Bee Keeping

16 Thursday Nov 2023

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Sunday 22nd October 2023 ko 14:00

FA Women’s Cup 3rd Qualifying Round

WATFORD LADIES 1 (Lovelace 15p)

BRENTFORD FC WOMEN 2 (Woods 12 27)

Att c75 at The Hive 5G, Camrose Avenue

Free Entry

Sunday was a completely different day from the normal lie in with a Sunday roast to follow. Swedish Hop organiser Kim Hedwall was visiting and that meant a busy day.

We’d left Stadhampton FC and headed into London for a game that more or less had our names on it. Kim’s a Barnet fan, and Oxford United are my team so London Bees vs Oxford United Women had something in it for the both of us. Then there was the bonus of the game being played on The Hive’s “temporary” grass pitch behind the main stand, with a demountable stand that once was in use at the away end at Underhill serving as cover. The best laid plans and all that…..

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Crazy Bear

14 Tuesday Nov 2023

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Sunday 22nd October 2023 ko 10:30

Upper Thames Valley Sunday League

STADHAMPTON 0

J Davies sent off 86 (2nd booking)

FC CHILTON 3 (Barrett 13 Hickman 27 Jacks 71p)

Att 27

Free Entry

I don’t think too many hoppers would put up a Swedish groundhopper in their house for the weekend and immediately think, “I know, let’s go and watch Stadhampton FC!”

Swedish Hop organiser Joachim “Kim” Hedwall was over from Stockholm for the weekend, and like me when in his country we see it as the host’s responsibility to find a game that isn’t too obvious. The idea is if the visitor can find it from home, then it’s probably not obscure enough! I’ll leave it to you to decide whether the Upper Thames Valley League is obvious!

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Homonym

13 Monday Nov 2023

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Saturday 14th October 2023 ko 15:00

Gloucestershire County League

WICK 2 (Towler 24 59p)

ROCKLEAZE RANGERS 4 (Taylor 56 Butt 77 Beard 86 90+4)

Att 52

Free Entry

Programme £1

It is strange how things work out. I’m well used to regular trips to see family in Bristol and using that as a springboard to visit grounds either in the area, the South West or in South Wales. Half the reason I was there was my wife Robyn and I knew that with the Southern Combination Hop coming up our opportunties to see family would be limited once again. But I did spot something that made me smile!

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Wheels

10 Friday Nov 2023

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Sunday 8th October 2023 ko 15:00

Southern Counties East Premier Division

DEAL TOWN 2 (T Chapman 46 B Chapman 76)

T Chapman sent off 62 (dangerous play)

Hark sent off 75 (DOGSO)

KENNINGTON 0

Att 535

Entry £8

Programme £2

We left the isolation of Lydd and traced the route of Romney, Hythe & Dymchurch Railway back to Hythe and gradually the view from Shirley’s coach became more urbane. We even eventually reached Deal via Kingsdown which did produce a smile. I’d camped there with the Scouts in the mid-1980’s and as my mum waved off the minibus she looked at the bright sunshine and commented,

” Well you’ve certainly got the weather!”

That night we had the most unbelievable thunderstorm, the local supermarket was hit by lightening, and the bolts were bright and frequent enough for me to read a book in my tent. I’m not sure after all these years I’d have that sang-froid now. Mind you with what happened later, maybe we still do!

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Just Deserts

07 Tuesday Nov 2023

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Sunday 8th October 20243 ko 11:00

Southern Counties East Premier Division

LYDD TOWN 2 (Dickens 17 Webster 42)

SNODLAND TOWN 0

Att 295

Entry £7

Programme £2

If there was a silver lining to the hotel in Chatham making such a pigs ear of the GroundhopUK SCEFL Hop booking for we saw it on Sunday morning. Being in Folkestone instead meant we were closer to Lydd than we’d planned, and the upshot was more sleep. Even coach driver Shirley looked notably relaxed as she made a bacon sandwich in lieu of breakfast.

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What Matters

03 Friday Nov 2023

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Saturday 7th October 2023 ko 18:30

Southern Counties East League Premier Division

WHITSTABLE TOWN 2 (Oliver 3 Smith 55)

BEARSTED 1 (Palmer 70)

Att 682

Entry £10

Programme £2

If I’d felt that the hop’s visit to Faversham Town was an exercise in visiting a future Isthmian club then much the same could have been said above Whitstable Town and their home at the Belmont. But tragically in the days leading up to the hop everything changed. The news came through that club volunteer Matt Milne had died suddenly aged just 43 leaving his widow club secretary Francesca and their two young children bereft.

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Three Lions

02 Thursday Nov 2023

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Saturday 7th October 2023 ko 15:00

Southern Counties East Premier Division

FAVERSHAM TOWN 5 (Campbell 21 Payne 45 49p Miller 80 Gray 88)

HOLLANDS & BLAIR 2 (Grant 77 90)

Att 563

Entry £10

Programme £2

For me the journey from Rochester to Faversham represented far more than just distance, or even a one division increase in status. It all boiled down to perception, I was surprised to see either Faversham or Whitstable at this level, let alone both. I still see them both as Isthmian League clubs and that fact I knew would impact on how the clubs might approach hosting a groundhop game.

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Bly Spirit

30 Monday Oct 2023

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Saturday 7th October 2023 lko 11:00

Southern Counties East League- Division One

ROCHESTER UNITED 1 (Hume 90)

FAVERSHAM STRIKE FORCE 0

Att 279

Entry £7

Programme £2

It’s not often I’m relaxed on a hop event, there’s usually too much riding on that. But as Shirley navigated through narrow suburban streets, cussing at some folks’ selfish parking habits, it all felt normal. We had time, and the day’s clubs were well prepared.

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Lords & Ladies

25 Wednesday Oct 2023

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Friday 6th October 2023 ko 19:45

Southern Counties East League- Premier Division

LORDSWOOD 1 (Jeffrey 81p)

CORINTHIAN 1 (Billings 22)

Att 324

Entry £8

Programme £2

After the feeling of stepping out of our comfort zones in the West Wales Premier League, GroundhopUK’s return to the Southern Counties East felt like a return to an old friend even if there had been one or two potential gremlins. The first was the ill health of one member of the SCEFL committee, all the best to them for a speedy recovery and it was good how the rest of the team at the league managed to cover their absence.

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The Gatekeeper

19 Thursday Oct 2023

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Tuesday 26th September 2023 ko 19:45

Combined Counties League Premier Challenge 1st Round

YATELEY UNITED 2 (Rudall 75 Scott 90+8)

CAMBERLEY TOWN 4 (Taylor 37 45 47p Jones 68)

Att 427 (Ground Record)

Entry £5

Programme £2

With no disrespect to the folks at the Thames Valley Premier League I don’t expect to see them supply too many clubs to either of the Step 6 Leagues in their area, the Hellenic or the Combined Counties. That’s got nothing to do with anything to do with the league, more its geography. This is well and truly in the M4 corridor territory with sky-high land and property prices, so for Yateley to both grow their club and develop their ground here is a stunning achievement.

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