Friendly

Thursday 26th June 2025

Kick Off 18.30 Actual 18.38

Canton 2 Newport Saints 2, attendance 35

29’ 1-0 (pen)

36’ 1-1

77’ 1-2

85’ 2-2

@ Fitzalan High School, 3G Pitch

Leckwith Road

Cardiff

CF11 8AP

No Admission or Programme.

Another slog down the M4 for a friendly between Step 3 Canton (Ardal South East) and Step 4 Newport Saints (Gwent Premier League Premier Division) played at the neutral venue of Fitzalan High School. It’s a caged pitch, adjacent to the Cardiff International Sports Complex and although the school is in Leckwith Road, access to the pitch was via a flight of steps from the car park of Canton rugby club, in Lawrenny Road, which was open for refreshments and toilets and where I bagged the last parking space, having arrived about half an hour before kick off. Spectator access is restricted to one side of the pitch, where there are a couple of seated kit stands (dreadful view from both!), but the standing area between the two offered the best vantage point, helped by the dugouts being on the far side.

Canton took the lead just before the half hour mark, with a penalty awarded for a handball, but Newport Saints were gifted an equaliser seven minutes later, when the Canton ‘keeper played a clearance straight to a Saints forward who rolled the ball into the empty net. Saints made it 1-2 with thirteen minutes left, curling a free kick around the wall from the edge of the D, with Canton deservedly drawing level with five minutes left, when a cross from the right was finished with a downward header at the far post.

The usual roadworks hold ups on the return home, this time coming off the M4 at J14 (one junction before the hold ups were beginning), heading down to the M3 at Basingstoke, before the M25 was again shut in both directions between J10 and J9, meaning not arriving home until 23.45, despite it having been an early kick off.

Friendly

Tuesday 24th June 2025

Kick Off 19.30 Actual 19.28!

Panteg 1 Croesyceilliog 3, attendance 52

15’ 0-1

86’ 0-2

89’ 0-3

90’ 1-3

@ West Monmouth School, 3G Pitch

Blaendare Road

Cwm Fields

Pontypool

NP4 5YG

No Admission or Programme.

First midweek game of the new season and another trip along the M4 into Wales, where Gwent Premier League Division 1 (Tier 5) were hosting Ardal League South East (Tier 3) at the neutral venue of West Monmouth School, on the 3G pitch, for what was my 450th ground I’ve seen a game on in Wales. It’s the usual cage set up, with spectator viewing behind the nearest goal to the car park. Along one side is a raised grass bank, next to the higher level of the car park, which gave a decent enough view over the fence, with almost the entire crowd choosing to watch the game from here.

Croesyceilliog took an early lead, with an angled shot into the far corner and also saw a 30 yard lob come back off the crossbar. They had the chance to double their lead just before the half hour mark, but a penalty kick was well saved by the ‘keeper. Panteg thought they’d equalised with ten minutes left, when a free kick from inside their own half reached the opposite penalty area, bouncing high over the stranded ‘keeper, but it was disallowed. I heard someone on the pitch say it was because the free kick was awarded as in-direct and had made its way in without receiving another touch as it sailed in. A quick break down the left was finished from a tight angle to double the lead for the visitors with four minutes left and they added a third three minutes later, when a ball over the top was curled wide of the ‘keeper from the edge of the box. Panteg got a consolation goal with seconds left, smashing the ball past the ‘keeper from 8 yards after a ball over the top had beaten the defence.

It had been a reasonable journey down to Wales, but closures on the M4 at J13-J12 and then on the M25 from J10-J9 meant the return took exactly three hours.

Friendly

Saturday 21st June 2025

Kick Off 14.30 Actual 14.38

Cardiff Draconians 1 Lliswerry 4, attendance 30

30’ 0-1

35’ 0-2

49’ 0-3

74’ 1-3

82’ 1-4

@ Cardiff West Community High School, 3G Pitch

Penally Road

Cardiff

CF5 5XP

No Admission or Programme.

I was pleased to receive an early reply on Twitter this morning from Cardiff Draconians, confirming both the kick off time and venue for this game, as many clubs never bother having the decency to reply. The game was being played at the neutral venue of Cardiff West Community High School, which as the name suggests, is in the western edge of the city. It’s a standard cage set up, with a spectator viewing area along one side, which also housed a small kit stand, which had seven steps and there was a pair of perspex dugouts on the far side.

The match was between two newly promoted teams. Cardiff Draconians will play at Tier 2 this season, in Cymru South, whilst Lliswerry will be in Tier 3, in Ardal South East. Both teams had six or seven substitutes, who I think all played at some point, which was hardly surprising given how hot it was. It was absolutely brutal, in the high twenties and resulted in a couple of drinks breaks in each half. It was after the first of these that Lliswerry broke the deadlock, with a quick break down the right that was side footed in at the far post and they doubled their lead five minutes later, intercepting a misplaced header back to the ‘keeper and finishing with a lob from the edge of the box.

Draconians hit the crossbar early in the second half and somehow put the rebound over the top and a minute later it was 0-3, when a cross from the right was finished low under the ‘keeper. Draconians had a shot come back off the far post, before making it 1-3 a few minutes later, when a diagonal ball across the box was put in at the far post. The comeback was short lived though and Lliswerry made it 1-4 with eight minutes left, when a ball inside the fullback was cut back onto the right foot and finished low inside the near post.

Derbyshire Summer League

Monday 2nd June 2025

Smithfield Uttoxeter 4 Red Lion 2, attendance 30

2’ 0-1

38’ 1-1

57’ 2-1

79’ 2-2

80’ 3-2

83’ 4-2

@ Oldfields Hall Middle School

Stone Road

Uttoxeter

ST14 7PJ

No Admission or Programme.

For the second successive season, this league has come up with a new ground for me to visit. It’s just an open pitch at Oldfields Hall Middle School in Uttoxeter. Parking was available inside the school grounds, with the pitch at the rear of the buildings, with a raised grass bank along the near side offering a decent view.

As is the norm for this league, the pitch was in poor condition. Also, there was the all too frequent late arrival of players. Red Lion only had nine players when we got underway a couple of minutes earlier than scheduled, but it didn’t do them any harm, as they were in front after just two minutes, latching on to a through ball that the ‘keeper failed to clear and going on to roll the ball into the empty net. Fifteen minutes in, a tenth player arrived for the visitors and eight minutes later they were at full strength, as their eleventh and final player turned up. Amazingly, they had kept their lead during this time, but seven minutes before halftime Smithfield drew level, scrambling the ball in after an initial block just inside the area. Red Lion looked to have gone in front again in stoppage time, when a shot hit the underside of the crossbar and clearly crossed the line, but the ‘home’ linesman said it hadn’t, so it wasn’t given.

The second half saw Smithfield hit the crossbar early on, before going 2-1 up just before the hour mark, easily finishing a pull back across the box from close range. A deflected shot from the edge of the box saw Red Lion level it up at 2-2 with eleven minutes left, but trailed again within a minute and another close range effort saw Smithfield round off the scoring to make it 4-2 with seven minutes left.

The journey north was fine once I’d cleared the M25 queue from J11-J17 and the return was totally trouble free, despite three sections of roadworks on the M1 starting to be coned off, which I got through without coming to a standstill.

Plymouth & West Devon Combination League

Supplementary League Cup Final

Saturday 31st May 2025

Kick Off 14.00 Actual 13.56!

Tamar View 1 The Lugger 4, attendance 85

7’ 0-1

31’ 1-1

58’ 1-2

77’ 1-3

86’ 1-4

@ Lee Moor Recreation Ground

Recreation Way

Lee Moor

PL7 5JH

No Admission or Programme.

It was an easy drive of just under two hours from my overnight stay in South Wales, arriving here in the village of Lee Moor, just inside the southern boundary of Dartmoor National Park, about an hour before kick off. It was good to see both teams beginning their warm ups and that the game was going ahead okay. Even cup finals are no guarantee of games definitely taking place these days, such is the apathy involved in many leagues/clubs in today’s society.

The ground has hosted step 7 football in the past, most recently as home to Plympton Athletic in the Devon League. The pitch is mostly railed off and has a couple of large wooden dugouts on the side nearest the entrance, whilst the far side has a stand with three rows of bench seating, with the changing rooms at the rear and there was a tea bar set up, selling hot and cold food/drinks. The pitch was in decent condition, with the surface best described as undulating, noticeably dipping away towards the corners. Tamar View play their home games on the 3G pitch at Devonport High School, but their reserves play here at Lee Moor, which still technically made this a neutral venue I suppose.

As far as final league positions go, it was 4th versus 6th in the table. Tamar View won 7-4 when they met in the league last Saturday and the reverse fixture at The Lugger had finished 5-5, so it certainly looked like there’d be a goal or two. They’d already met twice in cup matches too, with Tamar View coming out 2-1 winners in both games.

A diagonal cross from the right was volleyed in at the far post to give the Lugger a seventh minute lead, with Tamar View equalising just after the half hour mark, when a ball over the top was latched onto and smashed past the ‘keeper at his near post. Just before the hour mark The Lugger were back in front, hammering in a shot from close range after a corner wasn’t properly cleared. They made it 1-3 with thirteen minutes left, after a misplaced clearance from the Tamar View ‘keeper was returned with a first time shot from 30 yards that found the bottom corner. They added a fourth goal late on, with a 25 yarder that went in via a deflection and almost got a fifth goal in stoppage time, but it came back off the crossbar.

An excellent game to round off the ‘Winter’ season with. Even the drive home wasn’t too bad, although I did lose around half an hour, despite the SatNav diverting me off the A303 approaching the usual Stonehenge bottleneck, but that’s pretty much standard on that route these days.

Cardiff & District League

Lord Ninian Stuart Cup Final

Friday 30th May 2025

Kick Off 18.30 Actual 18.32

Splott Albion 3 A.F.C. Whitchurch 1, attendance 335

11’ 1-0

47’ 2-0

52’ 2-1

76’ 3-1

@ Gate Systems Arena

Splott Park

Muirton Road

Splott

CF24 2SJ

No Admission or Programme.

A couple of weeks ago there were two games scheduled on a Wednesday evening in this cup and I chose to do the tie at St. Mellons, rather than the one here at Splott Albion. It worked out perfectly for me, as St. Mellons lost on penalties, whilst Splott won their match, before also going on to win their semi-final and even better, they were now hosting the final of the competition too. The ground here is very good for this level. It’s enclosed by mesh fencing, with the pitch fully railed and there’s a pair of brick dugouts on the far side. There was also a tea bar in operation throughout the game. Rather oddly, considering there was a crowd well in excess of 300, no admission charge was taken.

These two are in the premier division of the league and far as league positions go, it was 2nd versus 6th in the final table. Splott went ahead after eleven minutes, when a ball over the top saw the striker just get there before the ‘keeper, but his shot was cleared off the line by a defender, but it only went a couple of yards before being smashed in at the far post. Two minutes into the second half Splott doubled their lead, when a deep cross from the right was put in at the far post. Five minutes later Whitchurch pulled one back, when a long ball forward fell perfectly for their striker and he turned and shot first time low into the far corner. They never really looked like getting an equaliser though and Splott made the game safe with fourteen minutes left, with a cracking 20 yarder into the top corner to make it 3-1.

Apart from the dreadful crawl around the M25 from J9 to J12, the journey down to Wales was pretty trouble free, even with a detour off the M4 near Chippenham to avoid a snarl up on the M4 north of Bristol. An overnight stop in Wales meant not having to battle any overnight roadworks for a change.

Montgomeryshire Amateur League

Saturday 24th May 2025

Kick Off 14.30 Actual 14.28!

Felindre 2 Trefonen 4, attendance 45

6’ 1-0 (pen)

25’ 1-1

31’ 1-2

56’ 2-2

61’ 2-3

71’ 2-4

@ Evergreen Field

Beguildy Road (B4355)

Felindre

LD7 1YL

£2 Admission

No Programme.

From my overnight stop in Porthmadog, it was a steady drive of around one and three quarter hours back into Mid Wales, to the village of Felindre, roughly halfway between Newtown and Knighton, with the ground on the left hand side of the B4355 if heading south, with access down a flight of steps, through a gated gap in the hedge. It’s just a pitch, with a pair of dugouts on the far side, which consisted of just the metal frames and no cover whatsoever. Just a matter of yards behind is the River Teme, which acts as the border between Wales and England. The players get changed at a building next to the village hall, where there’s also a small car park, then walk the 100 or so yards down the road to the ground.

With very few leagues still playing, or more to the point, teams actually bothering to turn up, this attracted hopper numbers just about getting into double figures. The game had nothing riding on it, as far as affecting the title or relegation matters go, with 10th (out of 13) hosting 6th in the league table. With no pressure on either side, it led to an open game. Felindre who took an early lead, scoring with a penalty, but Trefonen levelled after twenty five minutes, volleying in from the corner of the 18 yard area, after a throw in was headed clear from the six yard box. Six minutes later they went in front, following in from close range after the ‘keeper made a mess of dealing with a cross.

Felindre made it 2-2 nine minutes into the second half, when a through ball saw the ‘keeper lobbed from the edge of the box, with the ball coming back off the crossbar before being followed in from close range. It only took Trefonen six minutes to regain their lead, finishing one on one with the ‘keeper after a ball over the top and ten minutes later they made the game safe, after a break down the right was played across the box, for a tap in at the far post to make it 2-4.

Felindre only had the bare eleven players and just the one club official present. He had a busy day. He ran the line in the first half, before spending halftime going round the crowd collecting the admission money, before re-taking his flag duties for the second half. After today, I’m left with just St. Harmon needed to complete this league now. I saw them beat Penybont 1-0 in a Radnorshire Cup 1st Round match back in October 2000 and then lose 0-6 at home to Llandrindod Wells in the same round of that competition in September 2011, both played at different venues and they’ve now moved again, to a third ground.

Trouble free journey home, cross country via Leintwardine, Ludlow and Tenbury Wells, before picking up the M5 near Bromsgrove and a very quiet M42, M40 and M25 saw arrival home just before 19.45.

North Wales Coast West League

Premier Division Cup Semi-Final

Friday 23rd May 2025

Kick Off 18.30 On Time!

C.P.D. Penrhyndeudraeth 2 C.P.D. Llanberis 4, attendance 115

18’ 0-1

33’ 1-1

49’ 1-2

57’ 1-3

77’ 2-3

90’ + 6, 2-4

@ Maes Y Parc

A487 East

Penrhyndeudraeth

LL48 6LS

£3 Admission

No Programme.

An easy 40 minute drive down the coast saw me arrive in Porthmadog, where I was staying overnight and from there it was just a ten minute drive east to Penrhyndeudraeth, with the ground on the left hand side of the A487 as you head eastwards out of the village towards Dolgellau. The pitch is fully railed (parts of the rail behind the far goal are at chin height, so no good for leaning on) and there’s a seated kit stand behind the near goal, butted up to the corner, while there’s hard standing at one end and along one touchline and a pair of dugouts on the far side. There was a tea bar that was also doing hot dogs in the way of hot food.

As far as final league positions went, this was 7th versus 6th in the league table, with the winners of tonight’s game facing either Cemaes Bay or Mynydd Llandegai who were playing in the other semi final, which was also tonight. Llanberis, sadly minus the Locomotive prefix these days, went ahead after eighteen minutes, when an initial save by the ‘keeper was followed in from close range. Penrhyndeudraeth levelled just after the half hour mark, when a through ball sent a player clear and he cut inside onto his right foot and shot low inside the naer post. Four minutes into the second half the visitors went back in front, heading in at the far post from a corner on the right.Eight minutes later they increased their lead, when a ball into the box was touched in at the near post, possibly off a defender, which saw them go 1-3 up. With thirteen minutes left, a cross in from the right was forced in to pull it back to 2-3, with Penrhyndeudraeth pushing hard for an equaliser. I’d spoken to the Referee at halftime and he’d confirmed it would be extra time if the scores were level, rather than straight to penalties, which he thought might be a problem, with it being very dull and it rained for most of the match, which was a disappointing end to the day, having been glorious up until about an hour before kick off. Five minutes into stoppage time someone in the home dugout received a red card and a minute later Llanberis made the game safe, making it 2-4 after cutting in from the left and playing a ball across the face of the goal that was finished into the far corner. At least we wouldn’t be going to extra time, which was a relief, as the midges were absolutely relentless during the second half, making it very unpleasant as a spectator and it didn’t look much better for the players. A minute after the goal there was a red card for a home player, after he followed through on a defender, who’d just hacked the ball clear. Seconds later, at 20.26, the Referee blew the final whistle and ten minutes later, I was back at the hotel, by which time the rain was coming down much harder.

North Wales Coast West League

Premier Division

Thursday 22nd May 2025

Kick Off 19.00 Actual 18.52!

C.P.D. Pentraeth 5 C.P.D. Gwalchmai 3, attendance 97

3’ 1-0

9’ 1-1

28’ 2-1

45’ + 1, 3-1 (pen)

57’ 4-1

62’ 5-1

66’ 5-2

79’ 5-3

@ Bryniau Field

B5109

Pentraeth

LL75 8AZ

£3 Admission

No Programme.

Having stayed overnight in Rhyl, tonight was an opportunity to make a trip over to Ynys Mon, for an Anglesey derby, where 2nd bottom (already relegated) were hosting 2nd from top (guaranteed runners up). Despite nothing to play for, this was an excellent game and a warm sunny evening saw a crowd just short of one hundred turn out for this, probably helped by the fact that one of their youth teams was being presented with a cup that they’d recently won, which took place on the pitch during the halftime break.

Photographs don’t really do the ground justice. The pitch is fully railed, although the touchline running alongside the road is out of bounds, due to the lack of room behind the barrier and perimeter wall. There are two sides of hard standing and a pair of brick dugouts. Raised banking gives an elevated view from the far side, whilst the changing rooms/tea bar are behind the goal nearest the entrance. Car parking was organised brilliantly too, with three helpers already directing traffic well over an hour before kick off and no chance of the usual late arrivals turning up and selfishly blocking everyone else in, which is normally the case at non league level. Great backdrop too. Then there’s the pitch….it slopes from end to end, side to side and has a few undulations, just for good measure.

Pentraeth kicked downhill in the first half and were ahead after just three minutes. Quite a few missed the goal though, caught out by the game kicking off eight minutes earlier than advertised, when a ball pulled back from the left was finished with a low shot at the near post, which the ‘keeper should probably have saved. Some may have missed the equaliser too, as Gwalchmai made it 1-1 before we’d even had ten minutes, finishing with an angled shot from just inside the box. Just before the half hour Pentraeth were back in front, powering in a header from a corner. Gwalchmai saw a header hit the post and Pentraeth had a looping header clip the top of the crossbar, as both teams created good chances, before the hosts made it 3-1 in first half stoppage time, converting a penalty that was awarded for a handball.

Twelve minutes into the second half it was 4-1, breaking clear after intercepting a defensive throw in and minutes later Pentraeth made it 5-1, when a ball over the top was coolly put away in a one on one against the ‘keeper. Gwalchmai quickly replied with a low shot into the corner and with eleven minutes left pulled it back to 5-3, nicking the ball past the ‘keeper from a long clearance and clinically finding the bottom corner from the angle of the 18 yard box. They kept going right to the end, but had left themselves too much to do.

It was a very pleasant drive heading back towards the mainland, with Snowdonia in full sunshine and back at my hotel in about twelve minutes.