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Showing posts from April, 2025

Bishopthorpe White Rose v Helperby United

6.30pm 29 April  2025 York League, Division One Bishopthorpe White Rose 3 Helperby United 4 (att 12) This was the final league fixture for both these clubs. Bishopthorpe were certain to finish bottom but Helperby went into the game just one place above them and needing a result. A draw would lift them out of the bottom two, while a win would see them leapfrog the two clubs above them, further reducing their risk of relegation. The home side scored first, a little against the run of play, after 10 minutes. Their lead lasted barely a minute, and having conceded once they quickly conceded again. At that stage it looked as if Helperby would run out comfortable winners, but Bishopthorpe held on, and by half time the score remained at 1-2. It was well into the second period before the visitors scored their third. Bishopthorpe pulled a goal back but a fourth for Helperby was enough to secure three points, despite a late consolation for the hosts. Bishopthorpe's White Rose Park is a newish...

Calsonic Kansei Swiss Valley v Bryn Rovers

3pm 26 April  2025 West Wales Premier League Calsonic Kansei Swiss Valley 12 Bryn Rovers 0 (att 65) There was little at stake as Calsonic Kansei Swiss Valley - or CKSV are they're usually known - and Bryn Rovers completed their seasons. Bryn were destined to finish bottom, while the home side were looking to claim eighth place in the 16-team division, which they did with ease. It was the final ground I needed to complete the West Wales Premier League, at least until promoted sides join next season. I expected a comfortable home win, but not by so many goals. It took CKSV 23 minutes to score their first, although it had taken several good saves by Bryn's keeper to keep them at bay until then. Once they had one goal the floodgates opened. Their lead was 5-0 by half time. Two goals in the opening five minutes of the second period signalled that the home side weren't intending to ease off. They ended with a dozen, despite more good saves by Bryn Rovers' busy goalkeeper. Wor...

Gwynfi United v Afan United reserves

12 noon 26 April  2025 Port Talbot and District League, Premier Division Gwynfi United 3 Afan United reserves 5 (att 30) I tried to visit Gwynfi United back in the 1990s when they were in the Welsh League, only to arrive at the ground to find the game had been postponed. I wouldn't have expected it be so long before I returned, but the club have fallen several levels in the years since. They're now in the Port Talbot and District League, by my reckoning the seventh tier of Welsh football, and this season may end with a drop into the league's lower division. The Port Talbot League isn't normally on my radar, but the attraction of this fixture was the kick off time. I don't know why it was at midday, but it allowed me to get a groundhopping double. The Gwynfi Welfare Ground is evidence of a club that once played at a higher level. The pitch is enclosed, with a raised terrace, stand and dugouts on one side. The c hanging rooms are in a building in the corner, which has...

Whittle Hall v Malt Street

6.30pm 24 April  2025 Warrington and District League, Division Three Whittle Hall 1 Malt Street 2 (att 10) Malt Street have games in hand on the teams above them and the three points they secured at Whittle Hall could help propel them to promotion come the season's end. They couldn't have wished for a better start to the game, scoring twice in the opening minutes. Such was their early dominance, and the ease by which they scored, I was expecting a one-sided 90 minutes. But Whittle Hall recovered well from the early setbacks and went on to make a decent game of it. T heir keeper performed well to restrict Malt Street to just the two goals, but the home side deserved the goal back they got in the  second half. Whittle Hall are based at Carmel College in St Helens, using a grass pitch on the playing field behind the college buildings.

Collegians v Woodkirk Valley

6.30pm 23 April  2025 Yorkshire Amateur League, Premier Division Collegians 2 Woodkirk Valley 3 (att 24) With Collegians challenging for the title and needing maximum points to keep the pressure on leaders Berry Bow, and mid-table Woodkirk Valley having nothing much to play for, an away win a major surprise. Even more so as late arrivals meant the visitors began the game with just nine men. They were a goal down before getting a tenth player onto the field, but Collegians were making heavy work of the evening despite their numerical advantage. Eventually Woodkirk Valley's eleventh player arrived, and just after achieving parity of players they levelled the score as well. In the second half the away side even had the luxury of substitutes, but a scrappy goal put the hosts back in front. Woodkirk Valley continued to pose a threat, and rocked the hosts when they equalised for a second time. Collegians had a perfect opportunity to go back in front when they were awarded a penalty for h...

Holywell United v Overton Recreational

7pm 22 April  2025 North East Wales League, Championship Division Holywell United 3 Overton Recreational 2 (att 26) There wasn't a huge amount at stake at Holywell High School but that didn't stop Holywell United and Overton Recreational providing an entertaining and competitive 90 minutes. They also provided a thrilling climax, or at least the home side did when they scored twice in the last five minutes to turn a 2-1 deficit into a 3-2 victory. Overton had opened the scoring after 20 minutes. When they made it 2-0 about 15 minutes later it looked like being a comfortable away win. Holywell halved the arrears in first half stoppage time. But despite a spirited start to the second period Overton continued to look comfortable. Then as the game approached its conclusion the home side got on top. The Overton goal survived a couple of scares before they failed to deal with a Holywell corner and it was 2-2. Minutes later, in stoppage time, another Holywell corner resulted in another...

Gillingham Town v Keynsham Town

3pm 21 April  2025 Western League, Division One Gillingham Town 0 Keynsham Town 1 (att 68) It's been a tough season for Gillingham Town. Their only league win came back in September, and they were destined to finish a distant last regardless of the outcome of their final home fixture. But they might have had hopes of adding to their points tally against Keynsham Town, who were playing their last league match and knew they were going to finish just one place above them. No surprise then that this wasn't a classic, although it was certainly competitive. The fact that league positions weren't going to change didn't dampen the visitors' celebrations when they grabbed an 88th minute winner. They'd been the better side, but by the time they scored I'd already begun to walk towards the exit expecting the game to end goalless. For now relegation remains likely rather than certain for Gillingham, but assuming they do drop to 'step seven', most likely into the...

Gunnislake v North Petherwin

2.30pm 19 April  2025 St Piran League, Premier Division East Gunnislake 6 North Petherwin 2 (att 45) After being part of Truro City's capacity crowd against Torquay on Good Friday it was back to more familiar fare on Saturday. Having stayed overnight in Truro it was an easy journey to Gunnislake, which was my only unvisited venue staging a game in either of the regionalised premier divisions of Cornwall's St Piran League. Gunnislake don't play in the village itself but just outside nearby Albaston. It's a pleasant ground that's fairly typical for this level of football in the south-west, with an enclosed and sloping pitch, dugouts and advertising boards. The changing rooms are a short walk from the playing area, among buildings that include a snack bar serving hot food and drinks. The home side needed a win in a battle against possible relegation, and got it surprisingly comfortably against a North Petherwin team with little to play for. Two goals in the first few m...