Tall Nettles
Tall nettles cover up, as they have done
These many springs, the rusty harrow, the plough
Long worn out, and the roller made of stone:
Only the elm butt tops the nettles now.
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This corner of the farmyard I like most:
As well as any bloom upon a flower
I like the dust on the nettles, never lost
Except to prove the sweetness of a shower.
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Edward Thomas 1878 – 1917
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Monday 1st May 2023
Midland League Division 3
Wake Green 1
Ryan Percival 30,
Coventrians 2
Nathan McGarrity 60 (pen), 63,
Referee: Mark Chester. Attendance: 90
Admission: £3.00.
Programme: NONE
Programme: NONE
A drive up to Shirley and a reasonable repast at The Drawbridge Inn and then, straight across the road (taking a peek at the ducks on the canal), to The Holloway, home (rented for £18,000 per year!) of Wake Green Amateurs. They sit in fifth place in the table, but champions elect, Coventrians, were the visitors and the superior side, despite being a goal down at the interval. Two goals (the first, a penalty), around the hour mark from skipper, Nathan McGarrity sealed the victory. There was a goodly smattering of hoppers in attendance!
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Wednesday 3rd May 2023
Cambridgeshire County League Senior A
Milton 5
Toby Swann 15,77, Elliott Bamforth 57, Adam Attwater 64, Ashley Shipp 82,
Thaxted Rangers 1
Mitchell Day 79,
Referee: David Burch. Attendance: 27
Admission: F.O.C. Programme: NONE
Already promoted Milton thrashed mid-table Thaxted with four of their goals coming in the second half. The Sycamores Recreation Ground in Milton, which is just off the A14 past Cambridge, has a small club house serving drinks and snacks and the cricket pitch is between the pavilion and the football pitch which is surrounded by woods. Very helpful officials, who ensured that I had the team sheets ….. and then, I realised that I had been here before! In fact, it was earlier this season, last August, when Milton beat Tottenham by 2-1. How could I have forgotten it?
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Thursday 4th May 2023
Coventry Alliance Premier Division
Whitnash Town 4
Tommy Clarke 42, 47, Aaron Whitmore 43, Ryan Butler 89,
Coundon Court OB 1
Connor Haynes 83,
Referee: Michael Kalisz. Attendance:- 42
Admission: F.O.C. Programme: NONE
Nothing happening at The Heathcote in Whitnash, when I met up with John Main. Eventually, we discovered that the match had been switched to Ajax Park, home of Central Ajax of Midland League Division 3, some five miles away in Warwick. We got there with minutes to spare. Top of the table Whitnash swatted away second placed Coundon, as if despatching a troublesome bluebottle and took the points and the League title.
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Wednesday 10th May 2023
Nottinghamshire Senior League Division 3
Trent Vineyard 1
Rory Lewis 90+5,
The Rossoneri 3
Tizi Maninga 78, Adam Ahmed 86, Michel Locko 90+7,
Referee: Chris Jackson. Attendance: 12
Admission: F.O.C. Programme: NONE
Down by The river Trent in Beeston, Nottingham, even the changing rooms,adjacent to the pitch are on stilts in case the river floods right by the weir. Indeed, for much of this match, watching the river would have been far more exciting than following the football. Despite a myriad of opportunities, it took the visitors 78 minute to open the scoring. A second arrived after 86 minutes followed by a goal to each side, deep into added time at the end. With John Main and Dave Wooding.
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Thursday 18th May 2023
Coventry Alliance Division 1
Fillongley 0
Bedworth Liberal 4
Adam Woods 16, 21, 77, Ryan Jones 59,
Referee: Dave Gibbons. Attendance: 15
Admission: F.O.C. Programme: NONE
These two clubs are maybe five miles apart in North Warwickshire and almost within spitting distance of the M6 motorway. Nigel Winterburn, the Arsenal and England defender, started his football career here and his mother, Mavis, takes care of the club’s kit and has done so for the last seventy-three years! Paul Cashmore, club Secretary, is part of a small, hardworking committee who ensure that football continues in this tiny village, but none of the players are actually from here. Tonight, with nothing at stake, the visitors dominated with two goals in each half and scored a resounding victory.
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The church of St Mary peeps through the trees and overlooks the children play area adjacent to the pitch
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Saturday 20th May 2023
Herts Senior County League Division 3
Croxley Green 4
Harry West 22, Alex Hilton 27, Alex Morgan 54, Henry Hindley 71,
Sun Sports 1
Stephen Such 79
Referee: Les Moody. Attendance: 39
Admission: F.O.C. Programme: NONE
Fine repast with Phil Evans at The Harvester close by The Croxley Danes School, where the match was supposed to be played, but, of course, it wasn’t and it was Phil, a native of the metropolis, who tracked it down via knowledgeable grandson to St Joan of Arc School in Rickmansworth. It was a pretty new 3G pitch inside a cage! The hosts had an eight point advantage at the top of the table, the visitors were in second place and comprehensively dismantled by the rampant champions elect.
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Tuesday 23rd May 2023
Herts Senior County League Premier Division
Belstone 3
Joel Bell 12, Louis Lobjoit 88, Ryan Hope 90 (pen),
Cuffley Seniors 1
Dan Jones 43,
Referee:- Robert Poole. Attendance: 60
Admission: F.O.C. Programme: Not today! However, there usually is a programme on match day, and previous match programmes were available, free of charge.
Medburn Sports Ground, just outside Radlett, is pretty impressive with hard standing on three sides, a small covered stand and a pitch you could play bowls on! The hosts lie third in the league, started impressively, scored and then, just before the interval, gave away a howler of a goal. The second half looked particularly frustrating for the hosts, but two goals in the 88th and 90th minutes gave them the victory and the points. A goodly gathering of hoppers included Andy English, Andy Smith, Martin Hayden, Alan Pople, Russell Cox and John Main amongst others.
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John Main outside the small stand at Belstone, prior to the match
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My train to Radlett at Corby Station!
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Wednesday 24th May 2023
Herts Senior County League Premier Division
Ware Sports 0
Michael Appiah s/o 26,
Bush Hill Rangers 5
Rocheim Stewart 26 (pen), 60, Michael Akin 39, Jordan mcKenzie 43, Hamza Abdulle 67.
Referee: Andy O’Brien. Attendance:- 65
Admission: F.O.C. Programme: NONE
We had hoped that this evening might have brought the third of Wodson Sport Centre’s pitches into action, but it was not to be and instead, it was a revisit to the ground where Wodson Park used to play. With this victory, Bush Hill took the Herts Senior County League Premier Division championship. It sounds a thumping victory – and it was – but it all started with a penalty after 26 minutes and a home player dismissed. 0-3 at half-time and the hosts suffered a further loss when their goalkeeper went off injured and there were no substitutes left. The Rangers Ultras kept up a vibrant support for their team, and they were not disappointed. With Martin Hayden and a host of hoppers!
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26th minute penalty scored by Rocheim Stewart.
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One of the many aeroplanes coming into land at Luton airport.
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Wednesday 31st May 2023
Herts Senior County league Division 3
Allenburys Sports 4
Chris Wells 45, Jordan Gill 50 (pen), 89 (pen), George Lacey 90+5,
Harpenden Colts 1
Charlie Ashard-Weldon 26,
Referee: Phil Gardner. Attendance: 15
Admission: F.O.C. Programme: NONE
On a chilly evening at Allenburys Sports & Social Club in Ware, these two teams played out the last fixture in this season’s Herts Senior County League. It was cold and miserable in the shadow of the thunderous A10, but the hosts could conceivably gain promotion if they won by five clear goals. The final score flattered them. 1-1 at the interval and 2-1 going into the final minute, the hosts grabbed two extra time goals, but it wasn’t enough to complete a successful promotion challenge! With Brian Buck and Chris Collins.
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Other Matches:
Tuesday 9th May 2023
Leicestershire & Rutland FA Saturday Trophy FINAL at Holmes Park
Community FA 1 Rogue Elite 1 (Rogue Elite won 4-2 on penalties) Attendance: 202
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Cricket
Saturday 6th May 2023
Northamptonshire Cricket League Division 2 (at Kettering 11.00am start)
St Crispins & Ryelands (won toss) 183 all out (48.2 overs)
Kettering 185 for 7 (34.4 overs)
Kettering won by 7 wickets
Umpire: Eddie McGeown
It was a pretty wet day and we completed the match only with great difficulty. Both captains and players were very positive throughout! Three weeks later St Crispin & Rylands pulled their first team out of Division 2 of The Northants Cricket League and consequently, the result of this match was expunged!
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Sunday 7th May 2023
Rutland League Division 1 (at Barnack 12.30pm start)
Peterborough Town 66 all out (22 overs)
lost to:
Barnack (won toss) 69 for 3 (14.5 overs)
by seven wickets
Umpires: Andy Watson and Eddie McGeown
It was a pity that the weather was so lovely this afternoon, this match deserved to go the distance, but it was not to be, a combination of penetrating bowling and some curious batting lapses led to an early Peterborough demise and the hosts cleaned up in less than fifteen overs!
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Saturday 13th May 2023
Northamptonshire Cricket League Division 1
at Loddington Playing Fields 11.00am start
Thrapston 200 all out in 45.3 overs
defeated
Loddington & Mawsley 151 all out in 49.3 overs
by 49 runs.
Umpires: Pankaj Gurruani & Eddie McGeown
The wicket was damp and soft, especially down my end, but it played quite well with no uneven bounce and not an awful lot in the way of spin or turn. The hosts rather threw the game away, Thrapston’s modest total should have been overhauled, but by the time they were 64 for 5 and then 87 for 7, they decided to try and shut up shop and played for the draw, but even that they couldn’t achieve.
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Sunday 14th May 2023
Rutland & District League Division 1
(at Burghley Park 12.30pm start)
Burghley Park 214 for 8 (45 overs)
lost to
Barnack (won toss) 215 for 9 (43.4 overs)
Umpires: Simon Clark & Eddie McGeown
A titanic struggle in the grounds of Burghley House, home of the famous Burghley Horse Trials, and a cracking game of cricket in Stamford. It was a shame that there had to be a loser!
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Burghley House in the background built by William Cecil, Lord Burghley in the 1570s
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Wednesday 17th May 2023
National U15 Girls T20 Competition
at Stamford School 1.30pm start
Abbotsholme School (won toss) 179 for 0 (20 overs)
defeated
Stamford School 111 all out (18 overs)
by 68 runs
Umpires: Martyn Dobbs & Eddie McGeown
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Wednesday 17th May 2023
Northants Women’s Midweek League
at Geddington 6.00pm start
Geddington 104 for 1 (18 overs)
lost to
Kettering (won toss) 105 for 4 (16.1 overs)
by six wickets
Umpires: Eddie McGeown & Simon Clark
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Sunday 21st May 2023
East Midlands Women’s Cricket League Division 1
at Thrapston 1.00pm start
Kettering Women 163 all out in 36.2 overs
defeated
Thrapston Women 136 all out in 33.0 overs
by 27 runs
Umpires: Kate Marshall & Eddie McGeown
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Saturday 27th May 2023
Northants Cricket League Division 2
at Weekly & Warkton 11.00am start.
Weekly & Warkton 221 for 4 (50 overs)
defeated
Wellingborough Indians 151 all out (44.1 overs)
by 70 runs
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Thursday 25th May 2023
Down the right hand arm of “The Dusty”, crossing Corby Road, and the field opposite, to enter the gloom of The Plantation, emerging into an avenue of hawthorn, flanked by brackish pools of water before espying a birdwatch (or maybe a deer watch) shelter ……. and, there, in the distance, a small muntjac unawares, about to beetle off into the undergrowth. More brackish pools and a “pepperpot”, a tower taking air into the railway tunnel 150 feet below. Up on the escarpment, a wonderful view across the valley to Caldecott and then, emerging halfway down Rockingham hill, a castle entrance, whilst next door, the church of St Leonard points it’s tower heavenwards, with the battlements of Rockingham Castle behind it. Onwards, briefly skirting Great Easton, to the church of St John the Evangelist in Caldecott (always open) and then back across the verdant fields, rich with sheep and buttercups, towards Gretton Weir, running quite low and then, the climb back up into Gretton, passing the parish church of St James. Eight stiles and 10.33 miles.
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Caldecott
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St John the Evangelist, Caldecott
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