Steve B the Groundhopper

3pm 27 December 2022 Spartan South Midlands League, Division One Eaton Socon 4 Raunds Town 1 (att 132) abandoned after 55 minutes We were breaking our post-Christmas journey home with a night in a hotel in Huntingdon. The location was chosen, in part, as it was in easy reach of Eaton Socon and their bank holiday game against Raunds. Sadly a floodlight failure brought the action to a premature halt 10 minutes into the second half. Frustrating for me, although as the game had reached half time I'll count the ground as 'ticked', and no doubt for the home side as well. They'd exploited a fragile Raunds defence to go into half time with a 4-0 lead. The match was effectively won, yet chances are they'll now have to play it again. The lights went out briefly early in the second half. When they came back on Raunds got a goal back, and they were attacking again when the ground was plunged into darkness a second time. Getting the lights back on proved easier than keeping them...

3pm 26 December 2022 Southern Counties East League, Premier Division Fisher 5 Glebe 1 (att 142) From Frenford it was an easy drive to Rotherhithe, in south east London, where Fisher FC, like their predecessors Fisher Athletic, are based. Their St Paul's ground opened a few years ago, just yards from the ground where Athletic used to play. With time to kill pre-match I walked through the park that now covers the site, spotting a couple of steps of terracing that remain. The new ground is more basic, but perfectly adequate for the club’s current needs. The surface is artificial and there’s a seated stand on one side and some cover behind the goal. The venue’s most striking feature is the backdrop of Canary Wharf. Fisher have been struggling this season but you wouldn’t have guessed it from the way they began this game. Two early goals put them in control, and they added a third before half time. The second half was more even but any faint hopes Glebe had of getting anything from the ...

11am 26 December 2022 Eastern Counties League, Division One South Frenford 2 Barkingside 0 (att 82) It’s a few years since I was last able to go to football on Boxing Day, and with most leagues at the levels I watch shutting down over the festive period I was lucky to get two games on grounds I needed. First up was Ilford-based Frenford, whose morning kick off was within easy reach of the Hertfordshire town where we’re spending Christmas. Frenford date back to 1928, when it was started as a boys club. It morphed into a sports and social club, with a football section whose senior side has climbed the leagues. Now at step six of the non-league pyramid they need a ground that makes the grade. They've achieved that by creating an enclosed 3G pitch at their sports ground. It features a couple of seated stands and has spectator access on three sides.  Frenford are top of the league, and stayed there despite making hard work of beating lowly Barkingside. It was a game of few chances. Bark...

2pm 17 December 2022 Humber Premier League, Premier Division St Mary's 1 Hornsea Town 4 (att 16) I had intended to watch football in the London area and to combine the trip with a family visit to drop off Christmas presents, but the widespread icy weather meant a change of plan. Hull has a number of 3G pitches and appeared to have escaped the worst of the wintry conditions, so once I had confirmation that at least one game was on it made sense to head east. St Mary's play at on an artificial pitch at the Hull University sports ground in Inglemire Lane. The street is something of a sporting hub, and this was the fifth Inglemire Lane ground I've been to. It's a third different 'tick' at Hull University, having previously seen Reckitts on a grass pitch in 2014  and a pre-blog game on an older 3G pitch. The 'dual use' 3G pitch, next to the older one, is a newer addition and is home to St Mary's AFC. From a spectator point of view the ground is better tha...

2pm 10 December 2022 Yorkshire Amateur League Cup, Quarter-Final Greetland 1 Ryburn United 1, 5-3 on penalties (att 71) On a day when getting home in time to watch the World Cup was always going to be factor in deciding where to go, the weather made finding a game on a new ground even more of a challenge. Thankfully West Yorkshire hadn't had the same amount of snow as on my side of the Pennines, and an artificial pitch at Brooksbank School in Elland meant this game was a safe bet. I only just made the kick off though, thanks a closure on the eastbound M62 that left me sitting in stationary traffic for 20 minutes. Luckily I got a space in the car park and the tie got under way just as I entered the 'cage' that surrounds the pitch. Greetland have moved ground since I watched them in the Halifax League in 2010, also against Ryburn United. The sides are now separated by a division in the Yorkshire Amateur League. There was little between them over the 90 minutes. Top flight Ryb...

1.30pm 3 December 2022 Derbyshire FA, Divisional Cup North, Quarter-Final AFC Normanton 3 Whaley Bridge Athletic 1 (att 30) Cup ties between teams unlikely to meet each other normally are always attractive, even more so if a lower team is hosting a side from a higher league. I'm not sure how much of a cup upset this really was. AFC Normanton are top of the Central Midlands League Division One East while Whaley Bridge are just one step higher in the Cheshire League's top flight. A cool finish gave Whaley Bridge a first half lead, and at that point it looked as if they'd have enough to see off their hosts. But AFC Normanton levelled just before half time, and took control after the break. The visitors couldn't get back into their stride in the second half, and on the balance if play it was no surprise when they went 2-1 behind. A feisty game came close to boiling over late on, and a red card meant Whaley Bridge played the closing minutes with 10 men. That effectively ende...

10.30am 3 December 2022 South Manchester and Cheshire Christian League, Division Two Holy Trinity Hurdsfield 1 Bridge Bolton 2 (att 2) The second occasion this season that I've seen Bridge Bolton grab a dramatic late winner. In October it was a 5-4 win against Moss Lane East , while this time a tighter game ended 2-1 in their favour. The visitors' winner was well into stoppage time, while I was hovering near my car ready for a quick departure to make it to my afternoon match. The outcome was harsh on Holy Trinity Hurdsfield, who were worth a draw. The opening 45 minutes was enjoyable but goalless. There was little between the sides, but the home team edged in front after about an hour. Not long later I thought they should have had a penalty for handball, but the referee ruled otherwise, and Bridge went down the other end and made it 1-1. Both teams had chances to get a winner, but a deserved draw looked like being the outcome, until the visitors' last minute decider. Hurdsf...