Steve B the Groundhopper

2pm 29 April 2023 Lancashire Amateur League, 1st XI Cup, 2nd Round Oldham Hulmeians 3 Radcliffe Town 5 (att 40) It's been quite a season for Oldham Hulmeians, having completed their Lancashire Amateur League division three campaign unbeaten and champions. Adding the first eleven league cup to their trophy cabinet was always unlikely, but they gave premier division Radcliffe Town a very tough game before bowing out in the second round. A cup upset looked on the cards when the home side scored twice in the first half. Radcliffe started slowly but, importantly, pulled a goal back shortly before half time. Just two minutes into the second period the visitors scored again to level the tie. I thought they'd take control from there, but Hulmeians weren't beaten and soon after they went back in front. Radcliffe's better quality eventually showed, as they equalised again and then went in front for the first time. The home side piled on pressure in search of a leveller, but were

10.30am 29 April 2023 EFL Youth Alliance, North West Accrington Stanley U18 1 Oldham Athletic U18 1 (att 78) Like Mansfield, who I visited a week ago, Accrington Stanley have recently developed a new training ground which also serves as an academy venue and community facility. I first visited the Stanley Sports Hub in August 2020, watching AFC Burnley play a post-covid pre-season friendly on a 3G pitch. There are now two grass pitches as well, both with dugouts, and this was played on one of those. Accrington Stanley are locked in a battle with Blackpool at the top of the league. This draw, while their rivals were beating Salford City, probably means they'll miss out on the title. Oldham are high in the table as well, and provided a tough test for the home side. The first half was goalless, with little more than half chances, but that changed after the break. The visitors struck first, going ahead six minutes after the break. But it took Stanley just nine minutes to draw level. Ol

6.30pm 26 April 2023 Yorkshire Amateur League, Premier Division Beeston Juniors 1 Woodkirk Valley 2 (att 8) After Monday night’s big game in the top division, this second tier Yorkshire Amateur League fixture was a much more low key affair. There was little a stake, and a uneven pitch and very long grass made good football a challenge. I’d thought I might been for a goalless evening, especially when a poor Woodkirk penalty was saved 10 minutes before half time. A second spot kick, about 15 minutes after the break, broke the deadlock and gave the home side the lead. Going a goal down sparked the visitors into action. They stepped up a gear or two, equalised and then got what turned out to be the winner. Beeston Juniors play at Cardinal Square. It’s an unusual ground with a pair of parallel pitches  on a playing field that's  enclosed by a road and houses. Wayward shots and misplaced passes have to be retrieved from between cars and sometimes from front gardens.

6.30pm 24 April 2023 Yorkshire Amateur League, Supreme Division Middleton 0 Route One Rovers 2 (att 150) Not quite a title decider, but the three points for Route One Rovers means it's now hard to see anyone else winning the Yorkshire Amateur League. Middleton, who had been top, lost to third placed Littletown at the weekend. That left them needing to win this game to retain a realistic chance of finishing as champions. A goal in each half was enough for Route One Rovers. They deserved their win, which maintained their unbeaten league record and propelled them to the top of the table. For such an important game it was a disappointing 90 minutes. There were few clear chances, and once they went behind Middleton never looked likely to get back level. The game attracted a large crowd, and the away supporters were celebrating at the final whistle. Middleton play on a 3G pitch at South Leeds Hub. It's a typical caged set-up, with a spectator area running the length of one side. Unus

3pm 22 April 2023 Spartan South Midlands League, Division Two Buckingham United 5 Bovingdon 0 (att 31) The last time I visited a Buckingham team was 2011 when Buckingham Town, having lost their home ground, were playing in Winslow.   Town are now long-gone, at least as a Buckingham club, but Buckingham United and Buckingham Athletic have been flying the town's flag in the Spartan South Midlands League. Recent news that the two are to merge put a visit to United onto my groundhopping 'to do' list. I'm not aware of any official announcement, but I'd assume the new club would play first team games at Athletic's better-equipped ground. United play at Lace Hill, where they have a pitch that's neatly-railed off, with dugouts, close to a modern community and sports centre. This was mid-table Bovingdon's third game within the week, and it proved to be one too many as they suffered a heavy defeat at lowly United. The teams seemed evenly matched in the first half,

11am 22 April 2023 EFL Youth Alliance, North East, Bottom Section Mansfield Town U18 4 Huddersfield Town U18 2 (att 47) Mansfield Town's youth team have been nomadic in the past but recently the club opened a new training ground and academy venue. The Radford and Hymas Academy, in Pleasley on the outskirts of Mansfield, is impressive. There are three full-sized grass pitches and an enclosed 3G pitch that's equipped with floodlights and a stand. This game was played on 'pitch one', the main grass pitch. The near side was roped off for spectators, while on the far side there are dugouts and a scaffold tower from where games can be filmed. As far as I'm aware the EFL Youth Alliance remains a competition for under 18 sides, although both Mansfield and Huddersfield's Twitter accounts billed this as an under 19 fixture. That might be a throwback to post-covid flexibility on age limits. There was little a stake on the pitch, although I guess players' hopes of being

6.30 pm 19 April 2023 Wigan and District Amateur League, Premier Division Leigh Foundry 0 Winstanley St Aidans 3 (att 25) This was a clash between the top two teams in the league but, with St Aidans having already won the title, there nothing at stake beyond the visitors looking to maintain their 100% winning record. They achieved that fairly comfortably. All their goals came in the first half, the first two both being penalties. They were denied a fourth goal when a third spot kick, just a couple of minutes before the end, was saved. Both sides played some good football, especially in the opening period. After the break the game became scrappy, not helped by a cold and strong wind blowing across the pitch. Leigh Foundry's Siddow Park home is a good venue in a league where most grounds are basic. The single pitch is tightly enclosed and roped off along both touchlines. Advertising boards add to the feel of it being a 'proper' football ground. There's even a scoreboard,