Programme available, but I won’t buy one at any event organised by Groundhop U.K.
After staying overnight in Wakefield it meant it was only a four hour drive up the north east coast to Edinburgh, for what was the opening game on the Scottish Groundhop. Tynecastle play at Meggetland Stadium, home of Boroughmuir R.U.F.C. a ground which has a capacity of 4,388 and seats around 500. Tynecastle are never likely to get crowds to test that, but tonight was a good turnout, well above their normal attendance. It was a surprise to find that parking in the car park was free, as the ground is on a main route into the city.
The match was 12th versus 3rd in the league table and got off to a flying start when the visitors scored within a minute of the kick off. We were only three minutes in when the first red card of the night was shown, for what appeared to be for dissent by a Sauchie player. The second soon followed, this time for a foul by a Tynecastle player, so it was now 10 v 10 and we had only been playing twelve minutes! Tynecastle hit the post and Sauchie missed a one on one chance, before the hosts levelled the scores in stoppage time at the end of the half, finishing off a corner at the far post. On the hour mark Sauchie went back in front, cutting inside and beating the ‘keeper at the near post.Eight minutes later it was 1-3, coolly finishing past the ‘keeper and they almost added another soon after, just heading wide. Tynecastle pulled it back to 2-3, powering in a header from a corner with thirteen minutes left, but never looked like getting an equaliser.
Horbury Town 3 Retford 1, attendance 71 (official 88)
3’ 1-0
30’ 1-1
72’ 2-1
75’ 3-1
@ Slazenger Sports Club
Southfield Lane
Horbury
WF4 5BH
£5 Admission
£1 Programme, 12 pages.
Tonight’s match saw a visit to the only ground I hadn’t previously visited in this league, where 6th hosted 8th in the league table. It started raining just as the M1/M6 splits near Rugby, as I headed north to Yorkshire and continued to do so for the rest of the evening. Thankfully, it was only drizzle/light and the pitch looked in reasonable condition. There is also quite a side to side slope here, which perhaps helps with drainage.
Horbury Town are newly promoted this season and the ground is gradually being brought up to standard. Unfortunately, they have put their seated area right behind the dugouts, which means there is a huge blind spot in one corner of the pitch. There is a smaller concrete base, along with a second section of seats ready to go in place, but it is on the other side of the dugouts, which again will give a blind spot, but in the opposite corner! Surely it is time that the ground grading criteria is changed to stop this. Seating numbers should only be counted by the actual number of seats where you can see the whole pitch from, unobstructed. The simple solution would be to move the dugouts to the other side of the pitch.
Anyway, back to the game….and what a good one it was! Horbury were ahead after just three minutes, when a through ball was finished with a lob over the ‘keeper from the edge of the box. It could have been 2-0 just before the half hour mark, but Horbury missed a penalty, courtesy of a great double save from the ‘keeper, diving to save the first shot, before somehow stopping the follow up as well. Just two minutes later Retford were level, when a cross from the right was headed back across the six yard box and swept in from six yards out.
The second half flowed from end to end. Retford hit the post with a free kick and Horbury could have gone ahead when a striker rounded the ‘keeper, but then missed the target with his shot. Eighteen minutes from time Horbury edged back in front, when a long ball over the top saw the ‘keeper collide with his own defender, leaving the striker to finish with a cool lob from outside the box into the empty net. There were good chances at each end, before Horbury wrapped up the three points with fifteen minutes left, when another long ball saw the ‘keeper miss kick his attempted clearance and Jack Kelly rolled it into an empty net from 25 yards to complete his hattrick.
I had seen Colden Common play home games on two different grounds previously, but I certainly haven’t brought them much luck in those games….I saw them lose 2-4 to Amesbury Town in a Hampshire League Premier Division match on 29th August 1999, which was played at The Recreation Ground on Main Road and also revisited there on 30th August 2010 (following a late no show for my original game at Upham, before heading to Warsash Wasps in the afternoon) seeing them lose 1-4 to Otterbourne. I next saw them, on 29th March 2017, by which time they had moved to a ground in Boyes Lane, where they again lost, this time 1-2 to Bush Hill. They are now playing home games at Oakwood Park, which I had visited for an Otterbourne match, but damage to the water pipes over the winter has meant the ground is currently out of use, hence them temporarily playing here at Sherfield English, although I gather they may now see out the season here.
The match was 1st (P18 Pts 45) versus 2nd (P20 Pts 42), with the visitors really needing a win to keep their title hopes alive, on a day when the top four were facing each other as fourth placed Clanfield (P18 Pts 38) were hosting third placed Andover New Street Swifts (P20 Pts 42) today.
The match was very tight (they had drawn the reverse fixture 0-0 two weeks ago) and could have gone either way. Colden Common edged in front after just seven minutes, poking in a through ball past the ‘keeper from 10 yards. Locks Heath levelled when a corner from the left was swept in from 6 yards, before making it 1-2 just before halftime, with a 20 yard shot that bounced right in front of the ‘keeper and somehow ended up in the net. It certainly set it up perfectly for the second half.
Ten minutes after the restart it was 2-2, when a cross from the right was headed down into the far corner from eight yards and twelve minutes later Colden Common got what turned out to be the winner, heading in from a corner on the right.
The win sees Colden Common increase their lead at the top to six points, with two games in hand on the two below them. Fourth placed Clanfield, who won the other top four clash today, are seven points behind the leaders, having played the same number of matches.
Casa Pia Atletico Club 2 F.C. Pacos Ferreira 1, attendance 530
45’ + 4, 0-1
67’ 1-1
76’ 2-1
@ Estadio de Honra do Centro Desportivo Nacional
Avenida Pierre de Coubertin
1491-751 Cruz Quebrada do Jamor
€5 Admission + 50c booking fee, Print at Home Ticket
No Programme.
This was the main reason for the trip to Portugal this weekend. The chance to see a game at the iconic Nacional Estadio in Lisbon, where Celtic famously beat Inter Milan to win the European Cup back in 1967, thus becoming the first British side to win the trophy. The ground stages the Portuguese Cup Final each year, but also now hosts regular league football as well, so getting to see a match here is now less problematic.
I had seen Casa Pia play at their traditional Estadio Pina Manique home back on 1st December 2019, when they lost 0-1 to Clube Desportivo Nacional in a Liga 2 match. Having now been promoted into the top division, they required a stadium capable of hosting larger crowds, hence the move here. Their relatively small crowds, for run of the mill fixtures, are lost in the huge bowl of a stadium that once held a crowd of 75,000 (Portugal v Spain friendly in 1956). It only holds 37,593 these days due to it now being all seated.
Despite being such a huge stadium, getting a ticket was a bit problematic. The club weren’t answering their phone, so I couldn’t confirm that tickets could actually be bought at the stadium on the night. They were on sale on their website though, but you had to register, then make payment via a Portuguese bank account on an app. Thankfully, the hotel staff sorted out payment and printed off the tickets, taking cash to cover the cost, so all sorted!
Once again it was an easy train ride about fifteen minutes west out of Lisbon towards Estoril, stopping at Cruz Quebrada station. From there it was a steep 16 minute walk up to the ground, the huge floodlights clearly visible through the trees high up in the woods above. You arrive at the stadium on the side with the huge gap in the seating, and enter at ground level, so it looks pretty impressive as you make your way towards the seats, with the bowl rising up around you. Unfortunately, all the facilities are round the top of the stadium, but once up there you get the full extent of how impressive it is, even if it has seen better days.
Casa Pia came into this sitting seventh in the league table, whilst Pacos Ferreira were bottom. Games involving the hosts don’t produce many goals. They had only managed to score 18 goals in their 22 games so far and had only conceded 22. The good news though, was that the reverse fixture had finished 2-3, which is the most goals scored in any Casa Pia game this season, so there was hope!
Pacos had a real go. They hit the post early on, when a looping header beat the ‘keeper, but bounced back out, and looked the brighter of the two sides in a reasonable first half. Four minutes into stoppage time the visitors went ahead, when a clearance from the box was returned with a dipping volley from 20 yards that flew into the bottom corner. Casa Pia almost levelled when a shot was deflected just wide on the hour mark, before the equaliser arrived seven minutes later, when a defender diverted a cross into his own net trying to cut out the pass. It was a case of whether the visitors could hang on for a point now. They couldn’t. Casa Pia squandered a great chance to go in front when the ball was headed back across the six yard box, but somehow not converted at the far post, before the inevitable winning goal arrived with fourteen minutes left, when a cut back from the right was saved at point blank range, before being poked in on the follow up.
After the game there was ample time to walk back down the hill for the 22.56 train back into Lisbon. So, another successful trip was over, with all five planned matches being achieved and home on the 13.05 TAP Air Portugal flight from Lisbon back to London Gatwick on Tuesday afternoon, which left 42 minutes late.
Atletico Clube Portugal 1 Imortal Desportivo Clube 1, attendance 245
59’ 0-1
68’ 1-1
@ Estadio da Tapadinha
Rua Professor Vieira Natividade
1300-054 Lisboa
€8 Admission
No Programme.
Today’s match was the first I have watched in level 4 of Portuguese football. Atletico Clube Portugal, who were formed back in 1942, play in Alcantara, a suburb of Lisbon, at the Estadio da Tapadinha. It was opened in 1926 and is certainly showing its age, but it oozes character by the bucket load. Sadly, only one side of the ground is now in full use, whilst a very small section of the terracing behind the goal was used, although there wasn’t actually a physical barrier stopping you going further round than the corner area.
The club had its heyday back in the 1940’s when they twice reached the Portuguese Cup final, losing 2-4 to Sporting Clube Portugal in 1946, then 1-2 against Benfica three years later and have a best ever league finish of third place, back in the days when there was just a single division. This season they are top of one of the four divisions that compete at this level, so perhaps they are on their way back.
The visitors, who are from Albufeira, on the Algarve, came into this eighth in the league table and certainly made the leaders work hard to get anything out of the game. Atletico had a great chance to go ahead midway through the first half, but saw a penalty saved by the Imortal ‘keeper. It came as no surprise when the visitors broke the deadlock just before the hour mark, after a free kick from the left saw a striker head in unmarked from 6 yards, which the ‘keeper got a hand to, but was unable to keep out. Atletico could have replied immediately, but somehow headed over the crossbar from close range, when it looked easier to score. The equaliser came minutes later though , when a cross from the left was headed down into the bottom corner. Atletico nearly won it in the last minute, but the visitors keeper managed to tip a header round the post.
The ground was easily reached by taking the train from Lisbon towards Estoril, getting off at Alcântara-Mar station (€1.95 each way) with the ground a 15 minute walk from there.
Grupo Desportivo Estoril Praia 0 F.C. Vizela 3, attendance 1,815
15’ 0-1
42’ 0-2
83’ 0-3
@ Estadio Antonio Coimbra da Mota
Rua Dom Bosco
2765-437 Estoril
€18 Admission
No Programme.
The walk up from Monte-Estoril station to the ground took about twenty minutes, not helped by being uphill all the way. At least on arrival the ticket office is at the near end of the stadium. Only the two sides of the ground are used, so although capacity is listed as 8,015, there are far fewer seats actually available, not that getting in here would be a problem for most games. The changing rooms/club buildings are at the one end, whilst the other goal end is draped in adverts and probably only used when one of the big clubs visit. We opted for seats in the main stand, which is the only part of the stadium that is covered.
The match was 15th versus 12th in the league table. It is easy to see why Estoril are hovering just above the relegation zone. They never looked capable of getting anything from this and it was very comfortable for the visitors. They opened the scoring after fifteen minutes, finishing from close range, after a pass across the six yard box was deflected and fell perfectly for the striker to fire home. The second goal came three minutes before halftime, breaking quickly after defending a corner and as the ball was played into the box it was diverted into the net by a home defender trying to cut out the cross. It could have been worse for the hosts, but Vizela only managed to add a third goal seven minutes from time. A one-two saw the striker played clear and he cut inside before smashing the ball across the ‘keeper into the far corner.
The walk back down the hill to Alcântara-Mar station was much easier than it had been on the way up! The fare back to Cais do Sodre station cost €2.45 and took around 35 minutes, before a short walk back into the centre of Lisbon.
Sport Lisboa Benfica 0 Uniao Desportiva Vilafranquense 2, attendance 347
75’ 0-1
86’ 0-2
@ Benfica Campus Pitch 1
Rua Sport Lisboa e Benfica
2840-600 Seixal
€5 Admission
No Programme.
This morning’s trip was made by taking the metro system to Cais do Sodre, before catching the ferry south across the River Tagus to Seixal. The crossing time is 20 minutes and costs €2.45 and once there it was a ten minute walk up to the Benfica Campus, with the game being played on the main stadium pitch, which has an all seated capacity of 2,720. Tickets are purchased from the ticket booth at the entrance.
The match was 13th versus 5th in the league table and was pretty low key. The only real chance of the first half saw Benfica miss a one on one chance that the ‘keeper saved with his legs. The second half opened up a little and the longer it went on, the more likely the visitors looked like they might nick it. They finally made the breakthrough with fifteen minutes left, cutting in from the right, before curling a left footed shot into the far corner from 25 yards. They deservedly doubled their lead with four minutes left, finishing left footed off the inside of the far post from the angle of the 18 yard box, after a ricochet fell perfectly for the striker.
I intended to do another match this afternoon. Unfortunately the return ferry times on a Saturday are not great, as they are only two hourly and were at 13.00 or 15.00. There was no way of making the one o’clock one, without missing the end of the match (it didn’t bother the 5 German hoppers present, who had already left the match before the second goal was scored) and the 3 o’clock crossing would be too late. An Uber was pre-booked instead, picking up at the ticket office, where it cost €18 (including toll) taking us back across the river to Alcântara-Mar, from where we caught the train (€1.95) westward to Monte Estoril, arriving 70 minutes before kick off for what would be game two of the day.
Another trip to Portugal, heading out on the 10.10 EasyJet flight (left 28 minutes late) from Gatwick to Lisbon. It was a late planned trip, not helped by the fact that the breakdown of fixtures for the top two levels were not announced until late on Sunday evening! This is absolutely pathetic, especially when considering the three biggest clubs in this country can pull in crowds of 50,000 for home games. Anyway, tonight wasn’t really a problem, as I knew a week ago that third tier Alverca were scheduled to play this evening, but the rest of the weekend was not so easy to plan for, but in the end it appeared to look very promising. It was also possible to do the trip without hiring a car, as all the intended games were doable by public transport.
Alverca do Ribatejo is north east of Lisbon and is just a 19 minute train ride from Santa Apolonia station. It was only 8 stops, but was a very reasonable €2.45 return. The scheduled 1720 train left six minutes late, but with the walk from station to ground being just fifteen minutes, it wasn’t a problem. Tickets were easily obtainable too, with the ticket office located in the corner as you walked towards the ground entrance.
Alverca were formed in 1939 and spent most of their time in the lower levels of Portuguese football, but in 1998 they made it into the top division, playing four of the next five seasons there (I saw them draw 1-1 away at Os Belenenses in Nov 2001) and despite being promoted again for the 2003/04 season, they were relegated again at the end of that season, playing one more season at level two, before folding in 2005 due to financial issues. They were reformed the following year, playing at district level, but they were promoted back to national league level at the end of 2017/18.
The stadium is an all seater, with a 7,705 capacity and looks as though it had some sort of track around the pitch at some point (the players enter from a tunnel below ground, behind the goal to the right, which judging by its position, certainly backs up this theory). Only two sides of the ground are in use these days. Home fans are in the two tiered main stand, which has the only cover on offer, whilst the visitors get a section behind the goal to the left.
Alverca came into this game as league leaders, whilst the visitors were eighth. Neither side looked capable, or even interested, in scoring, in a very cagey first half, but it all changed when Real opened the scoring six minutes before halftime, finishing with a speculative long range effort that swerved away from the ‘keeper and into the far corner of the net. Alverca had to come out of their shell in the second half, which made for a much better game, especially watching as a neutral. They drew level with nineteen minutes left, poking in from eight yards, after a shot from the edge of the box was half blocked by a defender. They pushed for a winner, but looked to have fallen short, before a very soft looking penalty was awarded to them seven minutes into stoppage time, which was duly dispatched to give them a win that sees them move up to third place in the league table.
The first train back in to Lisbon after the game was scheduled for 21.28, but left a couple of minutes late.
@ South Gloucestershire & Stroud College, WISE Campus 3G Pitch
New Road
Stoke Gifford
BS34 8LP
£3.30 Admission (minimum car park charge)*
£1 Programme (apparently available in the changing rooms, but no effort to come round and sell them).
* I knew that car parking was enforced by ANPRC cameras here, as I had visited twice before, with the minimum charge of £3.30 required to cover the match duration. In September 2011 I saw Bristol Academy beat Thornbury Town 2-1 in a Gloucestershire County League match, which was played on the pitch inside the athletics track, then in October 2018 I saw Bristol City U18 beat Coventry City U18 5-1 in a Professional Development League match, which was played on a grass pitch to the south of tonight’s game. Bristol City U16 actually played on the 3G that day. A seated kit stand has now been added, along the only side accessible to spectators, whilst there are dugouts on the far side.
The match itself was 4th versus 13th in the league table and up until the first goal was evenly matched. A left footed effort into the far corner ten minutes before halftime signalled the total collapse of the visitors. By halftime it was 4-0 and the second half was a bit of a non-event, even though the hosts added three more goals to coast to an easy 7-0 win.
Had the usual shenanigans on the way home. M4 closed from J14-J13 and M25 closed from J11-J9.
Whitehill & Bordon 0 Colden Common 3, attendance 68
9’ 0-1
73’ 0-2
87’ 0-3
@ Bordon & Oakhanger Sports Club
Bolley Avenue
Bordon
GU35 9HG
No Admission or Programme.
Apparently, Whitehill & Bordon were given special dispensation from the league to use this ground following their promotion this season. I’m not sure why it doesn’t meet the criteria to host games here though, as it is a far better set up than many grounds at this level. Anyway, they have only got a handful of home games left here this season, so it seemed as good a day as any to visit. It also helped that the visitors were top of the league, defending the title they had won last season, whilst the hosts were sitting in seventh place.
It nearly didn’t happen though. I arrived just under an hour before kick off and shortly afterwards the two teams came out and began their warm ups. Ten minutes before kick off it became apparent that the referee hadn’t arrived. Quite why it took until this time for the home club to do anything about this is beyond me. Frantic phone calls were made, but he/she were unable to be contacted. Sensibly, in the end it was decided that a home ‘club official’ would do the game, although Colden Common didn’t seem happy about it, reluctantly agreeing that the game could go ahead. To be fair to the stand in, he was excellent and anyone arriving for the game would never have known he wasn’t the official appointment. Watching from a neutral perspective, I thought he did superbly and told him so at halftime.
Colden Common opened the scoring inside ten minutes, finishing a cross from the right with a stooping header at the far post. It was a very even contest throughout, but the visitors were just too strong. The killer second goal came seventeen minutes from time, when another cross from the right was finished with a tap in at the far post. The scoring was rounded off when they added a third in the dying minutes, when what looked to be a mishit attempt at pulling the ball back across the box, beat the ‘keeper at his near post.
The win sees Colden Common remain three points clear, with a game in hand, over second in the table Locks Heath. This completes the top division for me now, leaving just Division 1 side Hook for the full set.
