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.

Catching the fading embers of the season.

With most Non-League football matches complete, apart from a few stragglers due to the many postponements from our wet and weary winter, I was drawn to Hillsborough (home of Sheffield Wednesday) to see The Sheffield and Hallamshire County F.A. Men’s Senior Cup Final between Worksop Town and Penistone Church.

This Cup competition is the fifth oldest surviving football cup competition in the world and has had differing guises over the years and is now fought for by teams from step 1 to 7 in the pyramid system that are registered in the area.

It seemed summer had finally arrived and it was a beautiful evening driving into Sheffield down the leafy Parkway, my mood only being slightly dampened by the usual traffic back up at the end of it. I unbelievably parked within 100 meters of the stadium and strolled along to the turnstile. Everyone was in an end of season happy mood as all fans queued to ‘pay on the gate’, cash to the left cards to the right. No segregation for this evening outing for all. It was still 19 degrees as I sat in my seat in the main stand although a cooling breeze was welcome as it swirled round this empty arena. The bright blue sky of the day was now meshed with a high thin layer of white cloud.

Both teams had enjoyed a good season, Worksop Town of the Northern Premier League, Premier Division, had finished 5th but had been defeated by Macclesfield in one of the playoff semi finals, Penistone Church of The Norther Counties East League, Premier Division finished 6th, one off the play offs. Penistone had done well to reach the final being two levels below Worksop.

Penistone is only 11 miles north of Hillsborough, a pretty town up in the hills and Worksop 21 miles away south east on the Nottinghamshire/South Yorkshire border.

A good humoured crowd of above 1000 turned up with the fans of the more senior team, Worksop the noisiest. It was only a mild noise compared with the febrile atmosphere of the last time I was at Hillsborough when they were battling for survival in the Championship. The kickoff had been scheduled for 19.30 but Worksop had put 19.45 on their Social Media so the game was delayed to give everyone time to arrive.

Worksop Town 5 Penistone Church 0

Sheffield and Hallamshire County Men’s Senior Cup Final.

Thursday 9th May, 19.48 kick off

Sheffield Wednesday F.C. Hillsborough, Sheffield, S6 1SW

Tigers v The Church

Penistone; shirts and shorts all royal blue with a white flash on shoulders if the shirts.
Worksop; Black shorts, yellow and black vertically halved fronts of shirts with yellow backs.

Although the game was even for the first 5 minutes Worksop already seemed to be bigger, stronger, faster and more skilful especially down the left flank.

It was no surprise that after only 9 , Jay Rollins, surged past the defence to cross a ball that was met by Liam Hughes who guided it into the net via a bounce off the turf.

Only 10 minutes later Jay Rollins again showed some clever footwork before the ball found Vaughan Redford who scored.

Penistone kept trying but didn’t have any success and held out until a few minutes before half time when Liam Hughes stroked a perfectly weighted pass through the middle of the pitch for Terry Hawkridge to run on to score through the legs of the Penistone goalkeeper.

Although it was still a clear night the floodlights were on for the second half.

After further Worksop dominance Penistone made multiple substitutions and the fresh legs and enthusiasm meant they competed for the ball more and looked to have gained some momentum.

But as the game moved towards the final 15 minutes some neat Worksop interplay found Jordan Burrow unmarked on right of penalty area and he sent the ball across the goalkeeper into the corner of the net.
To round things off a blatant foul in the penalty area saw Liam Hughes step forward and score from the spot to make it 5 nil.

Worksop had shown their class but Penistone didn’t disgrace themselves. Most of the crowd stayed to see losers and winners presentations and drifted of into the close season.

Can I find another game? We will see.

The chips were good, hot, hot, a good quantity, tasty, good texture but a bit limp. They didn’t have the spicy taste that I experienced before at Hillsborough, I think because they were cooked in separate fat rather than cross contaminated with something else. A very good score of 69.