Mid-week I made the journey to see a team whose name has intrigued me for some time. Leaving the M1 at the A38 junction No. 28 you drive through the large industrial estate, Huthwaite and a housing estate to the carpark for Mansfield Hosiery Mills FC. for a Central Midlands League, South Division, game against Long Eaton United Community. A game that pitted the third placed team against the bottom club Mansfield Hosiery Mills. You would have to win 11 leagues to play in the Premier League yet that in no way diminished this competition. The football club is part of a larger sports and social club and the cricket clubs bar facilities shone out as I crossed the car park.

The evening was still, dark, dry and warm for the time of year. The pitch slopes from side to side and there is a steep slope from end to end which has a good grass covering with some wear in the goal mouths. The ground was compact with a barge board fence around the ground, a small seated area to one side of the goal, a club house on one side and hard standing fully around the pitch. Considering this is one of the smaller clubs I have visited I have to say they are some of the cleanest toilets I have ever been in.

Mansfield Hosiery Mills FC were formerly known as North Notts FC but have been playing under their current name in 2002. They reached the Northern Counties East League Premier Division before dropping back down the League structure and disbanding for ground problems before re-forming in the Nottingham Leagues and rejoining the Central Midlands League only three years ago.

Long Eaton United Community are an off shot of Long Eaton United who play in the United Counties League.

Mansfield Hosiery Mills FC 2 Long Eaton United Community 1

Wednesday 23rd March 2022 7.45 pm. 17th (Bottom) v 3rd, The Millers v The Blues

M.H.M. payed in change kit, yellow shirts and black shorts: L.E.U.C. red and black vertical shirts and red shorts.

With the clocks changing this weekend it was great to get in one of the last games fully under the floodlights which always seem more exciting. This game re enforced this as Long Eaton took immediate control with their number 11 proving a handful. It was on one of his fast tricky runs that the home sides right back brought him down in the goal area for the referee to have no doubts about awarding a penalty. The away teams number eight placed the ball well along the ground into the left hand corner of the net to give Long Eaton the lead.

With the away team continuing the pressure it was a surprise when Mansfield equalised only 3 minutes later. A long ball in from the left was totally misjudged by the goalkeeper and Liam Walker accepted the dropped ball, swiveled round and tapped it home.

Long Eaton should have retaken the lead on 21 minutes when the goalkeeper ventured out of his goal to stop an attack leaving an open goal that was missed as the ball sailed over the cross bar. Long Eaton dominated play for 35 minutes of the game but let Mansfield gain their composure and start to take control. With only 2 minutes to half time Mansfield were awarded a free kick for a high tackle and the ball was swung in from the left which again caused havoc in he air. Liam Walker was there again to give the home fans some cheer at half time.

Mansfield Hosiery played down hill in the second half and played with more composure. Their right back who was under pressure in the first half took control of that dual and even ventured forward at times. For me their man of the match was their number 5 who played with some maturity considering what looked like a young age.

I noticed that the Mansfield goalkeeper placed a camera behind his goal to record his game, good dedication this to review his strengths and weaknesses.

Mansfield’s win moved them off the bottom of the League and up two places. Two wins out of three now must surely mean they are finding the right blend in their team although too late this season to progress much higher.

No Chips here so I went for a hot chocolate served by very friendly helpers.

I made the journey back to Belper for the second time this season to The Raygar Stadium in Christchurch Meadows but not to see Belper Town but Belper United who rent the ground off their neighbours. United moved here in the 2013/14 season but moved away to return in 2018.

I must go to Belper sometime to visit Strutt’s Mill that gained UNESCO World Heritage Status over 20 years ago and was a major cotton spinning Mill in the Derwent Valley. I also need to go if I am to go back to watch football again to work out the best parking places as I have on both occasions ended up walking a long way (good for me in reality).

It was a pleasant evening of 12 degrees with a stillness in the air and very black skies that made the floodlights shine brightly. I was greeted by a friendly team at a table selling tickets and programs and there was a crowd of 168. Belper United’s biggest league crowd of the season.

The pitch here slopes slightly and the grass cover is very good considering two teams are playing on this ground regularly. There was a very good programme (The Green Army Review) and one of the support staff walked round the ground handing out team sheets.

There is photographic evidence that Belper United came into existence around the early 1920’s and were active for around 20 years. A merger in 1969 between Milford Sports and Belper Park Rangers created the current club. They have played in the Midland Regional Alliance, the Central Midlands League, East Midlands Counties League and in the reorganisation of the Non-League structure now find themselves in The United Counties League.

Like Belper there are two teams in Hinkley, Hinkley LRFC who play in the United Counties Premier Division South and Hinkley AFC who are one division lower, both were formed with the demise of Hinkley Town. Hinkley AFC are a community club playing in Barwell just to the north of Hinkley. They initially played in the Midland League and were place in the current League this season,

Belper United 2 Hinkley AFC 0

Tuesday March 15th 2022, 7.45 p.m. kick off.

United Counties league Division One – Division Position: Third v Top.

Kit – Belper United, Green and Black vertical stripe shirts and shorts v Hinkley AFC away kit Purple shirts, shorts and socks.

Hinkley were on a thirteen game unbeaten run and top of the table with Belper third and seven points behind. The game started immediately in a competitive. combinative tone which continued all match. The home team playing against the slight slope had the best of the first 15 minutes but it was Hinkley on 28 minutes who had the best chance to take the lead from a corner when Curtis Hall made a stunning save low down. Hinkley again looked dangerous when awarded a free kick on the left edge of the area for a foul on the dangerous Isa Abraham who had an intriguing tussle with Belper’s Jake Dodds all night. The free kick was wasted and half time came with Belper still looking the strongest team.

Belper kept up the pressure and as the bells tolled nine from the next door Christ Church it seemed that an exciting goal less draw was on the cards. Six minutes later the energetic Kieran O’Conell was sin binned for decent and what looked like arguing with the referee.

Hinkley should have made the extra man count but it was O’Connell’s return 2 minutes earlier that made the difference when with ten minutes remaining he was put through on the left by substitute Ben Ollett and after drawing the goalkeeper curled the ball across him into the right hand corner of the net to take the lead.

With Hinkley pushing for the equaliser Belper broke away leaving Ben Ollett on his own to beat the keeper, Mathew Hill, to put the game out of sight for Hinkley. The referee blew the final whistle one minute after the re-start and Hinkley’s run was over.

One of the best games I have seen all season and my man of the match was Belper’s whole back four who were steadfast all game.

The chips looked great and were real chips, red hot, just cooked, crispy on the outside but hard in the middle. What started as potentially the best chips of the season ended up a disappointment and a score of only 45.

N.B. I have always considered the United Counties League a bit of a Cinderella League but the recent restructure has ended up with a better quality of football across a wider region. This shows up in that a team from each of their Premier Leagues have made it to the semi finals of the F.A. Vase. Loughborough Students and Newport Pagnell. The games in the League this year have all showcased some very good talent.

A morning ground inspection put paid to my planned game so looking back to the previous weeks game at the incredible Loughborough. University I had read that their opponents Eastwood Community had an all weather pitch and good facilities.

So it was a change of plan and Google Maps to get me there. The lady on Google maps I call Betty, a long story, often she confuses me and this was no exception. Being told my destination was on my left but all that was there was a fire station belied the fact it was hidden by this building. Turning off google and driving around the block I eventually found a large sign directing me in.

Easy parking, although it was nearly full, led to a short walk past a large park to the ground. As I expected this is a good facility for this level of football.

An artificial pitch that when laid there was an attempt made to even the end to end slope which has resulted in a slope from one end to the centre and the other half being flat which initially looks a little odd. One side has a very large and well appointed club house, a steep comfortable seating area and a food bar. There is hard standing on all of the three other sides with cover at both ends and a very small covered seating area on the far side where some of the seats are smashed.

The view from near the top of the stand is really good as I looked out on the grey clouds that were building on this relatively cold, still day.

Eastwood Community FC have only been in existence since 2014 when they took on the mantle of football in the town after Eastwood Town folded. Eastwood Town had reached as high as the Northern Premier League. Community play at Haltbrooke Stadium, a modern facility with a 3g pitch. The Stadium also has great hospitality rooms to allow for a good income stream from off pitch activities. They have risen through the Central Midland League and are now placed in the United Counties League. They look certain to be contenders in this league in the future.

Newark FC have had a chequered career starting life as A. J. Simpson in 1901 in the Ironmonger’s League and the next mention of the club is as Worthington Simpson in 1935 in the Nottingham Spartan League. After fourteen years they moved to the Notts Alliance where they had some success and further name changes to IDP Newark and then Newark Flowserve in 2001. By 2004 Newark Flowserve joined the Central Midland League but lased only 5 years before joining the Notts Senior League. The senior team was reformed in 2013 and successive promotions saw them playing in the East Midlands Counties League where they soon achieved promotion to the Midland League. They had to drop the Flowserve name in 2020 at the request of the F.A. due to their sponsorship rules and with the Leagues restructure now play in the United Counties Football League. The team play at Basford United’s ground after their leased Lowfields ground in Balderton was subject to a plan to build housing. Long term this ground sharing 25 miles from their base will be difficult to sustain and efforts are being made to try to move back nearer to their roots.

Eastwood Community 1 Newark FC 2

Saturday 5th March 2022 Kick Off 3 pm

United Counties North Premier Division

Badgers v Highwaymen : League Position 14th v 15th

Attendance 197

Eastwood, red shirts and white shorts – Newark, royal blue shirts and shorts.

Eastwood initially looked as if they would take charge of the game but on 12 minutes the Newark forward, Josh Mundell, who had been a hand full, passed the defenders to the byline and cut back the ball where the striker, James Berrett was checked and the referee had no choice but to award a penalty. Mason Rowley stepped forward and hit the ball into the centre of the goal with the goalkeeper diving to his right. Both teams created chances but the defences were well up to it and the score remained at 0.1 at Half Time.

Eastwood did not seem to have the same confidence of the previous week but that appeared to be because the opposition were not letting them play.

Eastwood pressed at the start of the second half but on the hour a long ball forward was chased by Newark’s Richemone Sylla who controlled the ball and took the defender and goalkeper to the right of the goal and then crossed the ball for Nyle Blake to simply tap in.

As the game neared the end the heavens opened and a biblical deluge that had threatened all afternoon lasted for only five minutes.

Eastwood now took control and forced successive corners but could not beat the resolute Newark defence until on 80 minutes when Ben Henderson received the ball on the left, strode forward past lunging defenders and hit a powerful shot past Sam Andrew from range. Eastwood pushed for an equaliser but had no clear chances and Newark went home happy. My man of the match was Dean Freeman Newark’s centre back who marshalled his line and never missed a tackle or header.

The chips were crispy, fluffy inside, golden, tasty, an amazing amount for £1.50 but disappointedly a little cool but a good score of 81.

There has been a beacon for University Football this season and that has been Loughborough Students who have reached the quarter finals of the F.A.Vase and play Wythenshawe Town at home on the 12th March. They are only two wins away from Wembley when if they get there they say they will paint it purple. I decided to go and see them play at home to Eastwood Community FC on Saturday in the United Counties Premier Division North to see what was going on.

First you have to get past one of two campus gates to see an amazing University with indoor and outdoor sports facilities to die for. It is around a one square mile area and has always been known to me as the best sporting University in the country. But these days there are around 20000 students that not only excel at sport but many other degrees of which Business Studies is one of their prime offerings.

We parked in a very leafy car park walking past the beach volleyball area and in the distance the Steve Beckley javelin building that looks like a modern train station where you can launch your javelin under cover, Wow.

The University Stadium was opened in 2012 but still looks like it was last week. This is Non-league heaven with a beautiful stand down one side incorporating changing rooms, and a plush hospitality area for all up stairs where you enter the seats or look out on the pitch while having a drink or eating your pie. There is standing on three other side and to cater for the Quarter Final they are going to install a fans zone on the hard standing pitch behind the open side. There is an electronic score board and a perfectly flat pitch that is grass and looked after by a Wizard who has presented a lawn that would not be out of place for a bowls team.

There are records of a team called Loughborough Technical Institute as far back as 1919 and a year later they became a College of Technology and a University in 1966. They have won University Trophy’s on many occasions in their history.

In recent years they have re-entered the non-league football world in the Midlands. Initially in the Midland Combination in 2007 and then the Midland Alliance and as founder members of the Midland Football League in 2014. With recent seasons being curtailed and with the team being highly placed the restructure of the leagues has seen them placed in the United Counties Premier Division North. At the start of this new era they have changed their name from Loughborough University to Loughborough Students a name they now use across all of their team sports for both Men and Women.

Eastwood Community FC have only been in existence since 2014 when they took on the mantle of football in the town after Eastwood Town folded. Eastwood Town had reached as high as the Northern Premier League. Community play at Haltbrooke Stadium, a modern facility with a 3g pitch. The Stadium also has great hospitality rooms to allow for a good income stream from off pitch activities. They have risen through the Central Midland League and are now placed in the United Counties League. They look certain to be contenders in this league in the future.

Loughborough Students 2 Eastwood Community 0

26th February 2022 3pm Loughborough University

United Counties Premier Division North

The Scholars v The Red Badgers

Purple shirts and shorts with pink shoulder stripe v Red shirts and white shorts

The first quarter of the game was very equal as it had been when the teams fought out a draw in an early round of this season’s F.A. Vase that had to be decided on penalties.

Just as Eastwood were beginning to get on top the Students hit the post and cross bar in a flurry of activity on 18 minutes. The game continued to see saw and Ben Whiting in the Loughborough goal (later to be named man of the match) flipped a header that had been powered down by Kyle Stovell of Eastwood up onto the bar and away.

At half time it was all square with a talented home team matched by a well disciplined and organised Eastwood.

Loughborough came out in the second half with all guns blazing but Eastwood kept their cool until the 66th minute when Dylan Edwards placed the ball along the ground into the left hand corner of the net from a position in the centre of the goal.

With Loughborough one goal up they continued pressure to make it 2 nil in the 82nd minute when Tope Fadahunsi’s pass was controlled by Cam More who spun and hit a bullet shot across the diving Warren Squires the Eastwood goal keeper.

The 162 fans left happy after a good competative game in fantastic facilities.

No chips unfortunately but a tasty Chicken Pie.

A trip to county Durham gave me the chance to visit Esh Winning to see them play Bedlington Terriers in the Northern League Division Two at the West Terrace Ground.

The names conjure up a strange coming together of a mystical world playing a dog breed, but this is serious football. The village of Esh Winning comes from Esh, the medieval name for a local Ash forest and Winning the term given when a new coal seam was discovered (A winning).

Esh Winnings ground is outside the village in fact it is on the border of the neighbouring village Waterhouses. The ground was moved there around 1968 when The NCB cleared the Eastern Village and pit buildings selling the current ground to the reformed Esh Winning club.

There was a football team in village called Esh Winning Rangers around 1889 playing locally until joining the Northern League in 1912 and dropping the Rangers from their name a year later. This team folded in 1934 and today’s club can be traced back to 1967 when Esh Winning Pineapple was formed playing Sundays in the Durham League. 1981 saw them step up to the Northern Alliance where they stayed for only one season before joining the Northern League where they play today. At the same time as this move the Pineapple part of their name disapeared.

They have seen an awful lot of ups and downs since then, 2002 up to Division 1, 2006 down to 2, 2009 to 1, 2011 back to 2 where they are now.

Bedlington like Esh Winning has seen football in the town for over 100 years with teams playing around the 1900’s. The current team dates back to 1949 when they played under the name of Bedlington Mechanics in the Northern Combination. They changed their name to Bridlington Colliery Town and then to Bedlington Colliery Welfare in the next ten years joining the Northern Alliance League in 1955. After another ten years they disbanded (1963).

They were back in business in 1965 reforming as Bedlington Colliery Welfare in the Alliance but by 1971 they left the Alliance League and played in some minor leagues under the new name Bedlington United again being readmitted to the Northern Alliance League in 1980. Two years later they were promoted to the the inaugural season of the Northern League Division Two. By 1985 they were promoted only to be relegated the next year. Promoted again to the top division in 1995 by 1998 they were winning that division, the first of 5 in a row, and a year later their highest peak was reached when they made it to the final of the FA Vase where they lost to the only goal to Tiverton Town. They were close again a season later but this time fell at the semi final stage. Somewhere along the way they were renamed Bedlington Terriers as per the dog breed associated with the village.

The heady days were over and they suffered a decline until finally sucumbing to relegation to the second division in 2016.

Sometimes it’s not the football that is the main enjoyment of the afternoon. Sitting in the stand I met Dec alias Miserable Les a musician of 50 years who now under his alias writes poetry and sings some of his output to paying audiences. He has released some albums one of which is called ‘7 Deadly Songs’ worth looking up but it is an acquired taste. It was the chat about the area, his support for Gateshead, knowledge of the local football scene all in a comical way that made the two halves fly by. Some of the humour was self depreciating, for instance his explanation of how his choice of name, Miserable Les, was a huge error because if you look it up on Google you find pages about Les Misérables before any appearance of himself. Definitely a very poor choice. Thank you Dec for a very amusing and enjoyable afternoon, hopefully our paths will cross again on another of my Northern excursions. Good luck with your music in the future.

Back to the football, the ground as I said was not in Esh Winning but in Waterhouses and is reached down an unmade road through a wood. To enter the ground you go through the club house that was busy with a bar and food area combined, however no chips. Going outside you are greeted by an open ground with good views of the local hills and woods. The pitch sloped from one goal to another and the grass was still thick with little wear even in the goal mouths, perhaps due to the exposed nature of the area and the drying winds which were very evident.

Although overcast it did not feel cold despite only registering only 6 degrees.

Esh Winning AFC 0 Bedlington Terriers FC 1

Northern League Division 2, Saturday 12th February, Kick off 3 p.m.

Esh v The Terriers

Esh Winning looked the liveliest early on but the two very young teams cancelled each other out as the defences took the upper hand. Even the sending off of Bedlington Terriers stalwart defender Shepherd for what the crowd thought was arguing with the referee changed little. The biggest excitement was when Esh hit the corner of the upright and crossbar just before half time.

With Bedlington now playing down hill little changed and it was a defensive error that gifted O’Connor the ball who steadied himself as two defenders and the goalkeeper tried to get in the way before he placed the ball home for the lead. Despite having a man advantage Esh Winning did not get back into the game and posed little threat to deny Bedlington their win.

The result meant that the Terriers moved up the lower half of the table but Esh Winning are now second from bottom only above the winless Durham City.

Interesting that both goalkeepers were young, tall and very competent. This seems a trend in lower league football. It could be that there are now specific goal keeper coaches or perhaps they are no longer sticking the kid that didn’t want to play in goal, Whatever the reason the standard of goalkeeping is definitely improving.

Unfortunately there were no Chips at the ground but I popped into Fields in Esh Winning to try their Chips. Fields have featured on TV programs as one of the last Chip shops to still cook with a gas fired range. It was busy and everything had been freshly cooked and the chips were just as they should be , tasty, hot, slightly greasy. Unfortunately my picture does not do them justice as I took it with them rested on my knee as we rushed off

As you drive north on the M1 in the dark you will notice two sets of red lights climbing up into the sky. One is the Emley Moor Grade 2 listed, built of concrete, transmitter that began transmitting in 1971 and the other is a temporary metal structure put up in 2018 to be used whilst the older transmitter has the technology changed at the top of the mast. This should have been completed by the end of last year but has been delayed.

My reason for the interest is that I was headed for Emley village just a mile west of the towers to see Emley AFC play Knaresborough Town in a Northern Counties East Premier Division encounter. You drive up the hill to the village and you soon notice the floodlights welcoming you but there seems no way to get to the ground. Having driven up and down twice I noticed a car cut down between two houses and low and behold there is a very small notice on the wall for the car park. Once through the gap it opens up to a good sized area with easy parking.

The entrance to the ground leads in to a table selling tickets for a traditional meat raffle, this one made up of a breakfast tray. I haven’t seen a meat raffle at a ground for over three years and my ticket was just five off the winner that keeps up my run of never having won one. My contributions to football clubs by now must have reached a tidy sum. If I wasn’t committed to a match this Saturday the ticket sellers promise that at this Saturdays game there will be a tray of a full stake dinner may have tempted me.

On entering you immediately notice a large covered seating area down one side which is complemented by some covered standing behind one goal with the other end being open. What is unusual is that one side is completely fenced off which comes down at the end of the season for the adjoining cricket club. The club house under the stand was cosy and modern and a food bar located at the far end.

I sat in the stand which was pleasant with an outside temperature of 11 degrees but for the next 10 minutes a fine rain swept horizontal across the ground. The rain stopped as soon as it came but was a precursor for a stronger cold wind. You can get four seasons in a match up here not in a day

The pitch looked as if it had been cut short and where the pitch had been rolled earth was visible. The pitch looked like it drained well with the slope from right to left goal mouths.

Emley has seen local football since 1903 and the original team reached as high as the Northern Premier League, an FA Vase final and a match at West Ham in the FA Cup. However a move to Wakefield to further their dream that looked hampered by a ground grading issue did not work out.

In 2005 a team based on Emley reserves who had continued to play in the village was formed to play at the Welfare Ground.

Just one season in the West Yorshire League and they were elevated to The Northern Counties East League. By 2019 Emley had reclaimed their name but they were also unusually moved to the North West Counties League. After two seasons they campaigned to return East and the recent reorganisation of Leagues and their performances in games in the second Covid curtailed season meant they were relocated into the Premier Division of the NCEL where they sit today.

The opponents Knaresborough Town FC have a long history going back to 1898 when there was a team called ‘Trinity’ which changed its name to Knaresborough two years later. Reformed in 1945 as Knaersborough Rovers they have played in various local Yorkshire Leagues and are enjoying their highest level of competition having been promoted to The Northern Counties East League Division One in 2012 and to the Premier Division in 2017.

Emley AFC 4 Knaresborough Town FC 0

Tuesday 8th February 7.45 Kick Off

Fantastic Media Welfare Ground, Emley, The Pewits v The Boro, 16th v 17th

Emley: Claret Shirts with blue sleeves and white shorts, Knaresborough: All bright yellow strip.

Both sides had early chances but as the game continued Emley looked the stronger. On 36 minutes Callum Charlton found himself to be onside, to the amazement of the 173 supporters, as he burst through with just the goalkeeper to beat. He duly stroked the ball into the corner of the net for Emley to take the lead which they held till half time.

Having a walk round the ground at half time the wind was playing a tune through the netting behind the open end of the ground.

Emley had the advantage of the slope in the second half but failed to take advantage until the hour mark when Doyle threatened on the left and as he passed the defender he was brought down. The penalty was expertly put into the right hand corner of the net by Joe Jagger to make it two nil.

Knaresborough did not give up but the luck was certainly not with them when with 10 minutes left Doyle seemed to have an easy chance to score but his miss kick hit Craig Hall and the ball sailed into his own goal. It was all over now and made easier for Emley with two bad injuries to Knaresborough players that due to previous substitutions left them with only 10 men on the pitch.

Emley duly scored again in the last two minutes for a game winning 4.0 when despite the diving keepers best efforts he could not keep out the strong Joe Jagger’s effort.

Emley have now won three in a row and are now almost clear of any relegation worries while Knaresborough still have more to do that has been made harder by their injuries.

It was great getting back to some good chips which were hot, crispy, firm and tasty but soon cooled in the wind. A good score of 78.