Steve B the Groundhopper

10.30am 6 December  2025 North East Christian Fellowship League Stockton Athletic Church 2 St John's Church Snods Edge 2 (att 1) After paying close attention the weather forecasts as the weekend approached I settled on a trip to the North East, in the hope of avoiding the worst of the rain and the bulk of the postponements. I expected to begin my day at Middlesbrough College's artificial pitch where, according to the league website, this game was due to be played. But on arrival there was no sign of a match taking place. Instead I headed to the Northfield School and Sports College, in nearby Billingham, which is apparently Stockton's 'regular' home venue. Sure enough the league website was wrong and fixture was taking place here, on the most distant grass pitch from the car park. To be fair, football at this level is all about the players so as long as they, and the referee, know where it's being played then that's all that really matters.  Stockton are stru...

2.30pm 29 November  2025 Gwent Premier League, Premier Division Clydach Wasps 1 PILCS 3 (att 40) I had several options for afternoon games within range of my morning match. But with the weather less than ideal I settled on Clydach Wasps after they replied on Twitter/X to confirm their game was 'definitely on'. It turned out to be a good choice. Not only was it a decent game, albeit a frustrating one for the hosts, but was it was also at a wonderfully scenic, and somewhat quirky, venue. This version of Clydach is a village in Gwent, between Abergavenny and Ebbw Vale. Clydach Recreation Ground features a single football pitch that's enclosed by a wooden post and rail fence. One one side what amounts to a main stand is a few rows of terracing underneath an unusual roof. Opposite is a sort of dugout on stilts that was used by the away side. Add some grass banking, benches and picnic tables, and lovely views all around and you have an attractive football ground. PILCS - the club...

10.30am 29 November  2025 West Midlands Christian League LBC 2 Excel NIS 9 (att 20) Back in May I watched as Excel NIS won the West Midlands Christian League with a narrow away win . This season they're once again title contenders, as one of two sides with 100% winning records so far. Their perfect record was never really threatened by league newcomers LBC - who take their name from the Birmingham-based Londonderry Baptist Church - although the hosts got off to a dream start with a very early goal. On a muddy pitch it took Excel time to get into their stride, but they were level after 10 minutes and had built an unassailable 4-1 advantage by half time. More goals followed after the break. The away side had extended their lead to 7-1 before LBC pulled one back. Credit to the home team as they continued to attack and might easily have scored again, but two late goals rounded off another three points for Excel. LBC play home games at the Coneygre Arts Centre in Tipton. The solitary fo...

1.30pm 22 November  2025 Lincolnshire FA Junior Cup, Third Round Scotter United 1 Long Sutton Athletic 2 (att 36) The level of interest in county cups varies across the country, both among the clubs taking part and for me as a groundhopper. Lincolnshire's junior cup is among the better ones, taking in a wide range of clubs who would otherwise rarely, if ever, face each other. The county's geography also means some long and slow journeys. Peterborough League side Long Sutton Athletic hired a coach to transport players and supporters north to Scunthorpe League Scotter United. They'll have enjoyed the journey back home, thanks to an 87th minute goal that gave them a hard-earned place in the last 16. Long Sutton had looked the better side in the opening exchanges, and deservedly took a first half lead. But despite creating chances they failed to extend their advantage, and Scotter got more into the game. By the second half the sides were evenly-matched, and Scotter, top of the ...

10.15am 22 November  2025 Sheffield and District Fair Play League, Division One Railway 0 Hillsborough Pumas 7 (att 12) There was a choice of Fair Play League fixtures at Thomas Rotherham College, but having seen a game on the grass pitch in summer 2023  I was planning to tick off the adjacent 3G. It's currently home to Railway FC, in the league's top division. While they were being well beaten by Hillsborough Pumas, a second tier game, Sheffield International v Kings Athletic, was on the grass pitch. Ahead of this match Pumas had only played twice in the league, winning both. Their other matches so far this season were all cup ties, and also all won. They're a good side. They were ahead early against Railway, but the game remained fairly even for the first half-an-hour or so. Then, in a devastating spell before half time, the visitors scored three more. A fifth followed about five minutes into the second period, and two more completed the rout. Railway weren't bad, the...

12.30pm 16 November  2025 Moray Community Cup, Group B Buckie 1 FC Bishopmill 3 (att 21) Amateur football in Moray is mostly a summer sport, but the Moray Community Cup provides competitive football for clubs during their close season. This season there are eight teams, in two groups of four, with matches all scheduled for Sundays. Newly-formed Buckie FC apparently have plans to play league football next summer, and this was their first competitive fixture. The had a perfect start, hitting Elgin-based Bishopmill on the break for an early lead. It was against the run of play, but having gone ahead they had chances to extend their lead. They they failed to take them though, and paid a price when the visitors equalised just before half time. After the break Bishopmill's greater experience showed, taking control of the game with two goals.  Buckie worked hard, and created half chances, but were unable to get back level. As the venue for this game was listed as Buckie High School I...