Adlestrop

Yes, I remember Adlestrop –

The name, because one afternoon

Of heat the express train drew up there

Unwontedly. It was late June.

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The steam hissed. Someone cleared his throat.

No one left and no one came

On the bare platform. What I saw

Was Adlestrop – only the name

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And willows, willow herb and grass,

And meadowsweet, and haycocks dry,

No whit less still and lonely fair

Than the high cloudlets in the sky.

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And for that minute a blackbird sang

Close by, and round him, mistier,

Farther and farther, all the birds

Of Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire

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Edward Thomas (1878 – 1917)

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Sunday 1st June 2025

Rutland League Division 2 (at East Carlton)

City CC 133 all out (33.3 overs)

lost to

East Carlton 137 for 7 (35.2 overs)

by three wickets

Umpires: Andy Watson & Eddie McGeown

Not an easy wicket at East Carlton (mid-way between Market Harborough and Corby) and in a low scoring match, the hosts squeaked through, in an entertaining encounter in which fortunes swung throughout the afternoon.

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Monday 2nd June 2025

Derbyshire Summer League

Smithfield Uttoxeter 4

Red Lion 2

Referee: Elliot Newman. Attendance: 30

Admission: F.O.C. Programme: NONE

A new ground in The Summer League, at Oldfields Middle School in the town. The pitch was narrow, bumpy and completely unshorn in one corner. The visitors, who are propping up the table, started with ten men (no substitutes) and took the lead within two minutes. The hosts pulled level by half-time, and, in the second half, imposed their authority to gain a convincing victory. Hoppers, including John Main, Martin Hayden and Tony Morehead, made up about half of the spectators present!

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The Smithfield hotel in the centre of Uttoxeter, which sponsors the football team

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Wednesday 4th June 2025

Northants Women’s Midweek League (at Geddington)

Haddon Women 134 for 3 (20 overs)

defeated

Geddington Women 117 for 2 (20 overs)

by 17 runs

Umpire: Eddie McGeown

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Saturday 7th June 2025

Northants Cricket League Division 1

(@Thrapston)

Thrapston 111 all out in 30.5 overs

lost to

Brixworth (won toss) 112 for 7 in 26 overs

by three wickets

Umpires: Rowland Patterson & Eddie McGeown

A good toss to win and The visitors took full advantage, aided by some injudicious shots from the home batsmen, who nonetheless managed a tenth wicket stand of twenty-six. Brixworth captured a nervous victory after spirited bowling from the hosts.

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Monday 9th June 2025

Derbyshire Summer League

Royal Oak 1

Ed Rowbotham 43,

Pavilion 5

Sam Handley 1 (pen), Leon Tranter 13, Aaron Russell 25, 39, Tom Thornley (go) 42,

Referee: Glyn Owen. Attendance: 52

Admission: F.O.C. Programme: NONE

This match was played at rustic Mayfield’s recreation pitch which slopes from goal to goal and dips quite severely over the far touchline. The hosts, I presume, have some affiliation with the Royal Oak hostelry on the A52 outside the village and Pavilion play their home games in Ashbourne a mile or two down the road. Tonight, the visitors were dominant. They started with a first minute penalty and scored four more and had one disallowed before the hosts struck right on half time. The second half – which also brought the rain – was a non event compared to the rip-roaring opening period. Many thanks to both sides for supplying teams and substitutes. With John Main.

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The hosts in fluorescent green with a sloping black shoulder, black shorts and green socks.

A very rural location with an active tractor in the field behind.

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Tuesday 10th June 2025

National Schools T20 Knock-out Cup Regional Final (at Stamford School)

Trent College (Nottingham) 185 for 8 (20 overs)

defeated

Stamford School 156 all out (19.3 overs)

by 29 runs

Umpires: Martyn Dobbs & Eddie McGeown

The regional final turned out to be a fiercely competitive match. Stamford School won the toss and invited Trent College to bat on a benign wicket and the visitors took full advantage, starting with a six from the first ball of the innings. They made the most of the power play, reaching 54 for 1 off the first six overs. It took them twelve overs to reach one hundred runs, but they also lost four wickets. They kept the nine an over rate all the way to the end of the innings. Stamford started disastrously, losing a wicket in the first over and four more by the end of the power play to leave them struggling on 45 for 5. It took them until the fifteenth over to reach one hundred runs, but they were 8 wickets down. The ninth wicket produced a stand of 61 runs, but it was never going to be enough and the last wicket fell to a brilliant single-handed running catch on the boundary to seal victory for Trent Collage with three balls remaining and cue noisy and raucous celebrations!

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Wednesday 11th June 2025

Northants Women’s Midweek League (@Kettering)

Kettering Women (won toss) 116 for 6 (20 overs)

defeated

Geddington Women 112 for 4 (20 overs)

by 4 runs

Umpire: Eddie McGeown

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MAY

I cannot tell you how it was,
But this I know: it came to pass
Upon a bright and sunny day
When May was young; ah, pleasant May!
As yet the poppies were not born
Between the blades of tender corn;
The last egg had not hatched as yet,
Nor any bird foregone its mate.

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I cannot tell you what it was,
But this I know: it did but pass.
It passed away with sunny May,
Like all sweet things it passed away,
And left me old, and cold, and gray.

by Christina Rossetti (1830 – 1894)

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Saturday 3rd May 2025

Northern Premier League Midlands Division 1

Play-off FINAL

Corby Town 1

Reuben Marshall 86,

Worcester City 2

Hayden Reeves 78, Zac Guinan 82,

Referee: David Hinton. Attendance: 2,766

Admission: OAP £7.00 (£14). Programme: £2.00

A comparatively huge crowd (and lots of fireworks) for this promotion decider at Steel Park and a good gathering of away aficionados. A cagey first half, where the ball spent more time in the air than on the ground, followed by a similar spell in the second period, but then two quick strikes around ten minutes from the end put the visitors in control and only a late consolation goal for the hosts to end a hugely (for them) disappointing afternoon and end of season!

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Sunday 4th May 2025

Under 11s Cricket @ Oundle School

Derbyshire U11 167 for 6 (40 overs)

defeated

Northants U11 115 all out (32.3 overs)

by 52 runs

Umpires: Steve Griffiths & Eddie McGeown

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Tuesday 6th May 2025

Northants Combination Division 1

AFC Towcester 8

Adam Kelly 4, 31, 69, 74, McAuley Copping 15, Harvey Cambridge 27, Alex Waynforth 81, Richard Parker 90,

Crick Athletic 0

Referee: Jakub Gierczyk. Attendance: 31

Admission: F.O.C. Programme: NONE

I wish I’d been able to visit Towcester’s original ground opposite the racecourse! Tonight’s encounter was played on the town recreation ground, an open park without even a boundary rope. Tonight’s victory and a win at bottom placed Finedon Volta a week on Saturday, will guarantee the championship and promotion for the hosts.

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Wednesday 7th May 2025

Northants Women’s Midweek Cricket League (@ Thrapston)

Thrapston Women Green 111 for 2 (16 overs)

lost to

Thrapston Women Yellow 115 for 3 (14 overs)

by 5 wickets.

Umpire: Eddie McGeown

Thursday 8th May 2025

Leicestershire & Rutland Challenge Cup FINAL

Anstey Nomads 4

Drew Lowe 22, Zayn Hakeem 36,Jacob Fenton 65,James Tague 79,

Loughborough Students 1

Josh Strouts 77,

Referee: Olly Mackey. Attendance: 240

Admission: OAP £5.00 (£9). Programme: ON LINE

Holmes Park is the headquarters of The Leicestershire & Rutland FA and fittingly hosted the final of the county’s premier cup competition. It was sad that there was such poor support for this final. On the same evening, The Sussex Senior Challenge Cup Final attracted an attendance of 3,055. The students were eventually subdued by a superior Nomads side who scored two goals in each half and successfully resisted a strong second half comeback from the students, who reduced the arrears initially, but were eventually a well beaten side. With John Main and John Hague et al.

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Saturday 10th May 2025

Midland League Division 2

Coventrians 2

Romano Graham 45+2, 90,

Lane Head 2

Jack Fox 31,Joe Clay 90,

Referee: Luca Cozza. Official Attendance: 92

Admission: F.O.C. Programme: NONE

Twice before I had visited The Coventry Colliery Sports Ground and on each occasion, the match had been postponed. Since my last visit, a vast housing estate has appeared adjacent to the ground. The venue is little more than a field with a metal rail around it and a small pavilion housing changing rooms and a bar and refreshment facilities. The visitors, rock bottom of the division, hail from Walsall and play their home matches at the ground of former Bloxwich United. Despite their lowly position, it was they who opened the scoring. The hosts equalised before the interval and went ahead with barely ten minutes remaining. Back came the visitors to draw level with a strike in the 90th minute.

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Sunday 11th May 2025

East Midlands Women’s Cricket League

Premier Division (at Thrapston)

Thrapston Women (won toss) 187 for 9 (45 overs)

lost to:

Spondon & Eastwood Women 189 for 1 (23.4 overs)

by nine wickets

Umpires: Jeff Beal & Eddie McGeown

A strong performance by the visitors, whose captain Megan Pittman scored an unbeaten century in the victory. The hosts, too are to be commended for a battling performance against one of the early contenders for the league title. Beth Talbot, the home side’s outstanding bat, amassed 97 runs before unluckily falling, bowled, close to the end of the innings. The sun shone and there was a welcoming breeze.

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Tuesday 13th May 2025

Leicestershire County League Division 1

Kibworth Town 2

Dom Powell 3, 71,

Leicester Rangers 1

Callum Sankey 86,

Referee: Stewart Walker. Attendance: 132

Admission: F.O.C. Programme: NONE

A long dusty track leads up from the Fleckney Road to the Kibworth Town playing fields, which could easily accommodate three or four full sized pitches. There are changing rooms and a small seated area, off pitch, but no bar or refreshments. One of these two teams would be promoted as champions, but only if they won and were able to overtake Old Aylestone. A draw would have seen Old Aylestone take the title. The hosts opened the scoring in the third minutes, but on a bright breezy evening, not a lot happened until they doubled their lead with twenty minutes remaining. Back came the visitors and their consolation, five minutes from time, sparked a hectic and frantic close to the fixture. Kibworth deserved the victory and the spoils. With John Main, Jack Warner, Martin Hollands, Steve Ruff and a host of hoppers!

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Wednesday 14th May 2025

Northants Women’s Midweek Cricket League (@Thrapston)

Brixworth 86 for 6 (20 overs)

lost to

Thrapston Yellow 88 for 0 (12 overs) by 8 wickets.

Umpire: Eddie McGeown

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Thursday 15th May 2025

Northants Combination Premier Division Cup FINAL

Blisworth 2

Dan Lyons 9, Morgan Littlejohn 90+2,

Harpole 0

Referee: Keith Lawrence. Attendance: c500

Admission: £5.00. Programme: F.O.C.

Fernie Fields, home of Sileby Rangers of The UCL, is a superb arena, beautifully maintained and a fitting venue in Northampton for this evening’s cup final. Blisworth, Premier Division champions and now knock-out cup winners, once graced the UCL themselves, but were removed through lack of floodlights. This evening’s match was very one sided. Blisworth scored on 9 minutes, squandered a plethora of opportunities to increase their lead and it wasn’t until the second minute of added time at the very end of the match that they doubled their lead for a deserved victory.

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Saturday 17th May 2025

Gwent County FA Senior Cup FINAL

Cwmbran Town 1

Aysa Al-Doori 54

Monmouth Town 1

Daniel Lee Macdonald 71,

After extra time. Cwmbran Town won 5-4 on pens.

Referee: Robert Rosen. Attendance: 386

Admission: OAP £2.00 (£3). Programme: F.O.C.

Lovely, sunny and warm, late Spring day and a pretty good crowd at Larkfield Park (home of Chepstow Town) for this Gwent Cup Final between Gwent league champions and third placed Monmouth Town. It was a poor match, however, full of niggles and constant interruptions by the geriatric arbiter. Two second half goals were shared and after extra time, it took fourteen penalties before the league champions completed a league and cup double. Good day out with John Main and Paul White.

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Tuesday 20th May 2025

Leighton & District League Premier Division

Cup FINAL (at Westoning Rec, Flitwick, Beds MK45 5JD)

Club Lewsey 5

James Lauder 52 (pen), Bernie Christie 54, 78, Terry Offeh 80, Sonny Newbury-Barr 90+3

Luton Celtic 0

Referee: Tim Patis. Attendance: 205

Admission F.O.C. Programme: NONE

Both of these clubs are from Luton, so it was a tad strange to find the final being played some thirty miles north in Flitwick. The Westoning Social Club made a killing on beer and beefburgers and a healthy gathering turned out to view the spectacle. No goals in the first half, but a sending off for Lewsey for a second bookable offence. A second sending off just after the break – again for two bookable offences, evened up the numbers once again but Club Lewsey took the lead from the resulting penalty. Lewsey dominated thereafter and the referee did well to keep a lid on burgeoning passions. A thumping victory in the end and well deserved, too! With John Main and Chris Walker.

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The main line rail service from St Pancras to Nottingham and Sheffield ran behind the far goal.

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Teamsheet for Club Lewsey

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Teamsheet for Luton Celtic.

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Wednesday 21st May 2025

Northants Women’s Midweek League (@Thrapston CC)

Haddon Women 124 for 4 (20 overs)

lost to

Thrapston Green Women 128 for 2 (15.5 overs)

by 8 wickets

Umpire: Eddie McGeown

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Thursday 22nd May 2025

Leicestershire Intermediate Cup FINAL

Loughborough Students Dev 4

Gafar Abari 30, 90, 90+3, Ashden Shortland 45+8,

Houghton Rangers 3

Jake Bates 9, 45+4, Nathan Benjamin 42,

Referee: James Brennan. Attendance: 147

Admission: OAP £3.00 (£6). Programme: On line

Holmes Park, in Leicester, home of The Leicestershire & Rutland FA, hosted yet another final with five goals in the first half and a slight advantage to Houghton Rangers, the second half looked likely to be goalless until a double strike in the 90th and 93rd minutes completely turned the game around and the students claimed the trophy! With John Main and Jack Warner.

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Sunday 25th May 2025

FA Premier League

Ipswich Town 1

Nathan Broadhead 52,

West Ham United 3

James Ward-Prowse 43,Jarrod Bowen 55, Mohammed Kudus 87,

Referee: Tim Robinson. Attendance: 29,771

Admission: OAP £37.00 (£39). Programme: £3.50

Last day of the Premier League season and I was lucky to get a ticket when I turned up at the ticket office and was told that only season ticket holders, members and supporters with a history of purchase could obtain tickets. I got in eventually with an excellent seat on the half-way line! My first visit since 2010 and Ipswich were pretty awful. West Ham, having a pretty dismal season, too, dominated possession, scored just before the break, conceded just after the break, but then went on, imperiously, to score two further goals for a convincing victory.

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The Listeners

‘Is there anybody there?’ said the Traveller, 
   Knocking on the moonlit door; 
And his horse in the silence champed the grasses 
   Of the forest’s ferny floor: 
And a bird flew up out of the turret,
   Above the Traveller’s head: 
And he smote upon the door again a second time;
   ‘Is there anybody there?’ he said. 
But no one descended to the Traveller;
   No head from the leaf-fringed sill 
Leaned over and looked into his grey eyes,
   Where he stood perplexed and still. 
But only a host of phantom listeners
   That dwelt in the lone house then 
Stood listening in the quiet of the moonlight
   To that voice from the world of men: 
Stood thronging the faint moonbeams on the dark stair,
   That goes down to the empty hall, 
Hearkening in an air stirred and shaken
   By the lonely Traveller’s call. 
And he felt in his heart their strangeness,
   Their stillness answering his cry, 
While his horse moved, cropping the dark turf,
   ’Neath the starred and leafy sky; 
For he suddenly smote on the door, even
   Louder, and lifted his head:— 
‘Tell them I came, and no one answered,
   That I kept my word,’ he said. 
Never the least stir made the listeners,
   Though every word he spake 
Fell echoing through the shadowiness of the still house
   From the one man left awake: 
Ay, they heard his foot upon the stirrup,
   And the sound of iron on stone, 
And how the silence surged softly backward,
   When the plunging hoofs were gone. 

by Walter de la Mare (1873 – 1959)

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Tuesday 1st April 2025

Velocity Wessex League Division 1

Totton & Eling 0

Fawley 3

James Clifton 46, Declan Hartigan 50, Indrit Elezi 90+4

Referee: Ryan Thomas. Attendance: 78

Admission: OAP £3.00 (£6). Programme: NONE

Miller Park is a tiny venue tucked in behind the much more impressive stadium of AFC Totton. There is a hundred seater stand and cover behind one goal with hard standing all round and a small and basic cafe – pies, chocolate and hot drinks. Both of these teams are in serious danger of demotion. The hosts sit one place above the relegation places and the visitors are one off the foot of the table … or they were until this impressive victory. A player from each side dismissed right at the end of the opening period which produced no goals. The visitors then struck twice in the first four minutes of the second half and added a third in added time at the end of the match. With John Main.

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Wednesday 2nd April 2025

Spartan South Midlands League Division 1

Long Buckby 2

D’Lanie James 81, 90+2,

Desborough Town 3

Faruq Usman 3, Iain Blake 44, Josh Drain 47,

Referee: Ariel Ward. Attendance: 51

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

This fixture, in my football experience, has always belonged to the UCL Premier division and if At Tarn win this league, they will return to the UCL Premier. They were given a huge fright tonight. Coasting at 3-0 up, early in the second half, they brought on all of their five substitutes and suddenly found themselves hounded by a rejuvenated home side who scored two goals in the final ten minutes but were unable to find an equaliser! With John Lee and John Clarke.

Sadly, since my visit, it has been announced that Long Buckby have resigned from The Spartan South Midlands League.

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Saturday 5th April 2025

Southern Counties East Premier Division

Lydd Town 1

Ryan Smith 48,

VCD Athletic 0

Referee: A Gillespie. Attendance: 118

Admission: OAP £6.00 (£8). Programme: £1.50

Beautiful sunny day at Lindsey Park somewhat spoiled by a sharp blustery wind. The timbered structures of the clubhouse contrasted with the seated and covered terracing down the far side. The hosts are in serious relegation trouble. VCD (Vickers Crayford Dartford), in mid table obscurity, were, by far, the more accomplished outfit, but it was a plucky display by the hosts and a single goal right after the re-start that gained them a precious victory in their relegation battle.

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The Power Station at Dungeness right on the south Kent coast and clearly visible (around three miles away) from the ground.

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Monday 7th April 2025

Premier League 2

Leicester City U21 0

West Bromwich Albion U21 0

Referee: Aaron Jackson. Attendance: 249

Admission: OAP £3.00 (£5). Free Team Sheet

As goalless matches go, this was not a bad game between two skilful sides, both committed and determined. A draw was a fair result!

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Wednesday 9th April 2025

Bedfordshire County League Premier Division

Marston Shelton Rovers 3

Elstow Abbey 0

Referee: Darren Knox. Attendance: 41

Admission: F.O.C. Programme: NONE

Lovely sky – and sunset – at Marston Playing Fields just off the A421 and south of Bedford, but it was a chit billy and even more so as the match wore on. All the action took place in the first half. Second placed Rovers struck three times against their sixth placed rivals. The second half was a yawn! Plenty of hoppers there!

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Italy 2025

It was only a short visit. We flew from Stansted, early in the morning, to Bologna airport and the monorail took us into the main city train station from whence we departed for Reggio Amelia for the first game.

Saturday 12th April 2025

(Italy) Serie B

AC Reggiana 0

Pisa SC 2

Alexander Lind 24, Matteo Tramoni 44,

Referee: Eemanno Feliciani. Attendance: 12,039

Admission: €43.00. Programme: F.O.C.

Lovely weather and a beautiful ground with four separate seated stands. The hosts are struggling, but they were up for this and in a tetchy encounter, class decided the outcome. Second placed Pisa with a huge following were much too good for the hosts and this is the easiest 2-0 I have ever seen! The hosts had seven bookings and two sendings off – but not players on the pitch – an unused substitute and a home coach were both dismissed for inappropriate language. Very entertaining, but the hosts are now in serious relegation trouble!

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Grandson, Freddie and Albi Eathorne at Reggiana.

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Freddie, Albi, Mike and Ed at The Mapei Arens Reggio Amelia

Saturday 12th April 2025

(Italy) Serie B

Modena 1

Simone Santoro 60,

US Sassuolo 3

Domenico Berardi 36, Armand Lauriente 64, Luca Moro 76,

Referee: Alberto Santoro. Attendance: 13,340

Admission: €35.00. Programme: NONE

This time it was the League leaders coming to town, in what might be described as a local Derby. Lovely ground, but the seats were a bit cramped and a bird dropped its load on number two son! Great game! Modena in tenth gave it all they’d got against the league leaders, but were eventually outclassed by a team recently relegated from Serie A. Lovely ground and a great atmosphere!

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Sunday 13th April 2025

(Italy) Serie A

Fiorentina 0

Parma 0

Referee: Gianluca Manganiello. Attendance: 21,355

Admission: €47.00. Programme: F.O.C.

There is substantial development going on at The Stadio Artemio Franchi and there was minimal cover for the monsoon conditions. The precipitation was unremitting and fell like stair rods on our totally uncovered seating, rendering ALL clothing sodden and uncomfortable. The game was a pretty damp squib, too with Parma easily thwarting any attempt at goal scoring by the hosts. Parma also won the yellow card count by 5-0! A thoroughly miserable afternoon.

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The players came up from underground behind this goal where all the modernisation was taking place!

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The author, thoroughly miserable and thoroughly wet through!

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Grandson, Freddie in Florence before the match!

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Eddie, grandson, Freddie and son Mike, outside the Duomo in Florence.

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It was a brilliant weekend despite the monsoon conditions on Saturday and Sunday afternoon. Here are a few memories that will linger long In the time frame:

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Ed and Freddie near Duomo in Florence

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The City Wall of Florence.

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The Ponte Vecchia

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Ed, Mike and Fred.

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On The Ponte Vecchia a stare of: Benvenuto Cellini, Master Goldsmith of Venice.

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Freddie with an ice cream!

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South West Peninsula League ‘Hop’, Easter 2025

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John Main and I hired a small iron-grey Volkswagen Golf (GF72 OHO) and drove down to Newquay on Thursday 17th April for the start of The South West Peninsula ‘Hop’ organised by Phil Hiscox of The SWPL. It was an event free journey and we even had time for a walk down to the front before the match.

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Thursday 17th April 2025

South West Peninsula League West Division k.o.: 7.30pm

Newquay AFC 5

Louis Price 18, 31, 65, Callum McOnie 82, Alex Cole 90+1

Wendron United 0

Referee: Andrew Hobbs. Attendance: 1,854

Admission: OAP £3.00 (£6). Programme: £3.00

First match of the South West ‘Hop’ and “The Peppermints” had a rare opportunity to gain promotion to The Western League for the first time ever if they could avoid defeat in their final game of the season. That, they did with relish and a flourish, knocking five goals past hapless, mid-table Wendron United. The attendance above is correct, however, the announcer added an extra ten to the total!

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Friday 18th April 2025

South West Peninsula Leahue West Division k.o.: 11.30am

St Day 3

Kyle Marks 16, Josh Storey 25 (og), Jacob Cleverly 33,

Penzance 1

Curtis Smith 57,

Referee: Andrew Barnett. Attendance: 416

Admission: OAP £4.00 (£6). Programme: £1.00

Heavy overnight precipitation continued well into the morning, but by kick-off, a thin watery sun endeavoured to break through at Vogue Park, St Day’s quite pretty and modern arena. There was a very friendly welcome and an array of enticing cakes and pasties. The ground is basic with floodlights and hard standing on two sides and a small stand for maybe fifty souls. St Day, struggling in the lower reaches of the division, surprised fourth placed Penzance with a three goal first half salvo. A more steely response from the visitors, but they were only able to pull one goal back after the break. Entertaining tussle and a very enjoyable visit.

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Friday 18th April 2025

National League South k.o.: 3.00pm

Truro City 0

Torquay United 1

Matt Jay 65,

Refere: Daniel Baines. Attendance: 3,306

Admission: OAP £12.00 (£17) Programne: £3.00

Compared to two other new grouds I’ve seen this season (Cambridge City and Guernsey), this arena came a very distant third! Cover was negligible and seats were all taken. Refreshments were a rip off and there was a long queue (in the rain) for a programme.

However, as viewing was difficult with such a large crown and no terracing, there were TWO television screens showing the match – one of them inside the bar. It was a pretty poor game, looking odds on for a 0-0 outcome, until a 65th thunder blaster from the visitors settled the tie deservedly in their favour!

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Saturday 18th April 2025

South West Peninsula League West Division k.o.: 7.00pm

Wadebridge Town 1

Matt Lloyd 82,

Camelford 1

Cam Bidgood 79,

Referee: Adam Leigh. Attendance: 427

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

Another wet one! In fact, it took a brave referee to give it the go ahead and in the second half when the precipitation substantially increased and great pools of water decorated the pitch, we weren’t even sure it would finish. Reminded me of Football League games back in the sixties! The first half was desultory, but the intensity increased after the break and, eventually each side produced a strike and the spoils and the points were shared and a great deal of credit goes to both sides AND the referee and his colleagues!

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Saturday 19th April 2025

St Pirans League Division 1 East k.o.: 11.00am

Nanpean Rovers 6

Callum Oldham 6, 38, Scot Brown 36, Leo Best 85, 86, Scott Forster 90,

Roche 0

Referee: Thomas Milburn. Attendance:432

Admission: OAP £2.00 (£3). Programme: £3.00

Victoria Bottoms, Nanpean Rovers ground is a wonderfully quirky, eccentric stadium nestling in a leafy fold with an atmosphere all of its own. Greek columns compete with corrugated iron roofs at opposite ends of the ground, no floodlights and no hard standing but plenty of perilous routes around the playing area. In second place on goal difference, they were playing a side rock bottom of the league with but one win and one draw from their 25 games. They were out played and outclassed by the hosts, who may have (eventually) scored six, but missed a plethora of easy opportunities.

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Saturday 19th April 2025

South West Peninsular League West Division k.o.: 2.30pm

Bodmin Town 0

Dobwalls 3

Oscar Larrieu 1, Dan Tate 42, Adam Kenyon 49,

Referee: Ryan Dennis. Attendance: 316

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

A fine seventy year old stand dominates the ground. But there is not a lot else except a wire fence enclosure and hard standing on three sides. The team weren’t up to much, either. They were stung by a goal in the first minute and tamely subsided to a three goal defeat.

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Adam Kenyon (number 19) scores the second goal of the match in the 42nd minute.

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Saturday 19th April 2025

South West Peninsula League West Division k.o.: 6.00pm

Launceston 0

Callington 1

Finley Skews 33,

Referee: Ryan Dennis. Attendance: 603

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

There was nothing photogenic about this small ground hidden away in the centre of an industrial estate. A low seated stand down one side and hard standing all round, whilst outside was a fairly substantial club house. Launceston are propping up the league and are certain to claim bottom spot. They huffed and puffed against mid-table Callington who took the win and the points with a single goal midway through the opening period.

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Sunday 20th April 2025

South West Peninsula League East Division k.o.: 12noon

Honiton Town 0

Sidmouth Town 2

Craig Veal 31, Louis Splading 83,

Referee: Graeme Martin. Attendance: 444

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

Honiton, at last, managed to stage a ‘hop’ match on their own ground at the third attempt! It is a ground shared with the local cricket club and so has hard standing on only two sides and pitch side furniture down only one side (dug-outs and a seventy odd seater stand as well as a smaller covered terrace). Sidmouth are champions elect and easily disposed of their mid-table opponents, but they were unimpressive and, in large part, the match was a dull, torrid affair with a goal in each half to the visitors, but little else to inspire.

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Monday 21st April 2025

The Royal Albert Bridge which crosses The River Tamar at Saltash was designed and built by Isambard Kingdom Brunel between 1854 and 1859. A hundred and two years later, a road suspension bridge was opened to carry traffic from Devon to Cornwall and back. Both are very impressive structures!

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Monday 21st April 2025

Jewson Western League Premier Division k.o.: 3.00pm

Saltash United 1

Ben Goulty 2,

AFC St Austell 2

Ryan Downing 16, Matt Searle 90+6,

Referee: Dillon Gascoigne. Attendance: 137

Admission: OAP £4.00 (£7). Programme: NONE

Kimberley Stadium, home of Saltash United, is a pleasantly situated arena with most of the pitch side furniture down one side. There is hard standing all round, a seated stand and a covered standing area are complemented by a bar and refreshment facilities and right in the corner is a covered picnic area. The hosts were unlucky today. They scored after two minutes, conceded an equaliser twenty minutes later and the winner was scored in the seventh minute of added time at the end of the match. With John Main.

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Tuesday 29th April 2025

Northern Premier League Midlands Division 1 Play-off Semi-final

Corby Town 1

Jack Keeble 62,

Long Eaton United 0

Referee Alex Rolfe. Attendance: 1,496

Admission: OAP £7.00 (£10). Programme: £2.00

A huge crowd – almost, but not quite – delayed kick-off and the atmosphere was terrific throughout at Steel Park. The actual match, however, was nothing to write home about. Too many high clearances and too little skill and creativity and the only goal came just after the hour mark for the hosts, which brought great joy to the home faithful, but I fear for any further progress when they meet Worcester City, here, in the final on Saturday.

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Wednesday 30th April 2025

Bedfordshire County League Premier Division

Riseley Sports 1

Alex Taylor 17 (pen),

Clanfield United Reserves 2

Sean Byrne 3, James Manning 9,

Referee: Shaun Hoyte. Attendance: 60

Admission: F.O.C. Programme: On Line

On a beautiful warm and sunny evening – so much so that the substitutes didn’t feel the need to don their shirts – these two teams played their last league fixture of the season. All the goals came in the first fifteen minutes and after the visitors had taken a two goal lead in nine minutes, the hosts pulled one back with a dubious penalty award. Thereafter, much huffing and puffing but no further strikes! Excellent pint of finest Bedfordshire ale to toast the completion of the premier division of this league.

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The Lake Isle of Innisfree

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I will arise and go now, and go to Innisfree,

And a small cabin build there, of clay and wattles made;

Nine bean-rows will I have there, a hive for the honey-bee,

And live alone in the bee-loud glade.

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And I shall have some peace there, for peace comes dropping slow,

Dropping from the veils of the morning to where the cricket sings;

There midnight’s all a glimmer, and noon a purple glow,

And evening full of the linnet’s wings.

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I will arise and go now, for always night and day

I hear lake water lapping with low sounds by the shore;

While I stand on the roadway, or on the pavements grey,

I hear it in the deep heart’s core.

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by William Butler Yeats (1865 – 1939)

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Saturday 1st March 2025

Cambridgeshire County League Premier Division

Witchford 96 1

Chris Hall 18,

Hardwick 0

Referee: Giavanni Marasca. Attendance: 58

Admission: F.O.C. Programme: NONE

Witchford, a village of just over 2,000 souls, lies around two and a half miles west of Ely. The Recreation Ground has a pitch railed along each side and substantial changing rooms and bar facilities. The football team are not performing well this season with just nineteen points from nineteen games before this match. The visitors were better placed but no more than mid-table. Chris Hall, the home striker was the difference between the teams. He scored the only goal on 18 minutes, smote the post when it would have been easier to score and was denied a fairly blatant penalty. Several other hoppers in attendance!

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Monday 3rd March 2025

Premier League 2

Leicester City U21 2

Amani Richards 41, Logan Briggs 45,

Tottenham Hotspur U21 0

Referee: Andrew Humphries. Attendance: 356

Admission: OAP £3.00 (£5). Free team sheet

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Tuesday 4th March 2025

Western League Division 1

Mendip Broadwalk 0

Avonmouth 3

Kyle O’Donovan 19, Charlie Aldom 23, Mitch Wise 65,

Referee: Alex Setchell. Official Attendance: 41

Admission: OAP £3.00 (£6). Programme: on line

Both these clubs are newly promoted to The Western League and, perversely, in view of tonight’s result, it is the hosts who are better placed in mid table. Their ground, and the refreshment facilities outside the ground are a work in progress (to put it charitably), but the welcome was genuine and spontaneous. Sadly, the hosts, whose ground is but a stone’s throw from Ashton Gate in Bristol, failed to perform this evening and two first half strikes followed by a third in the second period, garnered the victory for near neighbours, Avonmouth. With John Main.

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Saturday 8th March 2025

Velocity Wessex League Division 1

Fleetlands 1

Curt Robbins 55,

New Milton Town 2

Barney Stone 51, Brad Snelling 88,

Referee: Charlie Hardingham. Official Attendance: 93

Admission: OAP £3.00 (£6). Programme: £2.00

A bright, bracing day beside the sea in deepest Hampshire at Powder Monkey Park (in deference, no doubt, to The Royal Navy of old), the home of Fleetlands, a whimsical quirky ground with hard standing on three sides, a fifty seater stand and other assorted covered areas, including a stand, tiny enough to challenge the one at Esh Winning for the smallest in the country. The visitors bestride the league and brought a healthy following to this match. The hosts in fifth place lost this encounter to a goal two minutes from time after a turgid opening period and a swift exchange of goals early in the second period. With John Main.

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Tuesday 11th March 2025

It has not been a good week. Charlotte has had an operation on her right hand for Dupuytrens Fasciitis, a condition that means that her fingers are drawn in towards her palm. The operation was successful (although she may need a similar procedure on her left hand at some time in the future), however, her arm is likely to be in a sling for ten days and I will be doing rather more heavy lifting than I am used to! Look on the bright side. The operation was a success and in a month, or three weeks at best, she might be getting back to normal. In the meantime, football sorties have been severely curtailed, although I may get to a reasonably local match this weekend (and meet up with sons and grandsons!). Sadly, I have had to miss the Scottish “Hop”, which starts today. Very jealous, but getting Charlotte well, is more important!

Saturday 15th March 2025

Northern Premier League Midlands Division 1

Racing Club Warwick 1

Connor Taylor 45+1,

Corby Town 2

Jack Keeble 41, Rhys Kelly 78,

Referee: Michael Pattison. Attendance: 325

Admission: OAP £4.00 (£8). Programme: £2.00

First visit to Townsend Meadow for twenty-six years and, although improved for spectators with extra seating and cover, I am not a fan of plastic pitches! This was a poor game. Neither side could find any rhythm or continuity and the result was a bit of a lottery where The Steelmen held the winning number. A goal each in the first period with the winner coming from Rhys Kelly after 78 minutes. Lunch beforehand in The Roebuck Inn in the centre of town with son, Mike and grandson, Freddie. Son, Jim and grandsons, Sonny and Kingsley were not able to make the meal, but we met up with them at the match.

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Tuesday 18th March 2025

Western League Division 1

Shirehampton 2

Luke Marshall 83, Dillan Tate 90+4,

Wells City 2

Luke Wilkinson 30, Ali Sen 87,

Referee Steve Redman. Official Attendance: 68

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

Penpole Lane is a quintessentially atmospheric venue, bedecked with floodlights highlighting the bare branches of trees surrounding the ground. Changing rooms in the cricket pavilion at one side of the ground and refreshment facilities outside the ground on the other side with hard standing access on three sides and a small 100 seater stand adjacent to a tiny covered standing area. This was a strange encounter. The visitors led from a strike on half an hour and nothing much else happened until the final five minutes. An equaliser from a hopeful forty yard punt which somehow eluded the visiting custodian, but then two more goals, both of which questioned the keepers capabilities and ensured that the match ended in a draw! With John Main.

“Strength in Depth”

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Programme cove. Programme was ‘on line’ only.

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Wednesday 19th March 2025

Bedfordshire County League Premier Division

Wootton Blue Cross 3

Mason Marsh 15, 17, Ryan Aka 39,

Queens Park Crescents 0

Referee: Stephen Quirke. Attendance: 177

Admission: F.O.C. Programme: NONE

In the olden days (nineties and early years of this century), Blue Cross graced the Premier Division of the UCL. Now they have every chance of a return to that league by winning their present division, but they haven’t applied for promotion! They were too good for fifth placed Crescents who conceded three first half goals. However, the visitors then made a spirited second half response, but even when the hosts had their goalkeeper dismissed, Crescents never actually looked capable of scoring. Good to see Brian Buck and Dave Higgins amongst a healthy turnout of ‘hoppers’.

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Saturday 22nd March 2025

North West Counties League Division 1 North

AFC Blackpool 1

Jacob Gregory 6,

Daisy Hill 3

Alexander Dodd 26, Liam Sheppard 68, Jake o’Brien 71 (pen),

Referee: David Boston. Attendance: 71

Admission: OAP £3.00 (£6) programme: NONE

FREE team sheet

Jepson Way, home of AFC Blackpool (formerly Blackpool Mechanics) is a pretty impressive venue. Cover and hard standing on all four sides and seating down each touchline. They took an early (sixth minute) lead and then tamely subsided as Daisy Hill took control, equalising in the first half and adding two further strikes in the second period. The hosts had their goalkeeper sin-binned after half-time (first time I’ve seen that happen!) and although they were six points and four places better off than their rivals, they succumbed to a lacklustre defeat. With John Main.

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Tuesday 25th March 2025

Southern Combination Division 1

Storrington 2

Alec Wilkinson 32, 43,

Copthorne 2

Oscar Wendell 55 (pen), 90+7,

Referee: Richard Pringle. Attendance: 53

Admission: OAP £3.00 (£6). Programme: on line

Deep in Sussex is the thriving village of Storrington where The Swans ply their football trade at a pretty basic ground, railed off and with hard standing on two sides and a club facility with around fifty seats which are useless because twenty yards in front, spectators block the view as they stand at pitch side. Oh, and there is a community sports facility adjacent, which provides a bar and some sustenance. These two teams are enjoying a torrid season, with the hosts slightly better placed. They led 2-0 at the interval and that seemed to be that, but Copthorne, who play their home games at Horsham YMCA, came out all guns blazing and grabbed a point with a 97th minute equaliser!

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Wednesday 26th March 2025

Northern Premier League Midlands Division 1

Corby Town 2

Fletcher Toll 21, Reuben Marshall 22,

Lye Town 1

Josh McKenzie 90+5

Referee: Sam Wesson. Attendance: 457

Admission: OAP £7.00 (£10.00). Programme: £2.00

It all looked rosy for The Steelmen when two early first half strikes put them firmly in control. The second half was a different story. The hosts were under substantially more pressure, but held out until the fifth minute of added time, when the visitors notched their consolation Goal. They might have had more!

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Friday 28th March 2025

Guernsey FNB Priaulx League

Guernsey Wanderers 1

Tiago Camera 90,

Northerners AC 5

Dave Rihoy 14, Ryan Lamb 42, Simon Marley 45+1, Paris Pereira 45+5 (pen), Tyrese Kelly 68,

Referee: George Jennings. Attendance: 22

Admission: F.O.C. Programme: NONE

A choppy crossing from Poole and our first choice match at The Track ( home of Belgrave Wanderers and adjacent to Guernsey FC’s new stadium) was OFF. So, we trekked over to The KGV club for this match on a very chilly evening. The hosts had won one and lost fourteen of their matches this season and on tonight’s showing, it was easy to see why! Very basic ground, a plastic pitch inside a metal cage. With John Main.

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Choppy seas on the entrance to St Peter Port on Guernsey.

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The castle at St Peter Port Harbour, Guernsey.

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Saturday 29th March 2025

Isthmian League South Central Division

Guernsey 1

Ross Allen 45+1 (pen)

Westfield 1

Manolis Goons 67,

Referee: Scott Crowhurst. Attendance: 2,207

Admission (seated) £9.00. Programme: £3.00

Pretty impressive new stadium with 3G pitch, seated stands down both sides and cover behind each goal. Besides FA funding, one Guernsey benefactor sank £8 million into this project. Westfield were the better side but lacked a marksman and on the stroke of half-time a quixotically eccentric referee awarded the hosts a penalty for a foul by the goalkeeper on a forward. Ross Allen, the Guernsey skipper, became the first goal scorer at the new stadium. Westfield deservedly equalised midway through the second period and a draw was probably the right result. With John Main.

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Winter

Winter when your warm breath smokes

In the bitter morning chill

Night brings frosts that creep and crisp.

Trees are stretching black and still

Etching patterns where the bright

Robin dares a whistling trill.

by Jo Peters (1937 – 2001)

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Saturday 1st February 2025

EFL League Two

Tranmere Rovers 1

Kristian Dennis 50,

Colchester United 3

Lyle Taylor 9 (pen), 33, Owura Edwards 63,

Referee: Scott Oldham. Attendance: 5,166

Admission: Hospitality (£84.00). Programme: incl. (£3.50)

Prenton Park is a fine looking stadium much changed since my first visit in September 1967, when Colchester were also the visitors – but lost that match by 4-2! Excellent hospitality with seats in the directors box right on the half-way line. Great to meet up with family and friends! Tranmere were not at the races today and Colchester barely had to move out of second gear to claim a straightforward victory. Two first half strikes, the first from the penalty spot and a further second half goal after the hosts had pulled one back shortly after the interval, garnered a richly deserved victory.

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Penalty scored by Lyle Taylor for Colchester United after nine minutes.

Very much an old fashioned ground and I can remember nothing from my first visit in 1967!

Sonny, Freddie and Kingsley in the dugout!

from left: Alan Eathorne, Gary Miller, Aman Singh and Mike McGeown

Chris Berezai and Phil Evans

From left : Mark Sumner, Francesca Parkin,Matt Knowles and Chris Berezai

Eddie with Man of the match, Saidou Khan

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Monday 3rd February 2025

National League South

Hemel Hempstead Town 3

Brandon Barzey 15, 82, Oliver Lynch 55,

Boreham Wood 4

Femi Ilesanmi 4, Kwesi Appiah 27, Tom Whelan 44, Matt Rush 88,

Referee: Ashley Clarke. Attendance: 681

Admission: OAP £10.00 (£15). Programme: £3.00

I didn’t realise that Hemel had installed a plastic pitch (a couple of seasons ago, said one of the stewards). My last visit was twenty years ago when they were a Southern League team. Tonight’s rumbustious affair was rightly decided in the visitors favour. They were the better side and presently occupy top spot in a very congested promotion race. They were however, made to work very hard for their victory. 1-3 down at the interval, the hosts staged a fighting comeback to draw level, only to see the visitors snatch victory in the 88th minute. Eight minutes of added time were played, but The Tudors couldn’t draw level again.

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Tuesday 4th February 2025

Southern League Premier Division Central

Banbury United 1

Harry Reilly 19,

Kettering Town 0

Referee: Daniel Lamport. Attendance: 602

Admission: OAP £10.00 (£14). Programme: on line

Kettering Town’s promotion ambitions were severely dented by a solid defensive display from The Puritans. The hosts scored a rare thunderblaster after only nineteen minutes and then fended off all Kettering’s attenpts to secure an equaliser. The attendance this evening was boosted by a large following of away supporters. Good match!

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Wednesday 5th February 2025

Eastern Counties League Division 1 North

Parson Drove 1

Gerson Dos Reis 31,

FC Peterborough 1

Vitor Vaz 74 (pen),

Referee: Ceredig Cattanach-Chell. Attendance: 45

Admission: OAP £3.00 (£5). Programme: ON LINE

On a bitterly cold evening deep in the Cambridgeshire fenlands, these two teams served up a tasty encounter. The visitors are vying for a play-off spot, whilst the hosts are languishing in lower mid-table. It was the hosts who took the lead after half an hour and they held onto it doggedly until FC Peterborough were awarded a soft penalty with fifteen minutes to go. A draw was probably a fair result, but the referee inexplicably played twelve minutes of added time at the end of the match!

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Thursday 6th February 2025

Leicestershire Midweek Floodlit Youth League

Southern Division

Lutterworth Town u18 1

George Coulthard 56 (pen),

GNG Oadby Town u18 2

Joe Walton 20, Jaiden Jones 67,

Referee: Toby Smith. Attendance: 17

Admission: F.O.C. Programme: NONE

A bitterly cold evening and a pretty flaccid encounter. The visitors were worthy winners. With John Main.

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Saturday 8th February 2025

Southern Combination Division 1

Seaford Town 2

Callum Connor 59 (pen), Marcus Richmond 78,

Godalming Town 0

Referee: Harvey Howe. Official Attendance: 106

Admission: OAP £3.00 (£6). Programme: £1.00

A sloping pitch from side to side, very soft underfoot and in a public park, with hard standing all round and good bar and refreshment facilities, made this a very pleasant visit. Seaford top the division with the visitors in the play-off places, this was a keenly contested encounter, tempestuous at times and after a goalless opening period, the hosts took control, scoring on the hour mark from the penalty spot and adding a second some twelve minutes from time. With John Main.

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It was a very “heavy” pitch as can be seen from this photograph, with the author striding towards the camera to the left of the picture (courtesy of John Main)

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Wednesday 12th February 2025

Lincolnshire Senior Trophy Semi-final

Bourne Town 2

Brad Marshall 2, Zac Munton 63,

Blackstones 1

Will Bestwick 76,

Referee: Nick Elliott. Official Attendance: 310

Admission: OAP £5 (£6). Programme: NONE

A wet, cold and thoroughly miserable evening at Abbey Lawns, where FA Vase quarter-finalists and UCL premier division high fliers, Bourne Town, were expected to defeat near neighbours, Blackstones of UCL Division 1. When they scored in the second minute, it looked like it might be a rout and for most of the first period, the hosts ran their neighbours ragged, but it wasn’t until just after the hour mark that they added a second goal. A flurry of substitutions by both sides worked in Blackstones favour. They came back strongly and scored in 76 minutes, but despite their growing dominance, they were unable to garner an equaliser. Good game!

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GERMANY 2025

We were a large party this year, flying from Stansted to Nuremberg on the Friday afternoon and returning (most of us) on Monday afternoon. Having reached Nuremberg, we then entrained for Augsburg.

Friday 14th February 2025

Bundesliga

FC Augsburg 0

RB Leipzig 0

Referee: Sascha Stegemann. Attendance: 28,260

Admission: €35.00. Programme: €1.00

Bitterly cold at The WWK Arena in Augsburg and, arriving 45 minutes early it took another half hour’s melee to negotiate past the bag and clothes check. The ground is some 16 years old and nine years ago, hosted Liverpool in a Champions League knock-out phase match. Great seat on the half-way line, but the game was poor. Two teams going through the motions, neither posing much of a threat and precious few chances throughout the ninety minutes. Then it was back to the scrum to get on a tram back to town!

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Saturday 15th February 2025

Bundesliga

VFB Stuttgart 1

Nick Woltemade 72

VfL Wolfsburg 2

Tiago Thomas 76, Mohammed Amoura 87 (pen),

Referee: Tobias Welz. Official Attendance: 58,000

Admission: €60.00. Programme: F.O.C.

Magnificent stadium which holds just over 60,000 spectators and passionate aficionados urging on their heroes, but the first half was drab and colourless, much like last night’s encounter. So too, was the first portion of the second half, but the game livened up considerably in the final quarter, including an equalising penalty for the visitors for which the referee lingered long over the tv screen. Sad to miss the morning U19 match due to rail delays, but this encounter ended up tasty and feisty!

My match day ticket was refused at the turnstile and I had to go to the ticket office to get it verified. However, they said that it was a false ticket and I was forced to spend €60 on a new ticket to get into the ground.

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from left: Adam, Jim (behind), Rory Clark (in front), Liam (in front), Dave (hidden behind), Kevin, Billy (behind), Gary Miller, Daz, Mike and Alan Eathorne

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Sunday 16th February 2025

Bundesliga 2

FC Nuremberg 2

SVV Ulm 0

Referee: Richard Hempel. Official Attendance: 29,355

Admission: €35.00 Programme: NONE

Another bitterly cold day and a poignant and timely morning visit to the Nazi Congress hall before adjourning to the stadium, much changed since it hosted SS rallies in the 1930s. The visitors are in serious relegation trouble and were not helped by a 59th minute dismissal. It was a dour match where the hosts found it difficult to break down a well organised defence. Both goals came in the final four minutes. With sons, Jim, Mike and Liam and friends!

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Pre-match drinks: on the left from front: Alan Eathorne, Adam, Kevin, Rory Clark, and Daz. On the right from the front: Billy, son Liam, Gary Miller, and son James

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Large swathes of the ground were closed, as can be seen from the above photo. The capacity of the ground had been raised to just over 50,000 for the World Cup in 2006, when half a dozen matches were played at the stadium.

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Wednesday 19th February 2025

Northants Senior (Hillier) Cup Semi-final

Corby Town 3

Danny Gordon 25, Spencer Edwards 56, 60,

Peterborough Sports 0

Referee: Luke Scott. Attendance: 339

Admission: £5.00. Programme: NONE, teamsheet 50p

The Steelmen are two divisions below their rivals from National League North, but neither team was at full strength, even for a semi-finals and entry prices were reduced to a fiver. Last Saturday, Peterborough Sports drew an attendance of 190 for a National League North match! A very even first half saw the hosts gain a single goal advantage direct from a corner after 25 minutes. Two early second half strikes, taking advantage of fairly elementary defensive errors, killed the game off until a player melee in added time saw a lenient official award but two cautions!

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Note the error on the above display. This match was NOT a Northern Premier League match!

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SPAIN 2025

Friday 21st February 2025, Vueling Flight 6302 from Gatwick to Bilbao, Jonny had hired a car and booked accommodation in the city. This evening’s match is in Lezama a small district to the north of Bilbao, where Athletic Club play their B team at The Santa Maria Stadium. It was raining when we got there and it rained pretty much all the way through the game but it was considerably milder than in England.

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Friday 21st February 2025

Primera Division RFEF Grupo 1

Athletic Bilbao B 2

Iker Varela 59, Jon De Luis 88,

CD Lugo 2

M. Ochoa 27, Ceberio 50,

Referee: Jaime Ruiz Alvarez. Attendance: c2,000

Admission: €10.00. Programme: NONE

Athletic Bilbao play their B team at Estadio Santa Maria, a few miles outside Bilbao at Lezama. It is a vey impressive stadium with a capacity of only 3,250 and there was a healthy attendance for this match tonight at the third tier of Spanish football. Lugo are precariously placed, just above the relegation dogfight, but this evening they took the match to the hosts and, shortly after the interval, held a two goal advantage. Bilbao plugged away, they were technically the better side but were finding goal scoring opportunities few and far between. They pulled one goal back on the hour mark, but had to wait until the 88th minute to find an equaliser. Good game, with son, Jim, and Jonny Crane and Mark Sumner.

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Saturday 22nd February 2025

La Liga

Deportivo Alaves 0

RCD Espanyol 1

Fernando Calero 86,

Ref: Juan Luis Pulido Santana. Attendance: 17,068

Admission: €33.00. Programme: NONE

Vitoria-Gasteiz, some forty miles south of Bilbao is the county town of the Basque region and the site of a famous Peninsular War victory by Wellington in 1813. It is also the home of Deportivo Alaves, currently struggling against relegation from La Liga. The ground is compact and holds just under twenty thousand spectators. For 86 minutes this was a boring score draw, until the visitors struck. Jonny had strategically commandeered tickets at the heart of the Espanyol travelling faithful and the jubilation was positively volatile. In truth, however, it wasn’t the best of matches! With son, Jim, Jonny Crane and Mark Sumner

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The Cathedral in the centre of town

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The monument in the town square to commemorate the famous Peninsular War victory by Arthur Wellesley.

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Saturday 22nd February 2025

Primera Division RFEF Grupo 1

Sestao River Club 1

Marcos Bustillo 63,

SD Amorebieta 0

Referee: Victor Peraza Perez. Attendance: 1,650

Admission: Seated €22.00 (€17). Free Team Sheet

Just north of Bilbao in the small town of Sestao lies its football club hidden behind the houses and a church. Tonight’s visitors were only half an hour’s drive away, but on the south side of Bilbao. Both teams are deep in the relegation mire at this third tier of Spanish football and the pitch was in keeping with the positions of the two sides. I learnt that in this division, all the players are full time and the minimum annual salary is €25,000 (although some are reputed to earn in excess of €300,000 per annum!). The only goal came from a savage second half strike from the home side playing down the slight slope in the second half. With son, Jim, Jonny Crane and Mark Sumner.

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Sunday 23rd February 2025

The Guggenheim Museum, Bilbao

What an experience! Was initially underimpressed on the ground flour with the giant metal shapes, but once you interact they hit all the senses, echoing mazes and challenging balance and coordination. Some of the art work on the other floors was beyond me – or crap – but it was a top level experience both inside and out!

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Outside the Guggenheim Museum was a giant hedge statue of a dog!

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Sunday 23rd February 2025

La Liga

Athletico Bilbao 7

Mikel Jauregizar 11, Nico Williams 35, 66, Marian Sannadi 43, Oihan Sancet 45+2, Gorka Guruzeta 70, Inaki Williams 86,

Real Valladolid 1

Mamadou Sylla 47,

Stanko Juric s/o 56, (Second yellow card).

Referee: Cesar Soto Grado. Attendance: 47,715

Admission: €60.00. Programme: NONE

Beautiful day, warm and sunny and an impressive stadium. Estadion San Mames was completely rebuilt some twelve years ago and is now a state of the art arena. Poor old Valladolid were given a severe drubbing, 0-4 down at the interval, they actually pulled a goal back at the very start of the second period, but then had a man dismissed for a second bookable offence and conceded three more to leave them nine points adrift at the bottom of the table!

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Sunday 23rd February 2025

La Liga

Real Sociedad 3

Arsen Zakharyan 12, Takefusa Kubo 48, Jon Ander Olasagasti 81,

Leganes 0

Referee: Francisco Maeso. Attendance: 22,533

Admission: €37.00. Programme: NONE

Another lovely ground in the seaside town of San Sebastián, aesthetically pleasing and well equipped with comfortable seating! On a balmy evening, the hosts put on a confident and commanding display, dismantling a very average visiting side and richly entertaining the home faithful in the process. Good match, with son, Jim, Jonny Crane and Mark Sumner.

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Monday 24th February 2025

Premier League 2

Leicester City U21 2

Logan Briggs 54, 75,

Derby County U21 1

Darren Robinson 90,

Referee: Kirsty Dowle. Attendance: 239

Admission: OAp £3.00 (£5). Free Team Sheet

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Wednesday 26th February 2025

Eastern Counties League Premier Division

Downham Town 3

Dylan Edge 4, 44 (pen), 45+2,

Brantham Athletic 2

James Lee 31, Billy Wales 76,

Referee: Stuart Jessop. Attendance: 150

Admission: OAP £5.00 (£7). Programme: £1.00

There was a lot of rain in this part of the world, today, but the match survived at The Memorial Playing Field and the pitch played pretty well. Currently top of the division, it is hard to see how this ground might make the grade for step 4. There is hardstanding on only three sides, the ground is shared with the local cricket club and only around 100 seats (some of them very comfortably upholstered, mind you)! Brantham Athletic are in 5th place and competed very well. A goal down in four minutes, they battled back to equalise, only to concede two more before the break. In the second period, they battled hard but were only able to pull one goal back. Good game and a very partisan crowd!

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Remember, the time of year
when the future appears
like a blank sheet of paper
a clean calendar, a new chance.
On thick white snow
You vow fresh footprints
then watch them go
with the wind’s hearty gust.
Fill your glass. Here’s tae us. Promises
made to be broken, made to last.

by Jackie Kay (1961 – )

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Friday 10th January 2025

Premier League 2

Leicester City 0

Crystal Palace 2

Ademola Ola-Adebomi 15, Hindola Mustapha 82,

Referee: Alan Dale. Attendance: 173

Admission: OAP £3.00 (£5). Free Team Sheet

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Saturday 11th January 2024

Jewson Western League Division 1

Sturminster Newton United 2

Buddy O’Shea 45+2, 84,

Mendip Broadwalk 1

Rhys Hickery 1,

Referee: David Kemnery. Official Attendance: 133

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

This is the first season in The Western League for both of these clubs. The Cherries, mind you, can trace their history back to the 1870s and an FA Cup encounter with the legendary ‘Wanderers’. The ground is spartan, with hard standing on two sides and a small covered standing area on one side. The concrete base for a seated stand is further along the same side. There is a large club house with catering facilities and a bar. The match began explosively with a goal after only 40 seconds to the visitors. They hung onto this lead until added time at the end of the first half, when the hosts equalised. A second goal to the hosts six minutes from time gave them the victory, but not before a sending off for the visitors in the eighth minute of added time and tense contretemps between player and spectators on his way to the dressing room! With John Main.

Monday 13th January 2025

Walsall Senior Cup Quarter-final

Coleshill Town 0

Rushall Olympic 0

Referee: Alex Rolfe. Official Attendance: 101

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

Coleshill Town won 4-2 on penalties after 90 minutes

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Tuesday 14th January 2025

Northern Premier League Midlands Division 1

Rugby Town 1

Harrison Nee 24,

Loughborough Students 1

Hussein Issa 63,

Referee: Jason Porter. Official Attendance: 143

Admission: OAP £5.00 (£10). Programme: £2.00

Butlin Road is an impressive stadium with hard standing throughout, cover on all four sides, crash barriers and substantial terracing behind each goal. It was a pity that only a smattering of spectators were there to witness the encounter. Rugby Town’s average attendance this season is 288, but less than half of that turned up tonight. Relegation threatened Rugby, under new management, enjoyed the better of the first half and took a 1-0 lead into the interval. The students responded well in the second period and struck on the hour mark to level the score … and a draw was probably the right result! With John Main.

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Wednesday 15th January 2025

West Herts St Mary’s Challenge Cup Quarter-final

Tring Athletic 2

George Carbery 56, 80 (pen),

Tring Corinthians 1

Harry Robertson 67,

Referee: Robert Poole. Attendance: 141

Admission: OAP £5.00 (£9). Programme: NONE

Both of these teams grace The Spartan South Midlands League, but there are two divisions between them, with hosts, Athletic in mid-table in the premier division and Corinthians in mid table in division 2. It should have been a massacre, but the hosts were woefully profligate and the visitors plugged away doggedly. After a goalless first half, Athletic took the lead just before the hour mark, Corinthians equalised some ten minutes later with an outrageous free kick and, out of nowhere, the hosts won it with a penalty five minutes from time! Heavy fog rolled in midway through the second half!

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Saturday 18th January 2025

Southern Combination League Division 1

Billingshurst 0

Worthing United 2

Danny Kingston 15, Dan Hills,

Referee: Oliver Westgate. Official Attendance: 102

Admission: OAP £4.00 (£7). Programme: ON LINE

I do hate unnecessary tautology. Surely a “league” is a “ combination”! No need to say it twice! Jubilee Fields is a good walk from Billingshurst Station – even when the postcode is correct! The ground is very basic. A grass pitch with hard standing on three sides and a seated stand with around 75 seats. There is a wire fence surrounding the arena and there were spectators who watched for free on the outside of it. The club house is shared with the cricket club. These two sides are aiming for the play-off places and fifth placed Worthing were deserved victors with a goal in each half against the seventh placed hosts.

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Monday 20th January 2025

Northants Senior Youth League North Division

Blackstones U18 5

Will Pearce-Smith 6, Joe Johnson 15, Johan Coughlan 57, Henry Moxley 73, Finn Seggie 79,

Corby Town U18 2

Lionel Gazire 29, Kyle Hutchison 79,

Referee: Junior Jones. Attendance: 73

Admission: OAP £1.00 (£3). Programme: NONE

Good match at Lincoln Road in Stamford, where the hosts were playing joint leaders from Corby, both teams having suffered but one league defeat all season. Blackstones were two ahead inside fifteen minutes, but Corby pulled a goal back before the interval. After the break, Blackstones struck three more times before the young Steelmen grabbed a late consolation to make the score more respectable. Excellent entertainment on a very chilly evening!

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Southern League Division 1 Central

Tuesday 21st January 2025

North Leigh 0

Harley Vazza s/o 87,

Hertford Town 2

Benjamin Herd 17, Adeniyl Gbolahan 77,

Referee: Samuel Lee. Attendance: 44

Admission: OAP £5.00 (£10). Programme: ON LINE

Lovely rustic setting at Eynsham Park, but the hosts, representing a village of under 2,000 souls are punching well above their weight! Not for much longer, however, bottom of the table and fifteen points from safety, they were well beaten tonight, a goal in each half and a penalty saved to keep the score respectable. The hosts also had a man dismissed in the final three minutes for a second yellow card. With son, Jim and grandsons, Sonny and Kingsley!

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Wednesday 22nd January 2025

United Counties League Premier Division North

Melton Town 1

Kairo Edwards-John 48,

Bourne Town 2

Tom Siddons 10, Paul Malone 83,

Referee: Thomas Kennedy. Official Attendance: 159

Admission: OAP £5.00 (£7). Programme: £2.00

Top of the table Bourne Town are chasing consecutive promotions, whilst mid table Melton Town are on a bad run of seven defeats. The hosts have made substantial improvements to their stadium, including a 3G pitch, addditional hard standing all round and a pretty impressive lounge and catering area behind the goal. Tonight, they were unlucky. The visitors were clearly unhappy on the 3G surface and for long periods were outplayed by the hosts. However a goal at each end of the game gave The Wakes the victory despite an equaliser immediately after half-time.

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Saturday 25th January 2025

Northern Premier League Midlands Division 1

Corby Town 1

Callum Milne 90+2

Bedworth United 0

Referee: Grace Lowe. Attendance: 538

Admission: OAP £7.00. Programme: £2.00

Bedworth came to spoil and frustrate, and to waste time. They very nearly succeeded. In a scrappy encounter, The Steelmen were ineffectual and largely clueless, but they managed a goal in the 92nd minute, which was more than they deserved, but just what Bedworth deserved!

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Wednesday 29th January 2025

Southern League Division 1 Central

Kidlington 0

Thame United 2

Tom McElroy 18, Ty Deacon 32 (pen),

Referee: Samuel Olhausen. Attendance: 91

Admission: OAP £5.00 (£10). Programme: £2.00

This was my first visit in ten years to Yarnton Road and not a lot had changed in that time. The car park was still full of potholes and the ground still had that feel of genteel decay. The team are in serious trouble, too, and might easily drop out of the Southern League at the end of the season. Despite all of this, they certainly enjoyed vociferous support! Visitors, Thame United scored twice in the opening period, however, the hosts were much more determined after the break, but never really looked like scoring.

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The Way Through the Woods

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They shut the road through the woods

Seventy years ago,

Weather and rain have undone it again,

And now you would never know

There was once a road through the woods

Before they planted the trees.

It is underneath the coppice and heath

And the thin anemones

Only the keeper sees

That, where the ring dove broods,

And the badgers roll at ease,

There was once a road through the woods

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by Rudyard Kipling (1865-1936)

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Spellbound

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The night is darkening round me,

The wild winds coldly blow;

But a tyrant spell has bound me

And I cannot, cannot go.

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The giant trees are bending

Their bare boughs weighed with snow.

And the storm is fast descending,

And yet I cannot go.

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Clouds beyond clouds above me,

Wastes beyond wastes below;

But nothing drear can move me;

I will not, cannot go.

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Emily Bronte (1818 – 1848)

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Symphony in Yellow

An omnibus across the bridge

Crawls like a yellow butterfly,

And here and there a passer-by

Shows like a little restless midge.

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The barges full of yellow hay

Are moored against the shadowy wharf,

And, like a yellow silken scarf,

The thick fog hangs along the quay.

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The yellow leaves begin to fade

And flutter from the Temple elms,

And at my feet the pale green Thames

Lies like a rod of rippled jade.

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Oscar Wilde (1854 – 1900)

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When You Are Old

William Butler Yeats (1865 – 1939)

When you are old and grey and full of sleep,

And nodding by the fire, take down this book,

And slowly read, and dream of the soft look

Your eyes had once, and of their shadows deep;

How many loved your moments of glad grace,

And loved your beauty with love false or true,

But one man loved the pilgrim soul in you,

And loved the sorrows of your changing face;

And bending down beside the glowing bars,

Murmur, a little sadly, how Love fled

And paced upon the mountains overhead

And hid his face amid a crowd of stars.

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Sunday 1st September 2024

English Schools Cricket Association

National T20 FINALS Day (@Arundel Castle)

First Semi-final

Scarborough College (won toss) 162 for 7 (20 overs)

defeated

Shrewsbury School 136 for 6 (20 overs)

by 26 runs

Umpires: Matt French & John Tomsett. Scorer: Eddie McGeown

 

Second Semi-final

Harrow School 161 for 4 (20 overs)

defeated

Kings College Taunton 116 all out (15.2 overs)

by 45 runs

Umpires: Terry Barstow & Martin Bodenham.  Scorer: Eddie McGeown

 

FINAL

Harrow School (won toss) 195 for 8 (20 overs)

defeated

Scarborough College 132 all out (17.0 overs)

by 63 runs.

Umpires: Matt French & John Tomsett.    Scorer: Eddie McGeown

 

A fine day’s cricket, with Harrow School (perhaps not unexpectedly) head and shoulders above the rest of the competition. The day was overshadowed by the passing of Richard Somerford. He worked for ESCA for many years, nationally, regionally and also for Surrey and Norfolk.

Richard played an important part in the running of  the National School rounds. He was well liked and respected for all his hard work. Despite not being in the best of health,  he was determined to attend Finals day, but sadly passed away during the competition.

He was a valued member of The National Executive and will be sorely missed by all who knew him.

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