East of Scotland League

Conference B

Friday 29th March 2019

Kick Off 20.00. On Time !

Dunipace 0 Bonnyrigg Rose 4, attendance 380

7’ 0-1

61’ 0-2

85’ 0-3

88’ 0-4

@ Westfield Park

Town House Street

Denny

FK6 5DX

£6 Admission

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

I made a very late decision on Thursday evening to travel north for this years Scottish Groundhop, having been offered a rare lift, despite the fact that I had already visited three of the six grounds that were hosting the event. Before this weekend I had only revisited two grounds in Scotland, namely Raydale Park in Gretna and Victoria Park, Dingwall, the home of Ross County, but I would add to these over the next two days.

I had been to Westfield Park before, back in May 2005, when I saw Dunipace Juniors host Yorker Athletic in a Scottish Junior F.A. West Region Central League Division 1 match, but the ground has completely changed since then. Gone are any hint of character and in its place is a really bland, but functional ground, complete with the now so common artificial pitch. Only the old changing rooms have survived, albeit spruced up.

Dunipace have now dropped the ‘Juniors’ from their name, having moved across to the East of Scotland League this season, which is classed as ‘Senior’ football north of the border. As is the norm on a Groundhop UK event, there are the usual price hikes involved, but this was taken to the extreme here, with the catering side going well overboard in charging a ridiculous fiver for a basic pie and bovril. In fact, it appeared that everything was doubled in price, when listening to the comments of the more regular attendees.

As for the match, Bonnyrigg won it without having to break sweat, and they looked like they could score whenever they felt like it, but settled with just the four goals, the third of which was a ‘Panenka’ from the penalty spot. The win means they top Conference B and head for the play offs against the winners of the other two divisions, to give an overall champion.

Belgium

West Vlaanderen Provincial 3B

Wednesday 27th March 2019

Kick Off 20.00 Actual 20.01

V.K. Dudzele 0 K.S.K. Snaaskerke 4, attendance 51

9’ 0-1 (pen)

30’ 0-2

35’ 0-3

78’ 0-4

@ Amaat Vynckestraat

8380 Dudzele

€5 Admission

Team Sheet, free.

With no unvisited grounds available in England, it was once again Belgium that came to the rescue in avoiding a blank midweek. This match had actually been called off a few weeks ago, due to high winds, so it was rescheduled perfectly!

Dudzele are 15th (second bottom) in the league table, whilst Snaaskerke started the day in eighth place. The visitors opened the scoring within ten minutes, from the penalty spot, following a handball. A goal on the break, then a tap in, following a fumble by the home ‘keeper, saw their lead increase to 0-3 before halftime. Dudzele did hit a post and have a couple of efforts wide of the target in the second half, but Snaaskerke finished things off when the ‘keeper was tackled on the edge of his 18 yard box, with the ball then rolled into the empty net. The win moves Snaaskerke up to fifth place in the league table.

Despite the freight suffering long queues, the passenger service on The Tunnel was miraculously running to schedule. In fact, our 14.20 outbound journey ran four minutes early, with the 23.50 return being three minutes ahead of schedule!

Devon & Exeter League

Seaton Challenge Cup 1st Round

Sunday 24th March 2019

Kick Off 13.00 Actual 12.59

Kentisbeare 4 Beer Albion 1, attendance 55

8’ 1-0

37’ 2-0

39’ 3-0

46’ 3-1

86’ 4-1

@ Rectory Park

Kentisbeare

EX15 2BR

No Admission or Programme.

So, for the second successive Sunday, I found myself down in East Devon, but this time for a match in the Seaton Challenge Cup, which has been contested for since 1949. Beer Albion have won the cup 11 times, but the most recent being back in 1998, whilst Kentisbeare have never won it, although they have made far fewer appearances, so perhaps not a surprise.

Kentisbeare are currently top of Division 1, with Beer Albion lying tenth in the Premier Division, so we were expecting an even contest. The hosts went ahead early on and limited the visitors to efforts from long range. It looked all over by halftime, with Kentisbeare 3-0 up, but when Beer pulled a goal back, within a minute of the restart, it looked like a comeback may have been on, but despite an initial period of pressure, they couldn’t add to their tally and the game saw no more goals until Kentisbeare finished things off with a late strike to make it 4-1.

Herts Senior County League

Premier Division

Saturday 23rd March 2019

Kick Off 15.00. On Time !

Evergreen 1 Chipperfield Corinthians 3, attendance 31

9’ 0-1 (pen)

31’ 0-2

45’+ 2, 0-3

56’ 1-3

@ Southway

Entrance via Essex Lane

Abbots Langley

WD4 8PN

No Admission or Programme.

This is the second successive season where Evergreen have been the only club that I haven’t visited in the Premier Division of this league, so it was about time that I got round to completing the set, with the action played out adjacent to the imposing Warner Bros. Studios.

A couple of weeks ago, bottom of the league table Sun Sports pulled out of the league, which meant their results were expunged from the table and that there will now be only one team relegated at the end of the season. This was not good news for Evergreen, as they had taken four points from their two matches against them, and also, it then left Evergreen bottom of the league in their place, whilst third from bottom Broadfields are a point ahead of them, but they lose no points from Sun Sports demise as they had only played them once and they lost that, so were unaffected.

Chipperfield started the day in seventh place in the league and looked far too good for the hosts from the off. By halftime it was 0-3 and there looked like little chance of a comeback, which turned out to be the case. Evergreen did pull one goal back, with a goal awarded by the Linesman, who thought the ball had crossed the goal line, but it certainly didn’t, as I was stood much nearer the incident and it was nowhere near and a perfect headed clearance up onto the crossbar by the defender.

It may turn out to be irrelevant as to whether Evergreen finish bottom or not, as during a conversation at halftime, I was told that they are hoping to join the Spartan South Midlands League next season.

Football League Youth Alliance

Merit League 1

Saturday 23rd March 2019

Kick Off 11.00. On Time !

Stevenage U18 4 A.F.C. Bournemouth U18 0, attendance 79

21’ 1-0

26’ 2-0

31’ 3-0

80’ 4-0

@ Shephalbury Sports Academy

Broadhall Way

Stevenage

SG2 8RH

No Admission or Programme.

Stevenage are one of the clubs who openly advertise their youth matches as being open to the public, and it pays off, as this was one of the better crowds that I have seen at this level of the youth leagues. It was also easy to check where the match was being played, as it is possible to telephone the venue, which was worthwhile yesterday, as I learned that the match would be kicking off at 11 o’clock, which is half an hour later than they normally start here, although the Bournemouth website had the game down for a noon start.

Bournemouth actually looked the better side early on, but three goals in a ten minute spell, including missing a penalty when it was 1-0, saw Stevenage take control by the half hour mark and they never looked like being pegged back. It was a surprise that we had to wait until ten minutes from the end to see a goal in the second half, but an unstoppable shot from the corner of the 18 yard box rounded off the scoring.

Somerset County League

Premier Division

Tuesday 19th March 2019

Kick Off 19.30 Actual 19.31

Fry Club 2 Middlezoy Rovers 2, attendance 39

64’ 1-0

69’ 2-0

84’ 2-1

90’ + 1, 2-2

@ Somerdale Pavilion

Cross Street

Keynsham

BS31 2FW

No Admission

£2 Programme, 4 pages.

It has been a long wait, but Fry Club finally had a game scheduled under lights during the winter months, this being their only one this season. I never did their old ground, which was on the same complex, but is now under housing, but did see Bristol Rovers U18s play a match on an outside pitch, which is also no longer there.

Although it was 2nd versus 7th in the league table, it was certainly the clash of the two form teams in the league. Fry Club had won seven games on the trot before they drew away at Chilcompton Sports on Saturday, whilst Middlezoy have won six out of their last seven, conceding only two goals in the process, the only defeat being at fourth placed Worle.

The first half was really tight, with the only real chance of note being a Middlezoy header that was saved at the foot of the near post by the home ‘keeper. The second half looked more promising and the game burst into life once Fry Club opened the scoring. Within five minutes they had headed in a second goal to go 2-0 up. When Middlezoy pulled one back with six minutes left it set it up nicely and they deservedly drew level in stoppage time, when a shot from the corner of the 18 yard box sailed over the ‘keeper into the top corner of the net.

The draw means it is still a fight between three teams for the title. Nailsea & Tickenham lead the way with 52 points (6 games left), with Fry Club on 51 points (7 games left) and reigning champions Chilcompton Sports in third place on 49 points, but they still have 9 games left. With Fry Club still to host Nailsea & Tickenham and the other two still having to play each other twice, then it could go to the wire.

The only real downer on the night was the enforced car park charge, which apparently the club get no share of. To be guaranteed of not being fined, you have to pay for up to 3 hours parking, at a cost of £1.80.

Devon & Exeter League

Morrison Bell Cup 1st Round

Sunday 17th March 2019

Kick Off 12.00 Actual 12.01

Seaton Town 2 Ottery St. Mary 3, attendance 18

14’ 0-1

60’ 1-1

72’ 2-1

90’ 2-2

90’ + 1, 2-3

@ Axminster Leisure Centre, 3G Pitch

Lyme Road (B3261)

Axminster

EX13 5AZ

No Admission or Programme.

This match had been postponed on the last two Sundays due to a waterlogged pitch at their own ground, so the 3G Pitch here in Axminster was booked to enable the game would definitely go ahead.

This is a local cup competition for clubs in this area of East Devon. Seaton last won the cup in 2012, but you have to go back to 1988 for the last time Ottery lifted the trophy.

It was hard to tell which one of these two play at the higher level, such was the way the match went, as it could have gone either way. Seaton are third from bottom in the Premier Division, whilst Ottery are top of Division 3, so it was a bit of a leveller. Ottery took an early lead and were very comfortable, but when Seaton equalised on the hour mark, the game changed, and Seaton went 2-1 up twelve minutes later and it looked like that would be it. Ottery were looking tired and created very little, but somehow, in the last minute they managed to scramble in an equaliser from a corner. It looked like we would be heading to extra time, but a minute into added time, Ottery broke away and their left winger cut inside and fired the winning goal into the far corner of the net.

Kent County League

Premier Division

Saturday 16th March 2019

Kick Off 14.45 Actual 14.47

Kings Hill 0 Otford United 3, attendance 29

2’ 0-1

39’ 0-2

44’ 0-3

@ Kings Hill Sports Park

200 Beacons Avenue

Kings Hill

ME19 4QP

No Admission or Programme.

Back in August 2017 I visited Kings Hill Sports Park to watch a Kings Hill pre-season friendly, which was played on the 3G Pitch that is behind the clubhouse/changing room building, but they play their league matches on one of the grass pitches in the complex. During a conversation with their coach, it was mentioned that they were ‘moving’ to a pitch to the front of the clubhouse, next to the car park, so would relocate from their pitch up on the plateau onto an area that can be developed into a ‘ground’. This is their first season using the new set up.

Having driven twice to Belgium and once to South Devon in the last four days, it was a day for staying local. The match was 10th versus 9th in the league table, although the gap between them was seven points coming into this. There was a really strong wind blowing down the pitch and Otford made full use of it as they had it at their backs in the first half. They opened the scoring with their first attack and put the game out of reach with two headed goals late in the half. Kings Hill were dreadful in the second half, only mustering one real chance to reduce the arrears, whilst Otford were unlucky not to add at least one more goal.

Belgium

Oost Vlaanderen Provincial 2B

Friday 15th March 2019

Kick Off 20.00 Actual 19.59

K.V.V. Windeke 1 K.V. Eendracht Winnik 0, attendance 117

19’ 1-0

@ Stationsstraat

Scheldewindeke

9860 Oosterzele

€5 Admission

Team Sheet, free.

Tonight saw a second trip across to Belgium in the last three days. It was 11th versus 10th in the league table, with the match moved to this evening to avoid a clash with a food festival that is taking place over the weekend.

The pitch was heavy at one end and did cut up a fair bit, but it could have been worse if the rain that arrived during the second half had been an hour or so earlier. Windeke kicked down the slope in the first half and took the lead through a close range finish from their No. 9 after nineteen minutes. He was the main culprit in why we had no further goals, as he missed another three glaring chances to put the game well out of reach. Luckily, for him, Winnik never looked like scoring, so his poor finishing never cost the team the three points.

We had left extra time for our journey down to The Tunnel, allowing for any problems with ‘Operation Stack’ which although apparently lifted the night before, might still have a knock on effect. As it turned out, we were in plenty of time for our 13.50 crossing and were offered the earlier 13.20 train instead, which we took and it left a couple of minutes early. The return journey saw us arrive in ample time for our booked 01.17 return. At check-in it showed this was now leaving early, at 01.15. Unfortunately, having come through Passport Control in under ten minutes, the screens were showing we were delayed (according to Eurotunnel it was due to delays at Border Control!) until 01.45. Even then, it didn’t leave until 01.52 and lost a further seven minutes during the crossing. To cap it off, the M20 was then closed from Junction 9-7, which added another fifteen minutes to the normal journey time home as we were diverted onto the A20.

Belgium

West Vlaanderen Provincial 3A

Wednesday 13th March 2019

Kick Off 20.00 Actual 19.58

K. Racing Club De Panne 3 K.V. Patronaat Gits 2, attendance 55

4’ 1-0

29’ 2-0

64’ 2-1

70’ 2-2

87’ 3-2

@ Veurnestraat 317

8660 De Panne

€5 Admission

No Programme.

This was yet another Wednesday where we headed across to Belgium, although it is only five minutes or so drive across the border from France and only 45 minutes from The Tunnel.

De Panne are thirteenth in the league table, with the visitors being sixth. An early goal, followed by a volley that gave the ‘keeper no chance, saw the hosts go 2-0 up in the first twenty minutes, which was totally against the form book, but they comfortably held the lead until halftime. Gits missed a penalty on 64 minutes, which was saved, but from the resulting corner, one of their substitutes pulled a goal back and six minutes later the same player volleyed in to level it up at 2-2. Neither team were happy with playing for a point, but rather than the visitors going on to get the winning goal, it was De Panne who nicked it, when a free kick on the left was met with a bullet header at the near post to wrap up the points.

We actually had a relatively trouble free journey to and from The Tunnel, but it could have been so different. As we approached Junction 7 of the M20 traffic ground to a halt. We had 100 yards to decide whether to get off the motorway or not, as the SatNav was aware there was a problem, but only thought it was a 12 minute queue at this stage. Thankfully, we gambled correctly, as the cause of the hold up was that the police had just put ‘Operation Stack’ into place, so the motorway from Junction 8-9 was being used as a lorry park, for those unable to board the ferries in Dover, due to problems with high winds from Storm Gareth.

As we were one of the first cars to exit onto the A20, the traffic was still moving, although a bit slow at times. We actually made it to check-in at 14.49 (14 minutes after it had officially closed) for our booked 15.20 crossing, but going to a manned booth, instead of the automated option, meant we were still given our slot. The train even left two minutes early!

The amount of lorries around the terminal in France was incredible, but was much better organised than in England, as one lane of the motorway was used for stacking lorries, with the other one for through traffic. Why is it, in England, that the first thought always seems to be ‘let’s shut the motorway’ to resolve the problem?

Anyway, although we were in single track filter lanes for long stretches of the journey back towards Calais, we had ample time to spare for our 23.50 return crossing, which left a minute ahead of schedule. At least the M20 back towards London wasn’t closed for the seemingly never ending overnight roadworks.