Steve B the Groundhopper

1pm  29 June 2014 Stewartry Sunday Amateur League Market Inn 4 Ship Inn 2 (att 25) A season which began, for me anyway, on 29 June 2013 in Orlando, finally ended exactly a year to the day later, in Castle Douglas, south west Scotland. Occasionally, when attempting to explain the idiosyncrasies of my hobby, I point out that I don't watch Sunday league football and I don't watch pub football. But sometimes the lines are blurred, and as I do watch summer leagues the Stewartry Sunday Amateur League is certainly "do-able", despite its title and the number of teams in it that are named after pubs. This was actually the first Stewartry League game I've seen, and the two sides provided a very enjoyable game to round off the season. It lived up the cliche about a game of two halves. The Ship Inn looked the more accomplished side, scoring twice in quick succession to lead to 2-0 by about the 20th minute, a lead they held to half time. Perhaps the Market Inn manag...

2pm 21 June 2014 Kingdom Caledonian League, Scottish Brewers Cup, Semi Final Rosyth Civil Service 2 Bowhill Rovers 3 (att 62) Once again I was impressed by the quality of the football in one of Scotland's top amateur leagues, as Bowhill booked their place in the early July cup final against Leven United, who I'd seen win their semi final just over a week ago. Bowhill and Civil Service are among the league's front-runners, and meet in a league game later this week which will probably decide the title. One the evidence of this tie they're closely-matched, with Bowhill just about deserving their win. The visitors went ahead early on, but a penalty meant Civil Service were soon level. Bowhill stepped up a gear, and two very well-taken goals gave them a commanding, if slightly flattering, 3-1 lead at half time. Into the second half and another good goal, this time for the home side, cut Bowhill's lead. Both sides picked up a red card following a melee involvin...

2pm  15 June 2014 Moray Welfare League, Division One Hopeman 3 Tomintoul 1 (att 16) The last time I tried to see a game at Hopeman I arrived for a 2pm kick off only to discover the kick had been brought forward by an hour, and what I thought was the start of the match was actually the second half getting underway. After that experience it was a relief to see players warming up when I arrived at Cameron Park, and since my last visit a new pavilion has been built at the corner of the pitch making it it a very pleasant venue. The pavilion provides a bit of cover, as well as some park bench-style seating, but the setting is wonderful which the pitch just yards from the sea and a harbour. Having been to plenty of grounds where the noise of a nearby motorway dominates, it's nice to visit somewhere where instead it's the sound of breaking waves. There was plenty to enjoy on the pitch as well. These two sides are battling for promotion to the Moray Welfare League's top d...

2pm  14 June 2014 North East Scotland League, Division One New Pitsligo 2 Bellslea 0 (att 40) A goal in each half was enough for table-topping New Pitsligo to see off Bellslea's challenge, in an entertaining and hard-fought game in the Aberdeenshire village. I'd been told that New Pitsligo's home ground was one the North East Scotland League's better venues, and it lived up to expectations. It's close to the centre of the village, and from the car park the pitch runs lengthways with a grass bank along the right hand side giving a good view of the action. A pavilion in the corner houses the changing rooms, as well as a refreshment bar serving snacks and hot drinks, something I didn't expect at this level. View New Pitsligo FC in a larger map

7.15pm  13 June 2014 Strathspey and Badenoch Welfare League, Caldwell Cup, Semi Final Carrbridge 0 Grantown 3 (att 23) Judging by the summer season's results so far, these two are head and shoulders above the rest in the eight-team Strathspey and Badenoch League, and Grantown cemented their status as the top side with a comfortable win at Carrbridge. A goalkeeping error gave the visitors an early lead, and the tie was effectively over not long later following an incident which lead to the second Grantown goal. A deliberate handball meant a red card for Carrbridge, and a penalty, duly converted, for the away side. Grantown have provisionally been accepted into the Scottish Junior FA for next season, and looked a cut above welfare football as they threatened more goals. But the lead remained 2-0 into the second as Carrbridge, themselves likely to be playing junior football next season, under the guise of Spey Valley FC and at a different ground, steadied themselves. Althou...

6.45pm  12 June 2014 Kingdom Caledonian League, Scottish Brewers Cup, Semi Final Leven United 4 Kinross 0 (att 60) It may be the middle of June but amateur football in Fife still has plenty of action left, with the second semi final of this cup scheduled for next weekend and the final not to be played until early July. Leven booked their place in the final with a deserved and ultimately comfortable win. Kinross matched the hosts for what was a largely even first half, although the home side did edge in front before half time. The outcome of the tie was decided by a series of of incidents early in the second half. First Leven doubled their lead, and then we had three red cards. A bad tackle by a Leven player earned him a sending off, and he was joined by a Kinross player red carded for his retaliation to the foul. It wasn't 10-a-side for long though, as a second Kinross players was dismissed soon after for picking up a second booking. With a man advantage, and w...

7pm  10 June 2014 Catforth and District Summer League, Division Two Broughton Amateurs 3 AFC Treales 6 (att 8) The Catforth Summer League is rarely short on goals, and nine tonight made it 31 goals in just four games that I've seen in the last few weeks to recomplete the league. AFC Treales should have win this more convincingly than a three goal margin. They scored early and wasted plenty of chances on their way to a 3-0 half time lead. They'd added two more second half goals before the home side got some reward for their efforts. Both sides did well to manage an attractive and enjoyable game on a pitch than may referees might have declared waterlogged. The surface was sodden when I arrived, but a heavy thunderstorm just as the game kicked off made it even worse. During the winter, Broughton Amateurs play first and reserve team games, in the Mid Lancashire League, a few miles away at Myerscough College. Their summer league team uses a pitch in the heart of the small...

2.30pm  7 June 2014 SJFA East Region, Premier League Kirriemuir Thistle 0 Arniston Rangers 0 (att 130) A 590-mile round trip is a long way to go for a goalless draw, but despite the scoreline this was an entertaining game with plenty of chances for both sides. The visitors came closest to scoring, denied by the woodwork and by Kirriemuir's goalkeeper, who had an inspired afternoon. Neither teams' league position was going to change whatever the outcome of this, their final game of the season. Kirriemuir were promoted last season, but their stay at this level has been shortlived as they've finished bottom-but-one and have been relegated. Their home, Westview Park, is neat, tidy and very pleasant, particularly on such a bright and sunny afternoon. The changing rooms, refreshment bar and committee rooms are on one side the pitch, while opposite is a stand, with standing areas and a single row of seats covered by a high-angled roof. View Kirriem...