Steve B the Groundhopper

6.30pm 13 July 2024 Shetland Reserve League Delting 3 Scalloway B 2 (att 30) This is likely to be the second and final opportunity to tick off a new ground during our Shetland stay, with other scheduled fixtures all on grounds I've visited previously. The last time I was here Delting were a top division side, but now the Brae-based club are one of five first teams in the second tier Shetland Reserve League. They're the highest placed of the non-B teams. This win cemented their place in the top half ahead of the split, after which the top six and bottom six will complete their fixtures separately. A final score of 3-2 flattered Scalloway, who were second best throughout. Two first half goals, the second in stoppage time, ultimately proved decisive. Both the visitors' goals were helped by unfortunate goalkeeping, and came either side of a third Delting goal. Scalloway's crossbar was also hit twice in a game that wasn't helped by a strong and chilly wind. Delting's

6.30pm 12 July 2024 Shetland Premier League Lerwick Celtic 7 Lerwick Thistle 3 (att 45) With Celtic unbeaten and leading Shetland's seven-team top division, and local rivals Thistle at the foot of the table, a comfortable home win was always the most likely outcome. Two quick goals, the second a penalty, around 20 minutes into the game set Celtic on the road to victory. Thistle put up a decent effort, but it was a surprise that it took until after half time before they conceded again. It was another quick double to put Celtic 4-0 up. They added a fifth before rapidly conceding twice, including the game's second spot kick. Normal service was soon resumed with a sixth home goal. Lerwick Thistle had another consolation with a third goal, before a lively 90 minutes was rounded off with a seventh for Celtic with the game's final meaningful kick. There are three venues used by Lerwick's football clubs. The main two are Gilberston Park, which I visited in 2012 , and Seafield,

6 July 2024 Khalsa Football Federation Tournament at the Racecourse Hub, Derby It's been a few years since I last watched one of the Khalsa Football Federation's summer tournaments, which are for clubs from across the country with roots in Sikh communities. They're straight knockout contests, and this year competing teams are divided into 'premier' and 'division one' competitions. Successful sides face a hectic schedule, playing up to four games in two days. Derby's Racecourse Hub is a new venue, which may become home to tournament hosts Derby Singh Brothers this season. There are four 3G pitches, all of which were used for matches, as well as some distant grass pitches which also staged some of the Khalsa youth and veterans' contests.  8.55am Division One, Round of 16 Punjab United Derby O35 2 Queens Park Bedford 10 (att 19) Early starts are a feature of Khalsa tournaments, but Punjab United's over 35 players hadn't got the message that this

7pm 2 July 2024 Pre-season friendly at Aquinas College, Stockport Stockport Georgians 3 Prestwich Heys 1 (att 65) I began my 2024/25 season, just a couple of days after drawing a line under 2023/24, with a pre-season friendly at an unusual venue. The 3G pitch at Aquinas College in Stockport doesn't regularly host first team football, at least as far as I'm aware, so this was a good opportunity to see a match there. It's a standard ground of its type, enclosed by a high fence and equipped with floodlights that weren't required for this game. There's no designated area inside the fence for spectators, but those of us watching were allowed to stand pitchside. This was the opening pre-season game for both sides, and so hard to infer too much from it. According to their social media, Prestwich Hays fielded a team made up mostly of trialists. They play a division higher than Stockport Georgians, and were a goal down after just two minutes. It was the only goal of the firs

11am 30 June 2024 Eccles Sunday League Prestley 10 Ellesmere Park Rovers 1 (att 18) The 150th and final game of my 2023/24 football season was also my 146th new ground, although I couldn't be sure of that until I found the pitch at Drinkwater Park in Prestwich. In 2006 I'd seen Bury Amateurs play a home game on pitch number two. The park is only a couple of miles from home so I thought it worth going see if Prestley might be using a different pitch. I was in luck, with the pitch used for this game closer to the car park and several minutes' walk from where I'd seen the previous game. It's just a pitch, but a pleasant setting in a park that is popular with locals. With Prestley unbeaten in the league, and Ellesmere Park struggling, a comfortable home win looked likely. That's how it turned out, but it took until the second half before the game ran away from the visitors. An opening goal after 15 minutes, and a second just five minutes later, put Prestley on the r