Steve B the Groundhopper

30 April 2012 Lancashire Amateur League, Premier Division Horwich Victoria 5 Chew Moor Brook 0 (att 10) This was an important relegation encounter, but how Horwich were ever in danger of going down is anyone's guess. They played some good football and created plenty of chances, taking five of them to add to the 18 they'd managed in their two previous league fixtures. CMB, as Chew Moor Brook are usually known, played their part in an entertaining game which again showed how good the football is in the Lancashire Amateur League's top division. Two of the home side's goals were in the first half, and although the win was comfortable the scoreline was a bit harsh on CMB, who deserved a goal for their efforts. Horwich Victoria's official home ground for this season, and for the last few years, is Bolton Arena, part of the sports complex near the Reebok Stadium. But problems with that venue have led them to seek an alternative ground for recent games, and they s...

28 April 2012 SJFA East Region, South Division Harthill Royal 2 Blackburn United 4 (att 23) This game wasn't the day's "plan A", but heading north seemed the best bet given the weather forecast for much of the rest of the UK. Harthill is between Glasgow and Edinburgh, and went into this game bottom of the third, and lowest, tier of the Scottish Juniors East Region. However, with plenty of games to go in Scotland Harthill can still climb the table, and Blackburn can improve on their current mid table spot. But on the evidence of today's game their places in the league are probably about right. Blackburn disappointed in the first half, but still led 1-0 at half time against a Harthill side who didn't look too bad. After the break Blackburn upped their game, dominating and scoring three times to establish a commanding lead. They eased off towards the end, allowing Harthill a couple of goals to give the final score a more exciting look than the game had ...

25 April 2012 Lancashire & Cheshire Amateur League, Premier Division Old Ashtonians 1 Old Trafford 1 (att 6) After reading another hopper's account of a visit here last Wednesday my expectations weren't very high, especially given the foul weather and the state of the pitch, which at any earlier point in the season would surely have been declared waterlogged and unplayable. But what followed was a really enjoyable 80 minutes - two 40 minute halves after a late start on a gloomy night - with the home side's direct approach, more effective given the awful surface, against old Trafford's slower passing game. The visitors were ahead thanks to a good finish after six minutes, and stayed in front until 24 minutes into the second half, when Old Ashtonians deservedly levelled. The home side thought they'd won the game in the final minute when converted a penalty rather harshly awarded for handball. But the referee ruled one their players had encroached into th...

24 April 2012 East Lancashire League, Division Two Clitheroe Royal British Legion 2 Waddington 2 (att 12) A low key game with nothing at stake other than local bragging rights, as the village of Waddington is just a few miles from Clitheroe. Although Waddington had more possession, the home side looked better throughout, and led 2-1 until a stoppage time blunder by their keeper allowed a shot from distance to bounce past him and level the score. The first three goals had all been scored in the first half of a game that was entertaining, if a little lacking in quality. Clitheroe RBL are based at Roefield, a public park on the outskirts of town. There's several pitches but no facilities, other than pleasant views of the surrounding hills.

23 April 2012 Wigan and District Amateur League, Premier Division Gidlow Athletic 1 Winstanley St Aidans 1 (att 30) An entertaining game at Laithwaite Park in Wigan, within sight of the DW Stadium but about as basic a venue as you can get. There's eight pitches in all, although Gidlow did at least play on the one closest to the changing rooms. The fixture was important to both sides, with Winstanley top of the table and Gidlow battling against relegation. The visitors almost scored in the opening minute, denied by the the first in a series of good saves by home side's impressive keeper. Had they scored the outcome would probably have been different, but as the game wore on it became an enjoyably well-matched encounter. An error by the Winstanley keeper, allowing a long range shot to pass him, put Gidlow ahead about 10 minutes before half time. They held out, under plenty of pressure while creating further chances of their own, until 10 minutes from the end of the game...

21 April 2012 SJFA West Region, Super League, Division One Cumbernauld United 4 Girvan 3 (att 44) Not a final score anyone would have predicted as the game went into its final quarter. At that stage Girvan were leading 3-0 and set for a surprisingly comfortable win in a vital relegation encounter. Their lead came thanks to a first half penalty and two second half goals, the first an own goal and the second an amazing first time strike from the half way line, which found the net perfectly, well beyond the Cumbernauld keeper who was stranded out of his goal having made a mess of a clearance. Cumbernauld's fightback began with a fine goal after 76 minutes, and by the 90th minute the visiting keeper allowed a long range shot to slip underneath his body to put the home side 4-3 ahead. Girvan picked up two red cards along the way, one after a rather soft penalty for Cumbernauld. The quality of football wasn't always the best, both teams resorting to the long ball too often,...

17 April 2012 Lincolnshire League CGB Humbertherm 1 Skegness United 2 (att 24) Skegness can no longer win the league title, but they still have second place to battle for, and took control of this game in the first half. As well as scoring twice, they had a goal ruled out for handball and a penalty saved. If the home side had seemed a bit too laid back in the first half, the same wasn't true in the second. Humbertherm battled well, and the visitors eased off, allowing the home to get a goal back with about 20 minutes remaining. Humberthem rarely threatened to level though, and Skegness finished the stronger without adding a third goal. As the game wore on, the contest became ever more niggly and bad tempered. I'd expected Humbertherm's home to be sports ground somewhere in Grimsby, but in fact they play on a playing field in the small village of Fulstow. A surprisingly rural location for what I assume is, or was originally, a works team. The ground is very basic...

5pm  15 April 2012 Segona Catalana, Group 5 FC La Seu d'Urgell 1 CE Artesa de Segre 1 (att 150) With second place FC Andorra having dropped three points on Saturday this was a chance for the sides in third and fourth to close the gap in the chase for a promotion play off spot, so the Andorrans will probably be the most pleased that it ended a draw. If anything they had the weather to thank. The game started in sunshine, but during the second a half a very cold wind was coming in from the north, and with the conditions in their favour the home side laid siege to the Artesa de Segre goal as they chased an equaliser. The goal finally arrived in stoppage time, cancelling out the visitors' first half opener, and just moments after La Seu had been reduced to 10 men following a red card. Onc again admission was free, although I spent a few Euros on raffle tickets, unsure if I won how I'd get the prize, a huge basket of food donated by a local store, onto my Ryanair fligh...

12 midday 15 April 2012 Andorra, 1a Division, title play-offs UE Sant Julia 1 UE Santa Coloma 2 (att 44) Having watched "Spanish" game in Andorra on Saturday, I spent the early part of Sunday afternoon watching an Andorran match in Spain. The Centre Esportiu d'Alas, on the edge of the small Catalan village of Alas i Cerc, is one of three venues currently used for Andorran League games (the others are Aixovall and Ordino). As far as I can tell, Alas itself has no club, and the ground, which looks new, is used purely for Andorran football. It has a seated stand the length of one side, with a roof over a few seats in the centre. The changing rooms, toilets and an office, complete with a vending machine for hot and cold drinks, are in a building behind the near goal. There's no spectator access at the far end, and the side opposite the stand is just flat standing. Admission was free. The four teams in the Andorran title play-offs could hardly be closer. The resu...