2025, the year of the long throw.

It’s been coming for a while but in 2025 every lower league team seemed to have a long throw expert who could launch missiles into the heart of the defence. It seemed a throw back to twenty years ago when Rory De Lap terrorised Premier League teams.

What was also strange that in a year of a long hot summer with drought warnings and hose pipe bans, I came up against torrential rain. It started at Wimborne on New Years Day when arriving at the game with 30 minutes to kick off I was told that the game had just been called of because the all weather pitch was flooded. Into the spring and I was at Anstey Nomads, near Leicester, where the continuous down poor forced the game to be abandoned. Early Autumn and I visited Ottley where it just poured and poured from the time I got out of my car to the time I was sat back in it. It ruined the match and my view of the club, I’ll have to go back. Rain was not finished with me and a visit to FC Grace Dieu on 25th November was again greeted by rain, which I sheltered from in the car until just before kick off and then a match that actually benefited from it as each team battled to an exciting draw partly due to the pitch being unplayable on my mind but OK for the officials.

I managed to visit both the Harrogate teams, Harrogate Town and Harrogate Railway with the former having been a recent stella climber through the Non-League ranks. Keeping on the railway theme a trip to Lincoln Moorlands Railway revealed a club with great facilities from the past that is hanging on in there. On the flip side to this Barnard Castle FC have built a ground, at Tens Field, from nothing, and look to eventually go higher.

A couple of usual visits to Hallam FC, which I joined as a member which they encourage, to help give themselves the income to continue their journey as the oldest football ground in the world. I also joined Clapton FC after a visit to ‘The Old Spotted Dog’, London’s oldest ground and hope to be able to visit it again, this time for a match.

Having made several attempts to watch a game at Appleby Frodingham I finally beat the weather and made it. I also made a pilgrimage to Clarence Park to see St Albans City where I first saw my first match 70 years earlier. Unfortunately they were not good and eventually were relegated from the National League South. Talk has resurfaced about a move to the edge of Chiswell Green near an M25 junction. Great for away fans but the City base is in the City and I wonder if they did a transport to home games survey they would find that a large proportion travel by foot. I will follow this with interest and some trepidation.

I was lucky to get a ticket to the FA Cup Semi-final between Aston Villa and Crystal Palace but Villa didn’t turn up to play one of their bogey teams, the result was predictable. However Villa continue to surprise and ended 2025 in the top 3 of the Premiership, what a manager UNai Eery is.

Sad new in the summer with the demise of the Non-League Club Directory, I miss it but have been gifted subscriptions for ‘Nutmeg’ – The Scottish Football Quarterly and ‘Welsh Football’ – The National Football Magazine of Wales. How refreshing both of thee are in that they cover the complete breadth of their game, rather than a few traditional teams (but now not the most successful clubs) that an English Football Magazine would showcase.

A return to see two games, including the final, at the Berwick Charities Cup competition, was a highlight and I was also lucky to take in Berwick Rangers at the same time. A further trip to Scotland allowed me to see an early round of the Scottish FA Cup at Clachnacuddin (Inverness) and Partick Thistle on my return. Having seen some very attractive and skilful lower league matches in Scotland in the last few years I am not surprised to see, that despite a normal negative view of their national team, Scotland have qualified for the World Cup this year.

A foray into Wales found me on a sunny evening at Llangollen where I watched a competitive local derby in amongst a friendly, happy, family atmosphere with a great countryside backdrop, shame they lost. The hills as a backdrop were rivalled at Keswick and Ilkley.

In the Autumn a weekend feast of FA Cup games played in towns on the river Trent resulted in the underdogs St Albans and Gainsborough both being beaten by EFL teams. An FA Sunday Cup game on the Trent did not lift the gloom either in that it was another miserable weather game. But the best game of the year was on a very sunny day in Bradford where Bradford City won in added time against Fleetwood to gain automatic promotion to EFL league one. The tears and joy of the fans was infectious and will stay with me for many a day.

It was the River Erewash derby between Stapleford and Sandiacre that saw out the year and a 4.2 victory for the home side didn’t reflect how close the game was.

Here’s looking forward to a great 2026.

Local Erewash Derby was 90 minutes of excitement.

The Christmas period always used to bring up local derbies in the higher leagues, that seems to have fallen by the wayside, but is still very present in the Non-League scene. I decided to go to see Stapleford play Sandiacre in what is locally known as the Ereeash Clasico. These two teams are based only a few miles apart but the Erewash River, the Erewash Canal and a railway line are in between them. I was charged a pound more than usual but this included a program which I thought was a great idea.

I tried to visit Stapleford Town before but found that they were not playing their games at home because their ground was being upgraded, so luckily found that Sandiacre were at home, so I went there instead.

The redeveloped facilities at Hickings Lane Recreation Ground are first class. Entering the turnstiles you see an immaculate all weather pitch and to the right is a two storie club house at one end of the pitch. The ground floor is made up of changing rooms. with the upstairs being a well furbished bar/lounge and other social rooms. The Notts Forest v Man City game It was possible to view the match from two picture windows.

It was a grey day, just a slight drizzle in the air, and it felt cold at 6 degrees as the wind blew from end to end.

The new artificial pitch had a small covered seated stand on one side almost adjacent a small covered standing area. The ‘Club house’, changing rooms one end, and open on the other side and end Parking , main road around 2 ends other playing pitches.

Stapleford have only been running for 12 years but have come a long way and now with their new facilities have 34 teams of all ages, abilities and sexes.

Sandiacre Town were 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 they merged with Lace Web United. They joined the United Counties League Division One in 2023.

Stapleford Town 4 Sandiacre Town 2

Saturday 27th Decenber 2025

United Counties League Division One.

3rd v 11th. Saxons v The Saints

Stapleford; Red and black vertical stripes to the fronto of the shirts with all red backs and black shorts, the goalkeeper in all pink.

Sandiacre; All pale blue shirts with some black edging and pale blue shorts, goalkeeper in all pale yellow.

The floodlights were on from the start on such a grey day.

Sandiacre were at transformed team from the one I saw over a year ago and after a hectic 15 minutes they took the lead when a throw in from the right was not cleared and was eventually noded down for Jamie John McKenzie Williamson to hook the ball into the top left hand corner of the net despite the home team keeper getting his fingertips to the ball.

This woke up Stapleford who had been second best up to that point and they drew level 7 minutes later when after clever dribbling near the left of the goal away goal the ball was delivered along the ground for Max Taylor to tap home in the middle of the goal.

Sandiacre wouldn’t give in and on the half hour the Stapleford defence had to block 3 goal bound shots.

With 36 minutes on the clock, and against the run of play the ball was whisked out to the right and a pin point cross was headed on for Max Taylor again, standing all alone to make it 2.1.
An outstanding save by the Stapleford goalkeeper with just 5 minutes to half time enabled them to go in with a one goal lead.

The second half was only one minute old when a long throw that was not cleared bounced in the goal area and David Ayodeji Olatomide performed a spectacular overhead kick that found the net.

Although the game was not over physical, by the 70th minute, 6 Stapleford players were in the referees book.

Sandiacre tried hard to get back into the game but with only 5 minutes left it was made harder when Stapleford’s Alan Vosrkresenskis headed the ball down towards goal and the unfortunate Sandiacre goalkeeper, who had well, let the ball slip out of his hands and drift into the net.

41 corner from right headed down gk let ball slip out of hands for 4.1.

That should have been it, but with just a few minutes left Sandiacre scored again when Wayde Hines followed on the meet a parried ball from the home keeper. Sandiacre picked the ball up and rushed to restart the game . It was all over though and Stapleford maintained their slot in the play off places but both teams could be proud of serving up a pulsating game that was appreciated by the 235 spectators.

No chips here, probably a good thing after overeating at Christmas.

Hallam Rarely Disappoints.

I journeyed into Sheffield and avoided the Christmas shoppers and Sheffield United fans, at home to Birmingham, to meet my daughter to visit Hallam.

She completed the ’92’, seeing a match at all Football League grounds in 2022 and has been on a few European ones as well. But she had never been to the FIFA recognised oldest football ground, Hallam FC.

This is a ground visited by people from all over the world and even on this grey day you recognise the history as you approach it. You first see the cricket pitch adjacent to the Football and the reason for Hallam FC’s existence, like many of the other first football clubs.

As well as visiting for the football, and my daughters experience, I was collecting my membership of the ‘1860 Members Club’ which I had joined earlier in the season. The £12 for a years membership helps to maintain this historic ground and club. https://hallamfc.co.uk/product/club-membership-2025-26/

We bought our food from the outside kiosk and then took it inside to the warm and comfortable clubhouse. Unfortunately there was no programme to study or a team sheet to view.

Hallam we’re playing North Ferriby FC who were only formed in 2019 after a previous club, North Ferriby United were wound up .

North Ferriby FC have come a long way in a short time and the game was quite poignant in that they last played against each other just before ‘[Covid Lockdown’ scrubbed out all Football. Both teams were then in the Northern Counties East League Division One and both gained promotion to the NCE League, Premier Division and then to the Northern Premier League East, where they both play today.

The Grey skies over hung the pitch that was also shrouded with some mist despite a cold breeze that made the temperature of 7 degrees feel colder. The pitch has a big slope, within FA rules, which does not always drain well, and the teams warming up were already cutting up the turf.

Hallam FC 2 North Ferriby FC 2

Saturday 20th December 2025, 15.00 pm kick off.

Hallam FC, Sandygate Road, S10 5SE

The Countrymen v The Villagers

13th v 9th

Hallam; all royal kit with some white edging. The Goalkeeper in all orange.
North Ferriby FC; White shirts with green shorts. The goalkeeper in all gold.

Hallam kicked off down hill and immediately you knew that the game wasn’t going to be dull. Both teams played at a quick pace and the pitch looked heavy fro the start. A no holds barred tackle by two opposing players popped the ball after 9 minutes.

Only two minutes later Hallam we’re Infront when a throw in from the right was headed on into the centre of the goal where Brandon Bradbury, making his 200th appearance for the Countrymen, hooked the ball into the opponents net with an overhead kick.

The Hallam team stopped/hesitated when their Central Defender seemed to have recieved a finger in the eye. The referee allowed play to continue and Lewis Dennison curled the ball, from outside the goal area, into the top right hand corner of the goal hitting the underside of the cross bar on the way in. Hallam’s protests were waved away and it stayed 1.1 on 16 minute.

The game was end to end entertainment but was disrupted around 32 minutes after a collision and injury to Hugo Warhurst in Hallam’s goal.

With the first 45 minutes up of the first halt a Hallam corner from right was headed on and on again to far post where it was Brandon Bradley again, nodded it past the away keeper for the lead at half time.

Hallams goalkeeper could not resume in the second half and their number 9 South substituted for him.

Within one minute of the restart the referee booked Hallam’s 5th player, this time for simulation after a tc#ackle in the opposing box. This didn’t endear the home fans with no North Ferriby players having been booked.
The second half had slowly turned into a rear guard action by Hallam who in theory with the slope should have had a slight advantage. Hallam did go forward and the North Ferriby keeper made a great save with 10 minutes left. At the other end, South in goal, was dealing competently with the Villagers attacks until with just 6 minutes to go a visitors throw in from the right was flicked into the centre and bundled in by Joshua Martin Thacker.

The last few minutes were a nervy time with either team trying not to make a mistake. The 2.2 draw was fair on the day with both teams showing a lot of fight and skill in poor conditions. Both of these teams look unlikely to be drawn into a relegation battle as they look to consolidate themselves at this level.

Considering the weather, and it being the last weekend for shopping before Christmas, the crowd of 622 was excellent.

The other bonus of the game was that there were chips, and these turned out to be hot, golden, tasty, crispy with firm but fluffy centres. Having not eaten any lunch a large portion was called for. A great score of 74.

Thank You Hallam.

Christmas shopping takes centre stage.

It’s always a challenge driving through Nottingham, but on a shopping weekend before Christmas, a nightmare, both in and out.

My trip to South East Nottingham revealed a flat area by the river Trent where there were a group of football pitches that are used by all ages, reflecting this teams roots in youth football. A large car park greets you, with an overflow if needed, next to a large dressing room and club house block. This is a few yards from the entrance to the ground which reveals a flat pitch with good grass cover that had some wear in the goalmouths.

There was a concrete walkway all round the perimeter with a small covered seated stand on part of one side. The pitch was surrounded on three sides with trees, with the sun, low on the horizon, peaking through the building cloud after a day of bright blue skies. The floodlights were on from the start, and they needed to be.

West Bridgford FC 1 Stapleford Town 1

Saturday 13th December 2025.

United Counties League Division 1, 15.00 pm kick off.

19th v 3rd, The Colts v The Saxons Attendance: 83

West Bridgford; Red and black vertical stripes on fronts of the shirts, red backs. Black shorts. Goalkeeper in all grey.

Stapleford Town white shirts with Pastel green/blue shorts, goalkeeper in all pink.

Stapleford looked pumped for the start of the match and took an early lead with 6 minutes gone when David Ayodeji Olatomide received the ball in the ‘D’ and flashed it into the net. Only three minutes later they hit the crossbar and continued to keep the home team goalkeeper busy.

They were knocked off their stride when on 31 minutes they lost their left back with what looked like a nasty ankle injury. Their replacement, I thought was one of the players of the match, but as a team they seemed to lose momentum and the Colts came more into the game.. With 2 minutes to half time the West Bridgford keeper made another fine save, this time with his knee.

West Bridgford started the second half with more intent and it was no surprise that with 16 minutes gone of the second half they equalised through Elliot King who scored a goal that was a copy of Staplefords first half effort. This was after a mazy mid field dribble from a team mate.

The away team responded with pressure, but apart from a fine save by the home goalkeeper, at the base of his right hand post in the last minutes, didn’t come close enough to score.

West Bridgford would have been happy with their point but Stapleford would have been expecting to take three points from this encounter to try to bridge the gap between them and the two Retfords above them.

There were chips, which unusually were served in a bag, They were hot, tasty, golden, a bit dry, a good quantity to enable a score of 63.

There was no team sheet posted up or a program.

N.B. The next evening I returned to Nottingham centre to see an interview with Paul Merson. What a thoroughly engaging guy who reflected on his long career in football and the demons he has overcome. It was well worth the return to the city, but yet again I was lost driving out of it.

A table topping performance.

Due to other commitments I didn’t plan to see a football match this weekend, so I took the opportunity to take in a local game between Worsop Town and South Shields.

I wrote about Worksop Town back in 2020 when the reputed fourth oldest club in England were in jeopardy of going out of business.

5 years on and they survived, and have since gained two promotions and now play in the National League North.

Their opponents South Shields have gained one promotion in the same time but have established themselves at the higher level over the last two seasons. They have been up for sale for over a year as offers are being progressed.

I have written before about the history and ground at Worksop so I will not repeat myself.

It was a cold night at 3 degrees, and falling, as the teams walked out.

Worksop Town FC 0 South Shields FC 3

Tuesday 25th November 2025, National League North.

18th v 1st, Tigers v The Mariners

Worksop, shirts – yellow and black vertical stripes on the front and all yellow backs, black shorts, goalkeeper in all green.

South Shields, white shirts, claret shorts, goalkeeper in all light blue.

South Shields started with crispy through passing that Worksop countered with a good offside trap. Although South Shields looked stronger and more accurate with passing and slow organised play out from the back, Worksop grew into the game and had numerous chances. However they didn’t have the cutting edge to score.

With half time fast approaching another of the away sides long balls was met by Lemar Gordon who just beat the Worksop keeper and the ball looped towards and into the goal, from his header, despite a last minute lunge from a defender.

The goalkeeper needed attention for a few minutes after the clash but the goal stood.

The Tigers left the field rueing their missed chances.

The Mariners pressed forward immediately from the restart and the fast and tricky Gordon forced a corner on the left which he took himself after 50 minutes.The corner didn’t rise more than 6 feet off the ground but somehow found Will Jenkins in the middle of the goal, all alone, to flick it in, to double the score.

Five minutes, and it was all over when Will Jenkins, again, received the ball on the left side of the goal area, jinked one way and another, before scoring his second, after his shot took a wicked deflection off the back of a defender, wrong footing the goalkeeper.

The away team controlled the game from that moment to the end, with one play, mainly across the back line and the goalkeeper, being a 22 pass move.

Aaron Martin’s header for Worksop, did clip the outside of the right post, and they looked livelier when they made three substitutions but South Shields cruised to victory, a truely top of the league performance.

Worksop dropped to one off the relegation zone and have a hard task to stay up to consolidate their place in this higher league. whereas South Shields maintained their two point advantage at the top.

The chips were again disapointing, they were warm, slightly crispy, chewy, but tasteless, gaining a score of only 54. I did wonder wether I have reached peak chips.

N.B. How do fans from the North East do it, in the second half I stood next to some South Shields fans, one of whom only had a shirt on, it was zero degrees!

Torrential Rain doesn’t dampen 6 goal thriller.

Having driven south through a curtain of mist, spray and rain to Northampton, to see my grandson lose 4.1, I returned North on the M1 to Junction 23. Just a few miles along the Ashby Road is a left turning to Grace Dieu Manor.

The former Grace Dieu Manor Schools buildings were sold in 2022 to FCV International Football Accademy. The accademy was founded in 2007 as the first Prvate Football Accademy in the UK. Initially located at Nene Park in Northamptonshire, moving to Corby and then Stamford and now a permanent home at Grace Dieu.

They offer full time courses from the age of mid teens to students who wish to combine their academic progress with that of football. Academic courses are supplemented by the nearby Loughborough College and University.

The facilities are impressive for the students along with the artificial pitch that was receiving loving attention when I arrived, rollers, mechanical squeegees and other devices were being used to clear some of the deluge. There was plenty of parking.

The FCV Grace Dieu Football Club that I saw were only formed in 2023.

Having finished second and gained promotion from the Nottinghamshire Senior League Division One they romped away to win the Premier Division in the 2024/25 season and gained a further promotion to the United Counties League, Division One for this season.

Clipstone were known as Clipstone Welfare until 2013, a name they had chosen in 1955,4 having previously been Clipstone Combine. They have been a successful local Nottinghamshire side and reached the Nothern Counties East League only to drop back to the East Midlands Counties Premier Division and now play in the United Counties League after recent league reorganisations.

Th rain continued on a miserable day with the temperature rising to 6 degrees. This ground has hard block paved standing on one side and behind one goal where there is also some covered standing. There was no seating although I overheard a conversation that was saying some was being fitted before the end of March to comply with League grading. A cafe/food bar and toilets was located at the top of an open embankment which would be a good vantage point on a dry day.

FCV Grace Dieu 3 Clipstone 3

Saturday 22nd November 2025, kick off 15.00 pm. United Counties League, Division One

FCV Academy, Grace Dieu, Manor Park, Thringstone, Coalville, Leicestershire LE67 5UG

5th v 18th

FCV Grace Dieu Orange shirts and shorts, goalkeeper in all purple.

Clipstone, Red shirts black shorts, goalkeeper in luminous green.

Grace Dieu were out of the blocks and immediately forced Clipstone back with quick wide plays, particularly from the right.

Clipstone weathered the storm but did not look comfortable. With 16 minutes gone the home side gained a penalty as a burst into the box was cynically stopped by pulling the player down. The penalty though, was saved, but the ball was put over the line from the rebound. The referee, who was on hand, immediately disallowed the goal for a foul on the keeper.

The marauding right back for Grace Dieu, Nathan Linden, was rewarded with a goal, on 31 minutes, when he was put through and he slammed the ball across the goalkeeper just inside the post. Clipstone were continually being undone by the home teams pace and were lucky not to go further behind. seven of the bank of 14 floodlights were turned on after 35 minutes, but they didn’t lift the gloom for the watching spectators or the away teams defence. As the teams left the field at half time you had to wonder why the home team were not further ahead.

By the time the second half started water was beginning to pool on the pitch and Clipstone seemed to have new vigour in attacking their opponents more quickly moving the ball forward at pace. FCV Grace Dieu should have gone further ahead within 5 minutes of the restart but their number nine had beaten the defenders and goalkeeper to present an open goal, he hesitated and allowed two defenders to rush back and block his shot.

Out of the blue with 63 minutes on the clock Lewis Weaver robbed the home player of the ball and unleashed an unstoppable drive into the top left hand corner of the net. With the ball now being slowed by the surface water, and Clipstone’s more organised showing, they went ahead, when some nice close passing from within their own half unleashed Lewis Weaver again to score on the run with his left foot.

FCV rallied and equalised with 76 minutes gone when Jack James Harry ran through the centre, steadied the ball and volleyed it along the ground, 2.2. But within a minute Clipstone were ahead again when from outside the goalkeeping area Jack Thatcher lifted his left foot and fired the ball into the roof of the net.

Clipstone were now running after everything trying to preserve their lead until the end. When it looked like they had made it, Spencer James -Weir Daley smashed the ball into the net after receiving a long ball and jinking from side to side, evading the away defence. Clipstone had been undone by the added 4 minutes, and the referee blew the final whistle moments later. FCV must have felt the better of the two teams having gained a point, while Clipstone must have felt they had lost two. In reality, Clipstone had retrieved a point when looking back, at half time, they were second best.

There were chips here, but I have to say they were the worst I have had at any football match. After trying one I smothered them with tomato sauce, but that didn’t help. They were cold, limp, soggy and tasteless scoring a miserable 20 for my chip league.

Lincoln Moorlands Railway just hold on.

After the day before, battling across the Midlands in the torrential rain of storm Claudia, I expected that the game I wanted to see would be postponed. However a call to the clubhouse, and a ring back by a cheerful lady, confirmed it was on.

There was some water lying in a few fields, and the river Trent looked high passing over the Toll Bridge at Dunham but there was little evidence of the storm that had caused flooding in some parts of Wales and the West.

The traffic in Lincoln was heavy, Lincoln City were at home to local rivals Doncaster, early Christmas shoppers, and perhaps people catching up on postponed shopping from the previous day.

I was dropped off at Lincoln Moorlands Railway FC in the south east of the City on a grey, overcast, light drizzly, cold (9 degrees) day. In fact I decided that winter had finally arrived.

Lincoln Moorlands Railway are the third team in Lincoln behind Lincoln City (English Football League, Division One) and Lincoln United (Northern Premier League, East Division). Crazily all three were at home on the same day. Perhaps the junior teams, in status, could play when Lincoln City were away to try to attract some of their fans who don’t want to travel.

The ground is reached by driving down a narrow drive between houses on a main way into the City. It opens up to a good car park and sports facilities that have a Sports and Social Club as its centre. Immediately through the gate you are met by the snack bar and beyond a large fenced in area for the main football pitch which is of grass and majorly flat.

There are floodlights, railings around the ground, two small covered seating areas on opposite sides of the ground, hard standing around the perimeter, toilets and changing rooms. This ground could be soon readied for a higher level of football rather than the eleventh tier match I had come to watch.

Lincoln Moorlands Railway FC started life in 2007 with the merger of Lincoln Moorlands FC and Lincoln Railway FC both of whom were in the Northern Counties League and the new club were placed in the Premier Division. After some near misses from relegation they went down to Division One in 2014 after being defeated in all but one of their games. Their misfortune continued with on and off field problems forcing a further demotion to the Lincolnshire League. A quick turnaround in fortunes enabled a move to the Central Midlands League but league reorganisations saw them back in the Lincolnshire League in 2018 where they still compete.

Sleaford Town FC by comparison have a history going back 100 years and like their opponents have featured in many Lincolnshire League campaigns. The first team now play in the United Counties League, Division One but it is their Development team that was playing.

Lincoln Moorlands Railway FC 4 Sleaford Town Development 3

Saturday 15th November 2025, 14.00 pm kick off

Lincoln Moorlands Railway AFC, Newark Road, Lincoln, LN6 8RT

7th v 14th (last with no points).

LMR FC; Claret Shirts with light blue collars and stripe down the sides, claret shorts, goalkeeper in all purple.

Sleaford; Green shirts, black shorts, goalkeeper in all grey.

The home team dominated early play but it was Sleaford who had the clearest shot on goal. Their domination plaid of when on 21 minutes, after some neat passing play on the right the ball was threaded through to Liam Bentley who turned one way and another before scoring the opening goal. Only two minutes later it was two nil after a penalty was awarded when an attacker bearing down on goal from the left was bundled over. Jon Smith made no mistake from the spot kick when he placed it past the right hand of the goal keeper.

Sleaford hit back almost immediately when Alexander Milczak hit a shot from outside the keepers area that took a deflection off the back of a defender and flashed into the top right hand corner of the goal. Moorlands lead was increased on 27 minutes by Jon Smith again, who headed in unopposed after a pin point cross from the right.

George Asplin, who was running everything in midfield added a fourth when he expertly curled a freekick from 20 yards over the defenders into the bottom left of the net.

Sleaford did counter but Lincoln should have scored more, hitting the crossbar twice before half time.

The teams left the field with the home team wellon top and looking like they would add many moor against the bottom of the table team. At the start of the second half you could hear the noise from the Lincoln City game and after a few minutes the floodlights were needed to be able to see through the gloom.

The expected gloom of the away team did not materialise, what did they have at half time?

They really started battling for everything and started to play the ball wide, particularly on the left, they matched and out fought the home team and were rightfully rewarded on 72 minutes when Andrew Whalen raced in to meet one of the many crosses to head the ball into the net.

Morlands looked shell shocked and could not deal with the continued domination and pressure from Sleaford conceding another goal with 5 minutes left when Andrew Wharton squeezed the ball over the line after again some strong play on the left.

Everything was now being played in the home sides half and the few supporters there were anxious that a draw was inevitable. They were relieved when they held out, but what would the result have been if Sleaford had played the whole game the way they played in the second half. Surely they will soon gain their first point of the season.

The referee and officials had a very good game that flowed and needed little added time to each half.

No chips here, however I had a mini sausage roll and a coffee which was very tasty.

Sunday Football by the River Trent.

Driving down the M1 we were passed by some Leeds fans heading south. Stopping at Trowell Service Station we chatted to the Greene twins, in the Costa queue, who were on their way to West Brom to play for Leeds United Women in the Women’s League Cup. Unfortunately I later learned they went out on penalties after drawing 1.1.

I ended up passing through the centre of Nottingham just after midday, where Nottingham Forest and Leeds United fans were making their way to the City Ground nearly two hours early.

However, I drove by, along the river Trent to Dunkirk FC, to watch a second round FA Sunday Cup game between Beeston Cosa Nostra, representing Nottinghamshire and Athletico Magna, representing Leicestershire, in this year’s competition. FA Sunday Cup games have to be played at grounds reaching a certain standard to ensure safety and security.

It was one of those grey, damp autumn days that was made worse by a chilling wind making the temperature only 8 degrees. The club house for Dunkirk is outside the ground but unfortunately was not a warm haven nor did it offer a hot drink. However the bar was in use for the roughly 50 spectators and the teams afterwards.

The pitch here is quite long grass, a bit of an undulating surface but with good cover. There is a small covered standing area on one side and two small covered seating areas on one side and behind a goal.

Unfortunately there is little information about the two sides but I looked forward to a good match as each team try to progress to the final which will be played at a league ground next spring. Don’t you just love some of the names in Sunday Football.

Beeston Cosa Nostra 4 Athletico Magna 0

Sunday 9th November 2025, 13.00 pm kickoff. FA Sunday Cup – Second Round

Dunkirk FC, Lenton Lane, Nottingham, NG7 2SA

The first 15 minutes were very equal but as the game progressed Beeston started to look more dangerous with attacks on both wings and long throws. In the next ten minutes the away team made some good blocks to keep out shots and were able to make one break away that nearly lead to a goal.

On 26 minutes though the ball was worked well from the right for Thomas Teece to squeeze the ball under the keeper for Beeston to take the lead. Only 4 minutes later it was 2 nil when centre back Alex Beno made no mistake to head the ball into the net from a corner from the right. There were no more goals in the first half and despite not over running their opponents Beeston Cosa Nostra looked in control.

Athletico Magna showed more intent in the second half and for the first 10 minutes looked as if they may get back in the game. However the constant wing play and midfield domination of the home team was rewarded on 61 minutes when Scott Litchfield received a pass on the left side of goal, outside the penalty area and hammered the ball into the top right hand corner. His thumping right foot curled shot was met with cheers for the player who I believe heard is nicknamed the tank.

Beeston made it four, around the 70 minute mark, when two players tried to kick the ball in the sticky goal mouth, and with both falling to the ground, Isaac Morledge hooked his foot around it to score.

At four nil it was definitely all over, and the last 20 minutes petered out. Beeston Cosa Nostra made it through to the next round and the team from Leicester must wait for next year. Great to see that Sunday football is alive and well and still creating dreams.

No chips so a packet of crisps and a diet Coke had to be my Sunday Lunch.

Second half goal fest lifts the gloom.

My football fest continued, three games in four days, as I drove through the rain to Rotherham. The New York Stadium always looks good on a dark night from the main road through the town. I parked and squelched my way to see Rotherham United play Burton Albion, a match that should have been played back on the 19th August on a much warmer balmy night. It had been postponed for various reasons until now and having bought a ticket for the original match it seemed silly to waste it.

This is one of my favourite modern stadiums although the weather and the mid table form of the two teams meant that the attendance was given as just over 7000, although it did not look like that many in the ground. An all seater, green grassed, flat pitched arena, it was not spoilt by the continual rain. It sits as a beacon against the old ‘Millmoor’ which is just across the road. It is also near the River Don which used to flow into the River Trent, next to which was where my two previous matches had been, but was diverted into the river Ouse in 1620.

I had seen Burton blow away my home team 6 nil in the FA Cup on Saturday so I was not sure what to expect.

Rotherham United FC 2 Burton Albion FC 2

Tuesday 3rd November 17.45 pm kick off, The Millers v The Brewers

New York Stadium, Rotherham, S60 1AH

English Football League Division 1, 15th v 20th.

Rotherham; Red shirts with white sleeves and white shorts with the goalkeeper in all fluorescent yellow.

Burton; All blue with the goalkeeper in all grey.

The first half was quite uneventful with both teams cancelling each other out, Burton threatening with long throws and Rotherham having most of the attacking play down the wings.

The second half changed all that with Burton coming out of their shells and pushing forward. They were rewarded when on 50 minutes, a corner from the left landed in the middle of the goal. Rotherhams keeper missed the ball as he came off his line and Kyran Lofthouse headed it into an open net for the Brewers.

As the game opened up with Rotherham being cheered forward by their fans, Burton could have gone further ahead on 58 minutes when a shot was cleared off the line. Burton went two ahead 5 minutes later when Rotherham’s Kian Spence slipped with the ball in the centre of their half and it went to Jake Beesley, he rolled it along the ground beyond a defender into the path of Tyrese Shade who shot across the diving keeper to put the ball in the right hand corner of the net. Burton couldn’t believe their luck but at the other end their luck failed them when Denzell Hall sprinting into the right side of the goal area hit a low cross to meet an unmarked colleague only for the ball to hit the diving leg of Toby Sibbick and fly past the inside of the post for a Rotherham goal.

With 20 minutes left Rotherham pushed forward, but didn’t look to have the cutting edge to level and leaving gaps in their defence allowed Burton to counter. The crowd greeted the 5 minutes of added time with joy as they had been continually frustrated by the away teams time wasting. With 4 of those minutes gone Rotherham’s corner from the left was met by unmarked Hamish Douglas whose bullet header hit the net.

The Rotherham team and crowd were joyous and saw it as a positive, and were buzzing with talk as they walked away. Burton too will be happy with the point and a display that should give them some momentum going forward.

The referee drew the ire of both supporters for some unusual decisions. Me too.

No chips, so on this miserable wet day I had a Steak Pukka pie and a coffee. More recently I have found Pukka pies to be dry and disappointing. It was either the preparation or something has changed because it was filled with steak and a hot tasty gravy.

Good idea that they sold the programs at the food/drinks kiosks.

Few fireworks on the pitch at Gainsborough.

A weekend of FA Cup 1st round games brought me to Gainsborough on a cooling Sunday evening. Last year at Hednesford, at the same stage of the competition, I watched Gainsborough defeat the home team on penalties after a pulsating 4.4 draw, in what was my game of the season. This was 76 miles by road from yesterday’s game but much longer if I had travelled along the River Trent on whose banks both towns sit.

As we queued, a group of Accrington ultras marched past with flags and chants, making us think that the away end would be packed. When in, this close to the centre stadium, we found that it was the home three sides that had filled up and the Accrington fans had only been a noisy few. Surprised at the good attendance, we found some space behind the goal.

Gainsborough of the Northern Premier League were up against Accrington Stanley of the English Football League Division Two, three levels below their opponents. Gainsborough were once in the Football League but that was back in 1912. Accrington Stanley were founder members of the football league and have been an up and down club that was brought back from extinction in the past. Considering the nearly 60 places in the leagues between the two clubs some divine intervention from the vicar of Holy Trinity Church, who originally formed the club, may have been needed.

Gainsborough Trinity FC 1 Accrington Stanley 2 AET

Sunday 2nd November 2025, 17.15 pm kick off. The Holy Blues/Trinity v Stanley

Gainsborough Trinity FC, Northolme, Gainsborough, Lincolnshire, DN21 2QW

FA Cup 1st Round. Northern Premier League v English Football League Division Two.

Gainsborough; Royal blue shirts and shorts, goalkeeper in all light blue.

Accrington Stanley; Red shirts with white shoulders and sleeve, goalkeeper in all fluorescent yellow.

Gainsborough playing up the slight slope exerted the early pressure but the away back line looked strong and soon took control as the game entered a dull period. It was a surprise when Accrington took the lead on 28 minutes when a cross in from the right was nodded down for Paddy Madden to score near the post. Gainsborough couldn’t find a way to test the away defence and Accrington were in charge by the time the break came.

Two blue flares were thrown onto the pitch at half time, that were cleared, and we also had noticed a man with a dog, a spaniel, on a lead. It did not appear to be any kind of assistance dog and seemed irresponsible to have it in such a big crowd.

A few fireworks had gone off in surrounding properties at half time and these continued at the start of the second half. This must have distracted the players along with another flare which stopped play and caused some disquiet in the terrace behind the goal as the fans pointed out the thrower to stewards.

On the field Gainsborough were now pushing and both sides had chances but were either thwarted by the keepers or the post in Accrington’s case. The introduction of Sisa Tuntuwana spurred Gainsborough on with Accrington finding it hard to match his pace and skill. With 15 minutes left a cross was missed by the away defenders and Tuntuwana found the space to easily head the ball home to draw the teams level. Gainsborough tried hard to press forward and gain the momentum but full time came too quickly and it was into a period of extra time.

Throughout the game Accrington’s players had seemed physically bigger and stronger, faster, played the ball quicker and harder, and played a busy pass and run football. This carried them through when Charlie Caton put them ahead with only minutes of Extra Time played. Maddon’s quick burst freed him to pass to Caton who was able to wham the ball into the net.

Gainsborough didn’t get back into the game to challenge the EFL side although the fans felt that the referee was giving all the challenges to Accrington and none to them.

At the start of the second period of extra time Maddon should have done better with a great chance and was duly subbed off. Accrington saw out the game but the good sized crowd walked away pleased that their team had not been overwhelmed.

Perhaps Gainsborough might invest some of their cup run money in new floodlight/bulbs as the pitch seemed gloomy despite it being a clar evening.

There were chips here, after queuing for a long time, the well staffed kiosk serving as quick as possible and adding to Gainsborough’s coffers. The chips were a big quantity for the £3.50, they were freshly cooked, hot, golden, slightly greasy, but a bit bland. A creditable score of 62.