Tag Archives: League

A game of one half

30 Friday Sep 2011

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Tuesday 27th September 2011 ko 7.15pm

Leicestershire Senior Cup First Round

AYLESTONE PARK 2 (G Seal 18 27p)

BIRSTALL UNITED 1 (Man-Klee 8 )

Att 54 (h/c)

Entry £2.50

No programme

Chips & Cheese £1.50

With the  Leicester based club having moved a full 400 yards to their new home, The Mary Linwood Recreation ground in Saffron Lane, this fixture attracted some of the big hitters of the groundhopping fraternity.

The ground reflects precisely the clubs needs and immediate ambitions. There are two pitches, so close that the dugouts are double sided, and the clubhouse is both large and impressive. However the sole spectator accommodation is still the same unseated Arena stand, salvaged from the old ground, and given a lick of paint. You question how far the club can progress with the ground as it is particularly when you consider that the club has the advantage of the demise of the Leicestershire Constabulary club which supplied both players and committee.

What we got was a cracking half of football. Birstall took an early lead, Aylestone stung by the threat to their 100% record responded, and with a penalty to take the lead we were set up for an exciting second half. I’d have even settled for extra time.

I turned up for the second half, I’m not sure the players did! What we got was a turgid half of ill-tempered hoofing, and a catalogue of unforced errors. By the end, extra time would have been a trial.

Gemini

25 Sunday Sep 2011

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Saturday 24th September 2011 ko 7.30pm

North Berkshire League Division One

AFC WALLINGFORD 0

CROWMARSH GIFFORD 2 (Hedges 42 79)

Att 157

Entry by Programme £3

Tea 60p

Badge £3

By the evening game, I was flagging a bit. Organising these hops is stressful enough, but doing so with a hernia made things just made things tougher. Still, I propped myself up, did what I needed to (deliver the badges, organise the team sheets, do the crowd count etc) then enjoyed a nice cup of tea.

I have time for AFC Wallingford, as life has been tough for them. From beating AFC Wimbledon to the Combined Counties League title in 2001-2 little or nothing as gone right for them since,and they’ve had real problems with their landlords. We’d annoyed them by bouncing a children’s party to host this late kickoff. Continue reading →

…Like hot cakes!

25 Sunday Sep 2011

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Saturday 24th September 2011 ko 4.30pm

North Berkshire League Division 2

SUTTON COURTENAY 4 (Foster 14 Oram 15 Pitson 64 Druce 71)

BERINSFIELD 1 (Stockford 80)

Att 182

Entry by Programme £3

Badge £3

Tea 50p

Homemade Cake 50p

Cheeseburger £2

By the third game I’d relaxed, it was obvious the crowds were going to be of an acceptable level, and the club I knew from a visit late last season were both keen and ready to host a hop game. I was relieved we’d hired a mini-coach as I’m not sure whether we’d have got a full sized vehicle down the Old Wallingford Road!

Once again a barbeque was in full swing, but the act of genius was in the clubhouse, where home made cake was on sale for 50p a slice! I had two pieces! Someone can bake in this corner of Oxfordshire. Again the teamsheet was pinned up in good time, but I still managed to watch the opening few minutes some distance from the pitch! I’d caught up with Jackie Cullen secretary of visitors Berinsfield, and a wonderful advert for the club who have overcome major problems in the past, to win both the League cup and division 4 last season, their first back in the NBFL.

I’d fully expected Berinsfield to win this one easily, but when Courtenay can boast players of the calibre of Luke Bennett (ex Oxford United) perhaps I should have known better. In a high quality game, Courtenay ran out worthy winners, but as organiser I was also pleased the large numbers of the NBFL committee present. One quietly told me he didn’t think I’d get this many people to the games, and how pleased he was to be proved wrong. Comments like that are appreciated!

Razzmatazz

25 Sunday Sep 2011

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Saturday 24th September 2011 KO 1.30pm

North Berkshire League Division 1

DRAYTON FC 3 (Curran 72 76 82)

HARWELL VILLAGE 1 (Hinchcliffe 90)

Att 168

Entry by programme £3

Tea £1

Cheeseburger £2.50

Cheese & Onion Roll £1

Old team shirt £2

Badge £3

The second game of the hop was a mere mile and a half from the first, at the Recreation Ground, off Lockway.

The previous evening I’d had a bit of a nose round, firstly to see where to put the coach, and to see how they’d cope with a crowd. It looked easy enough to secure, but other than the village hall there didn’t look to be much space.

I needn’t have worried as the club put on a super show, complete with a gazebo borrowed from Tilsley Park, in nearby Abingdon. The place was packed out, and one hopper Martin Heyden from Cheshire even decided to cycle between the first 3 grounds! The locals pocked their noses over their fences and whinged at the number of people present, again there was a roaring trade in badges, and burgers, and I was impressed at how hard the Drayton FC people worked at their 2 hours in the spotlight.

The game was a complete non event for 70 minutes, then portly striker Danny Curran entered the fray. 10 minutes later, and 3 chances, he’d collected the match ball, Drayton the 3 points, and all was left to do was watch Martin climb on his bike just after a goalkeeping howler gave Harwell Village their consolation.

Life was getting better every minute…..

Epicentre

25 Sunday Sep 2011

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Saturday 24th September 2011 ko 10.30am

North Berkshire League Division 2

STEVENTON 3 (Margetts 7 McArdle 18 Cooper 69)

MARCHAM 2 (Northcott 15 Banks 33)

Att 190

Entry by Programme £3

Badge £3

Tea and Bacon Roll £2.50

The North Berkshire League hop had been over a year in the making, and as organiser its never easy bringing a league and its clubs up to speed on what to expect and how to go about making the most of the day. The league were, and are a pleasure to deal with, but you never know…. until the coach drove past Steventon Green for the pick up at Didcot station , and there was the barbeque fired up, the pitch roped off and the the hoppers already tucking in.

I’d picked Steventon because of the league rule that all grounds have to be within 20 miles of Steventon Green, so why not start at the centre of things!

Raffle tickets were sold, the programmes sold out, and people enjoyed a cracking game, in the autumnal sun. Neither side seemed capable of defending which believe me hoppers love!  I’ve never met a hopper would didn’t like goals!!!

I did hear a lovely comment from one visitor when we announced the attendance, ” I bet that’s double what they normally get!” Little did they know, when I first visited Steventon FC, the attendance was 7!

I climbed back aboard the bus, knowing things were all going to work out nicely. Thanks guys!

Rat Trap

14 Wednesday Sep 2011

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Leicestershire Senior League Premier Division

RATBY SPORTS 4 (McKenzie 4 83 Jacquei 49 Brightmore 57)

ASHBY IVANHOE 4 (Pollard 15 Bray 43 Netter 69 Gibson 72)

Att 23 (h/c)

Entry £3

Programme NO (this is Leicestershire remember!)

Can Diet Coke 50p

Very much an evening of contrasts, even down to the village itself. A pretty village yes, but showing obvious signs of dereliction. Desford Road, is similar, tucked away neatly behind the cricket ground, has a brand new clubhouse, but it’s half finished,  there’s a solidly built stand, but there’s no seats and there’s signs of a fire at its back. The Junior pitch is perfect but the adult version is badly cut and lumpy. There’s even signs of a terrace, sadly overgrown.

I’d picked the game, and as a goal whoring exercise, Ratby having shipped a hatful even at this early stage of the season, but it didn’t quite turn out how I expected.

Ashby should have won this at at a canter, but to my delight and doubtlessly the annoyance of the teams’ management, it turned into an exercise into who had the least competant defence! The highlight? Bray’s excellent finish for the 3rd goal, past his own keeper! Great stuff, and a good tick.

The Mickey Mouse Quotient

09 Friday Sep 2011

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Cheltenham Association Football League Division 2

TEWKESBURY TOWN 4 (Jordan 15 57 Halling 55 75)

NORTHWAY 1 (Higgins 24)

Att 47 (h/c)

Entry FREE

Nothing for Sale

Many groundhoppers have standards of football beyond which they won’t venture, a favourite measure is whether a programme is available. For others it’s a specific level, measurable by how many promotions it would theoretically take to reach the Football League.

As a result the Cheltenham League is off the beaten track for many, and it’s generally difficult to sell a game on a pitch behind a school, with no cover, and no facilities.  For all of these perceived difficulties this was an enjoyable evening out. It helped that the club were kind enough to phone me to offer directions and both sides gave information about the lineups and themselves freely. It was handy for the neutral also, that the two sides are local rivals, hate each other, and the two benches spent the encounter glowering at each other from opposite sides of the pitch. A division 4 game was taking place on the adjoining pitch to add more flavour.

So what was it like? Well the standard was predictably poor, but I’ve seen a lot worse, and at a far higher level, but it was always entertaining. We had the unusual sight of Northway’s Steve Prosser being booked for dissent, whilst a non playing substitute, but his side’s defence was notably more incompetent than their opponents’ and in  the second half the home side made that implied advantage count.