Steve B the Groundhopper

2.30pm 6 April  2025 East Devon Senior Cup, Quarter Final Lyme Regis 2 Crediton United reserves 2, 4-3 on penalties (att 95) The East Devon Senior Cup used to be a regular source of Sunday fixtures, but they're much rarer these days. Once I spotted this game it as an easy decision to stop overnight after Saturday's late afternoon cup final in Gwent. I've driven past the Davey Fort ground in Lyme Regis several times over the years, so it was nice to finally see a game there. It's a lovely and quirky venue, and one that makes good use of the tight space available. There's small car park (best to use the pay and display next door unless you're happy to be blocked in by later arrivals) from where there's elevated viewing behind the goal. Also behind the goal is a welcoming clubhouse, with a covered area to the front, and a snack bar. Spectators can also access half of one side, where there's picnic tables, hard standing and a seated stand. The opposite side ...

5pm 5 April  2025 East Gwent League, Harry Fishwick Cup Final at Sudbrook Cricket Club FC Tintern Abbey 0 Severn Tunnel Non Political Club 1 (att 220) Having been to my first Bristol Premier Combination game in the afternoon I made my debut in the East Gwent League in the early evening. It's a two division competition that sits below the Gwent Premier League. This cup is for the seven teams that compete in division two, the eighth, and lowest, tier of football in this part of Wales. Severn Tunnel are well clear at the top of table, so were heavy favourites to see off mid-table Tintern Abbey. They got their hands on the trophy, but it took a last minute goal to break the deadlock. They'd looked the more likely side to score. In the first half they had an effort ruled out for offside, then in the second they had a shot which clipped the top of the crossbar. Shortly before finally scoring they'd forced the Tintern Abbey keeper into an excellent save. But overall, for a cup fin...

2pm 5 April  2025 Bristol Premier Combination, Premier Division Olveston United 1 Hallen reserves 4 (att 23) This was my first ever game in the Bristol Premier Combination, which sits one rung below the 'step seven' Gloucestershire County League.  I have been to plenty of the grounds in it though, as several have staged higher level football in the past. My motivation for picking this fixture was the kick off time, as the two o'clock start enabled an easy journey for a 5pm game to follow in Wales. The visit of Hallen reserves was also an attraction, as they are challenging at the top of the table. Olveston aren't having the best of seasons, and they were comfortably beaten by Hallen's second team. The visitors were ahead early, although the home side recovered well and play was even as half time approached. But a second away goal before the break made a big difference. In the second half Hallen added a third, before a penalty for handball allowed Olveston to reduce ...

10.30am 5 April  2025 West Midlands Christian League Real Riverside 0 Dudley Lions 3 (att 17) This was first game in this league all season, and was plan B after my original chosen fixture, in the same competition, was showing as postponed on Friday evening. Dudley Lions are too far from the leaders to have realistic hopes of winning the title, but close enough to the top to have a good chance of finishing runners-up. They kept themselves in the chase with a straightforward win at Real Riverside. There wasn't much between the sides, but the visitors were sharper in attack. Two goals in the five minutes leading up to half time game them a flattering advantage at the break. Real Riverside began the second half on the front foot, but couldn't get themselves back into to the game. With a few minutes remaining Dudley Lions added a third goal. The venue was a pitch at Moor Green Lane in Birmingham. It's just a pitch, but a pleasant place on a bright and sunny morning.

6.30pm 1 April  2025 Peterborough and District League, Premier Division Crowland Town 2 FC Peterborough reserves 2 (att 65) After a weekend of watching football in Serbia it was back to more familiar territory for my first early evening midweek game following the clocks going forward. Some groundhoppers call this time of year the 'silly season', as it opens up opportunities to visit local low level games that probably wouldn't on their itinerary for a Saturday afternoon. With few options to choose from I took advantage of a day off work to travel a bit further, and to visit a team possibly closing in on the Peterborough and District League title. Crowland Town are third in the league with games in hand on the sides above them. But they need to win those games and two dropped points at home to FC Peterborough reserves could be a fatal blow to their hopes. They started well enough, going ahead thanks to a penalty after 33 minutes. But the game had been even up to that point, ...

7.30pm 30 March  2025 Serbia, Super Liga Železničar Pančevo 1 Čukarički 2 (att 500) Our final game of the weekend was a return to the top division, and the furthest we  travelled from the centre of Belgrade. Železničar are based in the town of Pančevo, and infrequent public transport meant we needed a taxi to reach it from our afternoon game at Zemun. We got to the stadium about 30 minutes before kick off, and were then pleasantly surprised to be told that entry was free, at least to the stand we were heading towards. With tickets being universally cheap it won't have saved us much money, but at least we were spared the sometimes complex and admin-heavy process of buying a ticket. Both teams were battling for places in the top half of the post-split season, and it turned out to be the liveliest game of the weekend. An early goal put  Čukarički in front.  Železničar had a great chance to equalise when they were awarded a 14th minute penalty, but the spot kick came bac...