Tag Archives: Combined Counties League

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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Flexibility

07 Monday Aug 2023

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Saturday 22nd July 2023 ko 14:00

Pre-season friendly

YATELEY UNITED 3 (Westell 49 57p 61)

ROMSEY TOWN 3 (Moreno 36 A Trialist 60 B Trialist 83)

Andy Samuels (manager) sent off 38 (foul & abusive)

Att 32 at Sandhurst School 3G, Greenfinch Road

Free Entry

Online Programme

It does pay to have a back-up plan. I’d woken up expecting to watch Glyncorrwg AFC, but they were kind enough to let me know their game had been lost to overnight rain, so I changed plans and headed to Wiltshire League club Ludgershall Sports. But the A34 was blocked at Abingdon; I waited an hour before being slowly shepherded off the main carriageway on to a diversion where a working knowledge of the North Berkshire League was handy.

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The Popular Front

02 Wednesday Aug 2023

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Saturday 15th July 2023 ko 15:00

Pre-season friendly

TOOTING & MITCHAM UNITED 3 (A Trialist 23 Siklawi 25 B Trialist 75)

CORINTHIAN-CASUALS 1 (Trialist 34)

Att 118 at Back Pitch, Imperial Fields

Entry £3

This one started with a comment that was unlikely to be endearing to a Tooting fan. My wife Robyn has been slowly trying to complete her “92” and suggested she go to Sutton United vs Reading if I could find a game at a new ground for me nearby. However much Tooting’s fans might hate Sutton United, their existence got me to this game!

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Furlong

26 Thursday Jan 2023

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Saturday 10th December 2022 ko 15:00

Combined Counties League- Premier Division North

ASCOT UNITED 2 (Matthew 32p A Grant 74)

Bouwers sent off 27 (dangerous play)

EGHAM TOWN 0

Att 161

Entry £7

Programme online only 

In my groundhopping life I’m used to having a backup plan. In simple terms it means having an alternate game to go and watch if something happens at my intended destination. I’m far less used however, to having to find another game when I’m on season ticket duty at Oxford United. That said, I did have notice, the frost was bitter and the game was called off early. All I had to do was pick an interesting ground to show my wife Robyn. Continue reading →

Stag

19 Monday Dec 2022

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Tuesday 18th October 2022 ko 19:45

Combined Counties League Premier Division North

WINDSOR 2 (Mirtahmasabi 24og Debayo 80)

Appleton sent off 90 (DOGSO)

EGHAM TOWN 4 (Campion 20 48 64 Lopes 90)

Att 122

Entry £7.50

Programme FREE

I’m fairly certain this year’s Royal Funeral is what triggered this revisit to Stag Meadow. The committal was after all, in Windsor Castle and on the trip south from the M4 you do see the signage for the oh-so familiar sites such as the Great Park, and the Long Walk. Of course the football club are the Royalists, not least because they’ve had the likes of George V, George VI, and Philip Duke of Edinburgh as patrons. Continue reading →

Surprises

07 Thursday Apr 2022

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Tuesday 15th March 2022 ko 19:45

Combined Counties League Division One

HILLINGDON BOROUGH 1 (Bustard 59)

Robb penalty saved 76

LONDON SAMURAI ROVERS 3 (Hashii 8 Yoshida 28 Reis 50og)

Att c10

Free Entry

Ever had a ground you know you’ve been to, but can’t work out when? For years my mystery ground was the Middlesex Stadium in Ruislip. I know I watched Hillingdon Borough around 15 years ago on a Saturday because my girlfriend of the time insisted I got home by 6:30 as we had guests. I was a very different hopper then, these days I were given that constraint, I’d take in a non-floodlit game locally. Floodlit grounds are a finite resource to a groundhopper! Continue reading →

That’s Entertainment

15 Monday Nov 2021

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Tuesday 26th October 2021 ko 19.30

Combined Counties League Cup 1st Round

SHEERWATER 0

SANDHURST TOWN 0

No extra time, Sandhurst won 4-3 on penalties

Att 85

Entry £7

Programme £1.50

If Woodbridge Town was about a club in danger of losing their ground, then this was what hopefully and in time what the Eastern Counties League outfit can aspire to. I’ve always had a soft spot for Sheerwater, the district of Woking where all three members of the Jam are from, and in fact they met at Sheerwater Secondary School, a mere 100 yards to the right of Sheerwater’s new ground. But I digress…. Continue reading →

The Groundshare

10 Wednesday Nov 2021

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Friday 22nd October 2021 ko 19.45

FA Vase 1st Round

SOUTHALL 3 (O’Connor 9 46 Anibaba 80og)

ERITH & BELVEDERE 0

Att 136 at Ashford Town (Middx)

Entry £8

Programme £2.50

Over the years I’ve developed a mistrust of hard-and-fast rules. In groundhopping terms you don’t bother watching groundsharers preferring to tick off the ground for the primary tenant or owner. But what happens when you’ve already ticked off the ground (Ashford Town 1 Hitchin Town 4 24/1/2006)? Or do you just take the view that its a game of football, it’s dead easy to get to, and why not? Continue reading →

That Mad May

23 Tuesday Mar 2021

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Monday 7th May 2007 ko 11.30

Combined Counties League Division One

CB HOUNSLOW UNITED 0

WORCESTER PARK 3 (Kennedy 7p 88p Farley 45)

Att c40

Entry FREE

Programme £1

If “Silly Season” in 2007 was about anything, it was about the lower division of the Combined Counties. If you didn’t know the term is used to describe that time at the end of the season when unlit evening games are possible, usually with a 18.30 kick off time. Back then the majority of the Combined Counties Division One clubs had no floodlights, and after multiple postponements during a wet winter the league extended their season, and scheduled a series of evening, and early kick-offs.

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Never A Step Backward

12 Wednesday Aug 2020

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Tuesday 4th August 2020 ko 19.15

Friendly

SILCHESTER FC 0

BADSHOT LEA (4 3 31 50 77)

Att c20 @ Queen Mary’s College, Basingstoke

Free Entry

With a friendly lined up at an unusual venue in Basingstoke, and plenty of time to get there, I took the chance to stop and spend a few minutes at the Camrose.  Until 2019 the ground, gifted to the people of Basingstoke by Lord Camrose in 1945 was home to Basingstoke Town. Continue reading →