper.

Twenty minutes into the second half things were levelled up as far as penalties being awarded goes, with Daventry also being awarded their second one of the game, but the same player who’d missed their first one, also missed this, but it was saved rather than missing the target. A minute from the end, a quick break down the right was played across the six yard box, for an easy tap in at the far post, which saw Daventry pull it back to 1-2 and in stoppage time they managed to snatch an unlikely looking draw, when a cross from the right saw a striker out jump the defence to send a looping header over the ‘keeper.

I’d had a lift to this one, but having collected my car on the return, then had to endure the M25 being closed between J17 and J16 and again between J9 and J8, which resulted in an arrival home exactly three hours after the final whistle. Not great for a ground just 105 miles from home.

Friendly

Tuesday 1st July 2025

Kick Off 18.45 Actual 18.59

Stanway Rovers 3 Halstead Town 1, attendance 56

19’ 1-0

42’ 2-0

45’ + 1, 2-1

63’ 3-1

@ Stanway Rovers Y.F.C.

Spring Lane

Lexden

CO3 4AZ

No Admission or Programme.

Tonight saw an opportunity to do a game at a ground rarely used for Saturday adult football, with Stanway Rovers opening up their pre season campaign at the ground of Stanway Rovers Y.F.C. which attracted ground hopper numbers well into double figures. It is located just off the A12, to the west of Colchester, exiting the dual carriageway towards the city centre and exiting left at the first roundabout, with the ground a couple of hundred yards on the right. It’s a large field, with ample car parking and is also home to the local tennis club. There is a small changing room building, with overhang on the front, with toilets available at the rear. The pitch was in front of here, running widthways, with both teams ‘benches’ setting up on the far side.

The match was newly promoted into the Isthmian League North Division (Step 4) versus Essex Senior League (Step 5). Stanway opened the scoring with an angled shot into the far corner after nineteen minutes and doubled their lead three minutes before halftime. Halstead pulled a goal back a minute into stoppage time, touching in a corner from the right at the near post. Stanway restored their two goal lead just after the hour mark, when a cross in from the right was finished with a stooping header from 6 yards.

The journey to Essex saw a 25 minute or so delay queuing at the Dartford Crossing, but totally trouble free return drive, so home dead on ten o’clock.

Friendly

Saturday 28th June 2025

Kick Off 15.00 Actual 14.58!

Filton Athletic 1 Bitton 4, attendance 70

9’ 1-0

20’ 1-1

48’ 1-2

81’ 1-3 (pen)

85’ 1-4

@ Elm Park Leisure Centre (BBS Park North)

Elm Park

Filton

BS34 7PS

No Admission or Programme.

Another trip west along the M4 today, this time to Filton, just north of Bristol and a chance to see Filton Athletic return to their own ground, having ground shared whilst it was brought up to standard. It’s now fully railed, and has a pair of dugouts with the pitch separated from the rest of the park by a hard pathway that runs along the left hand touchline, when approaching from the car park. It now meets the standards to host Gloucestershire County League football (Step 7).

I’d had confirmation from both clubs via Twitter that the game would be going ahead okay and arrived just over an hour before kick off, with ample parking available. Players were beginning to make their way the fifty yards or so from the changing rooms to the pitch to start their warm ups. There is a cafe inside the leisure centre doing snacks and the toilets inside here were available to spectators too.

Filton got off to a quick start, hooking a shot into the bottom corner after just nine minutes. Eleven minutes later Bitton, who play in Western League Division 1 (Step 6), were level, when a cross from the right was met with a stooping header at the near post, which went in off the far post. Mass changes for the visitors at halftime didn’t affect them too much, as they made it 1-2 three minutes into the second half, when a cross was headed back across the face of goal and re-diverted with another header that clipped the inside of the far post on it’s way in. They also hit the post just after the hour mark, before making it 1-3 from the penalty spot with nine minutes left. They added a fourth goal four minutes later, when a high ball over the top was brilliantly brought under control and finished with a low shot into the far corner.

Friendly

Thursday 26th June 2025

Kick Off 18.30 Actual 18.38

Canton 2 Newport Saints 2, attendance 35

29’ 1-0 (pen)

36’ 1-1

77’ 1-2

85’ 2-2

@ Fitzalan High School, 3G Pitch

Leckwith Road

Cardiff

CF11 8AP

No Admission or Programme.

Another slog down the M4 for a friendly between Step 3 Canton (Ardal South East) and Step 4 Newport Saints (Gwent Premier League Premier Division) played at the neutral venue of Fitzalan High School. It’s a caged pitch, adjacent to the Cardiff International Sports Complex and although the school is in Leckwith Road, access to the pitch was via a flight of steps from the car park of Canton rugby club, in Lawrenny Road, which was open for refreshments and toilets and where I bagged the last parking space, having arrived about half an hour before kick off. Spectator access is restricted to one side of the pitch, where there are a couple of seated kit stands (dreadful view from both!), but the standing area between the two offered the best vantage point, helped by the dugouts being on the far side.

Canton took the lead just before the half hour mark, with a penalty awarded for a handball, but Newport Saints were gifted an equaliser seven minutes later, when the Canton ‘keeper played a clearance straight to a Saints forward who rolled the ball into the empty net. Saints made it 1-2 with thirteen minutes left, curling a free kick around the wall from the edge of the D, with Canton deservedly drawing level with five minutes left, when a cross from the right was finished with a downward header at the far post.

The usual roadworks hold ups on the return home, this time coming off the M4 at J14 (one junction before the hold ups were beginning), heading down to the M3 at Basingstoke, before the M25 was again shut in both directions between J10 and J9, meaning not arriving home until 23.45, despite it having been an early kick off.

Friendly

Tuesday 24th June 2025

Kick Off 19.30 Actual 19.28!

Panteg 1 Croesyceilliog 3, attendance 52

15’ 0-1

86’ 0-2

89’ 0-3

90’ 1-3

@ West Monmouth School, 3G Pitch

Blaendare Road

Cwm Fields

Pontypool

NP4 5YG

No Admission or Programme.

First midweek game of the new season and another trip along the M4 into Wales, where Gwent Premier League Division 1 (Tier 5) were hosting Ardal League South East (Tier 3) at the neutral venue of West Monmouth School, on the 3G pitch, for what was my 450th ground I’ve seen a game on in Wales. It’s the usual cage set up, with spectator viewing behind the nearest goal to the car park. Along one side is a raised grass bank, next to the higher level of the car park, which gave a decent enough view over the fence, with almost the entire crowd choosing to watch the game from here.

Croesyceilliog took an early lead, with an angled shot into the far corner and also saw a 30 yard lob come back off the crossbar. They had the chance to double their lead just before the half hour mark, but a penalty kick was well saved by the ‘keeper. Panteg thought they’d equalised with ten minutes left, when a free kick from inside their own half reached the opposite penalty area, bouncing high over the stranded ‘keeper, but it was disallowed. I heard someone on the pitch say it was because the free kick was awarded as in-direct and had made its way in without receiving another touch as it sailed in. A quick break down the left was finished from a tight angle to double the lead for the visitors with four minutes left and they added a third three minutes later, when a ball over the top was curled wide of the ‘keeper from the edge of the box. Panteg got a consolation goal with seconds left, smashing the ball past the ‘keeper from 8 yards after a ball over the top had beaten the defence.

It had been a reasonable journey down to Wales, but closures on the M4 at J13-J12 and then on the M25 from J10-J9 meant the return took exactly three hours.