Ilkley Town Bar Chips

A trip to beautiful Wharfedale, nearing the end of another enjoyable football season.

A stop off on the way at Five Rise Locks at Bingley to see the steepness of the canal boat locks, and a coffee in the café where a new to me, Bakewell tart flapjack, had to be tried. Then on to Ilkley Moor and pass the Cow and Calf, rocks of millstone grit, before dropping down to Ilkley itself. The self-indulgence continued with a Yorkshire Cream Tea at Betty’s, well you have to don’t you. Finally, on to Ilkley Town F.C. where they luckily for my waist didn’t have any chips. The problem being that the insurance to fry chips would be too high. Oven chips, maybe?

Ilkley’s ground is part of a modern sports complex on the Eastern edge of town. It is very modern with an artificial pitch and the facilities to pass the ground grading for the league they play in

It is beautifully flat with fencing all around. There is a small seated stand offset to one goal and a small covered standing area in the middle of one side. There is a path way around 85% of the perimeter. The pitch and facilities allow the club to run various youth and senior teams and generate income from pitch hire.

The character of the stadium is enhanced by Ilkley Moor as a backdrop and the Cow and Calf Rocks.

The game I had come to watch was between Ilkley and Yorkshire Amateur. Ilkley needing a win to ensure a playoff place, and Yorkshire Amateur already condemned to bottom position and awaiting the end of season league review to see if they are relegated.

Football Histories

Ilkley Town was formed in the 1960s but disbanded in the early 90s. Reformed in 1994 as Ilkley AFC they played locally and renamed that Club back to Ilkley Town after previously joining the West Yorkshire League. They were elected in 2021 to the North West Counties League and transferred to the Northern Counties East League for this season.

Yorkshire Amateur ẁere founded in 1918, and two years later, we’re founder members of the Yorkshire League, only staying for a few years. They were reunited in 1930. Just two years later, they were losing semi-finalists in the F.A. Amateur Cup.

Skipping to 1952, they were relegated to the second division starting an amazing yoyo period, promoted the next season, relegated in 1956, promoted 1959, Relegated 1962, promoted 1972, Relegated 1975. In 1977, they reached a low point, being relegated to Division 3. In 1978, back to div 2 and with a League reorganisation in 1982, they were founder members of the Northern Counties East League Division Two. 1984 promoted, relegated 1986, 1991 promotion due to league reorganisations, 2018 promoted to the Premier Division, 2021 promoted to the Northern Premier but demoted back to the NECL the following year due to ground grading problems. In 2023, they were relegated to Division I, and this year, they have finished bottom and await their fate. Some journey I for their fans, I apologise if I have made any errors.

Ilkley Town 4 Yorkshire Amateur 1

Saturday 5th April 2025, 15.00 pm kick off Northern Counties East League Division 1

Ben Rydding Sports Club, Leeds Road, Ilkley West Yorkshire, LS298AW

5th v 22nd The Baht’atters v Ammers

Ilkley; Faded Yellow shirts with black shoulders and sleeves, dark blue shorts, goalkeeper all green. Yorkshire Amateur; All red kit with goalkeeper in all orange.

The game started in beautiful sunshine with clear skies although a wind whipping across the pitch made it feel colder than the 11 degrees. It was both teams penultimate game of the season and Ilkley’s last home game.

In the first minute, the referee seemed to bottle it when he put his whistle to his mouth over a hand ball in the away teams penalty area but didn’t blow . threatening with some quick breaks.

Ilkley looked the more assured team with some neat passing moves, but the Ammers looked solid at the back as they competed with passion and energy. By 26 minutes, the game had become scrappy, and my attention was drawn by the planes on their flight path to land at Leeds Bradford Airport and the circling overhead of a Kite. Ilkley looked half the team I had seen recently at Wakefield, and Yorkshire Amateurs looked occasionally threatening with quick breaks. The teams left the field at half time with neither side having left an imprint on the match.

All changed within 4 minutes of the restart when after a home side attack the ball was cleared to Harry Abson who from 20 yards out hit a curling shot with his right foot that broke the back of the left hand side of the goal net with the goalkeeper motionless.

The joy lasted only 10 minutes when from an Ilkley corner from right that was overhit one of their players chased the ball and crossed it from other side for Joshua Parker to run in and head it across goal onto post and in.

Ilkley now upped the tempo but Yorkshire Amateurs doggedly held on for another 10 minutes when a ball along the ground from the left was placed into the right-hand corner by Eliel Maville-Anku. This was a reward for Anku, who had harried all the game.
The away side were now losing heart when, on 77 minutes Ilkley’s number 2 beat the defenders with a crossed ball for Kevin Gozales to run through and tap it home. Shouts for offside and some abuse to the linesman had no effect on the officials.

The game was over with 7 minutes left when an Ilkley player was fouled in the penalty area, and Alfie Dean stroked the ball into the left-hand corner, just evading the goalkeepers finger tips.
Ilkley saw out the final few minutes on top and made their way to the play offs. It was very disappointing that only a crowd of 70 had turned up.

Football Food

As I stated earlier, there were no chips but a packet of Seabrooks Crisps (the best), and a coffee sufficed. The food wagon was good, and the lady serving was very helpful, she hid whilst I took the photo.

St Albans City 70 years on.

An early start from North East Derbyshire down the M1 to Loughborough to my daughters, who then drove us to my son in Northampton. Change cars again, and we were on our way to St Albans to see them play Farnborough.

We parked within Clarence Park, next to the cricket pavilion, in front of which in the past lines were drawn for an inter schools sports day once a year. The reason for the visit was to watch St Albans City 70 years after my first ever visit. I saw my first game here in 1955 when St Albans were in the Isthmian League, and the stadium looked a little different.

Back then the terrace was made of railway sleepers with ash infill and I remember getting a clip behind the ear when on one visit I covered some light cigarette ends with rubbish, and managed to get some smoke slightly billowing upwards. Smoke back then also used to waft across the pitch as a steam train passed as it sped by or slowed for the nearby station. A steam shunter would often be visible at the Hatfield Road end as it moved wagons in and out of the station siding, and the driver would shout over to find out the score. The terracing was concreted in the late 1950s, and as far as I remember, floodlights were added in 1970 when Charlton visited for an opening game.

Some of the terracing was covered, but throughout the old wooden seated stand built in 1922 has soldiered on, with a small part repurposed for hospitality and officials. Behind this stand, you used to be overwhelmed by the smell of wintergreen during match days that has disappeared today.

There is now temporary cover behind each goal, and at one end, this replaces one of the iconic oak trees that became diseased and cut down after offending the Conference League. The glossy programme was only on sale at the club shop and wouldn’t have been found if we hadn’t done a tour of the ground. It’s pleasantly different to the old foolscap folded sheet with the teams printed in the middle. I also seem to remember that the club was known as ‘City’ and not ‘Saints’.

The greatest change is food. Back in the 1950s, at half-time, fans would troop round to the cricket pavilion, when open, to get a cup of tea in a china cup, with maybe a KitKat or a wagon wheel. The club house seemed only used by a selected few. Today, Wow, there is hospitality in the form of food and drink at all four corners.

Football at St Albans has become an experience, to be watched by 1785 fans whose chatter droned out the shouts and commands of the players.

St Albans are fighting a relegation battle which at one point looked impossible until Ian Culverhouse and Paul Bastock (a hero in these parts, who played nearly 300 games for ‘The Saints’ in his world record club appearances of 1286) took over, but now looks like they may only just survive if results go their way. The club is going through an administrative management change that the programme says will free up the owners to pursue their dream to relocate to a new stadium. The size that the city has now grown to, approaching 80000, with the continued support, could in the future maintain an EFL club. I will be sad to see it go, but the new planning laws may finally be the catalyst for change.

St Albans City 1 Farnborough 0

Saturday 29th March 2025, 15.00 pm kick off

National League South, 21st v 11th, Saints v Boro

St Albans; Yellow shirts with dark blue shorts, goalkeeper in fluorescent Pink.

Farnborough; All white with a red stripe down the front of the shirts with the goalkeeper in all black.

It was a very sunny afternoon with clear skies and the temperature rising above 15 degrees. The all grass pitch which famously slopes from one end to the other looked in great condition apart from some sanding in the goals.

What can I say about this game. I will leave it up to a quote from Paul Bastock, ‘A game that was as ugly as me, but nice to come out with 3 massive points, the boys dug in deep and a clean sheet, now let’s bounce onto next week’.

St Albans started with some forays down the wings, but no end product and Farnborough’s favourite and most effective tactic was a long throw into St Alban’s penalty area. These were well dealt with by the Saints defence and Michael Johnson in goal, who was my man of the match with a no-nonsense, competent game.

The pattern was broken on 39 minutes when Johnson kicked a ball from his hands that bounced over Farnborough defenders who had let Alex Wall, playing only his third game for St Albans get behind them and chip it into the net.

Could this have been the prelude to an exciting game? No. We continued back in the original pattern with everyone relieved in the end that the home side gained three points. Although not overtaking any of their relegation rivals, they crept nearer, and with 5 games left, anything could happen.

Football Food

The chips, From ‘Chicken George’, were hot, golden, crispy, soft in the centre, tasty, but the more you ate, the more the seasoning that had been added ruined the experience. Why don’t hey let you add your own salt. What could have been a winning score in my chip league for this season was reduced to a disappointing 65.

Wakefield AFC progressing off the pitch but not on.

With warmer weather promised, I ventured North to Featherstone on a clear night, 2 degrees, made colder by a northerly wind. My destination was Featherstone Rovers Rugby League ground to see Wakefield AFC play. Yes, last season, I saw them play t home at Wakefield Trinity’s ground. The agreement to play there has ended, and they are now a season into a 2 year agreement with Featherstone.

The Programme however brought good news that the club is involved in a project at Brook Farm in Walton just in the southeast of Wakefield. Perhaps I will in the future see these nomads in a permanent home.

Arriving at the ground, there was a large parking area which could certainly do with a little more lighting.

I have watched Wakefield’s rise and saw they were again challenging for promotion. With three games in hand, and 5 points behind, they were closing in on local rivals Horbury Town hoping to gain outright promotion rather than the play offs where they lost in the final last year.

Featherstone Rovers’ ground holds roughly 10000, 271 had braved the elements and were housed in a section of the main stand. The stadium has good covered seating on three sides with open seating on the other. The flat grass pitch looked in very good condition with the grass slightly longer than usual.

Football Histories

The current Wakefield was only formed in 2019 by a group of local businessmen, but a controlling interest was bought out in 2021 by VO2 Capital. They have climbed through the Sheffield and Hallamshire County League and are now pushing for promotion from the Northern Counties East League Division 1.

Wakefield AFC 1 Ilkley Town 2

Tuesday 18th March 2025. 19.45 kick off. 2nd v 4th Falcons v Baht’atters

The Millennium Stadium, Post Office Road, Featherstone, WF7 5EN

Wakefield; White shirts with blue shorts, Goalkeeper Blue top with black shorts.

Ilkley; Pink shirts with purple shoulders, Goalkeeper all light orange.

Ilkley immediately went on the attack, being very successful down the right where Maxim Hague, with number 2 on his back, was quickly making it forward and releasing good crosses that were causing problems. Wakefield weathered the storm and their attacks were provided by long high balls and enormous long throws. The game was very competitive with a good level of skill. Ilkley looked the most promising with their mid-field duo getting the upper hand.

It was a quick run down the left on 21 minutes that provided a cross along the floor for Maxim Hague to pounce at the right post and place the ball high up into the net. Wakefield tried to respond. However, it was the away team who continued to look most likely to extend their lead. Both sides left the field at half time with Ilkley having been on top.

The second half continued in much the same way, and the evening was made worse for Wakefield when on 69 minutes, a misguided back pass was collected by Toby Marriot, who had just come on as a substitute. He had to move away from goal due to the advancing goalkeeper and, from a very difficult angle, squeezed the ball along the ground into the far corner of the net. Wakefield looked well defeated at this point but were back in the game with just over ten minutes left when Kelan Swales ran onto a speculative ball over the top of the Ilkley defence and he lobbed it over the advancing keeper.

Wakefield pushed forward to try and salvage something from the game but were thwarted by their own lack of chances and some deliberate time wasting by their opponents.

Wakefield still have a chance to win the league, although their progress was dented here, and Ilkley will be strong contenders in any play offs.

Football food

Unfortunately, there were no chips again, so a beef pie with gravy was a good substitute. Tasty, but could have been a little hotter.

Knaresborough upset Thackley’s flow.

On the way down the A1 I popped into Knaresborough to see them play Thackley in the Northern Counties East League. Thackley from the northern outkirts of Bradford were on a run of five wins in a row and sat third in the table whilst the home team, Knaresborough Town were eighteenth , only one place above the relegation zone.

The ground is on the edge of town, not far off the A59, and easy to reach. I was dropped off and walked into the ground on what was a cold day, Google saying it was just above freezing, with patchy grey and blue sky, but with no wind. There was a small covered seated stand in the middle of one side, open behind one goal, a small covered standing area offset from the goal at the other end and down the other side the changing rooms, clubhouse, a food kiosk, a small area to stand and a wall from a neighbouring building. The pitch was grass that sloped slightly from end to end with undulating areas and mud showing through the grass after our wet winter. There is less than 20 miles between the two clubs so it was almost a local derby.

Knaresborough have been established since 1898, then known as Trinity, playing local football, before being elevated to the Northern League in 1909 for only 2 years, before going back into local York leagues. After World War Two they reformed in the Harrogate League and returned to it after another spell in the York League. By the end of the 1960’s they joined the West Yorkshire League where they played mainly, except for one excursion back in the Harrogate League again. It was in 2012, that after investment in the ground they were elected to the Northern Counties East League and six years later won promotion to the Premier Division where they play today.

Thackley were not founded until 1930 when members of the Thackley Wesleyan Methodist Church set up a Sunday League Team. They stayed in the West Riding County Amateur League for 25 years from 1939, After a brief stay in the West Yorkshire League they joined the strong Yorkshire League and became founder members of the Northern Counties East League in 1982 where they still remain.

Knaresborough Town AFC 3 Thackley 2

Saturday 18th January 2025, 15,00 pm kick off, Northern Counties East League, Premier Division.

Knaresborough Town AFC, Manse Lane, Knaresborough, North Yorkshire, HG5 8LF,

18th v 3rd, Knaresborough have no nick name but Thackley are known as the Denny boys.

Knaresborough; Red shirts with white horizontal line on the backs with the sponsors name, black shorts, goalkeeper in lime green top and black shorts: Thackley; All royal blue kit and goalkeeper in all orange.

The first 15 minutes play was even with Thackley looking the most positive. Thackley forwards put one ball just wide and a header over the bar from a corner but neither side scored and they left the field for half time with little indication of anyone scoring.

The floodlights came on for the second half, which showed how quickly the days have lengthened since December 21st, winter is slowly seeping away!

The light must have sparked the player as with 4 minutes gone Knaresborough’s Ben Parkes curled a ball, from outside the goal area, with his right foot, into the top right hand corner for the lead. Four minutes later Ben Parkes was pushed down in the penalty area and Jack Lazenby stepped forward to make it two nil.

There looked no way back for Thackley but they kept pressing and with 19 minutes gone Slater Barnes reduced the deficit after a fast break that meant the ball was whipped across the goalmouth for him to tap in. Thackley now pressed forward and despite having their Manager sent off equalised in the 86th minute when a corner from the right was headed back at the far post for Muhammet Tektas to steer into the net to equalise. Play became frantic with Harry Parsons for Thackley sent off a minute after their equaliser. Thackley pushed on despite their reduced numbers, hoping to retain their winning streak but despair hit them when with time up a freekick was headed back across goal, which Phil Milson stroked home.

The 186 spectators had been warmed by the pulsating second half, with the home side ecstatic but Thackley annoyed at not taking at least a point. Thackley though didn’t deserve the spoils with very little cutting edge up front.

A coffee and a portion of thin cut chips cost only £3.70, but the chips were disappointing being only warm with little taste although they were not greasy, a score of 56.

I didn’t win the meat raffle either.

2024, Another Great Year.

2024 was my seventh year of writing this blog and I thank everyone who has read it this year, making it the most popular year so far.
The year started at Garforth in North East Leeds where on a muddy pitch they were the better team and went on to win promotion later in the season. It was the first of 48 matches including some International Excursions.

There were three excursions outside of England, in theory, with games in Italy, Scotland and Wales (well almost).
The Italian game in Florence to see Fiorentina was a highlight, not because of the game or the weather, but because of the generosity of a local fan who guided me from the railway station to the ground and explained how I would get back. The unique Mussolini era architecture has cover for a very small minority of fans and the rest of us were drenched with a biblical type downpour. Luckily the food stall sold plastic ponchos, I wonder why!

The trip to Gretna was an experience in that I have not seen such avant garde parking. Cars were just abandoned everywhere, with no order but everyone seemed happy and negotiated leaving with no problems at all. The game was a great advert for the Lowland League and the Scotch pie was somehow tasty, I had never been impressed with one before.
On to Wales, but not Wales, as Cymru champion The New Saints played a European Conference League game at Shrewsbury Town’s stadium to meet UEFA standards. Although they lost 2 nil to a very competent Panathinaikos, their exploits at this stage of European football has raised the bar of Welsh football

The stand out game of the year was
Hednesford v Gainsborough Trinity in the F.A. Cup. Down and out, Gainsborough fought back to level at 3.3 at full-time and again came back to level at 4.4 after extra-time. Then the dreaded penalties that saw the away team go through 5.4. This will go down as one of the best games I have ever seen in nearly 70 years watching football.

Other highlights were seeing Loughborough Students gain promotion in a play off final when they overwhelmed Skegness 7 nil. A just reward, having previously been told by the F.A. that they wouldn’t be allowed promotion. A great decision by the F.A. to change their minds.

Another play off game saw, Shirebrook, a team near to me, stun Wakefield 4.0 to gain promotion but not in the completion they were playing in but in The United Counties League. This was due to another F.A. reorganisation. This one tidied up many clubs in the Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire and Yorkshire, a good sensible move.
Good to see Chesterfield promoted and a great Chesterfield Sunday Cup final at Staveley where Brampton Rovers were winners 4.3 after extra time.
I saw Kiveton Miners Welfare’s last game at Stone Close and also one of Kiveton Park’s first. The ground already looks so much tidier. Just down the road I finally saw a game finished at S J R Worksop, but didn’t make it to Kirton Brickworks ground due to a switched venue because of a waterlogged pitch. Definitely one for the future.
I was bored at Mansfield in December but elated for the Chairman of Biggleswade Town, an old school friend, the month previous, when they came back to win 5.4 at Coleshill in the F.A. Trophy.
A second trip to see a Berwick Charities Cup match left me in awe, again, of this locally organised competition.

As the year ended Ashbourne, the underdogs, almost upset Clay Cross in the Derbyshire Senior Cup and should have reaped an award for their effort.
Finally another aborted visit to Appleby Frodingham’s ground saw me end up at Brigg and a last minute win at a ground soon to join the artificial pitch brigade.
As usual a fantastic year with 2025 beckoning. I wish everyone a Happy 2025.

Hallam overcome Wombwell and storm Darragh.

With storm Darragh battering the UK and many games postponed I was surprised that the FA Vase game at Wombwell was still on.

Arriving at the ground with the temperature of 4 degrees, and colder with the strong cold wind which was sending the grey clouds scuttling by, I found a flat grass pitch that looked as if it had soaked up all of the rain and could comfortably deal with more. Wombwell Town have made great strides in recent years both on and off the pitch. Entry to the Northern Counties League Division One in 2023 and now sitting third with games in hand on the two above. The ground has changed too with new club house, changing rooms, hospitality area and function rooms, new perimeter fencing and concrete concourses for spectators. One side also boasts a smart all seater stand and on two sides it is open bounded by the ‘South Yorkshire Karting’ facility who were enjoying their Christmas Weekend event noticeable by the constant buzzing as they whizzed by.

There have been a number of Wombwell Town teams dating back to 1896 with the last renaissance folding in 2000. The current team were formed in 2018 and considering the thwarted Covid seasons they have done brilliantly to have achieved the development of the club both on and off the pitch. They were promoted into the Northern Counties East League Division One in 2023 and have established them selves as a top team in the competition.

There is much to write about Hallam FC’s history but here are a few highlights, they are officially the second oldest football club in the world, playing at the oldest ground and holders of the Youdan Cup presented to the winners of the first ever football competition. Hallam also played in the first ever match on Boxing Day 1860, against Sheffield FC a British football tradition still kept today. They played in local leagues with some interruptions when although not playing, kept up their affiliations to the local Football Association. In 1982 they were founder members of the Northern Counties East League where they still play today, now in the Premier Division.

Wombwellm Town FC 0 Hallam FC 4

Saturday 7th December 2024, Kick off 15.00 pm, FA Vase Third Round.

Wombwell Recreation Ground, Station Road, Wombwell, South Yorkshire, S73 0BJ

The Wellers v The Citizens. Wombwell, third in Division one of the Northern Counties East League Division One, Hallam 7th in the Premier League of the same competition.

Wombwell; Red Shirts, Black Shorts, Goalkeeper in Pink. Hallam; Yellow Shirts, Blue Shorts, Goalkeeper in Purple.

Hallam played with the strong wind behind them in the first half and its influence was immediate as a speculative through ball wasn’t intercepted by the Wombwell defence and they were luck that the shot hit the post. The wind was so strong that the Wombwell keeper couldn’t kick the ball as far as the half way line as it just drifted backwards on the wind. Hallam’s pressure didn’t have any effect as high ball often went through for the keeper to pick up or for a goal kick. With 23 minutes gone, out of the blue, Hallam’s Brodie Lichfield riffled the ball from 30 yards on the right, and it sailed into the left hand corner of the net after clipping the post. Hallam missed a great chance 13 minutes later and the half time talk must have been about their missed chances with the advantage of the wind.

Wombwell were unlucky not to get level after just 9 minutes of the second half when Josh Nodder hit a rocket from further out than Hallam’s opener but the ball hit the crossbar bounced down on the goal line and out for the goalkeeper to collect.

Football is often cruel as after pressure by the home side, Jack Brownell played a ball in from the right which was brought down and laid off to Brandon Bradbury who beat the goalkeeper to give Hallam a two goal cushion. Hallam put the game beyond a Wombwell rally when James Cadman bamboozled the Wellers defence with a great run on the left by line and placed the ball along the ground to a colleague who passed it on to Rio Allen at the back post to tap in.

With 20 minutes left the rain increased its ferocity again but it didn’t stop Hallam’s progress as they continued to press forward having changed from a first half of high balls to keeping the ball on the ground. Leon Howarth drove into the Wombwell penalty box and was fouled to gain a penalty. After a delay, Rio Allen’s penalty hit the crossbar and was cleared away on 75 minutes but 5 minutes later Hallam had their fourth when Brodie Litchfield ran through the midfield and fired the ball through defenders into the bottom left hand corner.

Callum Ward came on for Hallam and within minutes was sin binned for dissent, but despite Wombwell not giving up and continuing to keep trying for a goal Hallam saw out the game to progress to the next round.

Despite the atrocious conditions I was amazed to have witnessed a very competitive and skillful game.

The chips were warm, crispy outside but mushy inside with a taste of burn fat that left a greasy after taste. A low score of only 52.

Another great program.

Waders have to dig deep.

I decided to keep up my recent run of cup games by heading to see Coleshill Town play Biggleswade Town in the FA Trophy. I also wanted to say hello to an old school friend, the Chairman of Biggleswade Town.

Having left home with clear skies I was surprised to see the banks of black clouds as approached junction 24 of the M1 and then the resulting rain. My next surprise was that Google maps took me down a narrow lane and the entrance to the driveway of a private house. I was pleased that it wasn’t my poor navigation skills as another fan, from Brackley, had the same problem. We could see the lights beyond the house and eventually found the ground.

Coleshill Town FC is located on the southern edge of Coleshill, in the countryside. After turning down a lane, you find a large flat car park with a turnstile in one corner.

It was a grey day, and the low cloud and rain gave a dullo appearance to what looked like a large area. It was an all weather artificial pitch open at both ends with large conifers behind one.

One side was open all bar a small covered seated stand and other side had a low seated stand, a small coveted standing area and the players changing rooms.

Over in one corner was a club house/bar, a hospitality (directors) building and a food kiosk.

Coleshill have gone through three names since being formed in 1885. Their first season in a league was 1906 when they joined the Birmingham Youth and Old Boys league. They carried on in local regional leagues until 1969 when they were promoted to the newly formed Midland Combination.

They had to wait until 2008 to move up again, this time to the Midland Alliance. When the league merged with the Midland Combination to form the Midland League in 2014, they moved again. Four years later, they were promoted to The Southern League Division One Central but were later transferred laterally to The Northern Premier League Division One Midlands, where they now play.

Biggleswade’s history goes back to 1874 but it wasn’t until the new century that they joined local football leagues. They played in Biggleswade and Bedford football leagues before joining the Northampton league which ,morphed into the United Counties League in1934. They joined the Spartan League in 1945 when they changed their name to Biggleswade Town. Back to the UCL in 1951 they moved again in 1955 to the Eastern Counties League but 8 years later they were back in the UCL quite some nomads. Their nomadic life continued with a switch to the South Midlands League in 1980, and league re-organisations saw them being founder members of the Spartan South Midlands League in 1997. 2008 saw promotion to the Southern League and 2013 promotion to the Southern Premier with another re-organisation placing them in the Premier Division Central of the Southern League from which they were relegated from in 2022 but bounced back up as champions of Division One only one season later. What an amazing journey, ground hopping through the leagues like rivals Coleshill.

Coleshill Town 4 Biggleswade Town 5

Saturday 16th 15.00 pm kick off. FA Trophy 2nd Round

Packington Ln, Coleshill, B46 3JE

13th Northern Premier League, Midland Division, v 22nd (last) Southern League, Central Division Colemen v The Waders

Coleshill, white shirts royal blue shorts; Biggleswade. All grey strip.

Biggleswade had the better chances to start the game when they pushed forward down the right, but as is often the case, it was Coleshill who scored first.

After 9 minutes, a positive run down the right, including a stepover allowed the player to deliver a ball along the ground for Alex McSkeane to steer it into the net at the post. It was two nil 9 minutes later when a corner from right headed was headed out to edge of box and Nathan Kabeya volleyed ball down into ground and its bounce deceived everyone and sped into left hand corner of net.

Biggleswade missed a glorious chance on 33 minutes when when a mistake by the keeper gave 10 a great chance to reduce the deficit but he blazed the ball wide.

With half time approaching the low cloud drifted lower and the rain kept up its miserable drizzle and it was more misery for the away team as Coleshill score their third goal. This was a copy of their first with a quick burst down the right meant the ball was delivered along the ground to allow Bassit Mandey to direct it into the net. Coleshill had been rampant, outclassing Biggleswade with fast breaks, the gloomy weather also did nothing to give the travelling fans anything to be happy about.

The second half started in similar fashion but Biggleswade seemed tighter at the back and had switched from high ball and play down the left to keeping it on the ground and pressing down the right where they had initial success at the start of the game. The away team pulled one back 14 minutes into the new half when a ball was cleared by the Coleshill defence to be curled back into the far post where it was nodded back for Cyrus Babaie-Gumbs to score. Just 3 minutes later the 185 Hardy fans were stunned when the away team scored again. What looked to me to have been a shot was hooked in by an attempted overhead kick by the post.

The mayhem continued when only a minute layer Cyrus Babaie-Gumbs rushed through and placed the ball into the centre of the net for 3.3.

The unthinkable happened with 75 minutes gone when Biggleswade’s comeback was completed when they took the lead. A cross from the left saw Cyrus Babaie-Gumbs leap higher than anyone else to head home and achieve a great hattrick.

Biggleswade’s joy only lasted 9 minutes when their defence gifted the ball to Bassit Mandy to calmly slide the ball underneath the despairing away goalkeeper.

The 90 minutes were up and in added time The Waders were awarded a free kick 25 yards out in the middle of the attacking half. Josh Steele kicked the ball straight down the middle and somehow the ball went between the goalkeepers head and the cross bar. The Biggleswade players celebrated with joy as the home goalkeeper was inconsolable.

An improbable victory for the visitors after their abject performance of the first half but one they deserved with a change of tactics and energy for the final 45 minutes.

I didn’t think I would see such an exciting game as the recent one between Hednesford and Gainsborough but this had certainly tried hard to compete.

A great day for my old school friend whose club were rewarded with a home tie to Totton in the next round.

Coleshill we’re back in action on Monday and put the cup defeat behind them with a home league win against Corby.

I queued up for chips sheltered from the rain by a gazebo. They were cooked separately and the very large portion was presented to me hot, hot. hot in a cardboard carton. They had a crispy golden outside and a soft inside. They were very tasty and slightly greasy, scoring a brilliant 74.

Great informative program.

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.

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.

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.