North West Counties League

Division 1 North

Friday 15th October 2021

Kick Off 19.30 Actual 19.34

South Liverpool 5 Pilkington 1, attendance 241 (Official 204)

13’ 1-0

16’ 2-0

46’ 3-0

50’ 4-0

62’ 5-0

80’ 5-1

@ Jericho Lane Sports Hub, 3G Pitch 1

Otterspool Drive

Liverpool

L17 5AR

£5 Admission

£1 Programme, 24 pages.

The journey north had been horrendous. With the M6 closed at Junction 16 it meant there were reports of thirteen mile tailbacks and subsequently all the surrounding routes were gridlocked. It had taken just under six hours driving time. You do question whether it is worth the effort, for yet another of these dreadful 3G caged grounds, but if you want to visit every ground in the league, then these are the sort of places you end up at, and as each season goes by, more and more of the clubs being promoted into Step 6 play on them. Yet another of those cages that are only accessible on three sides, but as well as covered standing there is a small seated stand behind the near goal. Unfortunately, the pitch has the multi coloured markings for smaller size matches as well.

I never made it to Holly Park, home of South Liverpool from 1935 until 1990, but did make it to The North Field, in Jericho Lane, seeing them beat Waterloo Dock 1-0 in a Liverpool County Combination League match on 2nd September 2003. They played there from 1999 up until 2018, when they moved a few hundred yards to the current ground and this season sees them begin life in the North West Counties League, having been promoted from the West Cheshire League.

Tonight’s match certainly didn’t go to form. It was 12th versus 2nd in the league table, but you would have thought the two teams were in opposite places. South Liverpool were two up after just sixteen minutes and never allowed Pilkington to get into the game. It was still 2-0 at halftime, but three goals in the first seventeen minutes of the second half saw the hosts go 5-0 up. Pilkington did get a late consolation goal to pull it back to 5-1, but a bad night was compounded for them when they had a player sent off in the last minute.

I assume that the announced crowd of 204 was for tickets sold, rather than actual spectators present, as it was thirty seven fewer than my head count.

West Riding F.A. County Cup

2nd Round

Tuesday 12th October 2021

Kick Off 20.00 Actual 19.59

Ilkley Town 1 F.C. Halifax Town 3, attendance 227 (official)

10’ 0-1

36’ 0-2

40’ 0-3 (pen)

87’ 1-3

@ Ben Rhydding Sports Club, 3G Pitch

Coutances Way (A65)

Ben Rhydding

LS29 8AW

£6 Admission

£2 Programme, 16 pages.

The North West Counties League, which Ilkley Town are newly promoted into this season, is sadly becoming synonymous with clubs joining the league who play on these dreadful 3G caged ‘grounds’. In the last few years I have visited such places as St. Helens Town and Lower Breck and as well as Ilkley Town, I also have the delights of South Liverpool and Steeton to look forward to. If that isn’t bad enough, Burscough have also moved to a new 3G ground, although I don’t think that is a caged pitch.

The ground here is awful for Step 6 football. It is only accessible on three sides to spectators, with the far side, where the dugouts are situated, being reserved for club officials. The only cover is for around 25-30 people, unless you are tall enough to see over those stood against the rail, as it is flat standing only. There didn’t even appear to be electricity in the pay hut, as all transactions were carried out under torch light. Not very impressive for a new build.

This is the first game Ilkley Town have played in this competition, as they are now eligible for the Senior Cup, since their elevation to Step 6. They have struggled somewhat at the higher level, currently sitting 16th in Division 1 North. The visitors are the complete opposite. They are riding high in the National League, which is five levels above the hosts, sitting third in the table, just three points behind leaders Grimsby Town.

To say there was a gulf in class is a total understatement. According to Twitter there were 5 first team players named, with the rest being made up of the youth team. Even with this being the case, it was a total mismatch and the first half was as one sided a game as you’re likely to see. It was a surprise that it was only 0-3 at the break, but Halifax had got the game won by then. The second half was all Ilkley, but the visitors had long taken the foot off the pedal by then. Ilkley had a couple of efforts hit the post and at least they got a consolation goal in the dying minutes, a left foot shot through the legs of the ‘keeper as he tried to narrow the angle at his near post.

It was a good crowd tonight and my head count was only two fewer than the official attendance.

Northern Alliance League

Premier Division

Saturday 9th October 2021

Kick Off 14.30 Actual 14.29

Killingworth 3 Winlaton Community 1, attendance 62

14’ 1-0

28’ 2-0

37’ 3-0

86’ 3-1

@ Amberley Playing Fields

Garth 21

Killingworth

NE12 6PJ

£3 Admission

£1 Programme, 12 pages.

Having watched the team second in the league table last night, today it was a visit to the home of the league leaders. Killingworth (now minus the A.F.C. prefix this season) had a 100% winning record from their opening ten matches, whilst Winlaton Community arrived here in fourth place.

As with last night, this was all over as a contest well before halftime. The opening goal was stabbed in at the far post after the ball was cut back from the right, before a ball over the top was lobbed over the ‘keeper to make it 2-0 just before the half hour mark. The third goal was less clear cut. A corner from the right was headed goal wards but blocked on the line before being cleared. It looked like a hand had been used to stop the ball, but the linesman signalled it had already crossed the line, so the hosts went into the break 3-0 up. Winlaton had the better of the second half, but failed to capitalise. They did get a consolation goal four minutes from time though, when a shot came back off the crossbar and fell kindly for them to give an easy tap in.

The win sees Killingworth re-establish their eight point lead over second in the table Newcastle Blue Star.

Northern Alliance League

Premier Division

Friday 8th October 2021

Kick Off 19.00 Actual 18.59

Newcastle Blue Star 4 Ponteland United 0, attendance 951 (official)

7’ 1-0

11’ 2-0

17’ 3-0

75’ 4-0

@ Scotswood Sports Centre

Denton Road

Scotswood

Newcastle upon Tyne

NE15 7HB

£3 Admission

£1 Programme, 8 pages, waste of money.

With the Saudi Arabian takeover at Newcastle United being announced this week, Newcastle Blue Star had a promotion offer whereby Newcastle United season ticket holders could gain free admission tonight. Even so, to pull in a crowd of 951 (announced over tannoy)at Step 7 is superb. Admittedly, many of those present would have watched very little of the match, and those that did would have struggled to get a decent view as it was packed. Social distancing was non-existent and It didn’t help that one end of the ground and a small section of each side was closed off to spectators. Even the parts of the ground that were open contained part built areas of cover, in a ground that is certainly being improved at a fair pace and will surely be hosting Northern League football next season.

The match was 2nd versus 12th in the league table. It didn’t last long as a contest. Blue Star were 3-0 up in just seventeen minutes, courtesy of an Ethan Bewley hat trick. Ponteland only managed a couple of half chances and never looked like getting anything from the game. Bewley scored his fourth goal of the night, with a deflected shot from the edge of the box, to make it 4-0 with fifteen minutes left. The game felt like it was lacking somewhat, but then you had to remind yourself just what level of football this actually is, as the ground and size of crowd made it feel of a much higher standard than it is.

Blue Star have reduced Killingworth’s lead at the top of the league table to five points, even if it is only until tomorrow afternoon, when the leaders play their match and could open the gap back up.

Highland League

Wednesday 6th October 2021

Kick Off 20.00. On Time !

Formartine United 4 Clachnacuddin 2, attendance 89

32’ 0-1

47’ 1-1

59’ 2-1

66’ 2-2

68’ 3-2

90’+ 4, 4-2

@ North Lodge Park

Oldmeldrum Road

Pitmedden

AB41 7PA

£10 Admission

No Programme.

Tonight, I finally completed a matchday visit at every ground in the Highland League, having started my quest at Inverness Thistle 1 Ross County 4, in a League Cup Preliminary Round match on 4th August 1993. I should have completed the league 10 years ago, at this very same ground. I came here on 17th September 2011, but Formartine United called their match off. Apparently the pitch was waterlogged, but it was a lovely dry, sunny day and it was the only game called off in the area. Luckily, having arrived in plenty of time, I was able to make it to the nearby town of Inverurie, where I saw Colony Park lose 1-2 to Whitehills in a S.J.F.A. North Region match. At least it wasn’t a wasted day, but to say I wasn’t impressed with Formartine is an understatement.

Anyway, having waited 10 years, where this has been the only ground needed for the duration, tonight was the ideal time to finally complete the league. If I wasn’t impressed with Formartine back then, I think even less of them now. The mobile phone contact number for the the club on their website didn’t reply to a text sent early this morning, enquiring as to whether the match was going ahead after the deluge yesterday. The phone wasn’t even answered on numerous attempts during the day. The ground phone number wasn’t answered either, despite phoning every hour from 12 o’clock right through to 7 o’clock. Their only mention of the game was on their Facebook page, which had been posted the day before, with heavy overnight rain falling in the meantime. They didn’t even bother replying on Twitter either, but neither did Clachnacuddin, although they did at least post a tweet early this morning saying that they were playing at Formartine tonight. In the end I had to take a chance, going on the assumption that ‘they haven’t said it’s off’, so ‘it must be on’? I actually had a back up game at Banks O’Dee tonight, in a S.J.F.A. North Region Super League match, but as it was kicking off half an hour earlier than the game here, then there was a chance I might not get a game at all after heading here.

I was convinced that the game would be off when I arrived, as the weather had been far worse than when I attempted to tick the ground off here before. As I headed towards Pitmedden I was losing hope of getting a game, but finally, with the SatNav showing just 50 seconds to arrival, the floodlights came into view. What a relief. It was on, or at least it would be in half an hours time.

I normally watch matches as a neutral, but this wasn’t the case tonight, as I would be hoping for a Clachnacuddin win. After all the stress of the day, caused by a lack of information from the hosts, it would certainly round off the day nicely, as far as I was concerned, to see them lose. It never happened though, despite Clachnacuddin opening the scoring and leading 0-1 at halftime. The second half saw Formartine level the scores within two minutes of the restart and they went 2-1 up before the hour mark. One of the Clachnacuddin coaches was yellow carded for dissent following the goal, but calm was restored and the visitors drew level seven minutes later, a blocked shot rebounding kindly for another striker to smash the ball in from 10 yards to make it 2-2.

Formartine regained the lead within two minutes. A quickly taken free kick, on the corner of the 18 yard box, found the bottom corner of the net as the ‘keeper was still setting his defensive wall. Once again the Clachnacuddin bench were not happy. This time one of their coaches was red carded. The visitors had chances to draw level, but Formartine added a fourth goal deep into stoppage time to round off a 4-2 win.

The quality of the Highland League has dropped considerably since I first did a game in it. It is hardly surprising though, as the league have lost Inverness Thistle, Caledonian, Ross County, Elgin City, Peterhead and Cove Rangers in that time, being replaced by clubs of much smaller stature, as far as support and resources go. With the introduction of the Lowland League, which is the equivalent Level 5 league in the southern regions of Scotland, it is debatable if the Highland League is even the best league at it’s level anymore.

Lowland League

Tuesday 5th October 2021

Kick Off 19.45 Actual 19.47

Edinburgh University 1 Berwick Rangers 4, attendance 146

25’ 0-1

41’ 0-2

44’ 1-2

62’ 1-3

81’ 1-4

@ East Peffermill

Peffermill Road

Edinburgh

EH16 5LT

£6 Admission

£1 Programme, 16 pages, free Team Sheet.

I had been here previously, when I saw Edinburgh University draw 1-1 versus East Fife in a pre season friendly on 8th July 2006. That match was played on a pitch to the south of the railway lines, accessed via a tunnel from the main playing fields. The main ground used is in the north of the complex and is entered via it’s own entrance gate, rather than through the general entrance to central point of the hub.

It had rained heavily for eight hours during the day, so I was concerned that I might have to use one of my back up choices for tonight, although one of those, Dunbar United, had already been postponed early on in the afternoon. Thankfully, Berwick Rangers tweeted that the game here was definitely going ahead, following the pitch passing a 4 o’clock inspection and around half an hour later the rain finally stopped. It has to be said, that despite the amount of rain that had fallen, the pitch was in superb condition and never even cut up during the match.

The thing that drew my eye to this match was that Berwick Rangers are a former Scottish League club, having been relegated in 2019. It was 15th versus 11th as far as league positions go. Edinburgh University look more likely to be in a battle to avoid relegation, whilst Berwick may fall short in their quest to regain their league status, as they currently trail league leaders Bonnyrigg Rose Athletic by 15 points.

It was a bright opening by Edinburgh University, but Berwick slowly took control. They went ahead on 25 minutes, winning the ball in their own half, then breaking quickly and a defence splitting pass saw the ball smashed into the roof of the net from 15 yards. A shot on the turn saw the lead increased to 0-2 on 41 minutes, but a minute before the break the students pulled it back to 1-2, with the goal of the game, a right footed shot curled into the top corner of the net. I was surprised how loud the cheer was that greeted the goal, as it appeared at first that most of the crowd were with the visitors.

The second half saw Edinburgh University push for an equaliser, but it was Berwick who grabbed the next goal, making it 1-3 just after the hour mark. The visitors ‘keeper pulled off an excellent triple save as the hosts pushed forward, but the points were wrapped up when it became 1-4 with nine minutes left.

East of Scotland League

Division 1 Conference B

Saturday 2nd October 2021

Kick Off 17.00 Actual 16.59

Easthouses Lily Miners Welfare 2 Glenrothes 5, attendance 228

8’ 0-1

55’ 0-2

60’ 1-2

63’ 2-2

78’ 2-3

90’+ 1, 2-4

90’+3, 2-5

@ Newbattle Complex

Morris Road

Easthouses

EH22 4ST

£7 Admissiom

£2 Programme, didn’t bother as I won’t buy one on any event organised by Groundhop U.K.

The drive from Ormiston was near enough a backtrack from the morning match at Dalkeith, which was only about a mile away. The journey was trouble free and I was parked up by 16.26.

The match was 8th versus 2nd in the league table and when Glenrothes went ahead after just eight minutes, it looked like it was going to form, but it was still only 0-1 at the break. Ten minutes into the second half they doubled their lead and looked to be coasting to an easy three points, but two goals in four minutes saw the hosts level it up at 2-2 eight minutes later. It was a wake up call for Glenrothes and they edged back in front with twelve minutes left, before finally sealing a resounding 2-5 win with two more goals in stoppage time.

East of Scotland League

Division 1 Conference A

Saturday 2nd October 2021

Kick Off 14.30 Actual 14.29

Ormiston 0 Craigroyston 0, attendance 53

@ Recreation Park

Meadowbank

Ormiston

EH35 5LD

£5 Admission

No Programme.

The game here in Ormiston fitted in perfectly as my middle game of three today, as it was only thirteen minutes drive from Dalkeith, but more importantly, it would take the same amount of time to drive from here to Easthouses, leaving plenty of time to make the 17.00 kick off.

A couple of years back, Ormiston moved their ground about a pitch length from where they played previously. The new ground is very much a work in progress, but at least it is now fully enclosed and although it is only railed off at present, there are plans to erect a covered spectator area at some point. The club officials were very welcoming, inviting the four ground hoppers at the game for tea and hot pies at halftime.

The match here didn’t look particularly appealing, as 14th hosted 15th in the league table, or to put it more bluntly, second bottom versus bottom. Ormiston had managed just two wins from their ten matches played so far, losing the other eight, having only scored four goals in the process, whilst conceding 36. Craigroyston had just one win from their nine matches, having lost the other eight.

There was very little to choose between the two sides. Ormiston had a player red carded eight minutes into the second half, but despite being a man down, actually created more chances than they had with a full eleven players. In the end they will feel this was two points dropped, rather than one gained, although it was enough to see them rise two places up the table, so not too bad an outcome.

East of Scotland League

Division 1 Conference A

Saturday 2nd October 2021

Kick Off 11.15 Actual 11.13

Dalkeith Thistle 8 Tweedmouth Rangers 2, attendance 309

6’ 0-1

31’ 1-1

35’ 1-2

50’ 2-2

58’ 3-2 (pen)

61’ 4-2

66’ 5-2

70’ 6-2

77’ 7-2

90’ 8-2

@ King’s Park

Croft Street

Dalkeith

EH22 3BA

£7 Admission

£2 Programme, didn’t bother as I won’t buy one on any event organised by Groundhop U.K.

Thankfully, of the six grounds hosting games on the ‘Scottish Ground Hop’, there were only two being played at grounds I was yet to see a match at. To be fair though, the Scottish ‘hops are far less overbearing than those held down south, as the locals are not taken in by the fanfare that surrounds the event. Unlike the open fields and recreation grounds that are visited down south for these events, where most clubs rarely get more than a couple of dozen spectators for a normal home match, these are proper clubs, with proper grounds and many of them already attract good crowds, even without the influx of around 150 extra punters that turn up as part of the ground hops. At least you are not forced to buy a programme and apart from the admission price possibly being a quid or two more than normal, it is more like doing the game on any day of the season. Clubs are also ‘advised’ to scrap the offer of a concession price (I’m not old enough to qualify for this yet!), which certainly doesn’t go down well with regular supporters who turn up every week and must leave a poor impression of ground hoppers once the fanfare rolls back out of town, never to be seen again.

This morning’s match was 10th versus 12th in the league table. The first half was a decent contest, with the visitors twice taking the lead to go in 1-2 up at the break. Two minutes into the second half the game turned on it’s head when the Tweedmouth No.9 was red carded for an alleged elbow in an off the ball incident. It only took Dalkeith three minutes to level the scores at 2-2. Eight minutes later they went ahead from the penalty spot and the resistance of the 10 men was broken. Five more goals were added in a very one sided second half. The red card certainly spoiled the game from a neutral point of view.

The ‘hop was heading to Bonnyrigg Rose for their next instalment, but having already been there, I would be going elsewhere, but it would need to be within easy reach of Easthouses, where the scheduled 17.00 kick off was to be my intended third match of the day.

Scottish Professional Football League

League 2

Friday 1st October 2021

Kick Off 19.45 Actual 19.44

Edinburgh City 1 Cowdenbeath 1, attendance 314

8’ 1-0 D. Handling

83’ 1-1 K. Renton

@ Ainslie Park Stadium

94 Pilton Drive

Edinburgh

EH5 2HF

£14 Admission

£3 Programme, 56 pages.

I was fast running out of opportunities to tick off Ainslie Park Stadium whilst it is hosting Scottish League football. It is normally home to non-League club Spartans F.C. who play in the Lowland League. Back on 6th January 2001 I saw Spartans lose 1-3 at home to Stirling Albion in a Scottish F.A. Cup 2nd Round match, a tie that was played at City Park, in nearby Ferry Road. They left that ground, since demolished and built on, in November 2008, moving here to Ainslie Park. Edinburgh City signed a deal to play their matches here whilst their home ground at Meadowbank Stadium underwent a complete rebuild, due to move back there at the start of this season, but work has overrun, so they have extended their stay here a little longer. They are due to play their first game back home some time in November, so time was certainly of the essence to visit Ainslie Park as a League ground, although there is always a chance that Spartans themselves could gain promotion in the future.

With this weekend being the ‘Scottish Ground Hop’, with six matches being played from Friday-Sunday at staggered kick off times, it fitted in perfectly for me, especially as there were only two grounds hosting matches that I hadn’t yet visited (11.15 and 17.00 on the Saturday). The only problem was how the ‘fuel crisis’ might affect things, but once clear of the M25, there was a very high availability of fuel at the petrol stations en route, which improved the further north you went.

Tonight’s match was 5th versus 10th (bottom) in the league table and when Edinburgh City opened the scoring just eight minutes in, it looked to be going to form. However, Cowdenbeath came back into it and really made a game of it. They dominated the second half and totally belied their league position. The equaliser came seven minutes from time, when a cross from the right was flicked past the ‘keeper at the near post. In the end, they will feel disappointed that they only got a draw. They certainly deserved all three points against a very poor Edinburgh City side.

The ground here is not great for a ‘League ground’. One goal end is not accessible to spectators and there is open grass banking at the other. The far side, where the dugouts are, is also out of bounds. Although the 500+ seated stand on the near side looks impressive, it is not much use on a wet and windy night like tonight, as it is on the eastern side of the ground, so people got wet even on the back row (admittedly only 6 rows).

It is not surprising that the crowds here are so poor. With Heart of Midlothian and Hibernian also based in Edinburgh, then Edinburgh City are very much the third club of the city (some of the non-League clubs might dispute that). There seemed very little ‘home’ support, with most of the crowd appearing to be neutral. I wouldn’t think charging £14 for this level of football is encouraging too many new fans either.

I’m now left with just Cove Rangers to complete visits to the current 42 Scottish League grounds.