Steve B the Groundhopper

6.30pm 21 August  2026 Shropshire County League, Premier Division Shrewsbury Up and Comers 1 Ercall Rangers 1 (att 95) Shrewsbury Up and Comers share their ground with a cricket club, hence the need for some early season home games to be moved from a Saturday afternoon to a Friday evening. It's handy from a groundhopping perspective, even if traffic problems meant a frustratingly slow Friday afternoon drive from Manchester to Shrewsbury. Luckily I set off early enough to still arrive in good time. The ground is close to the centre of town, and was busy on a sunny summer evening, helped no doubt by the pleasant Salop Unison Club serving as a clubhouse. My pre-match pint, once I'd been singed in as a guest, was welcome after the journey. Shrewsbury Up and Comers have been in existence more than 50 years, and as their name suggests they a club that concentrates on youth football. Their senior team though is now well established in the Shropshire County League. There wasn't muc...

6.30pm 5 May  2026 Shropshire County League, Premier Division Bridgnorth Spartans 5 Wem Town 0 (att 25) And end-of-season fixture in which the visitors needed points to ease their relegation risk, but once they went behind they never looked like getting them. Bridgnorth Spartans had little to play for, but were the better of the two sides in a fairly even first half. They had a 1-0 lead going into half-time, then took complete control after the break. Wem's young side - wearing borrowed unnumbered shirts due to a kit clash - worked hard but could do little to stop the home side adding more goals.  Spartans scored four in a one-sided second half, two of them penalties. Having previously played at a school, Bridgnorth Spartans have now developed their own ground, appropriately called Spartans Park, which they've turned into a neat venue. It's in the village of Norton, between Bridgnorth and Shifnal. The single pitch is railed off on both sides, there's dugouts, a snack ba...

8.15pm 7 April  2026 Shropshire County League, Premier Division Wrockwardine Wood 3 Telford Town reserves 2 (att 40) Late season midweek groundhopping usually involves tense post-work journeys through rush hour traffic as I try to reach my chosen match in time for kick-off. But occasionally I can enjoy a more leisurely evening. As well as non-floodlit grounds staging early evening fixtures, April sometimes throws up games at floodlit venues that rarely, if ever, stage midweek games during the rest of the season. The 3G pitch at Telford College is one, and is currently home to Wrockwardine Wood. A prior booking meant this game had the unusually late, but useful for me, start time of 8.15pm. It's not an interesting venue, just a standard artificial pitch surrounded by the usual high fence. There's no specific area for spectators, but there is plenty of space inside the fence for those watching to stand pitch side. A decent crowd turned out to watch what was a local derby. We were...

7.45pm 22 October 2024 North West Counties League Cup, First Round Shawbury United 1 Allscott Heath 6 (att 102) This cup tie had been postponed at the start of the month, which was handy for me as I had a choice of games that night, whereas the rearranged date filled a gap on what would otherwise have been a blank midweek. Both these sides are new to the North West Counties League this season, having transferred across from the Midland Football League. As a local derby, and with the teams not far apart in the league table, I was expecting a close game. It turned out to be anything but. Allscott Heath were ahead early, and soon turned a 1-0 lead into 2-0. A cracking strike from distance got Shawbury United back into the game, but only briefly. Three more away goals, in the minutes leading up to half time, effectively ended any contest. The second period was quieter, and a little more successful for Shawbury as they only conceded one more. As far as I'm aware this season is the first...

3pm 3 August 2024 Shropshire County League, Premier Division NC United 4 Ellesmere Rangers 3 (att 63) Having gone years without watching a Shropshire County League match this was my second inside 24 hours. I'd had my eye on this fixture before I spotted last night's game at Prees. At the start of a season I like to watch a team playing its opening match in a new league, and this ticked that box. NC United (I've no idea what the initials stand for) are new to the Shropshire County League and, as far as I can tell, new to adult senior football. Their first team have been placed in the premier division, while their development side are in division one. Ellesmere Rangers were in the North West Counties League just two seasons ago, and looked to be on their way to three points against the newcomers, before the home side staged a memorable comeback. There was little sign of the drama to come in a first half that was enjoyable but unremarkable. Rangers were the better side and goo...

8pm 2 August 2024 Shropshire County League, Division One Prees United 3 AFC Weston Rhyn 1 (att 70) It's a long time since I last watched a game in Shropshire's county league, but an 8pm kick off on a Friday evening was the ideal way, for me at least, to begin a weekend. Prees United have returned to the league this season, have dropped out previously, and got their season off to a winning start against Weston Rhyn. They had to come from behind to earn the three points, although the visitors' first half opener was against the run of play. Two goals in three minutes, one a penalty, put Prees in front after about half-an-hour. The second half was dominated by the home side, although it took another penalty, with around 10 minutes left, to extend their lead. The Weston Rhyn goalkeeper had a busy evening, pulling off some good saves to keep his team in the game. I wasn't aware that Prees United had a floodlit ground until I spotted this fixture. There are permanent lights on...

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...