Steve B the Groundhopper

6.15pm 28 August  2025 Huddersfield and District League, Division Four Fenton United 1 Fothergill and Whittles 3 (att 24) A year ago, almost to the day, I saw this same fixture. Twelve months on and both the venue and the division may have changed, but the outcome was the same. Last year, in division five,  Fothergill and Whittles won 6-0.  This time, following promotion for both teams, they had to settle for a narrower winning margin, although they were still comfortable victors. Fenton might feel they deserved something out of the game, but the visitors' sharper finishing was the difference. Two first half goals put them in control, and they added a third after the break. The home side got a late consolation. Last year's game was at Huddersfield's Reinwood Recreation Ground, but Fenton United have now relocated to an artificial pitch at Huddersfield rugby union club's Lockwood ground. It's fairly typical of its type, being floodlit and enclosed by a fence. But it ...

6.15pm 29 August 2024 Huddersfield and District League, Division Five Fenton United 0 Fothergill and Whittles 6 (att 18) Division five is the sixth and bottom tier of the Huddersfield and District League, and will likely be the lowest level of adult Saturday afternoon football that I'll see all season. But football at all levels can be entertaining, and a match on a new ground to visit on a Thursday evening made it well worth the relatively short rush hour journey across the M62. This was the opening league fixture for both sides, and it was visitors Fothergill and Whittles who got their 2024/2025 season off to the best possible start. It took a goalkeeping error to break the deadlock, and provide the away side with their opening goal. It was only 1-0 at half time, with little sign of how one-sided the second period would be. Fothergill and Whittles doubled their lead just after the break, and from then on they ran away with it, adding another four goals. Fenton United play home ga...