Steve B the Groundhopper

7.45pm 30 January  2024 Midland Football League, Division One Allscott Heath 2 Heather St John's 1 (att 85) It's a rare treat to be able to visit a new ground for a floodlit game after a full day at work, and even rarer to do so after a relaxed and trouble-free rush hour journey. Floodlights are a recent addition to Allscott Heath Sports Club, a necessity since the club's elevation to step six of the footballing pyramid, in the second tier of the Midland Football League. By all accounts the ground, in the village of Allscott near Telford, has been transformed in recent years from what was little more than an open pitch. It's now fully enclosed, with a small seated stand on one side and a covered area for spectators opposite. Progress looks to be being maintained on the pitch as well as off it, with this deserved win keeping Allscott Heath in the running for another promotion. A goal in each half set the home side up for a comfortable win, although a late penalty kept Le...

2pm 27 January  2024 South of Scotland League Lochar Thistle 3 Stranraer reserves 1 (att 40) One of those days when I was eventually glad just to see a game on a new ground. I was already onto plan B by the time I left home, only to find no sign that my intended Manchester Saturday Morning League fixture was going to take place. A result has since appeared, so it must have been played somewhere, but I'd decided to instead head north and visit my last remaining venue to recomplete the South of Scotland League. Lochar Thistle have moved since my November 2019 visit to a 3G pitch at the North West Community Campus. They're now at Wilson Park, on the outskirts of Dumfries at Heathhall. Unlike their last home this is a proper football ground, with an enclosed grass pitch and changing rooms in an adjacent pavilion that also houses a snack bar. Spectator access is limited to half of one side, where there's also a handy grass bank, and at one end. Plenty of space for the size of c...

3pm 20 January  2024 Wessex League, Premier Division AFC Stoneham 7 Blackfield and Langley 0 (att 128) This wasn't my intended afternoon destination but once I had the unsurprising news that my planned game, on a grass pitch in west London, was postponed I sought the sanctuary of another artificial surface. An overdue visit to the Stoneham Lane Football Complex in Eastleigh, home of AFC Stoneham, also allowed me to recomplete the Wessex League for the first time in a number of years. There's a trio of 3G pitches at the complex, and the other two were busy with what looked to be a junior tournament. The 'stadium pitch' has spectator access around all four sides and a low seated stand. AFC Stoneham went into this game top of the league, and had no problems staying there after the easiest of afternoons. The first time a Blackfield player touched the ball was when they restarted play after going a goal down in opening seconds. Stoneham dominated possession and had doubled t...

10.30am 20 January  2024 Arthurian League, Division Two Old Albanians 2 Old Aldenhamians 1 (att 6) It's been a while since I last watched an Arthurian League fixture. The regular mix of morning and lunchtime kick offs are handy for extra games, and grounds, on Saturdays. The early start needed to get to St Albans in time for this third tier match was rewarded with an entertaining game. And on a day when grass pitches were vulnerable to frost, the 3G surface at Beaumont School was reliable. It's a good set up, with a pair of dugouts on the far side and a spectator area on the near side. The only annoyance was a cable across the pitch, used to divide it for small-sided games, which interrupted the action whenever it was hit by the ball. All the goals were in the second half. The home side's opener was well taken about 10 minutes after the break. Their decisive second goal, into the top corner from distance and an angle, was either sublime skill or outrageous fortune. Aldenham...

4.15pm 13 January  2024 Cheltenham League, Premier Division Generation Next 1 Winchcombe Town 3 (att 17) My third and final game of a busy day's groundhopping was at the Oxstalls Sports Park in Gloucester, about 20 minutes drive from Tewkesbury. It's an impressive venue, with various facilities including a 3G football pitch that's a home ground for Generation Next. Their home fixtures are regularly scheduled for 4.15pm. These were two well matched teams who provided an entertaining game. Winchcombe Town, second in the league and presumably eyeing promotion back to the Gloucestershire Northern Senior League, had the edge thanks mainly to better finishing. Two first half goals set them up for the win, although their lead always looked like it might be vulnerable if Generation Next could pull one back. Eventually a third Winchcombe goal put them out of sight, although a late home goal kept things interesting up to the final whistle. Overall it was a good advert for Cheltenham ...

2pm 13 January  2024 Gloucestershire Northern Senior League, Division One Tewkesbury Town 5 English Bicknor 1 (att 40) From Tewkesbury School I had to drive barely a mile to reach Northway Playing Field, home of Tewkesbury Town FC. The two divisions of the Gloucestershire Northern Senior League include clubs with home grounds that range from the very good to the more basic. This is among the latter, but it's perfectly adequate for the level of football, and it's a league I enjoy watching. Part of one side of the pitch was roped off, and it was good to see a decent turnout of local supporters. The Tewkesbury fans will have enjoyed their afternoon, but they had to come from behind to claim all three points. English Bicknor, who have been relegated and relocated since I visited them in April 2022 , are struggling at the foot of the table. But they belied their league position with a bright start that saw them take the lead. The home side responded well. They played some neat footb...

12 midday 13 January  2024 Cheltenham League, Division One Cheltenham United 2 Bishops Cleeve B 2 (att 6) My first experience of the Cheltenham League. I'd been tempted by this lunchtime kick off, along with a late afternoon fixture and the chance to squeeze another game in between the two.  There was a delayed start, presumably caused by the lack of a referee. The teams sensibly agreed that each would provide someone to officiate, with the home side in charge of the first half and Bishops Cleeve the second. Ultimately that decision proved decisive. Based on the league table I'd expected promotion-chasing Cheltenham United to win comfortably. They started well and it was no surprise when they took a deserved lead. But they failed to build on advantage, allowing the visitors to grow into the game, They equalised before half time and then shocked the hosts by going in front in the second half. They defended well before the home side's pressure finally paid off with an equalis...

2pm 6 January  2024 Central Midlands Alliance League, Premier Division South Melbourne Dynamo 0 South Normanton Athletic 4 (att 75) This was third against second in the league and with South Normanton Athletic having applied for promotion, along with current leaders Pinxton, there was an extra dimension to the fixture. Having expected a close encounter I was surprised at how comfortably the visitors won. Cheered on by an enthusiastic group of supporters, they were on top from the start. Their half time lead was 1-0, and two second half goals in quick succession put them out of Melbourne's reach. A fourth goal, with virtually the final kick of the match, sealed an impressive win. Melbourne Dynamo are playing their first season at this level. Despite this loss, they look like a club on the up.  The last time I watched them at home, pre-blog in April 2010, they played at a cricket ground in the nearby village of Ticknall. Now they're at Melbourne Sports Park, an impressive facili...