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April 2017

Posted in Uncategorized | May 1st, 2017

From:- “The Goals of Bingo Boot” by Allan Ahlberg

.

His goals in life were modest though

He had no wish to be

Sir Bingo Boot of Camden Town

Or Bingo O.B.E.

He loved his wife and family

His Kiddies, Joyce and Jim

He never went to see the King

The King came to see him.

.

His twilight years were mostly spent

With a ball in the local park

Kicking about with the local team

Having a laugh and a lark.

Yet still they couldn’t stop him

His old swerve worked a treat

Till he died at last with his boots on

Those most amazing feet

.

Eyes down for Bingo (in his grave)

The final whistle blown

The fans rolled up from miles around

“You’ll never walk alone!”

While Bingo’s spirit shimmied

With all its usual grace

And then was … relegated

To a most appalling place.

.

Saturday 1st April 2017
Ryman Isthmian League Division 1 South

Tooting & Mitcham United 2

Michael Dixon 59,

Jack Mazzone 78,

South Park 0
Referee:- Michael Smith Attendance:- 623
Admission:- F.O.C. Programme:- £2.00
There was a hint of April Showers in the air, but the weather generally behaved itself! The KNK Stadium is quite spectacular (see the pictures), and outside the stadium are a further two 3G pitches, both in use today! The club owns the ground and, no doubt some of the funding came from the sale of their old Sandy Lane arena. It was packed today with fans taking advantage of the free admission (average attendance this season is around the 200 mark). Craig had come down from Bedford and together we enjoyed the match, despite the dour first period. The second half was much livelier, and it was the hosts who took the spoils after stern resistance from South Park. Wonderful reception from the club. Invited into the boardroom, provided with team sheets, we couldn’t have been better treated!

Tuesday 4th April 2017
Kershaws Cambridgeshire County League
Foster Cup Quarter-final

Harston Bostocks 1

Stephen Barrett 71,

Sawston Rovers 2

Lee Gentle 77,

Shaun Skinner 82,
Referee:- Christopher Severino Attendance:- 18
Admission:- F.O.C. Programme:- NONE
The hosts are champions of Division 5 of The Kershaw Cambs County League. The visitors are in Division 1. Before the game we speculated on how many Sawston might score. In reality, Harston were very unlucky to lose. To be fair, Rovers played badly and Bostocks played out of their skins. They even took the lead with less than twenty minutes to go and were good value! A couple of free kicks in the last fifteen minutes saw Rovers recover to win the match, but both were outside the area and whilst the goalkeeper was at fault for the first, the entire defence conspired to concede the second!

A frequent train rolls past in the background!

Wednesday 5th April 2017
Spartan South Midlands League Premier Division

Welwyn Garden City 0

Sun Sports 1

Karl Penny 45+1
Referee:- Martyn Cannon Attendance:- 41
Admission:- £6.00 Programme:- None
Well, there was no programme, but the outside cover was available free of charge and with the current league table and both teams listed. They just hadn’t printed the inside pages! Herns Lane was looking just a little bit like a building site, maybe there are plans afoot to improve the stadium. In the first half, the visitors dominated and a goal duly arrived, but not until the very stroke of half-time. In the second half, the hosts huffed and puffed to no avail and Sun Sports from Watford deservedly took the victory and the points.

A small covered standing area on the far side with the floor covered in metal piping.

Friday 7th April 2017
Chromasport & Trophies United Counties League

Premier Division

Peterborough Northern Star 1

Jezz Goldson-Williams 79,

Wisbech Town 4

Sam Murphy 15,

Luke Wilson 25,

Liam Adams 50,

Alex Beck 90+2
Referee:- Alex James Attendance:- 135
Admission:- £6.00 Programme:- £1.50
Peterborough Northern Star started their existence at Eye, outside the City of Peterborough. Then, they were known as Northam Star after two brick yards in the area. When they left Eye and moved to the city, the name became bastardised into ‘Northern Star’ and so it has remained to this day! Tonight, they were humbled by a resolute and determined Fenmen side who popped in two goals in each half and for whom the star was wingman Liam Adams. The hosts scored a consolation ten minutes from time!

Saturday 8th April 2017
Sky Bet EFL League One

Chesterfield 1

Joe Rowley 54,

Port Vale 0
Referee:- Richard Clark Attendance:- 5,527
Admission:- Hospitality Programme:- Included
It was good to meet up with my two elder sons and my eldest grandson for the trip to Chesterfield. The weather was gorgeous and the Proact Stadium looked at its best, bathed in golden sunshine. The hospitality was excellent but perhaps the match lacked a little in glamour. No goals in a fairly turgid opening half, but the second period was much more lively and after a spirited spell by the visitors, the hosts broke away and scored the only goal of the encounter, seventeen years old Joe Rowley being the lucky striker. Both these teams are in serious danger of relegation to League Two and this match helped neither as other results meant that the hosts have to win their remaining four games and the visitors were dragged into the basement pack!

Grandson Freddie

Son, James and his nephew, Freddie

Freddie

Birthday boy, son Mike

The old man with eldest son Jim and grandson Freddie

Monday 10th April 2017
Barclays Premier League 2 Division 1.

Leicester City U-23 0

Manchester United U-23 0
Referee:- Simon Barrow Attendance:- 3,425
Admission:- OMGDS £1.00 (£3) Programme:- None
This is not the first time that Leicester City have drawn 0-0 in one of these matches. They managed the same result at St Georges Park against Derby County when I saw them last month. It wasn’t that bad a match. Leicester were well organised and United had no cutting edge and despite the increasingly frustrated Nicky Butt on the touchline, it was Leicester who seemed the more likely as the match wore on! However, the draw was probably a fair result!

Nicky Butt, manager of Manchester United U-23s

Tuesday 11th April 2017
Kershaws Cambridgeshire County League Premier Division

Foxton 3

Eliot Keating 2, 20,

Mark Hobbs 39,

Fulbourne Institute 4

Ashley Skipp 8, 59,

Matt Edwards 29, 33,
Referee:- Christopher Darling Attendance:- 73
Admission:- F.O.C. Programme:- NONE
Foxton is a village, maybe some ten miles from Cambridge, well endowed with sporting facilities. The pavilion is extensive and besides the children’s leafy play area, there ia a cricket pitch, football pitch and bowling green. Sadly, the football team are languishing in the nether regions of the division, whilst opponents, Institute are well placed in the top half of the table. Six goals were shared in the first half as the hosts twice took the lead and then equalised. In the second half, both sides could have scored, but it was the visitors who claimed the decisive strike and took the victory and the points.

The Northern Counties East League

and

The North West Counties League

“Hop”

13 – 17th April 2017

Thursday 13th April 2017

Toolstation Northern Counties East League Division 1

Campion 4

Jason Davis 49,

Daniel Cunningham 70,

Ben Kendall 75,

Eli Hey 86,

Dronfield Town 1

Danny Wood 47,

Referee:- Benjamin Tomlinson Attendance:- 268

Admission:- £5.00 Programme£2.00

This was one of the earliest homes of Bradford Park Avenue when they lost their own ground, but as they moved up the leagues, it became unsuitable!

Friday 14th April 2017 k.0.:- 11.00am

Northern Counties East League Premier Division

Garforth Town 0

Staveley Miners Welfare 0

Referee:- Peter Walker Attendance:- 324

Admission:- £5.00 Programme:- £1.50

My Latin is a bit rusty, but I think the translation (roughly) suggests:- “If I can, I will”

The covering on the stand is about as much use as a chocolate teapot in inclement weather!!!

At a football ground?

Friday 14th April 2017 k.o.:- 2.30pm

Toolstation Northern Counties East League

Premier Division

Harrogate Railway Athletic 0

Pickering Town 5

Lewis Taylor 20 (pen),

Nick Thompson 32,

Eddie Birch 44,

George Bissett 52,

Ryan Blott 62,

Referee:- Craig Buxton Attendance:- 353

Admission:- £5.00 Programme:- £2.00

Again, the translation is a little rough –

“Hard work never killed anyone”.

Les Bull enjoying a coffee in the stand behind the goal

Cliff and Margaret. Smile Margaret!!!!

Friday 14th April 2017 k.o.:- 5.30pm

Toolstation Northern Counties East League Division 1

Knaresborough Town 1

Colin Heath 38,

Pontefract Collieries 5

Glyn Cotton 51, 70,

Luke Jeffs 56,

Jack Greenough 67,

Kane Reece 69,

Referee:- Gareth Thomas Attendance:- 405

Admission:- £5.00 Programme:- £1.50

Saturday 15th April 2017 k.o.:- 11.00am

Toolstation Northern Counties East League Division 1

Rossington Main 0

Hall Road Rangers 1

Chris Spinks 37,

Referee:- Peter Henger Attendance:- 323

Admission:- £5.00 Programme:- £1.50

Saturday 15th April 2017 k.o.:- 2.00pm

Toolstation Northern Counties East League

Premier Division

Armthorpe Welfare 1

Ruben Pearse 87,

Memsworth Miners Welfare 6

Nash Connolly 4,

Billy Law 31,

Richard Collier 33, 63, 79, 90,

Referee:- Tom Bishop Attendance:- 231

Admission:- £5.00 Programme:- £1.50

John Main at the entrance to the ground.

Saturday 15th April 2017 k.o.:- 6.00pm

Toolstation Northern Counties East League Division 1

Selby Town 1

Jason Crisp 33,

Penistone Church 1

Scott Whittington 70,

Referee:- Ricky Taylor Attendance:- 386

Admission:- £5.00 Programme:- £1.50

Hallmark Security North West Counties League

Sunday 16th April 2017 k.o.:- 11.30am

Hallmark Security North West Counties League

Premier Division

Ashton Athletic 2

Daniel Smith 10,

Lee Vaughan 63,

Squires Gate 1

Joseph Noblet 2,

Referee:- Richard Holmes Attendance:- 298

Admission:- £5.00 Programme:- £1.50

French, this time! I think it translates as:-

“In God is my hope”.

Sunday 16th April 2017 k.o.:- 2.30pm

Hallmark Security North West Counties League Division 1

Ashton Town 0

Stockport Town 2

Jamie Hinchcliffe 31, 58,

Referee:- James Sheppard Attendance:- 315

Admission:- £5.00 Programme:- £1.50

Sunday 16th April 2017 k.o.:- 6.00pm

Hallmark Security North West Counties League

Premier Division

Runcorn Town 4

Craig Cairns 16 (pen), 55,

Mark Reed 48, 77,

Barnton 1

Jason McShane 73,

Referee:- Wade Smith Attendance:- 335

Admission:- £5.00 Programme:- £1.50

The ground was dominated by the Chemical works which loomed behind it!

Monday 17th April 2017

Hallmark Security North West Counties League

Premier Division K.O.:- 11.00am

Atherton Collieries 5

Darrhyl Mason 4,

Jordan Cover 21 (pen), 67, 71 (pen),

Vincent Bailey 49

AFC Darwen 1

Nicholas Hepple 80,

Referee:- E. Swallow Attendance:- 478

Admission:- £5.00 Programme:- £1.50

A free Easter Egg for all spectators!!!

Monday 17th April 2017 K.O.:- 2.45pm

Hallmark Security North West Counties League

Premier Division

West Didsbury & Chorlton 3

Nia Bayunu 70,

Saul Henderson 90+1,

Carlos Mendes Gomes 90+4,

Congleton Town 1

Callum Gardner 84,

Referee:- C. Porter Attendance:- 295

Admission:- £5.00 Programme:- £1.50

Monday 17th April 2017

Hallmark Security North West Counties League K.O.:- 5.45pm

Premier League

Maine Road 2

Matthew Morgan 17, 50,

Abbey Hey 2

Matthew Cook 62,

Ashford Blake 79,

Referee:- Robert Wainwright Attendance:- 259

Admission:- £5.00 Programme:- £1.50

Tuesday 18th April 2017
Kershaws Cambridgeshire County League Premier Division

Sawston United 2

Will Rolph 7,

Jamie Campbell 29,

Eaton Socon 3

Mayson Byatt 4,

Lee Bassett 17,

Shane Fox 72,
Referee:- Joseph Karram Attendance:- 32
Admission:- F.O.C. Programme:- NONE
Sawston United share some very impressive facilities with the cricket club on the site of Sawston Community College which also houses the rugby club, bowls club, library, and swimming pool. In the football club house there is tea/coffee and small snacks and there is also a bar next door. However, things have not gone so well on the field of play. The manager left before Christmas, the team sank to the bottom of the division and only a herculean task by the players has salvaged a pretty awful season. At least relegation now seems unlikely. The visitors had problems of their own. Ambitious for step six football, they suddenly discovered that their pitch dimensions did not meet the requirements and negotiations are in hand with the local council to extend their pitch. On the field, they are handily placed in fourth, but this match was won with a single second half strike after the teams went into the interval at 2-2. Perhaps a draw might have been a fairer result!

Thursday 20th April 2017
Kershaws Cambridgeshire League Premier Division

Hemingfords United 3

Jack Jefferson 42, 49,

Matt Wright 52,

Fowlmere 3

David McMurrough 47,

Roger Skeggs 56,

Scott Piggott 61,
Referee:- Christopher Darling Attendance:- 52
Admission:- F.O.C. Programme:- NONE
There is Hemingford Grey and (posh) Hemingford Abbotts and the football team encompasses them both, being known as Hemingfords United in the plural! They have an extensive club house and facilities which includes cricket, tennis, bowls, table tennis and squash. There was tea and (free) chocolate digestives for the spectators and it was good to see a smattering of hoppers including Andy English, Dave Garrow and Tony Incenzo. The match exploded in the 36th minute with the sending off of a visiting player for violent conduct. Immediately afterwards, the hosts took the lead but that signalled only the beginning of a goal rush which saw six goals shared in a ten minute spell either side of the interval. These two sides are battling relegation, but it is the hosts who will be the better pleased with the draw!

Friday 21st April 2017
Everards Alliance League Bill Watts Cup FINAL

Finchys 3

Ricky Taylor 10,

James Ireland 55, 90,

Sparta Moshdock 2

Steve Morley 20, 28,
Referee:- Graham Swann Attendance:- 241
Admission:- £3.00 Programme:- Included
Holmes Park is the HQ of The Leicestershire & Rutland FA and also home to Leicester City U-23 sides. Both parties have ensured considerable development to the amenities. This was the fourth in a line of recent Friday evening Cup Finals. The Alliance Sunday League Cup Final pitched third placed Finchys against Premier Division Champions Sparta Moshdock (where do they get these names from?). It was a fast and furious, but a very open match and the five goal haul could easily have been surpassed. Moshdock deservedly led at the interval, courtesy of two strikes from captain Steve Morley. Thereafter, Finchys launched their own secret weapon in the shape of substitute James Ireland who scored two second half goals – the second on 90 minutes – to ensure that the under-dogs triumphed!

Tuesdsay 25th April 2017
Kershaws Cambridgeshire League Division 2B

Wimblington 4

Chris Fury 46, 53,

Alex Knowles 51,

Connor Morton 72,

Isleham United 0
Referee:- Martin Pettit Attendance:- 11
Admission:- F.O.C. Programme:- NONE
Delving a little lower down the Kershaws pyramid, brought Graeme and I to The Parkfield on Chapel Lane, home of Wimblington which is situated midway between Chatteris and March in the boringly flat fens! There was a well equipped clubhouse with a bar and food available as fourth placed Wimblington took on mid-table visitors, Isleham United. The hosts have no chance of promotion, but they thrashed their opponents in a four goal burst from the beginning of the second half after a fairly frustrating opening period.

Wednesday 26th April 2017
Hunts FA Senior Challenge Cup FINAL

St Neots Town 0

Eynesbury Rovers 1

Tom Coles 41,
Referee:- Hallam Cutmore Attendance:- 440
Admission:- OMGDS £5.00 (£8) Programme:- F.O.C.
Eynesbury Rovers play two divisions below St Neots Town and they had to play this final at their opponents Rowley Park ground.
The officials of The Hunts FA couldn’t have been more helpful. The match programme was free as was the team sheet. Rovers were magnificent! They defended stubbornly and scored the only goal of the encounter just short of the interval. After the break, St Neots’ play improved, but they were never a match for their well organised opponents who deservedly took the trophy!

Saturday 29th April 2017
Essex Senior League

Barking 2

Steve Willis 28, 82,

Stansted 5

Sam Ashford 37,

Jack Isherwood 38,

Jordan Holdsworth 85,

Jez David 88,

Tom Lakin 90+2

Referee:- Jamie Garwood Attendance:- 70
Admission:- OMGDS£3.00 (£5) Programme:- £1.50
There was a souvenir programme today to mark Barking winning The Essex Senior League Championship and with 100 points, too! Sadly, the ground has seen better days. Delapidation was everywhere evident and it took the gloss off the championship somewhat! Stansted must hold the evil eye on the hosts. Last season they won 5-0 here. Today, for a match with so many goals, it was a strangely lacklustre affair. However, three goals in the last five minutes that won it for the visitors! Meanwhile, the cricket brethren of Barking were crushing Ace CC, right next door!