You couldn’t blink, you would miss something.

A quiet drive down the A38 and a snack in Lichfield didn’t prepare me for the mayhem to follow.

I was heading for the 1st round F.A. Cup game between Hendsford Town and Gainsborough Trinity. The Hendsford social media suggested parking at the Hendsford Hills Raceway, park and ride, which I found only had a few takers and only 1 coach to ferry fans on the short 6 minute journey. I think that I would have been better abandoning the car on any available space like everyone else.

You could see the ground at the bottom of the hill from the coach on what was a grey dull, overcast day with the temperature not getting much above 12 degrees.

There were queues to get in the ground, not surprising when 3886 were let into the ground. It could have been more as in my queue an adult and four children, a pensioner who swore he would never go again and a lad of about 12 clutching a £5 note with tears in his eyes were all turned away because the game was all ticket. How many more were there? Not everyone has access to the Internet or may not realise to check. I understand for security and safety reasons but perhaps there can be a way of accomadting everyone or a large banner/board at the entrance to inform.

Entering the ground, you are immediately impressed. A large, seated, cantilever stand sits in the middle of one side with changing and other facilities. All other sides are covered standing areas, one side and one end are well banked. The flat grass pitch set the whole arena off and all in all could accommodate a much higher level of football. The ground is reached through a housing estate on the edge of a park.

I had always wanted to visit Hendsford, a team that I have watched become one of the best teams in Non-League football, even winning the F.A. Trophy in 2004. Hensford were also the lowest placed team left in this seasons competition.

Hendsford Town F.C. 4 Gainsborough Trinity 4 (AET). Gainsborough won 5.4 on penalties.

Saturday 1st November 2024.

F.A.Cup 1st round. The Pitmen v Holy Blues.

16th inNorthern Premier League, West v 20th in Northern Premier League, Premier Division

Hendsford; black shorts white shirts with red and black piping on shoulders and down sides of the shirt. Gainsborough; All royal blue kit.

Witin 4 minutes of the start, a Gainsborough attack broke down
and 3 passes later, Manny Duku was put through to slide the ball home to give the home side the lead.

Gainsborough looked nervy at the back as their midfield was being overwhelmed, but their number 11
hit the cross bar intersection with the left post from distance.

10 minutes later, though, Hendsford doubled their lead on
21 mins when Omar Holness from 25 yards out on the right placed a curling shot into the top left hand corner, which the keeper just couldn’t get to. A wonderful strike.
Hendsford seemed to be first to the ball, harrying for everything and very competitive, whereas Gainsborough were just not settled and were in panic mode and must have been glad when half time came.

Gainsborough made changes at half time but their nightmare continued in the second half. In the first minute the ‘Pitmen’ hit the post and a few minutes later made it three nil when a cross from the left was headed across his own goal by a defender which the ball falling to an attacker whose pass was latched onto by Dominic McHale and he buried it into the net. Hendsford were in heaven, three up on their opponents.

With 64 minutes gone Trinity cleared the ball upfield after a strong hand ball shout and Javelle Clarke ran half the length of the pitch to pass to Declan Howe who volleyed the ball along the ground right across the goalkeeper to reduce the deficit. 12 minutes later, Javelle Clarke again skipped forward and passed to Declan Howe, who slotted the ball underneath the keeper to maybe set up a thrilling finish.
It looked like Hendsford had survived but deep into added time Will Lancaster, Trinity’s centre back, picked up the ball in the centre circle and purposely strode forward. From 30 yards he just thumped the ball against the cross bar and it bounced down onto the ground and into the net to make it 3.3.
The Gainborough team celebrated in front of their fans who were in a corner of the ground. A few spilled over onto the pitch, which seemed to be a cue for a group of home fans to invade the pitch and head for the away fans. The referee immediately took the players off, having previously removed a can thrown into the Trinity goal mouth and had smoke bombs dealt with at the start of the match.

The stewards soon calmed the situation and the referee restarted the game for a few minutes to complete the 90 minutes. Trinity had their momentum slowed but they did come closest to score.

Already exhausted from the 90 minutes the 30 minutes of extra time kept up the excitement.

Omar Holness put Hendsford ahead again after just 5 mins of extra time when a cross from the left was not dealt with and he put the ball into the net when it squeezed through to him.

Into the second period of extra time and Gainsborough came back again when Javelle Clarke raced through to latch onto a low cross from the right and place it into the corner of the net. Clarke had seemed lost in the first half when high balls up to him, playing as a lone striker, were easily dealt with by Hendsford. With the ball played to his feet in the second half, he was electric, getting two assists and the final goal.

So all square at 120 minutes we moved to penalties and it was still equal after 8 each. Then Dylan Wharton saved his third penalty in a row to give Jordon Helliwell the chance to put Gainsborough through. He calmly scored and although the tie was over the buzz from the game took ages to calm down.

Hendsford were distraught after being so close to winning but had played their part in one of the best cup games ever.

Almost an anti climax talking about the chips, which were hot, crispy, good texture, bit greasy but a realy good taste good taste. A very high score of 82.

The 44 page program was one of the best I have seen.

Not all the football is at United or Wednesday.

I ventured to the 12th level of English football to the University of Sheffield (Norton Playing Fields) to so see their team, Sheffield Union play Athersley Recreation Development team in the Sheffield and Hallamshire County Senior League Division 1.

It was a sunny afternoon with multicoloured grey and white clouds in the sky as I drove to the match on the last day before the clocks were put back from British Summer Time. I joined a queue off the Bochum Parkway which I realised wasn’t for the match but to park for Graves Park, a popular venue for families.

The University of Sheffield, Norton Playing Fields, is some complex, but I only needed the first car park to find my match. It is built on the side of a hill, like most of Sheffield, and I could see cricket, football and rugby pitches cut into the hill, sloping down to floodlight pitches and a large new building.

The pitch was of grass which was undulating and sloped slightly from end to end. A strong breeze added to the autumn conditions highlighted by the browns, yellows and orange of nearby trees.

Sheffield Union joined the Sheffield and Hallamshire County Senior League from the Sheffield and District Fair Play League in the 2018/19 season and immediately gained promotion to Division One. Sheffield Union’s reserve team still play in the Fair Play League in Division Three

Athersley Recreation Development are the reserve team of the team that plays in the Northern Counties East League and are based just north of Barnsley. I have given information about their history in a previous blog.

Sheffield Union 2 Athersley Recreation Development 2

Saturday 26th October 14.00 pm kick off. Norton Sports Park, Warminster Road, S8 8PS. Sheffield and Hallamshire County Senior League Division 1. Both teams in the bottom 4.

Shef Union: Black and white vertical stripes on the front of shirts with white backs and black shorts.
Athersley Development : Full fluorescent orange strip.

Sheffield Students started the match strongly but Athersley soon countered. Unions number 11 had a series of shots one of which drew a great save from the Athersley goalkeeper. With half-time just minutes away, Bailey Wright burst through against the run of play and his two shots hit either post. The let off was rewarded for the home team when their number 4 picked up the ball in the centre circle, strode forward and unleashed a fierce shot straight down the middle of the goal beating the diving keeper.

The Students half time lead only lasted 4 minutes when a cross from Bailey Wright was turned into the net by a defender.

Sheffield regained their lead on 62 minutes when their number 9 cut in from left to the centre of the D and his shot was deflected over the goalkeeper for 2.1.
Athersley’s keeper denied the number 11 again with two great saves to the disappointment of the approximately 40 fans.
The Students dominance was to no avail when a long kick up field was not dealt with by their number 4, who in my opinion had been the class player all afternoon, and Bailey Wright seized on the ball, rushed forward to round the keeper to level at 2.2.

Right at the end Union’s number 11 had another chance but it just went wide of the left hand post.

A great game for this level of football and there were some players on show who could undoubtedly play at a higher one.

Thank you.

No food or drink although there may have been something at the otherblevel of the sports ground.

N.B. The Sheffield & District Fair Play League (SDFPL) was set up in 1998.

Ten (9,8) man SJR Worksop suffer last kick defeat.

Last time I visited SJR Worksop the match was abandoned at half time when the referee refused to continue after being threatened by an official of the away team. So on a day of bright blue skies with some building cloud I tried to park where I had before but the gates were closed. Luckily the new ASDA next door had three hour parking. Having parked I walked to the signed gates to find no way in, but I could see in the far distant corner a new wooden hut. I was at this stage joined by the referee who had dashed from near Nottingham and was also trying to find his way in. We made it to the hut and he made it onto the pitch to start the game on time.

SJR is only 800 meters down the road from their senior local rivals Worksop Town F.C. who were also playing at home. It is on a large open site, the main grass pitch adjacent to the main road with other grass pitches leading on to changing rooms and hospitality areas. There are two small covered areas, one behind a goal and the other adjacent to the dug outs. The pitch was in very good condition and slightly sloped from one end to the other.

The best way to explain the history of the club is to show a board that is displayed by one of the corner flags.

There have been football teams in Hatfield, Doncaster, for over 100 years with Hatfield Main being formed back in 1913. That club was disbanded in 2012 after nearly 100 years, playing in various football leagues, Doncaster Leagues, Yorkshire League, Northern Counties East League, Central Midlands league and several Sunday Leagues. Hatfield Town F.C. are now the highest placed team competing from that area.

St Joseph’s Rockware of Worksop F.C. 1 Hatfield Town F.C. 2

Central Midlands Alliance, Premier Division North. Saturday 19th October 15.00 kick off. SJR Worksop, Rockware Glass Sports and Social Club, Sandy Lane, Worksop, Nottinghamshire, S80 1TL. 10th v 7th

SJR: Blue and black vertical striped front to shirts, with all blue back. Black shorts. shirts black. Hatfield: Canary yellow shirts with navy blue shorts.

Hatfield kicking down hill in the first half started quickly and within 4 minutes they won a corner from the right that was delivered to the centre of the goal and headed down and in by Jack Bonser

Hatfield did not continue the pressure as the game became open. On 16 minutes a home team player delivered a huge long throw into the opposing penalty area which was not dealt with by the defenders and the ball fell to Cole Starkey who back heeled it into the net, just to the right of the despairing keeper’s hand.

The contest was disrupted after 30 minutes when a Worksop player was sent off for two yellow cards after it appeared that he continued to argue with the referee.

Despite being down to 10 men SJR competed well up until half time and there was little between the two sides.

To start the second half Hatfield began to take advantage of their extra man and gained the ascendancy. It looked like it was all over after 20 minutes into the re-start when a Worksop player was sin binned for 10 minutes for disagreeing with the referee and only a few minutes later another was also banished to the side lines. Unbelievably Hatfield wasted their 3 man advantage and SJR played some attacking football. They even created a great chance when a player was clean through one on one with the keeper only to put his shot just wide of the right hand post.

With their numbers restored to 10 Worksop looked to have held out but in added time Hatfield had five attempts from close range on goal, two were saved by the home goalkeeper, one hit the bar and on the fifth attempt the ball was rammed home with a strong shot along the ground.

There was little time to restart before the final whistle blew. SJR Worksop were disappointed that their great efforts were not even rewarded with a draw but they had created their own downfall with some indiscipline. Hatfield were very lucky to get the win despite all of the ace cards that they held during the match.

There were no chips but a cup of coffee and some Quavers were great.

Real Union Club, S.A.D.

Because I was passing and being an Aston Villa fan, I couldn’t resist popping in to see Real Union’s ground in Irun.

Real Union were bought by the magician, Unai Emery, in June 2021.

Formed in 1915 through the merger of two teams, one of which was started in 1902.

Real Union have a long history being one of the initial clubs that founded the Spanish National League Championship in 1929 but have not returned to those heights since being relegated in 1932. They currently play in the third level of Spanish football.

Real Unión were one of the most successful teams 100 years ago, winning the Copa del Rey in 1918, 1924 and 1927, and runners-up in 1922.

Unai Emery’s father and grandfather used to play for the team although Unai Emery never did.

The Emery family are now running the club that had been beset with financial problems for some time.

Unfortunately they have yet to advance up the league system and currently sit 6th having taken 13 points from eight games.

Basford sneak into the next round.

On a beautiful Autumnal Saturday I travelled to Bugbrooke to watch two grandsons win at football, 11-4 (under 7’s) and 13-1 (under 9’s). It was a lovely blue sky day with a few cotton wool clouds drifting across the many pitches that surround the main stadium. The pitches were buzzing with different aged teams playing and training. To credit the club the main clubhouse was open for toilet facilities and and refreshments which some parents were using.

After the game I headed north up the M1 to Basford just north of Nottingham to see Basford United play Hanley Town in the F.A. Trophy. I had been to this ground before to watch their under 18’s play in the F.A. Youth Cup but never seen the senior team.

I arrived at a large carpark that had plenty of space, the ease to park was reflected by the poor attendance of only 132, despite Nottingham Forest playing away on the next day. The ground has an all weather pitch and two small covered seated stands, one at an end and one on the same side as the clubhouse. The other side has some covered standing area and it is open at the remaining end. The weather had not changed from the morning and the 16 degrees felt pleasant.

Basford started life in 1900 as The Old Pear Tree Inn playing in local Notts football Leagues until they resigned in the 2005/06 season only to restart the following year. They changed course in 2010 joining the East Midland Counties League and in 2012 were promoted to the Northern Counties East league which they rose through only to be transferred to the Midland League in 2014. They immediately won that being promoted to the Northern Premier League Division One South and in 2018 were promoted as champions to the Premier Division. 2022 saw them transferred to the Southern League Premier Central Division and a year later back to the Northern Leagues’ Premier Division. So after a long period of Notts football they have changed leagues continually due to promotions and league re-organisations making great upward progress.

There was an original Hanley Town FC formed in 1882 but it lasted only until 1912. The current Hanley Town FC came into existence in the Mid Sixties as a Sunday League team and soon decided to try their luck playing Saturdays. They progressed in local leagues being promoted to the Staffordshire County League and by 1976 joined the Mid Cheshire league but by 1994 after some poor seasons they went down to Junior football. They were soon back and promotions and league mergers meant they were asked to join the North West Counties League Division One, a goal that they had coveted for some time. They won that Division in 2016 and after their good performances in the reduced covid seasons, in then the Midland league, they were placed in the re-organised Northern Premier League Division One West where they play today. Quite a journey in a short time.

Basford United 2 Hanley Town 2

Basford 4 Hanley 1 Penalties.

FA Trophy 3rd Qualifying Round, Saturday 5th October 2024, 15.00 pm kick off.

Mill Street Playing Field, Greenwich Avenue, Basford, Nottingham, NG6 0LD

9th in the Northern Premier League (Premier Division) v 20th in Northern Premier League (West Division).

Basford; Yellow and black vertical striped shirts with yellow shorts that have a black wavy bottom edge on their back: Hanley; all royal blue strip.

You would not have thought that Hanley were a league below Basford and in the relegation zone as the game unfolded. They took an early lead within 4 minute when a pin point cross from the right was headed into the centre of the goal by Tom Pope.

The home side responded with some fast forward running and were rewarded on 13 minutes when a concerted attack meant the ball dropped to Rev James who hit the ball with his outstep into the right hand corner of the net. Just 6 minutes later and another through ball was foiled by the Hanley keeper’s legs only to rebound to Basford who after some inter-passing, scored, when Tyrell Waite tapped in a Joe Uveges cut back.

Basford continued their forward advances but Hanley were never out of the game and drew level on 36 minutes when Pope netted from the penalty spot after being brough down when in on goal. No more goals were added before half time and as they left the field I thought Hanley had the better of the 45 minutes with more dangerous attacking.

A wind seemed to get up across the pitch to start the second half but despite this and Basford’s domination of play neither side was able to break the deadlock. So it went to the dreaded penalties and after good saves by Basford’s keeper and pinpoint accuracy from their penalty takers they went through 4.1.

Basford were through to the next round but Hanley must have been cheered by their performance which should bode well for a rise up their league.

Basford have a separate food cabin in one corner of the ground and the one girl coped well with the queue and the cooking of fresh food. Although I had more than chips I tried some on their own first which were freshly cooked, hot, crispy but had a background greasy taste. Overall a score of 62.

Tigers get their claws out late into the Linetts.

With a fascinating cup tie on my doorstep, at the highest placed non-league team nearest to me, it was a quick hop to Worksop. Worksop Town were playing King’s Lynn in the F.A. Cup, who play in one League above them.

The sun was shining as white clouds scuttled across the sky. A cool breeze kept the temperature down to 13 degrees, so I made my way to the covered seated stand that runs down one side of the ground.

Worksop are having a good season, second in the Northern Premier League just behind the seasons favourites, Macclesfield. King’s Lynn are lying 9th, in The National League North, a much better showing than last season. The last time these two teams met was in 2013 when Worksop won 1.3.

I have written previously about the history of both of these clubs and extensively about Worksop Town’s stadium, which has been developed to a high standard for their level of football over the past few years.

Worksop Town 1 King’s Lynn 1

Saturday 28th September 2024. 15.00 kick off

F.A. Cup. Qualifying Round

Worksop Town; All grey strip with one black half to the front of the shirt. King”s Lynn; line green/yellow shirts with black shorts.

Tigers V Linnets

The cup tie started at a furious pace with both sides looking to take an early advantage. Worksop managed to take control with more and more attacks which unfortunately for them led to nothing. They were helped by King’s Lynn getting used to the artificial pitch and the substitution of one of their back line, Kyle Callan-

Mc Fadden, after only 10 minutes with what looked like a nasty knee injury.

Having weathered the first 20 minute onslaught, the away team started to gain in stature and took the lead with 27 minutes gone.

Having worked the ball across the field from the left, Finlay Barnes put a measured ball into the path of Josh Hamani who whipped it across the goal, along the ground, into the left hand corner of the net. Having taken the lead, King’s Lynn dominated for the next 10 minutes. Worksop regained the initiative before half-time, but their pressure created no chances. Despite Worksop’s good showing, the away team deserved the half-time lead.

Moving out of the covered stand in the second half meant I immediately felt the cold from the increasing wind and darkening skies. Worksop continued their endeavours, though it was King’s Lynn who should have added to their score.

Three times, they were through one on one with the Worksop goal keeper, Tommy Taylor, twice standing his ground to save and once leaping, cat like, to his right, to push the ball away for a corner.

The game should have been out of site for the visitors with 10 minutes left but they let Worksop come on to them in the final minutes. With 7 minutes of added time signalled, it was all one-way and with virtually the last kick of the game Worksop were awarded a freekick on the edge of the goal keepers area. The ball went straight into the wall of players and it was the cool head of Luke Hall who latched onto it with a side volley which glanced off the top left corner of the cross bar into the net to force a replay on the 1st October.

Worksop were pleased that their tenacity paid off but King’s Lynn will have rued their chances.

The crowd of 759 was to me disappointing, yet it was jubilant at the end drawing at such a late stage. King’s Lynn complained after that some of their fans had been abused by home fans and players and questioned why their was no fan segregation. They have restricted travelling Worksop fans to ticket only for the replay. I nipped out quickly at the end so saw none of the problem.

The chips were very hot, some crispy but some were limp. There was little taste but it was not greasy and left no after taste. It was a very good portion for £3. Not as good as my last visit for a score of 60.

Friday night out in Leeds.

I ventured north up the M1 on a Friday night surprised at how light the traffic was.

I was heading for the John Charles Centre for Sport and the next door South Leeds Stadium. This multi sport complex is know for the home of Hunslet Rugby League Club but mote recently as the home of South Leeds F.C.

The game I was to see was between two relatively new teams to the Northern Counties East League. It was a dry evening after a lovely warm autumn week but the temperature at 14 degrees with a clear sky was dropping and was made colder by a strong breeze

This modern sports complex boasts a lot of easy parking spaces and you approach the stadium with a little awe at its exterior. After climbing some spiral concrete steps you come out into a large modern all seated covered stand which dominates one side from which you could see the twinkling high rise centre of the City.

The other three sides are open with no spectator access. The modern grass weave playing surface is flat and is surrounded by a running track. A great view of the pitch but it is a long way away.

The playing surface was very flat and consisted of a modern grass weave configuration.

South Leeds F.C. were previously known as Middleton F.C. forming only in 2017. They raced through the Yorkshire Amateur Leagues winning the Supreme Division in 2024 to be promoted to the Northern Counties East League this season.

Shelley by contrast started life around 1903 and played most of their football in the Huddersfield and District leagues until they folded in 1972. They were reformed in 1980 and moved to their current home in 2011 which underwent redevelopment to become fully open in 2015. That was a catalyst to herald promotions in the Huddersfield and District league, the West Yorkshire Association League and final promotion to the North West Counties which they resigned from due to the fall out from the Covid Pandemic. They returned to the West Yorkshire Association League when after only two seasons they were re-elected back to the North West Counties League. This though only lasted for one season as they have now been transferred to the Northern Counties East Division 1 following an F.A. Re-organisation of teams in the Yorkshire, Lancashire, Nottinghamshire, Lincolnshire and Derbyshire areas.

South Leeds F.C. 2 Shelley F.C. 2

Friday 20th September 2024 Kick off 19,45 pm

Northern Counties East Football League Division 1 17th V 11th

John Charles Centre for Sport, South Leeds Stadium, Belle Isle, Leeds, West Yorkshire LS11 5DJ

South Leeds; Green shirts with a yellow and white sash across the front, green shorts with white edging around the legs. Shelley; Red and black vertical striped shirts with black shorts.

The game was very fast helped by the numerous ball boys handing back balls to quicken play. The ball boys then rushing off to retrieve the ball disappearing over the running track.

The away team soon took the lead when on 7 minutes Klein Gwerno received a pass at the back post and buried it into the net in the opposite corner. Both teams kept up the pace and South Leeds equalised on 21 minutes when a long ball out of their defence went over the Shelley back line for Benjamin Agu to run on to. He won the race to the ball and expertly chipped it over the advancing goalkeeper into the middle of the goal.

Shelley came closest to breaking the deadlock before half time but the home sides goalkeeper made two fine stops.

1.1 at the restart and with no other tempo than hurried and with most final passes going astray, Shelley retook the lead on 55 minutes when a mishap by a Leeds defender let in James Bootland to run through and slide the ball under the home keeper. However within 2 minutes South Leeds were back level when from a corner the ball was headed twice against the cross bar before James Law finally headed it home.

Both teams tried to get a winner with Shelley pushing the hardest but in injury time South Leeds came closest when hitting the crossbar.

South Leeds will have been happy to end a series of recent poor results whereas Shelley may have been disappointed in not winning and moving further up the table. The home side might consider more Friday night matches as the attendance of 167 was 50 up on their last home league game that was played on a Saturday.

The chips were a high priced £4 but the large full tray was hot, crispy, tasty, no greasy after taste, were cooked fresh and scored a very good 72.

A trip to Gretna 2008 F.C. doesn’t disappoint.

I ventured over the border to watch a Lowland League game between Gretna 2008 and Tranent FC from near Edinburgh.

I arrived at Gretna’s huge car park with 5 minutes till kick off and took some time negotiating the haphazard parking. Although it had been a glorious day the temperature had dropped to 14 degrees and with clear skies was expected to drop further.

The stadium has an all weather synthetic pitch which is very flat. There was a large seated covered stand at one end, a clubhouse for drink and food , changing room and a small covered seated stand down a side with fencing and no standing on the other side. The other end was open with just some flat standing.

The suffix 2008 gives a clue here to one of the most fascinating football stories of the 21st century. I first remember noticing Gretna, a team in Scotland, playing in the English Northern Premier League and at the same time Berwick Ranger, a team in England, playing in the Scottish League system.

But Gretna’s situation was to change and propel them on a roller coaster journey with some amazing ups and downs. They decided to apply to join the Scottish Football league and successfully started in the Scottish third division for the 2002/03 season replacing Airdrieonians who had folded. Brooks Mileson who had made a lot of money in insurance and had invested in football teams decided that there could be an opportunity at Gretna having just failed to invest heavily in his adopted home of Carlisle.

There has been much writing about how with the injection of money they managed to gain three straight promotions to the Scottish Premiership, and appeared in a Scottish F.A. cup final on the way. Their appearance in the top tier of Scottish football shocked the game, they even qualified for Europe, but it had some drawbacks in that home games had to be played at Motherwell’s ground due to their own stadium not meeting grading regulations. A round trip of over 150 miles for home supporters from a town of around 3000 didn’t generate the money to pay for the team which had to be heavily subsidised by Brook Mileson and other board members. It couldn’t last and when Mileson became ill and the money stream dried up they were placed in administration in March 2008. By August 2008 the club was liquidated and in November Brook Mileson had died.

But local football fans did not want to see the club gone forever and formed Gretna 2008, initially playing in the East Of Scotland League but gaining entry to the Lowland league in 2013, where they sit today.

Tranent by contrast were formed in 1911 and were a continual force in Scottish Junior Football joining the Scottish Pyramid System in 2018;. After winning the premier league of the East of Scotland League they were promoted to the Lowland League where last season they won the Lowland League Cup.

Gretna 2008 F.C. 2 Tranent F.C. 2

Tuesday 17th September 2024 19.45 kick off. Scottish Lowland league.

Raydale Park, Dominion Road, Gretna, Dumfriesshire, DG16 5AP

Anvils v The Belters, 12th v 6th

Gretna; Black and white horizontal hooped shirts with black shorts: Tranent; All Royal Blue strip.

The game was fast and furious from the off with both teams going for a result. Gretna had the best of the early play forcing corners and using the full width of the pitch. I was impressed by the speed and skill of the teams and the engrossing play meant that the first half was over in a flash. Although Gretna had had the best of the play neither team had looked like scoring.

Within a minute of the restart some cross passing in front of goal led to Tranent taking the lead with a curling shot from Gray into the top right hand corner. Gretna were stunned and within 5 minutes it was 2 nil as Tranent’s midfield play moved the ball Mc Gowan who drilled the ball along the ground into the net. Tranent looked the most likely to score again as the half progressed although Gretna were still competing. With 10 minutes left the game turned when Gretna attacked down the right and the waist high cross was not cleared by a Tranent defensive mix up that allowed a Gretna player, Dean Brotherson, to sneak in to score. It was now game on and Gretna piled on the pressure and a few silly fouls and pushing by both teams only raised the temperature.

As some in the crowd made their way to the exit a brilliant cross from the right touch line was met by a Gretna forward unopposed at the back post to head the ball down into the net for two all. Although well into injury time there was still time for the referee to give a yellow card to a Gretna defender for dissent after a coming together of their goalkeeper and a Tranent forward. As this was his second yellow he was ordered off.

A great exciting half that shows real depth in Lowland football and makes a mockery of the very difficult entry opportunities into the SFL. Scottish football should restructure and open up their pyramid system. I really enjoyed the experience.

Unfortunately there were no chips so I had to partake of a Scotch pie. Not a fan of these I was pleasantly surprised that I enjoyed it.

Sandiacre Town have themselves to blame in another defeat.

I set out to see Stapleford Town, play at home, so following Google maps I reached their ground with 25 minutes to spare. But driving round all I could find was the building of a new sports and community centre. So having circled where I expected the ground to be I checked the Internet to find that they are playing home games at Radfords facility. I knew that luckily Sandiacre Town were at home and that was only 2.2 miles away. So a quick readjustment and I found myself parked in the road and entering the clubhouse with 10 minutes to spare.

The clubhouse is outside the ground so I ordered chips and a coffee and walked towards the entrance. I didn’t realise I was in the players and officials way onto the ground, so I passed the 3 officials with the referee asking for a chip. Luckily a barrier was moved for me and it was back to normality and standing with chips in hand to watch the players walk out.

This ground is in a housing area on the way out of the centre. There is a small car park but plenty of on street parking

It was a beautiful autumn day at 17 degrees, blue skies with a few white clouds, with a light breeze. Three sides of the stadium are lined with trees and the fourth has the clubhouse in the corner with a children’s play area and basketball hoop. The clubhouse is to a good spec, sells drink and snacks and the players changing room. The toilets were outside the clubhouse in a container/portakabin.

Sandiacre town was only started in 1978 as youth teams with a senior team starting in the Central Alliance League the following year. A clubhouse was added to the pitch in 1984 with railings and seated stand before floodlights in 1995. Today there are 39 all ages and sexes teams, run by the club, some games being played at Friesland School’s 4G pitch that they have jointly developed.

Sandiacre Town progressed as inaugural members of the Central Midlands League in 1983 but ground grading saw them drop back. They were back in the Central Midlands League in 1992 after the merger with Lace Web United. They joined the United Counties League Division One in 2023.

Southwell City were formed in 1893 but early records are sketchy with the club believed to have played in the Newark area. The team was devastated through casualties in the Great War and although football was played in Southwell it wasn’t until its reformation in 1955 that the current club truly emerged. They joined the Notts Football Alliance in 1957 where they stayed until the end of the 2002/03 season, when a move to the Central Midlands League was completed. On their journey the football club merged with Southwell United Youth Football and Southwell Amateurs and have created a Community Charter club that caters for all grades of the game. This has been achieved through developing their old and new grounds. Winning the Notts Senior League in 2022/23 gained them promotion to the United Counties Division One.

Sandiacre Town 2 Southwell City FC 3

United Counties League Division One, Saturday 14th September 2024, kick off 15.00 pm.

St Giles Park, Station Road, Sandiacre, Nottingham, Derbyshire, NG10 5DD.

19th (Last) v 10th Saints v Bramleys City

Sandiacre, Red Shirts, light navy shorts; Southwell, Black and white vertical striped shirts, black shorts:

The teams walked out onto a thick carpet of grass, the pitch sloping down to each end from the centre.

Neither team looked settled in the early play but it was the home side who took the lead on 6 minutes when Tom Slade received the ball on the edge of the goal area, turned, and hit it with his right foot into the roof of the net. Sandiacre now dominated being more physical, bigger and stronger, yet it was Southwell who hit the bar with 32 minutes gone. The game continued in this fashion until half time and as they walked off I thought what a poor game.

Within 5 minutes of the restart Southwell were down to 10 men as Haiba Soueyeh was sent off for two yellow cards that looked like persistent arguing with the referee. Southwell now had it all to do.

The introduction of Akand Gangotra was however a turning point as his speed and ability to lose players started to create chances and they equalised through him on 67 minutes when his cut back shot went into the net. Chaos reigned as the home sides centre back argued and pushed a Southwell player on the ground and then walked over and pushed another player in the back who fell to the ground. Sandiacre players now restrained him and the referee gave two yellow cards and a red, why not a straight red I couldn’t understand. The player refused to walk to the club house and after some arguing and encouragement he finally left the field.

So now back to equal, with 10 men each the game became open with gaps everywhere and it was Southwell who took advantage taking the lead on 77 minutes when Akrand Gangotra scored again. He tapped the ball in at the near post after a precise cut back along the ground from the right.

With the 90 minutes up there was more drama when a Sandiacre shot was spilled by Southwell’s goalkeeper and Darnell Smith charged through to score. That should have been it but with 5 minutes of added time on the clock Sandiacre were attacking for the winner. This was not to be as a long clearance was not dealt with by the home defender and Joe Aitkin received a pass that enabled him to loop it over the keeper for Southwell to take the win.

That was it and although this was an interesting and exciting second 45 minutes my reflection was that I had watched two poor teams on the day.

Sandiacre should have won this game but for mistakes and madness and they remain bottom of the table with no points out of 8 games.

The chips, served on a plastic returnable plate, were hot, limp, freshly cooked, tasty with a greasy taste that lingered, a score of 56.

As a footnote, Sandiacre Town’s 1st Team Manager, Nick Labbate resigned shortly after the match.

Champagne Football

Champagne Football; written by Mark Tighe and Paul Rowan. Published by Penguin Random House UK 2020.

At a coffee morning I looked through the book stall but couldn’t find anything. I was asked what I was looking for and answered a book on football. A little while later when munching a sausage sandwich the lady running the stall brought me ‘Champagne Football’. I was not sure about the book but smiled and said thank you.Little did I know that I would become engrossed in the inner workings of the Football Association of Ireland and its charismatic John Delaney.

Mark Tighe and Paul Rowan present a brilliant investigation into John Delaney’s 15 year unchallenged control of the Association. Whether those around him had a strong loyalty to him, a naievity, a lack of compliance knowledge, or felt unable to confront is a mystery. It shows from the book that there were many instances when the FAI paid for high salaries and personal excess.

There are those who would say John Delaney did a good job as his largesse benefitted some clubs in Ireland. But what was clear was that the FAI at the end of his tenure had gone backwards in FIFA rankings and had a financial mess to clear up and a group of ex players and officials alienated from the cause.

The writing style presents a good read and slowly unfolds as things unravel and reach an end.

A book I wasn’t sure about reading turned out to be riveting.