Steve B the Groundhopper

2.45pm 15 August  2026 Kent County League, Premier Division Long Lane 1 Aylesford 3 (att 41) Having spent most of the week in London for work reasons, I extended my stay an extra day to take in a game in the capital before heading home. Kidbrooke-based Long Lane was a good option, being much easier by train than a car journey from home would ever be. The club is mostly focused on junior sides and has good facilities, including an array of pitches, at Kidbrooke Playing Fields, seemingly also now known as The Northwood Ground. Nearest the entrance is an enclosed and floodlit 3G pitch with a seated stand, but first team games are played on a grass pitch, 'pitch one', which is just beyond it. The playing area is railed off and there's a pair of dugouts on the near side. There's no hard standing for spectators, not a problem after prolonged hot and dry weather. Some grass banking does provide a slightly elevated view of the action. The action in this game was mostly in the s...

5.30pm 8 November  2025 Kent County League, Premier Division Aylesford 3 Hawkinge Town 2 (att 91) The late game in the Kent County League's inaugural 'groundhop' obviously had to be a floodlit venue, and so Aylesford's ground fitted the bill. The club is based at Aylesford Recreation ground, where a lengthy walk from the car park and clubhouse leads to an enclosed 3G pitch. It's a standard set up, with a spectator area running about three-quarters of one side.  One feature rarely seen at such venues was a welcome tea hut inside the fence. From a groundhopping perspective three games, and three new grounds, in a day is hard to resist. But by the third game it can feel a little like hard work, especially on a chilly evening. Luckily Aylesford and Hawkinge, both going well in the league, provided a thoroughly entertaining 90 minutes. It was a  feisty and occasionally bad-tempered match, and a good watch for the neutral. Hawkinge opened the scoring but Aylesford equalis...

2pm 8 November 2025 Kent County League, Premier Division Kings Hill 4 Canterbury City 2 (att 176) The  Kent County League has taken the innovative step of creating its own 'groundhop' this season. This was due to be the day's second game, but an earlier match, to be hosted by Snodland Town's reserve side, was postponed to make way for a first team FA Vase tie. Still, the prospect of this game, plus a later kick off at another nearby ground, was sufficient to tempt me. Whether enough groundhoppers attended to continue the experiment beyond this season remains to be seen. The 'official' crowd at this game looked on the generous side. It was a lively game though. Canterbury City voluntarily dropped to this level at the end of last season, and after years of groundsharing have hopes of re-establishing themselves at a ground back in Canterbury. On the pitch they've been struggling, but their supporters had plenty to cheer in the first half at Kings Hill. While th...