Steve B the Groundhopper

3pm  26 February 2022 West Cheshire League, Division Two Runcorn Sports 4 South Liverpool reserves 0 (att 25) When I went to Runcorn Sports in August they played at Runcorn Sports Club, but since then they've moved their West Cheshire League home matches to a new 3G pitch in nearby Helsby. It's at the far end of Helsby High School's large playing field, making it a long walk from the car park. It's a good facility. There's dugouts and, unusually, the changing rooms are inside the fence that encloses the pitch. However, there are also the usual annoyances that come with a 3G venue. The spectator area, running the length of one side, includes sections of high fencing, and play was interrupted a few times when the ball hit an overhead cable used to carry netting to divide the pitch for small-sided games. Spectators also have to face west, looking towards the setting sun. Signs in and around the ground suggest the main users of the pitch are Frodsham Junior FC Runcorn ...

3pm  12 February 2022 English Football League, League One AFC Wimbledon 1 Sunderland 1 (att 8,381) As I much prefer non-League football I find occasional visits to league grounds, while necessary to re-complete 'the 92', can be a bit of a chore. But the welcome rise of AFC Wimbledon, and their return to Plough Lane, meant I was looking forward to this one. The way fortunes can change in football, or at least used to before overseas billionaires got involved, is evidenced by that fact that Sunderland were the visitors. It doesn't seem long ago that newly-formed AFC Wimbledon joined the Combined Counties League, at a time when the Wearsiders were in the Premier League (albeit finishing bottom). Whether they're still in the same division next season remains to be seen. Sunderland's recent poor form has meant a managerial change, but they still have a good chance of promotion. Wimbledon could be exiting League One in the opposite direction. A draw was a fair result. A 2...

11am  12 February 2022 Arthurian League, Division Four Old Shirburnians 5 Old Wellingtonians 2 (att 5) The fifth tier of a league for public schools old boys teams might be scraping the groundhopping barrel, but this Saturday morning match was enjoyable and at an intriguing venue. Like most Arthurian League clubs, Old Shirburnians hire pitches in and around the capital for home games. In their case their alma mater, Sherborne School in Dorset, would be too distant for regular fixtures. This season they's using a 3G pitch at the Westway Sports and Fitness Centre in Kensington, west London. The pitch is so narrow it's unlikely the venue could be used for more senior football but, rarely for such a ground, it's got a stand for spectators. From the stand you get a view of not just the pitch, but also the imposing concrete of the elevated A40 Westway, as well as tower blocks including a sad reminder of the tragic Grenfell fire. Players in this league have to been pupils of the s...

2pm  6 February 2022 Central Wales FA, Senior Cup, 4th Round Tregaron Turfs 1 Guilsfield 7 (att 135) Tregaron's match programme billed this cup tie as 'David v Goliath'. As it turned out Goliath swatted away David surprisingly comfortably, despite playing almost half the match with 10 men. It might have been different had Mid Wales League Tregaron scored a great chance in the opening moments. But the shot was wide, and an 8th minute free kick put Cymru North Guilsfield in front. Two goals in quick succession, midway through the first half, put the visitors out of reach. A fourth followed before half time. Guilsfield had been the better side, but they also played the opening half with a very strong wind, and some torrential rain, behind them. Tregaron had some hope at the start of the second half. Not only had they got the wind and rain at their backs, but a Guilsfield half time substitute was red-carded just minutes after coming on. And then the home side reduced the defici...

2pm  5 February 2022 Central Midlands League, Premier Division North St Joseph's Rockware of Worksop 3 Collingham 2 (att 35) Worksop is a sizeable place yet this was my only visit for football other than going to a Worksop Town game back in 1993. Town are no longer the only senior club in Worksop, now St Joseph's Rockware of Worksop have established themselves at 'step seven' in the Central Midlands League. They've developed a tidy home ground, surrounded by industrial units and with a huge Asda store in the background. The pitch is enclosed and there's pair of dugouts, in what looks like it was once a company sports ground. The home side got off to a great start against Collingham. They had a strong breeze at their backs but I'm not sure how much it had to do with their two early goals. The second was a twice-taken penalty, the first kick being saved but encroachment into the penalty area by a defender meant a retake. The unlucky goalkeeper didn't get c...

10.30am  5 February 2022 Sheffield and District Fair Play League, Division One Brunsmeer Athletic 4 Penistone Church development 0 (att 12) Manchester United and England's Harry Maguire used to play for Brunsmeer Athletic. I assume he played for one of their many kids' teams rather than turning out for the senior side on a Saturday morning, but it shows how important clubs like this are. There are two pitches at the club's base in Dore, on the edge of Sheffield. One was staging a girls' game while, on the slightly bigger of the two, the men's team were taking on what is effectively Penistone's third team. It was a comfortable win for Brunsmeer, and could easily have been by a wider margin had they taken more of their chances, especially in a first half they dominated. In the end they had to settle for two goals in each half. Brunsmeer are unusual in the Fair Play League as a club with a ground of their own, rather than hiring pitches. It's a neat venue, with...

7pm  2 February 2022 Wearside League, Division Three Hartlepool Pools Youth 3 Billingham Town reserves 2 (att 80) This rare dip into the lowest tier of the Wearside League was prompted by an unusual midweek fixture, but it was a decent match. It's fair to say the standard at this level is variable, with some lop-sided scorelines this season, but Pools Youth and Billingham are two of the better sides and provided an entertaining game in front of a large crowd. Billingham started well and were on top until the home side took the lead against the run of play. The visitors drew level, but fell behind again just before we reached half time. In the second period a third home goal set Pools up for their win, although a second Billingham goal kept the outcome in the balance right up to the final whistle. Pools Youth were reduced to 10 men for stoppage time after a late red card, although Billingham had spent longer a man down when a player was sin-binned earlier in the half. Hartlepool Poo...