Cymru Premier. Pontypridd Town 0-1 Flint Town United.
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Hallam 4-2 Thackley
The weather in Sheffield broke about quarter past six and soon after it was absolutely throwing it down, which led to me having a very wet walk up to the ground. Fortunately this also kept the attendance down, a "rain affected" 218 turned up which meant there was plenty of room in the covered area behind the top goal. Hallam's sloping pitch with its contours and undulations certainly played in an interesting way, in the early stages there were areas where players were splashing and sliding everywhere whereas there were other parts where the ball was bouncing and running true. Even so I had an early sense this might be an abandonment and spent a lot of the early stages considering what pubs to visit on the way back and still getting the same tram train back.
Thackley had slope advantage in the first half and were able to fire goal kicks down the hill and bypass the wet midfield, which led to them scoring twice on the quarter hour. Just as the game kicked back off following the first the rain audibly slowed (it was merely landing on the stand roof rather than absolutely clattering off it) and the water drained through the pitch quickly, it possibly being a factor that we did get a fair bit of rain up here between the July and August heatwaves so there is some water in the ground. Hallam started to play and equalised through a pair of sweeping moves then they had the slope in the second half, they took the lead on the hour just after returning to a full complement of players after a sin binning then wrapping it up late on. The clear highlight beyond this was a Hallam defender making a clearance on the turn and whacking the ball straight into the ref's bread basket.
Got a Futbology badge - tenth game at Sandygate. Also my tenth game of the season already, a record by some distance.
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Hartlepool United 0-0 Tranmere Rovers
Futbology tells me on this same day 19 years ago I attended the same fixture, with the same outcome, albeit in the division above. The ground remains unchanged and I imagine in another 19 years it will still be the same. It also tells me this is the 10th time I’ve visited the place, placing it second to Huddersfield in terms of away trips.
As for the game, we were much better than at Mansfield and should have won, maybe trying to stop walking the ball into the the net would help. Hartlepool look like they might struggle, their number 9 was a handful but had little service and had to keep pulling wide. First time I’ve seen a ref in an orange shirt, unless my eyes were deceiving me.Comment
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superb performance and result for the Imps away at Oxford. Our first win here since 2005 apparently, and I need not keep coming back to this shithole ground.
Took our chances brilliantly in first half and defended very well after Oxford inevitably got one back (soft looking penalty from 100 yards away). Paudie O'Connor was excellent at the back, and notable mentions for Max Sanders and Tom Hopper. Mark Kennedy's first league win for City, and another tough away match on Saturday against Posh.Comment
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hugely enjoyed it andOriginally posted by Capybara View PostMiddlesbrough 2-2 Sheffield United
League Division Two
This was a game of the type usually described as a great one for the neutral. Boro were looking for their first win of the season but were behind after only three minutes to a shot from just inside the box by Sander Berge. The equaliser came from what seemed like Boro’s first real attack of the game, with an Isaiah Jones pass providing a tap-in for Chuba Akpom after 14 minutes. Sheffield United had a goal disallowed for half-time and were on top when they again took the lead with 68 minutes gone. A Sheffield United player took the ball into the box and passed it across the front of the goal where precisely none of his team mates were waiting. No matter, Boro’s Ryan Giles was on hand to crash the ball into his own net. And on the day he was featured on the programme cover. Middlesbrough pressed for the equaliser and it duly came after 82 minutes with Chuba Akpom heading his second. It could still have gone either way and Boro hit the post towards the close. But it was still level when the seven minutes of added time were completed. A good game to watch, and excellently refereed by Andre Marriner. Att:26056
Boro's second equaliser (coming up in about two seconds)
It certainly was C., down County Durham way so picked out the West/Bishop Auckland derby on the Saturday and then Boro v Sheffield Utd on Sunday. Both hugely enjoyable games, the Boro one made even better when a guy approached me as I was in the ticket queue to check it was just a ticket for myself I was buying and gave me his daughter's season as she wasn't makng it, even better the seat was a row behind the director's box. The own goal was pretty spectacular but glad that Boro got back on terms as I've got a wee bit of a soft spot (even as a Sunlun fan) as a result of Phil Stamp being a real folk hero at Tynecastle.
Only complaint I have is when did it become so difficult to get programmes at EFL games, was there an hour or so before kick off and never saw anybody selling them and the club shop seemed to be closed after the game. Shouldn't really annoy me at 53 but....
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Monday - Higher Bebington Kelma 2-0 Chester Nomads Reserves (West Cheshire League Division Three)
Higher Bebington are new to the West Cheshire League, having played at lower levels for a number of years. They are playing at Leverhulme Playing Fields in Bromborough, a large area containing multiple football, cricket and rugby grounds, and previously used by several West Cheshire clubs. Higher Bebington had won their first league game, but their second at the weekend had been abandoned following a melee.
HBK took the lead after ten minutes through a penalty. Nomads then went straight from the kickoff and were awarded a penalty of their own; however the attempt was hit onto the crossbar. The home side then spent much of the match having plenty of possession but continually sending attempts wide until a late second with about ten minutes remaining.
Tuesday - Astley & Buckshaw 3-0 Charnock Richard Reserves (West Lancashire League Division Two)
Astley & Buckshaw formed as a youth club in 2004 but have only formed a senior team this season. They are playing at Chorley Rugby Club, which appears to be a new development - certainly the clubhouse is that new that they have put up a number of picture frames but have yet to have any pictures to go in them. The clubhouse has a few steps of terracing in front of it.
The first half was fairly uneventful, except for a couple of minutes midway through during which the home side scored twice, both scorching efforts from outside the area. Astley & Buckshaw added a third in the opening minutes of the second half, this time a much closer range finish from inside the six yard box. Charnock Richard came close to getting at least one back, but were denied by some good goalkeeping.Comment
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A bit like with Airport security, I like to think you occasionally try and sneak a made up team past us on the conveyor to make sure we're still alertOriginally posted by Southport Zeb View PostComment
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Glad you enjoyed it; sounds like you were sitting quite close to where I sit. On programmes, it can be a bit hit and miss if you arrive late but it shouldn't have been a problem an hour before the game. There's usually some on sale by the roundabout just before you go under the bridge (and they were there on Sunday, 15 minutes before kick-off) and there are sellers elsewhere, but the club shop is a good bet before the game - I'm surprised it was closed afterwards. On Sunday there was actually someone selling on the concourse at half-time, something I haven't seen for years. This probably means that the club thinks they over-ordered so they will be harder to get at the next home game. If you still want one they are available here https://www.ignitionsportsmedia.com/...effield-unitedOriginally posted by RobM View PostLast edited by Capybara; 17-08-2022, 09:05.Comment
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Basford United 0 Nuneaton Borough 4
Southern League Premier Central
Att: 451
From being nearly the most southerly team in the Northern Premier, Basford are now the most northerly team in the Southern Premier. As well as the change in league, there has also been a significant change in personnel. Of tonight's team, I only recognised three players from my last visit to Greenwich Avenue in April. Although they were missing their best player Matt Thornhill through injury, on this performance the new recruits do not look like an upgrade on last season's squad and considering they only escaped relegation on PPG last season, that has to be a concern.
As the score suggests, this was a comfortable win for Nuneaton with two goals in each half, one of them scored by Kane Richards who moved there from Basford in the close season. The only real positive for Basford was the healthy crowd swollen by a sizeable contingent from the West Midlands.
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Cheers C., got one ordered. Shop may have been open but I was pretty much right round the ground and couldn't find it. Looking at your photo I think I was a bit on the left of you, wee bit nearer the centre line.Originally posted by Capybara View PostComment
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How did Tom Greaves play for Thackley, longeared?
AFC vs Prestwich Heys tonight. The Metrolink derby, on a night when the Metrolink isn't running.Comment
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Shrewsbury 0 Derby County 0
Derby join the depressingly long list of 'big clubs' who have dropped to the 3rd tier, thinking they're too big for it and getting a tad upset when teams like Shrewsbury don't roll over for them.
Derby enjoyed a lot of possession, but only created one clear cut opportunity in the first half. Shrewsbury were organised, tenacious, hard-working and caused problems on the break.
In the second half, we came out and started to take the game to Derby. For about 20 minutes, we were excellent, but ran out of steam a little and Derby started to gain more possession, without creating anything of note. Udoh missed a great chance to win it for Salop in the last minute as Derby visibly tired during the last 15 minutes.
Overall, that's the second entertaining 0-0 I've seen us play and we're already 5 points better off than this stage last season.
I've no doubt Derby will get their act together. Maybe in a 3, or 4 seasons.
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Grange Albion 1-5 Treforest FC
South Wales Alliance League Division 1
After a winless season in the Premier division last season, Albion are adjusting to life in a lower division. Last week they enjoyed their first win in a year and their first league win since before the pandemic. But this result felt a lot like last season. Treforest were a fraction better with one player - number 9, Keiron Phillips - being the difference. He bagged a hat trick and could have scored a couple more.
The best action from Albion was the following exchange:
Ref: "We're going to have to stop. There's dogshit on the pitch."
Albion manager: "I know we haven't started well, but there's no call for that ref!"
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Brough 0-4 Sedbergh & Dent United Reserves (Westmorland League Division Four)
Also a stoppage in this game to remove dogshit from the pitch. The Brough subs took a fair bit of time to decide which of them was going to take the spade on to remove it. The spade made a second appearance later on to help fill in a hole in the pitch.
Brough is a village that I have passed through many times, turning onto the A66 to go the north east. The village team may have been the worst side in the country last season - they finished bottom of the Westmorland League, losing all 24 fixtures, scoring 12 and conceding 225, as they finished on -9 points. Their ground is, like most in the Westmorland League, highly scenic with Brough Castle forming the backdrop. Surprisingly for this level there is a good sized cover, which has the look of having being built after a local farmer found them self with excess materials after building a cattle shed.
The game was fairly close as Brough games go, although Sedbergh were always in control with the home keeper pulling off a number of good saves to keep the score down. Brough's occasional attacks generally came to nothing, with players either unable to complete passes to teammates in better positions, or miscontrolling before they could make a pass/ shot.
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Heanor Town 0 Eastwood Community 1
UCL Premier North
Att: 177
An important match for both teams in that it was a local derby - the towns are just a couple of miles apart - and that a win would have taken Heanor to the top of the league whereas Eastwood were looking for their first points of the season.
It was a decent match with Heanor having the better chances. They hit the post and put a great chance over the bar shortly before Eastwood broke away to score what proved to be the winner. They defended the lead without too much difficulty and they certainly didn't look like a team that had lost all its games so far.
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This had me hunting for home games for Sedbergh & Dent as we'll be around that area for the first week of September. Sadly there appear to be no games. Boo.Originally posted by Southport Zeb View PostComment
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Westmorland League fixtures only appear to have been issued to the end of August at present, so it may be worth having another look nearer the time.Comment
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Balham FC 0-0 Redhill FC
Combined Counties Premier South
Balham play their home games at AFC Croydon Athletic’s Mayfield Stadium, which is probably the least accessible ground in London. There’s a 10-minute (15 later on) frequency, round-the-houses ‘bus service to a point where you then have a 10-minute walk through an unlit park and lane to a stadium that is surrounded by cemeteries. According to the directions given by the club it’s also a 15-minute walk from a tram stop, but I couldn’t find the path on the map so decided not to risk that. When you get there, though, it is pleasantly situated with plenty of trees, two of which seemed to be inhabited by a chattering* of parakeets which, throughout the first half, periodically left their trees, flew over the ground, did a circuit and, noisily, resumed their perches (one for the Great Tits thread). There’s a decent clubhouse which was well-patronised and the chips were decent. This was also the first time I’d seen a sin-binning, with the visiting captain, Antonio Simeone, being sent from the field for ten minutes towards the end before coming back on to play the last couple of minutes of time added on. Now, I know I go on about this, but why do these games always seem to start late? Four minutes this time, and in the second half both teams were on the pitch and asking where the officials were until two minutes later the assistants appeared, followed by the referee a minute later. It was gone 9:45 when proceedings ended. Anyway, the game. Redhill were probably, on balance, the better side and hit the post with a shot from outside the box in the second half. But they were also guilty of going to ground looking for penalties on two occasions when staying on their feet was a better option so I reckon a draw was a fair result. Pre-match pub was the Railway next to Streatham Common station. It’s a Guide pub and recommended.
* other collective nouns are available but I preferred this one
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My only feasible options for a game this week were friendlies on synthetic pitches at unappealing stadia an hour's drive from here in Geneva so in the end I didn't bother. In true Bullseye style I did though take a walk to my nearest ground to see what I could have won. This is the Stade Municipal de Samoens.
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Hampton (& Richmond Borough) 1 Bath City 1
I have been wanting to see this fixture for years as ,a, it’s around the corner from Ray’s gaff and, b, I get to travel to the game by ferry. The latter was almost kyboshed by an accident and torrential rain on my journey from Bath but I got there in time for the last ferry, rang the bell and took the most expensive form of travel (in terms of pounds per time) I have ever taken.
H & R’s ground is a lovely tree lined place with a great covered terrace running along one side. It seemed especially nice under floodlights. Good crowd for a Tuesday fixture in August of 500 odd as well.
As is increasingly common at this level, both teams seemed especially tall as they lined up - although this is a recent development for us as we historically seem to have signed smaller players. I can’t update on our new players as I didn’t get a team sheet but, as most of you didn’t see us before that’s probably not an issue. I did see that we were starting with 3 new players in our back four but that didn’t seem to be much of an issue. We have tried to sign some more experienced players this season to balance the younger (invariably loan) players. Indeed, the aforementioned new players in defence have brought in an element that some commentators call “cute” if the player is British and “niggly” if they aren’t.
We were coming off a tremendous comeback away at Eastleigh Borough where we won 4-3 after being 3-1 down - a game where the ref was heavily involved with two penalties given. Similar was to happen here. Bath City had, by far the better second half without scoring which worried me as we tend to go on to rue missed chances.
Sure, second half started off with H & R so much in the ascendancy that Ray thought there may be more of a slope than it seemed. This paid off as they were awarded what looked to me like a very soft penalty. The initial spot kick was saved by our keeper (on loan from Millwall and having a good game) but the rebound was put in
Although H & R had had a good spell, it did seem against the run of play as a whole. However they never really looked like building on it. It took Tom Smith - who is often the most intelligent player on the pitch - to come on as a sub (which is now a regular situation but not his most effective) to change it. He put through an assist after a great team build up for Scott Wilson to score a fantastic looping strike from a difficult angle. It was all a bit nip and tuck after that but Bath probably shaded the last period and certainly could’ve felt hard done by not to get all three points.
A lovely away trip that I look forward to doing againComment
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7A28BB80-934E-4B3F-9D6C-06540D546A53.jpg By the way, on the subject of refs, this is apparently a yellow card
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Hearts in Zurich this evening if you're still in Switzerland, 3hour train but it's in Switzerland so I'm sure it'll be scenic.Originally posted by Artificial Hipster View PostMy only feasible options for a game this week were friendlies on synthetic pitches at unappealing stadia an hour's drive from here in Geneva so in the end I didn't bother. In true Bullseye style I did though take a walk to my nearest ground to see what I could have won. This is the Stade Municipal de Samoens.
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