To March

by Emily Dickinson (1830-1886)

Dear March, come in!
How glad I am!
I looked for you before.
Put down your hat —
You must have walked —
How out of breath you are!
Dear March, how are you?
And the rest?
Did you leave Nature well?
Oh, March, come right upstairs with me,
I have so much to tell!

I got your letter, and the birds’;
The maples never knew
That you were coming, — I declare,
How red their faces grew!
But, March, forgive me —
And all those hills
You left for me to hue;
There was no purple suitable,
You took it all with you.

.

Thursday 2nd March 2023

Spartan South Midlands League

Gladwish Trophy Quarter Final

Stotfold 1

Mason Spence 55 (pen), penalty saved 90+1,

Leighton Town 1

Daniel Griffiths 74

Referee:- Sam Laidler. Attendance: 161

Admission: OMGDS £3.50 (£7). Programme: £1.50

Stotfold won 5-4 on penalties

These two heavyweights of the SSML are likely to fight it out for the championship, with Leighton Town the slighy favourites. Tonight’s finely balanced encounter saw a goal to each side in the second half and a penalty saved by the visiting custodian in the 91st minute. In the penalty shoot out, each side missed one of their first five penalties, but then the visitors also missed the sixth and exited the competition on a brutally cold e evening in Bedfordshire.

.

.

.

.

.

.

Saturday 4th March 2023

Wessex League Premier Division

Cowes Sports 1

Mark Taylor 14, 

Bemerton Heath Harlequins 2

Oscar Johnston 48, Greg Peel 55,

Referee: Neil Hussey.                                              Attendance: 109

Admission: OMGDS £5.00 (£8).                         Programme: £1.50

John Main and I had long discussed visiting The Isle of Wight for a match and today, we met up at Blisworth for the 130 mile trip to Southampton, to catch a ferry across to West Cowes.

Twenty minutes on the ferry and a steep-ish fifteen minute walk up to Westwood Park, the neat and well-kept home of Cowes Sports. There is a substantial stand (maybe 200 seats) alomg one side with a raised, covered terrace adjacent to it and a good sized bar and food outlet, on the opposite side of the stand. Neither of these sides are achieving much this season and the first half was comfortable for the hosts, who led at the interval. Whatever was imparted to the visitors in their half time team talk produced the desired effect. They were level within three minutes of the restart and ahead, two minutes later, courtesy of a rather dubious penalty decision. Thereafter, they fended off the hosts and garnered the victory and the points.

.

John Main, outside the main entrance to the ground.

.

Main stand

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

Tuesday 7th March 2023

North West Counties League Division 1 North

Atherton Laburnum Rovers 1

Danny Warburton 23,

Bacup Borough 2

Toby Wright 13 (pen), Michael German 40,

Referee: Lewis Atkinson.                            Attendance: 91

Admission: OMGDS £3.00 (£5).             Programme: £2.00

A quite tidy ground with a very impressive main stand and a covered area on the far side of the pitch. The welcome was warm and free printed teamsheets were available in the bar. Both these sides were in the lower half of the table, but both were on good winning sequences and it was the five match winning sequence of the hosts that was broken. Playing down the slope in the first half as the trains trundled past behind the goal, the visitors took a decisive lead into half time and defended it comfortably in a goalless second half! With John Main, and good to see Johnny Holland there, too!

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

The club was founded in 1956, as an under 14s side, by Joe Riley. The side then entered senior competition in The Bolton Combination. Jack Crilly succeeded Joe Riley as club chairman and oversaw promotions to The Cheshire League in 1980 and then to the newly formed North West Counties League in 1982. In 1991/92, they were NWCL champions for a second time and were promoted to The Unibond Northern Premier League. Financial problems meant that the club were relegated back into The NWCL.

.

.

.

.

.

Saturday 11th March 2023

Southern League Premier Division South

Poole Town 1

Wesley Fogden 90+3

Metropolitan Police 1

Conor Lee 64,

Referee: Iain Parsons.                                  Attendance: 337

Admission: OMGDS £8.00 (£12).            Programme: £3.00

The BlackGold Stadium must be the least attractive arena in the Southern League Premier Division! There is metal terracing (some of it covered) behind one goal and seating for, maybe, 300 souls down one side, but the whole gives the impression of a mishmashed hotchpotch and car parking is provided by a local school. The team are riding high in the play off places for promotion to National League South, but today, they underperformed against a determined Police side, who took the lead just after the hour mark and then conceded an equaliser in the fourth minute of added time at the end of the contest. It was a dour struggle in murky, drizzly conditions.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

Monday 13th March 2023

Friendly

Hitchin Town 1

Finley Wilkinson 41,

Luton Town u21 1

Millar Matthews-Lewis 52,

Referee: T. Hood.                                              Attendance: 232

Admission: OMGDS £4.00 (£8).                  Programme: NONE

Teamsheet: £0.20

Only managed to catch this match after consulting Brian Buck’s A1 corridor fixture list. Brian issues a newsletter each Sunday which has reports – and, more importantly, – a fixture list for the coming week of matches on the A1 corridor up from London to Stamford. Entry to the ground at Hitchin has to be paid for, on line, prior to the match and that was the case, even for this friendly. The hosts posted ten substitute and used eight of them, including four at the start of the second half, when they were deservedly a goal to the good! It didn’t help them much. The visitors equalised after 52 minutes and looked by far the better side after that. Good game!

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

Tuesday 14th March 2023

Hunts FA Junior Cup FINAL

Peterborough Rangers 1

Dwayne Rankin 36,

Fenstanton 0

(@ Warboys Town FC)

Referee: Mark Simmons.                                   Attendance: 140

Admission: OMGDS £3.00 (£5).                     Programme: FREE

Huntingdonshire ceased to exist as an English county more than fifty years ago, but the football authorities survive and administer several cup competitions in the area. Warboys Town used to play Eastern League Premier Division football, but now grace The Peterborough & District League, where today’s winners also play. The runners up come from the Kershaws Cambridgeshire County League. In a noisy, raucous atmosphere, Rangers just squeezed through in a game of many missed chances. With John Main.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

Scottish Hop

This year, the Scottish ‘hop’ took place over the weekend of 17 – 19th March 2023. John Main and I went up to Scotland in his car on the Friday morning – a fairly leisurely trip – and arrived at Bathgate Premier Inn for 4.00pm. En-route, we had a meal at Gretna Services, just over a hundred miles from our destination. The Ground hop coach apparently, started its journey in Cardiff at 05.00 and arrived at the Meggetland Stadium, the home of Tynecastle FC (and Boroughmuir RUFC) around an hour before kick-off. There was beer in the bar but it was ice-cold (I like my beer at room temperature), and Chilli and rice was my choice from the food menu (I should have had stovies!).

Friday 17th March 2023

East of Scotland League Premier Division

Tynecastle 2

Gary Hamilton 45+3, 74,  Jack Blaney s/o 12,

Sauchie Juniors 3

Ross Hutchison 1, Sam Columbine 60, Brian Morgan 67, Ross Hutchison s/o 4,

Referee: Mark Harris.                                   Attendance: 448

Admission: £8.00.                                        Programme: £2.00

Meggetland Stadium and sports complex is a pretty impressive venue, with a five hundred seater, space age stand, down one side and terracing down the opposite length and behind one goal. The match was a cracker, too, with two sendings off in the first twelve minutes (one to each side), and the early bath candidate in the fourth minute had already opened the scoring (after a mere 23 seconds) for the visitors. The hosts equalised before the break, but conceded a couple more strikes in the second period before pulling one back with around 15 minutes to go. Excellent entertainment for the first match of the Scottish ‘hop’.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

After the match we were surprised, when we got back to the hotel to find that The Toby Carvery next door to our Premier Inn, was closing at 10.00pm! We were unable to get a drink. Fortunately, I had come prepared. I had a half of whisky amongst my luggage! The next morning, we drove the fifty odd miles to Dunbar on the coast, east of Edinburgh. Before the match, we took a stroll down to the waters edge……

.

.

Saturday 18th March 2023

East of Scotland League Division 1 11.15am

Dunbar United 0

Michael McFarlane s/o 25, Willis Hare s/o 90

Coldstream 1

Stuart Briggs 73,

Referee: Lewis Hogarth.                                          Attendance: 553

Admission £7.00.                                                     Programme: £2.00

Dunbar United’s New Countess Park, in the shadow of the main line express railway route from Scotland to England, is a neat, compact arena bordered on three sides by a solid brick wall and with a community sponsored stand along one side of the stadium.  Runaway leaders, Dunbar, had their wings clipped by relegation threatened Coldstream. The hosts had a man sent off after 25 minutes and thereafter, the visitors fended them off pretty effectively. Then with barely fifteen minutes left, Coldstream struck to win the match and the points and that, despite a penalty chance for the hosts, brilliantly saved by the visiting custodian!

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

Excellent headgear available as modestly modelled by Lord Squires!

.

.

.

Saturday 18th March 2023

East of Scotland Premier Division  2.00pm

Haddington Athletic 1

Guy McGarry 75,

Dundonald Bluebell 3

Keiron Hall 11, Scot Cameron 32, Regan Lumsden 87 (pen), Regan Lumsden s/0 90+3

Referee:- Will Pare.                                   Attendance: 462

Admission: £7.00.                                    Programme:- £2.00

Considering that they are gracing the premier division of this league, this is a pretty basic stadium. Most of the perimeter is of grass with a minimal amount of hard standing at the entrance and in the covered terrace, but there is virtually no seating. A small chimney overlooks the ground on the far side. These two sides are becalmed in mid-table and it fell to the visitors to make the early running with two first half strikes. The hosts huffed and puffed and eventually retrieved a goal before Bluebell finished them off with a penalty at the death, followed by a melee resulting in a dismissal (Bluebell) and a caution (Athletic).

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

Saturday 18th March 2023

Scottish Lowland League 5.00pm

Tranent Juniors 1

Nicholas Reid 90,

Bo’ness United 1

Lennon Walker 49,

Referee:- Andy Gamble.                                  Attendance: 607

Admission:- £9.00.                                          Programme:- £2.00

Not the greatest stadium for viewing, especially if you try to use one of the thirty or so seats, a largely innocuous arena painted in maroon with minimal facilities and large queues. The game itself, was pretty dour and occasionally frenetic. The visitors opened the scoring immediately after half-time and the hosts equalused, somewhat fortuitously, in the ninetieth minute! Considering that this was the highest placed team from the Scottish Pyramid on this trip, the ground and the facilities were very disappointing. I know that many other hoppers felt the same way.

.

.

.

.

.

Saturday 18th March 2023

East of Scotland League Premier Division 7.45pm

Musselburgh Athletic 0

Broxburn Athletic 4

Jordan Wright 14, Errol Douglas 45, 67, Gary Brass 69,

Referee:- Brent Falconer.                         Attendance:- 557

Admission:- £8.00.                                   Programme:- £2.00

The Oliverbank Stadium in the coastal town of Musselburgh, is an impressive arena with a covered standing area down the far side and terracing on the opposite length – and, indeed, the only club today with a bar! Despite being far superior in terms of League position, the hosts were not at the races today and two goals in each half saw the visitors deservedly and decisively, take the match and the points.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

Sunday 19th March 2023

East of Scotland League Premier Division 12.15pm

Penicuik Athletic 0

Andy Mair s/o 39,

Lothian Thistle HV 1

Joe Viola 80,

Referee:- Andrew Strang.                        Attendance:- 398

Admission: £8.00.                                   Programme: £2.00

A ground with plenty of cover against the elements, but precious little seating, except for scattered individual chairs, but there was hardstanding on the two sides with cover. This was a poor match, not helped by the 39th minute dismissal of the home side no.16 for a second bookable offence.. Thistle gained the upper hand, but seemed unable to clinch a winner. Then, ten minutes from time, the pressure, eventually, paid off and the visitors struck to win the encounter by the narrowest of margins.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

The very impressive Penicuik Athletic programme.

.

.

.

Tuesday 21st March 2023

North-West Counties League Division 1 North

FC St Helens 2

Liam Houghton 35 (pen), Jack Ball 90,

Atherton Laburnum Rovers 2

Danny Warburton 4, Connor Ikin 83,

Referee: Ryan Bostock.                              Official Attendance: 98

Admission: OMGDS £2.00 (£5).            Programme: £2.00

Windlesham Park is a fairly basic ground with hard standing all round the pitch, a small, maybe 50 seater, Meccano stand along one side and some covered standing behind the far goal. There was also a substantial club house and bar where free team sheets were handed out and the official attendance, whilst not announced, was readily available. The match was played in very wet conditions in the first half, but the precipitation relented after the break and the game vastly improved. Promotion chasing FC St Helens were shocked by an early Rovers strike, level by half time, but, towards the end of a rumbustious second period, they conceded again and it took an accurate, edge of the area, 90th minute free kick to save their blushes an rescue a point.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

Other Matches:

Saint Valentines Day Massacre

.

What did I ever do to Dorothy Prewitt?

She sent me a heart with an arrow right through it!

So … if she wants war (well I didn’t begin it)

I’ll draw her a heart with an axe buried in it!

.

by Philip Waddell

.

Friday 10th February 2023

Deutsch Regionaliga Nordost

BSG Chemie Leipzig 1

Manasse Eshele 63,

FSV 63 Luckenwalde 2

Phil Butendeich 30, Christian Flath 35 (pen),

Referee: Florian Butterich.                                 Attendance:- 3,321

Admission: OMGDS €13.20 (€15).                   Programme: €2.00

A vast sprawling mass of a ground with soft earth underfoot and high fencing around the pitch, this eccentric stadium had a real charm and the fervid home fans behind the goal kept up the noise and chant all the way through the match. The home side started brightly and looked nailed on certainties for victory until two quick strikes, on the break, around the half hour mark, seriously jolted their ambitions. In the second period, they attempted to redeem the mess, but only managed a consolation, just after the hour mark. It didn’t, however, dampen the enthusiasm of the faithful. With sons, Jim, Mike and Liam in a party of twelve hoppers on a weekend in Germany.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

Hallescher is a away to the west of Leipzig, perhaps an hour by train, followed by a tram ride to the ground. Once again, the train tickets and transport were co-ordinated, which made it a cheap journey to The Leuna Chemie Stadion. Interestingly, I got talking to a woman seated next to me and I asked her about the re-unification of Germany. She said that she had been born and brought up in Cologne and came out to live in the former East Germany long after the re-unification. She said that she didn’t feel any difference between east and west, which was in sharp contrast to the woman I spoke to this evening at RB Leipzig, who hated the unification and wished she was back in the old DDR (German Democratic Republic). The other issue that both raised was the perception of Red Bull Leipzig. At the afternoon match, RB Leipzig was a hated team (and equally so last night at BSG Chemie Leipzig). They were the only team in Germany who were run by an outside company (Red Bull), all the other teams in Bundesliga are run by the supporters. In sharp contrast, the woman at the evening match argued that RB Leipzig were the ONLY eastern team in The Bundesliga. Other great names from before re-unification, like Karl Zeiss Jena and Dresden or Magdeburg, were down in Bundesliga 3 or lower. She felt that West Germany only accepted the east on sufferance and resented the huge amounts of federal monies that had been used to bring it up to West German standards.

.

Saturday 11th February 2023

Deutsch Bundesliga 3

Hallescher 1

Jonas Nielfeld 28,

SC Frieburg II  3

Andi Hoti 35, Vincent Vereij 55, Lars Kehl 72,

Referee: Patrick Alt.                                              Attendance: 5,067

Admission: (seated) OMGDS €25.00 (€30)    Programme: free newspaper and teamsheet.

The Leuna Chemie Stadion is a smart, neat, new arena (built 2012 on the footprint of the old ground) and holds 15,000. It was just over a third full today, but, unsurprisingly, not a single away supporter – see photo. The hosts (second from bottom) opened the scoring, but were always second best to third placed Freiburg II, who equalised by half-time and popped in two more in the second half for a convincing victory. Once again, the defeat failed to deter the ultra faithful behind the home goal. Good game for the travelling English contingent, including sons, Jim, Mike and Liam.

.

.

.

.

.

.

The away end at Hallescher, with not a single supporter in it, not surprising, really, when the SC Frieburg first team were at home the same afternoon. They won 2-1 after going a goal down to VFB Stuttgart in the first half.

.

.

.

The Red Bull Arena was a fifteen minute tram ride from Leipzig Hauptbanhof (railway station), once again, free of charge with your football ticket. This was the biggest crowd of the weekend, but well marshalled and organised so that there was relatively little queuing either before or after the match. Compared to our country, Germany is light years ahead in transport organisation and infrastructure. Trams, buses and trains are co-ordinated and all of them are fast, cheap, clean and punctual – all the things lacking in our own transport system. It made me ashamed to be British.

Saturday 11th February 2023

Deutsch Bundesliga

RB Leipzig 1

Benjamin Heinrichs 25,

FC Union Berlin 2

Jannik Habegär 61, Robin Knochen 72 (pen),

Referee: Daniel Schlager.                              Attendance: 47,069

Admission: OMGDS €35.00 (€40)            Programme: NONE

The ”wow” factor at The Red Bull Arena is massive. As soon as the tram stops, it fills the horizon, and it continues to impress all through the match. These two clubs are locked in 4th and 3rd place respectively and Red Bull could overtake Union with a victory. In the first half, a thunderblaster from the hosts put them comfortably in front. The second half was a different kettle of fish. Firstly, another shot from outside the area equalised for Union. Then, VAR handed Union a penalty which they converted and finally, an RB equaliser was ruled out by VAR for offside and Union hung on, deservedly, in my opinion, for a significant victory. Jammed like sardines in a tin on the tram back to Leipzig Hauptbanhof. A fine bottle of red wine to round off the evening.

.

.

.

.

.

.

The roving camera scoured the pitch capturing every possible angle and suspended on four wires high (and low) above the playing area

.

.

A lunch time “ICE” train (the German High Speed train), took us from Leipzig to Berlin Hauptbanhof in just under two hours and we had time to decant our bags at The Hotel Amano, just outside the station, before catching the tram (once again, free with your football ticket) to Olympiastadion, the massive amphitheatre that Adolph Hitler built for the 1936 Olympic games. Nearly one hundred years later, it is still a very impressive stadium, a little tired and in need of some TLC, but, nonetheless, a fine arena. There were drinks stops on the (short) way from the tram station to the ground, but with Hertha not enjoying a particularly good season, the ground was just over half full (official capacity just under 75,000). Despite their lack of success this season, the crowd was in full voice and blue and white were the dominant colours.

Sunday 12th February 2023

Deutsch Bundesliga

Hertha Berlin 4

Borussia Monchengladbach 1

Referee: Christian Dingbert.                                Attendance: 40,973

Admission: €25.00.                                               Programme: NONE

The vast, sprawling , but still very impressive Olympiastadion, built for the 1936 Olympic Games, is a vast cauldron of waving flags and scarves despite being dated and weary. Today, the hosts, next to bottom in the league conceded an early goal to mid table Gladbach, equalised after half an hour, took the lead with a classic thunderblaster on 51 minutes and finished strongly with two more goals in added time at the end of the match. Brilliant atmosphere, especially under floodlights, and no hurry to get the tram back to Hauptbanhof!!!

.

.

.

.

.

.

Large swathes of the stadium were empty!

.

.

Our party consisted of Gary Miller, Jim McGeown, Mike McGeown, Liam McGeown, Matt Miller, Phil Miller, Adam Valance, Kevin Nolan, Alan Eathorne, Rory Clarke, Daz Bibby and yours truly, Eddie McGeown

.

Thursday 16th February 2023

Spartan South Midlands League

Gladwish Trophy 3rd Round

Potton United 0

Arlesey Town 0

Referee: Sophie Dennington.                                     Attendance: 95

Admission: OMGDS £4.00 (£8).                              Programme: NONE

Arlesey won 5-4 on penalties.

This was my seventh visit to The Hollow, but the first since December 2018. There is a large car park at the ground and a fine clubhouse, but there was no hot food, this evening, and Potton United no longer produce programmes. They were playing Arlesey Town from maybe six or seven miles away and there was a considerable Arlesey supporter presence. Arlesey might be considered a larger club, having previously grace The Southern League, but on this evening’s showing, they were less effective than the hosts, who really ought to have won the tie. In afractious, niggly match with frequent stoppages for minor injuries and a couple of handbag melees very little was achieved. Add to that some atrocious finishing and eventually the match, thankfully, drew to a close with nothing on the scoreboard. Arlesey won the penalty shoot out, despite having been behind through most of it  and advanced, somewhat fortuitously,  to the next round.

.

Wycombe Wanderers v Bolton Wanderers

Saturday 18th February 2018

Sky/Bet EFL League One

Wycombe Wanderers 1

Lewis Wing 45+8,

Bolton Wanderers 0

Referee: Andy Woolmer.                               Attendance: 6,544

Admission: Hospitality.                                Programme: NONE

footballhopper.com sponsored this match and our party was splendidly looked after in a private hospitality suite. All my sons and grandchildren were there and the only downside was the result! Bolton and Wycombe were evenly matched, and it took a wonder strike from Lewis Wing eight minutes into added time at the end of the first half to win the match. Bolton huffed and puffed mightily in the second half, but couldn’t find the equaliser.

.

Lydia, Freddie and Tess

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

Chris Berezai, Eddie McGeown, John Main

.

Freddie McGeown

.

Daz Bibby with daughter, Lydia and niece, Tess

.

John Main & Eddie McGeown

.

from left: Rob Hardcastle, Ian Widdowson, Mike McGeown, Alan Eathorne, Gary Miller, Ed, Lewis Wing (man of the match and winning goalscorer, Jim McGeown, Daz Bibby, Aman Singh, Liam McGeownJohn, Main, Chris Berezai, Jonny Crane. in front, the children, left to right: Sonny McGeown, Freddie McGeown, Tess McGeown, Kingsley McGeown, Lydia Bibby-McGeown

.

Tuesday 21st February 2023

Northern Counties East League Division 1

Wakefield 1

Jake Morrison 90 (pen)

Nostell Miners Welfare 2

Joe Wood 3, Nicky Laloulis 9, Rhys Westcarr-Toft GK, s/o 88,

Referee: Joshua Drake.                                     Attendance: 242

Admission: OMGDS £3.00 (£5).                    Programme: £2.00

Wakefield may not be staying much longer at Featherstone Rover’s Millennium Stadium, so it was an opportunity to take in the match and the ground. In a disastrous start for the highly placed hosts, they conceded two goals in the first nine minutes and for the rest of the half, they looked distinctly second best to their lowly opponents. They were better in the second period, but it was not until the visiting custodian conceded a penalty, two minutes from full time – and got himself sent off – that the hosts found some hope, but it was too little, too late.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

Wednesday 22nd February 2023

Central Midlands League Premier Division North

Retford United 1

Jon Froggatt 69,

Kiveton Miners Welfare 3

Ben Harriot 4, Connor Chapell 34, Alex Moth 39,

Referee: Lee Clarke.                                     Attendance: 134

Admission: OMGDS £3.00 (£5).              Programme: £1.00

This was a seismic result! Seventeen victories and one draw in their eighteen league matches this season, with opposition from the bottom three in the table, the hosts were stunned by a fourth minute opener and two further clinical strikes in the first half. After the break, they did, at least, provide more sustained pressure, but their only consolation was a strike on 69 minutes. They were comprehensively dismantled by a determined Kiveton side who thoroughly relished their unexpected victory!

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

Saturday 25th February 2023

Uhlsport Hellenic League Division 1

Stonehouse Town 2

Nick Humphreys 6, Finley Fowler 15, 

Clanfield 85. 0

Dylan John GK, s/o 45+1

Referee: Roger Smith.                                Attendance: 54

Admission: OMGDS £3.00 (£5).            Programme: £1.50

This was a pretty well equipped ground for this level of football, there was a seated stand down one side and a substantial covered terrace behind one goal. Next to the seated stand was a small clubhouse with bar and refreshments. The hosts scored two first half goals playing up the slight incline and, on the stroke of half time, the opposition had their custodian dismissed for handling the ball outside the area. The second half was a non-event and the ten man visitors, now playing up the slope, had the better of the exchanges with nothing to show for it!

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

Tuesday 28th February 2023

Emirates FA Cup 5th Round

Leicester City 1

Kelechi Iheanacho 67,

Blackburn Rovers 2

Tyrhys Dolan 33, Sammie Szmodics 52

Referee: Tim Robinson.                          Attendance: 23,379

Admission: £20.00.                                Programme: £3.50

There was a good atmosphere inside The King Power Stadium for tonight’s FA Cup 5th Round tie. The hosts had rested half of their team, but the visitors had also given opportunities to fringe players. It was a fine match and the visitors deserved their victory and a first visit to the 6th round in eight years. The hosts were woeful, outplayed for long periods and missing the spark that could have given them some inspiration. A goal in each half for the visitors, with the hosts only response just after the hour mark and even a late introduction of mainstream players could not make any impression on the Rovers well drilled defence!

.

.

.

.

.

How like a winter hath my absence been

From thee, the pleasure of the fleeting year!

What freezings have I felt, what dark days seen!

What old December’s bareness everywhere!

And yet this time remov’d was summer’s time,

The teeming autumn, big with rich increase,

Bearing the wanton burthen of the prime,

Like widow’d wombs after their lords’ decease:

Yet this abundant issue seem’d to me

But hope of orphans and unfather’d fruit;

For summer and his pleasures wait on thee,

And thou away, the very birds are mute;

Or if they sing, ’tis with so dull a cheer

That leaves look pale, dreading the winter’s near.

by William Shakespeare (1564-1616)

.

Brilliant day out with the family at The Bescot Stadium. The hospitality was good value and the match improved significantly as it wore on. The hosts doubled a half-time lead only two minutes into the second period. Once the visitors pulled a goal back, however, the final twenty minutes were pretty hectic, but at the death, it was Walsall who prevailed! With sons, Jim, Mike and Liam and grandsons, Freddie, Sonny and Kingsley and also, Gary Miller!

Tuesday 3rd January 2023

FA Premier League

Leicester City 0

Fulham 1

Aleksandar Mitrovic 17,

Referee: Darren Bond.                                Attendance: 30,814

Admission: OMGDS £35.00 (£40).         Programme: £3.50

The Foxes weren’t at the races tonight. In the early exchanges, Fulham were sharper and more incisive and scored through Mitrovic after 17 minutes. Thereafter, Leicester huffed and puffed, but never really looked liked scoring. A disappointing result.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

Saturday 7th January 2023

United Counties League Division 1

Hucknall Town 3

Harrowby United 2

Referee: Wayne Mason.                                              Attendance: 392

Admission: OMGDS £4.00 (£6).                             Programme: £2.00

This was the first official, competitive match on Hucknall’s idiosyncratic, new ground. There was cover behind one goal, adjacent to a containerised hospitality box and cover and seats down the near side, although acces was eccentrically controlled! Despite their relative League placements (Hucknall were in the play-off places and Harrowby flirting with relegation), this was a pretty even contest. The visitors led at the interval, conceded three goals in a home purple patch in the second half and scored the final goal three minutes from the end. There was a visitation of hoppers including John Main, John McClure, Craig Dabbs and Chris Berezai!

.

Photograph courtesy of John Main

.

Photograph courtesy of John Main

.

Photograph courtesy of John Main

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

Monday 23rd January 2023

Northern Premier League Midland Division

Coleshill Town 0

Corby Town 0

Referee: Alan Cox.                                 Official Attendance: 148

Admission: OMGDS £8.00 (£10).     Programme: £2.00

Coleshill sits at the junction of The M6, The M42 and The M6 Toll. Its ground, with a 3G pitch is also home to Chelmsley Town of The Midland League. Tonight’s clash pitched together two teams just outside the play-off spots and separated only by goal difference. In a dour match, neither side was able to put their stamp on the encounter, though I suspect that the visitors went home more happy with their point than the hosts! With sons, Jim and Mike and grandsons, Freddie, Sonny and Kingsley.Gary Miller and John Main also there.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

Belgium 2023

Jon Crane, Mark Sumner and Jim and me travelled to Brussels on the 13.01 Eurostar on Friday 27th January for a weekend of Belgian football. Train from Brussels to Liege, a pretty dirty city with a coal mining history and a pretty bog standard stadium. Jon had hired an apartment for the overnight stay. I am not a fan of Belgian food but I had one of the giant hot dogs (€7.50) before the match outside the stadium on a very cold evening. To get to the stadium from our apartment, we had to cross The River Meuse. The following morning, Saturday, we got a bus to the train station and entrained for Heist-op-den-Bergen. I had booked the accommodation for this evening, but unfortunately it was near five miles outside the town and there were very few taxis available. It cost us €60 to go there and back just to drop our bags off before catching the bus to Westerlo.

Friday 27th January 2023

Jupiler League Erste Klasse A

Standard Liege 3

William Balikwisha 30, Philip Zinckernagel 35, Stipe Perica 59,

KAS Eupen 1

Regan Charles-Cook 11,

Referee: Nathan Verboomen.             Attendance: 16,623

Admission: €23.00.                             Programme: free teamsheet

The Stade Maurice Dufrasne is a pretty impressive arena, so I was surprised to find that it held a mere 30,000 spectators. Three tiers behind each goal and two ties along each side, all steeply banked, with plenty of food outlets, but no programmes, although free teamsheets were available if you asked nicely! The game was very open, with highly placed Liège going a goal down early on, but pulling back to lead 2-1 at the interval, adding a third, midway during the second preiod. Eupen fought well, but it was Liège who deservedly took the spoils. With Son, Jim and Jonny Crane and Mark Sumner.

.

.

.

.

From left: Jim, Jon and Mark

.

.

.

.

.

.

Saturday 28th January 2023

Jupiler League Erste Klasse A

KVC Westerlo 2

Kyan Vaesen 23, 56,

KV Mechelen 0

Referee: Brent Staessens.                            Attendance: 8,035

Admission: €20.                                           Programme: free teamsheet

Such a small town seems unlikely to support a top League side, but there was a healthy attendance for this encounter, probably one of the highest of the season. The ground was out in the country and the faithful crowded in, mostly by car. Mechelen brought a strong cachet of support, but, in an entertaining game, it was the hosts, with a goal in each half, who deservedly took the spoils. With son, Jim and Jonny Crane and Mark Sumner. It was a chit billy, so I bought a Westerlo hat! After the match we caught the bus back to Heist-op-den-Berg, had a drink in a bar, and sauntered down to the ground.

.

.

.

.

The author transcribing teams from the teamsheet prior to the match

.

From left: Eddie, Mark and Jim

.

From left: Mark and Eddie

.

Jimbo, stuffing his face!

.

The Westerlo mascot

.

Mark Sumner

.

.

Saturday 28th January 2023

Erste Nationale

KSK Heist 1

Nicholas Orye 67,

RFC De Liège 1

Jesse Mputu 45,

Referee: Ruben Calluy. Attendance: c750

Admission (seated) €20 (€15). Free teamsheet.

Quite why this match was categorised as high risk, with a substantial police escort for the 350 or so visiting supporters, was something of a mystery. We were initially barred from entering because we didn’t have tickets for this all ticket match, but were eventually given clearance and by the end of the match we had been invited into the supporters club and plied with drink and, late in the evening were given a lift back to our hotel by the club physio. It was another good match in a stadium, capacity 10,000, which was virtually empty! The visitors scored first on the stroke of half time and the hosts equalised just after the hour mark in the second period. After that, in a feisty encounter, either side could have grabbed the victory, but, on a very cold evening, a draw was the fair result. With son, Jim, Jon Crane and Mark Sumner.

.

.

.

Jim (sitting) and Mark Sumner

.

.

.

.

The B&B Hullebrug was probably the best accommodation of the weekend, but it was awkwardly situated and it was a lift from the proprietor’s brother-in-law, the next morning that enabled us to catch the train fromHeist-Op-Den-Berg, the following morning, for the train back to Brussels.

.

Sunday 29th January 2023

Jupiler League Erste Klasse A

RSC Anderlecht 0

Royal Antwerp FC 0

Referee: Eric Lambrechts.                        Attendance: 18,000

Admission: €45.00.                                   Free Teamsheet.

Lotto Park, the mauve home of RSC Anderlecht is well hidden in plain sight. Indeed if the mauve daubed home fans had not been there sipping Jupiler, you could have been forgiven for overlooking the stadium. This was a pretty poor advertisement for Belgian football, the visitors in 3rd place easily fending off the eleventh placed hosts. The only highlight of the first half was a sonic boom which severely tested my eardrums and emitted a black cloud of smoke. In the second half, there was a melee around the hour mark which resulted in a sending off for Antwerp and two yellow cards and the hosts, too, had a player dismissed fifteen minutes from the end, but goalscoring opportunities where at a premium and the result clear, well before the final whistle! With son, Jim, Jon Crane and Mark Sumner.

.

.

.

.

A very grumpy looking author and Jon Crane on the right at The Anderlecht match

.

.

Sunday 29th January 2023

Jupiler League Erste Klasse A

KRC Genk 4

Paul Onouachu 7 (pen), 60, Mike Tresor 14, Joseph Paintsil 64,

RFC Seraing 0

Referee: Wesli de Cremer.                            Attendance: 13,267

Admission: €24.00.                                       Free Teamsheet.

On a very cold evening, top of the table, Genk, demolished bottom club Seraing quite comfortably and should probably have scored more than the four they harvested. The ground is fully seated, holds around 20,000 spectators and was barely half full this evening. The locals blamed the late kick-off at 9.00pm CET, live television and the visitors were hardly a top attraction. Nonetheless a couple of their players, one, who rejoices in the name: Junior Marconi Sambu Mansoni, was a quick and tricky winger, the other, Mustapha Mbow was a sound central defender. The home mascot was a coal miner! With son, Jim, Jon Crane and Mark Sumner. The hotel we stayed in, is run by a former Belgium goalkeeping international, Ronnie Gaspercic!

.

.

.

.

.

.

From left: Jim, Jon and Mark

.

.

From left: Mark and Jim

.

From left: Eddie and son, Jim

.

From left: Mark, Eddie and Jon

.

from left: Jim and Jon

.

We were staying at the Hotel De Venne, and, on the following morning, the other three had to shower in my room because there was no hot water in their room. The manager discounted the cost of their room and we all four shared the cost of my room! Then it was a taxi down to Genk railway station for the train to Brussels Midi and a transfer to the Eurostar hub for the 12.56 to London (ten minutes late leaving). At St Pancras … we dispersed and I caught the 14.45 East Midlands Train to Corby, where Charlotte collected me after an exhausting weekend!

Other Matches:

________________________________________

                                                           Ozymandias

                                    I met a traveller from an antique land
                                    Who said: Two vast and trunkless legs of stone
                                    Stand in the desert. Near them, on the sand,
                                    Half sunk, a shattered visage lies, whose frown,
                                    And wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold command,
                                    Tell that its sculptor well those passions read
                                    Which yet survive, stamped on these lifeless things,
                                    The hand that mocked them and the heart that fed:
                                    And on the pedestal these words appear:
                                    "My name is Ozymandias, king of kings:
                                    Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!"
                                    Nothing beside remains. Round the decay
                                    Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare
                                    The lone and level sands stretch far away.

by Percy Bysshe Shelley (1792 - 1822)
                                                               .

Saturday 5th November 2022

Wessex League Division 1

Fleet Spurs 0

Downton 1

Shaun Prentice 74,

Referee: Lucas Bomela.                                                       Attendance: 45

Admission: OMGDS £4.00 (£6).                                      Programme: on line

We travelled in the monsoon conditions, more in hope than anticipation, and were pleasantly surprised to find the match ON and the pitch in pretty good nick. There is a substantial club house and changing rooms, several additional pitches behind the clubhouse, hard standing on all four sides and seating for maybe fifty to the front of the club house. Apart from that, it was pretty bleak. This was the host’s fourteenth consecutive home defeat (7 from last season)and fourteenth consecutive defeat (home and away) this season. Bottom of the league and twelve points adrift of safety, whilst Downton are in second place, but it was pretty difficult to tell which was the better team! The visitors got a lucky strike fifteen minutes from time in a drab game and that was that! Basic and very expensive refreshment on offer! With John Main.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

Thursday 10th November 2022

Dry and overcast with a stiff breeze meandering past the almost finished new housing where horses used to roam and then, out along the farm track, catching up with the crumbling boundary wall leading to Harringworth Lodge ( the house, and not the lake, where, today, the heron was about). On the way to Spanhoe, a magnificent specimen of horned cattle was, fortunately, separated by secure barbed wire fencing and down in the valley, the viaduct dominated the landscape. On the downward slope the viaduct loomed closer as Turtle Bridge hove into view, and closer still as the track negotiated the parish church of St John the Baptist in Harringworth, itself. Next, along the route, was the village of Thorpe-by-Water and then across the river and the gentle climb to the railway line and, at last, the welcoming tower of St James’ Church. Nearly there, the Baptist Church was understatedly, yet tastefully, adorned for Remembrance. Five stiles and 12.06 miles.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

Saturday 12th November2022

Isuzu FA Vase 2nd Round

Laverstock & Ford 2

Russell Jones 52,Chae Sykes 90,

Falmouth Town 1

Jack Bray-Evans 76,

Referee: Nicholas Whittington.                                       Attendance: 268

Admission: OMGDS £4.00 (£7).                                  Programme: £2.00

A beautiful day in Salisbury under an azure sky and the hosts had organised a special menu for this encounter between two teams from parallel leagues (Wessex Premier v Western Premier). The visitors brought flags and drums and a Karaoke player and in truth, they should have won, but they missed so many nailed on chances, and were killed off with a late winner in the 90th minute!

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

Monday 14th November 2022

Southern League Premier Division Central

Hitchin Town 2

Diogo Freitas Gouveia 51, Bradley Bell 80,

Coalville Town 2

Timothy Berridge 7, Eliot Putman 74 (pen),

Referee: A Cresswell.                                                           Attendance: 293

Admission: OMGDS £8.00 (£13).                                    Programme: £2.00

Teamsheet: 20p

On a dank, misty evening with a heavy shower of rain at the end of the first half, these two sides served up some rattling good entertainment at Top Field. The ground has been substantially refurbished without losing its olde worlde character, but you can’t get in without buying your ticket in advance, on line. Coalville struck first and were good value for their half-time lead. The hosts came from behind twice in the second half and just about deserved a share of the spoils.

.

.

.

.

.

Tuesday 15th November 2022

United Counties League Division 1

Barrow Town 4

Tom Mangan 62, 88, Callum Parsley 80, Wade Ball 82,

Dunkirk 2

George Harrison 76, McKenna Parton 83, Jake Want s/o 27

Referee: Paul-Valentin Mihalache.                                Attendance: 40

Admission: OMGDS £3.00 (£5).                                   Programme: F.O.C.

It is always wet when I visit Riverside Park and this evening was no exception. The ground is basic. A substantial clubhouse and changing rooms, but very little in the way of pitch side furniture – but it does have the extended high level footbridge behind the far goal! Tonight, Dunkirk must have travelled with high expectations considering the relative League positions of the two clubs. The 27th minute dismissal of their custodian for handling the ball outside the area, considerably evened things up. The hosts scored first after an hour, but then five more goals were scored in the final fifteen minutes, with Barrow taking three of them for victory and three points! Good to see Chis Berezai and Dan.

.

.

.

.