Arthurian League

Division 2

Saturday 28th October 2023

Kick Off 10.00 Actual 10.02

Old Albanians 8 Old Chigwellians II 1, attendance 4

9’ 1-0, 15’ 2-0, 31’ 3-0, 45’ 4-0

62’ 4-1, 71’ 5-1, 74’ 6-1, 75’ 7-1, 78’ 8-1

@ The Woollam Playing Fields

Harpenden Road

St. Albans

AL3 6BZ

No Admission or Programme.

Having completed a visit to all the regular home venues for teams in this league last Saturday, it was nice to see this ‘one off’ match moved from their normal 3G pitch at Beaumont School, to the sports ground of St. Albans School, here at The Woollam Playing Fields. I had seen St. Albans Centurions R.L.F.C. play on the main rugby ground at the Old Albanian Sports Club back in 2006, a 6-10 defeat to Bramley in National League 3, but although they share the same entrance, the two complexes are actually separate. The school playing fields are to the north of the two, having its own car park and changing rooms. Typically, numerous pitches, hosting football, cricket and rugby and artificial tennis courts and hockey pitch as well, with today’s game played on ‘Football Pitch 1’, which was absolutely immaculate.

As far as league positions go, this was bottom versus second bottom, although Old Albanians only occupy bottom spot due to a points deduction, although they’d only be third bottom without incurring the penalty! The match wasn’t as one sided as the scoreline suggests, although Chigwellians did collapse late on. It was 4-0 at halftime, despite Albanians having had a player sin binned when it was 2-0. Just after the hour Chigwellians pulled a goal back to make it 4-1, but Albanians soon added another to go 5-1 up. A sin bin for Chigwellians followed immediately and Albanians ran in three goals in the next seven minutes to round off a resounding win.

Above : Chigwellians clip one past the ‘keeper to pull it back to 4-1.

Northern Ireland

County Antrim & District F.A. Senior Shield

Quarter Final

Tuesday 24th October 2023

Kick Off 19.45 On Time!

Ballymacash Rangers 3 Knockbreda 3 (6-7 pens), attendance 229

2’ 0-1

32’ 0-2

36’ 1-2 (pen)

39’ 2-2 (pen)

72’ 2-3

74’ 3-3

@ Bluebell Stadium

10a Rushmore Drive

Lisburn

BT28 2HN

£8 Admission

No Programme.

This game was the re-arranged tie that was abandoned two weeks ago, following an injury to Knockbreda player Joshua Stewart. Ballymacash were leading 2-1 when the game was called to a halt after thirty six minutes. The admission price is fixed by the Antrim & District F.A. so a £2 reduction was in place tonight as a goodwill gesture to supporters, whether you were here for the first game or not.

It was was 4th in Premier Intermediate League (Tier 3) versus 12th (bottom) in Championship (Tier 2). Just to add a little spice, the two clubs met at the end of last season in the 2 legged Championship Promotion-Relegation Play Off, where Knockbreda managed to retain their place at the higher level, although they have struggled once again this season, losing all 12 league games played so far! Ballymacash look like making another promotion push and are unbeaten so far, with 3 wins and 2 draws.

The first half was as good as I’ve seen anywhere this season. Real end to end stuff as both teams went at it from the off. Knockbreda were ahead after just two minutes, shooting low into the far bottom corner of the net. They had another effort come back off the post soon after. Just after the half hour they did make it 0-2 though, when a shot from the edge of the box went in via a slight deflection. Within seconds of the restart, things took a turn for the worse for them though. Their ‘keeper was sent off when conceding a penalty and their substitute ‘keeper was then beaten with the resulting kick. Three minutes later it was 2-2, as Ballymacash levelled, with another penalty.

The second half was never going to be as entertaining as the first. The 10 men of Knockbreda dug deep, defending sturdily, each time they came under any hint of pressure and remarkably they then managed to regain the lead with eighteen minutes left, heading in from close range, after a save by the home ‘keeper had looped high into the air, coming down in the six yard box. Ballymacash were only behind for two minutes though, levelling it up at 3-3, when the visitors ‘keeper failed to punch clear and the ball was smashed in from twelve yards. That was it as far as goals went. We were straight to penalties to decide the winner. The hosts were first to miss, having kick number seven saved. Knockbreda then won it with their next one. They will now take on current Premiership champions Larne in the semi-final, who are trying to retain the cup which they’ve won for the last three years!

The ground is pretty basic, but is a work in progress. It has a 3G pitch, with a 115 seat stand stuck in one corner, at the goal end to the left of the entrance. There would normally be spectator access on all four sides, but the section along the side to the right of the turnstiles, looking down towards the social club/tea bar is currently out of bounds, due to building work of some sort currently taking place.

I had flown from London Gatwick to Belfast International, for my first trip to Northern Ireland since February 2020. The EasyJet flight arrived mid morning, having been around twenty minutes late leaving. I picked up a hire car, which even with petrol costs worked out no dearer than combined fares on bus/train/taxi/walk would have been, not to mention being far more convenient! The return flight on Wednesday morning actually left a minute early!

Essex Olympian League

Premier Division

Saturday 21st October 2023

Kick Off 14.00 Actual 14.06

Canning Town 2 Bishop’s Stortford Swifts 5, attendance 13

18’ 0-1

27’ 0-2

31’ 0-3

51’ 1-3

53’ 1-4 (pen)

58’ 1-5

69’ 2-5

@ West Ham United Foundation, 3G Pitch

60A Albatross Close

Beckton

London

E6 5NX

No Admission or Programme.

The journey from south of the River Thames to the north took just 25 minutes, via The Rotherhithe Tunnel. The ground is just to the south of the A13 when heading eastwards out of London towards the M25. It’s a standard cage set up with spectator access along three quarters of one side, with a pair of dugouts opposite. There is just a changing room/toilet block and that’s it. I had thought of coming here for a midweek youth match, but apparently, spectator access is no longer allowed. Even today, there was security on both the car park (no check, just drive in) and building entrance. You just had to sign in at the changing room entrance and walk through to the pitch, which is at the rear of the building, with the pitch running lengthways away from here.

The match was 11th versus 6th (out of 14) and turned out to be an excellent game. Bishop’s Stortford Swifts raced into a 0-3 lead after half an hour, with three clinical finishes and although Canning Town had a goal disallowed for handball, they offered little to suggest anything resembling a comeback of any sort. They did pull one back six minutes into the second half, breaking down the right before curling a shot into the far corner from the angle of the 18 yard box. The comeback was short lived though. Swifts replied almost immediately, scoring with a penalty and five minutes later made it 1-5, when a break down the right was controlled first time and having beaten his marker, the striker smashed it into the bottom corner. Canning Town did grab the final goal of the day, scoring at the near post following a quickly taken throw in, but they never looked like adding to it.

I also had a number of options in the lower divisions of the Essex & Suffolk Border League this afternoon, on grass pitches, but kicking off an hour later than this game. Rather than take a risk of a late postponement, I played it safe and came here. It turned out I needn’t have bothered. All the alternatives went ahead okay! Still, at least this saw the completion of this division for me.

Arthurian League

Division 4

Saturday 21st October 2023

Kick Off 11.00 Actual 11.05

Old King’s Scholars 3 Old Wellingtonians 2, attendance 6

29’ 0-1

54’ 1-1

61’ 2-1

70’ 2-2

89’ 3-2

@ The City of London Academy (Southwark), 3G Pitch

240 Lynton Road

Bermondsey

London

SE1 5LA

No Admission or Programme.

Today’s game was a clash between two ground sharers, as 6th hosted 5th in the league table. This is a relatively new set up, not too far from The New Den, home of Millwall F.C. The only spectator area is restricted to a small section on the halfway line (to the left when looking from the car park/changing rooms) where there is a seated stand for 100, although the view is hampered slightly by one of the goals for the small sized pitch being stuck right in front. Plenty of parking here though and even better, it’s free!

It was a game with plenty of chances, at both ends. The only goal of the first half saw Wellingtonians go ahead just before the half hour mark. King’s levelled nine minutes into the second half and then went in front seven minutes later, coolly lobbing in from 25 yards after the ‘keeper had totally miss kicked an attempted clearance wide to the left of his 18 yard box. Wellingtonians hit back to make it 2-2 with twenty minutes left, when a cross to the far post from the right was controlled and finished with a shot into the bottom corner. King’s won it with a curling shot into the bottom corner from just outside the box, which may have got a slight deflection. Wellingtonians nearly grabbed a point, when they had a shot come back off the crossbar with what turned out to be the last kick of the match.

National Youth League

Premier Cup 1st Round

Wednesday 18th October 2023

Kick Off 13.30 Actual 13.57

Volenti Academy U19 3 Norwich City U19 1, attendance 11

17’ 1-0

38’ 1-1

90’ +1, 2-1

90’ +2, 3-1

@ Coombe Wood School, 3G Pitch

Melville Avenue

South Croydon

CR2 7HY

No Admission or Programme.

This finally got underway 27 minutes late. Not sure if it was the early game being played on the pitch on my arrival finishing late, or the fact that Norwich only arrived about twenty minutes before the scheduled start. This is such a poorly administered league (F.A. Full Time, so little surprise there!) it’s hard to tell which!

The venue was Coombe Wood School. A typical cage set up, with spectator access along just over halfway of one side. Unfortunately, due to the game being played during school hours (they went at 3pm) there was no access allowed, despite there being a gate directly from the car park into the area next to the cage, thus avoiding going into the building. This meant viewing through the fence, from behind one goal only. Luckily, I got one of the few better view points, which wasn’t as bad as I initially thought it would be, but wouldn’t have bothered coming if I had known this beforehand. At least it was free to park (enter off A212 Coombe Road). There are cameras and charges in operation (its near the Croydon tram line) but by registering at the school reception meant it was free.

Although it was a cup match, these two are in the same division, this being 9th versus 4th as far as league positions go. Volenti led early on, finishing side footed from a pull back on the right, but Norwich levelled seven minutes before halftime, with a deflected shot from 20 yards. Norwich missed a great chance to go ahead with twenty minutes left, but headed over with the goal gaping. They were made to pay when Volenti made it 2-1 a minute into stoppage time, when a deflected free kick beat the ‘keeper into the top corner and a minute later they added a third, breaking down the right, before pulling the ball across the six yard box for a tap in at the far post.

Professional Development League

Tuesday 17th October 2023

Kick Off 13.30 On Time!

Ipswich Town U21 4 Watford U21 1, attendance 65

39’ 1-0

59’ 2-0

70’ 2-1

76’ 3-1

87’ 4-1

@ Ipswich Town F.C. Training Ground

Bent Lane

Rushmere St. Andrew

IP4 5RG

No Admission

Team Sheet, free.

When I saw Ipswich Town U19 play Wimbledon U19 in a F.A. Premier Academy League match back in 2004, they played at Playford Road, which is now the first team training ground. The youth teams play on the opposite side of the road, accessed via Bent Lane. There is a decent sized car park, manned by stewards, with the entrance to the complex being via a gate in the corner. Spectators are held here until a few minutes before kick off. There are three pitches, today’s game being played on the main one, running parallel with Woodbridge Road and railed along most of the near side with a plastic barrier, a t.v. tower just beyond the halfway line being as far as you could go. The dugouts are opposite.

It took until six minutes before halftime for Ipswich to break the deadlock, clipping the ball over the ‘keeper when played through. Goal number two came just before the hour, through a 20 yarder into the bottom corner. A close range header saw Watford pull it back to 2-1 with twenty minutes left, but Ipswich hit back with a header of their own to make it 3-1, before adding number four with three minutes left, finishing into the bottom corner after being played through on the right. Ipswich had a man sent off in stoppage time for a foul on a striker through on goal, but too late to make any difference to the final score.

Surprisingly clear run in both directions. Minimal traffic at Dartford Crossing and only a couple of minutes lost through the roadworks on the A12 on the return journey.

Central Midlands Alliance League

Premier Division South

Saturday 14th October 2023

Kick Off 15.00 Actual 14.59

A.F.C. Normanton 0 Bakewell Town 2, attendance 85

76’ 0-1

90’ + 5, 0-2

@ The Boundary Recreation Ground

Lea Bank

Broadmeadows

DE55 3LH

£2 Admission

£2 Programme, 12 pages.

My morning game had finished shortly before 12.15, so I had plenty of time to make it to an afternoon match. The game here at A.F.C. Normanton was my first choice, but I noticed on Twitter that someone had questioned how the 10.30 pitch inspection had gone. Apparently they had mentioned on their Facebook page about the inspection. They hadn’t bothered to reply to the original question, nor to my tweet asking the same, but as I’d got to drive within a mile or so of the ground to go home, then I headed there anyway, just to see if anything would be happening. I was here before one o’clock and was surprised that they were already set up with a table at the entrance, where admission was being taken and match day programmes were available. Even the tea bar was ready, doing hot dogs, burgers, chips and the usual tea/coffee, sweets and crisps. Although the walk around the recently railed pitch was very wet in places, the pitch itself looked very good. Thankfully, there was just a brief rain shower during the opening few minutes and another one during the last ten minutes, which also produced a double rainbow overhead.

The match was 6th versus 8th in the league table and produced a decent contest, between two very evenly matched sides. There were very few clear cut chances and I’d resigned myself to getting my second 0-0 in a matter of days, but somehow Bakewell managed to nick it with two late goals. The opener came fourteen minutes from time, when a long ball forward found a striker with his back to goal. He controlled it and hit a shot on the turn into the bottom corner from just outside the 18 yard box. They nearly added a second in the last minute, but hit the post with that effort, then in stoppage time one of their defenders cleared off the line, with his ‘keeper well beaten and they immediately broke away down the right and played the ball inside for a cool finish to wrap up the points.

Sheffield & District Fair Play League

Division 1

Saturday 14th October 2023

Kick Off 10.30

Treeton Terriers 6 Hammer & Pincers 1, attendance 15

4’ 1-0, 17’ 2-0, 41’ 3-0

46’ 3-1, 70’ 4-1, 83’ 5-1, 90’ 6-1

@ Treeton Cricket & Football Club

Washfield Lane

Treeton

S60 5PU

No Admission or Programme.

Having stayed overnight near Rotherham, this morning was the perfect opportunity to take in my first game in the Sheffield & District Fair Play League, which is a Saturday morning league where games kick off at 10.30, so plenty of time to head off for a second game afterwards and where better place to start than at league leaders Treeton Terriers, who were hosting fourth in the table Hammer & Pincers.

The standard was far higher than I’d been expecting, helped perhaps by it being two of the better teams involved and is certainly something I would watch in future. It only took Treeton four minutes to go in front and they had doubled their lead after just seventeen minutes. The visitors went close when an initial shot hit the post, before the follow up rebounded off the crossbar, but it was Treeton who got the all important next goal just before halftime, clipping the ball over the ‘keeper after being played through on goal.

Hammer & Pincers pulled a goal back within seconds of the restart through a long range diagonal shot that sailed over the ‘keeper into the far corner. A far post header ended any hopes of a comeback though, as Treeton made it 4-1 with twenty minutes left. Goal number five, which looked offside, came with seven minutes left and saw the visitors have a man sin binned for the remainder of the game after arguing the decision and Treeton made it 6-1 with what turned out to be the final kick of the match.

The ground is shared with the cricket club, which houses the changing rooms. The football pitch is to the left when looking from the building, just beyond the cricket pavilion in the near left corner. There are a pair of dugouts on the far side, with the left hand goal backing onto grass banking, whilst the other end is tree line. The pitch was in good condition and sloped down towards the right hand goal.

Central Midlands Alliance League

Premier Division North

Friday 13th October 2023

Kick Off 19.45 Actual 19.46

Dearne & District 5 Elite 0, attendance 376

8’ 1-0

10’ 2-0

45’ + 2, 3-0

47’ 4-0

59’ 5-0

@ Welfare Community Stadium

Goldthorpe Green (B6098)

Goldthorpe

S63 9EH

£3 Admission

£1 Programme, 12 pages.

I had only visited Dearne & District back in February, when they had beaten Dinnington Town 3-0 (att.115), in a game that was also played in Goldthorpe, but at their former ground in Kingsmark Way. They have since moved a couple of miles away and are developing a nice ground adjacent to Dearne Cricket Club. It is still a work in progress. There is a small section of cover. Hard standing is already laid along the entrance side and cleared ready for laying the concrete behind the right hand goal end too. More importantly though, is the fact that they have been able to erect floodlights here. They now have a ground with the potential to progress up the pyramid, although the changing rooms being 50 yards outside the ground may be a problem? Despite the recent rain, the pitch was in superb condition. I’d called in at lunchtime to check things out and the pitch was being readied then! At least I could check-in at a hotel safe in the knowledge that the game would go ahead.

Not only is the ground one that could soon be hosting Step 6 football, but the team certainly look good enough for the step up. They had finished runners-up to Retford United last season, but there looks to be no stopping them this time round. They had a 100% win rate coming into this, sitting top of the table, having won all eleven games, amassing a +41 goal difference in the process. Elite were fifth.

The reverse fixture has already been played. Dearne had won that 4-2 and they were out of the blocks quickly tonight, going two up after just ten minutes. Elite did settle into it and created a few chances of their own. Dearne didn’t add their third goal until stoppage time at the end of the half, when a cross from the right was finished with a looping header over the ‘keeper. Any chance of a comeback for Elite soon disappeared, as Dearne made it 4-0 two minutes after the restart and goal number five came on the hour, coolly lobbing the ‘keeper after latching on to a through ball.

Anyone planning a visit here would do well to ignore the information on the more than useless F.A. Full Time website for this league. It shows all previous Dearne home games this season, including this one on the updated results page, as having been played at the old ground!

Wearside League

Premier Division

Thursday 12th October 2023

Kick Off 19.00 Actual 19.03

Hartlepool Pools Youth 2 Richmond Town 2, attendance 77

15’ 0-1

35’ 0-2

59’ 1-2

81’ 2-2

@ High Tunstall College of Science, 3G Pitch

Elwick Road

West Park

Hartlepool

TS26 0LQ

£3 Admission

No Programme.

Tonight’s game was 5th versus 11th in the league table. It was the visitors who broke the deadlock after fifteen minutes, when a ball in from the left was controlled and finished with a shot on the turn that found the bottom corner. Pools should have levelled when the Richmond ‘keeper somehow pulled off a double save, before the third shot came back off the crossbar, but within minutes Richmond doubled their lead ten minutes before halftime, when another cross in from the left was finished with a first time shot, again finding the bottom corner. Pools pulled a goal back just before the hour mark and grabbed an equaliser with nine minutes left, when a cross from the right was put in at the far post. Richmond were certainly the better side first half, but Pools edged the second and a draw was a fair outcome in the end.

Typical cage set up. Spectator viewing along three quarters of one side and a pair of dugouts opposite. Admission (cash or card) was taken at the entrance gate, in the far right hand corner when looking from the car park. A table was set up selling refreshments as well.
Just Seaton Carew and South Moor A.F.C. left to visit now in this division. Having once again stayed overnight, it was little more than twenty minutes drive for this one from my base in Stockton-on-Tees. Heading back southwards tomorrow.