Steve B the Groundhopper

2pm 31 August 2024 Wensleydale League Reeth and District Athletic Club 0 Leyburn United 4 (att 17) I only occasionally dip into the Wensleydale League, but I ought to more often as it has some lovely venues. Reeth's ground had been on my radar for a while, having seen photos, and the setting didn't disappoint. The scenery may be the main draw, but it's also a decent ground. There's a single enclosed pitch, and an adjacent pavilion provides spectators with shelter, not that it was needed on a warm afternoon. Reeth's football team has struggled in recent years, although they picked up a reasonable points tally last season. They conceded double figures in losing their opening fixture in midweek, so will perhaps take positives from only losing this game 4-0. That said, had Leyburn been able to finish just some of the many other chances they created they would have won by a much greater margin. As it was Leyburn netted just the one in the first half, then added three mor...

10.30am 31 August 2024 West Yorkshire Fair Play League Eagle 0 Bowling Eagles 3 (att 28) Today was the opening set of fixtures in the West Yorkshire Fair Play League, and the eagles derby was a tempting fixture for a couple of reasons. Eagle were making their debut in the competition, having switched from Saturday afternoon football in the Wakefield League last season, and had been given a tough opening against reigning champions Bowling Eagles. And, in a league where reliable information can be hard to come by, Bowling's active Twitter/X account had provided full details of the game, including the venue. Eagle are playing home game at Queen's Park in Castleford. It's a public park with three football pitches, and it was a busy morning with the other two both staging youth games. The champions almost conceded in the opening moments, but having survived that scare they went on the claim a fairly comfortable three points. A penalty put them in front, and they doubled their le...

6.15pm 29 August 2024 Huddersfield and District League, Division Five Fenton United 0 Fothergill and Whittles 6 (att 18) Division five is the sixth and bottom tier of the Huddersfield and District League, and will likely be the lowest level of adult Saturday afternoon football that I'll see all season. But football at all levels can be entertaining, and a match on a new ground to visit on a Thursday evening made it well worth the relatively short rush hour journey across the M62. This was the opening league fixture for both sides, and it was visitors Fothergill and Whittles who got their 2024/2025 season off to the best possible start. It took a goalkeeping error to break the deadlock, and provide the away side with their opening goal. It was only 1-0 at half time, with little sign of how one-sided the second period would be. Fothergill and Whittles doubled their lead just after the break, and from then on they ran away with it, adding another four goals. Fenton United play home ga...

7.30pm 28 August 2024 Northern League, Division Two Darlington Town 1 Chester-le-Street Town 2 (att 117) It's a little over two years since I last visited Darlington Town , and in the time since they've moved to a new ground and been promoted into a new league. They've not moved far. The Eastbourne Community Stadium is just a lengthy clearance from the more basic 3G pitch they used while in the Wearside League. They opened their new home during last season, and had won promotion by the end of it. Darlington Town have made a solid start to life as a Northern League club, and this was their first defeat at home. They began the game well, scoring an early goal that was the only one of the first half. Chester-le-Street Town equalised just a couple of minutes into the second period, and got what turned out to be the winner with around an hour played. There was little between the teams, and Darlington were unfortunate not to get a point. Like it's predecessor, Darlington Town...

6.30pm 27 August 2024 Westmorland League, Division Three NJC 4 Burneside 3 (att 15) NJC are new to adult football this season, and have been given a place in the third of the Westmorland League's four divisions. It's early days of course, but this win was the second from their opening three fixtures, so the decision not to make them begin in the bottom tier looks to have been a sensible one. Had it not folded during the summer they may have joined the North Lancashire League. I don't know what the initials stand for, but the club appears to be an offshoot of NJC Coaching, which is based around Lancaster and Morecambe. NJC's first team, who have the suffix 'dynamos', play in Burton in Lonsdale. I can't recall senior football being played the venue before, but it's a pleasant set up with a single pitch and a pavilion that houses the changing rooms. The front of the pavilion also provides shelter for spectators, which made it a popular place to watch this g...

3pm 26 August 2024 Midland Football League, Division Three Silhill 6 BNJS 3 (att 81) After a frustratingly slow bank holiday journey south on the M6 I arrived at Sihill's ground just a few minutes before kick off. I needn't have stressed though as, for reasons unknown, the match was about 10 minutes late starting. When it did get underway Silhill began well, and it was no surprise when they took a 10th minute lead. What was a surprise was that 10 minutes later they conceded an equaliser, as BNJS made the most of a defensive error. It was a temporary setback for the home side, as they regained the lead and then extended it to 3-1 just before half time. Almost immediately after the break they made it 4-1, but BNJS got a goal back straight away. A third away goal raised the prospect of Silhill throwing away what should have been a comfortable win. They recovered though, scoring a fifth five minutes from the end, and then adding a late sixth thanks to a penalty. Silhill are based i...

2pm 24 August 2024 West of Scotland League, Division Four Knightswood 4 Royal Albert 1 (att 80) A prompt finish to my midday kick off gave me just enough time to make it Knightswood in time for kick off, or at least it would have done had finding a parking space not been so difficult. By the time I'd paid my £5 admission the action was already underway, and finding somewhere to watch it was a challenge in a ground that has a very limited capacity. Knightswood are currently playing on an artificial pitch at Glasgow's North Kelvinside Primary School. Plastic barriers along half of the near touchline provide an area for spectators, but it's a bit of squeeze. Apparently the longer-term plan is to move to a pitch at the city's Scotstoun Stadium, but for now the club, relative newcomers to senior football, are making the best of the facilities they have. Refreshments, including hot drinks, are available from under a gazebo near the entrance. On the pitch things are certainly ...

12 noon 24 August 2024 Saturday Morning Amateur League, Premier Division Glebe Hibernian 3 Dinamo Paisley 2 (att 25) My first game of the day was very much plan B. I'd travelled north expecting to watch Uddingston v Plains, in the same league at 11am in Hamilton. But the non-appearance of the referee meant that was a very late postponement. Options for an alternative match were limited, but this midday kick off in Easterhouse at least left me with the possibility of still getting to my intended afternoon game. I wasn't entirely sure if this would provide a new ground to visit. I was previously at the Lochend Community High School in 2014, but back then Tynecastle AFC played on a grass pitch, whereas this turned out to be on the caged 3G. Fortunately it also turned out to be a good choice. The top division of the Saturday Morning Amateur League provides a high standard of football, and this was a great game for the neutral, and for Glebe Hibernian. Dinamo Paisley looked the bet...