Gwent Premier League

Division 1

Tuesday 4th April 2023

Kick Off 18.15 Actual 18.12

Newport Saints 3 Pentwynmawr Athletic 0, attendance 39

13’ 1-0

41’ 2-0

88’ 3-0

@ Black Ash Park

Corporation Road

Newport

NP19 0HD

No Admission or Programme.

Newport Saints were formerly known as West of St. Julians and play at Black Ash Park, not far from the now long gone Somerton Park, former home of Newport County, which is now a housing estate. The ground address for Black Ash Park is given as Corporation Road, with a pathway between a tyre centre and a B&Q being the ‘main’ entrance, although various pathways lead into the park from alleyways off the surrounding housing, where there is ample street parking.

As is standard for the Gwent Premier League, the pitch is railed off and there are a couple of dugouts, but they only consisted of the metal framework, so not much use if it rains! Hot drinks were available, but despite being ‘promised’ there was a match programme, this wasn’t the case. It certainly wasn’t well received by a couple of ‘hoppers present, but no problem to those of us there purely for the football! On the pitch beyond, which runs the opposite way, the reserves were hosting their Pill counterparts.

The match was 6th versus 13th (now bottom following the withdrawal of Cromwell Youth) in the league table and despite looking like a comfortable win for the hosts, it was a decent contest. It was a surprise that it took Newport Saints thirteen minutes to break the deadlock, as they attacked constantly for the opening fifteen minutes or so. Pentwynmawr settled into it, but when Saints added a second just before halftime, spinning on the edge of the box before shooting into the bottom corner, it looked like the points were safe. The visitors battled well in the second half and only conceded the third goal with a couple of minutes left and Saints nearly added a fourth in stoppage time, but shot against the crossbar.

Still quite light when the game finished at 19.52. The only ‘problem’ on the homeward journey was the M4 being closed from J13 to J12.

Arthurian League

Division 4

Monday 3rd April 2023

Kick Off 19.45 Actual 19.47

Old King’s Scholars 2 Old Haberdashers 5, attendance 5

7’ 0-1

13’ 1-1

18’ 1-2

22’ 1-3

67’ 1-4

74’ 2-4

82’ 2-5

@ Royal Docks Academy, 3G Pitch

Prince Regent Lane

Custom House

London

E16 3HS

No Admission or Programme.

Tonight’s match was 4th versus 2nd in the league table. Haberdashers knew a win would guarantee them promotion and they were well in control throughout. An early goal was soon cancelled out with an equaliser for King’s that came courtesy of an own goal. Midway through the half it was 1-3 and the result was never in doubt. A long ball over the top saw a lob over the ‘keeper make it 1-4 and despite pulling it back to 2-4 shortly afterwards, Haberdashers rounded off the scoring when they added their fifth goal of the night, shooting into the bottom corner with eight minutes left. The win now sees Haberdashers lead second placed Old Brentwoods III by a point in the race for the title. Both have three games to play.

The venue is nothing more than a basic cage. Although there is no designated spectator area, there was no problem for the ‘crowd’ of 5 (100% made up of hoppers!) to watch pitch side.

Spartan South Midlands League

Premier Division

Saturday 2nd April 2023

Kick Off 15.00 Actual 15.01

Dunstable Town 1 Biggleswade United 1, attendance 165

22’ 1-0

37’ 1-1

@ Creasey Park Community Football Centre, 3G Pitch No.2

Creasey Park Drive

off Brewers Hill Road

Dunstable

LU6 1BB

Admission : Pay what you like

£2 Programme, 52 pages.

This game came on the radar after Dunstable had tweeted that the game was switched from the stadium pitch (I had seen them beat Braintree Town in a Southern League Southern Division match there on 3rd January 1994) to the 3G pitch (agreed by the league and the visitors) here at the complex, due to a waterlogged pitch on the former. Google Maps shows a 3G pitch adjacent to the stadium, but this was played on a second one, not shown on there yet, which is about 100 yards away, which has a spectator area along about three quarters of one side, with dugouts on the opposite side.

The match pitted 5th against 7th in the league table and despite very few real goal scoring opportunities, it produced a decent contest. Dunstable opened the scoring midway through the first half, powering a header in from close range, after a cross from the left reached the back post. Biggleswade levelled eight minutes before halftime, when a cross from the left was fumbled by the ‘keeper and smashed in from close range. The nearest we came to a winner was when Dunstable hit the post early in the second half.

A decent turnout of at least 13 ‘hoppers in a reasonable crowd, perhaps helped by the club offering a ‘pay what you like’ deal, due to the game not being in the stadium (normally £8). Not as high as the 218 that the club claimed on Twitter though. Even including both teams and the three match officials would have still seen the total well short of that!

Arthurian League

Premier Division

Saturday 1st April 2023

Kick Off 11.30 Actual 11.20

Old Cholmeleians 2 Old Brentwoods 1, attendance 8

53’ 1-0

86’ 1-1

88’ 2-1

@ Maccabi London Sports Ground, 3G Pitch

Rowley Lane

Arkley

EN5 3HW

No Admission or Programme.

With the continuous rain of the last few weeks causing the Yeovil & District League Hop to be called off once again, it was the wet weather that gave me this option, as Old Cholmeleians switched their game to the 3G pitch here at Maccabi Lions Sports Ground, due to their own ground being waterlogged. I had done the main stadium pitch here back in 2005. The 3G runs parallel, but is down on a lower level. It is a standard cage set up, with no spectator area, although no problem watching from inside the fence. There is a small area of cover perched at the top of the grass banking on one side, backing onto the stand of the main ground, which just about gives a view over the top of the fence.

The match was 8th versus 6th in the league table. Neither side looked like scoring, so it was a relief when Cholmeleians broke the deadlock eight minutes into the second half, breaking down the right before a cross was finished off with a first time shot into the bottom corner. It looked like this would be enough to win it, as the only real chance apart from this saw Brentwoods head over a chance at the near post with twenty minutes left. Out of nothing the visitors levelled it up at 1-1 with four minutes left, chesting down and volleying in from 6 yards. A draw would have been a fair result, but the hosts grabbed the winner, when a shot deflected off a defender and squirmed through the ‘keepers legs a couple of minutes later.

United Counties League

Division 1

Wednesday 29th March 2023

Kick Off 19.45 Actual 19.47

Hucknall Town 1 Southwell City 1, attendance 283

44’ 1-0

82’ 1-1

@ RM Stadium

Aerial Way

Hucknall

NG15 6DW

£6 Admission

£2 Programme, 32 pages, very poor value.

So, for the second successive night, I did a floodlit ground, despite teams without lights now scheduling early mid week kick offs. Most of my choices fell foul of the weather and my first choice game at Nantyglo, in the Gwent Premier League, did start, but was abandoned at halftime, due to a waterlogged pitch!

Hucknall Town have moved into their new ground here in Aerial Way this season. It is only a hundred or so yards across the opposite side of the B6009 from their former home, which I had visited way back in August 2006. There has been little thought put into the design here though. The covered end is flat standing, so of little use and as with so many new build grounds, the roof doesn’t keep the front couple of rows of seats in the stand dry when it rains, which it did tonight from about fifteen minutes in. The pitch here was perfect (not that the club bothered replying on Twitter as to whether there was a pitch inspection or not) despite the rain (thankfully light, rather than the 2 hours heavy rain forecast from 5-7pm) and looked no worse at the end of the match than it had at kick off.

The match was 3rd versus 14th in the league table, with Hucknall very much in the shake up for play off places. I haven’t been too impressed with games I’ve seen in this league over recent years, but this was pretty entertaining and Southwell probably did enough to have even nicked the three points. Hucknall broke the deadlock just before halftime, when a diagonal cross in from the left was headed into his own net by a Southwell defender trying to head clear from just inside the six yard box. The deserved equaliser came eight minutes from time, when a cross from the right was headed in from 6 yards.

This just leaves me with tonight’s visitors as the only ground not visited in this league. As usual, the journey home wasn’t smooth. Problems on the M1 meant a diversion via A43 and M40 back towards London and a single file section on the M25 near Junction 9 was also slow. Oh the joys of midweek football!

Somerset County League

Premier Division

Tuesday 28th March 2023

Kick Off 19.30 Actual 19.32

Mendip Broadwalk 2 Stockwood Wanderers 3, attendance 76

29’ 0-1

59’ 1-1

73’ 2-1

85’ 2-2 (pen)

86’ 2-3

@ BBS Park

Filwood Playing Fields

Creswicke Road

Knowle West

Bristol

BS4 1UA

No Admission or Programme.

I had been to a game at Filwood Playing Fields before, when I saw Broad Plain House beat Totterdown P.O.B. 3-1 in a Gloucestershire County League match back on 13th April 1999. There were two railed pitches here, with that game played on the one that runs widthways in front of the car park. The other pitch, in the left hand corner, to the left of the clubhouse/changing room building, ran the opposite way and is where Mendip Broadwalk play their home games. It is now fully enclosed with wooden fencing and has also got newly installed floodlights as well, in readiness for their hopeful promotion up to the Western League at the end of the season.

Mendip Broadwalk came into this sitting third in the league table, nine points behind leaders Chilcompton Sports (no floodlights) having also played two games more. More crucially for them though, is the fact that they are five points behind second placed Middlezoy Rovers (also having had floodlights recently installed) with a game in hand, so tonight was a really vital game, especially with Middlezoy visiting here next week.

It was a very even match throughout. There was little between the sides during a very lively first half. The visitors opened the scoring just before the half hour mark, when a cracking 25 yarder seemed to deceive the ‘keeper as he attempted to tip it over the crossbar. The hosts levelled just before the hour, heading in from a corner on the right and with seventeen minutes left they went in front, with a cracking free kick into the far top corner from just outside the angle of the 18 yard box. Stockwood pushed for an equaliser and were rewarded when they scored from the penalty spot to make it 2-2 with five minutes left. Within a minute, they got what turned out to be the winner, when a diagonal free kick was met with a looping header that beat the ‘keeper from the edge of the box.

This now completes visits to all the top division grounds in this league and a good night was rounded off with no closures on the M4, M3 or M25 coming home!

Surrey County Intermediate League (Western)

Premier Division

Saturday 25th March 2023

Kick Off 14.00 Actual 14.04

Shottermill & Haslemere 2 Worplesdon Phoenix 2, attendance 26

12’ 1-0

61’ 1-1 (pen)

71’ 2-1

73’ 2-2

@ Haslemere Recreation Ground

Old Haslemere Road

Haslemere

GU27 2NN

No Admission or Programme.

When I last saw Shottermill & Haslemere play a home game, it was in a Haslemere Hospital Trophy group match, where they drew 3-3 versus Liphook United, which was played on a Sunday afternoon back in March 2006. That game was at Woolmer Hill Sports Ground, but this season they have moved to Haslemere Recreation Ground, home of the local cricket club and the only ground I hadn’t previously visited in this league.

The match was 7th versus 4th (out of 9) in the league table. Bottom club Merrow have now pulled out of the league, so I assume only one club will now be relegated at the end of the season, so it is very much a three way battle between today’s hosts, plus Hambledon and Manorcroft United to avoid the drop.

Shottermill should really have taken the three points here, having had enough chances to have sewn the game up. As it turned out, the point may go a long way to ensure their survival. They went ahead early, chesting down a cross and finishing with a first time shot into the far top corner. They could have doubled their lead within a minute, but missed a one on one chance that the ‘keeper saved. Worplesdon had a chance to level, but missed a penalty on twenty five minutes, shooting wide of the target. Just after the hour mark they did level it up, this time converting from a penalty that was awarded for a foul. Shottermill edged back in front ten minutes later, when a diagonal free kick was headed back across the six yard box and nodded down into the far corner. They were only in front for a matter of minutes though, when a free kick was chested down and finished high into the roof of the net, to make it 2-2.

Lowland League

Saturday 18th March 2023

Kick Off 17.00 On Time!

Tranent Juniors 1 Bo’ness United 1, attendance 607

48’ 0-1

89’ 1-1

@ Foresters Park

Lindores Drive

Tranent

EH33 1JB

£8 Admission

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

Next match was again heading west along the A1, where a journey time of twelve minutes saw the arrival at Foresters Park, home of Tranent Juniors, who despite having left junior football for the senior ranks in 2018, still retain ‘Juniors’ as part of their name. There was no need to rush though, as the gates weren’t even open yet, which seemed very short sighted with hoards of hungry hoppers to feed before kick off!

This evenings match was 4th versus 10th in the league table, Tranent dropping vital points, as they now drop to fifth, trailing leaders Spartans by five points, both having played the same number of games. There was not much to set the pulses racing in a very dull first half, where a free kick from the visitors, which hit the top of the crossbar just before halftime, was about the only thing of note. Thankfully, the visitors broke the deadlock within minutes of the restart and the game opened up. They almost doubled their lead shortly afterwards, but the ‘goal’ was disallowed for offside. Tranent will be happy to have got a point in the end, equalising a minute from time, when a corner wasn’t cleared and a ricochet from an attempted tackle saw the ball diverted back over the goal line. A minute later they almost nicked it, but a volleyed effort was tipped over the bar and then, with the last chance of the match, saw the visitors ‘keeper claw a header away from on the line.

Thankfully, I had already been to Musselburgh (where the ‘hop was heading for game 4 of the day) and had probably had enough by this time anyway. Three in a day is plenty! I was also pleased that I had already been to the planned Sunday morning ‘hop game at Penicuik as well. Instead, I drove a couple of hours south to my overnight hotel in Carlisle. I was then breaking up my journey home from here by taking in a rugby league match on my way home.

East of Scotland League

Premier Division

Saturday 18th March 2023

Kick Off 14.00 Actual 14.04

Haddington Athletic 1 Dundonald Bluebell 3, attendance 462

11’ 0-1

31’ 0-2

74’ 1-2

86’ 1-3 (pen)

@ Millfield

Tynebank Road

Haddington

EH41 4DB

£7 Admission

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

It was an easy 18 minute drive west along the A1 to Haddington for game two of the day, where 5th hosted 8th in the E of SL Premier Division. No chance of getting a space in the car park, but ample street parking just a few minutes away.

Dundonald broke the deadlock eleven minutes in, when a long ball was controlled and lifted over the ‘keeper from 12 yards. Haddington went close when they had an effort blocked on the line following a corner, before a failure to clear a corner at their own end, saw them go 0-2 down just after the half hour mark. Twenty minutes into the second half Haddington went close again, hitting the crossbar from close range, before finally making it 1-2 with sixteen minutes left, volleying in from 6 yards. Dundonald had a goal disallowed for offside within a minute, but did make it 1-3 with four minutes left, through a penalty. Three minutes into stoppage time the visitors had a man red carded for violent conduct, but too late to make any difference to the result.

East of Scotland League

Division 1

Saturday 18th March 2023

Kick Off 11.15 On Time!

Dunbar United 0 Coldstream 1, attendance 553

76’ 0-1

@ New Countess Park

Kellie Road

Dunbar

EH42 1RF

£7 Admission

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

Thankfully, I had been to the last ground of the day on the hop itinerary, so I was only doing the first three games today. First up was an East of Scotland League Division 1 game, where league leaders Dunbar United were hosting 14th placed Coldstream. It wasn’t the greatest of games, especially in the first half, largely due to a red card for Dunbar after twenty three minutes, which meant Coldstream could happily sit back and see if they could nick a point. Chances were at a premium. Dunbar went close with an effort just over the crossbar midway through the second half, before Coldstream won it just minutes later, when a cross into the box wasn’t cleared and fell perfectly for a Coldstream striker to finish with a shot on the turn. The goal did spark a bit of life into the final minutes and Dunbar had a great chance to level it up when they were awarded a penalty three minutes after falling behind, but the kick was saved by the ‘keeper. He made another vital save in the last minute as well, tipping a free kick over the crossbar. A bad day was compounded for the hosts when they had a second player red carded in stoppage time.