Steve B the Groundhopper

3pm 1 August  2026 Midland Football League, Division Two Coventry Colliery 3 Central Ajax 1 (att 150) This was a big day for Coventry Colliery. Their first game at this level, having won promotion from division three in their debut Midland Football League campaign last season, and a celebration of their centenary. Their club badge suggests they were actually founded in 1925, but what's a few extra months when you've been around for 100 years? Sadly these days there seem to be fewer clubs likely to be so long-lasting. Coventry Colliery are based at Hawks Mill, of Hawksmill if you prefer, on the edge of Coventry. The main pitch, which runs widthways from the entrance, is enclosed by a combination of railings, advertising boards, rope and a hedge. Behind the goal to the left is the clubhouse, which was busy as Colliery attracted a bumper crowd to take part in the celebrations. The day was all well organised, with stewards sorting car parking, and a barbecue providing welcome food....

3pm 25 August  2025 Midland Football League, Division Three Arden Forest Sporting 2 Diamond Academy 0 (att 12) Shortly before the start of the season the club which had been called Solihull Sporting morphed into Arden Forest Sporting, and with a name change came a change of home ground. It's more a change of pitch really. The artificial pitch at Tudor Grange Academy Kingshurst, where I saw Sporting in 2024 , no longer meets league requirements due to a lack of dugouts, so has been swapped for a nearby grass pitch. They played a couple of home games elsewhere while the new pitch was being prepared. I'd expected this fixture to be staged there as well, but when I contacted the club to check the venue they confirmed they were back at Kingshurst. Like many grass pitches, the recent lack of rain has left the surface hard, uneven and dusty. It was a challenge for the players, and no doubt a frustrating one with the unused 3G just yards away. Still, at least the subs and coaches had d...

3pm 2 August  2025 Midland Football League, Division Two Cadbury Athletic 2 Boldmere Sports and Social Falcons 2 (att 200) One of the new football season's more intriguing ground changes has been Cadbury Athletic's move from their spiritual home at Bournville to share Birmingham Moseley's rugby stadium. Bournville is a lovely venue, with a picturesque pavilion, but the facilities can't be upgraded in a way that would allow Cadbury Athletic to progress from their current level. Previous promotions have meant groundshares with local clubs. When I first read that Cadbury were moving to Moseley I assumed they'd use the caged 3G pitch, but in fact they're playing on the main rugby stadium. It's an impressive ground, and certainly well above what you'd expect in the third tier of the Midland Football League. The main feature is an elevated seated stand, while the rest of the ground is open hard standing, with some grass banking. I don't know how long Birmi...

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...

3pm 26 August 2024 Midland Football League, Division Three Silhill 6 BNJS 3 (att 81) After a frustratingly slow bank holiday journey south on the M6 I arrived at Sihill's ground just a few minutes before kick off. I needn't have stressed though as, for reasons unknown, the match was about 10 minutes late starting. When it did get underway Silhill began well, and it was no surprise when they took a 10th minute lead. What was a surprise was that 10 minutes later they conceded an equaliser, as BNJS made the most of a defensive error. It was a temporary setback for the home side, as they regained the lead and then extended it to 3-1 just before half time. Almost immediately after the break they made it 4-1, but BNJS got a goal back straight away. A third away goal raised the prospect of Silhill throwing away what should have been a comfortable win. They recovered though, scoring a fifth five minutes from the end, and then adding a late sixth thanks to a penalty. Silhill are based i...

3pm 6 May  2024 Midland Football League, Division Three AFC Solihull 4 Feckenham 0 (att 130) It was a day for a celebration at AFC Solihull, as the club rounded off a successful season by being presented with the Midland Football League's third division trophy. The visit of Feckenham may have been something of a sideshow, but four second half goals meant the home side ended their campaign in style. Based on the first half, the final score was surprising. A goal hadn't looked likely before Solihull went ahead just before the hour. With the deadlock broken, Feckenham's limited resistance crumbled. AFC Solihull swapped home grounds during the season, moving in as tenants of Birmingham and District League side Leafield Athletic. It's an impressive set up for the level Leafield play at, with a clubhouse and a pair of pitches. The main pitch, closest to the clubhouse, is surrounded by a wooden post and rail barrier, albeit with sections missing. There's a pair of dugouts ...

3pm 1 April  2024 Midland Football League, Division Three Solihull Sporting 3 DSC United 4 (att 18) After a long drive home from Aberdeenshire on Easter Sunday I didn't want to travel any further than necessary on Bank Holiday Monday. This game was elevated from plan B when my first choice match, a few miles away at Coventrians, was off waterlogged. There were no such problems at Solihull Sporting's 3G pitch. It's at Tudor Grange Academy Kinghurst. As you'd expect the pitch is floodlit and enclosed by the usual high fence. There's a spectator area running most of the length of one side. On paper this didn't look a great fixture, with both sides in mid-table with little left to play for. It turned out to be something of a thriller, but the excitement was reserved for the second half. DSC bossed the opening period, racing into a 3-0 lead against a lacklustre Solihull. The home side must have had a talking to at half time as they were transformed after the break. T...

7.45pm 30 January  2024 Midland Football League, Division One Allscott Heath 2 Heather St John's 1 (att 85) It's a rare treat to be able to visit a new ground for a floodlit game after a full day at work, and even rarer to do so after a relaxed and trouble-free rush hour journey. Floodlights are a recent addition to Allscott Heath Sports Club, a necessity since the club's elevation to step six of the footballing pyramid, in the second tier of the Midland Football League. By all accounts the ground, in the village of Allscott near Telford, has been transformed in recent years from what was little more than an open pitch. It's now fully enclosed, with a small seated stand on one side and a covered area for spectators opposite. Progress looks to be being maintained on the pitch as well as off it, with this deserved win keeping Allscott Heath in the running for another promotion. A goal in each half set the home side up for a comfortable win, although a late penalty kept Le...