Steve B the Groundhopper

8.15pm 26 November 2022 South Manchester and Cheshire Christian League, Martin Betton Cup, Second Round Kay Street Baptist 3 City Church United 0 ( att 8) New grounds close to home midweek are few and very far between at this time of year, so it was worth a trip to a cold and misty Lancashire for a Monday night game in what is usually a Saturday morning league. Kay Street Baptist use a 3G pitch at the Valley Leadership Academy near Bacup. The complex also has a grass pitch where I watched an East Lancashire League game in 2013 . With two divisions separating the sides I expected a comfortable home win. Division one Kay Street had a clear winning margin by the end, but it took until the second half before they got better of division three City Church United. The visitors play in the same division as Kay Street’s second team, but more than matched their hosts in the first period. They were unfortunate to go behind five minutes after the break. Having gone in front two more home goals qui...

2.30pm 26 November 2022 Middlesex County League, Premier Division OIR 4 AVA 3 (att 7) It’s a few weeks since I watched OIR at home in the Somali British Champions League. That game was played at Enfield Grammar School, but the team’s regular home this season is at nearby Enfield College. I was making a day trip south for family reasons so, with the artificial pitch as good as guaranteeing the match would be on, it seemed an ideal opportunity to tick off OIR’s proper ground. It proved a good choice, with some great goals and an exciting conclusion.  OIR looked the better side early on and went into a 2-0 first half lead. AVA pulled one back before half time but a well-worked third home goal, just a minute after the break, re-established OIR's two goal advantage. It looked like being a comfortable home win, but a lively game became a good one as AVA battled back, first reducing the deficit and then equalising late on. Just when the visitors appeared to have earned an unlikely point ...

2pm 20 November 2022 Radnorshire Cup, Quarter Final St Harmon and District 2 Knighton Town 1 (att 63) By chance it seems I visit St Harmon on a new ground every 11 years. I saw them at The Lingen in (pre-blog) 2000, at The Bryn in 2011 , and now at Rhayader Rugby Club. It's perhaps a shame they're no longer in the village, but on the evidence of this match they're still attracting a decent number of spectators, and the facilities in Rhayader are good. The football pitch is beyond a floodlit rugby pitch. It's partly roped off and there's dugouts. The goals are positioned in front of rugby posts, so the pitch may still be used for both sports. The home side pulled of something of a cup shock against a Knighton side who play a level higher. They had the better of the first half, and good finishing put them 2-0 ahead by half time. Knighton upped their game after the break and were on top for the second half. But despite plenty of pressure they could only pull back a sin...

2pm 19 November 2022 Manchester League, Division Two Eccles United 14 Breightmet United 1 (att 25) A tough afternoon for Breightmet United who, on this showing, might have a long wait before they pick up their first point of the season. That said, goal difference is keeping them off the foot of the table and they're yet to play bottom team Cavaliers. Breightmet are long-standing members of the Manchester League so it's a shame to see them struggling. Credit though for continuing to fulfill their fixtures, and for keeping going for 90 minutes at Eccles. The home side, playing their first season at this level, never let up. As always when a side scores this many goals, they could easily have a fair few more. They led 5-1 at half time, and were even more dominant in the second period. Eccles United are new incarnation of an old club. The original Eccles United folded in 1929, but the name has been revived and the new club has ambitions to climb the leagues. Their home ground, whic...

10.30am 19 November 2022 South Manchester and Cheshire Christian League, Division Two Moss Lane East 3 City Church Albion 4 (att 3) I've written before about the challenge of finding out the venues for games in this league. I only discovered Moss Lane East's home ground when I asked them during their recent match at Bridge Bolton. They use a 3G pitch at Stretford High School, close to the Old Trafford football and cricket grounds. It's a typical venue of it's type, enclosed by a high fence and floodlit. The surface looked a little worn, and the pitch itself is very narrow. I must bring bad luck for Moss Lane East. Last time they were wrong end of a nine-goal thriller, and they lost this in similar circumstances, conceding a late goal which settled the outcome. Moss Lane looked the better side but had to come from behind when City Church scored with their first effort on goal. The home side had turned the game around by half time, leading 2-1 at the break. From there it ...

3.30pm 13 November 2022 Somali British Champions League, Group B Manchester Powerhouse 8 Leicester Atletico 1 (att 170) Having enjoyed a recent Somali British Champions League match in London  I was pleased to see Manchester's entrants were playing their opening home fixture on a ground I'd not been to. They're using a 3G pitch at Manchester Academy School in Moss Side. It's a typical all-weather pitch, enclosed with a high fence and with a spectator area running along one side. I'm sure there's plenty of room for the crowds that watch most games played here, but the Somali British Champions League saw Powerhouse supporters out in force and the capacity tested. There were fewer Leicester Atletico fans, although the match was live-streamed for those unable to travel. It wouldn't have been pleasant viewing for anyone watching at home in Leicester. They were outlcassed from kick off until the final whistle, and were fortunate not to concede double figures. Powe...

2pm 12 November 2022 Lincolnshire League Tetney Rovers 5 Lincoln United development 1 (att 22) It's 10 years since I visited Fulstow Playing Fields, to see CGB Humbertherm in the Lincolnshire League. These days Tetney Rovers play at the ground and, crucially for my groundhopping rules, use a different pitch. There are two pitches, and in April 2012 Humbertherm played on the one furthest from the changing rooms. Tetney use the nearer one, and have developed it into a neat venue. The far side is railed off and adorned with advertising boards. The rest of the pitch is roped off, and there's a pair of dugouts on the near side. Refreshments are available. The home side couldn't have got off to a better start. They dominated the opening and scored twice in the first 10 minutes. Lincoln United gradually got themselves into the game but the home side got a third goal shortly before half time. That effectively ended the contest. The visitors pulled a goal back with 15 minutes left,...

11am 12 November 2022 EFL Youth Alliance, North East Lincoln City U18 2 Doncaster Rovers U18 3 (att 49) Lincoln City have been one of the more mobile youth teams. This was the fifth different home ground I've seen them play on, but after years of borrowing pitches they might have finally settled on a permanent base. They've developed a new training ground, rather grandly titled the Elite Performance Centre, north of Lincoln close to RAF Scampton. The main pitch is partly railed off, with advertising boards and dugouts. The playing surface was excellent, and the venue is a significant step up from school pitches I've seen their Youth Alliance side play on previously. They'll have been disappointed to lose this game, as they looked the better side over 90 minutes. The only first half goals were penalties, Doncaster's gave them a fortunate lead before it was quickly cancelled out by Lincoln's equaliser. The second half was a lively affair. Lincoln continued to crea...