August 2022

Posted in Cricket, Football, Non-League, Welsh Football | September 1st, 2022
Ode to Everton

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When at Thy call my weary feet I turn
The gates of paradise are opened wide
At Goodison I know a man can learn
Rapture more rich than Anfield can provide.
In Coulter’s skill and Geldard’s subtle speed
I see displayed in all its matchless bounty
The power of which the heavens decreed
The fall of Sunderland and Derby County.
The hands of Sagar, Dixie’s priceless head
Made smooth the path to Wembley till that day
When Bolton came. Now hopes are fled
And all is sunk in bottomless dismay.
And so I watch with heart and temper cool
God’s lesser breed of men at Liverpool.

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Michael Foot (1913-2010), himself a famous Plymouth Argyle fan, sent this poem into The Liverpool Daily Post in January 1935 following an FA Cup tie he witnessed at Goodison Park, where Everton, the hosts, defeated Sunderland 6-4 after extra time. It was said to be one of the greatest  games ever staged at Goodison Park, and Michael Foot  – lucky enough to have been there – called his poem “Ode to Everton” (Courtesy of “The Guardian”).

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Trent Bridge 2nd August 2022
Brilliant day’s cricket in The Royal London One Day Cup, where Nottinghamshire Outlaws defeated Sussex Sharks by 65 runs, with sons, Jim, Mike and Liam and grandsons, Freddie, Sonny and Kingsley, and, the icing on the cake, was a chance meeting with …. Joe Root. Great day Out.
Nottinghamshire Outlaws (won toss) 290 for 6 (50 overs) defeated Sussex Sharks 217 all out (43 overs) by 73 runs
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Grandsons, Sonny and Kingsley with Joe Root, former England Cricket Captain.
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Grandson, Freddie, with Joe Root. 
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Wednesday 3rd August 2022
Pre-Season Friendly
Milton 2
Tom Blake 10, Ethan Collett 24,
Cottenham 1
Jack Leeks 70,
Referee: Richard May.                                 Attendance:- 47
Admission: F.O.C.                                        Programme:- NONE
A pleasant evening in Cambridgeshire, a flaxen coloured pitch, hard as concrete, the home team looked the better side, but could have been undone at the end! With John Main, Peter Miles and Brian Buck.
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Friday 5th August 2022
EFL Championship
Birmingham City 2
Scott Hogan 5, Przemyslaw Placheta 45,
Huddersfield Town 1
Danny Ward 61,
Referee: Gavin Ward.                                     Attendance: 17,065
Admission: OMGDS £10.00 (£15)               programme: NONE
A rare visit (and a first in seven years) to St Andrews Stadium for a meeting between the hosts and Yorkshire rivals, Huddersfield Town. Much of the stadium – the lower tier on three sides – was out of commission and the arena looked in need of a healthy dose of improvement. Birmingham bossed the opening period and deserved their two goal interval advantage, but they had to dig deep to hold out against a spirited second half riposte from the visitors.
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The lower tier of accommodation out of use!
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Saturday 6th August 2022
Emirates FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round
Abbey Hey 0
Congleton Town 4
Daniel Needham 21, 45+2, Darren Chadwick 49, Thomas Pope 57, Paul Taylor s/o 40,
Referee: Daniel Sims.                                Official Attendance: 131
Admission: OMGDS £3.00 (£6).            Programme: £2.00
A first visit to The Abbey Stadium in East Manchester, a neat arena with cover and minimal seating and an upstairs bar and downstairs refreshments (tea/coffee and cheese and ham rolls). Today, the visitors were Congleton Town, a division higher and the gulf in class showed. The visitors went into the interval with a one goal lead and one man short, the player having been dismissed for violent conduct. It made no difference, the ten men struck three more times in the second period for an emphatic victory. With John Main and Chris Berezai.
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Sunday 7th August 2022
East Midlands Women’s Cricket League
Division 2 South (at Houghton & Thurnby)
Houghton & Thurnby (won toss) 283 for 1 (40 overs)
defeated
Bowden 56 all out (15.3 overs) by 227 runs.
Umpires: Simon Clark & Eddie McGeown
This was a battle of the basement teams and the hosts made the most of it, posting a challenging total with Elizabeth Page notching an unbeaten century (102no). She then proceeded to demolish the visitors batting, taking five wickets and playing a hugely influential part in her team’s emphatic victory!
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Tuesday 9th August 2022
United Counties League Division 1
Aylestone Park 3
Matt Langham 26 (pen), Louis Samuels 30, 53,
Saffron Dynamo 0
Referee: Matthew Basterfield.                              Attendance: 180
Admission: OMGDS £3.00 (£6).                         Programme: incl.
Aylestone continued their impressive start to the season with a regulation victory over their mid-table rivals, and this, despite the dismissal of defender, Justin Peace, just after half-time! Good to see Rose Askham and her daughter Kate and grand daughter, Nova. With John Main and Jack Warner.
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Saturday 14th August 2022
Eastern Counties League Division 1 North.
Heachem 3
Nathan Davies 24, 49, 59, 
Great Yarmouth Town 1
George Couzens 81,
Referee: Andy Wilson.                            attendance: 141
Admission: OMGDS £3.00 (£6).         Programme: £2.00
A strong Heacham team started their home campaign with the visit of once mighty Great Yarmouth Town. The ground is a work in progress, but lacks floodlights and any seating of note. On the pitch, the newcomers easily dominated the match with a hat trick from Nathan Davies, seeing off The Bloaters, whose only response came from an 81st minute George Couzens strike. With John Main and Cliff and Margaret.
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John Main, trying out the Heacham dug-outs!
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Sunday 14th August 2022
Rutland League Division 2. (at Market Deeping)
Werrington (won toss) 322 all out (45 overs)
defeated
Market Deeping 181 all out (34.3 overs)
by 141 runs
Umpires: Pete Burrell & Eddie McGeown
On a boiling hot day in Lincolnshire with a flaxen playing surface, this top of the table clash saw a decisive victory for second placed Werrington over table topping Market Derping. The visitors won the toss and smote their way to a formidable total which included a last wicket stand of 62. The hosts were never in the hunt, losing wickets regularly, and fell far short of the required target!
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Monday 15th August 2022
Northern Premier League Division 1 Midlands
Coleshill Town 2
Liam Molesworth 45, Kai Tonge 49,
Gresley Rovers 0
Referee:- Richard Walker.                                  Attendance: 206
Admission: OMGDS £8.00 (£10).                    Programme: £2.00
A plastic pitch, an early season match, that got better as the game wore on, and the hosts came out comfortably on top after two defeats to their opponents in their last two encounters. With John Main.
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Tuesday 16th August 2022
Midland League Division 1
Droitwich Spa 3
Connor Collins24, 70, Haydn Morris 88,
Cradley Town 1
Jake Crackett 19,
Referee: Alex Shaw.                                   Attendance:- 510
Admission: OMGDS £3.00 (£5).            Programme: £1.00
Nobody in the large shirt-sleeved crowd, who had come to welcome back their home team after a four year absence, could have expected the monsoon conditions which dominated much of this match. Unrelenting, heavy precipitation from early in the first period right through until the final whistle and after, made for difficult conditions for players – and spectators, for whom there was very little cover! The hosts fell behind, but equalised by the interval and dominated proceedings in the second period, with Haydn Morris rounding off the scoring in the 88th minute.
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Saturday 20th August 2022
Thurlow Nunn Eastern Counries League premier Division
Harleston Town 1
Nathan Stone 13,
Ely City 1
Jordan Foster 59,
Referee: James Ludlam.                                      Attendance: 107
Admission: £5.00.                                                Programme: £1.00
On a warm sunny afternoon in Norfolk, the hosts, who had opened the season with four victories (three away from home), lost their 100% record in a tense dual with mid-table Ely City, who came from a half time deficit to garner a well deserved draw and, maybe should have taken all three points. Heather Hughson, an artist from British Colombia was at the match. Her father, Ken Dean, played for Harleston Town in the 1960s, but then emigrated to Canada with his family. This was Heather’s first visit to Harleston in almost sixty years!
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Sunday 21st August 2022
East Midlands Women’s Cricket League Division 2
at Houghton & Thurnby
Kettering (won toss) 162 all out (39.1 overs)
Houghton & Thurnby 74 all out (24.3 overs)
Kettering win by 88 runs
Umpires: Alan Pearce & Eddie McGeown
Hard by the A47 Leicester to Peterborough main road lies the host’s cricket ground screened by a high fence to keep the cricket balls in! Champions elect, Kettering won the toss and posted a relatively challenging total, that was eventually beyond the host’s batting capabilities. Competitive match played in a good spirit.
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Monday 222nd August 2022
Midland League Division 1
Hinckley AFC 2
Joe McNulty 50, James Reid 54,
Paget Rangers 1
Harry Jackson 90+3,
Referee: Harry Organ.                                 Official Attendance: 196
Admission: OMGDS £4.00 (£6).              Programme: £1.50
Sadly, Hinckley are reduced to playing their home matches on the 3G surface at Barwell’s ground after the major upheavals of recent years. Tonight, however, both teams put on an entertaining encounter which the hosts won, narrowly, after seemingly cruising at 2-0. There was raucous comment in the stand and the referee bore the brunt of it. It was unnecessary but didn’t spoil a good game! With John Main.
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Wednesday 24th August 2022
Northern Premier League Division 1 Midlands
Corby Town 1
Daniel Collins 70, 
Cambridge City 1
Ryan Sharman 52,
Referee: Matthew Jackson.                              Attendance: 548
Admission: OMGDS £6.00 (£10).                  Programme: £2.00
A balmy evening in Northamptonshire and these two teams were unbeaten in the league this season. The hosts dropped their first points, whilst the visitors manage a third draw in a row! It was a run of the mill match and Cambridge were marginally the superior team. They opened the scoring via a penalty, shortly after half time and the hosts equalised with twenty minutes remaining. With son, Mike and grandson, Freddie, Gary Miller and Paul Beatty.
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Welsh Hop 2022

This year marks the twentieth year of ‘hopping’ in Wales and once again, we were staying at The University of South Wales at the students accommodation in Treforest, with its steep climb up the hill and the excellent beer at the bottom in The Otley Arms. John Main and I had decided to go “off piste” for three games, so that we could take in three games in The JD Cymru South, which is the second tier of football in Wales. Each morning, we left the student accommodation and had breakfast at ‘The Hollybush”, some five miles away! The first of the matches was ………..

Friday 26th August 2022
JD Cymru South k.o.: 7.45pm
Cambrian & Clydach Vale 3
Liam Eason 17, Josh Bull 63, Ryan Prosser 70,
Ammanford AFC 1
Matthew Fisher 83,
Referee: Jordan Harman.                         Attendance:- 221
Admission: OMGDS £3.00 (£5).            Programme: on line
Lee Trundle, who started his career at Chorley and went on to become a star player for Swansea City, captained the visitors this evening at the ripe old age of forty-five! Nestling in a valley with hills all round, the hosts play on a 3G surface with substantial cover and seating, although not all of it is in use! Tonight, they were too strong for their opponents and garnered three strikes before an Ammanford consolation on 83 minutes from … not Lee Trundle, but Matthew Fisher! With John Main.
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Saturday 27th August 2022
Highadmit South Wales Alliance Division 2 k.o.:11.00am
Fairwater 2
Jack Coles 31, Jonathan Jeffries 68,
Penygraig 3
Keiran Tann 14, 63 Ashley Langford 25,
Referee: Charles Thomas.                            Attendance: 201
Admission :- £3.00.                                      Programme: £1.00
On a very warm morning, these two teams served up an entertaining encounter which the hosts were a tad unfortunate to lose. There was not much by way of furniture, and out of the shade, the sun beat down mercilessly. Round the corner at the back was a club house with food, drinks and even second hand books! Good game of football!and A minute’s silence before the match to remember club players, staff and supporters who died due to COVID-19.
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Saturday 26th August 2022
JD Cymru Premier League k.o.: 2.30pm
Pontypridd United 2
Owain Jones 26, Benjamin Ahmun 74,
Aberystwyth Town 1
Alexander Darlington 85,
Referee: Thomas Owen.                                  Official Attendance: 311
Admission: OMGDS £5.00 (£8).                  Programme: £3.00
Newly promoted Pontypridd play at the University of South Wales Sports Centre, a soulless cage with a 4G pitch and a couple of hastily erected Meccano stands. The game was almost as bleak as the stadium, but it picked up in the final quarter of an hour, when the hosts added a second and then Aberystwyth pulled one back. Interesting colour scheme for the officials! With John Main.
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The officials were bedecked in a rather fetching purple for this match!
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Saturday 26th August 2022
Highadmit South Wales Alliance Premier Division k.o.:5.00pm
Bridgend Street 1
Callum Taylor 90+8 (pen)
Cardiff Corinthians 1
Aaron Davies 80,
Referee: Andrew Wallen.                       Attendance: 264
Admission: £3.00.                                  Programme: £1.00
Formed in 1889, the club have long outlasted the street in Cardiff that they were named after! Today, they endured a bruising encounter with Cardiff Corinthians, seemingly heading towards 0-0, until the visitors snatched the lead with a scant ten minutes remaining! It took until the eighth minute of added time for the hosts to grasp an equaliser from the penalty spot!
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Sunday 27th August 2022
Highadmit South Wales Alliance Premier Division k.o.: 11.00am
Merthyr Saints 1
Andre Maia 38 (pen)
Aber Valley 5
Nathan Radzimierski 3, 45+1, 63, Jacob James 22, Tom Neville 81,
Referee: Mark Boucher.                            Attendance:- 302
Admission: £3.00.                                     Programme: £1.00
The beautifully appointed ICI Rifle Ground is enjoying its first full season, having moved across the field from the former stadium which is still extant. Sadly, The Saints are enduring a tough start to the season and this was their fifth consecutive league defeat. It could have been much worse, but Valley spurned several acceptable opportunities.
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Sunday 27th August 2022
Highadmit South Wales Alliance Division 1 k.o.: 2.00pm
Aberdare Town 6
Kian Johnson 12 (pen),Owen Jones 15, 62, Evan Olsen 19, Cory Thomas 22, Shay Welch 68,
AFC Penrhiwceiber 0
Referee: Graham Evans.                          Attendance: 305
Admission: £3.00.                                   Programme: £1.00
Seven devastating minutes from the fifteenth to the twenty second minute decided this contest. In that time the hosts scored four times without reply. Two further strikes around the hour mark were academic, the match was already won and several further straightforward opportunities were spurned by the hosts in a match somewhat eccentrically officiated.
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Sunday 27th August 2022
Highadmit South Wales Alliance Division 2 k.o.: 5.00pm
Nelson Cavaliers 0
Cwmbach Royal Stars 3
Matthew Jones 19, Jenson Price 43, Liam Price 50,
Referee: Daryl Jenkins.                               Attendance: 254
Admission: £3.00.                                       Programme: £1.00
Top of the table Royal Stars won this game at a canter at Wern Field, the site of a former coal mine and now a country park near Treharris. There was little to see in the way of football furniture, a field with a metal rail round it, set in a natural bowl and a couple of plastic “dug-outs”. The visitors were impressive and quickly established a two goal advantage. A third strike early in the second period was the icing on the cake!
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Monday 29th August 2022
Highadmit South Wales Alliance Division 1
Maesteg Park 2
Lewis Kingdon 26, Paul Evans 42,
Vale United 2
Daniel Hanson 39, Arran Jeffries 67, Steven Gauci s/o 53,
Referee:- Keith Redford.                                      Attendance: 302
Admission: £3.00.                                                Programme: £1.00
A lovely morning with a cooling breeze at Tudor Park, where memories of the host’s former glories are somewhat scarce and (in the case of the stand), roofless following a mini tornado! Vale looked the better side early on, but then conceded a bizarre goal and found themselves 1-2 down at the interval. Early in the second half, they were a man down, too following a DOGSO offence. They recovered to equalise and a draw was probably a fair result.
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Monday 29th August 2022
JD Cymru South
Taffs Well 0
Swansea University 0
Referee: Michael Ford.                                  Attendance:- 161
Admission: OMGDS £3.00 (£5).                Programme: on line
A very pleasant rural ground, with a couple of raised, seated stands, one to each side of the pitch. Today’s match saw two sides cancel each other out in a dour encounter which had little to recommend it! it was all the more surprising, because the hosts were joint top of the league and the visitors were one place off the bottom!
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Monday 29th August 2022
Highadmit South Wales Alliance Division 1
Clwb Cymric 4
Rhys Withers 18, Aled Hughes 61, Thomas Roberts 77, 90+2,
Grange Albion 0
Referee: Michael Ford.                                Attendance: 226
Admission: £3.00.                                       Programme: £1.00
A metal cage painted green, a 3G pitch, with viewing behind one goal and along one side with two seated Meccano stands. Despite the unappetising surroundings, the welcome was warm and this from a club organised for Welsh speakers in Cardiff. The hosts started slowly, but grew into the game scoring three goals after the interval to add to an initial strike in the first period. The last match of a very successful “hop”!!!
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Other Matches:

Monday 1st August

U11 Girls T20 Matches at Kettering CC

Umpires: Alan Pearce & Eddie McGeown

Leicestershire 68 all out (17 overs)

Northamptonshire 71 for 4 (12.2 overs)

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Northamptonshire 99 for 7 (20 overs)

Leicestershire 98 for 9 (20 overs)

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Monday 8th August 2022

FA U21 Premier League 2 Division 1

Leicester City 2 Tottenham Hotspur 2              attendance: 310

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Wednesday 10th August

Under 18 Girls “Hundred” Tournament at Northampton Saints

Umpires: Steve Dickinson & Eddie McGeown

Worcestershire 99 for 4 (100 balls)

Warwickshire 96 for 8 (100 balls)

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Northamptonshire 125 for 4 (100 balls)

Worcestershire 126 for 5 (97 balls)

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Thursday 11th August 2022

County U-14s match at Oundle School

Umpires: Alan Pearce & Eddie McGeown

Northamptonshire (won toss) 189 all-out (35.2 overs)

Middlesex 190 for 5 (42.5 overs)

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Friday 12th August 2022

County Girls U-15 match at Oundle School

Umpires: Colin Megennis & Eddie McGeown

Middlesex (won toss) 182 all out (38 overs)

Northamptonshire 162 all out (30.4 overs)

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Thursday 18th August 2022

U-11 District Development Match at Wellingborough Old Grammarians

Umpires: Roger Barker & Eddie McGeown

Kettering & District (won toss) 42 all out (22.2 overs)

East Northants 44 for 3 (11 overs)

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Friday 19th August 2022

FA U21 Premier League 2 Division 1

Leicester City 3 West Ham United 1        attendance:- 338

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Tuesday 23rd August 2022

U15 Girls T20 Matches at Oundle School

Umpires: Martyn Dobbs & Eddie McGeown

Northamptonshire 74 for 9 (20 overs)

Middlesex 76 for 1 (9.1 overs)

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Middlesex 106 for 7 (20 overs)

Northamptonshire 107 for 8 (19.3 overs)

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Wednesday 31st August 2022

Northants U-11 Development T20 at Burton Latimer CC

Kettering & District U-11 123 for 4 (20 overs)

Northampton & South U-11 101 for 7 (20 overs)

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Kettering & District U-11 98 for 3 (16 overs)

East Northants U-11 87 all out (13.4 overs)

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June and July 2022

Posted in Cricket, Football, Non-League | August 4th, 2022

!Loyal Fan

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You can take your golf and the rolling greens
You tennis with manicured courts neat and clean
Your soccer, your swimming, your basketball scene –
None measure up to…………FOOTBALL!
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You can reel in that trout on the end of your line
Spit out your chew while you’re ridin’ the pine
Pick up that spare with a strike, not a nine
But none spell excitement like…………FOOTBALL!
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The screaming, the cheering, the noise of the crowd
The crashing and bashing of helmets so loud
That winning touchdown that makes us all proud
Nothing’s as awesome as………….FOOTBALL!
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And there’s not another thing I’d rather do
Than cheer for that team in the maize and the blue
My heart’s in the ‘BIG HOUSE’ – I wish I were, too
There’s nothing I love more than…………FOOTBALL!

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by Linda Ori, 6th June 2008

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Saturday 4th June 2022
Northants County League Division 2
At Finedon Dolben
Kettering Town (won toss) 246 for 9 (50 overs)
defeated
Finedon Dolben 2nd XI 164 all out (39.5 overs)
by 82 runs
Umpire: Eddie McGeown.
Intermittent light rain (and sometimes a bit heavier) marred the first innings, but the visitors made the most of the conditions and racked up a very respectable total. The hosts, faced some tight bowling, and were unable to put a significant partnership together. They fell well short of the target. Match played, by both sides, in a keen competitive and spirited manner. Fine pint of beer festival ale in the bar at the close of play!
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Tuesday 7th June 2022
Vitality Blast Northern Section (at Leicester)
Leicestershire Foxes (won toss) 135 all out in
19.1 overs lost to:
Lancashire Lightning 139 for 3 (16.1 overs)
The Foxes meagre total was never going to trouble top of the table Lightning, but a couple of rain stoppages upset the rhythm of the visitors who were 81 off nine overs and then lost a couple of silly wickets which slowed the scoring rate, before a final dominant flourish which saw the winning ball hit for six. Very acceptable Beer and Balti hospitality!
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Thursday 9th June 2022
Vitality Blast Northern Section (at Northampton)
Northants Steelbacks (won toss) 220 for 5 (20 overs)
defeated
Worcestershire Rapids 147 all out (16.4 overs)
by 73 runs
This was a masterclass by The Steelbacks! Chris Lynn top scored in their innings with an imperious 113 not out (9×6 & 8×4) and skipper Josh Cobb not only scored a half century, but also took 5 for 25. Poor Rapids we’re swept aside, with only Ed Barnard, formerly of Shrewsbury School, top scoring with 42. With sons, Mike and Liam and grandson Freddie!
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Saturday 11th June 2022
Northants County League Division 8 (at Great Bowden, Market Harborough).
Bowden 2nd XI (lost toss) 145 all out (40.1 overs)
lost to
S&L Corby 2nd XI 146 for 9 (40.0 overs)
by one wicket.
Umpires: John Noah and Eddie McGeown.
East Midland trains thunder past the ground every few minutes, trees line the ground and one, lightning-struck trunk, surrounded by a metal railing stands well inside the playing area, (four runs if any part of it is struck by the balll!). In a low scoring contest, neither side batted well and the visitors narrowly scraped over the line, nine wickets down, with the assistance of four byes!
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Saturday 11th June 2022
Grandson Freddie (aged eleven) took 6 wickets for 21 runs off ten overs in S&L Corby 4th XI victory at Kettering. Posting only 96, S&L reduced Kettering to 94 all out to win by two runs! Future England Captain? All the wickets were clean bowled!
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Sunday 12th June 2022
Rutland & District Cricket League Division 2
At Ketton
Whittlesey (lost toss) 174 all out (38 overs)
lost to
Ketton 175 for 2 (38.1 overs) at Ketton.
Umpires: Mark Poucher & Eddie McGeown.
Ketton’s extensive sports complex houses a fine cricket facility dominated by the skyline of Ketton Cement works. Today, inserted by the hosts, Whittlesey were unable to post a challenging target and Ketton polished off the score and the victory with almost seven overs to spare. Excellent pint of locally brewed ale after the match.
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Thursday 16th June 2022
(Ashbourne) Summer League Cup Semi-final
Red Lion 2
James Ingram 8, Sam Parker 81, 
Osmaston 1
Jacob Edge-Lucas 72
(at Brassington) Referee:- Adam Gill
Attendance:- 55          Admission: £2.00             Prog: NONE
Favourites, Osmaston were stung by an early strike from James Ingram on 8 minutes for Red Lion. They worked hard to get back Into the game but we’re let down by wayward shooting, until a penalty by Jacob Edge-Lucas brought them level after 72 minutes. It was not to be their night, however, when ten minutes later a precision free kick from the edge of the area by Sam Parker, gave Red Lion a slightly fortuitous victory! With John Main. Red Lion progress to entertain Doveridge in the final.
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John Main suffering from a bad back!
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Sunday 19th June 2022
East Midlands Women’s Cricket League
Premier Division (at Burton Latimer)
Burton Latimer Women 144 all out (42.3 overs)
defeated
Caythorpe Women 51 all out (19.3 overs)
by 93 runs.
Umpires Martin Dobbs & Eddie McGeown
Caythorpe won the toss and inserted the hosts on a low slow pitch, restricting them to what appeared to be a modest total. However a purposeful spell of devastating bowling, dismantled the visiting batting line up and the hosts gained a surprisingly easy victory!
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Tuesday 28th June 2022
Huntingdonshire Charity Match
Huntingdon Town 0
Eunice Huntingdon 0
Referee: James Sweek.                              Attendance:- 104
Admission: F.O.C.                                     Programme: NONE
A mild, sunny evening on an outside pitch at Jubilee Park, home of Huntingdon Town, where a large gathering of Ukrainians and their supporters offered Borsch and cakes and raffle tickets for a 65 inch state of the art TV set. The hosts were entertaining a Ukrainian/Polish team from The Peterborough & District League. The match itself was less than enthralling. Opportunities were few and far between, but the welcome and the atmosphere was touchingly genuine and fulsome!
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Friday 1st July 2022
2021/22 India Test Series 5th Test Day 1
India 338 for 7 (73 overs – rain interrupted)
v England
First day of the fifth test between England and India (at Edgbaston) held over from 2021, courtesy of eldest son Jim. It all looked good for England at 98 for 5, but then Rishbah Pant scored 146 at more than a run a ball, and India reached 338 for 7 (73 overs) at the close, in a rain affected day.
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Saturday 2nd July 2022
Pre-Season Friendly
Kiveton MW 0
Hallam 3
Danny Patterson 44, 82, Liam Royals 54 (pen).
Referee:- Dan Brown.                                       Attendance:- 102
Admission: OMGDS £1.00 (£3)                     Programme: NONE
There is quite a facility at Hard Lane. A couple of football pitches and a separate cricket pitch, but access was initially difficult because of building work at the entrance. Hallam are NCEL Division 1 champions and they eventually overcame the spirited resistance of their CML rivals. With John Main and Dave Higgins.
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Friday 8th July 2022
EUFA Women’s European Championships Group B
Germany 4
Lina Magull 21, Lea Schuller 57, Lena Lattwein 78, Alexandra Popp 86,
Denmark 0
Referee:- Esther Staubli                             Attendance:- 15,746
Admission:- £20.00.                                   Programme:- £8.00
This match was held at a very nearly full Brentford Community Stadium on a fine, warm evening and Germany showed just what England will be up against if they meet them in the quarter finals. They were strong, determined and skilful and they kept Denmark pinned back for long periods. Three second half strikes reinforced a dominant performance. I didn’t buy the programme, it is just not worth it and the refreshment outlets were ludicrously over priced, but there was a good atmosphere and a very entertaining encounter!
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Wednesday 13th July 2022
EUFA Women’s European Championships Group C
At Leigh Sports Village
Netherlands 3
Damaris Egurrola, Stefanie Van der Gragt 17, Lineth Beerensteyn 62,
Portugal 2
Carole Costa 38, Diana Silva 47,
Referee: Ivana Martinac. Attendance:- 6,966
Admission: £20.00. Programme: £8.00
The Whistling Wren hostelry, hard by the stadium was doing a roaring trade, so I partook of a modest repast and a pint of fine ale (no beer in any of the grounds – only lager and cider!). Sadly the stadium was barely half full and the standing area behind one goal was completely empty – except for the commentators groups. The game was pretty reasonable, but only because Netherlands, who were the superior side, allowed carelessness and casual play to creep into their game and, in the end, they were a tad fortunate to garner the victory!
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Saturday 16th July 2022
Pre-Season Friendly
Skelmersdale United 3
Jordan Southworth 35, Darren Brannigan 60, Joe Nicholson 82,
Morecambe XI 3
Adam Meyer 8, Triallist 12, Triallist 77,
Referee: Carl Rooney.                   Attendance: 219
Admission: OMGDS £3.00 (£5)                    Programme: None
Skem are reduced to playing on a plastic pitch in a metal fenced complex, a substantial comedown from their heady days of Amateur Cup Finals at Wembley! This was a good game, however, with the young Turks of Morecambe exerting themselves in the opening half to take a deserved 2-1 lead, but Skem turned it round in the second half and earned a hard fought draw. With John Main.
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Sunday 17th July 2022
Rutland Cricket League Division 1
At Castle Hill, Uppingham
Barnack (won toss) 271 for 8 (45 overs)
defeated
Uppingham Town 118 all out (26.2 overs)
by 153 runs
Umpires: Chris Gilham & Eddie McGeown
It was warm at Castle Hill, but there was a cooling breeze to make the conditions palatable. Barnack posted a pretty challenging total, but not as high as the return fixture three weeks ago when they smote 350 runs. The hosts bowled doggedly, but to little effect and then were undone by the visitors bowling and fielding attack and succumbed, tamely to 118 all out. Good to see Ajaz Akhtar playing in the fortieth year of a career that started way back at Old Deaconians in 1983.
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Monday 18th July 2022
EUFA Women’s European Championships Group D
Italy 0
Belgium 1
Tine De Caigny 49,
Referee:- Ivana Martincic.                     Attendance:- 3,919
Admission: £20.00.                                Programme: £8.00
On a sweltering evening at the mini Etihad in Manchester, two sets of partisan fans kept the decibel levels high, but on the pitch, a combination of the extreme heat and the tension of knowing that only one team could progress, meant that this was a cagey affair. Belgium won it with a strike just after half time, but they were subjected to periods of intense Italian pressure. Belgium progress to the quarter finals, where they will meet high flying Sweden!
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Thursday 21st July 2022
Pre-Season Friendly
Cadbury Athletic 2
Studley 0
Referee:- Simon Lane.                              Attendance: 82
Admission: F.O.C.                                     Programme:- NONE
The sumptuous, gothic, Victorian pavilion dominates the sports ground on Bournville Lane, with the elegant statue of Terpsichore, the Ancient Greek muse of Music and Dance (and, presumably, sport), greeting the visitor at the entrance. Cadbury Athletic of Midland League Division 2 were entertaining premier division opponents, Studley and the visitors made the better start and really ought to have put away a couple of very decent chances. The hosts grew into the game and, in the second half, with both sides having made numerous changes in personnel, it was they who deservedly struck twice to claim a decisive victory!
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Saturday 23rd July 2022
Pre-Season Friendly
Horbury Town 8
Ben Agu 2, 27, 38,James Cusworth, 51 (pen), 58,Saif Akbar 69, 74, Sam Kyeremeh85,
Huddersfield Amateurs 1
Nathan Hirst 73,
Referee:- Adam Gibbons.                             Attendance:- 26
Admission: F.O.C.                                         Programme:- NONE
Horbury Town are gearing up for a first season in The NCEL, both on and off the pitch. Evidence of floodlights being installed, hard standing around the pitch, but the only cover is a 50 seat Meccano stand and the site is somewhat exposed! On the field, a new influx of players comfortably saw off their opponents, starting with a first half hat-trick from Ben Agu. A further five second half strikes wrapped up the victory with the visitors only response from Nathan Hirst on 73 minutes! With John Main.
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Monday 25th July 2022
Pre-Season Friendly
Chatteris Town XI 0
Histon U18 6
Harley Fisher, 3, Jamie Herbert 4 (og), Ben Suckling 23, Joel McGuiness33, 44, Callum Gilben 85,
Referee:- Paul Gale.                                     Attendance: 52
Admission: F.O.C.                                       Programme: NONE
Quite an impressive small stadium, but the stand was out of action awaiting repair and an upgrade which will allow viewing front and rear on adjacent pitches, all courtesy of local company, Aerotron, who are undertaking the work using completely recycled materials. On the pitch, the hosts, recovering from a mass desertion to follow the previous manager, fought hard but were overcome by a strong youth squad from Histon. Chair of the hosts, Vicky Bennett has high hopes and ambitious plans to advance the club!
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Monday 25th July 2022
Good walking weather! 9.3 miles from Gretton, nine stiles, three hours and twelve minutes and ….. I should have taken a hat!
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Tuesday 26th July 2022
Pre-Season Friendly
Burwell 4
Jack Carter 21, 27, Evan Baird 52, Arran Derakhshan 80,
Fordham 1
Ben Atkinson 32,
Referee:- Lee Sherwood.                                      Attendance: 27
Admission: F.O.C.                                        Programme: NONE
These two local rivals – a mere four miles apart – deep in the Cambridgeshire fenlands, ply their trade at about the same level in the Cambs County League. Burwell are a very recent amalgamation of Burwell Tigers and Burwell Swifts and their brand new emblem (see picture) was the result of open competition. The visitors started the better, but as the game wore on, a raft of substitutions tilted the game decisively in the hosts favour.
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Friday 29th July 2022
United Counties League Premier Division South
Lutterworth Town 3
Mwanyongo Pearson 18, 37, Jordan Wilson 25 (pen),
Rothwell Corinthians 2
Marcel Rzeszutek 59, Zac Allen 89,
Referee:- David Brennan.                        Attendance: 320
Admission: OMGDS £3.00 (£6).            Programme: £2.00
The first competitive league match of the season was also the first match of the UCL Hop. The match started late (the hop coach broke down en-route) and there was a further hold-up after a linesman collapsed, so that it was almost ten o’clock before the match finished! Lutterworth were much the better side in the opening period, but the visitors upped their work rate after the interval and actually scored four times. Sadly, two of them were disallowed and they lost narrowly, but restored some pride! With John Main.
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Saturday 30th July 2022
United Counties League Division 1
Southwell City 2
Ed Munton 15, Ben Selby 40,
Kirby Muxloe 2
Benjamin White54, 71,
Referee: Robert Pealing.                           Attendance: 128
Admission: £3.00.                                     Programme: included
Centenary Park, Brinkley is the new council owned home of Southwell City, but it is yet a work in progress. Concrete hard standing behind one goal and down one side, footings for four floodlight stanchions are in place and there is a small covered standing area down one side, seating has yet to arrive. There is a well appointed clubhouse serving hot and cold food. On the pitch, newcomers to the league, Southwell, shot out of the starting blocks and deservedly claimed a two goal half-time lead. However, by full time, the visitors had drawn level. With John Main.
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Trent Bridge 2nd August 2022
The Royal London One Day Cup
Nottinghamshire Outlaws (won toss) 290 for 7 (50 overs)
defeated
Sussex Sharks 225 all out (44 overs) by 65 runs
Brilliant day’s cricket in The Royal London One Day Cup, where Nottinghamshire Outlaws defeated Sussex Sharks by 65 runs, with sons, Jim, Mike and Liam and grandsons, Freddie, Sonny and Kingsley, and, the icing on the cake, was a chance meeting with …. Joe Root. Great day Out.
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Other Matches:

Thursday 2nd June

Umpire: Eddie McGeown

Northants U11 104 all-out (21.2 overs)

lost to

Derbyshire U11 105 for 1 (18.2 overs)

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Sunday 26th June

East Midlands Women’s Cricket League Division 2 South

Umpire: Eddie McGeown

Market Overton Women 249 for 9 (40 overs)

defeated

Bowden Women 52 all out (17.1 overs) bu 197 runs

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Thursday 30th June 2022

Fred Truman State Schools U-13 FINAL Northants

at Burton Latimer Umpire: Pratik Rachh and Eddie McGeown

Bishop Stopford School U13 118 for 3 (20 overs)

defeated

Prince William School U13 (won toss) 83 for 9 (20 overs) by 35 runs

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Monday 4th July 2022

Pre-Season Friendly

Raunds Town 1 Stevenage 3                  attendance:- 136

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Wednesday 6th July 2022

Pre-Season Friendly

YPD All Stars 0 Eynesbury United 1    attendance: 31

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Saturday 9th July 2022

Bedford Khalsa Tournament Premier Division Semi-Final

GNG Leicester v4 Singh Brothers Derby 1       attendance:- 102

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Saturday 9th July 2022

Bedford Khalsa Tournament Division 2 Group 1

Punjab Lions Bedford Reserves 7 GNP Sports Coventry 4   attendance: 129

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Sunday 10th July 2022

East Midlands Women’s Cricket League Division 1

at Sileby (Leics) Umpires: Alan Pearce & Eddie McGeown

Thrapston (won toss) 23 all out (20.3 overs)

lost to Sileby 24 for 0 (3 overs) by ten wickets

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Tuesday 12th July 2022

Pre-Season Friendly

Aylestone Park 2 Corby Town 5     attendance: 159

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Sunday 25th July 2022

Rutland League Division 1 (at Burghley Park)

Umpires: Dave Ford and Eddie McGeown

Burghley Park (won toss) 209 all out in 43.2 overs

lost to

Wisbech 210 for 2 in 32.2 overs by 8 wickets

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Wednesday 27th July 2022

EUFA Women’s European Championships Semi-final

Germany 2 France 1   attendance: 27,445

_______________________________________________

Thursday 28th July 2022

Cricket at Kettering Town

Umpires: Alan Pearce and Eddie McGeown

Beds/Hunts U13 Girls 47 all out (14.3 overs

lost to

Northants U13 Girls 58 all out (13.3 overs)

then

Northants U13 Girls 84 for 5 (20 overs)

defeated

Beds/Hunts U13 Girls 56 all out (11.4 overs)

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Sunday 31st July 2022

East Midlands Women’s Cricket League Division 1

Umpires Alan Bowden and Eddie McGeown

Kibworth (won toss) 61 all out in 23.2 overs

lost to

Kettering Town 62 for 4 in 16.3 overs

_________________________________________

 

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0Comments

May 2022

Posted in Conference, Cricket, Football, Non-League | June 1st, 2022

Soccer Girl

She gets out there and hustles
She does her very best
It’s all about the teamwork
And winning is her quest

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Pretty as a picture
She could be most anything
But for now she’s chosen soccer
And working hard for her team

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Pony-tail is flying
The ball is flying too
She’s got those rules down good
And she knows just what to do

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So come on folks and watch the game
If you want to see the best
A girl who could be a beauty queen
But soccer is her quest!

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by Marilyn Lott

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Tuesday 3rd May 2022
Abacus Lighting Central Midlands League
Premier Division South
Mickleover RBL 4
Owen Brader 26, 45, Lewis Durow 41, 86,
Arnold Town 0
Referee:- Ryan Kelly.                                   Attendance: 38
Admission: OMGDS £1.00 (£3).              Programme: £1.00
Sad to see Arnold Town fall so low. Twenty years ago, I saw them playing at their well appointed old ground in the centre of Arnold which they also shared with the town cricket club. This evening on RBL’s overgrassed and bumpy playing surface, they were taken apart by a side at the other end of the table and the score line was generous in Arnold’s favour! Will they survive the drop? It looks increasingly unlikely. With John Main, Chris Berezai and Tony Morehead.
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Wednesday 4th May 2022
Wharfside Electrical Milton Keynes Sunday League
Sherington Athletic 8
George Chappell 2, 16, 56, Nathan Clarke 14,Dylan Cunningham 35, 38, Jade Aris 39, Luke Garner 61, 
MK City ‘A’ 1
Tate Burns 29,
Referee: Kyle Wells.                                   Attendance: 25
Admission: F.O.C.                                     Programme: NONE
I know that this is the ‘silly season’ and matches are hard to find, but nothing could be sillier than this evening’s weird encounter. We turned up at Perry Lane for a North Bucks Premier Division match. However, the two teams playing …. It gradually emerged … were from The Milton Keynes Sunday League. We only found out – largely by accident and default – when we tried to decipher the FA Full Time website information on the original game … which we gather, was postponed, and this one hurriedly arranged in its place. The hosts, top of the table and unbeaten drubbed their mid-table opponents. With John Main and David ‘DJ’ Johnston.
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Saturday 7th May 2022
Southern Combination League
Division 1 Play-off FINAL
Midhurst & Easebourne 1
Marcus Bedford 69,
Shoreham 0
Referee:- Daniel Austin.                                       Attendance: 511
Admission: OMGDS £2.50 (£5).                        Programme: £2.00
The Stag’s rustic little arena was accessed by a narrow entry through which at least a couple of hundred cars passed today, all efficiently parked between pitch and club house/ changing rooms. There was a wooden stand with benching for perhaps a hundred spectators and a tiny covered standing area behind one goal. Teams were displayed outside the club house, but the catering was basic – or it would have been, but for a travelling burger van. As for the game, the hosts deservedly won a dour contest with a trickle of a goal after seventy minutes which barely crossed the line before a defender forlornly hooked it away! With Jon Main.
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Sunday 8th May 2022
Rutland & District Cricket League Division 1 (at Burghley Park)
Burghley Park (won toss) 143 all out (37.5 overs)
Lost to
Peterborough Town 147 for 2 (25.4 overs)
Umpires:- Katherine Coultate and Eddie McGeown
Burghley Park have been playing cricket here for over 150 years. The pitch is within the grounds of Burghley House where the famous horse trials are held and within sight of Burghley House itself, and with a fine view of three of Stamford’s five churches. The hosts were indebted to a fine knock from Ben Woodward who scored 77 of his teams total, but it wasn’t enough to halt a Peterborough rampage to victory!
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Tuesday 10th May 2022
Peterborough & District League Cup FINAL
Warboys Town 1
Ben Duncan 13,
Deeping Rangers Reserves 3
Rajan Badiani 19, 37, Scott Waumsley 90,
Referee:- Ben Woodward.                                Attendance:- 287
Admission:- F.O.C.                                           Programme:- On Line
This was a feisty, bone crunching encounter in the 3G cage at Netherton United. A handsome crowd was there to see the reserves lift the trophy, but only after Warboys had taken the lead early on, found themselves behind at the interval, but then, late in the second half, they lost their custodian, dismissed for a dogso offence, and their resistance was quashed with a third strike right at the death. Man of the match from last Sunday’s cricket match at Burghley Park, Ben Woodward, was tonight’s referee!
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Wednesday 11th May 2022
National League North Play-off Eliminator
York City 2
Level John-Lewis 10, Mitch Hancox 49,
Chorley 1
Connor Hall 26,
Referee:- James Westgate.                                            Attendance:- 6,394
Admission: Hospitality (£45).                                     Programme (incl) £2.50
Quite a crowd for this play-off first round at The LNER Community Stadium, but comparatively few (319), from Chorley. It was a nervy and tense encounter, with neither side able to stamp any authority on the contest. After each side had scored in the opening period, the match hinged on a goalkeeping howler which gifted York their second goal in the 49th minute and put the hosts into the next round. Cue massive pitch invasion at the final whistle!
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The bright sun that shone right into our eyes for the first half, gradually subsided and made the se4cond half much easier viewing!
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Thursday 12th May 2022
JW Hunt Cup FINAL
Lye Town 2
Adam Meacham 14, Ben Billingham 74,
Boldmere St Michaels 1
Lewis Archer 54,
Referee:- Kevin Williscroft.                                  Attendance:- 288
Admission: by invitation (£6/4).                        Programme: incl (£2)
I was delighted to receive and accept an invitation from Alex Hamil MBE, the president of the JW Hunt Cup to this years final tie at The Castlecroft stadium, home of Old Wulfrunians. Both sides were playing in their first final in the competition and both play in the top division of The Midland League. Indeed, Boldmere recently won a resounding 4-0 play-off victory at Chalfont St Peters. This evening, in a spirited contest, however, they were undone by a determined Lye Town, who snatched victory with a 74th spectacular free-kick winner from Ben Billingham!
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Saturday 14th May 2022
Northants County Cricket League Division 1
At Brixworth
Loddington (won toss) 226 for 8 (50 overs)
defeated
Brixworth 146 all out (38 overs) by 80 runs
Umpires: Graham Abbott and Eddie McGeown
On a warm, sunny and cloudless day in Northamptonshire, Loddington started well but then gave away a flurry of wickets which saw them reduced to 88 for 6 after 15 overs. They recovered well with some watchful batting to reach 226 for 8. In contrast, Brixworth also lost early wickets and were reduced to 42 for 5 after 15 overs. They were never really able to recover and slumped to an eighty run defeat.
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Some oriental plant life in the grounds of Brixworth Park!
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Monday 16th May 2022
Spartan South Midlands Division 1 Cup FINAL
Shefford Town & Campton 1
Jake Renney 90+2,
Stotfold 0
Referee:- Toby Carlisle.                                           Official Attendance:- 147
Admission: OMGDS £3.00 (£7).                           Programme:- £1.00
This match was played at Manor Fields in Bletchley, the home of The Milton Keynes Irish Centre, which was opened by Uachtaran Na hEireann (President of Ireland), Mary McAleese in 2007. Champions, Stotfold had already defeated Shefford by 6-1, 4-0 and 3-0 this season, but in a lethargic encounter this evening, it was their opponents who took the spoils with a goal in the 92nd minute. They deserved their late victory having struck the woodwork three times in the second half!
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Saturday 21st May 2022
Montgomeryshire League Cup FINAL
Trewern 2
Tobias Dival 81, Joe Beddoes 90+1,
Meifod 1
Philip Hughes 42,
Referee:- Roy Ingram. Attendance:- 191
Admission: F.O.C. Programme:- £2.50
Llanymynech, who hosted today’s final, in the warm sunshine, lay claim to being the oldest football club in Wales, having been founded, they claim, in 1858. Today’s encounter saw champions elect, Meifod take on third place Trewern (orange & black). It was a game of few chances, one of which, Meifod took just before half-time. It looked like that would be the only strike, until Trewern scored twice in the final ten minutes, the second one in the last minute of added time, to take a deserved victory and carry off the trophy. Excellent organisation by the hosts!
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At the far end, behind the trees is a culvert that once took the railway line to Oswestry
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An opportunity (not to be missed) to put my hands on the trophy
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Sunday 22nd May 2022
East Midlands women’s Cricket League
Division 2 South (at Kibworth)
Kettering Women 338 for 2 (40 overs)
Defeated
Kibworth Women 125 for 7 (40 overs)
by 213 runs
Umpires Rodger Barker and Eddie McGeown
Some excellent batting by the visitors, who amassed a prodigious innings at more than eight runs an over. Their bowling was less impressive and the hosts salvaged some pride by batting out their forty overs, albeit for a somewhat meagre total.
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Tuesday 24th May 2022
Cambridge & District Sunday League Division 2
Haddenham Rovers 5
King Bill 0
Referee:- Ceredig Cottanch-Chell.                         Attendance:- 93.
Admission F.O.C.                                                     Prog. NONE
In the dying embers of the season, when all that is left are the very lower leagues, it is sometimes possible to unearth a gem, and so it proved this evening. The hosts, from deep in the Fenlands and striving to become divisional champions, were held for all but the final twenty minutes to a single goal advantage, but then the floodgates opened and King Bill from The King William IV tavern in Histon (although they play their home matches at Girton Recreation), were finally dismantled!
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Saturday 28th May 2022
Cherwell Cricket Leavue Division 3B
at Kingston Bagpuize, who won the toss
Kingston Bagpuize 173 all out (44.2 overs)
lost to:
Chipping Norton 174 for 8 (43.2 overs)
In a tense match which climaxed towards an enthralling finish, the visitors prevailed, despite losing a hat trick of victims on 39 runs (39 for 2 to 39 for 5). Thereafter, Riasat Ali held the innings together with a fine, unbeaten 66 and with 8 wickets down, Chippy, well captained by Jim McGeown, crawled over the line. Good match! Kingston Bagpuize, meanwhile are awaiting the construction of a splendid new clubhouse.
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The visiting team captain, Jim McGeown, who managed a couple of wickets and nine runs with the bat before a somewhat dubious LBW decision!
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Sunday 29th May 2022
Rutland & District Cricket League Division 2
at Stamford. Stamford won the toss
Stamford 250 for 6 (45 overs)
defeated Werrington 215 all out (40.3 overs)
Umpires: Chris Gilham & Eddie McGeown
On a good batting strip, the hosts made the most of winning the toss, and Andrew Hulme smote an unbeaten 112. The visitors pursued the target with vigour, but lost wickets regularly and fell 35 runs short. The Danish Invader is a hostelry in Stamford and it appears that they sponsor the cricket team. The Hansel and Gretel house behind the sight screen looks faintly sinister, but to get to it, you would need to cross the busy main road between Stamford and Market Deeping!
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OTHER MATCHES:-

Sunday 15th May 2022

Rutland Cricket League Division 2 (at Ketton)

Ketton (won toss) 197 for 8 (45 overs)

lost to:

Werrington 200 for 4 (28 overs)

Umpires: Mark Poucher and Eddie McGeown

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Tuesday 18th May 2022

Sherington AthleticMidland Regional Alliance Division 1

Burton United 4 Mickleover RBL Reserves 5       Attendance: 12

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Wednesday 19th May 2022

Leicestershire Midweek Floodlit Youth League Cup FINAL

Harborough Town u18 3 Aylestone Park u18 3  Attendance:- 204

Aylestone Park won 5-4 on penalties

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Monday 30th May 2022

U-13 Cricket at Uppingham School

Northants U-13 129 all out (28.3 overs)

defeated Beds & Hunts U-13  50 all out (19.4 overs) by 79 runs

Umpires: Simon Clark and Eddie McGeown

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Tuesday 31st May 2022

U-13 Girls Cricket at Thrapston

Cambridgeshire U-13 Girls 121 for 8 (20 overs)

defeated Northants U-13 Girls 88 for 5 (20 overs) by 33 runs

Umpires: Simon Clark & Eddie McGeown

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Tuesday 31st May 2022

U-13 Girls Cricket at Thrapston

Cambridgeshire U-13 Girls 66 for 8 (16 overs)

defeated Northants U-13 Girls 47 for 6 (16 overs) by 19 runs

Umpires: Simon Clark and Eddie McGeown

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April 2022

Posted in Division 2, Europa League, Football, Germany, Non-League, Uncategorized | May 2nd, 2022
 My Old Football
You can keep your antique silver and your statuettes of bronze,
Your curios and tapestries so fine,
But of all your treasures rare there is nothing to compare
With this patched up, worn-out football pal o’ mine.
Just a patched-up worn-out football, yet how it clings!
I live again my happier days in thoughts that football brings.
It’s got a mouth, it’s got a tongue,
And oft when we’re alone I fancy that it speaks
To me of golden youth that’s flown.
It calls to mind our meeting,
’Twas a present from the Dad.
I kicked it yet I worshipped it,
How strange a priest it had!
And yet it jumped with pleasure
When I punched it might and main:
And when it had the dumps
It got blown up and punched again.
It’s lived its life;
It’s played the game;
It’s had its rise and fall,
There’s history in the wrinkles of
That worn-out football …
by J. Milton Hayes (1884 – 1940)

 

Saturday 2nd April 2022
Southern Counties East League Premier Division
Sheppey United 7
Billy Bennett 6, 17, Dean Grant 57, 78, Warren Mfula 61,77,84,
Deal Town 1
Billy Monday 72,
Referee: Teddy Osborn.                         Attendance: 449
Admission: OMGDS £5.00 (£7).         Programme: £1.00
Sheppey United, champions elect of The SCEL, have a 4G plastic playing surface and a ground that looks like it has been thrown together from a pile of lorry containers and then liberally splashed with red paint. Prior to the match, a truly sumptuous repast at The Aviator, a hostelry maybe half a mile from the stadium. A pretty ordinary opening session saw the 4th placed visitors battle determinedly, but still fall two goals adrift at the interval. In the second half, Sheppey ran in five more goals to a solitary reply from Deal and ran out worthy and emphatic winners. With John Main (pictured).
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John Main at the turnstile
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On the balcony adjacent to the bar, a display of “Items” material
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The bar and Board Room are on the top floor behind the terraced area.
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Tuesday 5th April 2022
Sky-Bet EFL League One
Cambridge United 1
Harvey Knibbs 80,
Wycombe Wanderers 4
Sam Vokes 7, 54, Josh Scowen 56, Garath McCleary 89,
Referee: Craig Hicks.                                        Attendance: 4,751 (454 away support)
Admission: Hospitality.                                   Programme: incl. (£3.50)
Very impressive and generous hospitality, well managed and arranged, with seats in the directors box! The Abbey Stadium has not changed much in the six years since my last visit, but the team are a division higher! This evening, however, they were comprehensively dismantled by a visiting side who gave them no time and no space and for whom four goals was scant return for their effort. Thoroughly enjoyable evening with son, Mike and grandson, Freddie.
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Freddie and his Dad, Mike at the hospitality table!
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Harvey Knibbs, scorer of the Cambridge United goal, with Freddie after the game!
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Wednesday 6th April 2022
United Counties League Division 1
Saffron Dynamo 1
Jamie Starbuck 36,
Hucknall Town 2
Joe Butler 62, Craig Westcarr 77,
Referee: Andrew Cuthbert.                             Attendance:- 61
Admission: OMGDS £3.00 (£5).                  Programme: £1.00
It must be a five minute walk from the club house to the pitch, which has a tiny Meccano seated stand and a small covered terrace area and viewing realistically from behind the near side goal and on the far side of the ground, only. Well placed Hucknall struggled in the first half and went to the interval a goal down. In the second half, they took the game by the scruff of the neck and scored twice – the second from Craig Westcarr – to record the win and secure the points. With son, Mike and grandson, Freddie.
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Thursday 7th April 2022
EUFA Europa Conference Quarter final
Leicester City 0
PSV Eindhoven 0
Referee: Ivan Kruzliak (SVK).                  Attendance: 31,327
Admission: OMGDS £20.00 (£30).         Programme: £3.00
A frustrating night at The King Power Stadium as these two teams fought out a cagey quarter final first leg in front of a bumper crowd. The Foxes main concern appeared to be avoiding defeat and several of their players were below par. For PSV Noni Mandueke impressed with his skilful, mazy runs, but in total, there were only three accurate attempts on goal and that, in a nutshell, says it all! With grandson Freddie and John Main.
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Saturday 9th April 2022
Southern Combination League Premier Division
Hassocks 2
Sam Smith 58, Jack Troak 86 (pen),
Littlehampton Town 6
Aaron Capon 19, Dion Jarvis 22, Zac Harris 47, 82, Lewis Jenkins 61, Jordan Clark 63,
Referee:- Neil Wallace.                       Attendance: 178
Admission: OMGDS £3.00 (£6).     Programme: £1.00
Champions elect and FA Vase finalists, Littlehampton Town were today’s visitors at The Beacon Ground, Hassocks’ rustic establishment overlooked by not one but TWO windmills on the South Downs. The trip down by train was not uneventful with our starting point, Huntingdon, gridlocked because the main road into town was closed! The slow detour to the station and the subsequent rail journey to Hassocks was made worthwhile by a match that produced eight goals as the lowly hosts were soundly thrashed by the visitors. Good game and Hassocks never gave up, but they just weren’t in the same galaxy! With John Main.
The view from London Bridge Station as we made our way by rail from Huntingdon down to Hassocks

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March 2022

Posted in Uncategorized | April 1st, 2022

The Frog

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Be kind and tender to the frog

And do not call him names

As ‘Slimy Skin’, or ‘Polly Wig’,

Or likewise ‘Ugly James’

Or ‘Gap-a-grin’ or ‘Toad-gone-wrong’,

Or ‘Billy Bandy-knees’:

The Frog is justly sensitive

To epithets like these.

No animal will more repay

A treatment kind and fair;

At least so lonely people say

Who keep a frog (and by the way,

They are extremely rare).

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by Hilaire Belloc (1870 – 1953)

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Tuesday 1st March 2022
West Midlands (Regional) League Division 1
Sikh Hunters 3
Chris Brown, Ricardo Dudley 84, Jack Bradley 90+1,
Gornal Athletic 4
Thomas Rann 21, Callum Lloyd 29, Bradley Maslen Jones 42, 66, Matt Holland s/o 52,
Referee:- Simon King.                                    Attendance: 42
Admission:- OMGDS £3.00 (£5).             Programme:- NONE
This was a rip roaring contest at Long Lane Park where bottom of the table Sikh Hunters nearly pulled off a shock result against top of the table, Gornal Athletic. They were 0-3 down at the interval, but pulled one back almost Immediately. The visitors, apparently comfortable, then had a man sent off and were reduced to nine men when a further player was sin-binned. They added another goal and looked safe until the closing minutes, when Hunters pulled back two goals and only the final whistle prevented an equaliser! Eight bookings, two sin-binned and one sent off. With John Main, Joanna Baroudi and Antony Robinson.
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The main stand looks quite good in this picture, but, in reality, it was pretty dilapidated with bird droppings on some seats and others broken.
It was situated nearer to one goal down the nearside of the ground
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Friday 4th March 2022
Lancashire Football League West Division
Macclesfield Town u23 2
Mir Ishaq 7, Zoller Gray (pen) 84,
Fulwood Amateurs u23 1
Kane Froggatt 35,
Referee:- Ethan Murray.                        Attendance:- 58
Admission: F.O.C.                               Programme: NONE
John Main drove us both up to Lancashire and the Premier Inn just off junction 4 on the M65 for the start of the North West Counties Hop, but we didn’t go to the first game at Golcar (we’d already been) and plumped for this esoteric fixture at The UCLAN Sports Arena, where we met up with a very worried Graeme Holmes, whose beloved Everton are sinking towards the foot of The FA Premier League! The kick-off for this match had been put back to 8.00pm because of children’s training sessions and, prior to kick-off, we adjourned for cake and hot chocolate to a cafe situated across the road from the car park.
Quite what Macclesfield Town are doing in The Lancashire League is a mystery as is why they are playing at UCLAN (University of Central Lancashire). There was some mention of sponsored players from abroad playing in Macclesfield’s colours and Fulwood Amateurs of The West Lancashire League must be at least a couple of steps below the hosts – even at their demoted level. This was a feisty match which threatened to explode on more than one occasion and did so right at the final whistle. A draw would have been a fair result, but a dubious penalty award, six minutes from time, gave victory to the hosts! With John Main and Graeme Holmes.
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Saturday 5th March 2022
North West Counties League Division 1 North – k.o.: 11.00am
Bacup Borough 6
Dennis Sherriff 7, Alex Mellor 25, 45, Anthony Hall 36, Kyle Siddle 77, Joseph Fallon 90,
St Helens Town 1
Dale Korie-Butler 14 (pen), Phillip Clarke s/o 34,
Referee:- Kieron Chell.                              Attendance:- 460
Admission: £5.00.                                   Programme:- £2.00
A very pleasant and olde world stadium.
On a very heavy playing surface at Bacup Borough’s rustic Cowfoot Lane, these two teams played out a rip-roaring encounter, especially in the first half where there were five goals, five bookings and a dismissal. The hosts added a further two goals after the interval to register a convincing victory against the backdrop of the lower Penines.
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Saturday 5th March 2022
North-West Counties League Premier Division – k.o.: 2.00pm
Padiham 1
Benjamin Hoskin 45+2,
Ashton Athletic 5
Joe White 16, Thomas Carr 23, 54, 74, Daniel Morton (og)50,
Referee:- Lee Harding.                               Attendance:- 378
Admission: £5.00.                                      Programme:- £2.00
Arbories Lane Memorial Ground was neat, fresh and resplendent in Royal blue and the corned beef hash was in great demand, but the home team were mugged. Playing down the slope in the first half, the visitors garnered a slender 2-1 half-time advantage. However, two strikes within ten minutes of the restart and a final goal fifteen minutes from time, ensured an imperious and well deserved victory.

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Saturday 5th March 2022
North West Counties League Division 1 North – k.o.: 4.45pm
Nelson 3
Kit Lloyd 12, 46, Jack Foster 33,
Chadderton 1
Harry Dean 86,
Referee:- Adam Watson.                               Attendance:- 351
Admission:- £5.00.                                        Programme:- £2.00
Victoria Park in Nelson is idyllic, with a row of former cotton workers cottages hiding the cotton mill with its tall chimney. On the opposite side of the pitch is an impressive stand, with seating for perhaps a couple of hundred souls. On the pitch, the hosts were in determined mood and held a two goal advantage at the interval. A further strike immediately after the break killed the game off and the visitors consolation came four minutes from the end. Nelson included four brothers from the same family in their team, and one of them scored two of their goals!
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Saturday 5th March 2022
North West Counties League Premier Division – k.o.: 7.45pm
Barnoldswick Town 0
Avro 2
Liam Ellis 53 (pen), 62,
Referee:- Adewunmi Soneye.                         Attendance:- 517
Admission:- £5.00.                                          Programme:- £2.00
The hosts had worked hard to make a success of this fixture off the pitch and a huge gathering turned out to support them with noisy “Ultras” from both sides contributing to the decibel level. On the pitch, however, the hosts, after dominating the first period without success, met a considerably more determined Avro side in the second half. The visitors took the game by the scruff of the neck and scored twice midway through the half, for a deserved victory.
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Sunday 6th March 2022
North West Counties League Division 1 North
Steeton 2
Tobias Jeffrey 33, Jordan Townsend 84, Andrew Briggs s/o 90
Ashton Town 1
Declan Hill 14, Ethan Van-Aston s/o 80,
Referee:- George Dennis.                            Attendance:- 479
Admission:- £5.00.                                       Programme:- £2.00
After the wonderful stadiums of yesterday, this characterless arena had a small covered area behind one goal created out of a lorry container and a small stand down the near side with seating for perhaps 100 spectators. Other than that, there was no cover. Two evenly matched sides jostled for supremacy. A goal to each side in the first half and deep into the second half, a draw looked the likely outcome . A visiting player dismissed for violent conduct some ten minutes from time tipped the balance and the hosts scored the winner with five minutes remaining, only to find themselves reduced to ten men with a dismissal for a second bookable offence. This was a finely balanced match, won by the finest of margins!
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Sunday 6th March 2022
North West Counties League Division 1 North
Ilkley Town 0
Garstang 0
Referee:- Anthony Parr-Robinson.                   Attendance:- 455
Admission:- £5.00.                                              Programme:- £2.00
Despite the sunshine, this was definitely not a day to venture onto Ilkley Moor without appropriate headwear. This ‘Roses’ fixture between teams from Lancashire and Yorkshire, was played out in a drab, featureless cage on a 3G surface with minimal cover – maybe fifty seats behind one goal and a short stretch of cover down one side. The match, sadly, was equally featureless as the two teams cancelled each other out and goals proved elusive.
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Monday 7th March 2022
FA Cup 5th Round
Nottingham Forest 2
Sam Surridge 30, Ryan Yates 37,
Huddersfield Town 1
Tom Lees 13,
Referee:- Graham Scott.                                    Attendance:- 27,417
Admission:- OMGDS £15 (£20).                     Programme:- £3.00
A good crowd on a cold evening for this fifth round FA Cup match, the last of the round, and a tasty home tie in prospect for the winners. All the goals came in the first half, the visitors striking first after a quarter of an hour and the home side scoring two in a seven minute spell ten minutes from the interval. Despite best endeavours, there was no addition to the score after the break and it will be Forest who entertain Liverpool in the next round. With John Main.
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Tuesday 8th March 2022
United Counties League Premier Division South
Rugby Town 0
Harborough Town 2
Freddie Robinson 44, Nathaniel Ansu 88,
Referee:- Stephen Davies.                         Attendance:- 212
Admission: OMGDS £4.00 (£8).            Programme: £2.00
The hosts, fourth in the table were looking to put one across the league leaders, however, it was not to be as the visitors dominated the opening session and scored with a strike on 44 minutes. The second half was an entirely different story, with a revitalised Rugby side pressing very hard for an equaliser which never came and then, in the 88th minute, a breakaway by the visitors saw them wrap up a hard won victory. With John Main.
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Thursday 10th March 2022
EUFA Europa Conference Round of 16
Leicester City 2
Marc Albrighton 30, Kelechi Iheanacho 90+3
Stade Rennais 0
Referee:- Orel Grinfeeld (IRS)                            Attendance:- 25,848
Admission: OMGDS £15.00 (£20).                   Programme: £3.00
A good result for The Foxes which didn’t look possible after an over cautious opening spell. Rennes looked confident and competent to upset the hosts, but only landed one shot on target all match! A blistering drive from Marc Albrighton in the first half and a precise and deft strike from Kelechi Iheanacho three minutes into added time at the end will probably be enough to clinch the tie. With John Main.
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Saturday 12th March 2022
Wessex League Premier Division
Bashley 2
Jamie Webber 9, Dan Thompson 30,
United Services Portsmouth 0
Referee: Derek Pratt.                                  Attendance: 192
Admission: OMGDS £5.00 (£7).             Programme: £2.00
Bashley, in recent memory, graced the upper echelons of The Southern League and, now, are trying to regain that status. Their ground is relatively compact, with covered seated and standing down one side of the ground, but no cover elsewhere. We were treated to a tour of the boardroom and a sumptuous breakfast repast, prior to the match. The hosts dominated the opening session of the contest and quickly established a two goal advantage, but thereafter criminally wasted several quite tasty opportunities. After the break, the visitors tightened up considerably and a dull stalemate ensued until the final whistle! With John Main.
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Tuesday 15th March 2022
Sky-Bet EFL League One
Sheffield Wednesday 1
Callum Paterson 66,
Accrington Stanley 1
Ross Sykes 83,
Referee:- Ross Joyce.                                         Attendance:- 20,688
Admission: OMGDS £20.00 (£30).               Programme: £3.00
Hillsborough is looking a tad careworn these days, but there was a healthy turn out to welcome the minnows from Lancashire, particularly after Saturday’s 6-0 mauling of Cambridge United. Stanley, however, are made of sterner stuff, robust in defence and spirited in attack. Even when they went behind with a scant twenty minutes remaining, they kept plugging away and upset the home crowd with a deserved equaliser in the 83rd minute. Perhaps Wednesday should not have substituted influential skipper, Barry Bannan in the 71st minute! With son, Mike and grandson, Freddie.
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The small gathering of away support, maybe 250 fans, at the Leppings Lane end of the ground.
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Father and son – Mike and Freddie
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Grandfather and grandson, Ed and Freddie
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Friday 18th March 2022
Cinch Scottish Championship
Dunfermline Athletic 1
Lewis McCann 89
Greenock Morton 1
Iain Wilson 42,
Referee:- Kevin Clancy.                                 Attendance:- 4,593
Admission:- £5.00.                                       Programme:- £3.00
I left home early in the morning to catch the plane from Luton to Glasgow International Airport and when I got there I picked up a Ford Fiesta hire car and drove to Dunfermline, where John Main had booked us both into The Premier Inn just off the A90. I had a truly enormous carvery at a hostelry, The Sweet Chestnut, just down the road from the hotel. I met up with Jim and Jonny Crane at The ground around 7.00pm.
Collecting the tickets in the afternoon gave me the opportunity to have a good walk round East End Stadium in all its daylight glory. Tickets were all a fiver and sit where you like. Both teams had a noisy following in the stand opposite and whilst the hosts enjoyed a large measure of possession, it was the visitors who struck first, three minutes before the interval. In the second period, the hosts became increasingly desperate but eventually, with time fast running out, they squeezed a deserved equaliser. It was a good contest, and probably, just about the right result.
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Jim and Jonny Crane
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Saturday 19th March 2022
East of Scotland League Conference B
Glenrothes 3
Lea Schiavone 4, Kyle Bell 25, Stuart Cargill 64,
Kinnoull 0
Referee : Craig Wilson.                         Attendance:- 410
Admission: £6.00.                                Programme: included
Warout Park, home of Glenrothes must have been an impressive arena in its day, sadly, now it has the feel of genteel poverty, but is still, nonetheless, imposing with a seven hundred seater stand! The hosts sit in second place in the table and easily demolished fifth placed Kinnoull with two first half strikes and a final goal late into the second period.
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Saturday 19th March 2022
Cinch Scottish Championship
Raith Rovers 2
Aidan Connolly 14, Matej Poplatinik 32, Kyle Benedictus s/o 69, Ben Williamson s/o 90+3
Inverness Caledonian Thistle 3
Shane Sutherland 27, Logan Chalmers 89, 90+1,
Referee:- Colin Steven.                                  Attendance:- 1,581
Admission: OMGDS £13.00 (£20).             Programme: £3.00
You live for games like these! It’s run of the mill for hundreds of games and then ….!!! The locals were very friendly to us in the 200 club under the home stand and the game progressed fairly moderately for and hour or so while the home side ground out a slender 2-1 advantage. A poor referee then dismissed a home player for violent conduct … maybe, and the home fans erupted, even so, the Rovers held on until a minute from the end when Caley equalised and a host of invective descended on the referee. Worse was to come. Another away goal and another home sending off and one spectator behind us just lost it, totally, unleashing a non-stop stream of abuse at the top of his voice. I seriously thought he was close to cardiac arrest! It was eye-wateringly funny, but sad, too, because we had met so many friendly locals!
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The away supporters at the far end of the ground, in The Val McDiarmid Stand.
Spectators were mainly behind each goal.
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The shadow of the floodlight pylon overshadows the terraced house below it,
and the light bulbs are reached by a precarious ladder which gave me vertigo just looking at it!
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These two photographs of me were both taken by Jonny Crane…
and the comment below the first one is Jonny Crane’s, too!
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Saturday 19th March 2022
East of Scotland League Premier Division
Hill o’ Beath 3
Ryan Connelly 19, 48, Ross Allum 90+2 (pen)
Linlithgow Rose 1
Alan Sneddon 35,
Referee:- Andy Gamble.                                  Attendance:- 584
Admission:- £7.00.                                          Programme:- £2.00
This was a game of commitment and determination. Linlithgow Rose sit proudly in second place whilst lowly placed Hill o’ Beath have recently acquired a new manager who has instilled some steel into their performances. Stopped on the way to the ground to capture the statue of a famous son of Hill of Beath, Scotland and Rangers hero, Jim Baxter, and then the ground, Spartan but well appointed and surprisingly spacious with cover on three sides, but no seating. Beath scored first, but the game was level at the interval. Three minutes into the second period, the lead was regained, but then, the hosts withstood enormous pressure, before clinching the match and the points with a penalty right at the death!
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‘Slim’ Jim Baxter, born in Hill of Beath and probably the finest left half Scotland ever had. 
He played mainly for Rangers, but later in his career he had spells with Sunderland and Nottingham Forest
Sadly, drink was a problem for him and caused his early demise in 2001 at the age of 62
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Sunday 20th March 2022
Cinch Scottish Premier League
Dundee 1
Christie Elliott 5,
Rangers 2
Aaron Ramsey 65, Connor Goldson 85, James Tavernier missed penalty 40,
Referee:- Bobby Madden.                             Attendance:- 7,669
Admission: OMGDS £22.00 (£30).           Programme:£3.00
This was the last game of my sojourn in Scotland with eldest son, Jim and Jonny Crane, and a first visit to Dens Park, which to my mind looked a tad decrepit and certainly not as good a ground as Tannadice, over the road. Bottom of the table, Dundee, gave a plucky and determined account of themselves in front of a crowd of Rangers supporters who outnumbered the home contingent, but made idiots of themselves, firstly plastering the home penalty area with toilet roll and later in the game raining tennis balls onto it! Dundee opened the scoring in the 5th minute and held on for an hour, including a missed penalty by the visitors. The equaliser was followed by the Rangers winner, a scant 5 minutes from time.
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Jim and Jonny Crane
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It was said that the toilet rolls and the tennis balls were a protest by Rangers fans
at the proposal to play an Old Firm derby in Australia, later this year.
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Monday 21st March 2022
Leicestershire Senior League Premier Division
Rugby Borough 1
Ethan Meadows 61,
Thurnby Rangers 2
Lewis Murphy 54, Shaun Barber 69,
Referee:- Martin Jarvis.                                  Attendance: 77
Admission:- F.O.C.                                          Programme: NONE
Kilsby Lane, home of Rugby Borough is a purpose built football complex with several football pitches and two adjacent and floodlit plastic pitches. Tonight’s game on the main pitch saw second place, Rugby, take on third place, Thurnby. The first half was largely forgettable, but the game livened up when the visitors shocked the hosts by taking the lead on the hour mark. Back came the hosts to equalise five minutes later, but the visitors struck again with twenty minutes to go and comfortably and deservedly won the match and the points.
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Tuesday 22nd March 2022
Spartan South Midlands League
Gladwish Trophy Quarter-final
Northampton Sileby Rangers 3
Nathan Burrows 10, 44, Luke Stevens 59,
Wellingborough Whitworth 3
Richie Bailey 20, 79, Fayed Rhaman (og) 90,
Wellingborough Whitworth win 5-4 on penalties
Referee:- Aaron Lloyd.                                    Attendance:- 70
Admission: OMGDS £3.00 (£6).                  Programme: NONE
Fernie Fields, home of Sileby, has improved since my last visit some four years ago. New toilet facilities and refreshment bar make it a much more welcoming environment. This evening, the hosts were equally generous on the field of play. Having worked hard to build a 3-1 advantage, they conceded twice in the final ten minutes and then lost the penalty shoot out.
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Saturday 26th March 2022
Sky-Bet EFL League 2
Leyton Orient 2
Barrow 0
Referee:- Simon Mather.                                    Attendance:- 6,032 (332 away)
Admission: Hospitality.                                            Programme:- incl. (£3.50)
Chris Berezai joined us at Kettering Station for the trip down to London and we met up with Jim and his boys (and Andrew and Christopher Coxon, Rory and Leanne Clark, who were spending a day in London for Rory’s birthday) at the pub on Kings Cross Station. From there it was a train from St Pancras to Stratford and Uber to Leyton Orient, where we met up with Phil Evans. The hospitality was fine – spare ribs and burgers and pecan pie and ice cream – and plenty of good red wine.
Brisbane Road (or whatever they call it these days) had a neat tidy feel to it with a block of flats at each of the four corners. The weather was balmy and, for an hour, there was little or nothing between the two teams, until the visiting custodian made the mistake of chasing the ball to the edge of the area, and leaving his goal unguarded for a precise strike. Ten minutes later a second strike killed off the opposition and the hosts claimed the spoils.
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from left: Gary Miller, Kingsley, Jim, Mike
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Freddie and Sonny
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Phil Evans and Chris Berezai
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Jonny Crane and Liam McGeown
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Tuesday 29th March 2022
United Counties League Premier Division South
GNG Oadby Town 1
Amarvir Sandhu 25 (pen),
Godmanchester Rovers 1
Mohammed Akhtar 67,
Referee: Callum Timperley.                       Attendance:- 53
Admission: OMGDS £3.00 (£6).              Programme: £1.50
It was sad to see the decline at Oaks Park and even more so, to hear that next season, the hosts are decamping to Holmes Park, the Leicestershire County Ground. It is entirely probable that this could be the last season that football is played here. GNG, who presently run their first team on the pitch have no connection with the club house facilities (and hence, no income from it). The substantial car park the far end from the club house has been long since sold and there is even talk of developing the pitch for further housing, although access might prove a problem.  On the night, these two mid-table sides provided reasonable entertainment with the visitors equalising the hosts first half strike and a draw was a fair result. With John Main and Mike Dean.
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Other Matches:

 

Monday 14th March 2022

Midland Midweek Floodlit Youth League: League Cup Semi-Final

Rugby Town u18 0 Leamington u18 0

No extra time, Rugby Town won 5-4 on penalties         Attendance:- 183

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Thursday 24th March 2022

Northants Senior Youth League – League Cup Semi-final

Rothwell Corinthians u-18 2 Bugbrooke St Michaels u-18 3  attendance:- 84

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Sunday 27th March 2022

FA Women’s Super League

Leicester City Women 0 Chelsea Women 9             attendance:- 2,278

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Monday 28th March 2022

Northants Senior Youth League Jaymann Shield Group Stage

Corby Town u18 3 Wellingborough Town u18 3     attendance:- 71

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February 2022

Posted in Europa League, Football, Non-League | March 2nd, 2022

Twice a week the winter thorough
Here stood I to keep the goal:
Football then was fighting sorrow
For the young man’s soul.

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Now in Maytime to the wicket
Out I march with bat and pad:
See the son of grief at cricket
Trying to be glad.

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Try I will; no harm in trying:
Wonder ’tis how little mirth
Keeps the bones of man from lying
On the bed of earth.

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by A.E. Houseman 1859 – 1936 (From “The Shropshire Lad”)

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Tuesday 1st February 2022
Wessex League Division 1
Andover Town 5
Downton 0
Referee:- Timothy Bunt.                                               Attendance:- 178
Admission:- OMGDS £3.00 (£5).                        Programme:- £1.00
Andover Town, reformed less than ten years ago from the ashes of Andover FC and also playing at Portway Stadium are enjoying a season of relative success. Tonight’s victory takes them to the top of the table and, maybe, the opportunity to return to the premier division. There was a good crowd for tonight’s encounter and the visitors certainly gave a good account of themselves after conceding in the opening minute. However, as the game drew towards the final whistle, they conceded two goals and gave young Ryan Griffiths the chance to claim a Hat Trick!
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Saturday 5th February 2022
FA Cup 4th Round
Huddersfield Town 1
Duane Holmes 19,
Barnsley 0
Referee:- Jeremy Simpson.                             Attendance:- 16,605
Admission:- hospitality.                           Programme:- included (£3)
It was an early start on the train north for Ed, Mike and Freddie (07.40 from Corby) and Jim, Sonny and Kingsley (07.57 from Banbury) Many stops later we reached a wet and windswept Huddersfield Station and met up with each other and garnered a taxi for the short trip to The John Smith’s Stadium
Inhospitable heavy northern rain and a chilly wind pervaded this Yorkshire FA Cup derby, but the hospitality for three generations of my family was warm and cheerful and three bottles of wine to accompany the meal certainly oiled the system quite pleasantly! Huddersfield were the better side and squandered several very acceptable opportunities, but Barnsley were always in it and, in added time, only the linesman’s flag stopped them from equalising! good game, with sons Jim and Mike and grand sons, Freddie, Sonny and Kingsley and another long trip home by rail!
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Sonny, Kingsley and Freddie
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Ed, Mike and Jim
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Heavy rain and equally heavy winds played havoc around the stadium before, during and after the match!
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Sunday 6th February 2022
FA Cup 4th Round
Nottingham Forest 4
Phillip Zinckernagel 23, Brennan Jackson 24, Joe Worrall 32, Djed Spence 63,
Leicester City 1
Kelechi Iheanacho 40,
Referee:- Paul Tierney.                                       Attendance:- 28,762
Admission:- OMGDS £20.00 (£30).               Programme:- £3.00
Leicester City were mugged, today. They put a pretty strong team out and for the first twenty minutes, they looked comfortable and in control. Two goals in a minute tipped them right out of their comfort zone and they never recovered. It was 3-1 by half-time and 4-1 after an hour, by which time Brendan Roger’s had thrown in the towel and replaced some of his stars with bit players. Forest were deserved winners and a large Leicester City following had dwindled considerably before the match ended! With John Main.
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Monday 7th February 2022
Northern Premier League Division 1 Midlands
Coleshill Town 0
Josh Willis s/o 89,
Halesowen Town 1
Richard Gregory 7,
Referee:- Neil Pratt.                                          Attendance:- 480
Admission: OMGDS £7.00 (£9).                   Programme:-£1.50
The league leaders were in town tonight and their followers swelled the attendance to three times the normal gate for the home side. In a very ordinary match, The Yeltz scored after only seven minutes and that was just about the end of the excitement for the evening. Try as they might, and they did attack with determination in the second half, the hosts were unable to break down the impenetrable barrier of the visitors defence. With John Main and Lee West.
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Tuesday 8th February 2022
Southern Combination League Premier Division
Lingfield 2
Sammy Clements 22, David Heaton 70 (pen),
Crawley Down Gatwick 0
Referee:- Darren Eaton.                        Attendance:- 62
Admission:- F.O.C. (£6/4).                  Programme:- £1.00
There was free entry to tonight’s match for intrepid hoppers (well, two of them, anyway) and, it was also possible to watch the match on big screen in the club house, rather than braving the elements (and Burnley v Manchester United was also showing on an adjacent screen). However, we watched from pitch side, from the 100 seater stand. Only two sides of the ground were open and, apart from the stand and the clubhouse/changing rooms, there was little other pitch side furniture. These teams are both firmly ensconced in mid-table, but it was the hosts who deservedly took the spoils in a fractious match. With John Main.
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There were TWO screens in the clubhouse bar, one screening the match outside and the second, smaller screen to the right, showing Burnley 1 Manchester United 1, in the Premier League!
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Saturday 12th February 2022
Isthmian League South Central Division
South Park 0
Hanwell Town 0
Referee:- C Barnett.                                        Attendance:- 95
Admission:- OMGDS £5.00 (£9).               Programme:- £2.00
A trip by train down to Reigate and a substantial repast at The Beehive, a hostelry of some repute, before the visit to South Park’s small stadium which has a couple of Meccano stands behind one goal, seating perhaps 150 spectators, a substantial changing room area down one side with a refreshment kiosk at one end and a lorry container magically transformed into a boardroom! In midweek, the high flying Sparks mauled Marlow Town by 5-0. Today, they came up against sterner stuff in the shape of Hanwell Town and from very early on it was pretty obvious that 0-0 would be the most likely outcome. In a fractious match of few chances neither side were able to impose themselves, even when the visitors were reduced to ten men near the end, there was never a sniff of a goal! With Phil Evans, who took me for a meal in The Beehive before the match!.
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Monday14th February 2022
Pitching-in Southern League Premier Division Central
Hitchin Town 1
Redditch United 1
Referee:- J Gibson.                                                  Attendance:- 302
Admission:- OMGDS £8.00 (£12) on line only.   Programme:- £2.50
Best part of two years since my last visit and many changes. The wooden terracing has been swept away and replaced by a new covered area with metal terracing behind the near goal, the refreshment kiosk has been moved along the side of the ground and there is evidence, in parts, of new security fencing. On the pitch, poor old Hitchin are struggling, rooted to the foot of the table. The first period was dreadful, but after the break, both teams came out with greater determination. The hosts struck just before the hour mark, but couldn’t hold out and the visitors scored with a scant seven minutes remaining.
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The new covered standing area behind the near goal with metal terracing replacing the original wooden steps.
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Wednesday 16th February 2022
Notts Senior Cup Quarter-final
Ollerton Town 2
Jacques Etia 52, Sean Dickinson 55,
Carlton Town 3
Nathan Watson 6, 13, Aaron O’Connor 78,
Referee:-                                                                    Attendance:- 94
Admission:- OMGDS £3.00 (£5).                    Programme:- £1.50
We arrived in Sheffield for the League One match between Sheffield Wednesday and Accrington Stanley, just in time to find that it had been called off due to a waterlogged pitch! Hurrying back southwards amidst Storm Dudley, we popped into Ollerton Town for a fast and furious Notts Senior Cup tie. Carlton Town, the visitors, play some two divisions higher than the hosts and, with a strong wind at their backs, soon established a two goal advantage. After the interval, the hosts equalised within ten minutes and the game hung in the balance until Aaron O’Connor’s 78th minute winning strike. With son, Mike and grandson, Freddie.
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Thursday 17th February 2022
EUFA Europa Conference Knock-out Round
Leicester City 4
Wilfrid Ndidi 23, Harvey Barnes 49, Patson Daka 54, Kiernan Dewsbury Hall 74,
Randers FC 1
Vito Hammershoy-Mistrati 45,
Referee:- Radu Perrescu (Roumania).                   Attendance:- 25,242
Admission:- OMGDS £9.50 (£15).                        Programme:- £3.00
A very relaxing evening if you were a Foxes fan, Premiership worries shelved temporarily and a convincing victory against Danish Side, Randers FC. It was an entertaining contest. At the interval, the sides were level, the visitors having cancelled out Wilfred Ndidi’s 23rd minute opener, but three unanswered second half strikes deservedly handed the victory to Leicester City. With son, Mike, grandson, Freddie, and John Main.
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Son, Mike and grandson, Freddie.
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Saturday 19th February 2022
Hampshire Premier League Senior Division
Denmead 2
Harvey Hawkins 42, 76,
Sway 1
Kejuan Barrow 85,
Referee:- Thomas Wells.                                     Attendance:- 18
Admission:- F.O.C.                                           Programme:- £2.00
The aftermath of Storm Eunice left a swathe of postponed fixtures – including ours at United Services Portsmouth, but not before we’d arrived there! A hurried change of plan saw us make the short journey to Havant for a first match in The Hampshire Premier League at Front Lawn, the 3G home of Denmead. Second in the table in only their second season in the league, they have high hopes of progress into The Wessex League … but there is much work to be done to bring the ground up to standard. Today, they made heavy weather in cold, blustery conditions of defeating middle of the table, Sway. A goal in each half for the hosts and a late, late consolation for the visitors. With John Main, Chris Berezai, Craig Dabbs and Phil Page.
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From the left: Ed, John Main, Craig Dabbs, Phil Page and Chris Berezai
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Tuesday 22nd February 2022
National League North
Kettering Town 2
Callum Stead 67, Jordon Crawford 71,
AFC Telford United 2
Jason Oswell 3, 54,
Referee:- Stephen Parkinson.                          Attendance:- 605
Admission:- OMGDS £10.00 (£15).              Programme:- £2.00
Gone are the glory days of Rockingham Road and regular crowds well in excess of 1,000. Latimer Park is a poor replacement, despite substantial development and the general impression is of a ground with a patchwork of stands and covered terracing, but not in the same class as other grounds in the division. The hosts were behind after only three minutes to a resurgent Telford side and they found themselves two goals down, ten minutes into the second half. They battled back well and drew level with twenty minutes to go. A draw was a fair result in a match where the ball spent a great deal of time up in the air!
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Wednesday 23rd February 2022
FA Women’s National League Division 1 Midlands
Leafield Athletic Ladies 1
Chloe Shirley 12,
Solihull Moors Women 1
Tiana Russell-Cartwright 8, Harley Savage (GK) s/o 83,
Referee:- Guy Thrower.                                      Attendance:- 52
Admission: OMGDS £1.00 (£4).                 Programme:- NONE
The hosts normally play their home games at Highgate United, but with that ground waterlogged, the match was switched at short notice to Studley’s 3G pitch. Apart from the pitch and a rail round it and hardstanding on all four sides, there is nothing more to add than a Meccano stand seating, perhaps, 100 souls. There was plenty of entertainment as these two sides slugged it out. Both goals were scored in the opening 12 minutes, but the keen competitive edge was maintained right through to the very end when the visiting custodian was dismissed for a Dogso offence.
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Saturday 26th February 2022
Wessex League Premier Division
Horndean 0
Brockenhurst 0
Referee:- John Foster.                          Official Attendance:- 116
Admission: OMGDS £3.00 (£5).      Programme:- £1.00
They could have played until the middle of next week and still they wouldn’t have scored. Second and third in the table cancelled each other out and they have it all to do again in the return fixture, next Saturday. Fortunately, I will be at The North-West hop! Five Heads Park is a rustic, but tiny ground, open on only three sides with a well stocked refreshment hut and a clubhouse and bar outside across the car park. The hundred seater stand is very cramped, but the officials were very friendly and helpful. The official attendance was 116, but there were at least 140 people there!
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Monday 28th February 2022
Southern League Premier Division Central
Hitchin Town 1
Jacob Hutchinson 55,
Tamworth 1
James Hurst 82,
Referee:- G. Swanton.                                       Attendance: 412
Admission: OMGDS £8.00 (£12).               Programme:- £2.50
It’s Monday so it must be Hitchin Town! After a good win at the weekend lifted them off the bottom of the table, the Canaries still found themselves four points from safety and tonight’s encounter did them no favours. Tamworth are one of the teams they have to catch to maintain their status, but after taking the lead ten minutes into the second half, they conceded with a scant seven minutes remaining. Relentless rain made conditions difficult, but a draw was a fair result.
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Other Matches:

Wednesday 2nd February 2022
Midland Midweek Floodlit Youth League Eastern Division
Rugby Borough Juniors 2 Bedworth United u18  4                      Attendance:- 61
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Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

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January 2022

Posted in Championship, Football, Non-League | February 2nd, 2022

The Road Not Taken

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,

And, sorry I could not travel both

and be one traveler, long I stood

And looked down one as far as I could

To where it bent in the undergrowth;

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Then took the other, just as fair,

And having perhaps the better claim,

Because it was grassy and wanted wear;

Though as for that, the passing there

Had worn them really about the same,

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And both that morning equally lay

In leaves no step had trodden black.

Oh, I kept the first for another day!

Yet knowing how way leads on to way,

I doubted if I should ever come back.

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I shall be telling this with a sigh

Somewhere ages and ages hence:

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I – 

I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference.

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by Robert Frost (1874 – 1963)

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Saturday 1st January 2022
Isthmian League South East Division
Phoenix Sports 0
Corinthian 1
Joshua Stirman 8,
Referee:- Dan Doyle.                                         Attendance:- 183
Admission:- OMGDS £5.00 (£9).                  Programme:- On Line
Leyton Orient v Bristol Rovers was the menu of the day, with hospitality, but on the train down to London … COVID-19 intervened and the match was postponed! A quick train journey to Barnehurst and this was a pretty good replacement match, a fairly basic ground with two Meccano stands down one side, a bar with large screen football, free teamsheets and a food outlet, but, sadly, the hosts are struggling this season, whilst the visitors are riding high. The only goal was scored early in the first half!
Phil Evans and Chris Berezai and I went to this match. The rest of the Leyton Orient party went to see Sutton United defeat Exeter City 2-1 in League 2 at Gander Green Lane. On the way from the station at Barnehurst to the ground, I slipped on the stairs and badly grazed my hand, with which I was trying to protect my I-phone!
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Monday 3rd January 2022 kick-off: 11.00am
Southern Combination League Division 1
Worthing United 1
Dan Hills 30,
Hailsham Town 1
Connor Townsend 82,
Referee:- M Spence.                                    Attendance:- 61
Admission:- OMGDS £3.00 (£5).           Programme:- F.O.C.
Ignoring the tautology of the league title, Lyons Lane, home of Worthing United, is a quirky little stadium with around 150 seats and hard standing on three sides, set into a fairly steep hillside. Today’s match survived the recent weather, but these two teams are struggling at the wrong end of the table and the hosts have no win in ten matches. They took a first half lead, but were never completely comfortable and conceded the equaliser some ten minutes from the end. With John Main.
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Monday 3rd January 2022
Wessex League Division 1
Petersfield Town 3
Aaron Akoman-Emilepa 19, Paul Agreseyi 29, Brendan Jewell 60,
Andover 2
David Jerrard 68, Owen Trapnell 89,
Referee:- Catalin Tanase. Attendance:- 174
Admission:- OMGDS £4.00 (£6). Programme:- ON LINE
At Love Lane, Petersfield’s well appointed, but sadly, neglected, Stadium, the visitors, Andover Town, who currently hold second place in the division, suffered only their third league defeat of the season in a match of high intensity and determination from both sides. There were seven bookings, including a player sent to the sin bin, in a tasty, rip-roaring contest, which the lowly hosts won by the skin of their teeth. They led by 3-0 with a scant twenty minutes to go, but conceded two and clung on like grim death at the finish! Great game! With John Main.
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Tuesday 4th January 2022
United Counties League Premier Division North
Loughborough Students 0
Leicester Nirvana 1
Ethan Hulley 35,
Referee:- Stephen Davies.                                          Attendance:- 144
Admission: OMGDS £2.50 (£5).                              Programme:- £2.00
Football is a funny game! For the first half at Holywell, this evening, the students battered Nirvana and bottled them up in their own half, and then, just before the interval, they gifted them a goal. In the second half, they never regained the initiative and the visitors stole the points and the victory!
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Saturday 8th January 2022
Central Midlands League Premier Division North
SJR Worksop 3
Jaden Thackeray 2, Matthew Templeton 52, Daniel Wiltshire 86,
Dinnington Town 3
Brandon Ashmore 32, 58, 68,
Referee:- Phillip Campbell.                                            Attendance:- 66
Admission:- £3.00.                                                    Programme:- £1.50
A strong plastic fence surrounded the ground, but there was no cover, nor any hard standing. Despite the morning’s heavy downpour, the pitch was soft, but eminently playable. There was a club house, serving drinks and snacks about a hundred yards from the main pitch and across the cricket pitch, and team lists were readily available. St Joseph’s Rockware took a second minute lead, but were pegged back by half-time. The visitors took the lead twice in the second half, and each time looked worthy winners, but the hosts never gave up and eventually deserved a share of the spoils.
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Tuesday 11th January 2022
Southern Combination League Division 1
Oakwood 2
Sam Cane 24 (pen), Vitor Razeka 76,
Epsom & Ewell 3
Steven Springett 4, Luke Miller 27, Jamie Byatt 87,
Referee:- John Patrick Kane.                                           Attendance:- 64
Admission:- OMGDS £3.00 (£5).                           Programme:- on line
About ten miles down the M23 in the borough of Crawley, a long winding track leads to The South Sports Ground, home of Oakwood. The ground is basic and a tad careworn, with a 60 seater stand and hard standing on only two sides of the pitch, but there was a warm welcome and hot tea and coffee in the bar! The visitors have designs on promotion, but they made hard work of this victory, twice conceding the lead and only notching the winning goal in the final five minutes of a contest they dominated from start to finish.
Before the match, John and I went to a nearby sandwich bar for cheese baguettes (in my case) and ham for John.
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Saturday 15th January 2022
Western League Premier Division
Tavistock 3
Liam Prynn 13, 63, Dan Keith 57,
Cadbury Heath 1
George Boon 61,
Referee:- Nigel Lawrence.                                                    Attendance:- 158
Admission:- OMGDS £4.00 (£6).                                     Programme:- £1.00
Nestling in a fold on the edge of town, Langford Park looked recently developed, although the bar was across the car park. Seating for maybe a couple of hundred but no access behind the far goal. Plenty of very friendly officials and excellent Cornish pasties, but the hosts, who hadn’t played since Boxing Day, looked rusty and should have been a couple down after only fifteen minutes. They rallied and conjured up a half-time lead. Two further second half strikes, either side of a Cadbury goal, saw them safely home. It was a round trip of nearly five hundred miles!
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Tuesday 18th January 2022
Southern Combination League Premier Division
Alfold 1
Kelvin Lucas 37,
Littlehampton Town 2
Dion Jarvis 17, 54,
Referee:- John Pike.                                          Attendance:- 65
Admission:- OMGDS £3.00 (£6).                  Programme:- £2.00
The Recreation Park at Alfold is a fairly Spartan accommodation with one Meccano stand seating perhaps eighty souls and adjacent to it, a terraced covered area. There was hard standing on three sides only, but a large club house and bar. The hosts, sixth from the foot of the table were entertaining the league leaders, so it was little surprise that the points went to the visitors. However, the hosts distinguished themselves and put up spirited resistance and, with a little more luck, might have pulled off a draw. Good match! With John Main and Ian Royer.
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Yours truly forlornly sat at the near end of the stand!
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Saturday 22nd January 2022
Sky-Bet EFL Championship
AFC Bournemouth 0
Hull City 1
Ryan Longman 77
Referee:- Michael Donohue.                                              Attendance:- 8,823
Admission:- Hospitality.                                             Programme:- incl. (£3)
First impressions are of how small the ground is and of just how good the hospitality is. The game, itself, was a tight affair. The hosts spurned several first half opportunities, whilst in the second period, a far more determined Hull side came out and snuffed away any threat. The only goal came after 77 minutes.
Sadly, Mike and Freddie weren’t able to come because they were booked in to watch Tess doing her performance in  “High School Musical” at The Cube in Corby. The following day, Charlotte and I went to see it, too! I was a bit upset because I put these matches on mainly for my children and grand children, but this year, we also had a small commemoration for Graeme Askham and I invited Dave Phillipson down from Hull  (his friend, Phil Grayson) died last November from cancer and COVID-19 complications. Also good to see Rob Hardcastle and Jack Warner, who hasn’t been for a few years, and who gave permission for a few additional photographs on the match (see below, copyright Jack Warner). It was a good day and an exceedingly easy trip by the minibus that I had hired to take the Corby contingent to the match.
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From the left: Eddie McGeown, Jack Warner, John Lord, Phil Evans, Rose Askham, Rob Hardcastle, Dave Phillipson, Chris Berezai
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From the left: Aman Singh, Jim McGeown, Jonny Crane, Sonny McGeown, Kingsley McGeown, Daz Bibby
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Tuesday 25th January 2022
Eastern Counties League 1st Division South
Buckhurst Hill 9
Nathan Sollosi 1, 11, 35, Fehinti Fall 33, 78, 90, Suleyman Zuhdu 42, 73, Sam Sollosi 87,
Wormley Rovers 1
Car Clark 25, Miller Allen s/o (DOGSO) 69,
Referee:- Dele Sotimitin.                             Attendance:- 151
Admission:- OMGDS £4.00 (£6).             Programme:- included
Buckhurst Hill’s first season at step 6 with floodlights installed and hardstanding all round and a stand for perhaps 100 spectators, but the ground has a bleak, empty feel about it, not so the team, who wrapped up a comprehensive and well deserved victory in front of a quite healthy attendance. With John Main, and good to see Laurence and Robyn, Andy and Frank amongst other hoppers for this rare Buckhurst midweek fixture.
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Yours truly entering the ground!
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Saturday 29th January 2022
Wessex League Premier Division
Hamworthy United 4
Max Wilcock 4, 61, Lee Francis 50, Jack Covell 86,
Amesbury Town 0
Referee:- Sean Jenkins.                                           Attendance:- 108
Admission:- OMGDS £5.00 (£7).                     Programme:- £2.00
Blandford Close, the home of The Dorset County FA, has a 3G pitch and a seated stand down one side, with cover behind the near goal. There was a very warm welcome, a well stocked kitchen adjacent to a roomy bar. The hosts are currently challenging for the Wessex League title, with promotion in their sights. Poor Amesbury are propping up the table and at least a dozen points from safety. It wasn’t a classic. Hamworthy scored four and should have doubled that score, with several good chances going begging! Come the end of the season, these clubs will be going in opposite directions. With John Main and Chris Berezai.
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From the beach we saw an intrepid hang glider surfing the waves before the match!
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Other Matches:

Thursday 13th January 2022

Leicestershire Senior Midweek Floodlit Youth League

Aylestone Park 13  GNG Oadby Town 1                  attendance:- 47

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Friday 14th January 2022

FA Youth Cup 4th Round

Leicester City U18 1  Crewe Alexandra U18 0        attendance:- 448

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Monday 17th January 2022

FA U23 Premier League 2 Division 1

Leicester City 2 Brighton & Hove Albion 1         attendance:- 230

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Monday 24th January 2022

Midland Midweek Floodlit Youth League Premier South Division

Rugby Borough u18 4 Rugby Town u18 4         attendance:- 114

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Monday 31st January 2022

Midland Midweek Floodlit Youth League Premier Division South

Rugby Town u18 1 Stratford Town u18 3           attendance:- 63

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December 2021

Posted in Football, Non-League, Uncategorized | December 31st, 2021

Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening

Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.

My little horse must think it queer
To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year.

He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there is some mistake.
The only other sound’s the sweep
Of easy wind and downy flake.

The woods are lovely, dark and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.

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by Robert Frost (1874 – 1963)

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Saturday 4th December 2021
Sky-Bet EFL Championship
Blackpool 0
Luton Town 3
Sonny Bradley 42, Elijah Adebayo 54, Jordan Clark 90+1
Referee:- Peter Bankes.                                                       Attendance:- 11,366
Admission:- Hospitality (£80.00).                                 Programme:- included (£3.00)
It is just over fifty years since my last visit to Bloomfield Road and a lot of water has travelled under the bridge since that day in May 1971 when Blackpool of the First Division drew 1-1 with Manchester United in front of a crowd of 29,857. Then, it was Jimmy Armfield’s swan song, his 627th and last game for Blackpool before retirement. Denis Law scored for United and Tony Green replied for Blackpool. Today’s attendance was less than half that figure and Luton Town were the visitors for what is, in reality, a second division contest. The hosts were outplayed today, in the midst of a cutting, squally wind and pretty heavy rain. The Hatters were more direct and incisive, with three clinical finishes whilst The hosts were timid and feeble. The hospitality was excellent value, for my grandson’s ninth birthday and he and his brother also enjoyed the train journey to and from Banbury!
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Jim with Sonny and Kingsley
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The travelling faithful, well rewarded!
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This is Ludovic Sylvestre who has played for both Barcelona and Blackpool, with Sonny and Kingsley in the hospitality suite.
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Tuesday 7th December 2021
Southern Counties East League Challenge Cup 1st Round
Meridian VP 1
Dwayne West 65 (pen),
Erith and Belvedere 5
Henry Dasofunjo 4, Callum McGeehan 47,Olli Bate 68, James Dyer 80, Richard Jimoh 90+3
Referee:- Ashley Rodi.                                                            Attendance:- 32
Admission:- OMGDS £4.00 (£6).                                      Programme:- £2.50
Storm Barra swept through during the afternoon depositing several inches of water on the south east, but despite postponed matches elsewhere, Meridian VP (Valley Park) survived and despite flooded dugouts, the cup match against Erith & Belvedere from the premier division went ahead as scheduled. The visitors occupy bottom place in their division whilst the hosts are third from bottom of the division below and the gulf in class was evident, even though Meridian managed to reach half time only one goal down. The second half was a different affair as the visitors raced to a deserved victory. A basic stadium with hard standing all round and a fifty seater Meccano stand, but very little else. Excellent clubhouse facilities just outside the ground.
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Wednesday 8th December 2021
FA Youth Cup 3rd Round
Rugby Town 0
Cheltenham Town 4
Brennan Barrett 13, Joe Hunt 41, Connor Jakeways 49, 52,
Referee:- Joe Woolmer.                                               Official Attendance:- 426
Admission:- OMGDS £4.00 (£6).                             Programme:- £2.00
At Rugby Town’s impressive stadium on a bitterly cold evening and in front of a substantial crowd, the young hero’s of Butlin Road, who had already put out league opposition in the previous round, just didn’t do themselves justice. Two goals in each half killed them off in a match strangely devoid of passion and atmosphere, despite the large crowd. The crowd looked to be far larger than the official attendance!
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Saturday 11th December 2021
Wessex League Premier Division
Amesbury Town 0
Fareham Town 8
Casey Bartlett-Scott 39, Jack Breed 40, Ethan Jones 50, Ben Rowthorn 63, Declan McCarthy 72, Gary Austin 80, 90+3, Josh Benfield 83,
Referee:- Lucas Bomela.                                                 Attendance:- 73
Admission:- OMGDS £3.00 (£5).                                Programme:- £1.00
Amesbury, a small market Town in the shadow of Stonehenge, can lay claim to being the oldest settlement in the country with evidence going back more than 10,000 years! Sadly, their team is struggling this season. No wins in the last twenty-one matches and only two draws, they lie next to bottom of the division. Today, for just over half an hour, they defended heroically, but then conceded twice in quick succession. In the second half, Fareham laid siege and popped in a further half dozen. A very basic arena, but friendly and hospitable!
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Turnstile? No, just the way in!
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Tuesday 14th December 2021
The sky was leaden grey and a thin mizzle drifted down, going past the ancient (but seasonal) lamp post at the bottom of Caistor, the War Memorial and Lydia’s cafe, down Church Gap, and across the railway line, the fields and the river Welland to Thorpe-by-Water. From there to Lyddington and St Andrew’s Church, alongside the Bede house where formerly twelve alms people were housed (“no lunacy, Leprosy, or French pox”). In Uppingham, the church of St Peter and St Paul bestrides the skyline, and inside, the sanctuary window was well lit. Uppingham School is everywhere else in the town! Down the Stockerston Road and across the fields until … the Eyebrook reservoir swings into view. Keeping the water to the right, back up to the top of Stoke Dry hill and across more fields, back down to Lyddington. From there, via Gretton Weir, back to the village itself, with new houses sprouting at the bottom of Station Road. Fifteen stiles and 12.96 miles.
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The Victorian (and seasonal) lamppost at the bottom of Caistor Road in Gretton
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The Eyebrow Reservoir
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Saturday 18th December 2021
Pitching-in Northern Premier League Division 1 West
Ramsbottom United 1
Jamie Rother 50,
City of Liverpool 0
Referee:- Matthew Tyres.                                              Official Attendance:- 297
Admission:- OMGDS £5.00 (£9).                                       Programme:- £2.00
A beautiful sunny afternoon grew quite chilly by the end of this match at The Riverside Stadium, nestling betwixt the railway line and the cricket club. The Santa Special was pulled by an Bulleid SR Pacific, but an ancient L&YR Pickersgill 0-6-0 also made an appearance. Despite the paucity of goals, this was a good contest with the sides evenly matched and the game was won by a slightly fortuitous goal to the home side, deflected into the net, five minutes after the interval. With Graeme Holmes, who was match analyst for City of Liverpool.
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Pickersgill 0-600 formerly of The Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway
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One of OV Bulleid’s Southern Region Pacifics pulling the Santa Special
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Tuesday 21st December 2021
Pitching-in Southern League Premier Division Central
Peterborough Sports 2
Dion Semble Ferris 20, Dan Jarvis 9-+3
Banbury United 3
Morgan Roberts 8, missed penalty 23, Chris Wreh 15, Jay Williams 34,
Referee:- Thomas Hancock.                                                       Attendance:- 415
Admission:- OMGDS £7.00 (£10).                                        Programme: £2.00
The Bee Arena is vastly improved since my last visit a couple of years ago, but it is still a hotchpotch, with seating giving a poor view of the match and narrow hard standing around the pitch, but no terracing. There is a new clubhouse with bar and food hatch and entrance to the ground has moved to the far side of the pitch. Tonight, third place Turbines faced top of the table Puritans, and they were always second best. Banbury raced to a first half 3-1 lead which included a missed penalty and were content to hang onto their lead, which they did comfortably, until the hosts snatched a second goal at the death. With son, Mike and grandson, Freddie and good to see Paul Proctor, who had made the long journey from Hampshire!
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Freddie with grand dad, Ed
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Wednesday 22nd December 2021
Bleak and bare was the landscape and the ground underfoot was hard, crunchy and … hoar frosted on the children’s play area. St James’ church stood silent sentinel on the route down Church Gap and over to Thorpe by Water across the still River Welland and along leaf filled paths. Seaton All Hallows church reared up on the skyline on the far side of the valley, whilst in front, sheep munched the frosted sward. The George & Dragon – too early for duty – and the Welland Viaduct came into view at the end of the village, before striding on to Morcott, under the narrow railway bridge on the long abandoned spur line to Uppingham. Past Morcott, to the windmill on the A47 and down to Barrowden, The Exeter Arms, the duck pond and the church of St Peter with its fine, delicate spire. The track bed of the old railway line to Peterborough (from Rugby) is still visible on the path leading to Turtle Bridge, whilst on the river itself, swans glide sedately by. The church of St John the Baptist, in Harringworth, had a seasonal tree at its entrance and on the way out of the village, there was a small abandoned hut between the legs of the viaduct. Back, high above Harringworth, Seaton was just visible across the valley and then, finally, back in Gretton, the new houses, adjacent the pocket park, are nearing completion. Three stiles and 14.14 miles.
Gretton Play Area
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St James’ Church, Gretton
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All Hallows Church, Seaton
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Thursday 23rd December 2021
Worcestershire Senior Cup Quarter-final
Redditch United 3
Tali Jallow 45, Romario Martin 46, TiagoNassunculo
Stourport Swifts 2
Lee Hughes 33, Connor Gator 70,
Referee:- Craig Thompson.                                                         Attendance:- 525
Admission:- F.O.C.                                                              Programme:- “on line”
In a highly entertaining encounter, the lowly placed visitors, some two steps below the hosts in the pyramid, put up spirited resistance and even took the lead midway through the first period. United equalised on the stroke of half-time and added a further two strikes within ten minutes of the restart. Swifts struck again on 70 minutes, but they were unable to conjure up the equaliser and the hosts progress to the semi-final.
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Sunday (Boxing Day?) 26th December 2021
Toolstation Western League Division 1
Sherborne Town 4
Tom Budden 36, Dec Cornish 50, Ollie Hubbard 58, Anth Herrin87,
Radstock Town 0
Referee:- Darren Geay.                                                             Attendance:- 211
Admission:- OMGDS £4.00 (£6).                                          Programme:- none
What a gem of a football club! The weather helped, mild and sunny, and a good turn out for this hastily rearranged fixture. There was no programme because the match had only been arranged 48 hours earlier after the original team had dropped out. Radstock were worthy opponents, but high flying Sherborne showed them no mercy and efficiently dispatched them with a brace of goals in each half. Very friendly club, teams and attendances provided! With John Main.
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Monday 17th December 2021
Combined Counties League Premier Division South
Horley Town 1
Chad Goulter 86, 
Redhill 3
Jawarie Brissett 9, Sam King 39 (pen), Billy Frost 71,
Referee:- Josh Osofa.                                                       Attendance:- 203
Admission:- OMGDS £4.00 (£7).                                 Programme:- £1.00
Miserable murky, wet morning in Surrey for this local Derby at the well appointed New Defence, stadium, home of Horley Town. Excellent viewing from the upstairs glassed in bar and a good stand for around 100, just below as well as cover behind each goal. In a match strangely lacking in atmosphere for a local derby, the visitors imposed themselves early and never gave the hosts a look in until they allowed them a consolation goal in the last five minutes!
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Monday 27th December 2021
Southern Counties East League Premier Division
Rusthall 0
Bearsted 2
Referee:- Steven Goldup.                                                       Attendance:- 246
Admission:- OMGDS £5.00 (£8).                                      Programme:- F.O.C.
A long, winding, narrow, mysterious and treacherous route eventually arrives at the rustic Jockey Farm Stadium, home of Rusthall on a very wet and muddy afternoon. Despite a pretty poor season, (the hosts lie third from bottom in the table), there was a healthy and vociferous reception for the home side who conceded after only two minutes and went two down before the half hour mark. That was the end of the match as a contest and a turgid second half was thankfully consummated after three added minutes!
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Latin(?) a bit rusty, but … “Only the best can survive”?
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Thursday 30th December 2021
Sky-Bet EFL Championship
Nottingham Forest 0
Huddersfield Town 1
Referee:- Gavin Ward.                                                               Attendance:- 27,159
Admission:- OMGDS £20 (£30).                                              Programme:- £3.00
A mild evening and a pretty well filled stadium for a match, whilst short on goals, was nonetheless an enthralling encounter. The visitors struck on the half hour mark and had to withstand some sustained second half pressure. You got the feeling that if Forest could get one goal, they might go on to win, but determined Huddersfield withstood the onslaught and just about deserved the victory and the spoils. With grand son, Freddie and John Main.
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Freddie at Nottingham Forest, high up in The Brian Clough Stand. His 78th new ground and his 28th League ground.
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Other Matches:

Wednesday 1st December 2021

BUCS Women’s Midland Tier 2   2.00pm

Loughborough University Women’s Third 13 Leicester University Women’s First 1  

Attendance:- 17

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Wednesday 1st December 2021

BUCS Women’s Midland Tier 3

De Montfort Univ Women’s First 0 Birmingham Univ Women’s Third 15    Attendance:- 9

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Thursday 9th December 2021

Leicestershire Midweek Floodlit Youth League Central Division

GNG Oadby Town U18 3 Anstey Nomads U18 9                                 Attendance:- 19

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Wednesday 15th December 2021

Women’s FA Premier League Intercontinental Tyres Cup Group C

Coventry United Ladies 2 Tottenham Hotspur Women 3              Attendance:- 220

This was Coventry United Women’s final match before liquidation

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Thursday 16th December 2021

Leicestershire Midweek Floodlit Youth League Central Division

GNG Oadby Town U18 0 Anstey Nomads U18 Swifts 9                Attendance:- 20

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Monday 20th December 2021

Midland Floodlit Midweek Youth League Premier Division South

Rugby Town U18 1 Halesowen Town U18 3                           Attendance:- 104

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November 2021

Posted in Europa League, Football | December 1st, 2021

November

No sun – no moon!
No morn – no noon –
No dawn – no dusk – no proper time of day.
No warmth, no cheerfulness, no healthful ease,
No comfortable feel in any member –
No shade, no shine, no butterflies, no bees,
No fruits, no flowers, no leaves, no birds! –
November!

by Thomas Hood (1799 – 1845)

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Wednesday 3rd November 2021
FA Youth Cup 1st Round
Aylestone Park 4
Joseph Buckingham 54, Charlie Kilburn 72, Aaron Nuttall 89, Scott O’Brien 116,
Lincoln City 4                AET
Oisin Gallagher 14, Freddie Draper 47 (pen),Jovon Makama 90+2, Billy Brooks 113,
Referee:- Sam Weston                                        Official Attendance:- 503
Admission:- OMGDS £3.00 (£5).                  Programme:- £1.00
Aylestone Park won 3-1 on penalties.
Wow!!! This was an epic cup-tie with a strongly partisan crowd, as little Aylestone Park from the fringes of Leicester, knocked out mighty Lincoln City of League 1. There was no warning of what was to come as the visitors opened the scoring after 14 minutes and then doubled their lead at the very start of the second period. Back came the hosts to lead 3-2 on 88 minutes, only to be pegged back before the final whistle. Extra time, a rare beast, these days, only increased the score from 3-3 to 4-4 and kicks from the penalty mark would decide the winners. Josh Wormleighton, the home custodian and captain saved the first three penalties taken against him, the hosts took the shoot-out by 3-1 and great scenes of jubilation appropriately ensued!!!!
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Thursday 4th November 2021
From The Horse and Jockey in Manton, on the shores of Rutland Water, we followed the walk along the banks of the lake,on a cool breezy morning, all the way to Egleton where we left the lake and crossed the railway line before climbing the hill over to Brooke where a couple of pigs forlornly hoped for sustenance! The Church of St Peter hosted a scene from Pride and Prejudice, being filmed there some 16 or 17 years ago. Pressing on past Brooke Priory and across the fields to Braunstone in Rutland where the clock sits awkwardly atop the tower of All Saints Church and at the base a hideous figure keeps evil away. Along the road to Hibbits Farm and beyond to America Lodge before entering the lost village of Martinsthorpe, where a substantial solitary residence has a wonderful view of the lake and then the track across the fields back to Manton. With Alison Merricks, seven stiles and 10.17 miles
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The Horse & Jockey at Manton
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All Saints Church, Braunstone-in-Rutland
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Thursday 4th November 2021
EUFA Europa League Group C
Leicester City 1
Daniel Amartey 58,
Spartak Moscow 1
Viktor Moses 51,
Referee:- Halil Umut Meyer (Turkey)        Attendance:- 30,222
Admission:- OMGDS £22.50 (£30)       Programme:- 33.00
Thursday night football at The King Power Stadium. This tepid affair ended tamely with Leicester unable to summon up the spirit and endeavour to break dow a very ordinary Moscow side.
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The view from my seat in the stadium
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Saturday 6th November 2021
Pitching-in Northern Premier League Division 1 East
Hebburn Town 1
Lee Cooksey 69 (og)
Stocksbridge Park Steels 5
Josh Nodder 6, Luke Mangham 16, 59, Ross Goodwin 28, 48,
Referee:- Sam Parnaby.                                     Attendance:- 287
Admission:- OMGDS £5.00 (£7).                   Programme:- on line
Hebburn Sports & Social Club, not too far from the south bank of The Tyne, is a neat, spruce ground, with two pitches and a hard court play area – and a couple of new seated, but unroofed stands for around 180 souls. The visitors who, prior to today, had lost four of their five away games, did a real job on the hosts. Three goals up in half an hour and a further two second half strikes, they also supplied the scorer for Hebburn’s lone effort and ran out worthy winners.
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Monday 8th November 2021
A crisp, bright morning which became quite warm under the fiery sun. This walk was a variation of last Thursday’s walk from The Horse & Jockey in Manton. On the way to Egleton – Burley House was easily visible – we met some black sheep, but in Egleton itself, we doubled back to cross the railway by bridge at Gunthorpe. In St Peter’s graveyard in Brooke, a priory once stood (1153-1535), and the ripe berries flourished. Inside the church, the elaborate tomb of Charles Noel (1591-1629) and his wife Mabel, dominated the sanctuary. There is a “Noel Arms” on the main road at Whitwell on Rutland Water. Walking down past America Lodge to the lost village of Martinsthorpe, Rutland Water itself is clearly visible in the distance and on the site of the now deserted village … but one house remains. With Alison Merricks and Norma Jarvis, two stiles and 7.86 miles.
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Rutland Water
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Burley House
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The Church of St Peter at Brooke
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The tomb of Charles Noel inside St Peter’s Church, Brooke
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Monday 8th November 2021
FA Women’s Championship
Coventry United Ladies 1
Rio Hardy 43,
Bristol City Women 1
Abi Harrison 81,
Referee:- Robert Massey-Ellis.                                                  Attendance:- 195
Admission:- OMGDS £7.00 (£10).                                         Programme:- on line
Coventry’s Butts Arena hosted this second tier women’s match, and the hosts, who had only one point from their opening seven fixtures, deservedly doubled that total and perhaps, might have held on for victory. They opened the scoring in the last minute of the opening period and held on until the 81st minute before the visitors struck the equaliser. A few days later I received a parking ticket fine for £100. There were no signs and no-one collecting money in the car park. Pay within 14 days and it was reduced to £60. Absolute rip-off!!!
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Tuesday 9th November 2021
JW Hunt Cup 1st Round
Bilbrook Santos 1
Leon Salmon 38,
Bilston Town 8
Dimitri Duntley 13,18,51,56,Kevin Nickle 65, Matthew Vaughan 75, Kieron Miller 76, 84,
Referee:- Nathan Lloyd.                                                     Attendance:- 60
Admission:- £4.00.                                                             Programme:- NONE
The JW Hunt Cup has been in existence since 1926, sponsored by local business entrepreneur, John William Hunt, proprietor of Chillington Tools His aim, and still the charitable aim of the cup, is to raise funds for the blind. This evening’s encounter, the last of the first round matches, pitched WMRL division 2 Bilbrook Santos, against Midland League division 1 side Bilston Town Community and the gulf was reflected in the score line. Very friendly and helpful officials, excellent filled rolls in the club house and a very entertaining evening all round! With John Main and Jack Warner.
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Saturday 13th November 2021
Combined Counties Leaguer Premier Division South
Raynes Park Vale 2
Callum Davies 19, Jordan Gallagher 50,
AFC Croydon Athletic 1
Luwayne Greenwood 11,
Referee:- Gareth Burton. Attendance:- 103
Admission:-OMGDS £5.00 (£8). Programme:- £2.00
MATCH ABANDONED 75 MINUTES
Raynes Park has a careworn look about it, but there is lots of work in progress. A new turnstile, fencing around two sides of the ground, new floodlights and a new toilet facility are all being installed and, perhaps, we should have visited later in the season! The match was meandering along inconsequentially until, in the seventy-fifth minute, a minor incident exploded into fisticuffs involving all twenty-two players, the substitutes and officials from each bench in a mass brawl. Despite repeated whistle blowing, the referee was unable to restore order and, finally, he was forced to abandon the contest. Be interesting to see what the consequences are!
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Is this the smallest stand … smaller than at Esh Winning FC?
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Monday 15th November 2021
Almost six miles along the railway line from Gretton, across the Harringworth Viaduct, the rails go underground for a short while, and reappear between the villages of Glaston and Wing. The weather this morning, as we set out from Wing, was warm and sunny and, at last, the “season of mists and mellow fruitfulness” was in full swing. The path from Wing took us across the fields to the village of Pilton with its tiny church of St Nicholas. Crossing more fields, the village of North Luffenham to our left and the church of St John the Baptist. In South Luffenham, a fine house stands where once had been Luffenham Railway Station. Pressing on to Morcott, crossing a tributary of the River Chater and briefly glancing inside the church of St Mary the Virgin. The track then took us across more fields for a couple of miles to Glaston on the busy A47. Down Church Lane we crossed through the graveyard of St Andrew’s church where beams were being replaced in the roof, before taking the road past Glaston Carpet Superstore, down to Glaston Tunnel and back up to Wing Maze. With Alison Merricks, Maureen Owens and Norma Jarvis, nine stiles and 8.26 miles.
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South Luffenham, where the railway line used to run to Stamford
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Alison Merricks
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Tuesday 16th November 2021
Midland League Premier Division
Stone Old Alleynians 1
Romulus 2
Referee:- David Hinton.                                                             Attendance:- 99
Admission:- OMGDS £3.00 (£5).                                            Programme:- £1.00
On a dank Autumnal evening these two teams served up a pretty committed fare. Old Alleynians are playing, this season, at Kings Park, the former home of now defunct Meir KA. The ground is careworn, a couple of hundred seats behind one goal and limited cover down the near side. The hosts took the lead at the end of the first period, but a rejuvenated Romulus took a firm grip on the match in the second half and ran out worthy winners. A motley gathering of hoppers swelled the attendance!, John Main, Lee West, Martin Hayden, Lee Vaughan, Alan from Leicester, Mark Farnell and Lucy, amongst others.
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Wednesday 17th November 2021
FA Youth Cup – 2nd Round
Aylestone Park 1
William Warren 74,
Sheffield Wednesday 2
Sean Fusire 25,Bailey Cadamarteri 30,
Referee:- Lee Hartley. Official Attendance:- 1,250
Admission:- OMGDS £3.00 (£5). Programme:- £1.00
On a cold November evening, Aylestone Park, in front of a record crowd for the ground, just lost out to their illustrious opponents. Wednesday took a two goal lead into the interval and it looked for much of the second half, that the hosts had accepted their fate. A William Warren feee kick brought them back into the match after 74 minutes but they were unable to snatch an equaliser despite seven minutes of added time at the end of the contest. With John Main.
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Friday 19th November 2021
Eastern Counties League Division 1 South
Holland 2
Anthony Spyvou67 (pen), 68,
May & Baker 2
Jamie Marsh 57, 77,
Referee:- Mahdi Elhalawany.                                                  Attendance:- 124
Admission:- OMGDS £3.00 (£5).                                       Programme:- £1.00
In the fifteen years since they took over from St John’s (Clacton) FC, Holland have travelled comparatively rapidly. The ground has a new club house and changing rooms and a seated stand for around ninety spectators and there is a substantial fence around the pitch. Other than that there is very little else of note at the ground. On the pitch, they are pretty mid-table this season whilst their opponents are riding high. There was no score at the end of a fairly tepid first period, but in the second half, the hosts were made to pay for some glaring misses when May & Baker took the lead twelve minutes after the break. Back came Holland, well led by skipper, Anthony Spyrou, who scored two goals, the first a penalty, to give them a deserved lead. However, with around ten minutes to go, the visitors equalised and looked the more likely right up to the final whistle!
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Saturday 20th November 2021
FA Vase 2nd Round
Tunbridge Wells 1
Kyron Lightfoot 35,
Walton & Hersham 0
Referee:- Harry Wood.                                                   Official Attendance:- 320
Admission:- OMGDS £5.00 (£8).                                Programme:- £2.00
There might have been only one goal, but this was a rip roaring cup-tie at The Culverden Stadium. The visitors, who sit proudly atop The Combined Counties League, had already beaten their SCEL opponents in the FA Cup this season, but they fell behind to a delicious flick from Kyron Lightfoot, some ten minutes before the break, despite having been comfortably the better side. The second half was a war of attrition as the visitors threw everything – including a penalty – at the hosts, but were unable to break down a very determined defence. Some very partisan support for both sides!
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Monday 22nd November 2021
U23 Premier League 2 Division 1
Leicester City 1
Tawanda Maswanhise 3,
Tottenham Hotspur 4
Malachi Fagan-Walcott 37, Harvey White 41, 58, Tobi Omole 53,
Referee:- Thomas Parsons.                                    Attendance:- 374
Admission:- £3.00.                                                  Programme:- Free team sheet
On a cold evening at Seagrave, The Foxes brand spanking new training facility, the visitors ran out comfortable winners, but it could have been so different. Leicester opened the scoring after three minutes and ran the visitors ragged for the next half an hour or so. Tottenham’s first shot on goal arrived just after the half hour mark, but by half-time, they led 2-1. Whatever was said to the young Foxes during the break had the opposite effect of what might have been intended. They came out lacking in any sort of confidence and quickly conceded two more goals. At the end and after a missed penalty, they were a well beaten side!
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Tuesday 23rd November 2021
A dazzling sun burnt down from a cloudless aquamarine firmament on the way across the field and down the track to Corby Road, whilst golden leaves festooned the pathway and then, across the road and into the plantation, where the fierce orb still penetrated the naked trees. The landmark “pepperpot” which provides air to the railway tunnel far below, points the way to the escarpment, high above the Welland Valley and where, in the distance, the village of Caldecott is visible. The track emerges near the top of Rockingham hill and the route continues down past The Sondes Arms and across the fields behind it towards the outskirts of Great Easton where the spire of St Andrew’s Church is just discernible. At Caldecott the clouds were filling up the sky above the church of St John the Evangelist, with its beautifully crafted memorial plaque. Heading back across the fields to Gretton Weir and beyond to where the track climbs up and over the railway line until St James’ Church towers above Church Gap and onwards past the Baptist Church to complete the journey. Nine stiles and 10.74 miles.
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Inside the plantation
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Tuesday 23rd November 2021
United Counties League Premier Division South
Bugbrooke St Michael’s 1
Daniel Porter 62,
Rugby Town 3
David Kolodynski 11, 13, Luke English 44,
Referee:- Dave Brennan.                                                      Attendance:- 79
Admission:- OMGDS £2.00 (£5).                                     Programme:- on line
The visitors are some twelve points and seven places better off than The Badgers and it showed! Three first half strikes ended the game as a contest and although the hosts managed to reduce the deficit, it was only after Rugby replaced their iconic top scorer, David Kolodynski, who had already grabbed two goals! Entertaining game at Birds Close!
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Wednesday 14th November 2021
Southern Counties East League Challenge Cup Prelim Rnd
Lewisham Borough 3
Bryan Zepo 8, Cairo Duhaney 21, Abioseh Davies 93,
Kent Football United 2. AET
George Harris 59, Antonio Gonnello 88,
Referee:- Daniel Wyatt. Attendance:- 27
Admission:- £5.00. Programme:- £2.00
What a nightmare! Came down by train from Huntingdon, fully expecting to catch the 22.06 return journey. The match went to extra time and the referee wasted twenty minutes deciding whether to play extra time because of a single pylon floodlight failure! The match eventually finished at 10.40pm without going to penalties and I was just able to catch the 22.51 return train from Ladywell, close by Borough’s ground. 23.31 from London Bridge reached Huntingdon at 00.55 and I was eventually home by 01.35. Fo all that, Lewisham Borough is a very friendly club and there were refreshments and sight of the team sheets and a small room to shelter from the cold and to write up the match. The ground is somewhat basic, with a running track and all the paraphernalia of Athletics (long jump, Hammer/discus areas), but there was a small stand down one side and a good view all round. The hosts raced into an early two goal lead and the visitors spent all the second half clawing it back, only to lose out to a goal scored in the third minute of extra time.
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Thursday 25th November 2021
EUFA Europa League Group C
Leicester City 3
Patson Daka 11, James Maddison 21, Wilfrid Ndid 33,
Legia Warsaw 1
Filip Miladenovic 26,  Mahir Emreli penalty saved 26,
Referee:- Denis Aytekin.                                       Attendance:- 30,543
Admission:- OMGDS £22.00 (£30).                  Programme:- £3.00
End to end stuff in the first half as The Foxes swept from the bottom of Group C to the top in one match. Harvey Barnes and James Maddison were heavily instrumental in breaking down the Legia defence and in the second half, with Leicester already leading 3-1, the only real action came in the visitors enclosure, where the 1,134 visiting fans set off flares and fought with police! With John Main and Tony Morehead.
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Saturday 27th November 2021
Pitching-In Southern League Division 1 South
Lymington Town 0
Paulton Rovers 7 
Liban Ibrahim 3, Jack Ball 6, Leighton Thomas 7, 16, 37, David O’Hare 43, Will Harvey 48,
Referee:- Iain Parsons.                                        Official attendance:- 63
Admission:- OMGDS £5.00 (£10).                   Programme:- £2.00
The wind played its part, but even so, Lymington Town, at their very Spartan accommodation, were woeful. They were four goals down in sixteen minutes and six down at the interval. In the second half, they had the wind at their backs, but never looked like denting the arrears and, in fact, conceded a seventh goal! It was bitingly cold and the wind blew goal to goal across The Sports Ground which is shared with the local cricket club and has hard standing on only two and a half sides. It is a mystery how they gained ground grading for step four! Very helpful club Secretary who provided team sheet and official attendance. With John Main.
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Tuesday 30th November 2021
Southern Counties East League Premier Division
Welling Town 2
Manny Adetokunbo 48, James Miles 60,
Glebe 1
James Philpot 10,
Referee:- Terry Osborn. Attendance:- 74
Admission:- OMGDS £5.00 (£8). Programme:- £2.00
Welling Town are tenants, this season, at The EFES Stadium home of Kent Football United. The ground was a patch of grass some seven years ago and while still a work in progress, great strides have already been taken. The Boots are struggling, lying next to bottom of the premier division, whilst Glebe are riding high on top of the league. When the visitors scored early on, it looked likely to be a substantial away victory, however, The Boots held out until half-time and in the second half, they resorted to direct tactics, which brought them two goals and a richly deserved victory! With John Main.
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OTHER MATCHES:-

Wednesday 10th November 2021

Northern Premier League Midland Division 1

Corby Town 2 Sutton Coldfield Town 1                                             attendance:- 378

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Monday 15th November 2021 

Leicestershire Senior Cup 1st Round

Rugby Borough 2 AFC North Kilworth 2              AFC North Kilworth win 4-2 on penalties  attendance:- 82

___________________________________________________________________________

 

 

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October 2021

Posted in Uncategorized | October 31st, 2021

To Autumn

Season of Mists and mellow fruitfulness,

Close bosom friend of the maturing sun;

Conspiring with him how to load and bless

With fruit that round the thatched-eves run;

To bend with apples the moss’d cottage trees,

And fill all fruit with ripeness to the core;

To swell the gourd and plump the hazel shells

With a sweet kernel; to set budding more,

And still more, later flowers for the bees,

Until they think warm days will never cease,

For Summer has o’er-brimm’d their clammy cells.

by John Keats (1795 – 1821)

 

Friday 1st October 2021 k.o.: 7.45pm
Scottish Lowland Football League
Bo’ness United 3
Matty Flynn, 29, Devon Jacobs 43, Nick Locke 67,
Civil Service Strollers 1
Robert Cole 44,
Referee:- Stewart Luke.                                                                      Attendance:- 507
Admission:- £7.00.                                                                             Programme:- £2.00
On a wild, wet, windy night, these two teams served up a rip roaring contest, full of thud and blunder and not a little skill. Newtown Park for all its name suggests is a quaint, old fashioned stadium with steep terracing on three sides, cover down one side, but bereft of seats! There was a good crowd strengthened by the invading hoppers and a good start to the three day Scottish event.
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Saturday 2nd October 2021 k.o.: 11.15am
East of Scotland League Division 1 Conference A
Dalkeith Thistle 8
Ryan Weston 28, 60, Darren McTernan 50, Darren Leslie 57, Greig Callaghan 66, Rhys Dixon (og) 70,Danny McFadden 76, Jack Burrows 89,
Tweedmouth Rangers 2
Michael Robinson 6, 33, (sent off 47,)
Referee:- Frazer Bushell.                                                          Attendance:- 309
Admission:- £7.00.                                                                    Programme:- £2.00
Leading 2-1 at the interval, the visitors had the scorer of both their goals dismissed for violent conduct very early into the second period. Thereafter, the hosts struck mercilessly and secured a resounding victory!
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Saturday 2nd October 2021 k.o.: 2.00pm
Scottish Lowland League
Bonnyrigg Rose 2
Lewis Turner 17, Kerr Young 59,
Dalbeattie Star 1
Lewis Todd 46,
Referee:- Graham Grainger.                                                                     Attendance:- 517
Admission:- £7.00.                                                                                   Programme:- £2.00
The rain threatened, but rarely affected this close tussle on a fairly sharply inclined pitch from corner to corner. The hosts could only garner a single goal advantage at the interval and come the second period, back stormed Star to equalise in the 46th minute. However, on the hour mark, Rose snatched what turned out to be the winning goal and hung on comfortably until the final whistle.
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Saturday 2nd October 2021 k.o.: 5.00pm
East of Scotland League Division 1 Conference B
Easthouses Lily 2
Lewis Sives 60, 63,
Glenrothes 5
Graeme Walker 9, 55, 90, Reece Brown 78, Lea Schiavone 89,
Referee:- Stuart Broadfoot.                                                             Attendance:- 228
Admission:- £7.00.                                                                          Programme:- £2.00
A small ground with a recently added seated stand for about 100, but with otherwise steep banking, was the venue for the third match of the day. The hosts were thoroughly outplayed and yet at one stage managed to pull two goals back and get on level terms. However, that would have been a travesty and three late goals sealed an emphatic victory!
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Saturday 2nd October 2021 k.o.: 7.45pm
East of Scotland League Premier Division
Newtongrange Star 2
Chris Robertson 27, 37,
Tranent Juniors 2
Sean Wringe 31, Craig Stevenson 61 (pen), 
Referee:- Ryan Lee.                                                      Attendance:- 401
Admission:- £7.00.                                                  Programme:- £2.00
A pretty impressive entrance to a stadium which boasted a covered terrace down one side and not a whole lot else (there were a dozen or so seats in front of the covered terrace). The hosts are enduring a challenging season and presently prop up the division. The visitors, meanwhile sit atop the league, but found themselves trailing 2-1 at the interval. It took a penalty on the hour mark to square the match and the draw was a fair result.
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Sunday 3rd October 2021 k.o.: 12.15pm
East of Scotland League Premier Division
Broxburn Athletic 0
Dundonald Bluebell 1
Elliot Ford 61,
Referee:- Will Pare.                                                               Attendance:- 278
Admission:- £7.00.                                                           Programme:- £2.00
Broxburn’s new build stadium (about ten years old, now), looks very impressive, with extensive offices, changing rooms and bar facilities, although, sadly, with a plastic pitch. On a wet, wild and windy morning, however, they coped less well with conditions than their opponents, who scored the only goal of the game after 61 minutes.
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Sunday 3rd October 2021 k.o.: 4.00pm
Scottish Women’s Premier League 1
Motherwell Ladies 3
Leanne Crichton 27, Lori Gardner 45, Jemma Hughes 66,
Hamilton Academical Women 0
Referee:- Conor Greenan.                                                 Attendance:- 128
Admission:- OMGDS £5.00 (£10).                                 Programme:- NONE
Alliance Park is home to Caledonian Braves of The Scottish Lowland League … and … Motherwell Ladies. Today’s match was a real basement battle. These two teams have played four games each and only the visitors had registered a win, although on the basis of this afternoons contest, the hosts looked the better equipped side as they battered Academicals and really ought to have struck more than three times. For long periods of the game, the home team, skilful, positive and determined, were encamped in their opponents half, and it looks likely that the visitors will struggle, this season, to maintain their top flight status.
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Tuesday 5th October 2021
Uhlsport United Counties League Premier Division South
Lutterworth Town 2
Craig Maisiri 29, Keenan Marshall 52,
Bugbrooke St Michael’s 0
Referee:- Gary Lord.                                                                     Attendance:- 54
Admission:- OMGDS £3.00 (£6).                                             Programme:- £2.00
On a filthy night, with wind and incessant rain and very slippery conditions, it was no surprise that the game was not a classic and, indeed, deteriorated into a petty, niggly second half. The visitors missed a first half penalty before a goal either side of the interval, wrapped it up for the hosts. With John Main and Lee West.
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Thursday 7th October 2021
From Gretton Village hall, a long walk down “The Dusty” and across the fields to Kirby Hall, still open, this late in the year. It was overcast, yet warm as we crossed the Kirby road and found ourselves in the midst of the groundworks for the next phase of building development. It was difficult to locate the path, but eventually, through the woods and on to Deene, where the famous teapot topped monument still stood serene and ripe pumpkins adorned a garden in the village. Onwards across the marshy fields to cross the A43, and on much firmer ground, to complete the walk to Bulwick and the church of St Nicholas. The Pickled Village was open and we enjoyed frangipane and coffee before continuing our journey out of Bulwick and across to Harringworth Lodge, crossing over a surprisingly quiet A43. The fields were freshly ploughed and the going was quite challenging, but eventually, we reached Gretton and adjacent to the village hall, the building development continued apace! With Alison, Harry and Maureen, twelve stiles and 10.67 miles.
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Kirby Hall
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Pumpkins in the garden!
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The church of St Nicholas, Bulwick.
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The Pickled Village, Bulwick
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Thursday 7th October 2021
FA Women’s National League Northern Premier Division
Loughborough Lightning 0
Derby County Women 3
Ellie Gilliatt 11, 13, Megan Tinsley 22,
Referee:- Guy Thrower.                                                           Attendance:- 128
Admission:- OMGDS £3.00 (£4).                                        Programme:- £2.00
Loughborough Lightning are an amalgamation of Loughborough Foxes and the University BUCS (British Universities and Colleges Sport) women’s team. Sadly, things have not gone well this season for the students. They occupy third bottom place in the division, whilst their opponents are third from the top. There was a gulf in class and three first half strikes emphasised the point. However, a second half determined performance from the hosts ensured that no further damage was done. With John Main.
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Saturday 9th October 2021
Essex Senior League
Little Oakley 0
Ilford 0
Referee:- Leigh Ballinger.                                                        Attendance:- 110
Admission:- OMGDS £4.00 (£7).                                         Programme:- £1.00
The sun burned down from the azure firmament, but in the shade it was a chit billy! Little Oakley’s small neat ground has hard standing on two sides, a seated stand for fifty spectators down one side, and a small covered area for, maybe twenty souls behind the near goal. Both these teams are struggling in the bottom five of the league and this match was no classic. Indeed had they played until midnight, the score would probably have remained the same. Very friendly and a pleasant bar and huge filled rolls for £2 and … the weather helped! With John Main.
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Sunday 10th October 2021
A lovely morning for a short walk from East Carlton Country Park to Cottingham and back to the park via Middleton and the many antlered reindeer. No stiles and 3.42 miles.
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Tuesday 12th October 2021
Uhlsport United Counties League Premier Division South
Desborough Town 1
Finlay Shorrock 66,
Hinckley Leicester Road 3
Matt Langham 1, 31, Sam Munton 68,
Referee:- Andrew Cuthbert.                         Official Attendance:- 89
Admission:- £6.00.                                        Programme:- £1.00
Always a pleasure to visit one of my favourite UCL venues. It is over two years since my last visit, but I was here on this day in 2010 and 2003. Tonight’s visitors are the current form team in this division. They have won all ten of their league games and tonight made it eleven wins in a row! They held a 2-0 interval lead, but the second half saw a much more determined Ar Tarn side pull a goal back, but the visitors regained their two goal advantage and held on comfortably for the victory and the points.
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There is some suggestion (Rumour?) that the iconic stand is to be removed at the end of the season
… and be replaced with something a little more modern (probably a Meccano stand!!!).
Apparently, the structure is not stable and riddled with asbestos.
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Wednesday 13th October 2021
Uhlsport United Counties League Division 1
Blackstones 3
Nathan Smith 45, 53, 74,
Barrow Town 3
Ethan Ballantine 10, 29, Tom Mangan 54,
Referee:- Ian Ruddock.                                               Attendance:- 63
Admission:- £5.00.                                                Programme:- £2.00
On a mild, balmy evening in Stamford, the hosts continued to struggle. The last time I was here three weeks ago, they shipped eight goals and by half-time tonight they were already two goals adrift and abject. The second half fight back saw them equalise within eight minutes and even after a third goal from the visitors, striker Nathan Smith was able to complete his hat-trick and Blackstones salvaged a point and a large measure of pride!
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Thursday 14th October 2021
The skies were rolling grey and there was a blustery breeze, setting out from Harringworth along the bank of the River Welland to Turtle Bridge and crossing it to enter Rutland and up to the track bed of the former railway line to Stamford. Across the fields and briefly into Barrowden where a couple of black sheep cantered towards the parish church. Onwards to Morcott, crossing the A47 and then re-crossing it at the far end of the village, down a steeply ploughed field with the mini viaduct for the Uppingham spur line just visible, and then the narrow footbridge under the spur line before the steep climb into Seaton, past The George & Dragon and the church of All Hallows. All down hill back to Harringworth, crossing The River Welland and under the impressive archways of the Welland Viaduct and back into the village and the church of St John the Baptist. With Alison Merrick’s and Maureen Owens, eight stiles and 7.51 miles.
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Saturday 16th October 2021
EFL League One
AFC Wimbledon 2
Nesta Guinness-Walker 68, Jack Rudoni 85,
Sheffield Wednesday 2
Lee Gregory 13, 61,
Referee:- Christopher Sarginson. Attendance:- 8,224
Admission:- Hospitality. Programme:- incl. (£3.00)
Top class hospitality with the family at The Cherry Red Records Stadium, home of AFC Wimbledon – BTPL (Back To Plough Lane) for the first time since 1989. The Wombles were not at their best today and for an hour or so, they seemed content to sleepwalk to defeat. The introduction of a couple of subs at 0-2, seemed to galvanise them into action and they purloined two excellent late goals and, at the death, a draw was just about the right result!
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Liam, Jim and Ed
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Cora, Sonny, Freddie, Kingsley, Mike
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Monday 19th October 2021
A gentle stroll through Kingswood Local Nature Reserve, this morning, and then around the outside of the Danesholme estate and across the A6003 into the fields beyond. There were several fields with small streams crossed by sturdy bridges before reaching the road that led down into Pipewell, where the Abbey Church of St Mary is, purportedly, the smallest church in Northamptonshire and where Mary Budd, daughter of Samuel Lloyd, is buried. Just inside the church gate there is a small statue of the Good Shepherd. Back across different fields through a farmyard – “the bull in the field is tame said the farmer”. “What bull?” We said! Some challenging styles but eventually back across the A6003 and up through Great Oakley, past Morrison’s and into Kingswood. With Norma Jarvis and Maureen Owens, eleven stiles and 6.39 miles.
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Norma Jarvis and Maureen Owens
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Monday 18th October 2021
The FA Premier League
Arsenal 2
Pierre Emerich Aubameyang 8, Alexandre Lacazette 90+4,
Crystal Palace 2
Christian Benteke 50, Odsonne Edouard 73,
Referee:- Michael Dean.                                                                          Attendance:- 59,275
Admission:- hospitality.                                                                          Programme:- incl. (£3.50)
Cracking game, not so impressed with hospitality – more Macdonalds that haute-cuisine (although Freddie liked his chicken burger) and they didn’t even hand out team sheets which I thought was penny pinching and they said it was for COVID-19 reasons. Arsenal started out like a house on fire. Scored on eight minutes, but then Palace ground them down and equalised early in the second half and with a quarter of an hour to go, Palace took the lead to the exuberance of their fans. Four minutes into added time, Lacazette smote a last gasp equaliser! With grandson, Freddie.
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Tuesday 19th October 2021
Specsavers Surrey Senior Cup Preliminary Round
Abbey Rangers 1
Jack Watts 90+2 (pen)
Farnham Town 1
Daniel-Lloyd Stewart 48,                                       (2-4 on penalties)
Referee:- Derek Laing.                                               Attendance:- 31
Admission:- £7.00.                                         Programme:- included
0.9 miles from Addlestone station (twenty minutes on foot) is the small neat ground of Abbey Rangers at Addlestone Moor. A couple of superior Meccano stands down one side with seats for maybe 100 in each and an extensive bar, refreshments and changing rooms behind the nearest goal. These two teams occupy parallel divisions in the same league. For much of the match, the visitors had the upper hand, scoring within five minutes of the restart after the interval. The hosts equalised in the last minute of added time with a penalty and then threw away the penalty shoot out. Entertaining match with Jonny Crane, who generously gave me a lift to Woking Station after the match ended!
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Wednesday 20th October 2021
Middlesex FA Senior Charity Cup 1st Round
Park View 2
Felix Kouassy 45+2, Raymond Agyemang 68,
Spelthorne Sports 1
Dan Lewis 90+5,
Referee:- Sebastian Fraser.                                           Attendance:- 18
Admission:- £7.00.                                                  Programme:- £2.00
There were hundreds of young children covering every inch of the 3G pitch when I arrived an hour before kick-off, so it was no surprise that the game only kicked off at 8.05pm. A fine covered stand beside the athletics track, but the view was obscured by a huge crane placed in front of it! No turnstiles – an official toured the stand collecting entrance and disbursing programmes. Spelthorne looked the more likely, but the hosts scored on the stroke oh half-time and when the second half commenced in monsoon conditions, it was the hosts who adapted the better and doubled their score just after the hour mark. All that the visitors could now muster was a consolation goal in the fifth minute of added time. One of their players spent most of the second half receiving treatment at pitch side in the torrential downpour!
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The view of the main stand with the tractor in front of it!
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The injured player lies on the touchline for a good half hour in the second half in the pouring rain
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Saturday 23rd October 2021
Buildbase FA Vase 1st Round
Fisher 1
Michael Sarpong 57,
Badshot Lea 2
Tane Caubo 29, 60,
Referee:- Kevin Steele.                                                      Attendance:- 162
Admission:- OMGDS £5.00 (£7).                              Programme:- £2.00
The last time I was here, some thirty-two years ago, it was Fisher Athletic and the ground was just across the road. That club folded in 2009 and today’s reincarnation still carry the name of the bishop executed during the reformation, nearly five hundred years ago. Today’s opponents top the Combined Counties League and, in all fairness, were a cut above their mid-table SCEL opponents. They led 1-0 at the interval, but conceded to a spirited home side midway through the second period before regaining the lead minutes later. For a match on plastic this was a pretty good contest.
Train from Corby Station to St Pancras. Victoria line Tube from St Pancras to Highbury & Islington. London Overground from Highbury & Islington to Rotherhithe. Then a 0-7 of a mile walk toSt Paul’s Sports Ground on Salter Road (SE16 6NT).
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Tuesday 26th October 2021
Pitching-in Southern League Premier Division Central
Royston Town 1
Dan Newton 30,
Banbury United 3
Chris Wreh 14, Morgan Roberts 65, Jack Stevens 75,
Referee:- Jack Whitmore.                                                    Attendance:- 311
Admission:- OMGDS £6.00 (£10).                                    Programme:- on line
Royston were entertaining the team most likely in this division. Banbury are unbeaten in the league this season and look a really strong contender for advancement to Vanarama. They brushed aside a sturdy challenge from the hosts, who had six men booked, and swept in three goals and, maybe, should have had one or two more. Probably half of the crowd came from Banbury.
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Thursday 28th October 2021
Some twelve miles west of Gretton is the village of Thorpe Langton, where The Bakers Arms is open occasionally during the week. Behind the pub, the path leads down to a ford in the river, and then begins the long and increasingly steep upward climb to the top of The Caudle, a mound some 400 feet in height with a trig stone at the top. The other side leads down to Stonton Wyville, where fresh eggs are for sale, mushrooms grow in the churchyard of St Denys and Kezia Norton, who died in 1713 at the age of 63, is buried. She could have shaken hands with Oliver Cromwell! Onwards to Glooston and the church of St John the Baptist, the strange ladybirds and where the pub is for sale. At Cranoe (pronounced cray-no), along the straight road, the church of St Michael sits on the hill. On the way back, The Caudle looks barely more than a pimple … until the climb starts, and then, back in Thorpe Langton, the church of St Leonard’s sits, raised up, behind the village. With Alison Merricks, seven stiles and 7.56 miles.
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The Langton Caudle
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Friday 29th October 2021
EFL Championship
Queens Park Rangers 1
Lyndon Dykes 45+5,
Nottingham Forest 1
Jack Colback 90+1,
Referee:- Andy Davies.                                            Attendance:- 15,089 (2,885)
Admission:- OMGDS £28.00 (£36).                    Programme:- £3.50
The neat and compact Kiyan Stadium has seats which challenge the knees of golden mouldies like me and we had difficulty locating our entrance turnstile (no help from the stewards), but a gratefully received (free) teamsheet! This was a regulation 1-1 draw. The hosts took the lead at the end of a drab first period and were more energetic after the interval, but a resurgent Forest snatched a point with a goal in added time right at the death! Perhaps, a little hard on the hosts
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Mike and Freddie
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Freddie and Ed
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Saturday 30th October 2021
FA Premier League
Burnley 3
Chris Wood, 4, Matthew Lowton 32,Maxwel Cornet 34,
Brentford 1
Saman Ghoddos 79,
Referee:- Jonathan Moss.                                                     Attendance:- 18,821
Admission/- (£35.00).                                                          Programme:- £3.50
The rain stopped, the rainbow arched over the stadium and the sun blessed the view across the moors and, today, Burnley were in the mood. They were ahead after four minutes and three up at the interval, not that Brentford were awful, more that Burnley were slick and determined, at least in the first period. After the break, the visitors came out more resolute and determined, but their only reward was a consolation strike some ten minutes from time. With Daz and Craig Bibby and Jonny Crane.
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Jonny Crane, Daz Bibby, Graig Bibby, Ed
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Other Matches:-
Monday 11th October 2021
FA Premier League 2 Cup Group C
Derby County U23 2
Luke Plange 45, Louie Watson 66,
Charlton Athletic U23 1
Ben Dempsey 76,                             attendance:- 113
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Monday 25th October 2021
Midland Floodlit Youth League: Joel Richards Memorial Cup 1st Round
Rugby Town 1
Leo Stone 83,
Bedworth United 1
Luke Alsop 85,
Bedworth United won 5-3 on penalties.                         attendance:- 116
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Wednesday 29th October 2021
BUCS Womens Premier Division
Loughborough University Women 6
Sophie Domingo 2, Emília Wilson 47, Ella Powell 59, Abbie Bensted 61, 
Toni Williams 86, Katrena Morrison 90,
Leeds Becket University Women 1
Elisha Hardcastle 66,                                                      attendance:- 41
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Wednesday 27th October 2021
Pitching-in Northern Premier League Division 1 Midlands
Corby Town 3
Curtis Hartley 16, Elliot Sandy 18, Jordan O’Brien 90,
Sporting Khalsa 1
Gurjit Singh 78,                                                       attendance:- 374
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Thursday 28th October 2021
Leicestershire Midweek Floodlit Youth League Central Division
GNG Oadby Town Youth 0
Aylestone Park Youth 10
Kaide Gibson 9, 37, Joe Oliveira 15, 17, 74, Joe Ball 35, Kaden Stokes 59, 72,
Stanley Rossell 73, Henry Beeby 90,                     attendance:- 46
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