Each team would somehow pick itself
No boys were left upon the shelf
No substitution sulks or shame
If you showed up you got a game.
.
Not 2-3-5 or 4-2-4
But 2-8-12 or even more
Six centre forwards, five right wings
Was just the normal run of things.
.
by Allan Ahlberg (1937 – )
.
.
.
Friday 29th July 2016
Chromasport & trophies United Counties League
Division 1 (k.o.:- 7.45pm)
Long Buckby 4
Manni Salumu 40,
Ed Kostiuk 60, 70,
Dale Linton 73,
Whittlesey Athletic 1
Joe Butterworth 77,
Referee:- Bruce Stevens Attendance:- 201
Admission £6.00 Programme:- £1
A bright Friday evening and a long coach trip from Peterborough to Long Buckby, one of five football grounds visible from the train as it travels from Northampton to Birmingham (the others being:- Northampton Spencer, Rugby Town, Coventry City and Birmingham City). Usually, at Long Buckby, refreshments are at a premium. In fact, there is usually only tea/coffee available inside the ground, but this evening, there was a very varied menu and even bottles of real ale inside the ground.
Whittlesey Athletic are newcomers to the league and rumour has it that their floodlights have yet to be erected (end of September, someone said!). They started off brightly, but fell behind just before half-time. A further three goals came in the second half before they managed a consolation response, but they were well beaten at the end!
The houses in the photograph above, weren’t built when I last visited Long Buckby in 2012.
Saturday 30th July 2016
Chromasport & Trophies Peterborough & District League
Premier Division (k.o.:- 10.30am)
Crowland Town 2
Conna Hunt 2,
Robbie Ellis 29,
AFC Stanground 7
Trey West 52, 61,
Jay Mahony 59,
Josh Staggs 84, 87,
Dwayne Rankin 85,
Travis Brown 88,
Referee:- Andy Murray Attendance:- 240
Admission £4.00 Programme:- £1.00
The Abbey dominates the landscape – and the ground – and in the middle of town there is a three-legged bridge but nothing to cross! Henry VIII destroyed the abbey which must have been an imposing sight when the mists drifted apart to reveal its stature!
This is real Hereward-The-Wake country and Stanground certainly made a smash and grab raid today! 0-2 down at half-time, they stormed back to win this Premier Division match handsomely, scoring seven second half unanswered goals.
Saturday 30th July 2016
Chromasport & trophies Peterborough & District League
Division III (k.o.:- 1.30pm)
Eye United 3
Nathan Law 28,
Jacob Joyce 80, 90,
FC Peterborough 0
Referee:- Martin Reed Attendance:- 196
Admission:- £4.00 Programme:- £1.00
Saturday 30th July 2016
Chromasport & Trophies Peterborough & District League
Premier Division (4.30pm)
Thorney 3
Luke Gallagher 69,
Yanek Ladziak 77,
Sam Raynor 85,
Leverington Sports 4
Joe Reed 19,
Mariuz Kudaba 53, 62, 87,
Referee:- James Truman Attendance:- 203
Admission:- £4.00 Programme:- £1.00
I’d visited Thorney before, but the scheduled match was played elsewhere! Today, the pitch looked as if it had been mown, but that somebody forgot to collect the grass cuttings!
Thorney were three goals down after an hour and then, with great tenacity pulled themselves level with but five minutes remaining. Sdaly it was the visitors who made better use of the remaining five minutes and scored an 87th minute winner. A draw would have been a fairer result!
Saturday 30th July 2016
Chromasport & Trophies United Counties League
Division 1 (K.o.:- 7.45pm)
Rushden & Higham United 2
Aaaron Cormack 21,
Jed Ainge 23
Oakham United 7
Michael Nelson 6, 61, 90,
Ollie Brown (go) 14,
Brockbank 22, 43,
Ben Lord (go) 53
Referee:- Gary Capps Attendance:- 214
Admission:- £6.00 Programme:- £2.00
Amazingly, we had a second 2-7 result of the day and this one was equally emphatic.
It was a pity that he old stand was still, apparently, unsafe. I remember sitting in that stand when Corby Town were the visitors for a Southern League fixture in October 1986.
Sunday 31st July 2016
Chromasport & Trophies United Counties League
Division 1 (k.o.:- 10.30am)
Bugbrooke St Michaels 2
Nathan Stewart 53,
Rebus Richard-Noel 86
Bourne Town 1
Zac Munton 39,
Referee:- Chris Sheppard Attendance:- 241
Admission:- £4.00 Programme:- £1.00
Sunday 31st July 2016
Chromasport & Trophies Peterborough & District League
Premier Division (k.o.:- 2.00pm)
Sawtry 0
Stilton United 2
Kwail West 77,
Simon Denning 81,
Referee:- Paul Gale Attendance:- 534
Admission:- £4.00 Programme:- £1.00
Inventive Sawtry had arranged a carnival for their fixture. They even had a 40s style cafe with cake and tea. There were a dozen stalls around the far perimeter, raffles and bouncy castles to entertain the youngsters. It was a pity that their players were not able to perform to expectations!
Margaret and Cliff enjoying an ice cream and the carnival atmosphere at Sawtry. The home town club certainly made the most of their opportunity and were rewarded handsomely for their endeavours. Sadly, on the field of play, a lacklustre performance saw them lose disappointingly to local rivals, Stilton United.
Sunday 31st July 2016
Chromasport & Trophies Peterborough & District League
Division 1 (k.o.:- 5.30pm)
Wittering Harriers 5
Scott Bryant 1,
Ash Middleton 26,
Ross Lockwood 36,
Sam Cayley 61,
Grant Tippett 90+2
Long Sutton United 2
William Oliver 3,
Matty Cawthorn 64,
Referee:- Andy Bates (Stamford) Attendance:- 250
Admission £4.00
No doubt a Harrier Squadron was once stationed here!
Securing the goal-nets prior to kick-off.
The home side were far to good for their Fenland rivals!
It was a good “hop” and the amazing part about it was the number of goals we saw. Was it a record? Somebody will know! Many thanks to Chris and Groundhop UK for choreographing such a glorious goal-fest.
Until next time?
