Evesham Hospital Junior Cup Final

Saturday 18th May 2019

Kick Off 14.00. On a Time !

Inkberrow 4 Fairfield Villa 0, attendance 104

32’ 1-0

38’ 2-0

54’ 3-0

57’ 4-0

@ Badsey Recreation Club

Ballards Park

Brewers Lane

Badsey

WR11 7EU

£3 Admission, including Programme, 4 pages.

The Evesham Hospital Junior Cup has been competed for since 1912. The final was originally going to be played at Evesham United F.C. but the cup committee were unable to get a booking for the ground, so it was relocated to here in Badsey instead. The ground no longer hosts Saturday football, having been used as a venue for Stratford-upon-Avon Alliance League matches in the past as well as being home to Montpellier F.C. in season 2016/17 in Midland League, Division 3, but I never visited during those days.

At least I had a match with something on it, rather than travelling to a pointless end of season match where this time of year it becomes a lottery as to whether one or both clubs can be bothered to actually turn up and play the match. Both these two clubs had finished in fifth place in their respective divisions of the Midland League, with Inkberrow being in Division 3 and Fairfield in the division above.

It was hard to believe which team were supposedly the higher level one, as it was the lower level side that dominated from start to finish. Two goals in each half were enough for Inkberrow to take the cup and on balance of play and chances, if they had scored another five or six goals, Fairfield could have had no complaints.

West Yorkshire League

Premier Division

Wednesday 15th May 2019

Kick Off 18.30 Actual 18.32

Huddersfield Amateur 2 Leeds City 2, attendance 32

8’ 1-0

12’ 2-0

50’ 2-1

83’ 2-2

@ Old Earth

off Elland Lane

Elland

HX5 9ES

No Admission

£1 Programme, 4 pages.

I wouldn’t normally travel this far for a midweek end of season game that had nothing riding on it, especially with it being the final match of the season for both teams, but I was offered a lift, so why not. Ridiculously, the 200 mile journey from our meeting place took just short of 5 hours, with a lorry fire on the M1 causing very heavy traffic on the alternative routes heading north, then another accident, on the opposite carriageway of the M62 to which we were heading, meant total gridlock around the junction and surrounding areas we required to exit for the ground.

Amateur were in eighth place in the league table, whilst visitors Leeds City were guaranteed to finish second. When the hosts went 2-0 up after just 12 minutes the game had a very end of season feel to it. Leeds City didn’t really look too interested, but they suddenly woke up and decided to make a game of it. It was pretty much one way traffic from here in. They pulled it back to 2-1 early in the second half and it seemed a case of when, not if, they would draw level and go on to win the match. Having wasted numerous chances they finally got a deserved equaliser seven minutes from time. Amateur had a great chance to win it at the death, but having taken the ball wide of the ‘keeper, the striker somehow managed to roll the ball wide of the empty target. The point sees Amateur finish one place higher up the table.

Carmarthenshire League

Division 1

Tuesday 14th May 2019

Kick Off 18.15. On Time !

Felinfoel 0 Pontlliw 7, attendance 56

2’ 0-1

4’ 0-2

10’ 0-3

20’ 0-4

21’ 0-5

24’ 0-6

64’ 0-7

@ King George V Playing Fields

Ynyswen Road

Felinfoel

SA14 8BE

No Admission or Programme.

In search of a game with something still on it, it was a case of heading 200 miles West, to Division 1 of the Carmarthenshire League, where the league leaders Pontlliw knew that a win tonight would give them the title. Second in the table Ammanford Reserves were a point behind, but had already completed their fixtures, whilst third placed CK Swiss Valley also trailed them by a point, but they still have one match left, which is away at Felinfoel.

The hosts, who were fourth from bottom in the league table, were totally overwhelmed by a blistering start from the league leaders. They were 0-2 down inside five minutes and 0-6 down before we had played 25 minutes. It was certainly nothing to do with a lack of effort, it was just that Pontlliw were just too good for them. A seventh goal didn’t arrive for another forty minutes of playing time, partly due to the champions elect taking their foot off the pedal and also that they brought on all their substitutes in order to give everyone a run out.

It was the first time I have been to a match across The Severn Bridge since the rip off toll charge was removed. Coming back, I had forgotten that they love to close the M4 at 8 o’clock every night at Junction 26 near Newport…….whatever they are doing (or rather NOT doing) here has been dragging on for far too long. They have unbelievably been carrying out this same section of ‘work’ now for at least the last 7 years !

Belgium

West Vlaanderen Provincial 3B

Eindronde Promotion Play Off 1st Leg

Sunday 12th May 2019

Kick Off 15.00 Actual 15.06

V.V. Cercle Beernem 0 K.S.K. Snaaskerke 0, attendance 184

@ Sportstraat 1 Den Akker

Oedelem

8730 Beernem

€5 Admission

Team Sheet, free.

This was 2nd versus 5th from the final league positions of Division 3B. First leg matches can often be cagey affairs, but both teams here did actually try to score, rather than just sit back. Beernem did manage to get the ball in the net twice, but both efforts were ruled out for fouls during the build up. The Snaaskerke ‘keeper also managed to pull off a couple of very good saves to deny the hosts. They now meet in the second leg at Snaaskerke on Sunday to decide who advances to meet the winners of the Division 3A and 3C play offs.

With it only being an hour and a quarter drive from The Tunnel, we were booked on the 10.20 outbound crossing, but as it was very quiet we made it onto the 09.50 instead, which left a minute early. Our return booking was for the 19.20 train, but having checked in at 18.20, we were offered the 18.50 instead. Even better, it left three minutes early.

Somerset County League

Premier Division

Saturday 11th May 2019

Kick Off 15.00 Actual 14.59

Worle 0 Chilcompton Sports 7, attendance 143

11’ 0-1 (pen)

12’ 0-2

15’0-3

18’ 0-4

21’ 0-5

78’ 0-6

82’ 0-7

@ Worle Recreation Ground

Station Road

Worle

Weston-super-Mare

BS22 6AN

No Admission or Programme.

Chilcompton arrived here knowing a win would see them crowned champions for the second successive season, pipping the leaders Nailsea & Tickenham, who had already completed their fixtures, by a point. Back on Easter Monday I saw the reverse fixture of today, which Chilcompton won 6-2 without needing to get out of first gear. That day they were 4-0 up after 16 minutes and they had made it 5-1 before we had half an hour on the clock. Today, Worle made an even more pathetic attempt in putting in any type of performance, conceding five goals in the opening 21 minutes, in a woeful display. Their lack of effort really wasn’t fair on Nailsea & Tickenham, but unfortunately these things happen from time to time.

As a neutral, it was a really poor game to watch. With it being 0-5 so early on, it was job done for Chilcompton. The rest of the match was absolute rubbish, with the visitors deciding to add a couple more goals in the last twelve minutes to finish things off. What a shame that a match where the title was at stake turned into such a poor afternoons entertainment. It really doesn’t say too much about the standard of the league when Worle managed to finish in seventh place!

Belgium

Namur Provincial 2

Tours Final Promotion Play Off

Wednesday 8th May 2019

Kick Off 19.00 Actual 18.59

F.C. Olympic Namur 1 Renaissance Sportive Fernelmont-Hemptinne 3, attendance 153

8’ 1-0

15’ 1-1

45’ 1-2 (pen)

88’ 1-3

@ Rue Tir De Ronet

5020 Flawinne

€5 Admission

Team Sheet, free.

The journey east from Lille took around 1 hour 35 minutes, which saw us arrive half an hour before kick off. It was dry for most of the way, but we hit some heavy rain as we got to within fifteen miles of our destination. Thankfully, the rain stopped a couple of minutes before the start of the match and it brightened up for the rest of the evening.

As far as final league positions go in Provincial 2A, this was 5th versus 4th, with the winners of tonight’s match going through to face either R. Sporting Club Neffe or R. Cercle Sportif Schaltin in the next round.

Namur went ahead early on, but were soon pegged back by the visitors. Fernelmont looked far the better side, even though they only finished a point ahead of Namur during the league season, and they were well in control. When they scored from the penalty spot in the dying seconds of the first half to make it 1-2, it looked like it would be hard for Namur to get back into it. The game should have been sewn up long before Fernelmont finally made it 1-3 with a couple of minutes left.

This mornings outbound crossing on The Tunnel left a couple of minutes late, but we had got an earlier train, despite being booked on the 10.50, so it was not a problem. Apart from long sections of speed restrictions in roadworks, we had an easy journey back to The Tunnel after the match. We were actually booked on the 01.22 return, but having made check in by 23.22, we were offered the earlier 23.50 instead and we certainly weren’t going to turn down the chance to get home an hour and a half earlier than originally expecting. It even left a minute early.

France

Ligue De Football Des Hautes De France

Coupe De La Ligue Seniors Quarter Final

Wednesday 8th May 2019

Kick Off 15.00 Actual 15.02

Lille Olympique Sportive Fives 2 Itancourt Neuville 3, attendance 102

12’ 0-1

19’ 1-1 (pen)

27’ 1-2

67’ 2-2

84’ 2-3 (pen)

@ Stade Marcel Duhoo

80 Rue Du Long Pot

59000 Lille

€3 Admission

No Programme.

With it being a Public Holiday in France, it was a perfect opportunity to make another day trip across The Channel. As we were heading to Belgium (where it wasn’t a Public Holiday) for an evening match anyway, then this fitted in perfectly and was no more than five minutes off route, so it took no persuasion of the fellow passengers to add this to our itinerary. It was raining for the entire journey down through Kent and it was no better once we reached France, but as we got within half an hour of Lille, it stopped, and the weather improved as the day went on and it was warm and sunny for the second half of the game.

It was a shame the two matches weren’t the opposite way round, as it is always nicer to do the furthest away first and work your way back towards home, but it doesn’t always fall like that. As it turned out, I was glad we were doing the game here during the afternoon, as the suburb of Fives is not the nicest area of Lille and parking was at a premium. We parked in the street that runs parallel to the ground, where there was broken glass from car break ins and another car with a smashed window that was taped up. Just for good measure, it looked like a vehicle had been set alight, judging by the burn marks on the road!

Lille O.S. Fives are top of Regional 3 Poule E, eight points clear of the team in second place, with four games left to play. Itancourt Neuville play two levels higher, where they are in fifth place in Regional 1 Poule A.

As is often the case with French football, it was played at a very slow tempo, but somehow, we actually got a match with plenty of goal mouth action. Neuville should have won it far more comfortably than they did, especially after Lille had a man red carded after 38 minutes, with the score 1-2 at the time.

Bournemouth League

Premier Division

Tuesday 7th May 2019

Kick Off 18.00 Actual 18.19

Bournemouth Manor 7 Westover Bournemouth 0, attendance 54

12’ 1-0

23’ 2-0

36’ 3-0

45’ 4-0 (pen)

45’+1, 5-0

53’ 6-0

64’ 7-0

@ Kinson Manor

The Broadway

Northbourne

Bournemouth

BH10 7EY

No Admission or Programme.

It was nice to once again get a game with something on it. This was third versus fourth in the league table, with Bournemouth Manor needing to win their final two matches, both at home, by a minimum of a combined four goals, which would see them pip Bournemouth Electric to the title on goal difference.

Both teams and the Referee were out warming up at 17.45, but for some reason the game managed to kick off 19 minutes late. The game started off at a very high pace and the tackles were flying in. Manor looked very impressive and were 2-0 ahead after twenty three minutes. Westover were awarded a penalty after half an hour, but it was well saved and it was the turning point, as Manor totally dominated from here on. By halftime, they had got the goals needed to boost their goal difference and they added another couple in the second half and but for a number of good saves by the Westover ‘keeper, it could have been double figures.

It looks like the title is now in the bag. In the Bournemouth League, if a team fails to turn up for a match, the opposition are awarded the 3 points, but no goals are awarded in the win. The opinion of many of the locals present was that A.F.C. Burton will not fulfill the fixture on Saturday, therefore Manor will get the 3 points they need for the title without having to kick a ball. Sadly, this is a now an all too common occurrence in football. If the likes of Bolton Wanderers can’t be bothered to turn up for matches in the Football League, then what hope is there at non-League level.

Somerset County League

Division 3

Monday 6th May 2019

Kick Off 15.00 Actual 15.04

Hutton 3 Somerton Town Reserves 2, attendance 37

42’ 1-0

53’ 1-1

79’ 2-1

90’+1, 2-2

90’+4, 3-2 (pen)

@ Springwood

Springwood Gardens

Hutton

Weston-super-Mare

BS24 9SJ

No Admission or Programme.

I can’t remember an early May Bank Holiday where I have struggled so much to find an unvisited ground. In the end, I plumped for the nearest one, which was the only ground I needed today apart from lower level matches in Devon or Yorkshire.

As it turned out, at least there was something on the game, as Hutton are fighting it out with Cheddar Reserves for second place in the league and with it promotion to Division 2. Somerton certainly made them work hard for it and it was only a deflection when attempting to block a cross that beat the ‘keeper at his near post to give Hutton a 1-0 lead at the break. It was 1-1 early into the second half and as time was running out it looked like Hutton had grabbed the 3 points when they went in front with eleven minutes left. It looked like their effort had been for nothing though, as they conceded an equaliser a minute into stoppage time, but as we entered the fifth minute of added time, Hutton were awarded a penalty, for handball, which was coolly slotted into the bottom corner of the net for the winning goal.

With one game each left to play, Cheddar Reserves lead Hutton by three points, but Hutton have a far superior goal difference.

Perry Street & District League

Division 1

Saturday 4th May 2019

Kick Off 16.30 Actual 16.29

Netherbury 3 Crewkerne Rangers 3, attendance 15

1’ 0-1

34’ 1-1

38’ 2-1

54’ 3-1

60’ 3-2

86’ 3-3

@ Netherbury Playing Fields

St. James Road

Netherbury

DT6 5LL

No Admission or Programme.

From Misterton, which is in Somerset, it was just under fifteen minutes drive south, across the border into Dorset, for the second match of the day. The reason for the late kick off here was due to Waytown Hounds, who share the ground, also being scheduled to play at home today, having played their match at 2 o’clock.

This was never going to be a match of great quality, as it was bottom of the league table versus fourth from bottom. Netherbury have only won once this season and it wasn’t a good start for them as they conceded a goal less than 20 seconds into the game. They somehow managed to turn it round and led 2-1 at the interval. When they made it 3-1, with a header from a corner, nine minutes into the second half, it looked like they would double their total of matches won, but it wasn’t to be. An own goal pulled it back to 3-2, before they conceded a penalty with four minutes left to play. The ‘keeper saved the kick, but it was followed in and smashed into the top corner of the net to level it up at 3-3.