LETS HOP INTO BEDS

Bedfordshire County Football League Groundhop

 

MARSTON SHELTON ROVERS FC 3 SHEFFORD TOWN & CAMPTON FC 1

 

This was my First venture in to the Bedford County League, so the alarm clock was set for 5am, a look out the bedroom window saw the rain spitting down on the car on the driveway. All washed and dressed, me, hazel and shawn was on the road for 5.45am and heading out of Mansfield on the A38 hitting every damn red light on route to the M1. Joining the M1 at Junction 28,  only 99 miles to go to the first ground just off Junction 13 towards Bedford. As we headed south bound, the rain got heavier and I had thoughts of a flooded pitch somewhere along the day, but there was no need to worry, as we came off the M1 and the sun came out. Joining a new road, the sat nav went crackers as the new road wasn't on it, but we came off at Marston and then the sat nav sent us up to a cul de sac, we came out the cul de sac on to a long road and we stopped to ask a bloke who pointed us in the right direction...about 50 yards away!

On arrival, we drove in to the Car Park where we were the first of the hoppers to arrive. Shawn took to the lady setting up the Food Stall and was first in the queue once the Bacon Cobs were ready..later he even gained himself a freebee sausage!

 

We set up the Charity Stall inside the large room where the hosts were serving hot drinks and was soon joined by Terry's Badges and then followed by a stream of hoppers both old faces and a new. Sales were going brisk and sales for the Notts Senior League Advanced Tickets and Coach Tickets were selling well.

 

Outside I strolled for the game and the League Record was announced as 162 which the League Committee was buzzing about and organiser Craig Dabbs was very proud of, he was even counting without a clicker ass well! The game was of a good standard with the hosts winning 3-1.

 

PAVENHAM FC 7 CALDECOTE FC 1

 

So it was round the country roads to Pavenham FC, a lovely village setting which Shawn loved as there was a big Park at the side of the pitch for him to play on, The home side played very well in front of a crowd of 136 and went on to win 7-1 with their leading striker scoring all 7 for the homesters. Caldecote missed a penalty as well. The food here that I had was mini roll things with cheese and egg inside them with salad, it was different and quite nice.

 

AFC OAKLEY SPORTS M & DH FC 1 WILSTEAD FC 1

 

We doubled back on ourselves to the lovely village of Oakley and found this gem of a ground down a narrow road, in front of you and at the side of the car park lies a beautiful clubhouse, to which I had to sample a pint of cider before tucking in to a nice Burger with bacon on it and Shawn had a Bacon Cob. Again Shawn found a park, whilst Hazel had a kip in the car, this game was very tight but the crowd attendance record for the league rose to a new 172. This was also the only club to do a raffle on the day and had at least 30 prizes. The match finished level at 1-1 and Craig must have been delighted with the way things went at this hop, the forecast of rain only appeared in the second half of this match and everything ran like clockwork.

A BIG THANKYOU TO CRAIG For arranging this hop

 

I must thank all those who donated to the Charity Stall, we raised just under £48 towards the OAKLANDS CENTRE, which is for Adults with Special Needs.

 

If anyone is interested or wants more information about this seasons NOTTS SENIOR LEAGUE GROUNDHOP, please e-mail me on hornby60uk@yahoo.co.uk there is a coach running for the Saturday matches.

CLIPSTONE FC IN TO ROUND TWO

NOTTS SENIOR CUP: First Round

CLIPSTONE FC 4 KIMBERLEY MINERS WELFARE FC 1

 

Clipstone FC will feel mighty relieved that they are through to the Second Round of the Notts Senior Cup after defeating a battling Kimberley Miners Welfare side in the first round.

On arrival, I was greeted by Clipstone Chairman Brett Marshall and tonight Barry Clarke was doing the tea bar and not the gate, as Les Graham was away. A quick chat with a few of the Kimberley folks and then I was joined by former Ollerton Town man Brian for the first half of the tie.

 

Clipstone were first on the front foot, but the visitors defence held firm, but on 30 minutes, a lovely diagonal through ball split the home defence and keeper Fisher was caught out of position but the 2 visiting forwards ran in to each other and the chance was gone, but this was a warning to what was to happen as on 32 minutes the Notts Senior League team took the lead through LENCH from 30 yards.

 

This seemed to wake Clipstone up and they went straight on the attack and on 34 minutes were level when WATSON blasted home from 25 yards out.

 

Half time came and I was invited in to the Barry Clarke Hospitality Suite, this is the 1st time I'd been in and it is lovely and a honour to be named after Mr Clippo himself. Inside I met up with Tony Knowles who is now at Matlock Town FC and fellow blogger Malc and his good friend Kev. Malc, kev and me had a quick chat with Brett Marshall before joining Richard Lane, Derek Clownes, Scotty Ward and a Blidworth player on the halfway line in the stand.

 

A lovely lady came round selling the raffle and as always I bought my 2 quids worth and I won, but donated it back as it was a bottle of wine. Meanwhile the game was going to and fro and Kimberley were playing some good football and Fisher in the Clipstone net was keeping everything out.

 

On the hour, a break forward saw a Clipstone forward bought down in the area and the penalty given. Up stepped PALING who fired the Cobras in front for the first time in the match.

 

Welfare pushed forward in aid of a equaliser, but Clipstone bought on Haslam on to the right wing and on 79 minutes, he received the ball on the halfway line and just ran with the ball before putting in a inch perfect ball for SNOWDEN to slot past Walsh in the visitors net.

 

With the clock ticking down, a near identicial move by Haslam saw him belt down the wing and again a inch perfect ball saw WATSON fire his side in to the Second Round of the competition.

 

A good win for Clipstone FC of the Northern Counties East League but a good performance and great credit go to Kimberley Miners Welfare from the Notts Senior League.

 

CLIPSTONE WELFARE WEBSITE/TWITTER

http://www.pitchero.com/clubs/clipstonewelfare/

https://twitter.com/ClipstoneFC

 

KIMBERLEY MINERS WELFARE TWITTER

https://twitter.com/KimberleyMWFC

 

For information or to read about the upcoming NOTTS Senior League Groundhop, please read this LINK as Advanced tickets are now on sale. Thre is a coach running from Nottingham on the Saturday to all 4 Saturday matches.

 

ATHLETIC BOOT FORESTERS OUT THE CUP

Notts Intermediate Cup: First Round

BOOTS ATHLETIC FC 6 FC SUTTON FORESTERS 2

Boots Athletic FC of the Notts Senior League Senior Division have had the best starts to the season results wise, whilst todays visitors to the Lenton Lane Ground Foresters had won 2 out of the three games they had played in the top Division of the MAA League, so maybe a close game was on the cards here.

Before the match, I had a quick meeting with old friend Boots Chairman Dick Durrant about this seasons Notts Senior League Groundhop of which his club are a away side at Ruddington Village FC.

Teams entered the pitch and after the team photo and the hand shakes, it was down to the action and the visitors looked good for the first 10 minutes unsettling the hosts but not forcing a save from the home  keeper.

Boots began to settle down to their game plan and after just 12 minutes, GARY WILLOWS put them ahead. This then opened up the gateway, as Boots poured forward and could well have added to their total before they did on 22 minutes, when a cross from the right wing was pushed in to his own net by the visiting keeper. Straight from kick off and the Foresters heads a bit down, the hosts won the ball and it was played through to TIAN WALTON who fired home low from 25 yards out to increase the score to 3-0. Before half time it got better for Boots when ASHLEY McPHERSON fired home to make it 4-0.

A nice cuppa at half time was needed as the sun set and it began to feel a bit cooler, so on went my jacket for the Second Half. The Visitors began the brighter of the sides and was playing their best football of the match and when the home keeper brought down the visiting forward after 52 minutes, NICK BARSBY stepped up from the spot to fire back a bit of the arrears. Boots had made a couple of substitutes by now and this seemed to disrupt the rhytham they seemed to have in the first half and Foresters had a couple of half chances, but on 69 minutes JOHN WALTON fired home from 30 yards. Boots leading 5-1 began to relax and their visitors had other idea as within a minute, they made it 5-2 with a shot from just outside the area. With the game drawing to a close, home sub JOHN McCAULEY fired home the final goal of the game to make it 6-2 to send Boots through to Round Two.

BOOTS ATHLETIC FC WEBSITE

http://bootsathletic.intheteam.com/modules/page/page.aspx?pc=profiles

Photos from the game can be seen on this LINK

For information or to read about the upcoming NOTTS Senior League Groundhop, please read this LINK as Advanced tickets are now on sale. Thre is a coach running from Nottingham on the Saturday to all 4 Saturday matches.

LICHFIELD UNLUCKY NOT TO CLAIM ALL THE POINTS

St Mary's Hospice Midland Combination Lge

Premier Division

LICHFIELD CITY FC 1 BROCTON FC 1

Brocton FC went in to this match with a 100% record out of their six game league start but with be more than happy to return home with a point after a good home performance by Lichfield City. The homesters began the brighter and pushed forward for the early goal which didnt come to some good defending or the final ball just being the right option at the right time.

After 19 minutes, it was the Badgers who took the lead, when PAUL MCMAHON lifted the ball over the City keeper. City kept to their game plan in closing the vistors down quickly and not allowing them anytime on the ball to settle and became more confident and in the 42nd minute felt they had levelled things up, but the Brocton Keeper had other ideas with a superb triple save to keep this side in front at the interval.

With Lichfield playing down the Brownlow slope and towards the club house end this gave them a great lift and began to play some nice football down both wings, but man of the match Woodhouse in the Brocton net was as equal to anything the home side could throw at him.

On 74 minutes,  the home pressure finally paid off when DANNY WORRAL steered home a loose ball from inside the area. Lichfield pressed forward for a winner but it wasnt to be their day to take all the points.

LICHFIELD CITY FC WEBSITE/TWITTER
http://lichfieldcityfc.co.uk/
https://twitter.com/lichfieldcityfc

BROCTON FC WEBSITE/TWITTER
http://www.pitchero.com/clubs/broctonfc/
https://twitter.com/broctonfc

Photos from the match can be seen on this LINK

For information or to read about the upcoming NOTTS Senior League Groundhop, please read this LINK as Advanced tickets are now on sale. Thre is a coach running from Nottingham on the Saturday to all 4 Saturday matches.

THE LILLYWHITES FIGHT BACK TO WIN

SWPL PREMIER DIVISION

AFC ST AUSTELL FC 4 CAMELFORD FC 1

Att: 141

For some years now, Ive always wanted to visit Poltair Park, the home of AFC St Austell..tonight was the night that finally arrived and the place didn’t disappoint. On arrival, I spoke to 2 of the home players in the car park and then to the home secretary the polite Peter Beard. With around 45 minutes before kick off arrived SWPL Sec and groundhop master Phil Hiscox and 2 of his friends from Buckland Athletic FC. After a pint in the bar, in walks Martin from Ashford, Kent who was attending the match.

Off up in to the stand to watch the match and the Lillywhites(nickname for St Austell) were on the attack and in the first 15 minutes could well have been two goals to the good being denied twice by the left hand goalpost. But like most the case that happens, the Camels first attack on 28 miinutes saw ANDY BOXALL chip Jason Chapman to put the visitors ahead. Within a minute, the scores were level when home player-manager DAN NANCARROW’s low shot crept in.

It was the Lillywhites that continued to force the pace and press forward and it came as no surprise on 42 minutes when a long low shot from 25 yards by CHRISTIAN POPLE found the back of the net to give the homesters a half time lead.

At half time, my wife Hazel bought me and Martyn a hot drink and I then joined Phil at pitchside for a natter, the early stages of the Second Half saw Camelford’s best spell in the game as they pushed forward to get themselves back into the game, but the homesters defence stood tall.

After 75 minutes, CHRIS RESKI fired in number three for St Austell and 3 minutes later a long shot by CHRISTIAN POPLE was spilled by the keeper before rolling over the line to give the home side the three points.

In the clubhouse after the match, a St Austell committee man thanked my family for attending the game and gave us all a lovely pasty. A lovely club well worth visiting.

AFC ST AUSTELL WEBSITE/TWITTER

http://www.pitchero.com/clubs/afcstaustell

https://twitter.com/AFCSTAUSTELL

CAMELFORD FC WEBSITE

http://www.pitchero.com/clubs/camelfordfc/

A few pics from around the ground can be seen on this link

ATLANTIC SEE THROUGH THE TOWN MIST

DUCHY LEAGUE

Division One

LOOE TOWN FC 1 GODOLPHIN ATLANTIC FC 4

I had planned to go to Nanpean Rovers today but altered my plans and headed to the Barbican, the home of Looe Town FC. It had been very misty from the sea all morning and on arrival it was even worse. I was greeted by the Looe Chairman and the manager. At kick off time, the ref began looking down the pitch at kick off time, I thought he was going to order everyone back to the changing rooms, but he gave the game a chance to go ahead.

Looe began on the front foot and after 10 minutes, a shot from the left wing was heading goal bound before the Athletic keeper kept it abay at full stretch.(see pic above)

The visitors began to come move in to the game and it seemed we had 2 even teams here on display, but after 25 minutes, there was a little scuffle between a few players and this seemed to effect Looe as they lost concentration and from the resulting free kick a ball was played deep in to the area and Godolphin had taken the lead. 

Looe pressed forward but couldnt find away through the away defence or test the visiting keeper at this stage and just before half time, the visitors doubled their lead.

The homesters came out more brighter in the Second Half and the weather also became brighter with the sun breaking through. Again in the 63rd minute, the away keeper was called in to action with a shot turned round the post, but Looe did get a goal back after 72 minutes.

Maybe a fight back was on for Looe, but Godolphin didnt agree as they re-gained their 2 goal advantage on 75 minutes. A few subs were now made and the points looked in the bag for the visitors at this stage and they were when the visitors made it 4-1 on 90 minutes.

Looe Town FC are a lovely club run by friendly people and well worthy of a visit if you are in the area.

Photos from the match can be seen on this LINK

For information on the NOTTS Senior League Groundhop, please read this LINK as Advanced tickets are now on sale

ATHLETIC TAKE THE POINTS

SWPL LEAGUE

TORPOINT ATHLETIC FC 1 ELBURTON ALBION FC 0

Admission £4

Programme £1

Badge £2.50

Club Mug: Free

After the disappointment of not getting to a match on Saturday due the ref not being available for the Pelynt match, it was service at normal at The Mill, the home of Torpoint Athletic FC. As we pulled on to the Car Park, we parked next to groundhopper Lee Vaughan and his wife who had also come to attend this match.

In to the club house I ventured to meet Club Sec & Programme Editor Rob Morris and had a chat with him. He got mea programme to which he can be very proud of, it was 56 pages and excellent value at just £1. I then had a chat with Elburton Villa's Trev Higgins.

Towards kick off time, it was time to get a cuppa, when I bumped in to Torpoint's Chairman who invited me for hospitality at half time in the club house, a big thankyou for the cuppa.

The game kicked off and both sides seemed very much matched, but chances were kept to a minimum and both goalkeepers were hardly called in to action with neigher of them making a save in the First half.

After 30 minutes, a free kick was drilled in to the Elburton penalty area which was met by the head of DAVE SMITH wich flashed in to the net to give the homesters the lead.

The Second Half was played in the same vein and both teams tried to play the ball along the ground and not hoof it up the pitch and both should take credit from this. The visitors should have been on equal terms just past the hour when they split the home defence bit the Athletic keeper was equal to the forwards attempt with a excellent stop. 

Both teams tried to press forward and create chances but the score remained the same.

TORPOINT ATHLETIC WEBSITE/TWITTER

http://www.torpointathletic.co.uk/

https://twitter.com/torpointafc

ELBURTON ALBION FC WEBSITE/TWITTER

http://www.clubwebsite.co.uk/elburtonvillafootballclub/

https://twitter.com/ElburtonVilla

Photos from the match can be seen on this LINK

PELICAN EASE TO THE POINTS

CMFL SOUTH DIVISION

CALVERTON MINERS WELFARE FC 1 BILBOROUGH PELICAN FC 4

Admission £3

Programme £1

Attendance: 24 Headcount

I wasnt going out tonight as I was catching up with having been to the hospital yesterday for a meeting with my eplipsy consultant and then the Notts Senior League Groundhop meeting last night, but a text from Blidworth Committee man Scott Ward asking if I would like a lift to this match changed everything. So I escaped having to sit at home and watch the rubbish England Match on the box.

On arrival at the ground, I met Stan who I know from the old Arnold Town days who seems to go and watch Calverton & Gedling MW these days. Whilst on my mobile, in came Malc Storer & Kev Goodman, Then a chat with Ian Dudley and another mentor for the referee and then came along Jevon Swinscoe. Scott & Stan were joined by Mr Clippo Barry Clarke. If it wasnt for us locals, no one would have been there apart from the gateman.

The game kicked off and it was all Pelican on the attack and after just 9 minutes, JOE ASHURST put the visitors in front. Pelican then  should have been out of sight, as their own men cleared the ball off the Calverton line twice and poor finishing in front of goal with chances and also good saves by the home keeper kept them at bay when it could easily been 6 or 7. Calverton held on somehow until 33 minutes when COREY KNIGHT tapped in the second goal of the game. At half time, I was thinking how on earth are Calverton going to get back in to this game, as they must have been the poorest side I'd seen for some time.

After a cuppa at half time, Calverton looked a lot stronger and had Pelican on the back foot for some time, but after 52 minute, a ball was kicked out of play and the poor 18 year old Assistant Referee collared it straight on the head, knocking the poor lass back a little and sending her red in embaressment as the crowd laughed. At this stage, the lovely Emma Swift came across with the lines up for Malc and also a groundhopper from Leicester who was at the match..Thankyou Emma.

On 55 minutes, a trip in the visitors penalty area, saw JORDAN WHITEHEAD step up and reduce the arrears. The home side were back in it and playing some nice football and you had the feeling that all the chances that the visitors had missed in the first half may come back to bite them, but that wasnt the case when in the 80th minute, a free kick was given for a trip on the right hand side of the box and from the resulting free kick, it was headed home by TIM CULLINAN. The home keeper wasnt happy and made his voice heard to the referee. Two minutes later, he was even more unhappy when DAVE UDOH slotted Pelican in to a 4-1 lead, as the ball went up to the halfway line to kick the game off again, the keeper decided to come over to 3 spectators to the left of his goal and decided he wanted to swear and have a go at them for nothing, before heading back to his nets.

CALVERTON MINERS WELFARE WEBSITE

http://www.pitchero.com/clubs/calvertonminerswelfarefc/

BILBOROUGH PELICAN WEBSITE/TWITTER

http://www.pitchero.com/clubs/bilboroughpelican/

https://twitter.com/PELICANFC

Information for the Notts Senior League Groundhop can be read about HERE

MOORGREEN FC HIT THE TOP

Notts Senior League

Division Two

GREYFRIARS FC 0 MOORGREEN FC 3

On arrival at the Burton Road Ground, the home of Greyfriars FC, I was unsure which pitch the game was being played on, so had a chat with a few of the Moorgreen FC players , then arrived Visiting Joint Managers Kieran Edwards and Luke Slaney who then handed me a donation of £25.70 which had been collected by the players for my charity blog..so a BIG THANKYOU to ALL at Moorgreen FC for your support towards this years charity THE OAKLANDS FOR SPECIAL NEEDS ADULTS where the total moves on to a amazing £188.80.

I begin to watch a bit of a match on the nearest pitch where a team called Santos FC were playing, this club I know well from their time in the Central Midlands League and where Grimsby Striker Liam Hearn started his career.

Just before kick off and the game I'd come to watch, along came Leicester based Rob Campion who donated some programmes for the charity stall which Hazel runs. We had a chat as the game kicked off and it was Moorgreen who were on the front foot, with the home keeper soon called in to action making a couple of good saves, before the turn of the visiting keeper to smother a loose ball from a rare home attack.

On 17 minutes, the ball was played to the right hand side of the pitch where MATT CLOWES side-footed home the opening goal of the game. Rob Campion had moved downthe pitch and was talking to Matt's dad at the time of the goal. A stroll round the pitch and a few photos taken from the far side, but it was turning more in to a midfield battle with it ending fairly even, but not much attacking happening.

During the Half Time break, I strolled over to the Santos match where it was 7-4 to Santos at the time and had a chat with Santos Chairman Ken and his good lady before walking back to pitch side, but as I was walking back the Moorgreen FC had doubled their tally to 2-0 through ADAM WALSH on 47 minutes.

Some of the home players heads seemed to drop a little and the visitors got chance after chance, but came up against a very good keeper in the Greyfriars net to keep the Moorgreen players at bay.

Both sides made subs and it looked like the game was going to fizzle out but the visitors had other ideas and a ball out to the left wing and to CHANNON DAVIES saw him cut in and slice the ball home to make it a comfortable victory to take them to the top of the table and also 450 minutes without conceding a goal.

GREYFRIARS FC WEBSITE/TWITTER

http://www.pitchero.com/clubs/greyfriarscelticfc/

https://twitter.com/GreyfriarsFC

MOORGREEN TWITTER

https://twitter.com/MoorgreenFC2013

Photo's from this match can be seen on this LINK

NOTTS SENIOR LEAGUE GROUNDHOP 2014 UPDATE

The Advanced Tickets for the 2013-14 Notts Senior League Groundhop will go on sale from Tuesday 10th September 2014. I will be posting a lot more details then on my blog about how to obtain your ticket and also how to book yourself a seat on the coach for the Saturday Matches.

As in the past, there will be a match on the Friday Evening and four matches at four different venues on the Saturday at different kick off times.

Last season saw record crowds ranging from the Friday Night fixture at Magdala Amateurs FCwhere a crowd of 245 attended to the final Saturday night match at Kimberley Miners Welfare FC saw a crowd of 369.

If you would like me to send you a booking form or for more information, please e-mail me on hornby60uk@yahoo.co.uk