Steve B the Groundhopper

3pm 5 September 2020 Hampshire Premier League, Senior Division Chamberlayne Athletic 0 Clanfield 4 (att 15) Netley-based Chamberlayne had a torrid start to the new season when they conceded a dozen goals against Bush Hill in midweek. But Bush Hill are one of the Hampshire Premier League's stronger teams, and a home game against Clanfield may be a more realistic pointer to how Chamberlayne's season will go. It looks like it will be a struggle, but there'll be no lack of effort. Clanfield won a scrappy match thanks to two goals in each half. But it might have turned out differently had the home side converted a penalty in the opening moments of the second half. Instead it was well saved. Chamberlayne created most of the game's chances in the second period, but Clanfield held firm and two late goals, one in stoppage time, gave them a flattering winning margin. I don't know much about Chamberlayne Athletic, elevated from the Southampton League before last s...

11am 5 September 2020 Arthur Dunn Cup, Semi Final Old Bradfieldians 1 Old Tonbridgians 1 aet (att 20) Arthur Dunn was a leading amateur footballer in the Victorian era, and after his premature death at 41 the cup that bears his name was created for teams made up of alumni of the country's leading private schools. Amateur clubs, such as the old boys teams, were concerned that professionalism was eclipsing their game, and wanted their own cup to keep the amateur game alive. These days the Arthur Dunn cup is effectively the league cup of the Arthurian League, but the league didn't begin until the 1960s while the first cup final was in 1903. And while clubs usually play their Arthurian League matches on hired pitches around London, most Arthur Dunn Cup ties are played at the schools. So, 18 months after I watched Old Bradfieldians play a league match in Hampton , I got to see them at their alma mater, Bradfield College in Berkshire, in a cup game held over from...

6pm  2 September 2020 Northern Alliance, Premier Division Winlaton Vulcans 4 Ponteland United 3 (att 55) I've been lucky with the friendlies I've seen over the last few weeks, but however good a pre-season game might be it always lacks a certain something compared to a bona fide competitive game. So it was good at last to get back to proper football, after a six month gap. Still mindful of potential late cancellations, I headed to the north east, where all four divisions of the Northern Alliance had fixtures so there was plenty to choose from. The top flight, at the seventh level of non-League football, was my preferred option and I settled on this game. It proved a good choice, as Winlaton and Ponteland opened their season with a classic match on a damp evening. Ponteland are well established at this level, whereas Winlaton had successive promotions before their debut in the premier division was cut short by Covid-19. They started this season with maximum ...

6.30pm  1 September 2020 Friendly Eagle Sports 4 South Liverpool 2 (att 77) I thought I'd already been to Eagle Sports but during the summer I discovered that, in the 20 years since I visited for a Warrington and District League match, they'd moved. They've not gone far, it's still the same address and the same sports ground, but the rugby and football pitches have swapped places. Back in 2000 the football club played on an open pitch in the middle of the playing field, but now they have a neatly railed off pitch adjacent to the large social club building. It might be the effect of long months with no football at all, but the pre-season games I've watched recently have been a lot better than the low key training games that put me off non-competitive football in the past. This was the best of the handful of matches I've seen since the restart. Two good teams, both at step seven of the non-League pyramid, produced a hard-fought high-tempo gam...

  2pm  29 August 2020 Friendly Winsford Saxons 0 Avon Villa 7 (att 33) abandoned after 70 minutes A quick return to Winsford Saxons now they've found a key to access the Arena pitch at their Knights Grange home, but as they've lost heavily both times I've watched them I doubt they'll want me back again. Worse for the home side was a nasty looking injury which brought a premature end to the game, although the stricken player was at least able to be helped off the pitch after the referee signalled an end to the contest. The 70 minutes or so that were played was enough time for Warrington League Avon Villa to prove their superiority. Six of their goals were during an impressive opening half, when their finishing was faultless.  Winsford Saxons are slick on social media, and seem to have generated a fair amount of local interest. Hopefully their results will improve once competitive football gets underway, and opposition in the Crewe League is unlikely...

6.30pm  26 August 2020 Friendly Cartmel and District 2 Endmoor KGR 1 (att 27) at Allithwaite Playing Fields Further than I'd normally travel for a midweek pre-season game, even if the current lack of commuters means rush hour traffic is unusually light. But the attraction of this fixture was the venue. Allithwaite hasn't had a team of its own for several years, but Cartmel often use the village playing fields for reserve and third team matches. I'm unlikely to spend a Saturday afternoon watching one of those, but a first team match, even a friendly, was enough to tempt me to south Cumbria. It wasn't the greatest of games, although it had its moments, but on a sunny evening and with views across Morecambe Bay, it was a lovely way to spend an early evening. Cartmel's first team has steppped up to West Lancashire League for this season, and so were expected to beat Westmorland League Endmoor. Pre-season games can be tricky to predict though, and i...

  2pm  22 August 2020 Friendly Bamford 4 Buxworth 1 (att 39) My slow start to the resumption of football, after family duties took priority a week ago, continued with a friendly between two sides who will both be in the top division of the Hope Valley League when competitive action begins. This felt more like a competitive match than a friendly though, albeit played in very good spirits. There were none of the mass substitutions that can spoil pre-season fixtures, no mid-half drinks breaks and, while points weren't at stake, both teams were keen to win. The home side came out on top, but had to come from behind after a excellent direct free kick gave Buxworth an early lead. It was so early that few spectators were there to see it, as the match got underway nearly 10 minutes ahead of schedule. At least Bamford's followers were pitchside by the time their team scored twice ahead of the half time to edge in front of a lively match. There wasn't much bet...