Steve B the Groundhopper

6.45pm 15 August  2025 Doncaster Saturday League, Premier Division Denaby United 0 Yorkshire Main development 0 (att 90) Denaby United where in the Northern Counties East League when I visited them back in March 1998. The ground they used then, Tickhill Square, is now home to rivals Denaby Main. These days United play further down the football pyramid, in the Doncaster League, and are based at the Old Road Recreation Ground in Conisbrough. They have their own clubhouse, alongside a large playing field with several pitches. This game was on the pitch closest to the clubhouse and car park, and attracted a sizeable crowd on a warm Friday evening. Assuming most were supporting Denaby United, it was a frustrating evening for them. The home side were on top early on, and a 27th minute Yorkshire Main red card, for a reckless challenge, should have ensured three points. But with a man advantage Denaby lost their way. The game evened up and at times it was the away side who looked more like...

11am 3 August  2025 Montagu Cup, First Round Edlington Top Club 13 Pocket 1 (att 67) The Montagu Cup has become a regular feature my early season groundhopping, providing competitive football on Sunday mornings in South Yorkshire. The historic competition is open to Saturday and Sunday sides, although the latter tend to dominate the entry list. It's a growing list, although disappointingly several of this year's scheduled first round ties were awarded as walkovers. I guess the enthusiasm of entering 'the Mont' isn't always easy to sustain when it comes to getting side together for a tricky away tie on a summer Sunday morning. Credit then to Mexborough Sunday League side Pocket, who were always likely to struggle against the Doncaster and District Sunday League champions Edlington Top Club. The visitors hit the underside of the Top Club crossbar in the opening moments, but the home side recovered from that early scare to move comfortably into next weekend's '...

6pm 25 May 2024 Doncaster and District FA, John Preen Memorial Cup Final at Castle Park, Doncaster South Elmsall United Services 3 Swinton Athletic 1 (att 200) It wasn't just cup final day at Wembley and Hampden Park, but also at Doncaster's Castle Park. The impressive home ground of Doncaster Knights RUFC was staging football for the first time, with three cup finals on Saturday, plus two more scheduled for the following day. The first two matches had been Doncaster League cup finals, but I arrived for the day's final game, the Doncaster and District FA's John Preen Memorial Cup Final. Both finalists play 'step seven' football in the top division of the Sheffield and Hallamshire County Senior League, and produced an enjoyable, and very competitive, final. South Elmsall were the better side from the off, and Swinton's goal led something of a charmed life early in the game. It was against the run of play when Swinton scored first, midway through the half. The...