Steve B the Groundhopper

7pm 16 May  2025 Northumberland FA, Benevolent Bowl Final at St Peter's Hub, Wallsend AFC Burradon and New Fordley 1 AFC Newbiggin 3 (att 270) St Peter's Hub in Wallsend was only opened a few weeks ago, as a headquarters for the Northumberland Football Association and a venue for at least some of its cup finals. It's built on what were basic playing fields, and is a good facility. I'm sure the immaculate artificial pitch is great to play on, but for spectators it's a slightly underwhelming stage for such matches. There are are couple of small seated stands, although dugouts and other spectators mean the view from them is inevitably restricted. Designated spectator areas run the length of both touchlines, although in places sections of high fencing get in the way. Traffic from the adjacent A1058 Coast Road provides a constant audible backdrop. But, despite all that, this was a well-organised event and the Northern Alliance's top two sides provided a enjoyable gam...

7pm 15 May  2025 Derbyshire Summer League, Bill Redfern Memorial Cup, First Round Smithfield Uttoxeter 3 Pavilion 7 (att 20) For the second year in a row there's a new ground to visit in the Derbyshire Summer League. Last time it was Bramshall , who have been on the move since and are now one of two teams using a school pitch in Uttoxeter. Smithfield Uttoxeter are co-tenants on the grass pitch at Oldfields Hall Middle School, and it was their home game I chose to 'tick' the ground. It's just a pitch, but there's a grass bank on one side for an elevated view. This was a first round cup tie, but an unusual format meant that five ties would result in the elimination of just one team. Despite a heavy defeat Smithfield's wasn't the evening's worst result, and so both they and Pavilion are into the quarter finals. The home side took an early lead, but after Pavilion equalised they took control. A flurry of goals gave them a 4-1 lead by half time. More goals fl...

2.30pm 10 May  2025 East of Scotland League, Division Three Ormiston Primrose 0 Stoneyburn 4 (att 60) In a repeat of 10 years ago I followed a game at Toryglen with a game at Ormiston . In the decade since, Ormiston have moved to a new ground, immediately adjacent to their old one, and gained a suffix. The addition of Primrose to their name is actually a return to a previous identity. Their old ground, Recreation Park, has been landscaped into a public park, while New Recreation Park features an enclosed pitch and a modern pavilion. Ormiston are destined to finish one place off the bottom of the East of Scotland League's fourth, and lowest, tier. Stoneyburn still have a chance of promotion, but needed a win. They started slowly, and in the early exchanges you'd have struggled to tell which team was near the bottom and which was challenging to go up. That changed once Stoneyburn took a 25th minute lead. Having scored once Stoneyburn took control. By half time their lead was 4-0,...

10am 10 May  2025 Glasgow Colleges FA Cup, Quarter Final Toryglen Thistle 4 Nethercraigs 1 (att 37) It's a decade since I was last at the Toryglen Regional Football Centre, close to Hampden Park in Glasgow. Back then I watched a game on one of the trio of outdoor artificial pitches, but this time I went indoors. The venue's impressive facilities include a full size artificial pitch under a roof. There are four rows of seating running the full length of one side, and dugouts opposite. Despite their name, Toryglen Thistle don't always play home games here. Like most amateur teams in Glasgow they tend to hire pitches week to week. This cup tie was postponed last week when the intended pitch was double booked! Toryglen are flying in the second tier of the Glasgow Colleges League, which is a standard Saturday morning league rather than a competition for students. They will be playing alongside Nethercraigs in the top division next season, and on this evidence will have nothing ...

6.30pm 7 May  2025 Yorkshire Amateur League, Division Four Scissett 2 FC Queensbury 3 (att 18) Second played first in the Yorkshire Amateur League's seventh tier, with the away side knowing a win would confirm them as champions. In fact a draw would probably be enough, assuming they'll be awarded the points from an unplayed game earlier in the week. With more games to play a defeat for FC Queensbury wouldn't have been decisive, but Scissett were in no mood to give up on their slim hopes of pipping them to the title. The home aide began well, scoring after five minutes and then doubling their lead with just 10 minutes played. Another five minutes later and it was 2-1, after Queensbury converted a penalty. After that the goals dried up, at least until the closing minutes. The visitors worked hard to get back level, but Scissett defended well and limited their opponents to few clear chances. Eventually though Queensbury's pressure became too much, and with four minutes lef...

6.45pm 6 May  2025 Liverpool County Premier League, John Gregson Memorial Trophy, Semi Final Ormskirk West End 3 Long Lane 0 (att 42) Ormskirk West End stage most home games at Edge Hill University, so this was a rare chance to see their first team play at what I believe is their spiritual home at Whittle Drive Playing Fields. I assume this venue was used because the facilities at Edge Hill were unavailable for a midweek cup tie. The pitch at Whittle Drive was roped off along both touchlines, and changing rooms are in a small building at one end. I've no idea what the criteria is for a place in the Liverpool County Premier League's John Gregson Memorial Trophy this season, as it includes an odd mix of senior and youth sides. Ormskirk look likely to finish bottom of the second tier Championship Division, whereas Long Lane are an under 17 team. They are the closest Long Lane currently has to an adult side, and they will apparently join the open age divisions next season. It was a...

3pm 5 May  2025 Midland Football League, Division Two Coventrians 1 Central Ajax 1 (att 82) There was little choice for a new ground to visit on the early May bank holiday, at least without a very lengthy journey, but this game at least allowed me a 'tick' and at the same time completed the top three tiers of the Midland Football League. It had the feel of an end of season encounter, not helped the two sides having also played each other in the reverse fixture just 48 hours earlier. That game ended 4-3, but defences had tightened since then. Coventrians did get an early lead, but failed to build on it. They paid the price about with about 15 minutes left when Central Ajax equalised. The home side upped their game in search of a winner but, despite coming close, it remained a draw. Coventrians have taken over the Coventry Colliery ground in the Keresley area of the city. It features a newish clubhouse and couple of football pitches, the main one being fully railed off and with a...

2pm 3 May  2025 York League, Junior League Cup, Quarter Final The Beagle 2 Heslington 1 (att 30) This is the part of the season when the challenge can be finding games that are actually going to take place, as some players decide they have better things to do than play in a meaningless fixture that will likely end in a heavy defeat. Forfeits ruled out both my possible options for a Saturday morning match, but I was at least confident of the York League's cup ties getting played. The Junior League Cup is for teams outside the top two divisions, and this last eight match pitted third tier The Beagle against Heslington, who play one level lower. The home side are named after the pub that's adjacent to their ground at Chesney Field. It's an open recreation ground with a single football pitch, covered by daisies and dandelions, which was roped off along one touchline. The higher ranked side progressed into the last four after just edging a close and hard-fought, but rather scrap...