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.

St Albans cup run ends on the Trent.

Roadworks on the A38 brought me to a standstill as I approached Burton on Trent to see the first round FA Cup game between Burton Albion and St Albans City. With a junction and a side road joining at the point of the dual carriageway becoming one lane it took a while to get through. I was thankful that it was not a week day when this major road artery is well used by commercial traffic.

Having left enough time for such problems I still arrived with time to spare. Parking my car on the grass verge on Derby Road I was surprised at the lack of people. It was easy to enter the ground and I stood on the terrace with the home supporters. It was disapointing that the crowd was only 2523 having read that St Albans had sold over 600 tickets and tickets were available on the day, meaning that the home support was well below 2000.

Burton play at the 3rd level of English football while St Albans play at the seventh. These clubs had last met here in 2007 when they were both in the National League, (St Albans only season at that level), since when Burton have moved up 2 levels and St Albans moved down 2.

St Albans had won through 4 rounds to reach this stage, their season improving after a disapointing start. A missile had hit them however when only 3 days prior, their manager and his assistant, Ian Culverhouse and Paul Bastock, had left the club for King’s Lynn FC. No one blamed them, the offer from a club nearer to their home, at a higher level and full time rather than part time was an offer not to be turned down.

It was a damp afternoon, the temperature, 12 degrees, average for the first day of November, with a blue sky that was being invaded by some very dark grey clouds. Being over meant the floodlights were on from the start.

The Pirelli Stadium is modern with cover on all sides. The two ends and one side are for standing and the otherside seated. A well kept, flat grass pitch presented an immaculate playing surface.

I have written about the history of both these teams on previous blogs.

Burton Albion 6 St Albans City 0

Saturday 1st November 2025. 15.00 pm kick off.

FA Cup Ist Round. Brewers v The Saints, English Football League One v Isthmian Premier League.

Burton Albion; Yellowband black vertical halved shirts with black shorts. The goalkeeper in all light blue.

St Albans; Pink shirts with white shorts, the goalkeeper in all orange.

It was not the start that St Albans needed when within 58 seconds Burton went ahead. A through ball along the ground allowed Tyres Shade to outpace the defence to then draw the goalkeeper, Magnus Norman, and slide the ball under his body into the net.

The expected floodgates didn’t open and St Albans regained their composure producing some fluent football and shots on goal. Burton clipped the top of the bar when a cross decieved Norman and ended up on the roof of the net with 22 minutes on the clock.

St Albans came right back and three minutes later Zane Banton’s long range shot was neatly plamed round the post by Burtons goalkeeper, diving at full stretch.

Both teams cancelled each other out and despite the very early goal, the difference between these two teams was hard to see.

The second half started like the first, but it was St Albans who unluckily saw a header by Lewis Page glanced onto the right upright and scrambled away by the Burton defence. Having ridden their luck Burton made it two nil only 2 minutes later when a long throw from near the corner flag was headed on fir Charlie Webster to riffle it in.

Webster now seemed to be everywhere and he made it 3 when on 55 minutes he ran through the middle of the City defence and smashed it past the despairing Norman.

Both sides made changes and the game calmed down until the Saints keeper slipped while taking a free kick and the ball landed with Burton players who surged forward and from an angle Tyrese Shade made it 4.

As St Albans tired and started to look a bit ragged Fabio Tavares added two more in the 83rd and 96th minute.

Burton will be pleased to have avoided a banana skin and be in Monday night’s draw for the second round. St Albans must have been happy that for 60 minutes of the game they competed strongly with their higher rivals.

What if the post hadn’t stopped Lewis Page from scoring!!

I was informed by an official that the club had stopped selling chips two years ago, was this after my report that said they were the worst chips I had that season? Instead I had a steak and ale pie and a coffee. Small pie but filled to the brim with large chunks of meat.

Retford save another Brickworks postponement.

I decided to go to see Kirton Brickworks FC play for the second time. My previous visit was thwarted by the weather when the game was moved from within the brickworks to a nearby village pitch. The grass pitch was then waterlogged but this time I was sure that this wouldn’t be the case because of our summer of little rain. When I arrived the pitch looked immaculate, the nets up, new advertising boards compared to last time, but no people. Luckily someone was leaving from the brickworks and he told me the game was off but didn’t know why. I have now found that the morning pitch inspection found the pitch unplayable?

On to the phone to check on the nearest game that I could make it to in time, I was lucky to find Retford FC’s game at home to Southwell City. Retford FC sitting top of the table.

The journey started with a crawl behind a tractor and when I was in Retford I was following a car through a green light when on the pavement to the left a grey haired lady on a mobility buggy suddenly rushed towards the road. The car Infront, me and the one behind slammed on the brakes and in our hesitation the lights changed to red. She pressed the button for her to cross and blithely rode across the road.

I parked, with plenty of time and walked through the road tunnel to ‘The Rail’.

The grass pitch looked as immaculate as on previous visits but there were not many people about. In fact only 199 fans in total, disappointing considering Retfords great start to the season. It was a cold day and I walked to the far corner where the club house is and the food kiosk. Getting some chips i went and sat in the open seating behind one goal, very reminiscent of seating behind a green at a golf competition and chatted to a visitor from the Doncaster direction. I wasn’t sure that this was the best place to watch the game as coming across the vivid blue sky were sone light and grey clouds hurried along by a wind that made it seem colder than the official 8 degrees.Luckilly this ground has covered standing down one side and at one end.

Retford FC were only formed in 2015 moving to their ground ‘The Rail’ in 2017. They were founded at a time when Retford United were going through a rough patch and were promoted from the Central Midlands League in 2019 to compete in the Northern Counties East League where they established themselves. With the FA re-organisation of Non-League football they were transferred sideways to the United Counties League Division 1 which they have been competing hard to move to the Premier Division North.This club have done wonders in their ten years in existence, they have purchased their ground and adjoining land, and built a brand new fan area in one corner with a Scandi styled wood clad, club house, food kiosk, and toilet block.

Southwell City FC 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, moving to the Central Midlands League was. 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 gaining promotion to the United Counties Division One in 2022.

Retford FC 1 Southwell City FC 1

Saturday 25th October 2025, 15.00 pm kick off. Attendance 199.

United Counties League, Division 1, 1st v 16th, The Choughs v The Bramleys/City

Retford Football Club,Babworth Road, Retford, Notts DN22 7NJ

Retford in all navy blue kit with the goalkeeper in all yellow.

Southwell City, Grey shirts with fluorescent pink sleeves and shorts, the goalkeeper in all orange.

Southwell started the game as if they were the top of the table team clipping long balls over the top for their forwards to run on to. It paid off within 5 minutes when Christopher Okoye collected the ball on the left, beat two defenders and hit the ball across the goalkeeper into the bottom right hand corner. Southwell continued to look the most promising side with corners and long throws, the home side looked if they were having a bad day. As the half progressed the game became more even with both teams having chances which was summed up by both teams missing easy chances minutes before half time. Retfords striker blasted over the bar with only the goalkeeper to beat and immediately at the other end the away team should have scored had it not been for their goalkeepers outstretched leg. Southwell deserved to be Infront at half time but the score could easily been higher for both sides.

The game resumed the same pattern in the second half but this time it was Retford who were more in charge and they equalised with 62 minutes gone when a corner from the left was headed on twice, across the goal for Ahmed Tahar, a recent substitute, to head the ball into an open net. Retford now took control but good defending by Southwell kept clearing the pressure despite a large scramble on the goal line that somehow did not go in and a long range shot that glanced the post. Southwell too had breakaway chances which the home keeper did well to keep out.

As the game drew to a close it was City who should have taken all 3 points when No 4 was put through. He had been Southwell’s outstanding player all over the pitch but had noticeably faded in the last ten minutes. With just the keeper to beat he hesitated allowing the ball to be cleared, he still however got my vote as man of the match.

Retford’s point kept them in a commanding position at the top of the league and were lucky to find that their chasing arch rivals, Retford United FC also drew along with others in the chasing pack.

The chips this week were disappointing, like warm and soggy. They tasted OK and were not greasy but only managed a score of 55.

Sometimes you just grind out a result.

Saturday morning saw me watching my grandson lose a match at the great facilities on the University of Northampton Campus. Unfortunately he lost but after some sustenance we made our way to Market Harborough to see their home team play.

I have been here before but they have since moved up a League and further developed their ground. Market Harborough is a pleasant Market town that has grown unbelievably since I lived nearby at Desborough many moons ago. The electrification of the rail link to London has increased its appeal as a computer town for London and the building of the nearby A14 east west link makes it easier to reach the West Midlands and the East.

The ground on the outskirts of the town is part of the Harborough Leisure complex which has been recently updated to feature a brand-new, 115-station gym, three swimming pools, a group fitness studio, a dedicated group cycling studio, a wellness studio, a spacious sports hall, an indoor bowls hall, tennis courts a café and outdoor pitches for sports including rugby and football.

There is great parking, all on the flat, and it is an easy walk to the Football ground. It is an all weather pitch that has had some surrounding hard surface update and two new covered seated areas on one side adjacent a previous existing one. The facilities are now easily ready to enable the club to move up to higher levels and is able to host higher attendances as per their 1813 for the midweek FA cup game. There is a large club house and changing rooms which have solar panels on the roof, which we did not go in.

As we passed through the turnstiles we were handed a token for a Spanish beer. It’s relevance became clear as soon as we were in the stadium with one of the three covered stands down one side crowded with fans from Spain . There was also a clue in a Spanish language insert in the programme. Harborough Town FC’s Spanish connection is due to a friendship with La Media Inglesa. The partnership has grown a large Spanish fan base with live-streamed matches on YouTube to all spanish speaking countries. Harboroughhave also been on a pre-season tour of Madrid. The Spaniards were making themselves known well before the start of the game.

Although a grey overcast afternoon the 13 degrees felt quite pleasant, probably because there was little wind. We debated wether the artificial pitch had a slight slope on it from one end but couldn’t make up our minds if this was an optical illusion.

Harborough Town are a new team, although there have been previous clubs in the town. In 2007 it progressively merged three teams, Harborough Town Juniors, Harborough Town Spencers and Harborough Minis and with the local council developed playing facilities that have benefitted all ages and sexes to create many teams that can use the artificial pitches. After 3 seasons in local Northamptonshire football they gained promotion to The United Counties League again stepping up a league two years later. In 2022 they won the Premier League moving nto the Northern Premier League. In 2024 they won the League play offs and now play at the higher level.

Bromsgrove Sporting FC was founded in 2009 after the demise of Bromsgrove Rovers, saved by local supporters. A restriction of a maximum ten percent shareholding in the club has been introduced to keep a community involvement. The club has gained promotion in local and midlands leagues in a very short time to be now competing in the 7th tier of English football. They reached this level in 2019.

Harborough Town 1 v Bromsgrove Sporting 0

Saturday 18th October 2025 Southern League Premier, Central Division.

Harborough Town Community Football Ground, Northampton Road, Market Harborough , LE16 9 HF.

The Bees v The Rouslers. 1st v 14th

Harborough, all yellow kit with the goal keeper in all green. Bromsgrove, Red shirts with some white vertical stripes on the front and back, and dark blue shorts. The goalkeeper in all green.

Harborough were on top throughout the first half gaining numerous corners and long throws that caused concern foy the visitors. The home sides tall defence were very effective but Bromsgrove did manage a few chances.

The game seemed very stale with perhaps Harborough suffering the after effects due to extra-time in their FA Cup match the previous Tuesday. The game changed for the Bees on 66 minutes when their goalkeeper hoisted a free kick from their half into Sporting’s penalty area. The ball was chested down by Riley O’Sullivan, who had just been introduced as a substitute minutes earlier. He turned and volleyed it into the roof of the net for a well taken goal. Unfortunately his game time only lasted 2 minutes, when a challenge on him in the penalty area was given as simulation, and he was shown a yellow card. He picked up his discarded boot, which looked as if it had come off by the defender treading on his foot. He ran to the official to show him the boot but was waived away. His frustration was shown by him throwing down his boot to which the referee showed a second yellow card and then a red due to the dissent. This all seemed harsh and this added to him being sent off in the seventh minute of Tuesday night’s FA Cup replay.

Bromsgrove saw their chances and pushed forward but the home defence stood solid and saw out the game. It was more like grinding out a win,and not a classic, but Harborough were happy to retain their top spot in the league. After the extra time on Tuesday they were relieved to not have had a reaction.

After missing a few weeks it was back to some chips, and they were hot, tasty, golden, not greasy, crispy outside with a soft middle and a score of 73. Because I was with family I was talking and forgot to get a picture of them until after I had finished. As I continued eating them they became a little dry, perhaps due to the large portion.

Sheffield-Home of Football

During Heritage week, I joined the end of a tour of Crosspool, the area of Sheffield where Hallam FC is situated. We then moved into the clubhouse to listen to some facts about ‘The Oldest Football Ground’ in the world.

Looking across the football pitch you see the cricket ground bordering the open side. The Sandygate Road cricket pitch dates back to 1804 a year before the ‘Battle of Trafalgar ‘ and like many emerging football teams Hallam FC were partly born from the cricket club in 1860.

The Sheffield Home of Football group are forging ahead to promote Sheffield’s football Heritage being the birth place of the oldest team in the world, the oldest ground, the first cup and competition, the publishers of many of the original rules and many more firsts.

I had arrived at Hallam via Sheffield Town Hall where three cabinets of items relating to the history of Sheffield were on display. ‘Home of Football Group’ now have enough to display many more cabinets as they move towards a permanent museum in the city. One item in a cabinet was one of their latest blue plaques that are being put up all over the city in conjunction with the council to identify football/social history places that pioneers, events or places frequented. There is now a trail of these shown on ‘Home of Football’ web site.

Interesting in the cabinet are two pictures of the women’s game in the early years of the sport.

Some unusual facts that came out of the Hallam talk were:-

Football shirts in the beginning were either in a block colour or hoops as a loom to make vertical stripes had not yet been invented.

Hallam’s famous pitch slope is 1 in 26 but FA rules will allow up to 1 in 40.

The Youdan Trophy, the first football cup in the world, was not a cup but a ‘Coffee Jug’ bought off the shelf, because the designed cup was not ready in time for the competition.

The football club and cricket club have only 67 years left on their lease.

The exhibition goes on at Sheffield Town Hall until the 2nd of October and pilgrims to see the Hallam ground are always welcome.

Look up sheffieldhomeoffootball.org for all of the many interesting programs and projects that are going on.

Feisty M180 Derby

The first junction off the M180 brings you to the Isle of Axholme. It’s not an island now, but before the marshland was tamed and drained local flooding made it appear as one.

The destination was Crowle, a new member of the Northern Counties East League Division One, having been promoted from the Lincolnshire League.

Past peat cutting and the draining of the bogs have resulted in roads that are above field level and are undulating and uneven.

The road to Crowle I took has straight sections, sharp bends, a manned level crossing, through which trains bound for Drax Power Station carrying imported wood pellets from the Docks at Immingham pass, and a bridge over drainage canals.

Crowle’s football ground is in the outer South Western tip of the town. On entering the tarmacked car park, you can see a modern football set up surrounded by fencing. The clubhouse and changing rooms are large and run for half of one side of the pitch. Apart from a small covered standing area in the far corner, there are no other buildings. There is no seating and only a path round two sides of the ground. The pitch is basically flat but with undulating areas and some tussock grass that has been left due to the lack of rain and the yellowing of the rest of the playing area. This is a ground in progress as they upgrade the facilities to compete at this level since their elevation.

It was 22 degrees, blue skies with some white straight lined clouds. The sun faded fast, making watching difficult to see, but produced some good coloured skies. The floodlights were on from the start but didn’t make a difference until the sun went down on the big sky.

Crowle United Junior Colts was formed in 1997 after various teams had represented the village, joining the Scunthorpe League. They changed their name to the current one the following year.

They stayed in that league until 2018 apart from 3 seasons in the Gainsborough and District League. In that year they joined the Central Midlands league where they had immediate success and after competing in the premier Division for 3 years, they moved to the Lincolnshire League in 2022. After just 3 seasons by finishing second in the premier league in 2024/25 they moved up to the Northern Counties East league, Division One, for the first time.

Brigg Town can trace a history back to 1864, one of the earlier teams in the country. Playing for a long time in Lincolnshire Leagues, they moved up to the Midland League in 1976, and in 1982, when League mergers created the Northern Counties East League where they were founder members.
Their highest league status was reached in 2004 when they were promoted to the Northern Premier League, but 11 years later, they were back in the NCEL. 2017 saw a further fall back into the Lincolnshire League, which they bounced back from the following year and have stayed there since. Briggs Cup exploits have been amazing winning the FA Vase on two occasions in 1996 and 2003.

Crowle Colts 3 Brigg Town 2

Northern Counties East League, Division One, Tuesday 26th August 2025, 19.45.pm kick off. 14th v 16th, The Colts v The Zebras. Windsor park, Godnow Road, Crowle, Scunthorpe, North Lincolnshire, DN17 4EE

Crowle; Red shirts with white trim and black shirts, goalkeeper in all purple.

Brigg; All royal blue, goalkeeper in all yellow.

There is only 25 miles between these two teams along the M180 so the competitiveness in this feisty duel was not surprising. The good crowd of 241, many from Brigg, were stunned that within 13 minutes Crowle were two nil ahead. Crowle were far more at home with the uneven hard pitch and the uneven fast bounce it created along with a dust flurry with most kicks. It was lee Ridley who put them ahead after just 8 minutes when he rose to head home a curled free kick from the right with the away keeper stranded off his line. Only 5 minutes later a very low corner from the right was met at the near post by a Crowle player who flicked it on for Henry Cook to steer into the net. both sides now put in a lot of effort and intent as Brigg came more into the game. They were rewarded with just minutes left before half time when a Brigg corner was not properly cleared and after some attempts to score Joshua Jordon took control and guided it into the net.

With just seconds left before the referee blew for half time the Crowle keeper tipped a certain goal over the bar for the home team to go in leading at half time.

Brigg made two substitutes to start the second half and both teams continued their frantic hit and run football often slowed by some fierce tackles. Brigg managed to draw on 73 minutes when the referee awarded them a penalty for a contested hand ball decision. Harry Parr for Brigg converted it into the bottom left corner of the goal with the home keeper just getting his finger tips to it. It was now anyone’s game, but only five minutes later Crowle were awarded a free kick to the left of the ‘D’. Henry Cook restored their lead with a neat shot past the wall and into the top right hand corner. A very good strike which turned out to be the winner as the final 12 minutes became even more competitive with some daft antics on and off the ball by both sides. Crowle will build on this result to survive in their first season in the league and Brigg with their competitiveness should soon get the results to climb the league as well.

No chips in the big club house, so just a coffee.

Chesterfield win the Battle of the ‘rites’.

On my way back from visiting the impressive Locomotion, I called in to the Wetherby Road ground to see Harrogate Town play Chesterfield in the EFL Two.

Although there was high grey clouds cover it was dry and warm with the temperature hitting 22 degrees. This is a stadium shoe horned into a piece of land next to the main road and surrounded by houses. Because there isn’t a car park, the residents have to endure supporter parking outside their houses and slow moving traffic before and after the game. A move to an out of town site would most probably benefit everyone.

The stadium has 3 covered seated stands down one side, covered, half standing, half seating behind one goal with all covered standing at the other end. The other side of the ground is all covered too with a small seating area, the rest standing apart from some portacabins in one corner. A lot packed into the space.

The pitch was a brilliant green flat expanse of grass.

Having been impressed with what has been achieved here, I was shocked to find my seat was behind a floodlight pylon. This not only affected me but also others around me. I put up with it for the first half but moved to standing behind the goal for the second half.

In comparison to Chesterfield, Harrogate Town didn’t form until mid 1919 but only a year later they were one of the teams to start the Yorkshire League but remained in the West Riding League before moving that team to the Midland League and folding it soon after. concentrating on the Yorkshire League they became champions in 1927 but moved again to the Northern League but disbanded in 1935. The use of the Harrogate Town name was first used with a resumption of a team after the Second World War then playing in the West Yorkshire League and a move back to the Yorkshire League happened in 1957.

With the re-organisation of local Leagues in 1982 Harrogate town were inaugural members of the newly formed Northern Counties East and just five years later were founder members of a new League again, this time the Northern Premier League, First Division. In 2002 they were promoted to the Premier Division as league champions of Division 1 and continuing their innovations were founder members of the Conference North in 2004.

2011 was a transformative year for the club with the take over by Irving Weaver father of Simon Weaver, the manager. After the club changed to full time contracts in 2017 they went on to win the league play-offs. Covid now played a part in their rise when with the season curtailed and with an average points per game of 1.78 were put into the play-offs where at Wembley in 2020, they eventually overcame Notts County to claim a place in the English Football League. They have remained in the EFL League Two ever since, an amazing rise.

Chesterfield formed in 1866 claim to be the 4th oldest league club still in existence. A chequered history of league status and liquidation led to their reincarnation when they re-joined the football league in 1921. They have been up and down the leagues in their history but reached a low point in 2018 being relegated to the National League. Off the field problems were resolved by a take over in 2020 by a Community Trust who with great local support have steered the club to a new era of major ownership by local Paul and Ashley Kirk. Now back in the EFL they look to rise up the leagues again.

Harrogate Town 1 Chesterfield 2

Saturday 22nd August 2025, English Football League Two. Kick off 15.00 pm. 9th v 4th. Town/Sulphurites v Spireites.

Harrogate Town FC Wetherby Road, Harrogate, North Yorkshire, HG2 7SA

Chesterfield looked sharp from the off, playing long balls out wide for a speedy front 3 and overlapping full backs. It was the left back who swept forward after 5 minutes with the ball eventually being passed to Ronan D’Arcy who changed direction 5 times before slotting the ball along the ground into the right hand corner. Chesterfield’s three front runners continued to put pressure on the home defence and caused them continual problems. At the other end Harrogate came more into the game but apart from one shot that whizzed by the right hand post didn’t look like scoring. Duke-McKenna playing out wide on the left was Harrogate’s main threat and managed to whip in some good crosses, but no one was there to connect with them. The Chesterfield supporters, 1050 out of a crowd of 3276, continued to make the most noise as the teams left the field at half time.

Something in the waters in Harrogate they say, and Harrogate must have drunk some at the interval because they looked a different team. The back four started to tie up Chesterfields front runners after an early burst and push forwards themselves. The home crowd silenced the away fans when on 50 minutes Duke-McKenna collected a pass on the edge of the goal area and drilled it past Hemmings in the Chesterfield goal.

Harrogate kept up the pressure and gained the initiative which Chesterfield tried to stem with substitutes. On 80 minutes Harrogate substituted Bradbury, who looked like their tallest defender, and only two minutes later from a corner on the left the ball came to Dunkley, the tallest player on the pitch, who unopposed headed in from the centre of the goal to give the away side the lead for the second time. Chesterfield played out the game for a good win on the road to move them up to second in the league.

This was an enjoyable game and a friendly ground with good facilities apart from the floodlight post. One of Harrogate’s nick name is the Sulphurites and Chesterfield The Spireites but neither of their fans would chant that. However you could say that Chesterfield won the battle of the ‘rites’.

Unfortunately no chips but there was a really good food selection. I chose a free ice cream, an Oreo Ice Cream Sandwich. Not a fan of Orio’s although I know they are very popular and have not changed my mind after this.

At half time I had a coffee and a KitKat at the Hydration Station, a nice touch that.

The mascot was an alligator? I have since researched that they are Harri-gator, I should have guessed that.

The programme was £5 and was packed with 70 glossy pages, very informative. It was the same one for all Harrogate’s home games in August, a novel good idea, maybe stats a little out of date by the time of this game.

A4 size was great as a magazine but a little large to put in a pocket