My heart aches and a drowsy numbness pains
My sense, as though of hemlock I had drunk,
Or emptied some dull opiate to the drains
One minute past and Lethe – wards had sunk.
Tis not through envy of thy happy lot,
But being too happy in thy happiness,
That thou, light winged Dryad of the trees,
In some melodious plot
Of beechen green, and shadows numberless,
Singest of summer with full throated ease.
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from “Ode to a Nightingale” by john Keats (1795 – 1821)
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Monday July 10th 2023
Pre-Season Friendly
St Ives Town 5
Jonny Edwards 20, 31, Tiago Nussancolo 76, 84, Enoch Andoh 88,
Baldock Town 0
Referee: Josh Croft. Attendance: 83
Admission: £6.00 (no concessions, no programme).
My first football match for thirty-two days! A fairly regulation victory for the home side in The Premier Division of the Southern League, over their Spartan South Midlands League rivals. First time that I’ve seen the (comparatively) new 3G surface at Westwood Road (this is only the second season it has been operational). Each side sported a rash of “trialists”. Enjoyed a fine bottle of the local brew!
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Tuesday 11th July 2023
Pre-Season Friendly
Lutterworth Town 5
Nuno Gomes 21, 32, 48, 65, Bruno Capella 79,
Nuneaton Griff 0
Referee: Sam Anderson. Attendance:- 64
Admission: F.O.C. Programme:- NONE
Lutterworth gave away free admission to this match, calculating that the bar receipts would cover expenses. Down one side of the pitch, the covered standing area had its roof removed and new hard standing installed in preparation for an extension. On the field, the step five side predictably dismantled the step six team with four goals from Nino Gomes, but it was a very entertaining tussle with the interjection of a half-time monsoon!
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You can just see the outlines of the covered area that is being re-developed
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Saturday 15th July 2023
Pre-Season Friendly
Hythe & Dibden 1
Krysztof Kruztafowier 38,
Basingstoke Town 3
James Clark 9, Bradley Wilson 17, Paul Hodges 52,
Referee:- Derek Pratt. Attendance:- 116
Admission: OMGDS £4.00 (£7). Programme: NONE
Having arrived reasonable early after the 150 mile journey, we dined quite reasonably at “The Hunt” in Dibden Purlieu. Fish and chips was on the menu and I had a couple of glasses of (red) wine. A couple of miles away was the ground we had come to at the end of last season, only to find that the match had been called off and we had to hurry down the road to take in Fawley v Petersfield Town (April 15th 2023). The visitors, today, two steps higher in the pyramid, were by some distance the better side, but they failed to make the most of their chances. Two up in the opening quarter, they allowed the home side to get back into the game before half-time. The hosts were well organised and fought hard until a shower of second half substitutes killled off the match – and the scoring! With John Main.
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The author sits in the only chair in the covered area down the near side of the ground!
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Thursday 20th July 2023
Pre-Season Friendly
Thurlow FC 1
Aidan Leach 73,
Thaxted Rangers 0
Referee: Stuart Watson Attendance: 26
Admission: F.O.C. Programme: NONE
Thurlow’s Wratting Road ground in Great Thurlow, is actually just inside Suffolk, but they play in The Cambs County League. Last season, they were undefeated in the fourth tier and won promotion as champions to the third tier, whilst tonight’s rivals play in the second tier of the same league. Despite the paucity of goals, this was a good game and the hosts fully merited their narrow victory.
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Saturday 22nd July 2023
Pre-Season Friendly
AFC Stoneham 1
Jake Thompson 57,
Camberley Town 1
Charlie Oakley 79,
Referee: Derek Pratt. Attendance: 54
Admission: £5.00. Programme: NONE
Heavy rain fell on the 3G surface all the way through this public practice game at The home of Hampshire FA. In an evenly contested match between Wessex League Premier and Combined Counties League Premier, the spoils were shared.
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Tuesday 25th July 2023
Pre-Season Friendly
Desborough Town 1
Adam Randall 86,
Kettering Town 0
Referee: Kevin Seckington. Attendance: 250
Admission: £4.00 Programme: NONE
Back to one of my very favourite grounds for the first time in two years. A truly traditional and magic ground. However, gone is the graceful old stand and, in its place a 100 seater Meccano replacement. Tonight’s match was to mark the official opening of the new stand (it has actually been in situ for a season!). To be fair the new stand is perfectly functional and the old one was riven with asbestos. Pretty good match, despite the paucity of goals and the hosts were good value for their win against a side two divisions higher in the pyramid, the only goal arriving in the 87th minute.
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Thursday 26th July 2023
Pre-Season Friendly
Whitchurch United 3
Ash Neal 15, Harry Long 60, Louis Wilson 73,
Newbury 1
Jamie Goddard 86
Referee: Neil Hussey Attendance: 64
Admission: F.O.C. Programme: NONE
Longmeadow Sports Centre contains this small ground with character. A hundred seater wooden bench stand and a mini covered area in front of the bar (but none of the bar proceeds benefit the club). A slight slope from right to left and lots of additional pitches beyond the ground on the far side. It was an easy victory for the hosts, one step higher than their visitors in the pyramid. Good game!
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Saturday 29th July 2023
Southern Counties East League Premier Division
Snodland Town 2
Ben Davisson (pen) 12, and an own goal on 29,
Stansfield 0
Referee: Simon Cutler. Attendance: 239
Admission: OMGDS£6.00 (£8). Programme: £2.00
A first ever match for Snodland Town at step 5, after entering The SCEL in 2015, at their neat little Potyns Field ground. We were welcomed like royalty by some very friendly officials and, early though we were, we decided to enjoy the tea bar offering rather than repair to a local hostelry. There is a hundred+ seater stand and an extensive bar, hard standing on three sides and (sadly) plans to install 3G. They won today’s match at a canter without really extending themselves! With Paul Proctor and John Main.
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CRICKET
Saturday 1st July 2023
T20 Competition at Peterborough Town
Peterborough Town 161 for 8 (20 overs)
defeated
Burton Latimer 144 for 8 (20 overs)
by 17 runs
Umpires: Chris Dunn & Eddie McGeown
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Stony Stratford (won toss) 165 for 5 (20 overs)
defeated
Burton Latimer 130 all out (19.5 overs)
by 35 runs
Umpires:: Simon Clark & Eddie McGeown
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Stony Stratford 177 for 6 (20 overs)
defeated
Peterborough Town 46 all out (11.4 overs)
by 131 runs
Umpires: Simon Clark & Chris Dunn
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Sunday 2nd July 2023
East Midlands Women’s Cricket League
Premier Division (at Burton Latimer)
Burton Latimer 81 all out (23.3 overs)
lost to
Spondon (won toss) 82 for 5 (27.2 overs)
by 5 wickets
Umpires: Martyn Dobbs & Eddie McGeown.
Title chasing Spondon had the hosts on the ropes with four wickets in the first four overs and they never really recovered. Burton Latimer did battle hard in defence of their meagre total, capturing five wickets and extending the contest into the twenty-eigthth over.
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Tuesday 4th July 2023
Northants Schools U-15 FINAL
at Burton Latimer CC
Bishop Stopford School U-15 182 for 6 (20 overs)
defeated
Northampton School for Boys U-15 150 all out (18.4 overs)
by 32 runs
Umpire: Eddie McGeown
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Wednesday 5th July 2023
Northants Schools U-13 FINAL
at Burton Latimer CC
Bishop Stopford U-13 98 all out (19.3 overs0
lost to
Northampton School for Boys U-13 99 for 4 (19 overs)
by 6 wickets
Umpires: Martyn Dobbs & Eddie McGeown
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Saturday 8th July 2023
T20 Competition at Horton House
Horton House 97 for 3 (13 overs)
lost to
Kettering 98 for 2 (11.1 overs) by 8 wkts
Umpires: Trevor Finch and Eddie McGeown
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Weekley & Warkton 120 for 3 (15 overs)
lost to
Kettering 121 for 2 (13.3 overs) by 8 wkts
Umpires: Jeff Beal and Eddie McGeown
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Weekley & Warkton 85 for 9 dec. (18.5 overs)
defeated
Horton House 69 all out (17.5 overs) by 16 runs
Umpires: Jeff Beal and Trevor Finch
A day of unpredictable weather and rumbling thunder at Horton House’s beautifully appointed arena, just outside Northampton, saw rain affected matches, but also, some powerful batting and determined bowling.
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Sunday 9th July 2023
Development Pathway County Match
at Wellingborough Old Grammarians CC
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Surrey U-12 Girls 105 for 0 (16 overs0
defeated
Northants U-13 Girls 78 for 5 (16 overs)
Northants U-13 Girls 78 for 5 (16 overs)
by 27 runs
Umpires: Simon Clark & Eddie McGeown
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Surrey U-12 Girls 111 for 2 (16 overs)
defeated
Northants U-13 Girls 84 for 7 (16 overs)
by27 runs
Umpires: Simon Clark & Eddie McGeown
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Wednesday 12th July 2023
Northants Women’s Midweek Cricket League
at Chancery Lane, Thrapston
Kettering Town Women (won toss) 153 for 4 (18 overs)
abandoned
Thrapston Women (Yellow) 98 for 1 (12 overs)
Umpire: Eddie McGeown
Match abandoned after twelve overs of the second innings following a serious injury to the Kettering wicket-keeper who was inadvertently hit in the face by the Thrapston player’s bat. NHS East Midlands First Aid responder attended and the keeper was later taken to hospital.
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Wednesday 19th July 2023
Northants Women’s Midweek Cricket League
at Kettering CC
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Brixworth Women 77 all out (16.4 overs)
lost to
Kettering Women 78 for 3 (10.2 0vers)
by 4 wkts
Umpire: Eddie McGeown
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Sunday 23rd July 2023
East Midlands Women’s Cricket League Division 1
At Kettering Town CC
Kettering Town Women 182 all out (39.2 overs)
defeated
Cutthorpe Women (won toss) 103 all out (29.5 overs)
by 79 runs
Umpires: Kate Marshall & Eddie McGeown
Rain threatened at the start, but the afternoon turned out increasingly sunny and warm as the hosts, invited to bat, racked up a very respectable 182 all out. The visitors started their innings diffidently reaching 64 for 2 by the halfway mark. An excellent spell of seven wickets for twelve runs from Anna Stevens in the next ten overs, saw the visitors subside to 103 all out!
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Tuesday 25th July 2023
Cricket at Oundle School
Yorkshire U-14 126 all out (32.3 overs)
lost to
Northants U-14 (won toss) 127 for 9 (29.5 overs) by 1 wicket
Umpires: Steve Dickinson & Eddie McGeown
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Wednesday 26th July 2023
Cricket at Oundle School
Yorkshire U-16 347 for 5 (50 overs)
defeated
Northants U-16 101 all out (26.4 overs) by 246 runs
Umpires: Chris Dunn & Eddie McGeown
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Friday 28th July 2023
Cricket at Oundle School
Staffordshire U10s 111 all out (37.1 overs)
lost to
Northants U10s (won toss) 114 for 5 (24.1 overs)
by 5 wickets
Umpires: Colin Samuels & Eddie McGeown
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