Tag Archives: groundhopping

Waffley Good

01 Wednesday Nov 2017

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Saturday 7th October 2017 ko 10.45

Western League Division One

WELTON ROVERS 3 (Smith 27 Pile 42 90)

KEYNSHAM TOWN 1 (Curnock 4)

Att 247

Entry £6

Programme £1

We picked our way along narrow roads through the Mendips, the windscreen wipers shooing away fine drizzle. Julian French at the league proved to be spot on, we’d see rain at the first of the four Saturday hop games, but then it would be dry for the rest of the day. But why was I singing Flanders & Swann songs with fellow hopper Michael Squires? Continue reading →

The Reverse Takeover

26 Thursday Oct 2017

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Friday 6th October 2017 ko 19.45

Western League Division One

ASHTON & BACKWELL UNITED 2 (Skidmore 40 57) Thomas sent off 83 (2nd Booking)

BISHOP SUTTON 1 (Rendell 73)

Att 225

Entry £6

Programmes £1

It seemed that Street FC’s Tannery Ground was a million miles away. We’d finished the 2016 Western Hop there, and as the game finished I’d wished the league’s General Secretary Mark Edmonds all the best for the rest of the season. His untimely death due to cancer in December hit us all hard, and this hop took place with the feeling that there was something missing. That’s no reflection on anyone or anything; Mark’s absence was keenly felt, and that will continue to be the case. Rest in peace my friend.  Continue reading →

Footprints

25 Wednesday Oct 2017

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Tuesday 3rd October 2017 ko 19.45

Southern League Challenge Cup 1st Round

HAYES & YEADING UNITED 3 (Ofusu 28 54 Hutchins 34p)

ASHFORD TOWN (MIDDX) 0

Att 103

Entry £6

Programme £1

The history books state that Hayes FC and Yeading FC merged in 2007 and the new club moved into Hayes’ iconic Church Road ground. The idea was to redevelop Yeading’s home “The Warren” using funds raised by the sale of Church Road. The tale ever since has been one of mystery and disappointment as despite a good start- the new club reached the National Premier in 2009, the money ran out.  Continue reading →

Adge

24 Tuesday Oct 2017

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Saturday 30th September 2017 ko 15.00

Somerset County League Premier Division

NAILSEA UNITED 3 (Penberthy 7 Iles 72 Olsen 78)

STAPLEGROVE 0

Att c40

Free Entry

I have to confess I hadn’t intended to visit the Grove Sports Centre. But then the M4 intervened and I ended up stopping in the middle of Bath, and interrogating that essential tool for the groundhopper, The Football Traveller. Yes, I know you can get all the fixtures via the web, but sometimes there’s no substitute for having all the fixtures sorted by date, then league, and this was definitely one of them! Continue reading →

No Distance Left To Run

22 Sunday Oct 2017

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Friday 29th September 2017 ko 19.45

Eastern Counties League Premier Division

STANWAY ROVERS 1 (Blackwell 78)

WIVENHOE TOWN 0

Att 201

Entry £6

Programme £1.50

Friday night football is something that’s clearly worked for the Eastern Counties League with regular fixtures throughout the season. It makes sense especially for clubs like Stanway with Colchester United on their doorstep as it allows the Football League club’s fans to come and watch too.  From a hopper’s perspective it does allow the chance to tick off another ground on a day of generally sparse fixtures; in fact the only issue is battling Friday night traffic to get there! Continue reading →

Cater Bank

20 Friday Oct 2017

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Tueaday 26th September 2017 ko 19.45

Combined Counties League Premier Challenge Cup 1st Round

CB HOUNSLOW UNITED 5 (Roberts 30 44 Ireland 55 Morris 71 G Bamford 82) J Watt missed pen 82

EVERSLEY & CALIFORNIA 2 (Robson 28 Brown 43)

Att c65

Entry £5

Programme £1

Around 10 years ago one of my earliest forays into the Combined Counties League saw me visit CB Hounslow’s former home at Osterley Sports & Social Club. It was an interesting place, if extremely run down and the lack of basic facilties made it obvious that the club would either have to move, or accept relegation back to the Middlesex County League. My only surprise is that the move took 10 years! Continue reading →

Sham 17

19 Thursday Oct 2017

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Tuesday 19th September 2017 k0 19.45

Combined Counties League Premier Division

WALTON & HERSHAM 7 (Hornby 13 Abdul 23 59 78 J Newton 41 Nkoma 70 83)

CHERTSEY TOWN 0 

Att 225

Entry £7

Programme £1.50

I worry for the Swans. I have no connection with Walton or Hersham save for a visit to the ground 10 years ago. But on a slightly dank Tuesday night I was faced with an option. Either head to watch Walton Casuals at the new Walton Sports Hub or revisit Stompond Lane to see what looked like being the Swans last game at the historic ground.  Continue reading →

Belfast

15 Sunday Oct 2017

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Saturday 16th September 2017 ko 13.15

North Berkshire League Division One

HARWELL VILLAGE 1 (Churchouse 75) Tyler sent off 69 (2nd booking) P Powell missed penalty 89 

LONG WITTENHAM ATHLETIC 1 (Cheong 50)

Att 117 at AEA Sports Ground, Chilton, near Harwell

Entry by Programme £4

I’m not sure we even changed postcode during our trip from the R.A.L. Ground, round the Science Park to the Atomic Energy Association Sports Ground, one or two even walked it! Once we’d got the first game organised in Chilton, it was an obvious choice to head here although I’m fairly sure one or two people misunderstood Harwell’s reason for playing here.  Continue reading →

Diamond Lights

15 Sunday Oct 2017

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Saturday 16th September 2017 k0 10.45

North Berkshire League Division 3

DRAYTON 7 (Dennis 8 29 55p 68 S Bolton 15 C Bolton 51 Hughes 57)

UFFINGTON UNITED 1 (Harfield 66)

Att 112 at Rutherford Appleton Laboratory Pitch, Chilton, near Harwell.

Entry by programme £4

In so many ways the North Berkshire Hop is the Hummingbird of the organised hops. We’re off pyramid, we’ve only ever been a one-day event, and we’ve even had another league schedule a rival “Hop” against us. But despite some folks turning up their noses up at us, and a few even telling us it wouldn’t work, just like the hummingbird, that the laws of physics say shouldn’t fly, we’re still here, and still doing things our way.  Continue reading →

Stretching It

04 Wednesday Oct 2017

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Tuesday 5th September 2017 ko 19.45

Eastern Counties League Division One

DOWNHAM TOWN 1 (Sykes 66) Bailey sent off 59 (2nd Booking)

NORWICH UNITED RESERVES 3 (Stewart 7 Will 21 Jackson 74p)

Att 95

Entry & Programme £5

 

A fixture in the Norfolk town of Downham Market is just about as far as I can manage midweek, and it did help that was a slight delay to kick off for a rather unusual reason! Continue reading →