Steve B the Groundhopper

6.30pm 31 August 2022 Yorkshire Amateur League, Supreme Division Leeds University 1 Middleton 1 (att 27) Leeds University won promotion from the Yorkshire Amateur League's premier division last season and have made a solid start to life in the grandly-titled supreme division. A point against high-flying Middleton is another good result, although I was a little underwhelmed by the visitors. Having won their four opening games, scoring 21 goals, I'd expected more from them. Both goals came in quick succession towards the end of the first half. Middleton went ahead from a corner, then the students hit back within a couple of minutes. There were few other clear chances and a draw was a fair result. The venue was the third pitch I've seen football played on at the University's ground, now known as Sports Park Weetwood. It's a typical 3G pitch, but one where spectators have to remain outside the fence. A grass bank at one end does provide a decent view. Beyond the 3G is g...

6.15pm 30 August 2022 Huddersfield and District League, Division Two Kirkheaton Rovers 2 Diggle 0 (att 40) The Huddersfield League was plan B once it became clear that motorway delays meant getting to my first choice game in Lancashire would be touch and go. I settled on Kirkheaton purely because it looked the easiest to get to, but it proved a good option. It was an entertaining game and the venue, Bankfield Recreation Ground, is a nice place to watch a game on a summer evening. It's high on a hill, with great views of the surrounding area, although I doubt it'd be so pleasant in the depths of winter. Like many Huddersfield League grounds it's effectively just a pitch, and players change elsewhere before arriving by car. Both these sides had lost their opening matches last week. Two second half goals were enough to kick-start Kirkheaton's season, whereas Diggle are still waiting for their first point. With light fading the referee sensibly reduced the game to a pair of...

3pm 29 August 2022 Southern Combination League, Division Two Worthing Town 4 Rustington 4 (att 125) Worthing Town finished last season bottom of the third tier of the Southern Combination League, and defeats in both their opening fixtures suggested they might struggle again. I expected a third loss against a Rustington side who'd gained maximum points so far. That looked nailed on at half time, when two goals, the second just before the break, gave the visitors a 2-0 lead. But the scoreline was harsh on Worthing Town who had created, and missed, enough chances to be in front. The hosts found their range in the second half, although after an incident-packed 45 minutes the teams had to settle for a point each. Worthing Town scored to half the deficit, then looked to have blown their chances when they had a player red-carded. But with 10 men they scored again to level, albeit thanks to a very generous penalty. Arguments following the penalty resulted in a Rustington player being sin-b...

11am 29 August 2022 Southern Combination League, Premier Division Broadbridge Heath 2 Alfold 1 (att 123) It's a challenge to get from my Manchester home to Sussex in time for a morning kick off, so I took advantage of being in the south east for the weekend to visit Broadbridge Heath, just outside Horsham. I last saw a game here back in January 1990, but the club have recently moved a few yards from the adjacent sports centre athletics track to a purpose-built football ground. The new set up is good. It's fully enclosed, with a seated stand on the far side, a small covered terrace behind one goal and a nice clubhouse on the side near the entrance. There looks to be plenty of scope to develop further should on-field success require it. Broadbridge Heath have made a decent start to this season, and that continued with a win that was more comfortable than a 2-1 final score might suggest. The home side played some neat football, but in the first half lacked any cutting edge wheneve...

3pm 27 August 2022 Eastern Counties League, Division One South Stanway Pegasus 2 NW London 1 (att 103) I was surprised when I read that Stanway Pegasus had been elevated to step six football during the summer, mainly because their home ground was a basic-sounding artificial pitch at a school. It is a 3G, and it is at Stanway School, but a lot of effort has gone into making it a venue fit to stage football at the higher level. The main spectator area runs the length of one side, and a small seated stand has been installed near a corner behind one goal. A portable building provides spectator toilets and there's a snack bar near the entrance to the ground. As far as I can tell, players change in the main school building across the car park from the pitch. The result is a functional but tidy ground, known as the Westside Arena, that's perfectly adequate for the 10th tier of English football. The team, apparently the only one in England's semi-professional pyramid to have a fema...

6.30pm 24 August 2022 Lancashire Amateur League, Division One Blackburn Eagles 0 Howe Bridge Mills 3 (att 14) Two goals in the first half and another in the second were enough for Howe Bridge Mills to comfortably earn three points at Blackburn Eagles. But the game was closer than the scoreline suggests. With better finishing, particularly in the first half, the home side may well have got some reward for their evening's efforts. Blackburn Eagles are relative newcomers to the Lancashire Amateur League, and were promoted after winning the third tier last season. Like a lot of clubs at this level, the main focus is on youth football. The club is based at Blacksnape Playing Fields, high on a hill that's closer to Darwen than Blackburn. The facilities are impressive, with multiple pitches and a large building that includes a snack bar as well as changing rooms. This game was on what appears to be the main pitch, closest to the changing rooms and with grass banking to provide an elev...

6.15pm 23 August 2022 Huddersfield and District League, Division One AFC Lindley 1 Fothergill and Whittles 4 (att 24) AFC Lindley won promotion last season, but the opening half of their first game in division one was chastening. Fothergill and Whittles deserved to be ahead, but their 4-0 lead was flattering. The biggest difference between the sides was the visitors' clinical finishing. The home side at least had the consolation of 'winning' the second half, by scoring its only goal, although with the points secure Fothergill and Whittles eased off.  Despite the outcome being settled well before the end it was an entertaining game throughout, and both sides played some good football. AFC Lindley are based at the Birchencliffe Sports and Social Club on the outskirts of Huddersfield. It's close to the M62, which made getting there in rush hour traffic easy, and is an impressive set up. The single pitch is shared with Lindley Swifts amateur rugby league club, with the goal...