Steve B the Groundhopper

3pm  26 November 2016 Eastern Counties League, Division One Wisbech St Mary 1 Halstead Town 1 (att 36) Wisbech St Mary were one of several new clubs promoted to the Eastern Counties League this season, and they've made a good start at the higher level after stepping up from the Cambridgeshire League. The visit of Halstead, beaten only once in the league, was going to be a tough test, but after a hard-fought afternoon I imagine both sides will be relatively satisfied to have taken a point. Halstead went ahead early, and should have extended their lead by half time. They paid the penalty for failing to do so when Wisbech St Mary scored to level the game during the second half. All in all it was a decent game. Wisbech St Mary is a village just outside the town of Wisbech. The football club is based at the local sports and community centre, which as well as the first team pitch has plenty of others for the club's many youth teams. First team games are played on an encl...

11am  26 November 2016 EFL Youth Alliance, North East Lincoln City U18 1 York City U18 1 (att 56) The first teams of Lincoln and York may be outside the Football League at the moment, but their youth sides are still members of the rebranded EFL Youth Alliance. Unlike York, who've staged Youth Alliance games at their own training ground for years, Lincoln's youngsters lead a nomadic existence. This was the third home ground I've seen them on, and each one has been a school pitch. For now at least they're at the Priory City of Lincoln Academy, which has a large playing field on Skellingthorpe Road. One side of the pitch is roped off, to keep spectators at bay, and that's about it in terms of facilities, although hot drinks seemed to be available from somewhere inside the distant school buildings. The game began in bright sunshine, but that soon gave way to cloud, mist and falling temperatures. A goalless draw looked likely until an excellent finish put York...

1.30pm  19 November 2016 Birmingham FA Vase, Second Round Darlaston Town (1874) 2 Alcester Town 2, 4-2 on penalties (att 36) Darlaston's former ground was among my favourite venues. Sadly it seems the City Ground is unlikely to stage football again, but at least the revived club now have a ground of their own and are making good progress. Their progress to the third round of the Birmingham FA Vase was trickier than it should have been. After an undistinguished opening 65 minutes the tie came to life when Darlaston were awarded a penalty, from which they took the lead. The Alcester player who gave the spot kick away has been booked in the aftermath, and collected a red card five minutes later after unwisely continuing his complaints to the assistant referee who'd given the decision. But ten-man Alcester, who play Midland League football one level lower than West Midlands Regional League Darlaston, took advantage of sloppy defending to get a surprising equaliser. It wa...

2pm  12 November 2016 SJFA West Region, Central League, Division One Bellshill Athletic 1 St Roch's 2 (att 125) My reasons for choosing a particular fixture, or even an area of the country to head towards, can vary week to week. This time it was primarily the weather forecast; a band of heavy rain was due to have cleared the Glasgow area by early morning, and no matter how torrential it was I had several back-ups on artificial pitches. A few games did succumb to the conditions, but not my first choice, which went ahead on grass at Rockburn Park in Bellshill. Bellshill have been nomadic in recent years - this is third home ground I've seen them on - and after a period away only moved back into the town itself last season. Rockburn Park is basic for a West Region junior ground, but I gather it's intended a temporary venue until a permanent home is completed. Basic it may be, but Bellshill Athletic are well organised and put plenty of effort into turning the ground ...

2pm  5 November 2016 West Riding Challenge Cup, Second Round Kirk Deighton Rangers 0 Sherburn White Rose 2 (att 33) The scoreline might indicate a comfortable and expected passage into the next round of the county cup for the higher ranked Sherburn, but in reality it was a tough 90 minutes. Kirk Deighton, from the Harrogate League, matched their visitors, who play three levels higher, for most of the game, before succumbing to two late goals, the second a penalty. Both goals were when the hosts were down to 10 men, and had a stand-in keeper, due to injuries. For most of the tie there was little between the sides. Both created chances, but Sherburn's keeper was busier as Kirk Deighton managed more efforts on target. Sherburn's shooting was mostly high and wide, sometimes comically so. Without checking I can't be 100 per cent sure, but I think this was the first time I've seen a game in this cup, which brings together sides from West Yorkshire's district le...

3pm  29 October 2016 Cambridgeshire County League, Premier Division Foxton 0 Cherry Hinton 2 (att 56) After the lunchtime game at Haverhill I couldn't decide which of two Cambridgeshire League games to watch. The decision was, in effect, made for me when I turned up at Fowlmere Village Hall unaware that the club have moved this season. I'd normally double check a venue before setting off, but I knew Foxton was only a couple of miles up the road and was more than happy to watch their game instead. Neither the hosts nor visitors Cherry Hinton have made great starts to the season, but it was the latter who took a step towards the middle of the table thanks to a goal in each half. The two sides were evenly-matched until the first goal, but after that Cherry Hinton were on top, and deserved their win. Foxton's home is a village recreation ground, a typical set up for the Cambridgeshire League, and is very pleasant. The pitch is roped off, and on the far side of a cr...

12 midday  29 October 2016 Eastern Counties League, Division One Haverhill Borough 2 Cornard United 1 (att 122) Haverhill Borough are a young club, having apparently been formed to fill a vacancy to share the facilities at Haverhill Rovers' New Croft ground a few years ago. Initially they played on one of the outside pitches, before promotion meant the need for an enclosed ground and so a share with Rovers' pitch. This season's they've moved into a newly-built enclosed all-weather pitch, giving them a proper home of their own in what is an impressive sports complex. I'm told some games are still played on grass at Haverhill Rovers' ground next door, but there was no danger of a switch for this game, as it attracted groundhoppers from far and wide as the first of three staggered kick offs in the Eastern Counties League. Borough's new home is functional, and better than many with artificial surfaces. Spectators can access two sides, the near touchli...