Oi! There is other football...match thread 25th November-1st December

[NickSTFU]

Shrewsbury v Peterborough in the FA Cup 2nd Round.

All the pre-match chatter is whether my mate will make kick-off after landing at Brimingham International around 1pm. I'm in the no camp, but he'll definitely be in the pub after.

What's yours?

[DCI Harry Batt]

Up for the cup!

We have Chesterfield at home tomz, and I'll be there, with my brother and my sort-of nephew.

We're on a run of ten games unbeaten in all competitions. Chesterfield are having a pretty good season, third in the Conference and they beat Northampton in round 1.

[Simon G]

It's the proper U12 Tewkesbury derby tomorrow when my Pumas travel all the way to our home ground to take on the Panthers.

We've never beaten them, and our keeper has just gone down with a groin strain. It's first against second though, and form goes out of the window on derby day!!!

[Patrick Thistle]

Well it was going to be Barry v Carmarthen but then my brother scored some free tickets to Wales v Australia in the eggchasing so I'm going to that with him. And then because he's the kind of guy who suggests we do as much as we can we have tickets to see the Cardiff Devils in the evening. Face off is at 7pm. We will probably walk straight from one game to the other.

[imp]

Saturday lunch-time I'm coaching the VfR Bockenheim U14 girls at home to Dietzenbach. Three of my best players are either sick or out of town, but that's the norm (someone's grandma always has a fucking birthday). It's a mid-table clash. So far we've won three, lost two. Hoping for an even game.

Saturday afternoon/evening it's off to SV 1894 Sachsenhausen to ref a double-header. First their U15s against SG Praunheim, then their U19s against FV Hausen. If there are no cards in the latter game, I'll buy a pony and ride it bareback to Baghdad.

On Sunday afternoon I have the fabulous pleasure of heading far west out of town to referee a men's game between SV Altenmittlau and KG Wittgenborn in the Kreisoberliga Gelnhausen (Level 8). They tried to give me a youth game in the morning too, so I pointed out to them - not for the first time- that my lack of a car would make it impossible for me to make it on time to the second game. Plus, four games in 24 hours - get fucking lost (didn't write that last bit). It's a relegation encounter (both teams just above the drop zone on 19 points), where I'll no doubt be reaching for my pocket again. The home team is bottom of the fair play table with 48 yellows (plus one for the coach), two reds and eight time-penalties in the 18 games so far. Mind you, in Frankfurt that would probably put them close to the top.

[Giggler]

AFC versus Lower Breck, so long as the pitch holds up. First game for me in three weeks after feeling rotten.

[Third rate Leszno]

Spoilt for choice in local non league, Marine, Bootle and Remy all at home, however I'm leaning towards a short drive to Prescot for Cables v Macclesfield, assuming today's sunshine dries out the pitch after the wettest week of the winter here so far.

[The Mighty Trin]

I'm only free on Tuesday this week and because of some poxy Wales v England game, Futbology tells me that my nearest match is 197km away at Paget Rangers v Wolverhampton Casuals in the Walsall Senior Cup Second Round. So telly it is.

[ursus arctos]

SV Sachsenhausen 1894 also field two cricket teams, and play at a ground that I wouldn't have considered to be in Sachsenhausen when we lived in FFM.

[Artificial Hipster]

I'm only free on Tuesday this week and because of some poxy Wales v England game, Futbology tells me that my nearest match is 197km away at Paget Rangers v Wolverhampton Casuals in the Walsall Senior Cup Second Round. So telly it is.

Similar story for me on Tuesday. I've only got two options closer than Paget Rangers and the only one of those I could feasibly get to is at a ground I've visited already and had no real interest in returning to any time soon. I'll see how I feel on the day.

Undecided about tomorrow yet. There are a couple of grassroots games I'm looking at and I also quite fancy the clash between the top two in the NCEL - Emley v North Ferriby. Mrs H has been keen to catch a game at West for some time though and if it's dry we may well end up there.

[cantagalo]

The World Cup is a great time to tick off UCL Division 1 grounds. My choice on Saturday is Aylestone Park v Holwell Sports. It's the league leaders against one of the weaker teams in the league and I'm predicting a 5+ margin of victory for the home team.

Then making my way southwards via a friend's house and hopefully up in time to catch the early kickoff FA Cup second round tie between Ebbsfleet United and Fleetwood. I don't think a home win would that much of a surprise.

As The Mighty Trin said, there's nothing on Tuesday but Folkestone Invicta have moved their fixture with Bowers and Pitsea to Wednesday so I'll probably go to that.

[Gangster Octopus]

Can't decide between the Vale or Vale Farm.

The draw to the Vale is seeing Wealdstone v Scunthorpe United. I think that the last time that I saw Scunthorpe we lost at home to a goal by Wealdstone reject Jermaine Beckford, and by the end of the season they were in the second division and we were in the fourth. I'd love to take the piss, but I know that we could well be in the same shit at some point in the future.

Wembley are at home to somebody, and it's easy to get to...

[Patrick Thistle]

Drinking a pint in my seat in the Principality Stadium. My brother is a bad influence. They've got the roof shut so it's nice and dry in here. At this rate I might convert.

[Gangster Octopus]

Wembley are at home to Harefield United, who've brought a few fans.

[Gangster Octopus]

Ref's taking his time to start this.

[Gangster Octopus]

A looping header gives Harefield the lead somewhat against the run of play.

[Gangster Octopus]

Beautifully taken second for Harefield.

[Gangster Octopus]

0-2 at halftime, in spite of a spirited Wembley fightback.

[Patrick Thistle]

Wales are winning at half time and I have a nice buzz going on

[Gangster Octopus]

Official crowd of highest prime number in the thirties. And it's just started raining...

[Gangster Octopus]

Vale Farm, by the way, has covered areas on all four sides of the ground. Pretty unusual at this level. Oh, and there's seating under most bits.

[Gangster Octopus]

IMG_20221126_163235_hdr.jpg

[Gangster Octopus]

The seating at the south end.

[Gangster Octopus]

Wembley trying very hard, but nothing's happening for them.

[Gangster Octopus]

Finishes Wembley 0 Harefield United 2. I should've gone to the Vale...