Steve B the Groundhopper

2pm 22 August  2026 Sheffield and Hallamshire County Senior League, Premier Division Swinton Athletic 1 Stocksbridge Park Steels reserves 5 (att 40) I'd wanted to visit Swinton Athletic's ground for a while, but despite being among my nearest unticked venues at this level I'd somehow not got around to it until now. It's definitely one of the hidden gems that exist below the national league system, and probably only needs floodlights and some hard standing for spectators to be ready for a place at 'step six'. It's fully enclosed, the pitch is railed off and there's a good-sized seated stand. Although the surrounds are grass, some of it is steeply banked which allows for a good elevated view. On the pitch, Swinton Athletic may still be some way off a step up, at least on the evidence of this game. Of course it's unfair to judge a team on one match, but Stocksbridge's young reserve team had a comfortable afternoon. Good finishing, and one unfortunat...

11am 16 August  2026 Montagu Cup, Quarter-Final Wickersley CC 3 Whiston 1 (att 70) This season's Montagu Cup has reached the quarter-final stage, and I travelled to the Rotherham suburb of Wickersley to see if the holders could continue their quest to regain the trophy. From a groundhopping perspective it was also a chance to 'tidy up' a previous visit to the Bob Mason Recreation Ground. In 2024 the hosts, then under the name Joker Wickersley, played on an open pitch close to the entrance.  Now they've moved to the venue's railed off pitch. The Montagu Cup tie was one of two games on the ground today, and neither was on the pitch used two years ago. Although Wickersley and Whiston are local rivals, the teams play in different leagues. Wickersley are in the Sheffield-based Blades Super Draw Sunday Sports League, while Whiston play in Rotherham and District Sunday league. I thought the home side would be favourites, and they proved me right by winning comfortably if u...

11am 9 August  2026 Montagu Cup, Round of 16 Scawthorpe Herons 1 Brinsworth Whitehill 1, 4-2 on penalties (att 53) An all-Sunday league clash in the last 16 of the Montagu Cup, and there was nothing between hosts Scawthorpe, from the Doncaster League, and Rotherham League visitors Brinsworth Whitehill. It was a lively game of end-to-end football. Brinsworth took an early lead, which lasted until a second half penalty allowed the home side to level the tie. With no further goals, and no extra time in the Montagu Cup, it took more penalties to decide the outcome. The away side had two of their four spot kicks saved, while Scawthorpe scored four out five to earn a place in next weekend's quarter finals. The action took place at Woodside Field, a playing field in the Scawthorpe area of Doncaster. There are permanent rugby posts, but football goals were placed in front them ahead of kick off.

11am 2 August  2026 Montagu Cup, First Round Barnburgh Working Mens Club 0 Wombwell Main 6 (att 47) A Sunday morning at this time of year usually means the Montagu Cup. This first round tie pitched Barnburgh Working Mens Club, from the second level of Mexborough Sunday League, against Saturday side Wombwell Main, from the top tier of the Sheffield County Senior League. I expected Wombwell to win comfortably, but Saturday teams don't necessarily come out on top against Sunday league opponents. On this occasion though, they did. It took the visitors about 10 minutes to open the scoring, and soon after they doubled their lead. Slack defending, and what looked like an own goal, put Wombwell Main 4-0 up, and they scored a fifth before half time. On a warm morning and with the tie effectively over it was no surprise that the second period was quieter. Wombwell added a sixth, but Barnburgh didn't give up and were unlucky not to be rewarded with a consolation goal. Barnburgh Working Me...

11am 26 July  2026 Montagu Cup, Preliminary Round Murphy's 2 Loca 2, 3-5 on penalties (att 24) The annual Montagu Cup has become a regular source of my pre-season competitive football. The competition has a long history and the final, held at Easter, always attracts a large crowd. There were fewer people at Anchorage Lane in Sprotbrough, Doncaster, for this preliminary round tie between two Sunday league teams. The cup is open to Saturday and Sunday sides, although the latter are in the majority. Murphy's, linked to a sports bar of the same name in Doncaster, spent last season in the second tier of the Doncaster and District Sunday League. Loca won the second tier of their Sheffield-based league. There wasn't much between the sides in a competitive, and at times feisty, 90 minutes. The home side were twice ahead, once in each half, but in each half the visitors equalised. No extra time in Montagu Cup so it was straight to penalties to decide the outcome. Loca scored five fr...