Mud Football
.
After dividing ourselves
And having dressed
In near angelic whiteness
Do we stroll upon the field
We shout our guttural cries
Ritual insults as required
By the customs of the game
The we gather to our respective sides
And with a kick of pigskin
We are off
Flurries of muck
Marking our trails
As we enthusastically charge
Throwing ourselves into fray
Bodies collide and fall
Sliding through the ooze
That we play upon
No one keeps score
For victory is not our aim
Merely to enjoy the day
Embracing each other at the end
Since no matter what went before
We are all the same color now
Having acheived a muddy equality
.
Stephen De Marino
.
Saturday 14th July 2018
Pre-Season Friendly
Cleethorpes Town 2
Lewis Collins 31,
Brody Robertson 43,
Worksop Town 1
Matt Read 26,
Referee:- Neil Guest. Attendance:- 197
Admission:- OMGDS £3 (£5). Programme:- £1.50
On a blazing hot July afternoon, Graeme, John and I ticked off Cleethorpes Town’s new ground in Grimsby (leaving their old ground to Grimsby Borough in Cleethorpes!). It wasn’t the most appealing of new stadia. There was a concrete standing area around the pitch and three Meccano stands (two with seats) around the ground and not much else! It was strange to see the hosts as the senior side – a step higher than their opponents, who have fallen from grace in recent years. The match was competitive and there wasn’t much in it, but the hosts deserved their victory!
Tuesday 17th July 2018
Pre-Season Friendly
Stamford 1
Sam Grose 88,
Corby Town 2
Elliot Sandy 6,
Josh Eggington (og) 58,
Referee:- Josh Crofts Attendance:- 212
Admission:- OMGDS £3 (£5). Programme:- £0.20
These two teams were in the same division last season, now, the hosts are still in Northern Premier League (Div 1 East) with huge journeys to Morpeth and Marske, whilst the visitors have transferred to The Southern League with a much easier travelling schedule. It was an entertaining encounter and Corby particularly looked well organised and sound in defence. Stamford looked good as well, but a saved penalty denied them a share of the spoils!
On the former site of Stamford AFC at Wothorpe Road, a new housing estate is nearing completion and nothing remains to remind of the old football ground.
You can see on the far side, behind the stadium, the effect of the long dry summer and six weeks without rain!
Friday 20th July 2018
Pre-Season Friendly
Leamington 2
Matt Stenson 56 (pen), 65,
West Bromwich Albion U-23. 2
Jamie Souls 29,
Callum Morton 66,
Referee:- Albert Hendley. Attendance:- 215 h/c
Admission:- OMGDS £4 (£6). Programme:- none
There may have been no programme, but a teamsheet was available at 10p. It was a regulation friendly contest with each side using five subs and a draw in the end being a fair result.
My memories are of the old Windmill ground where I saw some classic encounters back in the seventies. In all, I made sixteen visits to “The Windmill” on Tachbrook Road, opposite the AP factory. The old ground is now a housing estate, but I saw some memorable contests there. Over 3,200 were there for an FA Cup 1st Round match against Stafford Rangers in November 1975 (Rangers won 3-2). Two years later another FA Cup 1st Round tie ended in AP Leamington’s favour when they demolished Enderby Town 6-1 in front of 1,208 fans. I saw them draw with Barry Town 1-1 in The Southern League Division 1 North in February 1975 and , just over a year later, they beat Barnet 1-0 in April 1976.
This new ground is a gerry built nonentity in the middle of nowhere. It does little to inspire! Excellent pint of real ale, mind you!
Saturday 21st July 2018
Pre-Season Friendly
Harlow Town 0
Chelmsford City 4
Scot Fenwick 14,
Rhys Murphy 18,
Jordan Shidosi 83,
Tom Wright 90
Referee:- Dele Sotimirin. Attendance:- c300
Admission:- OMGDS £6 (£8) Programme:- none
The Harlow Arena is a reasonably new build (around 12 years old) but is purpose built, unlike Leamington’s ground last evening. There were free team sheets, but not much help when twelve of the visiting team’s squad were named as “Trialist”. Chelmsford were far too good for their neighbours and ran out comfortable winners. The hosts had a penalty saved early in the second half at 0-2.
Monday 23rd July 2018
The Terry Miller Memorial Trophy (at Fulbourn Institute FC)
Cherry Hinton 5
James Goblin 13, 74,
Connor Driver 42,48,78,
Comberton United 0
Referee:- Andy Phillips Attendance:- 88
Admission:- F.O.C. Programme:- £1.00
Tucked far away in the corner of Fulbourn’s huge sports complex, the first match of this year’s trophy was a very one-side affair. The referee had no team sheets (I had to garner the names of the players from the substitutes bench!), the game would be played to a finish with penalties at the end of normal play if the teams were tied. There was, however, no need for that! Three goals from Connor Driver and a brace from James Goblin saw off a fairly average Comberton side – even though they had two Argentinians adorning the bench! Whilst entry was free, raffle tickets were de rigeur and the usual tea stall had the usual delicious sponge cake available. On the far side of the pitch, a visitation of ‘hoppers’ (including Peter Ford and Brian Buck) watched indolently from the park benches! Fulbourn Institute are the current holders of the trophy and all the matches in this year’s tournament will be held at The Fulbourn Sports Complex (which serves a good selection of real ale!).
Peter Ford in Blue and Brian Buck in white!
Thursday 26th July 2018
Lincolnshire FA Senior Trophy Semi-Final
Spalding United 1
Luke White 66,
Stamford 2
Sam Grose 22,
Jordan Smith 81,
Referee:- Rob Forster. Official Attendance:- 136
Admission:- OMGDS £3 (£6) Programme:- none
Stamford maintained their strong start to this pre-season competition, having already knocked out Grantham and Gainsborough Trinity away from home, The Tulips were their latest victims. It all looked a regulation victory by half time with the visitors a goal to the good and coasting. In the second period, however, The Daniels had to withstand severe pressure which eventually brought an equaliser. Ten minutes from time Stamford wrapped up the match and a place in the final with a second strike!
The United Counties League / Peterborough & District League “Hop”
I had booked in advance for this hop, staying with the hoppers in an hotel in Peterborough, so I was horrified to discover that I had double booked myself! I had a cricket match to umpire on the Friday evening and another on the Sunday, which only left me the Saturday to go on the hop! Chris was brilliant and managed to extract me from most of the costs – and he even got me a seat on the coach on the Saturday, which was the only day I could do! What an idiot! So, I missed the match at Raunds Town on the Friday evening, and the matches on the Sunday at Wellingborough Town and Wellingborough Whitworths and the Sunday afternoon match at Stilton United (and a chance to see their new ground back in the village!).
Saturday 27th July 2018
Peterborough & District League Division 2
Whaplode Drove 1
Danny Firth 34,
Rippingale & Folkingham 3
Dan Mason 50,
Jake Showler 72,
James Ferrow 76(pen),
Referee:- Shaun Gray. Attendance:- 227
Admission:- £4.00 Programme:- £1.00
On a breezy, cloudy day with plenty of sunshine, The Drove’s pitch in the fenlands had some green grass on it, but plenty of brown, too! The visitors were too good for the hosts, but struggled to impose their authority, missing a string of chances and only taking the lead on 72 minutes. They should have scored several more but for poor finishing!
Saturday 28th July 2018
Peterborough & District League Premier Division
Tydd FC 2
Jake Clitheroe 58, 90+2,
Moulton Harrox 3
Jake Hawthorne 28,
Joe Townsend 50, 56,
Referee:- James Marsden. Attendance:- 342
Admission :- £4.00. Programme:- £1.00
Tight security and wristbands for all entrants at The Tydd St Giles Community Centre for this one off match. This season, Tydd FC are groundsharing at Wisbech Town whilst their ground is developed. Today’s match is a special one off for the groundhop, As is the specially produce (and very acceptable) Tydd Steam groundhop ale! Harrox won at a canter and were 3-0 up after an hour. It was soon 3-1 and a penalty in added time spared the home blushes!
Saturday 28th July 2018
Peterborough & District League Premier Division
Sutton Bridge United 5
Joseph Sutton 20,
Jack Fowler 56,
Matty Eaton 68 (pen) 71 (pen) 75
Peterborough Polonia 3
Sebastian Bialoskorka 36
Dorian Janicki 43
Karol Iwanow 90+3
Referee:-James Truman. Attendance:- 337
Admission:- £4.00. Programme:- £1.00
An eventful match! A home hat trick including two penalties, a sending off for the away goalkeeper after a second bookable offence led to a second penalty, a downpour of Biblical proportions which left the scantily clad crowd washed out, the poor away drummer who had his drum pinched and there was an epileptic fit in the middle of the downpour! At the end, the hosts deserved their victory after trailing at the interval, but Polonia were stubborn opponents!
Saturday 28th July 2018
United Counties League Premier Division
Sleaford Town 0
Deeping Rangers 1
Michael Simpson 17
Refeee:- Simon Bell. Attendance:- 285
Admission:- £6.00. Programme:- £1.00
On a cool blustery evening Sleaford Town’s season started badly as they were undone by an early and ultimately decisive goal from a stronger, more decisive and determined Deeping Rangers.
Tuesday 31st July 2018
Pre-Season Friendly
Easington Sports 2
Craig Robinson 11,
Michael Spaull 27
Brackley Town Dev 2
James (Jimbo) Watts 87
Dan Middleton 90+3
Referee:- Robin Cox. Attendance:- 72
Admission:- £1.00. Programme:- none
Easington Sports’ tight little ground is wedged in close to The Blessed George Napier RC Secondary School in Addison Road in Banbury. New concrete standing is being laid down one length of the pitch and this will provide for viewing on three sides. On the pitch, an industrious home side built up a 2-0 lead only for the visitors to square the match with two goals in the last three minutes!! Alex Stott was the nineteen year old visiting winger (no 11) and his mother was there to watch his progress – and to fill me in with some of the names of the visiting team, as there were no team sheets and even the referee hadn’t been given the names of the teams! It was a good match. There was no draught ale (only draught lager and cider), but there was a passable can of Boddingtons to be had!
