West Sussex League

Division 2 North

Saturday 13th January 2024

Kick Off 14.00 On Time!

Ashurst United 0 Slinfold 4, attendance 15

6’ 0-1

22’ 0-2

25’ 0-3

59’ 0-4

@ Ashurst Recreation Ground

School Lane

Ashurst

BN44 3AY

No Admission or Programme.

I had turned up hoping to see a game here last season, but ended up elsewhere, as there was no sign of life just under an hour before kick off (turned out it was a call off by Plaistow, who couldn’t be bothered to raise a team). I had a back up game on 3G, down in Portslade today, just in case, but on arrival, it was good to see the corner flags in place and the nets going up! The Referee was having a look at the pitch, but with no rain and no sign of frost (never got above 2 degrees all afternoon) it was on okay this time.

The ground here is shared with cricket. There is a small car park, with parking also available in the lane that runs alongside. The football changing rooms are nearest, with the cricket pavilion beyond. The football pitch, which runs widthways, is on the far side of the cricket square and bordered by trees/hedges on three sides, with both ‘benches’ setting up on the near touchline.

Ashurst had won Division 3 Central at a canter last season, only losing once in eighteen games and have continued that form at the higher level, coming into this top of Division 2 North, winning eight of their first ten games. Slinfold were fourth, six points behind the leaders, but with two games in hand, so all to play for.

An early goal saw Slinfold open the scoring with a cracking 25 yarder into the top corner, Ashurst created plenty of chances, dominating possession, but Slinfold looked dangerous on the break and a quick fire double, midway through the first half, saw them make it 0-3, with some clinical finishing. Any chance of a comeback disappeared just before the hour mark, when Slinfold added a fourth goal, finishing with a shot from the edge of the box that went in off the post.

This completes this division now and just Felpham Colts (Premier Division) and Queens Head Raiders (Division 3 South) for the full league.

Sussex F.A. Junior Cup

Quarter Final

Saturday 6th January 2024

Kick Off 14.00 Actual 14.02

Ovingdean 2 Portslade Athletic 2 (4-3 pens), attendance 16

13’ 1-0

24’ 1-1

38’ 1-2

52’ 2-2

@ Longhill High School Sports Centre

Falmer Road

Ovingdean

BN2 7FR

No Admission or Programme.

This was top of the Brighton, Worthing & District League versus third in Mid Sussex League Division 2 South. As with any game involving a host team in this league, it is very hard to check out and confirm games, but thankfully Portslade had replied promptly via Twitter that the game was going ahead and that they’d let me know if anything changed in the meantime. Thankfully, no message came and I arrived at the ground about twenty five minutes before kick off, with both teams warming up and the Referee checking the team sheets. The pitch is hemmed in at one end by a long jump pit and the other by an artificial cricket wicket, whilst grass banking runs behind the near goal end and along the far side.

It was a game between two very evenly matched teams and was end to end from start to finish. Ovingdean took an early lead, finishing with a shot into the roof of the net after a long throw in was flicked on. Midway through the first half Portslade were level, heading in a corner from the left at the near post and they were ahead before halftime, when a long throw in was flicked on and headed in from six yards. Ovingdean pulled it back to 2-2 early in the second half, when a cross from the right saw a striker just beat the ‘keeper to it at the near post, finishing with a stooping header. Both teams went for a winner, but no more goals came and it was straight to penalties. Portslade went first, but saw their first effort hit the post. Ovingdean scored all four of theirs, before Portslade saw their fifth one saved and that was that.

Arthurian League

Division 3

Saturday 6th January 2024

Kick Off 10.45 Actual 10.46

Old Sennockians 3 Old Haberdashers 2, attendance 6

24’ 0-1

31’ 1-1

38’ 2-1

47’ 3-1

90’ + 2, 3-2

@ Sevenoaks School (Sennocke Centre)

Athletics Track Pitch

High Street

Sevenoaks

TN13 1HU

No Admission or Programme.

On Friday evening I received a message to say that this mornings game was due to be played on the pitch inside the running track, rather than on one of the Duke’s Meadow Playing Fields pitches here, which I had seen a game on in March 2022. The normal pitch was scheduled to host a school game in the afternoon, hence the switch to the alternate, which was good news for me!

The game was 3rd versus 8th in the league table. Haberdashers went ahead, but a 25 yarder, curled in from 25 yards saw Sennockians draw level just after the half hour mark and a one on one chance, finished at the second attempt, saw them go 2-1 up seven minutes before halftime. Two minutes into the second half it was 3-1, when a hit and hope shot from near the centre circle somehow deceived the ‘keeper. Haberdashers did grab a second goal in stoppage time, but too late to affect the outcome.

Eastern Counties League

Division 1 North

Friday 5th January 2024

Kick Off 19.45 Actual 19.47

Needham Market U23 0 Haverhill Borough 1, attendance 42

79’ 1-0

@ Bloomfields, 3G Pitch

Quinton Road

Needham Market

IP6 8DA

£6 Admission

No Programme.

I had visited Needham Market back in October 2004, to see a first team game on the main stadium. They have since built a 3G pitch behind one goal, which is at right angles to the main ground and is where the U23 team play in the Eastern Counties League, at Step 6 in the pyramid. Although it is a cage, there is spectator viewing along one side and behind one goal end. There is a seated kit stand and a pair of dugouts on the far side. The entrance is via the main stadium, entering the cage through a gate by the clubhouse, where there is also a raised covered viewing area.

This fixture was originally scheduled to be at Haverhill, but the wet weather put paid to that and as the teams hadn’t played each other yet, the game was reversed to be played here at Needham Market instead, with the return game due to be played next month.

It was a real relegation battle, as 18th hosted 21st (bottom) in the league table. They had only managed eight wins between them, from 47 matches (-87 goal difference combined), so things didn’t look too promising, but it turned out to be a decent game, even though it looked like it might not produce a goal. It was end to end and kept the interest throughout. The game seemed to pass by very quickly, which is a sign it couldn’t have been that bad. Haverhill saw a header come back off the post, before sending the rebound well over the crossbar, midway through the second half, but finally got the breakthrough with eleven minutes left, with a cracking 25 yarder into the bottom corner. Needham Market thought they’d levelled with three minutes left, but the ‘goal’ was disallowed for offside.

Isthmian League

South Central Division

Monday 1st January 2024

Kick Off 15.00 Actual 14.58

South Park Reigate 1 Guernsey 1, attendance 141

38’ 1-0

84’ 1-1

@ St. George’s Field

Whitehall Lane

South Park

Reigate

RH2 8LG

£5 Admission*

Programme available, didn’t bother buying.

With no ‘new’ grounds available today, I just decided to stay very local and chose a game on 3G. Heavy rain was forecast from kick off through to beyond the scheduled finish time and although it rained from about the fifteenth minute onwards, it was never really anything more than light. The ground here at South Park is still unchanged from my last visit here. Nothing more than functional and very unlikely to ever change much, if at all.

The match had a bearing on both ends of the table. South Park were ninth, three points off a play off place, whilst Guernsey were third from bottom, but had won their last two games, so came into this in good form. South Park were well on top in the first half, but only managed to get a single goal in the process, scoring with a near post finish eight minutes before half time, after a cut back from the left. Guernsey came into it more as the game went on. South Park did hit the post early in the second half, but were made to pay for not adding a second goal, when Guernsey grabbed an equaliser with six minutes left, when a diagonal cross in from the left was finished with a cushioned volley from six yards that found the far bottom corner, going in off the inside of the far post.

*At the pay gate I just said “one please” and paid by card. It was only when I was looking at Twitter that I noticed that I’d only been charged the concession rate! I hope that starts at 60 here…..surely I couldn’t possibly look 65?….

Suffolk & Ipswich League

Morrison Freight Cup 2nd Round

Saturday 30th December 2023

Kick Off 13.30 Actual 13.36

Bacton United ‘89 0 Haughley United 5, attendance 62

19’ 0-1

22’ 0-2

26’ 0-3

32’ 0-4

51’ 0-5 (pen)

@ Brickwall Meadow

Broad Road (B1113)

Bacton

IP14 4HR

No Admission or Programme.

For the second successive Saturday I did a game in the Suffolk & Ipswich League. Again, no problems weather wise and as at last week’s game, the home club had advertised the match on social media using the word ‘carpet’ to describe the pitch, so it was a pretty safe bet that it would go ahead okay. It was windy, but at least the little rain we had was nothing more than squally and had stopped before kick off.

The Morrison Freight Cup is played for by teams in the top three divisions, with this being 5th in Division 1 versus 13th in the Senior Division. It looked like the perfect opportunity for a cup upset, but turned out to be nothing of the sort. Haughley opened the scoring after nineteen minutes, when a cross from the left was played back across the six yard box for an easy side footed finish. Four minutes later it was 0-2, courtesy of an angled shot into the far corner, before goal number three arrived when the ‘keeper fumbled a 30 yard free kick that just crossed the line a few minutes later. We were hardly past the half hour mark when it was 0-4, this time scoring with an angled shot into the bottom corner after a first effort was only partially blocked. An early second half penalty, awarded for handball, rounded off the scoring in what turned out to be a very comfortable win for the visitors.

There are two pitches here, both running lengthways away from the clubhouse. Pitch 2 is to the right and has a pair of wooden dugouts on the far side. The main pitch, more or less in front of the clubhouse, is only accessible to spectators behind the near goal end and along the side next to the other pitch. It is roped on these sides and there are a pair of plastic dugouts on the left hand side. The far goal end has high netting behind and backs on to the railway line, which had frequent trains passing by during the game.

So, that rounds off 2023 for me. 184 previously unvisited grounds done, the majority of which were in the U.K. (135 England, 15 Scotland, 11 Wales and 1 Northern Ireland) as well as 11 in Spain, 10 in Portugal and 1 in Italy. Yet another year passes where Christmas Day remains as the only date in a calendar year that I’ve yet to see a game on.

Midland League

Division 3

Tuesday 26th December 2023

Kick Off 12.00 Actual 12.01

Meadow Park 2 Feckenham 5, attendance 58

16’ 1-0

28’ 1-1

58’ 1-2

60’ 2-2

63’ 2-3

75’ 2-4

90’ + 1, 2-5

@ Aspire Football Ground (formerly L.G Harris)

Hanbury Road

Stoke Prior

B60 4AE

No Admission or Programme.

I came here in April 2022, when Meadow Park were members of the Stratford-upon-Avon Alliance League, with the game that day being played on a pitch running parallel to the road (it’s still in use), with the near goal end backing onto the car park as you enter the site. They have now developed a new main pitch, to the rear of the clubhouse/changing rooms as you look from the car park, running lengthways away from the building. There is grass banking on the right hand side, where there are also a pair of dugouts, and behind the far goal, whilst the pitch is roped off.

The match was 8th versus 3rd in the league table and produced a really entertaining, end to end contest. Meadow Park took an early lead, but Feckenham hit back just before the half hour mark, putting in a rebound from close range, after a corner was headed against the crossbar. They almost grabbed a second in stoppage time at the end of the first half, but a scramble saw three consecutive efforts blocked on the line/hit the post/hit the bar, before being cleared.

They did grab the lead just before the hour mark, heading in a corner from close range, but the hosts were back level within two minutes, following in at the near post after a free kick was pushed back out by the ‘keeper. Minutes later Feckenham were in front again, scoring with another header from a corner, which was quickly followed by a sin bin for Meadow Park, following complaints after having a penalty awarded against them. A bit pointless in complaining, as the penalty was saved anyway! Just minutes after Meadow Park back up to the full eleven, they saw Feckenham make it 2-4, finishing one on one at the near post after being put clear and goal number five for the visitors arrived in stoppage time, shooting through the legs of the ‘keeper after a ricochet fell perfectly for the striker.

Surprisingly, no traffic problems in either direction.

Suffolk & Ipswich League

Division 1

Saturday 23rd December 2023

Kick Off 14.00 Actual 14.03

Saxmundham Sports 1 Woolverstone United 1, attendance 67

32’ 1-0

75’ 1-1

@ Saxmundham Sports & Recreational Club

Carlton Park

Main Road (B1121)

Saxmundham

IP17 2NL

No Admission or Programme.

A weekend away at Aldeburgh, on the Suffolk coast, meant this was an easy fifteen minute drive inland for this afternoon’s game. It was dry and windy and the home club had mentioned a welcome to the ‘Carlton Park carpet’ when advertising the game, so there was no concern with getting a late call off. A driveway leads to the car park, with the social club/changing room building to the left, with a covered viewing area at the front, although set back from the pitch. It is a large sports ground, with the main pitch (absolutely immaculate) running widthways in front of the building, roped off through a combination of wooden stakes and metal posts, with a pair of dugouts on the far side.

The match was a mid-table clash, as 4th hosted 6th. It was a decent game, where both sides had spells on top and the action was end to end from start to finish, with neither side just settling for a point. Saxmundham had a man sin binned after twenty eight minutes, but still managed to break the deadlock just four minutes later, when a goal kick was flicked on and the striker raced clear to finish with a lob over the ‘keeper from 25 yards. Woolverstone also had a man sin binned early in the second half, surviving without conceding a second goal whilst down to ten men and with fifteen minutes left they snatched an equaliser, scoring direct from a corner, swung in from the right and finding the far corner.

Luckily, it was a bright day, so no problem with the light, despite being so far east, as the game didn’t finish until 15.58

Herts Senior County League

Premier Division

Saturday 16th December 2023

Kick Off 15.00 Actual 15.03

Everett Rovers 2 Cuffley 4, attendance 14

3’ 0-1

27’ 0-2

28’ 0-3

47’ 0-4

55’ 1-4

89’ 2-4

@ Leggatts Playing Fields, 3G Pitch

Dodd Road

Watford

WD24 5FS

£3 Admission, including 4 page programme.

With my morning game going to extra time, it meant a change in direction for my afternoon entertainment. Plan A had been the Essex Olympian League game at Beacon Hill Rovers, but there was now not enough time to get there. Plan B was in the same league, at ACD United, but that was now showing on F.A. Full Time as being postponed, so it was on to Plan C and a trip in the opposite direction round the M25, which would see the completion of the Herts Senior County League top division for me. A quick phone call confirmed it was on, but more importantly, that it was indeed a 3 o’clock kick off. At least there was no problem with the weather here, as it’s a 3G pitch. Rather than a hired facility, this is actually Everett’s home ground, with the 3G replacing what was originally a grass pitch here. The clubhouse/changing rooms are behind the near goal end, set below pitch level, whilst it is a standard cage, with spectator access along three quarters of one side, with a pair of dugouts opposite.

Everett are new in the league this season and came into this in eleventh place in the league table, whilst Cuffley were fifth. A goal for the visitors after just three minutes, set the tone for the afternoon, in what turned out to be a very comfortable win for the visitors. Two more goals within a minute of each other saw them go 0-3 up inside half an hour and when they made it 0-4 two minutes into the second half, the points were safe. Everett did pull a goal back eight minutes later, heading in a cross at the far post, following a quick break down the right, but never looked like getting back into it. Cuffley hit the post twice and had another effort hit the crossbar as they attacked at will. On another day, they could easily have got into double figures. A late goal for Everett, scrambled in from close range, after the ‘keeper had scooped away a corner from under the crossbar, saw a final score of 2-4, which made the outcome look much closer than it actually was.

Arthurian League

Arthur Dunn Cup 2nd Round

Saturday 16th December 2023

Kick Off 11.00 Actual 11.02

Old Foresters 4 Old Bradfieldians 5 (AET), attendance 22

17’ 0-1

23’ 0-2

29’ 0-3

36’ 1-3

45’ 2-3

55’ 3-3

61’ 4-3

63’ 4-4

100’ 4-5 (pen)

@ Forest School Playing Fields

off Bradwell Close/Coppice Way/Cheyne Avenue

Upper Walthamstow

London

E18 2BT

No Admission or Programme.

Traditionally, Arthur Dunn Cup games are hosted at the main school, rather than a random hired pitch. I had seen Old Foresters play a ‘home’ game in early October, which was played at Old Parkonians, but this was a chance to do them at their proper home ground. The F.A. Full Time website was showing this as being played at Sylvestrian Leisure Centre, which is part of Forest School itself, in Oakhurst Gardens. The players did get changed here, but rather than play on the pitch here (visible through the gates), they were actually using the School Playing Fields, which were a couple of hundred yards away, walking through the woods, on the opposite side of the Hornbeam Trail from the school. The game was played on Pitch 1, which was the only one that had a pair of dugouts.

The match was between two Premier Division teams, with 5th hosting 3rd, as far as league positions go. The two had met in the league at the beginning of November, in a game that was won 8-0 by Foresters! When Bradfieldians went 0-3 up inside half an hour, that previous result seemed hard to believe, as they were well on top and by far the better team. Foresters pulled one back and with the last kick of the first half made it 2-3, with a free kick that went in off the inside of the post. Ten minutes into the second half it was 3-3, finishing with a half volley from the edge of the box and six minutes later Foresters were in front, heading in at the far post. The lead only lasted two minutes though, as a long ball forward was finished with a shot on the turn, to make it 4-4. Sadly, the game deteriorated from here, as both teams were more mindful of not losing the game, rather than trying to win it and it came as little surprise when the game headed into extra time and Bradfieldians got what turned out to be the winner, when they scored with a penalty ten minutes into the first period.