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.

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.

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.

Keswick, what a beautiful day for some.

On a bright sunny afternoon, with the temperature registering 17 degrees, I made my way to one of the most picturesque grounds in the country, Keswick FC. The sky was bright blue with a few white, thin clouds across the sky. Just over 30 others had turned up to watch, often swelled momentarily by passing walkers in the park.

The pitch in Fritz Park has the backdrop of Lake District hills on all four sides. Down one side is the river Derwent that flooded the park and much of the town in 2015, like Cockermouth, their opponents this afternoon. Cockermouth is only 14 miles away, and the game could be called the A66 derby.

The park was devastated, and a new club house has been built that is set up from the pitch and gives a good view from the veranda. The club house and changing room have been built to a good spec, and the facilities are complimented by a large nearby car park that does unfortunately get full very quickly with local park users and tourists.

Keswick FC 1 Cockermouth 5

Saturday 8th March 14.00 pm kick off. Cumberland County League, Premier Division
5th v 1st, The Cumbrians v The Cockers

Keswick; Red shirts with black shorts, goalkeeper in all luminous yellow.

Cockermouth; Yellow shirts with a series of black stripes vertically down the front with grey shorts, goalkeeper in Grey top with black sleeves and grey shorts.

Keswick began the match with only 2 substitutes to Suckermouths 6 and with a first game, 16 year old goalkeeper, between the sticks.

The game started evenly with each side having early chances. Cockermouth playing from right to left took the lead on 12 minutes when a ball was whipped out to the left, and a curling cross from their unmarked player was passed on to Robert Cox, who just had the keeper to beat.

The home side held their own against the league leaders, but disaster struck on
35 minutes when a ball crossed from the right was fumbled by the goalkeeper at left hand postand it was squeezed in from a difficult angle 2 by Luke Graham.

Cockermouth’s 2 nil lead at half time was a bit flattering and after the short interval Keswick were right back in the game. Within 5 minutes, they had reduced the deficit when a free kick from the right was met by Alfie West who stooped to head over the keeper into the centre of the net.
The game swung back in favour of the visitors when the referee gave a penalty, which caused consternation with the Keswick players who felt their man had won the ball fairly. The home sides number 7 received two yellows for what appeared to be arguing. The referee then checked with his linesman, and after a long discussion the penalty stood. The keeper dived to his right of Luke Grahams spot kick but the ball went into the left side of the net to restore the away teams two goal advantage.

Now playing with 10 men, things only became harder when on 65 minutes, a corner from the left by Kyren Bertram was knocked into the goal by the keeper.
Despite 10 men, being 1.4 down and substitutes refreshing their opponents, Keswick kept battling. A Fifth was added for Cockermouth at the death when a crossed ball from Lewis White deceived the home goalkeeper sailing over his head and into right hand corner of net.

Cockermouth stayed top of the division, and although Keswick let in five, they were not disgraced. The young keeper should not be disheartened by his performance, he will have better days for sure.

No chips here or food to discuss.

They call it the blues

I journeyed over the river Trent to visit Gainsborough to see the local team play. Researching the town it turned out to have been both the capital of England and Denmark for just 5 weeks in 1013, things seemed to change quicker then than they do today. Gainsborough Trinity’s ground is north of the centre just past the modern Marshals Yard a modern retail/food experience in the old Marshals factory. Marshals were a past major employer in the town when they manufactured Steam engines and rollers, agricultural equipment and later in their existence, tractors.
The ground is very easy to find and I couldn’t believe my luck when just six spaces from the turnstile there was a gap to park the car. Everything looks better when the sun is out and there were only a few grey clouds scuttling across a bright blue sky and I felt overdressed in such warm clothes that didn’t reflect the temperature of 14 degrees.

This is a well established stadium having been in use since 1850 when it housed a cricket pitch. Like other cricket grounds, football was introduced for winter sport and eventually took over the whole area. The ground is dominated by a high seated stand in the middle of one side, underneath which the players change. Not many people sat in the seats, which was soon evident in that the leg room was severely restricted. The rest of the ground has covered tiered, standing at one end and one side and tiered open standing at one end. There was a food kiosk in one corner as you go through the turnstile and a queue was building up already.
Gainsborough had recently been involved in good cup runs having beaten 4 teams in the F.A. Cup to finally go out away to a league side, Harrogate, by the only goal. One of their wins was the unbelievably exciting 4-5 win at Hednesford that I saw back in November. They had also beaten 4 teams in the F.A. Trophy before coming up against Woking of the National League. These cup game meant that their 13th position in the league could be improved to just off the play off spot if they won their games in hand. Their opponents Mickleover in contrast sat 21st and well entrenched in a relegation battle.

Football Histories

Gainsborough Trinity started life as Trinity Recreationists in 1873, a team set up by a vicar in the Holy Trinity parish. By 1889 they were founder members of the Midland League where they were successful and gained election to the Football league in 1896 where they stayed until they were not re-elected in 1912. Back to the Midland league they often beat league teams in the F.A. Cup but were never able to get re-elected to the Football League. They continued playing in the Midland league which they won on several occasions and regularly appeared in the draw for the round of the F.A. Cup that included League teams.

The Midland League was disbanded in 1960 but re-formed a year later and after winning the league in 1967 were founder members of the Northern Premier League in 1968. The club maintained its status when a Premier Division of the Northern Premier League was established in 1987 and moved up a level in 2004 with the formation of the Conference League North. They played at that level until suffering their first ever relegation in their history in 2018. They have stayed in the Northern Premier League, Premier Division ever since and this year resumed their historic exploits in the F.A. Cup.

Mickleover Sports F.C. was founded in 1948 as Mickleover Old Boys and played for 44 years in the Derby & District Senior League. In 1982 the Sports Club decided on a more ambitious regime joining the Central Midland League and planning the move to Station Road which they achieved in 1992.They rose through the Central Midlands League, Northern Counties East and eventually to the Northern Premier league for the 2010/11 season. But in 2011/12 they suffered their first ever relegation only to bounce back by 2015. In 2020 they were renamed Mickleover Football Club. Since then they have been transferred to the Southern League, Premier Division Central and were transferred back to the Premier Division of the Northern Premier League at the start of this season.

Gainsborough Trinity F.C. 0 Mickleover F.C. 0

Saturday 22nd February 2025 15.00 pm kick off. Northern Premier League, Premier Division.

Gainsborough Trinity Football Club Gainsborough Lincolnshire DN21 2QW

Holy Blues v The Sports, 13th v 21st. Attendance 532

Gainsborough; Kit all Royal Blue, goalkeeper all light Blue. Mickleover; All white kit with salmon pink stripe down the sides of shirts and shorts, goalkeeper in all yellow.

Gainsborough entered the pitch with an all blue dolphin mascot. Did they come as far up the Trent? No, the answer from the clubs launch info was ‘Known for intelligence, teamwork, and playfulness, dolphins perfectly represent the essence of our football programme. Trenton will attend matches …….He’ll remind us that whether we win or lose, the game and supporting each other is truly what matters….August 2024.’

The grass pitch sloped slightly side to side and to one corner was heavily sanded and despite heavy recent rain, and standing water in fields in the drive over, was hard. The surface created an unusual bounce that the players couldn’t get a grip of. These conditions could possibly explain what I would say was an underwhelming first half. A Gainsborough forward was booked for simulation when the home crowd thought he had been fouled in the penalty area and a shot that looked to be going well wide took an unusual bounce and turned in to hit the bottom of the post were the highlights.

The second half wasn’t much better although Gainsborough did manage to be more attack minded but never looked likely to bother a resolute Mickleover defence and goalkeeper.

Whether it was the ‘Holy Blues’ having the blues after their magnificent cup antics of the season or that for them they feel that their season has come to an end early I’m not sure. I certainly felt blue in the fact that a club I had looked forward to visiting perhaps served up the worst football of any level I have seen this season. For Mickleover it was a good away point gained in their relegation struggle.

Football Food

I was excited to see a bucket of real potatoes that had been chipped and ready for frying when I ordered my portion. The excitement didn’t last long, the skin on chips, were dry, warm and with little taste. The portion was large but in the end needed some red sauce to make them edible. Even the large portion was off putting. I scored them a 62 for my Chip League but on recollection this should have been in the 50’s but the fact they used fresh real potatoes rather that frozen chips perhaps influenced me.

Loughborough Students second best to Long Eaton.

After picking my daughter up we crossed the M1 at junction 23 on our way to see Ashby Ivanhoe FC. I luckily stopped at the layby to check if the game was on to find that it had just been called off when the opposition team had just arrived. I had previous with Ashby, having watched them last year at Quorn because their pitch was not available. They like Appleby Frodingham seem to somehow defeat my efforts to visit them, perhaps a visit to both at the end or start of a season will let me achieve my aim.

We decided to head to nearby Loughborough Students, a ground that I like to visit once a year anyway. You have to go to the gate house to get the bar lifted to enter the campus and drive to the far end where there is ample car parking, though you are bizarrely charged £1.

Walking to the ground I have written before that you pass the javelin training area, but now in front of it is a new Beach Volleyball training ground. perhaps some new Olympians are training here.

The ground has an immaculate flat grass pitch and is open on three sides with hard standing. The third side is the large main stand with changing and training rooms underneath. The long bar area is glass fronted and you could watch the game from inside if you wished. A good idea on this drizzly, wet, damp, grey, cool day. Although we sat outside on some damp seats.

Loughborough Students have found life in their new higher league level surroundings tougher than their recent years in the United Counties League. Having stated the season poorly they are now mid table and look as if they will retain their status for next season. The playing of football is not the only university activity going on, there were students with lap tops analysing the match and players as it unfolded. Good research for a sports science degree?

Football Histories

Loughborough students trace their history back to 1919 under the name of Loughborough Technical Institute later to become a Technical College and then a University. They have won many University competitions but it was in 2007 that they moved into the Non-league sphere. The University Stadium was opened in 2012 and they were moved into the United Counties League in 2019, part of a major league re organisation. They were promoted in 2024 after beating Skegness in the Play Off final 7-0 and now play in the Northern Premier Midlands Division.

A team called Long Eaton St Helens played in the Derbyshire Alliance in 1907 and played in local leagues for around 20 years before disbanding. Long Eaton Town were established in July 1949 and spent many years in the Central Alliance, before moving to the Midland League in 1961.

In 1982 they were founder members of the Northern Counties East League, with the merger of two leagues. They stayed there for 7 years before opting to move to the Central Midlands League, but by 2002 they were back in the Northern Counties East League. They moved up to the Premier Division before changing leagues again in 2014 to the newly formed Midland League. Their nomadic days continued when reorganisations moved them to the Premier Division North of the United Counties League in 2021 which they won and were promoted to The Northern Premier League East and latterly moved to the Midland Division.

Loughborough Students 0 Long Eaton 4

Saturday 8th February 2025 15.00 kick off. Northern Premier League, Midland Division. 12th V 6th. The Scholars v The Blues

Attendance 192

Loughborough University, Epinal Way, Loughborough, Leicestershire LE11 3TU

Loughborough; All purple kit with pink band on the front of the shirts with a white V across it. Goalkeeper all green: Long Eaton; Red Shorts with red shirts that had vertical black stripes on the front. Goalkeeper Light grey top black shorts.

Long Eaton started the game, stronger, organised and with an attacking intent, initially spearheaded by some very long throws into the heart of the home goal area. It was no surprise that they took the lead after just 7 minutes when a cross from the left was punched out by the keeper only into the path of Liam Loughlan who flashed it back into the net.

Loughborough made quick breaks but were caught offside by a well drilled away back line and the away team made it two nil with 20 minutes gone when James Shaw, unmarked, had all the time in the world to nod down a cross from the right past the goalkeeper.

Long Eaton left the field at half time in a commanding position. They made it three nil on 62 minutes when James Shaw, again, scored after the ball hit the bar and rebounded to him. He stroked the ball past the keeper who was partially deceived by the bounce. The goal came after intense pressure, Long Eaton having hit the bar only 5 minutes previous.

James Shaw completed his hat trick on 70 minutes adding Long Eatons’s fourth when the ball hit the post and he raced in to beat the defender who was peddling back, to squeeze it in.

Long Eaton won easily and moved up to the play off places, whilst the Students had a match to forget. I enjoyed another visit here and will return again in the future. Hopefully Loughborough will regain some of their recent form and comfortably stay in this league.

Football Food

Unfortunately no chips here only the choice between a hot pie or sausage roll. I seemed to have made the wrong choice as the sausage roll was dry and Luke warm.

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.

Sandiacre Town have themselves to blame in another defeat.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sandiacre Town 2 Southwell City FC 3

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

All change in Kiveton

I have visited this ground before and the ground staff had won my chip league in the past.

My last visit 2 years ago was to see Sheffield Town F.C. play their first game as a ground share at the home of Kiveton Miners Welfare F.C. who played at the Miners Welfare ground which is also home to the cricket club next door.

Then in June 2023 it was announced that Kiveton Miners Welfare F.C. had been taken over and would partner with Sheffield Town F.C. An end of season visit in May 2024 I noticed that The Miners Welfare Team seemed to have a smattering of ex Sheffield Town players, which had seemed to have disappeared.

This season, no Sheffield Town playing in the Sheffield and Hallamshire County Senior League and Kiveton Miners Welfare ( traditionally a Rotherham team) are playing at the Olympic Legacy Park in Sheffield.

Now however Kiveton Park F.C. have taken up residence at Hard Lane. They are the oldest football club in the borough of Rotherham, formed in 1881. They are returning some of their teams after 7 years away. The club will be using three pitches which had previously been their home for over a century. Kiveton Park have been based at Wales High School, where they have developed a partnership with the school, creating new facilities to include a new 3G pitch at the Chapman Fields site. This has meant there are now over 500, men’s, Womens, girls and boys affiliated to the club, some of which will stay playing at Chapman Fields.

So returning to Hard Lane to see the third resident in three years it was great to find that everywhere has been tidied up, mended and painted. The plastic seating in the large seated stand had been rigorously cleaned and mended. The sloping pitch, from end to end, was yellowing and a slight breeze was keeping the temperature at 14 degrees with a light drizzle.

Kiveton Park F.C. 1 Hepworth United Development F.C. 3

Saturday 7th September 2024; 14.00 pm kick off. Hard Lane, Kiveton, Rotherham.

Sheffield and Hallamshire County Football League Division 1.

Kiveton; Red shirts with black sleeves and front and back with faint black stripes down front and back, black shorts.
Hepworth; Deep navy blue shirt and shorts with colour graduation on front from white to blue.

Hepworth United started the game on top but it was Kiveton who had the best chance in the first 15 minutes. As the game progressed with Hepworth playing up the slope they took the lead after 25 minutes when their number 4 saw the keeper off his line and his shot from the edge of the box took a slight deflection and looped over the goalkeeper for the away team to take the lead.
10 minutes later and it was 2 nil as Hepworth number 3 took the ball to by line on left and with a beautiful left foot cross to the far post found a tall forward, with no number on back, who headed it down into the net. Kiveton had the most chances of the half but didn’t put any away.

With less than 5 minutes gone of the second half Joseph Holmes, in middle of goal, hit it with his left foot into top left hand corner of the goal to get Kiveton back in the game.
As the mist came down, Kiveton pressed for an equaliser and hit the bar with 78 minutes gone. But within a few minutes a corner for Hepworth from the right was headed by the home number 5, not clear, but over everyone into the far corner of the net. There was no way back from this and the 50 odd people watching were surprised that Kiveton had not managed to fashion at least a draw from the match.

The referee had a good game, keeping everything going and it was noticeable that there was a lot of talking but no swearing from the players.

The old iconic wood food wagon had gone and a new portacabin had replaced it to serve just hot drinks and snacks. Hopefully this will develop in the future.

I’m sure that Kiveton Park F.C. will develop their new home and look forward to chart their progress.

Watford Forever

Watford Forever written by John Preston – A collaboration with Elton John

First published in 2023 by Viking ( a part of the Penguin Random House Group).

Having taken a holiday from posting during the later stages of the ‘Euro’s’ I am pleased to be back and with the announcement of the new seasons fixtures for lower level football imminent ready to plan for more adventures.

The England team was packed full of some brilliant individuals but came up short because I believe they lacked a clear team playing plan. It was a stark reminder then when I read ‘Watford Forever’ a book about Watford FC, Elton john and Graham Taylor. Having followed Watford at home and many away games between 1968 and 1980 it was a must read for me.

The book tells the story of Watford’s rise from the Fourth Division to second place in the First Division and beyond. What it reminded me of was that Graham Taylor had a method and strategy to achieve this. A strong back line and an ethos that the only way you can score was to get the ball in the attacking third of the pitch. No tip-tappy from side to side and back to the keeper, repeat, repeat, give the ball to the opposition. Some criticised him saying it was just kick and rush but the balls were accurately received by Ross Jenkins, Nigel Callaghan and John Barnes who shot or laid the ball of for someone else to score. I saw some amazing goals with lots of excitement.

The book though is not just about football but mainly the two men who engineered it all, Graham Taylor and Elton John. The story is one about blokes not only working together but being friends and able to influence each others lives for the better aka as also shown with the recent tragic ending to the male friendship between the ‘Hairy Bikers’. Elton and Graham were two distinctly different individuals who were able to use their talents together to achieve something rarely seen in modern football, a rise from the bottom to the top.

One poignant thing that struck me was how the players who were equal contributors received such little wealth compared to todays not only superstars but some Academy players.

One thing that disappointed was the dismissal of Watford’s previous years when the club reached the 2nd division and then collapsed to the 4th. These may have been terrible football times but the community of the home and away fans throughout was second to none. Where else would you have heard ‘He’s here he’s there he’s in the Rose and Crown, ‘Rodney Green ‘ ‘Rodney Green’.

Thank you John Preston for a great happy read that is not only for Watford fans but for everyone.

The scramble to finish the season.

With so many local leagues disrupted by our wet, wet, wet winter there are some games that need to be finished.

I was lucky to find one very local to me at Kiveton Park, so a 15 minute car ride and I was there.

I have been to Kiveton Miners Welfare before a couple of times and they were winners of my Chip League in the past. I also visited the ground when Sheffield Town ground shared a few seasons ago. Sheffield Town don’t seem to be in existence any more but I’m sure that the Kiveton team had more than a few faces from that team.

43 spectators had ambled along to see the game that was a dry but cool, breezy, early evening. There were some very sporadic spots of rain from a blue sky that was mixed with grey and white clouds. The recently mowed grass pitch was already looking good after some better weather.

This ground is reached via a housing estate and is bordered by houses on two sides, a practice pitch and cricket ground on another and the Worksop to Sheffield line at one end. The seated stand in the centre of one side is the only area that is not open.

Kiveton Miners Welfare FC 1 AFC Bentley 2

Wednesday 15th May 2024; 18.30 kick off. Stone Close, Kiveton Park, Rotherham, south Yorkshire, S26 6SQ: 14th v 7th.

Central Midlands Alliance League Premier Division North.

Kiveton M.W.; Red and white vertical shirts with black shorts; AFC Bentley; Navy blue shirt body with one sleeve a lighter blue and the other sleeve green, green shorts.

For some reason the home team were late in coming out of the distant changing rooms and then stopped for a discussion on the way. This meant that the game did not kick off until 18.37. The game was furious end to end football but misplaced passes abounded and meant that neither side was able to totally dominate. This all changed around 23 minutes when the away teams number 5 hit a pile driver of a shot from 30 yards that hit the cross bar and bounced down with the Kiveton goalkeeper struggling. His attempts to finally scoop the ball away were of no avail as the officials ruled the ball had crossed the line.

Approximately 5 minutes later Kiveton’s tricky number 7 exploded into the penalty area on the left hand side and was immediately floored, gaining a deserved penalty. Solly Limb stepped forward and easily levelled the score from the penalty spot.

There were some strong tackles from both sides but the referee kept the game flowing and it soon reached half time.

The second half continued in the same end to end fashion and with the game drifting to a stalemate, Bentley went ahead again when a corner kick sailed over everyone to be met by one of their team who, unmarked, clipped it into the net. There was a final burst by Kiveton in the added minutes as they came close to scoring when they hit the post, it was not to be their evening. Bentley returned to Doncaster with three lucky points that should have been shared and both teams only have one more game to complete this truncated season.

It was an impressive game in the fact that both teams went for it in what was to some degree a dead game as neither side had anything to play for.

No Chips tonight as the food van looks like it is in a state of refurbishment.