After floating up the A1 and into The North East Collective in Eldon Gardens to collect a painting by Chris Cummings, a noted local artist, not just on a football theme, I made my way via lunch on the front at Cullercoats to Purvis Park home of Percy Main Amateur Football Club. The local area is named after the Colliery that was owned by the Percy family which was opened in 1799 and closed 96 years later.

I have wanted to go here ever since reading Village Voice by Ian Cussack. The game was a Norther Football Alliance Premier Division game between Percy Main and Cullercoats.

By the time I reached the ground the day had changed completely to a mixture of blue and grey skies with a light breeze. The playing area can be viewed from the road through a metal pailing fence but a concession and program only costs £ 1.50 here. I was happy to give £5 for two hours of entertainment. The kick off was at 2.30 because there are no lights or any seating area. There is however a clubhouse and team changing area, a bar and food area where I bought some chips and a coffee.

I usually leave the chips till last in my blogs but these need a special mention at only £1.20 I had to ask for only half of them as you will see from the photo that the half shown was really enough. They were hot, cooked especially for me, very slightly oily but tasty and a great score of 80. The lady who cooked them was happy and you felt you were welcome.

Back to Percy Main, it is next door to a cricket square which is divided from the football by a thick large hedge and on two sides it is tree lined. The program did say that the club are in the process of bidding for a grant from the Football Foundation to upgrade the clubhouse and provide some seating. Good luck with this and I look foreward to another visit when they will be in place. The pitch was relatively flat but looked soft and cut up a little after the mornings constant rain.

Cullercoats F.C.were started in 1915 as Culver Cots the name of a dove breeding area in nearby Cullvercoats Bay. It seems not possible to find any history on the club but they have developed today to run two senior teams, junior and ladies teams.

Percy Main Amateurs F.C. were formed by demob soldiers in 1919 and have spent time in the Northern Amateur League, Tyneside League and the Northern Aĺiance League but their highest achievement was reaching the quarter finals of the 1929-30 F.A. Amateur Cup finally losing after a long journey to Bournemouth Gasworks Athletic two nil. Bournemouth eventually made it to the final where they lost 5-1 to Ilford.

Percy Main Amateurs F.C. 2 Cullercoats F.C.3

Percy Main dominated the start of the game and it was no surprise that they went ahead when Jordon Stephenson tapped in a cross after some work down the right. They should have added to this but for some good goalkeeping and the home side were good for their half time lead even though the cross bar had saved them on one occaision.Sea gulls swirled over the pitch at half time as the temperature started to drop.

10 minutes from the re-start of the second half Cullercoats were level when James Cooper ran on to a gift of a ball from a Percy Main defender drilling it home from the centre of the goal. It was all Cullercoats and substitute Jay Errington put them ahead after 75 minutes when again some hesitation in the defence gave him an easy tap in. The away teams domination was suddenly ended when Paul Collinson was upended in the box and a penalty awarded. Collinson picked the ball up,walked to the spot and was impeded by a Cullercoats player. Collinson pushed that player out of the way with force and was sent off. Jordon Stephenson calmly made it two for him and the team at 2.2.

Errington of Cullercoats won it for them when a ball was gifted to him from the head of a defender.

A great day out at a friendly club that deserves more local support.

I decided to revisit a club, something I haven’t done for a while, partly because it was near to me and this would mean using little fuel in the current crisis and because the ground had been totally changed due to grants and locally raised money.

Staveley Miners Welfare have installed a 3G pitch that can be used by the community, they have enhanced the mobility around the ground and the spectator experience.

Arriving at the ground there is still a large car park which has now been tarmaced and lined out meaning you no longer risk damp feet in the puddles. The changes do not end there with new money for a revamp of the car park oposite the junior pitches (which were awarded a grant to redrain them) which will also be available for people to park to visit Poolsbrook Country Park and access to the Trans Pennine Trail.

The clubhouse at Staveley is always welcoming and busy and looked as if it too had seen some redecoration. The five large TV screens shone out on what was a very dark day. The weather put me to shame having complained about the unusual warm weather for September at my prevous matches. The heavy rain came out of very grey skies but luckilly the light breeze did not reduce the temperature.

The beautifully flat 3G pitch was already in use with children taking penalties in the main goal area not cutting up the surface as with a grass pitch, their accuracy was amazing.

Silsden AFC were formed in 1904 with a few ups and downs along the way, with the current incarnation started only 25 years ago. Their rise up the local Craven Leagues and West Riding Leagues meant they were invited to join The North West Counties League in 2004. Like Staveley grantsò enabled them to transform their ground and by 2010 and they were promoted, relegated and promoted again to the Premier Division before being moved laterally to the Northern Counties East League in 2021 due to the FA’s reorganisation.

Staveley Miners Welfare 2 Silsden 3

Trojans v Cobbydalers

The rain just kept coming as the two teams kicked off and it was Staveley who took early control of the game perhaps being more used to the playing surface. They were strongest attacking down the right and it was no surprise that they scored from that sector but unexpectedly via the right back Charlie Bell who recieved the ball 25 yards out to the right of centre of the goal and .hit it true after one touch to the right hand corner of the net. Staveley kept control and still led at half time. Silsden’s sometimes over copmplicated passing movements continually breaking down.

Ten minutes into the second half the rain finally stopped and Staveley were still on top but not converting their chances. Silsden made two substitutions and changed to a more direct style and out of the blue Mohamid Quasim stumbled, swerved and jinked past three Staveley defenders to equalise on 81 minutes.

But within 6 minutes Staveley were back ahead when a corner by Charlie Bell was met with a majestic header by Samuel Kay which ripped into the net.

I thought that would be it but Silsden semed to have found new legs and desire and equalised with 1 minute left on the clock when Bradley Riley recieved the ball on the left of the penalty area and placed it beyond the diving goalkeeper to make it all square.

The breathless end had a further sting in the tail as Silsden wrapped up the game with a third just before the final whistle when Joseph Mitchel scored a long range effort. His delight and the teams was very evident as they celebrated in the corner.

A big reminder that a game is 90 minutes long and if you don’t convert your many early chances you run the risk of paying the price later.

Staveley have certainly now put together an impressive ground and set up that will give them an assured future but the day was certainly not theirs.

The chips at only £1.50 were a great quantity, tasted good, hot, not greassy but were soggy so a disapointing score of 62.

Snow, ice, a waterlogged pitch and Covid have beaten me before so this time a visit in September to the Iron Works ground to see Tow Law Town play seemed sensible.

I wanted to go for different reasons, I had heard it to be one of the most picturesque grounds in the country, which I knew through driving along the A68 in the past, some say it is the second highest ground to Buxton in the UK and I enjoy the competitiveness of Northern League games.

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Whether this competitive spirit is because there is still fierce rivalry between what is often very local ex pit villages/town’s, that the Northern League is cocooned in a distinct area, the fan base is pasionate, the players are local and not mercenaries looking for the highest payment, I’m not sure, but I know that there is a difference.

Tow Law set up high in the Durham hills is named from the Old English ‘tot hlaw’ which was the name of a house meaning ‘lookout mound’ and you can soon get the reasoning behind this by taking in the view. The clubs Ironworks Road ground is named after the the works that was important in the area until the mid 1800’s which was replaced as the main employer by coal with the mine finally closing in the 1960’s. Today the population is about 2000 but the club took double that to Wembley in1995 for their unsuccessful appearance in the final of the FA Vase.

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Tow Law Town FC were founded in 1890 and played in local football until joining the Northern League in 1920. Their most famous ex player is Chris Waddle who played as a teenager before being prized away to the professional game. The club has gone through ups and downs in its history with miners originally fashioning the club and then again during a Miners strike in 1923 were instrumental in creating the grounds contours that we know today. There have also been some financial problems and the generosity of Sir Bobby Robson (born in a near by village) was needed at one point to keep the club afloat. More recently in April 2020 the club was threatened with folding due to a large sink hole appearing on the side of the pitch and terracing along which an old railway line used to run. A football foundation grant , donations and the help of a YouTuber in the south of England all meant that they were able to raise the money for repairs.

There has been a team in Birtley since a year before the formation of Tow Law but a few reformings in the early years has led to the current team that was established in the early 1990’s. They progressed to the Northern League in 2007 were relegated back to the Northern Alliance in 2016 and were promoted back to the Northern League in 2018.

The day itself was dry, the sky was grey and the car said 20 degrees as I was dropped off. As you walk through the turnstile the lush green grass hits you and there is the whirring sound of a small wind turbine sited in the car park. The pitch unusually slopes end to end and side to side and you soon spot the view over the hills.

Tow Law Town 3 Birtley Town 1

The lawyers v The Hoops

This was a battle between two mid table teams and Birtley chose to play down hill which immediately proved a good move scoring in the first minute when Ben Garrity made space on the right and crossed for James Norton to tap home at the far post.

This was soon countered 4 minutes later when Drew Lake made room to squeeze a strong shot past everyone to go in off the left post. The Tow Law pressure continued and they were ahead a few minutes later, this time through Lewis Teasdale.

The game continued at a competitive furious pace and Tow Law were awarded a penalty for what seemed a very soft challenge and it seemed justice that Birtley’s goalkeeper Isaac Robinson saved it diving to his left. Birtley continued to be in the game particularly due to crosses from the right but a fight back grew harder as a second penalty was awarded to the home side. This time there was no dispute to the penalty awarded for a reckless tackle with the resulting spot kick dispatched to the centre of the goal by Lewis Teasdale for his second of the game.

The first half ended with Tow Law well on top and after such a breathless first 45 minutes it was anyone’s guess how many goals would be added in the next. But there were no more goals from either side despite Tow Laws continual pressure. Birtley did hit the apex of the crossbar and upright but they were well out fought by a stronger more committed team.

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A great advert for the League that was spoilt in the first half by some obscure decisions by the referee who was influential in the result. The crowd of only 80 should have been higher considering the skill and value for money of the game.

A really good day out and well worth the wait. The whole set up was much better than expected with the stand and terracing in fine condition. The club house was spacious and comfortable with a large TV at one end showing the Liverpool v Crystal Palace game and another at the other end showing the horse racing. The only disappointment was the chips, at £1.50 they were only warm, squashy and a bit greasy, a score of only 50, I’m sorry to say.

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It’s a Tuesday night in mid September and at 7pm but it feels like November with dark skies and constant drizzle. Manchester United are on TV with Chelsea to follow in the Champions League and Sheffield United at home nearby so it’s not surprising that with ten minutes to go to kick off there are only 10 brave souls in the ground. Perhaps there will be a late rush.

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The pitch is pretty level but very wet and greasy as recently installed new floodlights light up the gloom. There is a pristine bowling green behind one goal and where you enter the ground there is a Sports Hall and good car park. However I shouldn’t be surprised at the turn in the weather as the Autumn equinox is only a week away and a slide into winter beckons. Mid week winter games under the lights do seem more exciting with a crackle in the air and by my reckoning the crowd has swelled to 35 by the start.

This is a good chance to see the ground before the builders move in to install a new all weather pitch for community use. I overheard a conversation in the seats in front of me that fund raising is on going for a new small stand and a club house.

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Dinnington are unbeaten in the league and are playing against St Joseph’s Rockware of Worksop who are mid table in the Black Dragon Premier Division North (Central Midlands League).

St Joseph’s Rockware of Worksop were established in 1984 and the following is taken from the Dinnington programme.

St Joseph’s Rockware of Worksop were a Worksop Sunday League team for 35 years enjoying many succesful seasons. In 2019 it was decided to move to Saturday football and join the Central Midlands League with the aim to provide local Worksop players an opportunity to play football at this level. We won the Central Midlands Division 1 in our first season and were promoted to the Premier Division.

Dinnington town have been going in different guises since 1908, the name progression being Dinnington Main. Dinnington Colliery, Dinnington Main Colliery, Dinnington Colliery and Dinninton Town since 2000. There have been a few reformings on the way and the highest they have reached is the top Division of The Northern Counties East League. With their current developments it looks like better times are ahead.

Dinnington Town 3 St Joseph’s Rockware of Worksop 0

Play was even for the first half but neither goalkeeper looked troubled. Dinnington’s keeper had a strong kick that put them firmly in their opponents half. St Joseph’s number 2 was a throw in specialist and put the home team under pressure from some distance. Half time came and although the play had been busy and competitive neither side was on top.

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The second half took on a new urgency and after hitting the cross bar and drawing a great low diving one handed save to the goalkeepers right Dinnington went ahead. 14 minutes after the break Jordan Turner took down a through ball with his foot, ran on and hit it from left to right across the keeper to nestle in the right hand corner of the net.

Worksop did not give up and at the other end a glancing header nearly drew them level but 8 minutes later it was 2 nil after Liam Bryan had stretched the defence to be able to knock back a ball from the by line which in the melee deflected into the net.

It was now all over and there was no surprise that athird was added before the end when number 7 ran down the left side to make a perfect cross which was tapped in by Danny Cain for his first touch of the game after just coming on as a substitute. After this Dinnington dominated the last 10 minutes as momentum, superior strength and fitness took over. Dinnington still undefeated but this is going to be a very competitive League this year with a long way to go.

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Where were the officials? They were in comand the whole game with instant direct decisions, well done.

I look forward to visiting here again in a couple of years when the changes have all been made. No chips at the moment but perhaps with the new facilities in the future.

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Lancster City 1 1874 Northwich 0

I would not usually start with the match but I decided to get this one out of the way. The match was an FA Cup First Rouind qualifier between Lancaster City of the Northern Premier League, Premier Division and 1874 Northwich one level below playing in the Northern Premier league, Division One West. My expectation of a very competitive, pasionate game did not materialise and the noisy Northwhich travelling fans felt so too.

Some games just do not get going and there was little to enthuse as the two defences blunted any attacks. Lancaster slightly edged the first half with some wide play that gave them more option.

The day was warm, 18 degrees, with a light breeze that helped to move the cloud revealing some sunny patches. The pitch is pretty level and the grass very thick but yellowing where it has been cut in stripes.

Lancaster put on more pressure in the second half through three long throws into the penalty area and their pressure paid off after 20 minutes when Paul Dawson picked up the ball on the halfway line and ran straight through the middle of the Northwhich defence to shoot. The goalkeper could only parry the shot and it fell to Tom Kilifin to tap home.

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Lancaster made a half time change bringing on Christian Sloane who tidied up midfield and made some good probing balls. I was also impressed by Liam Brockbank at left back who overlapped on numerous occaisions and seemed to be marauding all over the pitch at the end.

After the goal there seemed little interest and it was not necessary for Lancaster to take the ball into the corner flag area to waste time three times in the last ten minutes, I’m sure if they would have pressed harder they would have added to their one goal..

The real enjoyment

Lancaster is a great club if the volunteers are anything to go by. I arrived from Scotland on my way home with very little cash. This was a problem to the gateman but he sent me to the office for help. Unfortunately they coudn’t get through on their phones to take a payment. Why is it that you just can’t get mobile telephone service in so many places in the UK including major motorways, some levelling up here would be a help. However help was at hand and Jan said no problem if you come round to the bar they have access there. So Jan saved the day and then spent the whole of the first half walking round the ground selling raffle tickets and having banter with home and away fans. Every club has or needs a Jan.

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1874 Northwhich have done amazingly well since their first game in July 2013 having been formed following the demise of Northwhich Victoria. Not being able to use the old name, which has also since been restarted, they chose to add the date of the formation of the original team to ‘Northwhich’. They have progressed from the North West Counties League despited the Covid disruptions in such a short time.

Lancaster City in contrast have been in existance since 1911 although there were teams in the city before that. THEY played their football in the Lancashire Combination for 60 years and were unsucessful in applying for Football League status. Lancaster City now joined the Northern Premier League but ten years later were relegated to the North West Counties League but bounced back in 1987 and rose to playing in the Conference North. A return to the Northern Premier mainly due to financial problems has seen them consolidate life at that level.

Their ground the Giant Axe is just behind the railway station and you can train spot comings and goings in the station. It is a large ground with good terraced covering behind both goals and a large seated stand down one side. There is an ample carpark just outside the ground.

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Lancaster City and Jan deserve success for the future but an away draw in the next round at Morpeth Town will be a hard game to win. Although the crowd of 347 must not have thought the game was a cracker I’m sure like me they enjoyed themselves.

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The Chips

Jan explained to me that there were new caterers at the ground this year and when I asked for chips before the game I was disappointed to be told they had none. Meat pie, mushy peas and gravy had to sufice but at half time I noticed people with trays of chips. They had now managed to get some and were frying, so I had to try them and although they were hot, golden. a good quantity, they had little taste and a greasy after taste. I apologise to Dollys Diner for only being able to award 55 points. It also makes the diet harder having eaten the pie.

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A stop on the way back from a holiday found me at Spalding to see local team Spalding United (The Tulips) play Loughborough Dynamo in the first matches of the Northern Premier League. Midlands Division which had seen Dynamo and Spalding moved to as part of the Non League Pyramid reorganisation.

This is a very good ground not far from the town centre with plenty of room and a good seating area, club house and food stall. The pitch looked very flat but the good grass cover was begining to yellow in a few patches due to the lack of rain. The temperature at 22 degrees with a light wind and an overcast grey sky made it perfect conditions for playing and watching.

There has been a football club in Spalding since 1905 and they initially played locally until joining the Peterborough & District league in  1930. Since that date with promotions, relegatiions and League re-organisations they have played in the Northamptonshire League, the United Counties League, the EasternCounties League, the Central Alliance, the, Midland League, the  Northern Counties East League, the Midland Division of the Southern Leaguè and most recently the Northern Premier League. True wanderers of the Non League football system because of their geography being on the perimeter of many leagues. Throughout this time if they fell on hard times financially or football wise it was the United Counties League that welcomed them back and gave them stability. They should change their name to Spalding Nomads.

I visited Loughborough Dynamo last season and was impressed by their set up and play. I have written about their history in a previous blog but just to say that they were formed in 1955 and can also be called the nomads due to their frequent change of grounds but are now firmly at home at the ADT Stadium in Watermead Lane.

Spalding United 2 Loughborough Dynamo 1

It was a sad start to the game as we all took part in a minutes applause to comemorate the three back room staff at the club who had passed away since the last league game.

The football seemed to be suffering from a hangover as neither team seemed to make any progress in the first 15 minutes but Loughborough were begining to make a mark. Perhaps neither team wanted to make mistakes on this season opener but on 22 minutes Curtis Burrows stepped forward to take a free kick to the right of the D. He struck the ball brilliantly around the wall and into the bottom right hand corner of the net.

Loughborough now had more chances to further their lead but a through ball to Marcus Smetherson to Marcus Maddison enabled him to show his EFL credentials with a well slotted ball past the goalkeeper. Both sides now had chances but it was Loughborough who must have left the field at halftime feeling that thet should have made more of their chances.

The ground staff need some ball maintenance training as the referee discarded some of those on offer for poor inflation.

The second half was again evenly matched although the referees intervention in booking the lively No9 for Loughborough, for backing on, pointing to various points of the field to denote he felt it had been ongoing was somewhat harsh. This did take the sting out of their forward play and they did not threaten as often. This was a particularly poignant booking when the opposite No 9 Greg Smith continually questioned the referees decisions all game along with swearing that could be heard from the stand.

It was left to a piece of footballing skill to win the game for Spalding when Scott Floydd overlapping on the right took a pass that looked well covered but he feigned right went left and passing his marker was able to score on 82 minutes from an acute angle.

A good win for Spalding with Loughborough happy with their first outing of the league saeson but disapointed at not getting a point.

The attendance of 189 was a dissapointment considering that 1400 had been in the game for a pre season friendly with Peterborough in mid week.

The chips were hot, large, thick, no taste of grease but with a squashy mess inside. Unfortunately I scored a lowly 50 when in this town in the fenland with much food growing, processing and distribution I expected more.

Some people visit Teversal to try to view ‘The Manor’ which is believed to be the basis of the fictional Wragby Hall in D. H Lawrence’s 1928 novel ‘Lady Chatterley’s Lover.’ 

On Saturday I visited this small Nottinghamshire village for my love of football and there was as much passion on display but on this occaision between Teversal F C and Armthorpe Welfare F C in their Northern Counties East Division One 2021/22 season opener. My dream was that this first game of the season would foretell a time when there would be no disruptions or early ends to the campaign. 133 others had turned up to see the game on a grey, dry, but warm afternoon and like me had been greeted by a friendly atmosphere and an open club house where I was able to get my first Chips of hopefully many.

I was asked what did they score in my chip League and my reply of 4038% which reflected that they tasted so good after everything we have gone through to get back to a very little thing that I enjoy. In reality they have set the bench mark for the season with a score of 69 being extremely hot, thick, tasty but with a taste of the oil too strong to get a higher score. The food in general here looks excellent and if I go again the curry and rice looked and smelt lovely. My coffee and chips were only £3.

You arrive at the ground through some houses into a very large tarmacked carpark that also serves a Bowling Club and a very popular walking and biking trail. The pitch looked green and lush but was a little undulating. There is a club house, seated area and behind one goal two batches of Tesco trolley parks so that you can shelter from the rain if needed. Everything has a warm and friendly community feel. Teversal have been moved back to this league as part of the F.A. reorganisation.

There has been a football club here since 1905 and had the words Miners Welfare in the name for many of the ensuing years reflecting the two local pits of Teversal and Silverhill. The miners influene, but not the heritage, ended in 1989 when the local district council took over the complex and still run it today. They have maintained their current level ‘s with a few ups and downs and look forward to the new challenge of the Northern Counties East League.

Armthorpe Welfare too as the name indicates come from a heavily ex mining area near Doncaster having been formed in 1926. They moved around local South Yorkshire Leagues until the early 1980’s when they joined their Current League. They were only relegated from the Premier League in 2017 and this season have virtually recruited a completely new team to compete for a place back in a higher level.

Teversal F.C. 0 Armthorpe Welfare 1

For the first 20 minutes Armthorpe looked in control although Teversal were dangerous on the break and on one of these hit the left hand upright. The game was dirupted quite a few times with the ball going over the concrete perimeter fence, some extended netting would be a benefit to a more flowing game. The game continued in the same pattern until the end of two minutes of added time when the dangerous Mathew Hughes received a through ball on the left wing and cut inside to riffle the ball into the net beating the Teversal goalkeeper who was the stand out player on the field. The referee blew his whistle as soon as Teversal restarted the game.

Despite some huff and puff from both teams the score did not change although Teversal did hit the bar with a thumping header. Armthorpe did get the ball into the net near the end but was diallowed and their Manager was yellow carded as he drew the ire of the referee for his remonstrations. You will need a few more results to put this game in context as to where these two teams will end up in theLeague table.

The game sounds a little dull but was amazing and has set me up for a season of hope.

The last day of the football season on June 5th !! and I had the opportunity to watch one of the last Abacus Central Midland Football League Division One Central games of the season, either the home game at Holbrook St Michael or Kilburn. Both of these villages are just off and straddling the A38 in Derbyshire within 6 miles of each other. I chose Holbrook St Michael as it sounded the most interesting.

I set off following Google maps and eventually arrived in the pretty village of Holbrook St Michael but could not see the ground. Parked up looking at a phone screen with prescription sun glasses is not easy but I saw a playing field on the map about a mile away at Holbrook and set off again. Sure enough I arrived at a football ground with a few minutes left to kick off. The car park looked quite full but I could see no activity on the pitch through a small opening in a wire fence. Walking round the perimeter I passed the bowling green where at least 50 people were playing or watching and then found an entrance to the deserted football ground.

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My thoughts were that this could be another game that had been cancelled because one club couldn’t get a team together in the current climate in the same way that a Glapwell game against Newark was cancelled by their opposition a few weeks ago.

However not to be beaten I thought I would go to Kilburn and headed off to soon find the village. But now I drove round that village three times until I finally found a small hidden drive next to the Jade Garden Chinese takeaway.

Darting down there I was confronted by a very full carpark and had to go back out into the main street where there were no parking spaces but eventually found one on a newish housing estate a brisk walk away. I finally walked into the ground 25 minutes after the start where someone was standing with a program. I tried to buy one off him but was soon told that the program was his and I needed to go to the kiosk where I bought the last program for £1 and a coffee for the same price. As the coffee was being made I watched the game and saw Kilburn take the lead at the far end.

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The gound is compact with a children’s play area at one end. The playing area is fenced off but surrounded by Hawthorn bushes that were in full bloom with the rolling countryside beyond. The day had beautiful blue skies with some rolling cotton wool clouds that were motionless in the still wind.

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The pitch sloped from side to side away from what looked like a good sized club house and was bumpy with good long grass cover. There looked like a crowd of about 40 who were dressed to enjoy the sun.

Kilburn 3 Woodhouse Colts 4

This was a mid table end of the season game that Kilburn needed to beat Woodhouse by 17 goals to pass them on goal difference in the league table.

As I said earlier I just caught the first goal when a Kilburn player found some space to smash a ball to the right of the goalkeeper to take the lead. This was doubled shortly after when a game of pin ball in the goal was greeted by shouts of goal by the Kilburn players and the linesman, provided by Woodhouse corageously signalled it had crossed the line.

So two nil at half time and 15 more to score to overtake Woodhouse.

A headed goal at the re-start for Woodhouse put paid to any silly results but Kilburn scored again quickly when their lively and most dangerous forward, No,9 ran on to a through ball and ckeekily chiped it over the diving goalkeeper. It was then the Woodhouse number nine’s turn to get in on the act with an audacious lob over the keeper. The Woodhouse defence now seemed to take an iron grip on the game and hit long balls to each wing, especially the left, for their forwards to run onto and cause havoc. It was no surprise that they equalised through number 12 who powered a shot along the floor to see it bounce over the diving keeper and into the net. Woodhouse were now fully in charge and had a goal disallowed for a foul on the goalkeeper in amongst a group of players.

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The drinks break midway through the half was welcomed by all but it did not stop the pattern of play and Woodhouse were ahead through their No.14 and never looked like relinquishing the lead until the end of play.

An exciting game to end the season a little spoilt by the grumbles of some players towards the referee who was doing his best on a very hot, tiring, end of season day. Thank you Kilburn for you hospitality I would like to visit again when the clubhouse is fully open and a game in normal seasonal football weather.

When I sat down later at home I looked up the results and found that Holbrook St Michael Development did play at home and lost one nil to Cromford and Wirksworth and that the ground I visited, only just over a mile away was Holbrook Sports. Amazing to find two such teams so close together and surviving. It also showed that I must do more planning before I set off but at the end of the day I think I was fortunate to see A SEVEN GOAL THRILLER. It also proved that I should have researched my journey more carefully before starting. The plus point is that I now have two new teams to watch in the coming seasons and I know where their grounds are,

The end of a very unusual season.

I wrote a blog back on 15th December 2020 when I excitedly explained the renaissance of Glapwell F.C. With the second level of The Central Midlands League resuming to finnish their season I was able last Saturday to visit Hall Corner and see what was going on.

It was great to re-enter this ground that I had not been to for over ten years. When I last visited it was an evening game which is now impossible because there are no longer any floodlights, taken down some time ago due to vandalism and safety.

I was met with a young boy explaining the new rules at this publically owned arena and asking to sign in through the app. A bucket was on the ground in which people had left contributions if they wished.

There is a sadness in the delapidated areas but a feeling of going places in the friendliness, enthusiasm of the helpers, the tidiness and the playing standard, more of that later.

Glapwell FC may have more than battles on the field to contend with in the future. They have already won battle number one in re-forming and are trying hard through their on pitch efforts to win a promotion. They may be thwarted to rise through the pyramid system because of their ground. They will need to have floodlights in the future and with planning permission being granted to build 62 houses on part of the next door Glapwell Nuursery and 65 other new homes near by may face complaints about those lights being a nuisance. There could also be objections to increased fans arriving and leaving by car in an area that is faced with a major increase in traffic flow in the area resulting from the new housing.

There is a strong local campaign and petition to stop the sale of land close to the ground spearheaded by Tom Kirkham that is underway.

We, the undersigned, petition Bolsover District Council to protect the wildlife and mature trees at the top of Park Ave in Glapwell from development. We ask the council to stop its sale until covenants can be added to the land to keep it as a green, open public space respecting its status as a Bolsover District community asset. The land is one of the few areas of Glapwell that links the village back to its heritage and the old Glapwell Hall. The trees on the land are some of the oldest in the district and they are home to protected species such as bats. The land is much loved by local residents as a space for peace and relaxation.

https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/we-call-on-bolsover-district-council-to-protect-glapwell-s-wildlife-and-heritage?share=33aa6a51-0dd2-4829-9f97-4905ac31da75&source=&utm_source=

You can understand all councils looking to sell any asset with their budgets being squeezed by reduced central goverment spending and more tasks being delegated to them from above. Austerity by the back door contiues to blight local representatives everywhere.

Back to the football.

It was a grey overcast day with a few spots of rain in the air and a cool 8 degrees that meant I went straight to get a hot coffee and a chat with an enthusiastic official.

The ground slopes from one end to the other, the grass cover was thick and lush and overall the facilities are much better than most teams of this level.

Glapwell’s opponents Thorne Colliery are believed to have been in existance for nearly 100 years. Based near Doncaster they have played their football in and around South Yorkshire, North Notts, and North Derbyshire for all of that time.

Glapwell FC 6 Thorne Colliery Development Team 0

Glapwell were into their stride from the kick off and with a very lively and skillfull front line it was of no surprise that they took the lead on 8 minutes through Curtis Birchall who from 8 meters out stroked the ball to the right of the diving goalkeepers hand.

Some 7 minutes later it was 2 nil, the goal scored by Chaz Brtadwell after some neat interpassing. On cue a further 7 minutes and it was three nil, Grant Mitchell only having to slide the ball home after a three man passing move..

Thorne steadily came back into the game and started to press having their best phase of the half. They looked unlucky not to be given a penalty but went in at half time well behind. Glapwell’s dominance was achieved by a neat inter passing game as against Thorne trying to beat their man through dribbling with the ball.

The referee turned the players round quickly but there was enough time for the Thorne manager to vociforously put over his feelings and plans for play in the second half.

However with Glapwell now playing down hill it took them only 10 minutes to increase their lead when a corner from Ben Coperstake was met by a thunderous header from Stephan Brown at the far post. This was somewhat dubious as the ball seemed to curve out of play before coming back on to Brown’s head.

A few minutes later Ben Coperstake was upended by the Thorne goalkeeper who received a yellow card and the resulting penalty was stroked home by Chaz Bradwell sending the keeper the wrong way.

The sixth goal for Glapwell came on 62 minutes when Grant Mitchell jinked past two defenders and drove a deflected ball along the ground into the corner of the net.

Glapwell brought on a young substitute Olly Marshall but within 2 minutes he suffered a very painfull leg injury. The pain on his face as he walked round the pitch to the bench was not good to see.

Glapwell did not have a substitute to replace him and played out the rest of the game with ten men for their 6 nil win that lifted them to second in the table.

My man of the match was Glapwell’s number nine Ben Coperstake who was playing out on the right and was unplayable with speedy nuns and accurate crossing and passing that had the Thorne defence in disaray.

I felt sorry for the young Thorne goalkeeper who although letting in 6 goals looked to have the potential to play at a higher level.

Really enjoyed the game and coming to Glapwell. I will be there again next season whatever league they are playing in.

I didn’t think I would be watching any more football this season but some leagues lower than step 7 have restarted to complete their season and spectators are able to attend if it is a public park.

So I was all set to visit Glapwell and checked their Twitter feed an hour before kick off to find that their opponents had cried off because they couldn’t raise a full team. A frantic look at other games within my now constrained travelling time to find Ripley Town F.C were at home to Clifton All Whites Development Team only 30 minutes away.

The ground at Greenwich Park was easy to find alongside the A610 and was an open area next to a skate board park. Being the first of May a cricket match was in progress just beyond an adjacent football pitch.

The weather was disappointing for May in that although dry it was overcast with heavy dark clouds and a cold chill was in the air. The pitch was very undulating and reminded me of past Sunday League pitches I have known and loved. The goal mouths were bare of grass but a nice strip of dandelions and daisies ran down one side.

Ripley Town FC

There has been a football team named Ripley in the town for over 130 years although there have been many restarts, mergers and reorganisation. Ripley Town F.C. currently play in the Central Midlands League Division 1 South.

Clifton All Whites Development Team

Clifton All Whites have been going 1963 starting as a youth team in Nottingham, originally named Thistledown Rovers and in 1973 formed a senior team. They have played their football in and around Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire. The club is a community club with men’s and women’s teams of varying ages.

Ripley Town 2 Clifton All Whites Development 2

Ripley started the game most promisingly but a dull game was brought to life 7 minutes before half time when The All Whitles number 7, James Itokun, who had mafe some mazy runs which ran into cul de sacs, stooped to head home a great right wing cross.

The second half quickly started with just a quick 5 minute turn round. The dullness of the first half disapeared as Ripley pressed to equalise, which they did through Jason Whitehead. The All Whites now came back into the game strongly to go ahead through Ben Cooke. During this period of play they had a goal disalowed and a penalty saved by Ripley’s keeper diving to his left. However it ended all square with Alex Crossley getting the equalising goal. It was an enjoyable second half only dampened by some unnecessary swearing at the referee by an All Whites defender.

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With no food available at Ripley I could not have any ‘chips’ so I took a flask of soup instead. It must be because I have been used to non organic tomato soup all of my life that this just did not have the flavour I expected. At least it was hot on a cold day.