Were you there?

Soccer Girl

She gets out there and hustles
She does her very best
It’s all about the teamwork
And winning is her quest

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Pretty as a picture
She could be most anything
But for now she’s chosen soccer
And working hard for her team

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Pony-tail is flying
The ball is flying too
She’s got those rules down good
And she knows just what to do

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So come on folks and watch the game
If you want to see the best
A girl who could be a beauty queen
But soccer is her quest!

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by Marilyn Lott

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OTHER MATCHES:-

Sunday 15th May 2022

Rutland Cricket League Division 2 (at Ketton)

Ketton (won toss) 197 for 8 (45 overs)

lost to:

Werrington 200 for 4 (28 overs)

Umpires: Mark Poucher and Eddie McGeown

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Tuesday 18th May 2022

Sherington AthleticMidland Regional Alliance Division 1

Burton United 4 Mickleover RBL Reserves 5       Attendance: 12

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Wednesday 19th May 2022

Leicestershire Midweek Floodlit Youth League Cup FINAL

Harborough Town u18 3 Aylestone Park u18 3  Attendance:- 204

Aylestone Park won 5-4 on penalties

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Monday 30th May 2022

U-13 Cricket at Uppingham School

Northants U-13 129 all out (28.3 overs)

defeated Beds & Hunts U-13  50 all out (19.4 overs) by 79 runs

Umpires: Simon Clark and Eddie McGeown

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Tuesday 31st May 2022

U-13 Girls Cricket at Thrapston

Cambridgeshire U-13 Girls 121 for 8 (20 overs)

defeated Northants U-13 Girls 88 for 5 (20 overs) by 33 runs

Umpires: Simon Clark & Eddie McGeown

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Tuesday 31st May 2022

U-13 Girls Cricket at Thrapston

Cambridgeshire U-13 Girls 66 for 8 (16 overs)

defeated Northants U-13 Girls 47 for 6 (16 overs) by 19 runs

Umpires: Simon Clark and Eddie McGeown

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 My Old Football

You can keep your antique silver and your statuettes of bronze,
Your curios and tapestries so fine,
But of all your treasures rare there is nothing to compare
With this patched up, worn-out football pal o’ mine.
Just a patched-up worn-out football, yet how it clings!
I live again my happier days in thoughts that football brings.
It’s got a mouth, it’s got a tongue,
And oft when we’re alone I fancy that it speaks
To me of golden youth that’s flown.
It calls to mind our meeting,
’Twas a present from the Dad.
I kicked it yet I worshipped it,
How strange a priest it had!
And yet it jumped with pleasure
When I punched it might and main:
And when it had the dumps
It got blown up and punched again.
It’s lived its life;
It’s played the game;
It’s had its rise and fall,
There’s history in the wrinkles of
That worn-out football …

by J. Milton Hayes (1884 – 1940)

 

The Frog

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Be kind and tender to the frog

And do not call him names

As ‘Slimy Skin’, or ‘Polly Wig’,

Or likewise ‘Ugly James’

Or ‘Gap-a-grin’ or ‘Toad-gone-wrong’,

Or ‘Billy Bandy-knees’:

The Frog is justly sensitive

To epithets like these.

No animal will more repay

A treatment kind and fair;

At least so lonely people say

Who keep a frog (and by the way,

They are extremely rare).

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by Hilaire Belloc (1870 – 1953)

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Other Matches:

 

Monday 14th March 2022

Midland Midweek Floodlit Youth League: League Cup Semi-Final

Rugby Town u18 0 Leamington u18 0

No extra time, Rugby Town won 5-4 on penalties         Attendance:- 183

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Thursday 24th March 2022

Northants Senior Youth League – League Cup Semi-final

Rothwell Corinthians u-18 2 Bugbrooke St Michaels u-18 3  attendance:- 84

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Sunday 27th March 2022

FA Women’s Super League

Leicester City Women 0 Chelsea Women 9             attendance:- 2,278

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Monday 28th March 2022

Northants Senior Youth League Jaymann Shield Group Stage

Corby Town u18 3 Wellingborough Town u18 3     attendance:- 71

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Twice a week the winter thorough
Here stood I to keep the goal:
Football then was fighting sorrow
For the young man’s soul.

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Now in Maytime to the wicket
Out I march with bat and pad:
See the son of grief at cricket
Trying to be glad.

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Try I will; no harm in trying:
Wonder ’tis how little mirth
Keeps the bones of man from lying
On the bed of earth.

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by A.E. Houseman 1859 – 1936 (From “The Shropshire Lad”)

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Other Matches:

The Road Not Taken

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,

And, sorry I could not travel both

and be one traveler, long I stood

And looked down one as far as I could

To where it bent in the undergrowth;

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Then took the other, just as fair,

And having perhaps the better claim,

Because it was grassy and wanted wear;

Though as for that, the passing there

Had worn them really about the same,

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And both that morning equally lay

In leaves no step had trodden black.

Oh, I kept the first for another day!

Yet knowing how way leads on to way,

I doubted if I should ever come back.

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I shall be telling this with a sigh

Somewhere ages and ages hence:

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I – 

I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference.

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by Robert Frost (1874 – 1963)

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Other Matches:

Thursday 13th January 2022

Leicestershire Senior Midweek Floodlit Youth League

Aylestone Park 13  GNG Oadby Town 1                  attendance:- 47

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Friday 14th January 2022

FA Youth Cup 4th Round

Leicester City U18 1  Crewe Alexandra U18 0        attendance:- 448

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Monday 17th January 2022

FA U23 Premier League 2 Division 1

Leicester City 2 Brighton & Hove Albion 1         attendance:- 230

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Monday 24th January 2022

Midland Midweek Floodlit Youth League Premier South Division

Rugby Borough u18 4 Rugby Town u18 4         attendance:- 114

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Monday 31st January 2022

Midland Midweek Floodlit Youth League Premier Division South

Rugby Town u18 1 Stratford Town u18 3           attendance:- 63

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Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening

Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.

My little horse must think it queer
To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year.

He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there is some mistake.
The only other sound’s the sweep
Of easy wind and downy flake.

The woods are lovely, dark and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.

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by Robert Frost (1874 – 1963)

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November

No sun – no moon!
No morn – no noon –
No dawn – no dusk – no proper time of day.
No warmth, no cheerfulness, no healthful ease,
No comfortable feel in any member –
No shade, no shine, no butterflies, no bees,
No fruits, no flowers, no leaves, no birds! –
November!

by Thomas Hood (1799 – 1845)

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To Autumn

Season of Mists and mellow fruitfulness,

Close bosom friend of the maturing sun;

Conspiring with him how to load and bless

With fruit that round the thatched-eves run;

To bend with apples the moss’d cottage trees,

And fill all fruit with ripeness to the core;

To swell the gourd and plump the hazel shells

With a sweet kernel; to set budding more,

And still more, later flowers for the bees,

Until they think warm days will never cease,

For Summer has o’er-brimm’d their clammy cells.

by John Keats (1795 – 1821)

 

Relativity

There was a young lady named Bright,

Who travelled much faster than light,

She Started one day

In the relative way,

And returned the previous night.

by Arthur Barker

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Wednesday 1st September 2021

Uhlsport United Counties League Premier Division South

Northampton ON Cheneks 0

Bugbrooke St Michael’s 2

Daniel Porter 11, 42,

Referee:- Harry Price                                Attendance:- 141.

Admission:- OMGDS£4.00 (£7)                          Programme:- £1.00.                        Hot Chocolate:- £1.00

The Old Northamptonians ground on The Billing Road hosts mainly rugby and cricket, but a small corner is devoted to the football team and, despite the team dugouts, which severely restrict viewing, it is a quaint backwater of football in Northampton. Sadly, their resources are depleted. This was their third successive defeat in the league and, in reality, they were abject in the face of the visitors determination. Two first half goals and the second half was a non-event!

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Thursday 2nd September 2021

4th Test Match at The Oval Day 1

India 191 all out (61.1 overs)

Virat Kholi 50, Shardur Thakur 57, Chris Woakes 15-6-55-4

Ollie Robinson 17.3-9-38-3

England 53 for 3 (17 overs)

Dawid Mala 26* Joe Root 21Jasprit Bumrah 6-2-15-2

Good toss for Joe Root to win and with a dull, cloudy start, England made the most of it! India were 54 for 3 at lunch and 122 for 6 at tea, but then, an amazing 69 runs from the final ten overs of the innings including 57 from Thakur, who smote the fastest ever half century in test history at The Oval (50 off 31 balls) and included seven fours and three sixes in his knock of 57. England batted woefully, losing both openers with just six runs on the board. Then, right near the end, they lost talisman, Joe Root! Tomorrow should be a very interesting day!With son, Jim and grandsons, Sonny and Kingsley. Great day out!!!

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Saturday 4th September 2021

Southern Combination Football League Premier Division

Pagham 1

Jack Langford 85,

Saltdean United 0

Referee:- James Kerten. Official                                                Attendance:- 187

Admission: OMGDS £3.00 (£6).                                               Programme:- £1.00

A match preceded by an excellent meal at “The Lion”, just down the road from Pagham’s neat and well kept ground, situated immediately adjacent to the cricket club. “The Lions” for so they are nomenclatured, are presently leading the league, but the visitors arrived with four games in hand, and with a 100% league record thus far. It was a dour struggle with defences coping better than the attacking forces. A single goal, some five minutes from time settled the contest in favour of the home side, when a draw might have been a fairer result. With Phil Evans.

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Sunday 5th September 2021

English Schools Cricket AssociationU-15 National Schools T20 Finals

at Arundel Castle

1st Semifinal – Shrewsbury School defeated Manchester Grammar

2nd Semifinal – Whitgift School defeated Bradfield College

FINAL Shrewsbury 130 for 9 (20 overs) lost to Whitgift School 136 for 6 (19.2 overs) by four wickets.

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Tuesday 7th September 2021

Lords Cricket Ground

ESCA 253 all out in 44.3 overs

lost to

MCC (won toss) 256 for 8 in 47.2 overs

The white seats of Lords were as quiet as a shroud in the brilliant sunshine, but the small gathering were treated to a run fest as over five hundred runs were scored with MCC justly taking the spoils in their annual fixture against ESCA (English Schools Cricket Association). ESCA, batting first, lost five wickets for twenty five runs at the end of their innings, with some sloppy batting. MCC were more circumspect and batted assiduously reaching their target with nearly three overs still remaining!

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Thursday 9th September 2021

Emergency Services League

Warwickshire Police 3

Dan Stanton 66, 83, Craig Marshall 70,

WMAS Coventry 1

Craig Cunliffe 74,

Referee:- Madhan Jassal.                                                         Attendance:- 23

Admission :- F.O.C.                                                                 Programme:- NONE

Warwickshire Constabulary HQ hosted this match between the police and West Midlands Ambulance Service. Heavy showers before, but the rain mostly held off during the match, however it was pretty dark by the end of the contest. There were no goals until well after the hour mark, but then, four goals in the final twenty minutes or so. The victory deservedly went to the hosts in an entertaining encounter. With John Main, Lee West, Martin Hayden and Dave Wooding amongst others!

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Friday 10th September 2021

Uhlsport United Counties League Premier Division North

Loughborough Students 2

Olusanya Fadahansi 34, 52,

Sleaford Town 0

Referee:- William Murray.                                                   Attendance:- 173

Admission:- OMGDS £2.50 (£5).                                       Programme:- £2.00

Loughborough University Stadium is a ground far above the norm for UCL football and wonderfully comfortable for watching the game. Tonight, perennial strugglers, Sleaford Town, put up a pretty good fight, and their goalkeeper made several excellent saves including a penalty, but the students were just too good for them, and really ought to have made more of the chances they created. A goal either side of half-time was scant reward for the opportunities they carved out! With John Main, Lee West, Joanna Baroudi and Chris Berezai, amongst others!

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Saturday 11th September 2021

Pitching-in Southern League Premier Division South

Wimborne Town 1

Ben Scored 21,

Chesham United 2

Jaden Thompson-Brissett 54, Kyle Davidson-Gordon 75,

Lewis Rolfe sent off 49,

Referee:- James Welsh.                                                     Attendance:- 384

Admission:- OMGDS £8.00 (£12).                                Programme:- £2.50

The New Cuthbury has been well designed with plenty of car parking (at £1.00) and a grass pitch with a floodlit 3G pitch adjacent. There is cover on three sides and seating for around 200. A bit miffed to discover concessions advertised at £7 when I had paid £8 on line for my ticket. Both these sides are struggling this season in the bottom five of the division, but it was Wimborne who looked to be in most danger. They took a first half lead against the run of play, then, Chesham had a player dismissed for violent conduct and yet they went on to score two goals and dominate the match! Six bookings and a sending-off, but it was by no means a dirty match.

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Sunday 12th September 2021

Rutland & District League Division 1

Burghley Park (won toss) 186 for 8 (45 overs)

lost to

Barnack 187 for 3 (37 overs)

by seven wickets

This quintessentially quaint English cricket ground is situated in the grounds of Burghley Park, home of the horse trials, in Stamford. William Cecil’s magnificent mansion is visible from the pavilion. This year marks 250 years of cricket at the ground. This match had a very end of season feel about it. Neither team was in danger of relegation, but neither were they challenging at the top! Burghley Park started slowly and after 30 overs were 89 for 3. The last fifteen overs produced nearly 100 runs. Barnack, in response started at a gallop and at 30 overs had reached 158 for 2. Inexplicably, it took them a further seven overs to knock off the final 29 runs!

Monday 13th September 2021

U23 Premier League 2 Division 1

Leicester City U23 1

Wanya Marcal-Madivadua 77,

Lewis Brunt sent off 4,

Crystal Palace U23 6

David Omilabu 10, 38, Rob Street 12,49, Jesurun Rak-Sakyi 42, 57,

Referee:- Tom Bishop.                                           Attendance:- c350

Admission:- £3.00.                                               Programme:- None (free team sheet)

Leicester City’s new £100 million state of the art training facility at Seagrave, just off the A46, north of the city, hosted it’s first competitive match this evening, but the match was blighted by the 4th minute sending off of central defender, Lewis Brunt. Leicester never recovered and conceded four first half goals. They performed better in the second half, but still shipped a further two strikes, before, at last getting on the score sheet in the last ten minutes of the game.

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Tuesday 14th September 2021

Southern Counties East League Premier Division

Glebe 2

Jamie Philpot 3, Aaron Watson 18,

Tunbridge Wells 0

Referee:- Chris Clarke.                                  Attendance:- 96

Admission:- OMGDS £5.00 (£8).              Programme:- £2.00

Situated almost in the middle of nowhere, just inside Kent, Glebe have a very extensive club house offering a variety of sustenance and all but a short walk to the ground itself which has cover and seats down one side and some cover behind one goal. They presently sit atop the premier division of the league, but this evening’s performance was run-of-the-mill rather than the stuff of champions. With John Main.

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Wednesday 15th September 2021

Midland League Premier Division

Worcester City 4

Fortune Maphosa 37, Dan Westwood 49, 63, 78,

Stourport Swifts 1

Matthew Gardner 18,

Referee:- David Hinton.                                               Attendance:- 490

Admission:- OMGDS £6.00 (£8).                             Programme:- £2.00

Claines Lane is the home of The Worcestershire FA and Worcester City, back at last within the city boundaries. There are two football pitches, both floodlit a la Biggleswade in the olden days, except that the extra pitch is 3G. Excellent refreshment facilities with home made pies, pasties and cakes as well as the burger van and a bar. Seating for around 200 in two small stands, but otherwise narrow standing room on the other three sides. The Swift’s were gifted an opening goal early on, but the teams were level at the interval and a second half hat trick from Dan Westwood ensured that the visitors were well beaten.

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Thursday 16th September 2021

EUFA Europa League Group C

Leicester City 2

Ayoze Peres 9, Harvey Barnes 65,

Wilfrid Ndidi sent off 90+2

SSC Napoli 2

Victor Osimhen 69, 87,

Referee:- Tiago Martins (POR).                                            Attendance:- 29,579

Admission:- OMGDS £28.00 (£36).                                    Programme:- £3.00

In a pulsating encounter, an under strength home side had to pull out all the stops in the final twenty minutes after taking a two goal lead. Man of the match was Napoli’s flamboyant striker, Victor Osimhen, whose dominant performance and command in the air brought him two goals. Good match … for the neutral! With son, Mike and grandson, Freddie.

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Saturday 18th September 2021Witney & District League

11.00am Division 2

Cassington Rangers 0

Ducklington 0

Referee:- Ben James.                                       Attendance:- 133

Admission:- £3.00.                                     Programme:- £1.00

2.00pm Division 1

Freeland 4

Ethan Simlett 17, 52, Lewis White 25, Liam Harris 83,

Witney Royals 1

Ryan Harris 86,

Referee:- Steve Bryce.                                     Attendance:- 116

Admission:- £3.00.                                       Programme:- £1.00

5.00pm Premier Division

Hanborough 2

Jack Morton 41, 56,

Hailey 3

Freddie Buckingham 70, Nathan Kimber 73, Cameron Foster 83,

Referee:- Jason Hunt.                                    Attendance:- 166

Admission:- £3.00.                                        Programme:- £1.00

After the morning mists departed, the sun beat down from a cerulean firmament which sadly couldn’t produce a goal in the first match. The second game saw more entertainment, with top of the table Freeland smashing four goals before a solitary reply from the visitors. The final match produced an explosive finish as the visitors unjustly went two goals behind only to claim victory with three second half strikes in fifteen minutes towards the end of the contest!

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Tuesday 21st September 2021

3rd Women’s ODI – Leicester

England 178 all out (48.3 overs)

lost to

New Zealand (won toss) 181 for 7 (45.5 overs)

by three wickets.

It was good to meet up with former colleagues under the warm cerulean firmament of Grace Road – sorry … “The Uptonsteel County Ground” – in Leicester for the third Women’s ODI. England’s batting was disappointing. They lost wickets with clockwork regularity and their paltry total was never going to trouble the visitors … was it? England gave it a good go, but at the death, an excellent 70no by man of the match, Maddy Green, settled the contest in New Zealand’s favour, and ended their sixteen match losing streak. With John Lord and Ellen Wallace.

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Wednesday 22nd September 2021

Uhlsport United Counties League Division 1

Blackstones 1

Joe Cox 60,

Aylestone Park 8 (eight)

Tom Hill 16, Spencer Edwards 21,Shay Brennan 29, 34, 80,

Joe Latham 41, 54, Harry Sheffield 84,

Referee:- Paul McVey.                                                     Official attendance:- 64

Admission:- OMGDS £3.00 (£5).                                 Programme:- £2.00

Lincoln Road is magical on Autumnal evenings with the floodlights bathing the trees and a full moon overhead. Sadly, the home team are having a torrid start to the season and this was their seventh defeat in eight games. Confident Aylestone, on the other hand are flying high and by half time they had bagged five goals, but, crucially, had also had a man sent off which cramped their style, somewhat, after the interval. It will be a long hard season for the hosts after their successful battle to stay in The UCL.

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Thursday 23rd September 2021

FA Vase 2nd Qualifying Round

Quorn 2

Chib Chilaka 21,37,

Leicester Nirvana 1

Stuart Lamont 14,

Referee:- Andrew Cuthbert.                                          Attendance:- 134

Admission:- OMGDS £5.00 (£7).                               Programme:- £2.00

A mild Autumnal evening with the moon barely waning from full, two teams slugging it out like energised heavyweight boxers and all taking place on a 3G pitch. The visitors scored first, but the hosts responded with two quick strikes – all this in the first half. After the interval, although the visitors exerted increasingly intense pressure, including a missed penalty, the hosts stood firm to take the prize money and a place in the next round. With John Main, Lee West and Dave Wooding.

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Saturday 25th September 2021

Vanarama National League North

Darlington 1

Luke Charman 61

Jake Cooper sent off 31,

York City 2

Clayton Donaldson 23, 35(pen),

Referee:- Richard Aspinall.                                                   Attendance:- 2,176

Admission:- Hospitality £40.00.                                         Programme:- incl. (£2.50)

By train, and then on foot for 1.9 miles from the station. Fairly basic package: meal plus programme and team sheet (the sweet didn’t arrive until 2.55pm!). A large crowd deserved better. The referee sent off a home player after half an hour, unnecessarily, but the hosts were already trailing and conceded a second shortly after. They pulled a goal back after the interval, but they never seemed likely to salvage anything out of the game!

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Let No One Steal Your Dreams

Let no-one steal your dreams 

Let no-one tear apart 

The burning of ambition 

That fires the drive inside your heart 

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Let no-one steal your dreams 

Let no-one tell you that you can’t 

Let no-one hold you back 

Let no-one tell you that you won’t

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Set your sights and keep them fixed 

Set your sights on high 

Let no-one steal your dreams 

Your only limit is the sky 

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Let no-one steal your dreams 

Follow your heart 

Follow your soul 

For only when you follow them 

Will you feel truly whole 

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Set your sights and keep them fixed 

Set your sights on high 

Let no-one steal your dreams 

Your only limit is the sky

by Paul Cookson

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Monday 2nd August 2021

Past the parish church of St James on a warm and sunny morning, down church gap, across the fields and the railway line, alongside the meandering, weed encrusted River Welland, to Thorpe by Water, whilst a cow and her calf disinterestedly glance over at the passing strangers, and onwards to Lyddington, just brushing the edge of the village, before pressing on to Caldecott across more fields and over yet more stiles. The church of St John the Evangelist was actually open for once and, inside, the war memorial noted name, rank, regiment and date of demise. Captured Maureen and Alison on the barely discernible embankment of the former railway line from Rugby to Peterborough, on our way back past Fairchild’s Wood and alongside The River Welland again, with St James’ church just visible above the tree line, Gretton Weir was weed choked and then back to Gretton Green. With Alison and Maureen, 17 stiles and 7.86 miles.

Maureen Owens and (right) Alison Merricks

Gretton Village Green

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Thursday 4th August 2021

Today’s meander from Gumley in Leicestershire, started out from The Bell Inn, with a very Grettonesque village library just across the road. Following The Jurassic Way to Saddington, past The Parish Church of St Helen and along a fairly steeply undulating route, taking in Saddington Reservoir and a couple of thoroughbreds. In Saddington itself, the occupant of Loafabout Cottage seemed to be loafing about long after shuffling off his mortal coil! Onwards to Smeeton Westerby, crossing The Grand Union Canal and catching up on village history, then, down a track which eventually brought us back to The Grand Union canal and into Foxton Locks, where a fine draught of Thomas Lister was eagerly quaffed before the short excursion across the fields and back to Gumley. With Alison Merricks, nineteen stiles and 7.66 miles.

Saddington Reservoir, constructed to feed The Grand Union Canal

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Saturday 7th August 2021

Emirates FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round

Beckenham Town 0

Colliers Wood United 0

Referee:- Dane Johnston. Attendance:- 172

Admission:- OMGDS £5.00 (£8). Programme:- £2.00

The train took the strain from Kettering and the ground was less than five minutes walk from Eden Park Station. Very warm welcome, but sadly no draught ale in the bar! A neat and well maintained ground, with seats on both sides and plenty of additional cover, but the match itself was nothing to write home about. The only incident of note was a 70th minute penalty to the visitors which was smashed against the angle of post and crossbar.

Graham Ross, formerly of Desborough, was at the match. He moved to be closer to daughter and grand daughter in Beckenham.

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Sunday 8th August 2021

Rutland League Division 2 (at Uppingham)

Newborough (won toss) 164 all out in 40.1 overs

lost to

Uppingham 165 for 4 in 26.0 overs

A damp start and a few showers during the first innings, but the match was comfortably completed with a handsome victory by six wickets for third in the table, Uppingham against top of the table, Newborough.

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Monday August 9th 2021

Pre-Season Friendly

Stevington 0

Bedford A6 1

Adam Drackulic 31,

Referee:- Luke Damon. Attendance:- 14

Admission:- F.O.C. Programme: NONE

Stevington will be playing in the top division of The Bedfordshire County League this season, whilst newly formed Bedford A6 will be playing Sunday League football. However, I suspect there will be several players playing in both teams as the season progresses. Tonight, the visitors were demonstrably the better side in a very ordinary contest. With John Main.

After the match on the way home, there was a torrential downpour which necessitated stopping the car in a lay-by whilst the worst f it passed over head!

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Tuesday 10th August 2021

Kershaws Cambridgehire County League Premier Division

Cambridge University Press 1

Jack Chandler 57,

Cherry Hinton 0

Referee:- Vitalii Burnus. Attendance:- 89

Admission:- F.O.C. Programme:- NONE

The pitch was beautifully manicured, with a wood down one side and a conservation area and, on the other side, the sprawling buildings of the university press. There was a good crowd to witness this opening fixture of the Kershaws League and two strong sides cancelled each other out until an exquisite volley from the edge of the area, by Jack Chandler, settled matters, just before the hour mark.

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Wednesday 12th August 2021

Staffordshire County Senior League Premier Division

Redgate Clayton 1

Dave Ash 67,

Silverdale Athletic 0

Referee:- John Burgess. Attendance:- 85

Admission:- OMGDS £1.00 (£3). Programme:- NONE

A regulation county league ground with no cover, but a railed pitch that dropped quite steeply towards the far goal and the woodlands beyond. There was a bar and tea and coffee and a fairly average match won in the 67th minute with a strike from Clayton’s Dave Ash after we had despaired of ever seeing the ball hit the back of the net! With John Main.

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Saturday 14th August 2021

Ebac Northern League Division 2

Willington 0

Billingham Synthonia 1

David Onions 84,

Referee:- Tim Craig. Official attendance:- 74

Admission:- OMGDS £3.00 (£5). Programme:- £1.00

What a wonderfully atmospheric ground, straight out of the 1950s, redolent of cloth caps and warm beer and gently declining with age. These two teams once graced the higher echelons of the league, indeed, nearly fifty years ago, the hosts held the mighty Blackburn Rovers to a goalless draw on this ground in the FA Cup. Sadly, things went badly wrong for them in today’s closely fought tussle. With twenty minutes to go, they had a man dismissed for two bookable offences and then, they conceded the only goal six minutes from the end.

I had been scheduled to visit Darlington FC of The Vanarama National League North, but I had a telephone message whilst on board the train to Darlington, to say that the match had been postponed after a COVID-19 issue at the club. I stayed on the train until Durham and got a taxi from there to Willington.

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Monday 16th August 2021

Northern Premier League Division 1 Midland

Coleshill Town 2

Kai Tongue 56 (pen), Liam Molesworth 57,

Cambridge City 1

Michael Davis 73,

Referee:- Kurt Bartlett. Attendance:- 185

Admission:- OMGDS £7.00 (£9). Programme:- £1.50

On a cool evening and a 3G surface, these two teams produced a competitive encounter which looked unlikely to produce goals until the hosts struck twice in a minute around the hour mark. Cambridge City, whose new ground is scheduled to open in January, pulled a goal back with fifteen minutes to go, but an equaliser proved elusive. With John Main and Paul White.

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Tuesday 17th August 2021

Uhlsport United Counties League Division 1

Holwell Sports 2

Harry Allcock 11, 41,

Birstall United 4well Sports, Birstall United, Barnwell Country Park,

Paul Pallett 48 (pen), 87, 89, Dominic Watts 63,

Referee:- Gregg Hargrave. Attendance:- 76

Admission:- OMGDS £3.00 (£5). Programme:- £1.00

Neither of these teams have started the season well, but, at Holwell’s neat, quaint ground, just outside Melton Mowbray, the hosts must have felt pretty pleased with themselves at the interval with a two goal advantage and little in the way of opposition! What a change in the second period. Birstall were level by the hour mark, ran the home side ragged and popped in two more goals within a minute right at the death. A lesson for the hosts, don’t take your foot off the gas!

This was my only visit to Holwell Sports since my first visit there on 24th February 2009, when they beat Radford FC 3-0 in The East Midlands counties League (attendance: 85). I have been back twice, but each time the match was postponed!

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Wednesday 18th August 2021

Lunch at The Sondes Arms in Rockingham and a wander around Barnwell Country Park with Mike and Bec and Charlotte and Claire McGeown plus a full squad of mini McGeown’s #nextgen

From left: Kingsley, Lydia, Tess, Sonny and Freddie

Tess

Tess, Lydia and Sonny

Lydia and Tess

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Wednesday 18th August 2021

Pitching in Northern Premier League Division 1 Midland

Corby Town 2

James Tague 48, Steve Diggin 56,

Wisbech Town 0

Referee:- Luke Scott. Attendance:- 379

Admission:- OMGDS £6.00 (£10). Programme:- £2.00

A rare visit to Steel Park, where basement boys, Wisbech Town, fresh from a 0-4 home thrashing by top of the table, Coleshill Town, started brightly and their big defenders snuffed out most of the home attacking threats. Shortly after half time, however, the hosts scored and just before the hour mark, veteran, Steve Diggin, doubled the score and there was no way back for the visitors. With grandson, Freddie.

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Thursday 19th August 2021

Royal London Cup FINAL at Trent Bridge

Durham won the toss

Glamorgan 296 for 9 (50 overs)

defeated

Durham 238 all out (45.1 overs)

by 58 runs

An excellent day’s cricket, rather let down by the poor attendance (7,200) but the hospitality was superb and one or two of our party were a tiny bit the worse for wear at the end! Durham were the favourites, but Glamorgan batted doggedly through their overs and posted a challenging total. Then they bowled with determination and every time Durham looked like getting into their stride … they took a wicket. In the end, they deserved their victory, but poor planning by the ECB meant that the finalists were only known two days before the date of the cup final itself!

from the left:- Eddie McGeown, John Lord, Phil Evans (with Sonny, in front), Jim (with Kingsley in between him and Garry Miller, Freddie McGeown, Mike McGeown, Liam McGeown and Ian Widdowson.

A spontaneous and impromptu speech by Daz Bibby before the match in fond memory of Graeme Askham, whom we all knew and are so very sad that he is no longer with us!

John Lord and Eddie McGeown

from left:- Sonny, Kingsley and Freddie

Daz Bibby with a half hidden Gary Miller

Phil Evans, Gary Miller and Ian Widdowson

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Saturday 21st August 2021

Vanarama National League North

Gloucester City 4

Danny King 45, Fabien Robert 56, Kevin Dawson 76, Matt McLure 88,

York City 0

Referee:- Darren Rogers. Attendance:- 2,039

Admission:- OMGDS £11.00 (£13). Programme:- £2.50

Gloucester City’s interesting new stadium (and this was the opening league fixture with spectators), appears to have many of its structures derived from haulage containers with a wooden fence to surround it all. On the field, however, the team performed like a well oiled machine, slow to get going, but a goal right on the interval led to a second half onslaught which produced a further three strikes and York were a well beaten side come the final whistle! Plastic pitch! “Prorsum Semper”? I think it translates as ‘always going forward’.

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Monday 23rd August 2021

Out past the playing fields ‘silent as a peak in Darien’ at this early hour, past the new houses being erected next to the pocket park and out across the fields to Harringworth Lodge, silent and weed strewn. Onwards to the escarpment atop the valley and a view of the Welland Viaduct and Harringworth church, whilst alongside the path, a cow with crazy horns loitered. At Spanhoe airfield, a small plane glistened in the sunlight. Through the quarry and down to Turtle Bridge and from there along the Jurassic Way into Harringworth and the parish church of St John The Baptist. Through a great arch of the Welland Viaduct, past a group of resting sheep, across more fields and along the road to Thorpe by Water, catching a glimpse of a small pied-a-terre, then, under the old railway line, through a new set of gates, rendering TWO stiles redundant, more fields and over the railway line and back to the welcoming sight of St James’ tower. Six stiles and 12.18 miles.

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Monday 23rd August 2021

U23 Premier League 2 Division 2

Birmingham City U23 0

Newcastle United U23 4

Charlie Wiggett 13, Dylan Stephenson 39, 83, Niall Brookwell 80,

Referee:- Tom Bishop. Attendance:- 181

Admission:- £3.00. Programme:- Free team sheet

Newly promoted Birmingham City were no match for a rampant Magpie side, who slotted in two goals in each half and really could have added several more. The match was played at Nuneaton Borough’s Liberty Stadium.

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Tuesday 24th August 2021

Carabao EFL cup 2nd Round

Brentford 3

Yoane Wissa 60, Bryan Mbueno 75, Marcus Forss 86,

Forest Green Rovers 1

Jack Aitchison 9,

Referee:- Will Finnie. Attendance:- 12,137

Admission:- OMGDS £5.00 (£10). Programme:- £2.00

The Caracrap Cup provided a first opportunity to visit Brentford’s Community Stadium, wedged in between the railway and the M4 and an entertaining encounter, in which the minnows dominated the first half and took a 1-0 lead into the interval. The hosts brought on some of their big guns in the second half and eventually blew them away, but it was a plucky performance by the visitors, who had a defender dismissed for a two footed tackle, midway through the second period. With John Main and grandson, Freddie.

The M4 was closed leaving London and we were trapped in the queue being directed off the motorway. We negotiated our way round to the A40 and A406 (North Circular Road) and thence to the M1, but it was 1.20am before I decanted Freddie back in Kempton Close!!

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Wednesday 25th August 2021

Chromasport Northants Combination Division 3

Corby Pegasus Reserves 1

Keane Jordan 72 (pen),

Kettering FC 2

Jordan Capps 9, 41,

Referee:- Stephen Hoare. Attendance:- 27

Admission:- F.O.C. Programme:- NONE

After the impressive Community Stadium at Brentford last night, tonight’s encounter took place in the more prosaic surroundings of the brooding, burgeoning, tree lined West Glebe in Corby, where two first half strikes from Jordan Capps won the match for the visitors despite a late, second half, Keane Jordan penalty for the hosts. With John Main.

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Friday 27th August 2021

A Bicycle Ride

Starting out from Normanton, past the half submerged church and along the cycle track across the causeway – the easy part of the journey – stopping for a group photo by the sculpture at Sykes Lane and then pressing forwards to the Hambleton Finger, where at the tip, the road slides gracefully into the water. Nineteen miles completed, it was time for lunch at The Horse and Jockey in Manton, atop the railway tunnel and then, the last leg back to Normanton … exhausted! With son, Mike and grandson, Freddie and youngest son, Liam and his wife, Beth, twenty-three and a half miles!

The half-submerged Normanton Church

The road down the Hamilton peninsular ends – or continues – into the water!

Hamilton House Conference centre

St Edmund’s Church at Egleton

Michael in front and Freddie behind

The entrance to The Manton Tunnel

A fine pint of “Jockey”.

Beth and Liam

Mike and Freddie

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Friday 27th August 2021

Uhlsport United Counties League Premier Division South

Lutterworth Town 5

Daire Tendai 7, 11, 16, 28, 63,

Long Buckby 4

Adam Shaw 62, 68, Haydn Price 79, Tom Yorston 87,

Referee:- Mark Shapland. Official Attendance:- 125

Admission:- OMGDS £3.00 (£6). Programme:- NONE

This game appeared over in fifteen minutes as home skipper Daire Tendai rifled in three superb strikes. He added a fourth before the half hour mark and at half-time, the hosts looked unassailable. Long Buckby kept plugging away and pulled a couple of goals back, either side of another scorching strike from Tendai. Two further goals were bagged by the visitors, but it wasn’t enough to avoid defeat. A very entertaining encounter! With John main and Mark Wilkins.

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Saturday 28th August 2021

Isthmian League South Central Division

Bracknell Town 2

Timi Eweka 54, Shamar Moore 74,

Sutton Common Rovers 1

Kiyo Brown 22,

Referee:- Stephen Rea. Official attendance:- 267

Admission:- OMGDS £5.00 (£8) programme:- on line

Free team sheets available.

Bracknell have invested considerably (some day as much as £3 million) in Sandhurst Town’s ground, mainly from the proceeds of the sale of their own ground. The effect is interesting, but largely soulless, much as the fare on the field was, in this match. The visitors took a deserved first half lead, but two second half strikes from the hosts ensured that the victory and the points went their way!

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Monday 30th August 2021

Southern Counties East League Premier Division

Erith Town 1

Dan Palfrey 11,

Holmesdale 0

Referee:- David Rowland. Attendance:- 64

Admission:- OMGDS £5.00 (£8). Programme:- £2.00

The Erith Stadium is home to Bexley Athletics Club, as well as Erith Town FC and is largely a ground with viewing and plenty of seats, but only down one side (and a view across to The QE II bridge in the background) and with basic tea and coffee making amenities. For all that, the welcome was friendly and team news was freely available -as was cake from the directors at half-time. The match was a dour affair with an eleventh minute goal separating the sides when a draw might have been a fairer result.

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Monday 30th August 2021

FA Youth Cup Preliminary Round

Woodford Town U-18 5

Asher Barnes 6, 14, 35, Alex Boloman 50, Albert James 71,

Potters Bar Town U-18 0

Referee:- Gheorgh Mirara. Attendance:- 99

Admission:- OMGDS £3.00 (£7). Programme:- NONE

A very basic stadium with a running track around it and all the playing action taking place thirty or forty yards away, across the grass and running track. A low slung stand, seating maybe a hundred spectators and a bar made up the rudimentary facilities. Very helpful staff provided team and match information and the hosts gave no quarter to a visiting team apparently decimated by players away at The Reading Festival, with Asher Barnes ruthlessly striking a first half hat trick!

Tuesday 31st August 2021

Combined Counties League Premier Division North

Wokingham & Emmbrook 1

Jake White 65,

Ascot United 2

Harry Laflin 38, 58,

Referee:- Joseph Kasper. Official Attendance:- 230

Admission: OMGDS £4.00 (£7). Programme:- £1.00

Since the demise of Wokingham and the loss of their ground, Emmbrook CC have housed the re-incarnation on the edge of their cricket field. There was a thriving and well patronised bar with plentiful food and a large gathering had congregated for this local derby. The hosts have not enjoyed the best of starts to this season. They have a dismal league record of four defeats and, this evening, they were beaten, again, by a far superior Ascot side. The match boiled up in the second half with tempers raised and five bookings. It was feisty and tempestuous as local derbys can be, but the visitors prized away the victory and the points.