This Saturday, 2nd November, is the Second Round Proper of the FA Vase and one stand out game is  Bishop Aukland v West Aukland Town, kick off 3pm.

This very local derby sets the most successful Ameteur Cup side against the first World Cup Winners.

It is all about romance, passion, rivalry, community and much more, its is also the essence of Non – League Football.

Keeping up to date on nonleaguedily.com the other day I found this ‘Our Cup of Tea’ documentary.

It’s well worth the 16 minutes of anyone’s time.

http://movingadverts.com and https://www.facebook.com/TyneandWeird

I had the opportunity to visit the Shay in Halifax to see the F.A. Cup 4th Qualifying Round, Halifax Town v Harrogate Town. I had not visited the Shay for ages and it has changed out of all recognition partly due to the sharing arrangement with the local Rugby League Club

It is now a very modern ground, not a concrete jungle, with great facilities that now graces the National League.

The day was very Autumnal with grey skies, little wind, but a chill in the air. The pitch looked perfect but had cut up badley where the practice goals had been placed.

Halifax Town AFC have had their ups and downs. Formed in 1911 they worked their way up to the Football League in 1921 where they stayed until relegation to the Conference in 1993. A promotion in 1998 saw them back in the League but for only 4 years and life back in the Conference was hard and financial difficulties lead to administration in 2007. A further demotion due to financial difficulties found the newly reformed club in The Northern Premier League One North in the 2008/09 season. They have since fought their way back and now sit top of the National League but recent results have been disappointing.

Harrogate Town were formed in 1914 and played in local football until the 1980’s when they were founder members of the Northern Counties East League. Progress has been steady and in 2016 layed a state of the art 3G pitch and started operating as a full time professional club in the 2017/18 season. They were rewarded for this move gaining promotion to the National League that season. They are now well established as a major force in this 5th tier of English Football.

Halifax Town 1 Harrogate Town 2

Harrogate started the best in front of the disappointing crowd of 1246. Their attacking play down the right was causing problems with Brendan Kiernan putting in some good crosses which were causing angst for the Halifax defence. One of these crosses on nine minutes was headed onto the crossbar by a back peddling Josh Staunton who unfortunately saw Mark Beck score from the rebound.

The diminutive figure of Josh Faulkingham bossed the midfield seeming to be everywhere. Despite this Halifax should have gone in level when on 30 minutes Jerome Binnom-Williams should have done better with his header with an open goal beckoning.

Harrogate ended the half on top but within a few seconds  of the second half Niall Maher tapped in at the back post to level the score. Halifax should have pushed on from this but again Harrogate dominated midfield and they retook the lead on 54 minutes with some neat interpassing on the right for Jack Muldoon to cut the ball back across goal for Beck to get his second.

Halifax tried with little success to regain the momentum and even using all of their substitutes could not create an effective threat.

Harrogate ran out deserved winners.

The food facilities were very good but the chips at £2 were only warm and a bit soggy, disappointing, only scoring 56.

Where better than Gresley FC to spend Non League Day to see them entertain Rugby Town in the Buildbase FA Vase first round.

The Moat Ground is iconic in its ramshackle appearance tucked into an old housing estate, that belies the enjoyment that is created on this stage. 205 fans turned up and the snack bar and Harry’s bar did a good trade. A large group of fans had a pint or two outside the bar in good humoured fun and banter. Gresley long to move to community facilities and their ground and car park have been zoned for housing in the local plan. In the meantime it’s worth the visit to just take in the sense of belonging created by many fans, officials, volunteers and players of the past.

I saw Greeley last year at Lincoln United in their relegation from the Northern Premier League and remember overhearing officials of both teams debating the rising cost of paying players and how they couldn’t and wouldn’t compete.

Gresley’s fall has continued and they now sit bottom of the Midland Football League, Premier Division with only two points and no wins after 9 games. They hoped that they could add to their two wins in the preliminary rounds and perhaps emulate Gresley Rovers Wembley final of 1992.

I have previously written about Gresleys history so a brief resume of Rugby Town FC. Formed as New Bilton Juniors playing friendlies in 1955 they changed their name to Valley Sports the following year and started playing local Saturday football. they progressed to the United Counties League by 1969 and changed their name again, this time to VS Rugby. They progressed up through the West Midland League to the Southern League and had some memorable F.A. cup runs before folding in 1993. Some of the original founders of the club rescued it and reformed. VS Rugby became Rugby United in 2000 and in 2005 changed to the present Rugby Town. Rugby like Gresley have in recent years been relegated from the Northern Premier League and had a spell in the Midland League before being transferred to the United Counties League in one of the FA’s many reshuffles.

The day was dry but the grey skies and fluffy darker clouds threatened rain. At 13 degrees it was pleasant and the pitch looked lush and in good condition. The pitch slopes down from each end to a sort of plane in the middle and is undulating in many areas.

Gresley try hard to raise money, they had a quiz the previous night and a program for £1.50 was supplemented by a 20p team sheet printed while you waited. Sellers for golden goal, a raffle and a team draw were active as well as the food and drink bars.

Gresley FC 0 Rugby Town FC 1

Rugby immediately dominated the start of the game and it looked only a matter of time before they scored. Gresley however hung on and midway through the first half had started to dominate. A string of corners and balls into the goalmouth should have seen them get one good chance but they looked unlikely to put the ball in the net with little direct striking power. Level at half time was a fair reflection of the action.

The second half saw Rugby gain the upperhand and were unlucky not to go ahead after 55 minutes when Jazz Luckie rose to meet a corner and his header crashed against the corner of the upright and crossbar. Rugby’s domination though proved fruitful on 78 minutes when Jazz Luckie hit the ball home from the centre of goal after good work from the left wing provided a cross that beat everyone. Gresley tried to rally and managed to put some pressure on but Extra Time was not needed.

For me my man of the match was Gresleys No 10 Albert Landsdowne who seemed to be everywhere and had abundant passion and commitment.

One thing about the game was that I don’t remember the officials, well done!

Gresleys great experience was further demonstrated by their organisation of a one way system that cleared the full car park and on street parking quickly. The guy directing everyone did extremely well.

The chips were hot, golden brown and tasty but had a slight burnt taste to them, a score of 68. I will issue an up to date chip League after the next game.

A trip to Worsborough was to see two teams from former mining communities, Worsborough Bridge Athletic FC v Glasshoughton Welfare FC.

The Worsborough Bridge pitch is seen from the bridge over the river Dove that feeds the lake that in turn feeds the nearby Worsborough Mill. This is a picturesque setting and is next door to the park and shares the clubhouse with the local cricket team.

The pitch slopes down from one end to the other and rope and some crampons could be of help in tackling the hill. The ground looked claggy as the teams warmed up and two local fans were discussing how the pitch sometimes floods at the lower end of the field and with the recent rain were pleased the game was going ahead.

Unfortunately there was no program as the person who creates it was away and again it falls to a band of amazing volunteers to keep this institution going. Only 79 people had turned up on this grey day and the one lady manning the food area was coping brilliantly on her own despite a steady queue. The F.A. hierarchy should have a clause in their contract that states they should help out at Non-League club once a month to really understand the amazing work that people do to keep these clubs afloat.

Worsborough Bridge Athletic were formed in 1923 as Worsborough Bridge St James changing to the current name in the 1940’s and having an interlude as Worsborough Bridge Miners Welfare Athletic from 1959 to 2006. They played local football in Yorkshire until 1982 when they were founder members of the Northern Counties East League where they still play today.

Glasshoughton’s is a younger club but whose history is similar, playing local Saturday football from 1974 until 1985 when they joined the Northern Counties East League. They have fared better that Worsborough having played in the premier division for some years but have been playing in Division 1 since relegation 2015.

Worsborough 1 Glasshoughton 2

Worsborough played down hill in the first half and there was plenty of passion on show as the two teams could be heard chanting in their dressing rooms before taking to the pitch. This passion boiled over after 12 minutes when the referee booked the Worsborough Manager for swearing at him and the on field chat subsided after this. I was surprised to see that the sloping pitch didn’t affect the play and it was Glasshoughton’s Nathan Perks who on 24 minutes appeared to lose control of the ball but was able to place it past the defender and goalkeeper to score. A lady sat near me had a baby with her that was in some sort of backpack. The baby, only 7 months was definitely following the players running around on the pitch.

The second half was only 3 minutes old when Worsborough were back in it when Kyle Wordsworth scored from a corner. The home side followed this with a 15 minute period of domination but Wordsworth despite his efforts could not repeat his earlier feat.

As the game wore on Glasshoughton gained control and but for heroics from Joseph Thornton between the sticks would have retaken the lead earlier than the 81st minute when substitute Lewis Pickering ran past the fullback to slide the ball under the keeper. One of the local fans said that Joseph was an outfield player who had taken over the gloves due to no goalkeeper being available. Glasshoughton’s win meant they leapfrog Worsborough down at the wrong end of the table and the home team are looking in trouble second from bottom.

The chips were although tasty not hot and a bit soggy. There were plenty of them for their £1.50 price score 62.

Coast to coast, this week in Cleethorpes, last week in Workington. It’s not the journey that confused me but the teams in North East Lincolnshire. It is a pub quiz question, which league football team never plays at home? – answer: Grimsby Town because they play all of their home games away in Cleethorpes, now I find that Cleethorpes Town play in Grimsby. I managed to get a shot of the Grimsby district sign as we sped to the game and this was just before the ground. To be sure I asked a friendly official at the ground and he confirmed we were just over 100 meters within Grimsby.

The facilities here at Clee Road are excellent. The clubhouse is shared with the cricket team and has a bar, food kiosk and an area as a club shop also selling the program. The club house was lively with away fans good humouredly singing and chanting whilst watching the early televised game.

The pitch is one of the finest I’ve seen for some time, flat with lush close cut grass. There has been a lot of money spent here on new railings, perimeter walkway and stands. There are also up to date advertising hoardings all around the ground. It seems like a club going somewhere.

After sailing to the match along the M180 the weather had broken to sunshine, blue skies, some billowing white clouds and a temperature of 16 degrees.

Cleethorpes Town and Frickley Athletic are both in the Betvictor Northern Premier League South East Division but today it’s the F A Trophy.

Frickley Athletic come from the former mining village of South Elmsall in Yorkshire where  the first mention of a football team was in 1905 with Frickley Colliery Athletic Club formed in 1908. The team played in Yorkshire and Midland Leagues until 1979/80 when they were promoted to the Alliance League (Now the National League) and had their best 7 years at this high level. They have since dropped down the pyramid system but are hoping this season to steady the ship.

Cleethorpes by contrast were only formed in 1998 and played initially under the name of  LSS (Lincolnshire Soccer School) Lucarly’s changing to their current name in 2008. They have risen quickly through the leagues from the Lincolnshire League to the Northern Premier South East Division in the 2016/17 season, a season in which they also reached Wembley for the final of the F A Vase when they lost 4 nil to South Shields.

Cleethorpes Town  1 Frickley Athletic  0

The crowd of 171 were expecting to discuss a somewhat dull first half when just before half time Cleethorpes scored after some neat interplay left  Scott Vernon alone and able to tap home.

Before that the game had been even with Frickley dominating midfield and Cleethorpes sending some accurate long balls  to the forwards along with some strong wing play down the left from their overlapping full back.

The second half again did not spark to life and each team continued to cancel one another out although Frickley became less and less effective upfront. However they nearly came away with a replay as with 5 minutes left Nathan Newell had a great shot across goal that seemed destined for the bottom corner until Theo Richardson managed a full length dive to finger tip the ball behind for a corner.

The final few minutes petered out and the Owls fly into the next round at home to Mossley.

Finally the chips, golden, hot, tasty, well priced, good portion a little greasy and a good overall score of 72.