Parkgate (19-12-2015)

Parkgate 1 - 1 Tadcaster Albion (NCEL Premier), Saturday 19 December 2015

South Yorkshire bus ticket £5
Programme £1-50
Raffle £1
Entry £5
Bovril £1
Total £13-50

I had fully intended to do Crewe this weekend, but opted for the easier local option of Parkgate in nearby Rotherham. I hopped onto the 72 at the end of our road, and decided to walk the couple of miles from the bus station. I'd been to Roundwood way back in 2008 so I was looking forward to revisiting another South Yorkshire ground. As I headed out past a cluster of out of town shops, a chap approached me asking for directions to the ground! It turned out he'd asked pretty much everyone, and nobody knew, not even a policeman! I think I surprised him when I said I was on my way there too and also with my Southern accent.

As we walked towards Rawmarsh, he told me almost a life history. He was a 69-year old retired bricklayer, and his grandson Jordan (a welder) had recently moved from Hallam to Parkgate. He also told me how much he was paid, and while I can't recall exact figures, I think it was something like £20 for a goal plus a certain amount for each game. 

Roundwood is very much buried at the back of Rawmarsh, so I think he was grateful of my assistance (and that of Google maps!) The ground is as I remember - you enter behind one goal with some covered seats to your right and terraces - some grass covered - on the long side. Like a couple of grounds I've seen, one side is completely out of bounds to spectators, with a long row of hedges taking the place of any walkway. 

Tadcaster, in the away corner, came looking for maximum points today. Parkgate are a solid team but 'Taddy' are blasting through the league this year. They began in full throttle, with 9's early header rattling the bar and bouncing down very close to the line. On the wing 11 was looking handy, having a couple of decent efforts sAved. But as so often happens, goals come against the run of play. At the far end, Parkgate broke at pace and 10 found himself clean through, finishing with aplomb. It turns out this was my acquaintance's grandson! He was causing havoc every time he got the ball and very nearly nipped through again around the 40 minute mark. 

The second half turned into a real end to end game, and it could have gone either way. The interchanges between Parkgates 9,7,11 were excellent. Taddy are top for a reason however, and 9 lobbed just over, before 16s low cross was gathered in by the home keeper. P10 was booked for a feisty challenge in the middle, and p7 nearly ran clear after blocking a clearance. There were a catalogue of chances at both ends, most notably when t6 hit the crossbar. Despite a brave performance from the Rotherham side, they were pegged back to 1-1 when 10 slotted in a penalty awarded after a handball. There was still time for more, and t10 headed over, while a late Parkgate effort was just tipped over by the Taddy keeper. A cracking game, and while Parkgate maybe warranted more than a draw, this was a fine result against the league leaders. Back to Rotherham bus station for the 72 back to Sheffield. 

Uxbridge (13-12-2015)

QPR Ladies 3 - 1 West Ham Ladies (Women's Premier League Southern), Sunday 13 December 2015

Train £12 (Oyster cap)
Subway £3-27
Tea £1
Paper & gum £1-96
Oxo £1
Fruit £1-70
Entry £5
Total £25-93

As I was in the capital for the weekend, I decided to take advantage and head to a Sunday fixture. It turned out that many Ladies Premier League matches were on, so I planned to head East to Thamesmead. When that was postponed, I switched my attentions to Uxbridge, where QPR Ladies were facing West Ham. The ground was actually closest to West Drayton station, which is not far from Heathrow. This was on the very edge of London, and as I travelled out I had a sense of reaching the end of the universe!

After locating the ground, I headed to West Drayton for a restorative cuppa. There was not much in the town, and it had a very Sunday feel to it, with half the shops closed and few people about. The grey sky and slight drizzle seemed to top it off, finishing my London visit with an anti climax.

So I headed for the delightfully-named Honeycroft, which was next to a small industrial estate at the end of a narrow road. This swept down to the left to a reasonably sized car park. The ground was neat but distinctive, with identical stands behind each goal and two seated stands bang on the halfway line. The pitch was surrounded by a picket like fence, and the dug outs were tidy examples of brickwork. The main stand where I took up my position was partially encased with glass/plastic, reminding me vaguely of the main stand at the Walks before it was revamped.  It was strangely similar to a greenhouse.

The game and surroundings were certainly a contrast to yesterday's match at Upton Park. This was something of a relegation 6-pointer with QPR Ladies, who were being sucked towards the trap door. QPR saw the better of the early chances, with 10 stretching but not reaching a low cross, and 11 teeing up 17, who smashed it over. Q10 made it 1-0 when she slotted in from close range, while at the other end w11s effort was smothered by a strong hand from the keeper. West Ham had a couple of useful players, particularly 14, whose skill was fantastic, although her passing frequently went awry - she also managed to loft an effort over just before the break. QPRs best players so far were the excellent 11, who was at the heart of most offensive moves and 3, who gave a solid backbone at the back.

The Hoops came out looking to extend their lead, and did so on 53 minutes when 3 planted it in. Their opponents briefly responded with some pressure of their own - w9 hit a left footer just wide, before 11s lob went in to make it 2-1. It was end to end stuff now, and QPR continued to create chances aplenty. On the counterattack, West Ham looked dangerous, and quickly transitioned with 9 and 11 at the heart of it. Then to the relief of the home side, QPR's 15 made it 3-1 with a looping header. She very nearly created another goal when she squared to 10, who fired wide. The Hammers were not done, and a decent effort from 14 was pawed away by the home keeper.

So my first hop taking in a Ladies match, and it was a decent and entertaining one. It was a fairly open game with flashes of quality, much like you'd expect the average non league game to be.

I trudged back to West Drayton for the train back to Paddington, and after a brisk walk managed to make my 5:35 train up to Sheffield.

West Ham (12-12-2015)

West Ham United 0 - 0 Stoke City (Premiership), Saturday 12 December 2015

Train £12 (Oyster cap)
Ticket £27
Chips £3
Tea £2-30
Programme £3-50
Total £47-80

After much planning, preparation and keying F5 to get a ticket, I finally managed to get to Upton Park. This joins a few grounds I've done in their final season, including Chesterfield, Morecambe and Worcester.

I decided to make a weekend of it, staying with a friend in nearby Hornchufch and visiting my Nan in Bromley in the morning. I arrived at the ground at about 2, and had some time to be a tourist, taking photos of the Boelyn Ground gates, the Bobby Moore statue, and the turnstiles on all sides. The stadium sits very much in the centre of a local community, with rows of terraced houses and classic London pubs on street corners. This is the kind of thing which is lost when clubs move to new stadia, no matter how shiny and sparkly they may be.

Today I was in the East Stand, which consists of a single sweeping tier under a somewhat low roof. Inside, the stand felt similar to Anfield's Main Stand, with a slightly wider walkway. I was almost on the back row, and sat pretty much next to a girder holding the roof up. All other stands have 2 tiers, and I managed to get some half decent shots of the empty ground before kick off. My ticket was actually 'restricted view' but in reality I had a good view of the pitch, which seemed to stretch a long way from left to right.

So to the football! West Ham came into this one having had a decent few months, and starting to play the attractive football associated with 'the West Ham way'. Their opponents Stoke have had a solid season so far, in what has proved to be a highly unpredictable league so far. West Ham had the best of the early exchanges, with Antonio looking a real handful in the attacking midfield. Stoke began to find a foothold in the game when Can Ginkel started to dictate some moves from the middle. They created the most notable chance of the first half when Afellay forged a half chance for Arnautavic, who couldn't convert. This was a rough-and-tumble game at times - Andy Carroll and Ryan Shawcross seemed to be having a running battle in the Potters' defence. West Ham's only real chance came when Mark Noble looked like he had been fouled, only for the penalty appeals to be waved away.

The match opened up considerably in the second half. Carroll's theatrical diving header went wide, and Arnautavic hit the cross bar with a free kick. The game see-sawed, with Cresswell having a shot saved, while an excellent move between Glen Johnson and Diouf was foiled by Adrian. Matching Stoke all the way, West Ham hit the post through Zarate with Enner Valencia unable to make anything of the rebound. In the closing stages, Diouf went clean through for the away side, only to be foiled by more excellent keeping from Adrian. West Ham then very nearly sneaked it when Valencia's effort was cleared off the line.

0-0 was probably a fair result. Like Liverpool vs Palace in November, this had been a good Premier League game. It had been a bit of a tourist trip I must admit, but I was glad to have seen a game here before the club move to the Olympic Stadium. I made it back to Hornchurch on the District Line, and kindly my friend picked me up at the station. As I waited in the cold and wet, I followed the Euro 2016 draw as it happened - Wales, Slovakia, Russia. I love this game!

Bradford City (06-12-2015)

Bradford City 4 - 0 Chesham United (FA Cup 2nd Round), Sunday 6 December 2015

Train ticket £12-30
Tea £1-85
Tea at stadium £2-20
Entry £15
Programme £2
Total £33-35

Taking advantage of the weekend's FA Cup ties I decided to head to Valley Parade. By chance Mrs 'Hopper was off to York to see a friend so we travelled together for once. I arrived in Bradford at 11am so had a couple of hours to kill before KO. After wandering up to the ground for some exterior photos, I found the National Media Museum and its cafe for a cuppa. The air was crisp so I purchased a cheap woolly hat from a Primark, before heading to the ground.

Valley Parade can be seen from some distance away, largely due to its elevated position and the steep L-shaped stand. Presumably this is a legacy of their time in the Premier League at the turn of the century. Due to the relatively low key opposition today the club had only opened the lower tiers of 2 stands for the home fans. £15 entry laterand I was in the bowels of the stadium. Like Burnley the ground has a lot of history, and has also seen its share of developments over the years.

Today's opposition were the lowly Chesham United, who are in the Southern League - the same league as Kings Lynn. To them this was understandably a massive game, and it reminded me fondly of Kings Lynn's run to the FA Cup 2nd Round in 2006-07. The King's Lynn connection continued when I realised they had Matt Nolan (a former striker) on the bench.

Chesham did themselves great credit in this game and the 4-0 score line flattered the home side. There were few chances in a slightly cagey first half, though Bradford had made it 2-0 through goals from Reid and Hanson. Chesham's Blake looked most impressive for them, with a calm assurance when on the ball. Their 8 - Youngs - on the right also looked dangerous, although he couldn't muster any chances of note.

The game gradually opened up a bit on the second period. First Chesham's Blake charged down a clearance from the goalkeeper, then at the other end Darby squared to McMahon who could only fire over. Bradford's Clarke then had a diving header which flew wide of the away post. They looked in charge but were being well contained by Chesham's high work rate and organisation. Chesham had a couple of half chances of note, with Pearce curling wide from the edge of the box and Blake having a one on one shot foiled by the home keeper. They deserved a goal at least but it was the Bantams who grabbed a couple late on. Liddle made it 3-0 with a simple header from a corner and then Cole made it 4-0 when the home attackers outpaced the tired away side. It was an unfair score line though Bradford were probably worth the win.

I headed back to the station with the sky already half-dark, and was glad I'd managed another double header this weekend. Upon arrival at Leeds I discovered that half the trains down to Sheffield were cancelled. After finding Mrs 'Hopper we found a packed and slowish Northern train down to South Yorkshire.

Burnley (05-12-2015)

Burnley 0 - 1 Preston NE (Championship), Saturday 5 December 2015
i paper 50p
Ticket £32
Bus to Burnley £9
Tea at bus station £1-25
Bovril £2
Programme £3
Provisions 81p
Pasty £3-99
Tea £1
Total £53-55

'Christmas is coming / The geese are getting fat...' After almost a 3-week sabbatical (my mid season break!) I headed back to the cradle of the game - Lancashire, where so many founding football league clubs came from. I read an interesting feature in the paper on the decline of Lancashire clubs, exemplified by the recent financial difficulties of Bolton and relegations in recent years.

I've visited Burnley a few times in the last season or so, for games at Colne, Nelson and Padiham. So it seemed only natural to complete the set with a trip to Turf Moor today. The ground is a 10 minute walk from the bus station, so I arrived in plenty of time for a few external photos. This was a derby with Preston so I was conscious I should be careful today - though my accent would cause confusion if I was mistaken for a Preston fan!

Entering the ground at about 2pm, I took up my place in the far right of the Jimmy McLlroy stand. Turf Moor is a classic stadium, with 4 separate stands making this somewhat exposed to today's wet December weather. The James Hargreaves stand to my right  immediately drew my eye, with two tiers stretching back at a steep incline. The away fans were gathered at the far end, and seemed to have brought a decent crowd today.

The Clarets started quickly out of the blocks, and dominated the midfield for the first 15 minutes or so. But Preston somehow got a foothold in the game, with efforts by Tom Clarke and Neil Kilkenny sending a warning to the home side. This was no game for the faint hearted and Preston's Marnick Vermijl received a booking for a rough tackle. Burnley's Andre Gray looked like their real driving force, but the away side were overwhelming them in midfield with their pace and aggression. The home side's best opportunity came when Jordan Pickford punched a loose ball away, only for Burnley to rattle the bar with the follow up.

The second half was a more open contest. Preston's Vermijl fired an early volley wide, before Burnley's Joey Barton forced a tipped save with a lovely free kick. Andre Gray was at the heart of many forays forward but could only skew a half chance wide. Preston then took the lead when Kilkenny found himself in space in the box and finished well. Burnley huffed and puffed but couldn't quite respond. Sam Voke's shot flew straight at the keeper, and Matthew Taylor looked like a real threat. As so often happens in these situations, the side defending the lead actually doubled it when Daniel Johnson scored from close range. The 2-0 score line meant that Preston had beaten Burnley at 'The Moor' for the first time since 2007. I headed back to the bus, and passed a row of coaches presumably bound for West Lancashire. This was another League ground ticked off, in spite of the cold, wet and windy weather.

England (17-11-2015)

England 2 - 0 France (Tuesday 17 November 2015), International friendly

Ticket £37-50
Coach £45
Hotel £42
Provisions £2-35
Service food £7-39
Papers £1-90
Pie and tea £7-10
Programme £6
Snacks £1-94
Breakfast £7-95
Total £159-13

Cards on the table. I planned this game in primarily to gain more caps/points for next year's European Championship. A mid week international in November is not something I'd normally relish.
Events on the preceding Friday - while we were en route to Horsham - meant the game took on a different complexion. The match became a symbolic act of defiance and unity against terrorism, so I was anticipating this more than before.

I took half a day's leave and caught the coach down from Manchester Chorlton Street. As it turned out there were only 6 passengers alighting! The driver was buoyant and had a rather eccentric sense of humour - one of his jokes was 'here's a rubbish bag...actually it's not rubbish it's quite a good bag'.
We arrived around 6:30, and after nearly leaving my ticket on the coach I headed straight in. As I had no plans for food I ended up forking out for a chicken balti pie and tea inside. A rare change from tuna sandwiches!

After the stadium attempted to sing Le Marseillaise pre KO, the game got underway. France are something of an unknown quantity at present, with several lesser known players. They are one of the favourites for Euro 2016, despite having only played friendlies since Brazil. Immediately the big names stepped forward, with early runs and efforts from Martial and Cabaye. England's best early chance came when Rooney squared to Sterling, who again misfired. Delle Ali initially looked a bit nervous on his debut, losing the ball a couple of times. Rooney - now on 50 goals - then fired over with a rasping drive. Then Ali rifled in a superb and accurate effort into the top corner to make it 1-0. I was impressed that he'd overcome initial nerves to score on his debut.

If I'm honest the second half fell a bit flat. The early emotions of the game seemed to have left France a bit drained. England doubled their lead when Rooney scored on 47 minutes. We then continued to dominate the midfield, with Ali in particular producing great passing and tackling.

France to be fair carved out the best goal scoring opportunities. First Pogba's long range strike found the roof of the net and then Jack Butland foiled Martial when he sauntered clean through. I heard more than one person around me say that Liverpool should go in for Butland in the transfer window. Pogba then had another half chance on 89 minutes, firing over again. So 2-0 to England, on a night when football was secondary to politics. This may well be my last Wembley game before the Euros next year. 

Horsham YMCA (14-11-2015)

Horsham YMCA 4 - 0 Shoreham (Southern Combination Premier), Saturday 14th November 2015

Entry £6
Programme £1
Tea £1
Raffle £1
Bovril £1
Total £10

This weekend we were visiting friends in Sussex, so I delved into my Non League Directory for grounds local to Horsham. I plumbed for the local option of Horsham YMCA, with nearby grounds including Crawley, Brighton, Three Bridges and Dorking.

Truth be told I am not that familiar with Sussex, so it was with some curiosity that we set off on Friday night. As it turns out the county is best characterised by a sprinkling of smaller towns, with Gatwick Airport to the north east, and Brighton to the south.  Horsham itself is reportedly the best of the bunch, with rows of independent shops, and trendy bars/restaurants aplenty. The town also has a rich heritage - before lunch we visited the museum, which has a miscellaneous collection of paraphernalia to do with the town. Some links were a little tenuous - particularly these section on 'Horsham dinosaurs' - but I liked the pride in the town.

After lunch I sauntered off to Gorings Mead, leaving Mrs Hopper to catch up with her friend over a hot chocolate. The ground is at the end of a long cul de sac just to the east of the town centre, and I parted with £6 at the entrance, where the woman proclaimed 'shocking weather!' It was indeed pretty shocking with constant rain exacerbated by wind and dark skies.

Gorings Mead is apparently regarded as one of the best grounds in the league, and I could see why. There are 3 covered areas. To my right on the long side was a row of 3-4 terraces with the club's name painted in red on the roof. Directly opposite was the main seating area - the Victor Gladwish Stand - with rows of blue seats. The most distinctive feature of this was that it the roof was held up by concrete girders, which emerged from the clubhouse directly behind it. To the left of this was another seating area, clearly a recent development. Not a bad set up at all.

The match - in the newly named Southern Combination (effectively the old Sussex County League) - was a bit of anticlimax. Horsham - in a blue kit - played the better football from the start, and were happy to get the ball on the floor and play it through midfield. The first thing I noticed was the vocal reaction of the Shoreham players to the award of a corner to the home side - it was as if it was the biggest injustice in the world!

Horsham took the lead when Sam Schaat slotted in after comfortably evading the away defenders. It was far too easy and Shoreham's defence was too soft and ineffective. The home side's Ash Dugdale was looking particularly sharp on his surges forward. They then made it 2-0 when Dean Wright tapped in after the away keeper pawed away a cross. Horsham's Dave Brown then fired fractionally wide after a neat one-two. The only threats from Shoreham were some innocuous efforts from Craig Goodsil and Okwute Izuchukwu.

Half time brought a welcome Bovril (thankfully they do it down South too!) and I headed back out for the second period. For a few minutes it looked like Shoreham could put on a game here and at least match their opponents. Horsham's Donaldson drilled low and wide before Shoreham's Liam Hunter's speculative shot drifted just over on the roof of the net. Hunter was then booked for a nasty late tackle, and from that point on it was all Horsham. Dean Wright screwed wide after a fumble by the keeper and Dave Brown made it 3-0 with a low free kick which somehow dodged the wall. The same player then exacted some revenge on Hunter with a crunching challenge - with another yellow card the result.

I then shifted my position and stood behind the away goal where most of the action was now. It was well worth it as I had a fantastic view of Horshams 4th when Dan Evans cracked a great lob over the hapless keeper. Horsham's Luke Donaldson then had a near post drive saved to stem the flow. So it had been a poor showing for Shoreham. The only bright spot was their sub Jason Edwards who made some excellent runs through and carried the most threat for the away side. The game was not the greatest but I've seen a lot worse. Horsham looked like a competent side who should finish in the top third of the table and maybe they will sneak into eligibility for Step 4 promotion.

Liverpool (08-11-2015)

Liverpool 1 - 2 Crystal Palace (Premier League), Sunday 8th November 2015

Tea £1-80
Tea £1-90
Parking at Sheffield £7-25
Bus to Anfield £4
Pasta £3-75
Match ticket £50
Train £15-85
Total £84-55

After my 13th new game/ground this year, we headed back to Anfield for Liverpool's clash with Crystal Palace. Again utilising advance tickets we sat in exactly the same seats on the train as for our previous 2 trips here this season! When we arrived on Merseyside, the wind was picking up now but it was still relatively mild. The most noticeable thing about today was the Main Stand, which is really taking shape, with the roof starting to jut out over the skyline. Palace came here as a decent Premier League outfit, and one of the teams who are performing unexpectedly well this season. They are also Liverpool's bogey team, so today should be an intriguing one.

It didn't disappoint. This was actually the best game I've seen this season, played at a frenetic pace and with some fantastic counter attacking from both sides. Palace were highly organised, and seemed well equipped to withstand the home attacks and break at pace. They took the lead in front of the Kop when Bolasie ruthlessly took advantage of another defensive lapse. Liverpool responded well, and saw the best of the ball in midfield, attacking with real verve through Clyne, Coutinho and Lucas. Lucas in particular looked like he was pulling all the strings in midfield again. They deservedly levelled when Coutinho fired in from close range. Perfect response to going behind. Play got even better in the second half, with the Reds looking fired up by the animated Klopp on the sidelines. Lucas again looked excellent, and at times they kept Palace in their own half. But under Pardew the Eagles are a well organised team, and withstood the spells of pressure admirably. For once there was actually no nervousness around the ground - rather a positive anticipation. So it was massively disappointing when the away side took the lead to make it 2-1. From a set piece Mignolet again flapped and couldn't hold the ball, allowing the Liverpudlian Dann to head in from close range. Liverpool continued to pour forward but to no avail.

Again they were let down by some lazy players - Benteke and Origi the culprits today. This was perhaps the best performance under Klopp thus far but it was his first defeat. Such is the craziness of English football. Based on that second half performance in particular things are looking good for the Anfield side. They just need to score more goals and find a way to handle tougher sides like Palace. Due to our location right on the edge of the Main Stand we got straight onto the bus and were back at Lime Street in plenty of time for the train. My next game here should be Boxing Day. By then we'll know a bit more about this new Klopp Liverpool side.

Brighouse (07-11-2015)

Brighouse 1-1 Trafford (Evostik Division 1 South), Saturday 7th November 2015

Train (Sheffield-Brighouse) £19-20
Tea £1
Entry £7
Programme £1
Tea at Huddersfield £1
Total £29-20

Not too long ago Brighouse and Trafford were in feeder leagues - the NCEL and NWCFL respectively. Today they faced off in an Evostik Division 1 South match, with both in strong positions in the league.

Ahead of another trek to Merseyside I'd opted for a slightly shorter Saturday trip to Brighouse, which is about 5 miles from Huddersfield. There is a fairly frequent service from Leeds and the ground was only a half hour walk from the station, so this was a contrast to the epic journey of Barnoldswick.

I'd actually set off today with no map, no address and no phone data, so it was a wonder I managed to locate Brighouse's St Giles Road ground. I located a footpath running behind the housing estates nearby, with plenty of brown, red and orange leaves underfoot.

The ground was a gem. On the long side to my left was a long covered seating area, with 2 rows of seats, and a single terrace just behind this. I like it when seating and terracing are combined. On either side of this structure were some newish rows of terracing. On the opposite side of the pitch was a cameraman perched on top of some scaffolding, just behind the two dug outs.

So to the game. It wasn't a classic to be honest, but was another hard fought Evostik game. Brighouse, in orange and black, carried most threat early on - Ernest Boafo had two early headers caught by the Russell Saunders in the away goal. What most attracted my attention was Brighouse's bearded left back, who looked like he would fit well into z Viking film. Trafford looked surprisingly ineffective up front, with their first real shot materialising when 11s effort was blocked by a home defender. At the other end Ryan Hall was nearly clean through and couldn't quite connect with the ball to lob the keeper. The funniest moment of the half was when Ryan Ledson deliberately hand balled in an effort to stop Brighouse running clear - it was so obvious and cynical that it was laughable. Trafford did carve a couple of chances towards the end, brushing the post with a looping header, and then forcing the away keeper to parry at the near post.

The second period was thin on chances but still dripping with effort and desire. Daniel Caldecott's left footed daisy cutter went just wide of the upright, and the Manchester side looked a bit stronger. However, from a long ball on 55 minutes, Brighouse took the lead. Boafo capitalised when a loose ball wasn't cleared, and the keeper hesitated. It was maybe half a second hesitation and that's a long time in this game unfortunately. Trafford were utterly determined to respond but struggled to create many clear cut chances. Their right back Simon Woodford was most impressive on his forward runs. Brighouse's Daniel Facey was busiest at the other end, skimming the crossbar with a deflected shot and trying a bizarre overhead kick from the centre circle. A rare Trafford chance came when Jack Dorney could only shoot down the keepers throat with a snap shot inside the area. Then, just as it seemed Brig would grab the win, Trafford were awarded a penalty - looked like a handball. Dorney stepped up and made it 1-1 with the ball bouncing off Hagreen's toes agonisingly into the top corner. For Trafford perhaps this was just reward for their efforts, but I felt a bit for Brighouse who had come so close to a handy win.

Barnton (31-10-2015)

Barnton 2-0 Bacup Borough (NWCFL), Saturday 31 October 2015

Train £10-30 (Stockport-Northwich)
Programme £1-50
Entry £5
Tea £1
Total £17-80

Today was my final October game, and the 12th new ground of the season (excluding South Melbourne FC). October has been a slightly crazy month, with a few double-header weekends, an England game and some insanely late journeys back home. Northwich is one of the slightly easier places to reach by public transport, so Barnton vs Bacup today was a perfect one to conclude the month. Northwich is served by an hourly service from Stockport, and I arrived nice and early today at 13:13. I have visited the town once before - just over 2 years ago, when Kings Lynn lost to Witton Albion. I didn't see much of the town that day so was pleased to be able to explore a bit more on the walk out to Barnton. The area was scenic and involved crossing over the River Weaver. I even managed to wander up to the Anderton Boat Lift. After a walk alongside the canal, I found a bridge across and a path up to the village. Like last week the brown and golden Autumn colours looked beautiful and crisp. Barnton's Townfield ground was next to a doctors, with the entrance bounded off by a builders' fence. There was a delightfully named 'Pay Box' where I parted with £5 entrance and £1-50 for a programme. The club have only recently joined the NWCFL, and the ground reflected this. There was one small stand of seating, consisting of 3-4 rows of seats, with a covered terrace opposite on the halfway line. The toilets were portakabins which had clearly been used on a building site previously with several signs about health & safety.

Barnton, in black and white stripes, started today top of the league. The away side Bacup were on the fringes of the playoff positions so today would be a good indicator of success over the season. The first 20 minutes was a closely fought affair, with few chances and a midfield battle taking place. Kayde Coppin's rifled shot was well saved by Peter Montteth, and then Micheal Gervin's free header flew over. Gradually Barnton began to dominate, winning the physical battles in the middle and squeezing Bacup as tight as they could. There were then a catalogue of chances for the home side - Malone's curler evaded everyone and went just wide. Then a smart move on the left resulted in a shot which cannoned off the angle of post and bar. Coppin was busy and proactive up front, heading and then firing wide with his right foot. The breakthrough came almost bang on the interval, when Jason McShane headed in to make it 1-0.

The Villagers continued as they were from the first period, with Towey, Coppin and Malone showing excellent pace and aggression. Malone charged in the the left at one point, playing a 1-2 and very nearly scoring a superb goal. The Lancashire side looked completely overrun, and frustrations began to show when Adrian Bellamy and Gareth Wager were booked in quick succession. The only bright spot was Yves Zama, who managed to carve a couple of shots on target from their occasional attack. It was no surprise when Coppin made it 2-0 after being put clean through.

This was one game I've seen so far this year where tempers didn't fray or boil over. The referee was a particularly calm and authoritative figure, who had a rapport with the players but didn't take any nonsense. At times his instructions were rather like orders to train a dog - but it actually worked!

I now feel obliged to report on the trip back as so many have been eventful. Today was fine - I made the 17:28 from Northwich, and made the next train across t' Pennines. As usual I'd managed to synchronize with other football fans travelling across, and stood up on a crowded train with Sheffield United and Man City fans.

Liverpool (25-10-2015)

Liverpool 1-1 Southampton (Premier League), Sunday 25th October 2015

Tea £1-70
Mint tea £2-20
Baguette £3-99
Ticket £44
Train £14-50
Programme £3
Bus £2
Water £1
Pasta £3-75
Banana 40p
Parking (14.50/2) £7-25
Total £83-79

So to Anfield for our second Liverpool game of the year. Today felt like a turning point, with Jurgen Klopp's first PL home game at the helm, and with the clocks having changed the night before. For some bizarre reason the game was a 4:15 kick off which would mean a later than usual return. Journey across was fine, and we headed to the Walker Gallery for tea pre-match - I sound like an old man now!

There was something of a buzz around Anfield today, which made a welcome change. We headed around the back of the Centenary Stand, and to the cramped Anfield Road end, where our seats were restricted view due to the low roof. Remember the slit we had to see the West Ham game? The game was not a bad one and the Red men gradually edged their way in charge, building up some of the heavy metal football Klopp has promised. Milner was excellent as ever, creating the odd chance, and Clyne continues to be a consistent performer on the flank. Origi was poor and was replaced by Benteke on the interval. Still it remained goalless and it seemed de ja vu with Liverpool having plenty of the ball in midfield.

Suddenly they managed a breakthrough. Milner curled a fantastic cross into the box and Benteke connected with it brilliantly to make it 1-0. But this is Liverpool, and they seemed determined to make things as complicated as possible. Mane equalised when a simple cross was badly defended and Mignolet was again caught out of position. Southampton didn't perhaps deserve the draw but Liverpool had not capitalised on their possession and chances once again. We headed away from the ground in darkness and ended up walking all the way to Lime Street. Autumn is firmly upon us.

Leek Town (24-10-2015)

Leek Town 3 - 3 Kidsgrove Athletic (Evostik Division 1 South), Saturday 24th October 2015

Entry £8
Lunch £8
Prog £1-50
Teas £3-85
Petrol £15(ish)
Total £36-35

Leek Town is one of 8 clubs I have still to see across the 3 Evostik Northern set ups, so after some difficult recent trips this one held great appeal. I had originally planned to train it to Stoke and catch a bus from there but decided to drive for once. The town is only a 90 minute drive from Sheffield, so I could be home in time for tea! I was pleased to be joined on this trip by a friend visiting from London - after meeting at Sheffield station we headed off down Abbeydale Road. As expected the route took us up winding roads, through Bakewell and then across the far end of the Peak District. As we descended towards Longnor there were several hair pin bends which made the drive interesting! Leek is a Staffordshire market town, with several distinctive buildings and the River Churnet - and my friend also told me there is a narrow gauge railway nearby (Churnet Valley Railway).

After a pub lunch, we headed to Harrison Park. This was a big ground for the level, with long sweeping terraces on three sides with a large seated stand, and a caged gate separating the terraced areas. I believe it has hosted U17 England games in the past and I could see why. This is a tidy ground and well worth the £8 entrance fee.

We'd picked quite a game today - this was a derby with local rivals Kidsgrove and turned into a real humdinger. Inside 14 minutes, Leek were 3-0 up! They opened the scoring after a couple of minutes when Tim Grice back-heeled in, and doubled the lead when Niall Maguire rifled superbly into the top corner after a neat one-two. Then just when it looked like things might calm down Grice ran clear again, slotting coolly past the away keeper.

There was a definite response from the away side, whose kit was an inverted version of the Peruvian national kit - red kit with a white sash. Nicholas Wellecomme's shot was saved and then Jordan Johnson's effort flew over. A key turning point of the game came when Malbon ran through, only to be brought down by Chris Martin in the away goal. Martin was sent off for his efforts, and Malbon slotted in the resulting penalty. We had a game on now. With Kidsgrove starting to dominate, it was their turn to have a man sent off after Dan Skelton's high challenge in the centre circle. Even more bizarrely Malbon then made it 3-2 when he rounded the full back in a move reminiscent of Redondo vs Manchester United in 2000.

The second half was a little less crazy than the first but still utterly unpredictable. Kidsgrove's Johnson made it 3-3 early on, setting up an aggressive and pacey second period. They actually looked like they might take the lead when Malbon's shot was saved shortly afterwards. Leek then had a big shout for handball which was waved away by the referee. There were not many chances to speak of, but the midfield battle was fierce and uncompromising. Leek's Will Booth and Ashley Hodgkinson looked most likely to score, but couldn't quite forge many clear cut chances. The fiery midfield battle then resulted in a melee involving almost every player. The referee handed out a few yellows as a result, and red-carded Kidsgrove's right-back Ross Davidson. So they'd gone from 3-0 down to having a man advantage, got it back to 3-3 and were now down to 9 men! What a crazy game of football!

The journey back was reasonable for once. The first half was somewhat dramatic as we headed across the moors with the sun setting. Although the sat nav seemed to take us the long way back to Sheffield, I dropped my friend off at Dore station just after 7, then was through the door at half past. Autumn is definitely upon us now, so I was delighted to have seen my 11th new ground of the season.

Whitchurch (17-10-2015)

Whitchurch Alport 1 - 0 Ashton Town (NWCFL Division 1), Saturday 17 October 2015

Train (Stockport-Whitchurch) = £17-30
Tea at Crewe = £2-15
Paper = 50p
Entry = £5
Tea at ground = £1
Post match provisions = £3-50
Tea at Stockport = 99p
Total = £30-44

After some tricky recent trips, I was certainly feeling the effects today. I'm hitting the usual Autumn "ground-hopper fatigue", now with 9 new grounds for the season.

Today's visit to Whitchurch would be my tenth new ground, and I was looking forward to it. The club were only accepted into the NWCFL very late on, and are to my knowledge the only Shropshire club in the league. The town sits roughly halfway between Wrexham and Stoke, barely a few miles from the Welsh border, so held added intrigue today. Unlike Barnoldswick and Eccleshall, Whitchurch has a train station, with services up to Crewe and Manchester and down to Shrewsbury and South Wales.

After 3 trains from Sheffield I arrived in the town at about 1:45. I had a desire to see the border with Wales so strolled through the town out to the A525. Unfortunately the pavement ran out and given that it was approaching 2:30 I headed back towards the ground at Yockings Park.

This was not a bad set up at all. The bonus on entry was that the programme was included in the price, which makes a refreshing change. The ground had an impressive white and red stand with wooden seats and a corrugated iron roof on the near side, with the 'tunnel' emerging in the middle. There was a slither of covered area opposite, and I was surprised to see that the far end had no hard standing walkway, so was cordoned off.

Ashton Town came here as favourites, and Whitchurch were still looking for their first win at this level. The chances in the first half largely fell to the Wigan side, with a shot from 9 and a header from 4 saved in quick succession. The most noticeable home player was number 8, who seemed intent on whinging at the referee (and anyone who would listen!) for every decision. The away side continued to forge opportunities - 4's left footed free kick flew inches over the bar, and no one would capitalise when a parry from 7's effort resulted in a loose ball in the box. 11's inswinging curler was then tipped around thepost by the home keeper. At the other end, Whitchurch's best chance fell to 9, who sprinted through on the right and couldn't find the target from a tight angle.

The second half began with Ashton looking fired up, but Whitchurch looking resilient. Whitchurch's second chance came when 2's shot was tipped/ onto the post by an alert away keeper. Ashton's wave of away attacks were only broken by a pause when some dog mess was removed from the pitch! 11 was the most active, teeing up 9 for a volley which went over and then hitting the side netting. In midfield, I was particularly impressed with Ashton's 10, who juggled the ball like a Brazilian at times. The away side's 8 then slotted in after being adjudged offside, and you had a feeling this might not be their day.

Whitchurch then began to look more confident in attack. 4 hit a shot wide, before 9 was nearly put through by a long clearance downfield. 4 was then caught in a painful area with the ball and lay in agony for a while. Then the home side's 9, who had chalk on his boots on the left wing, screamed for the ball. When he received it he took it down superbly and quickly saw off 3-4 defenders before slotting in to the keeper's right. The crowd were delighted and at 4:45 were asking for full time! At this point I was disappointed that I had to leave to try and make the 16:52 train, but was pleased to see that Whitchurch held on for a historic first win.

The journey back was another disaster story. I missed the aforementioned train from Whitchurch, and had to wait 1hrs 15 for the next one. When I got to Stockport the next train to Sheffield had been cancelled, and the next train was delayed by 15 minutes. The train ride across the Pennines was punctuated by some Sheffield United fans giving renditions of 'The lion sleeps tonight' and songs from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory!

Anyway, well done Whitchurch for your first NWCFL win. Based on the ground, spirit of the team, and excellent value for money you'll be a welcome addition to this league.

Barnoldswick (10-10-2015)

Barnoldswick 1 - 1 AFC Liverpool (NWCFL Premier), Saturday 10th October 2015

Train (Sheffield-Skipton) = £22-60
Entry = £5
Programme = £1
Apples = 80p
Sausage butty & tea = £2-20
Bus ticket = £8-70
Pasty = £5-29
Total = £45-59

Barnoldswick - or Barlick for short - has to be one of the hardest to reach outposts of the NWCFL. I'd chosen to do this and Eccleshall back-to-back as I wanted to get through the harder trips before winter. It proved to be even worse than I'd expected!

To reach Skipton would usually be two trains from Sheffield. but today engineering works meant a bus ride to Shipley first. After arriving in Skipton at about 1.30, I managed to locate the bus station, and the 28 bus (across to Colne and Nelson). The fare of £8-70 seemed a little steep but it was too far to walk (8.4 miles apparently).

Barlick is a small market town, and is lined with beautiful stone houses up and down windy streets. After the usual perambulation - past the Bancroft engine - I headed up to the ground at West Close Road. I entered the ground via a cluster of football pitches with games in full swing, and crowds of people armed with cameras for an aeroplane display overhead!

After initially struggling to find the turnstile (located down a winding grassy path), I finally entered. I couldn't quite believe I'd made it to such an out-of-the-way ground, and the day after an England game too. The ground was nicely laid-out, with two covered areas behind the near goal, in front of the dressing rooms and the clubhouse. To the right running alongside the pitch was a stand constructed from grey stone - very Lancastrian.

In the away corner for today's game were AFC Liverpool, who I'd seen last year at Nelson. The club had Hillsborough flames and the '96' emblazoned on their shirts, and were supported by a passionate group of fans. They were only actually 4 points behind Barlick, but dominated the game for the first 20 minutes, with 9 looking most dangerous, and then 11 opening the scoring on xxx minutes when played clean through. The home side found a foothold in the game, with Mark Threlfall curling wide and Ben Gorman rattling the post with a left-footed strike. Shaun Airey and Joseph Gaughan then both had shots which were easily saved by the keeper. All during the half, a burly man in the Liverpool dug-out was shouting encouragement, and barely stopped for breath. I thought he was the manager, but he was apparently the physio, which became clear when he ran on to help an injured player! The coach/manager was actually a quieter character on the bench, who vaguely resembled Saddam Hussein when he had a beard.

Barlick came out looking determined to over-turn the deficit. From about 45-70 minutes the game was fought out in midfield, with not many chances of note. Barlick's Ellerton, Ridehalgh and Gaughan were particular dynamos, driving the team forward against a resilient opposition. Despite their control of the game, the best chance nearly fell to the Reds when the home keeper made a hash of a clearance and only just cleared at the second opportunity.

Then Barlick's Airey made it 1-1 when he calmly slotted it into the net from a well-worked corner. They began to lay siege to the away goal at the 'Sewer End', and Gaughan fired straight into the keeper's body, while Thomas Henderson - with an apparent tap-in - was foiled by a brave block by the away keeper Ryan Jones. Passions, as ever, began to get the better of the players. Liverpool's Michael Williams was booked for an over-exuberant challenge on Ellerton, and narrowly avoided a second yellow when he booted the ball away later on. Liverpool still had a final chance to win it when Cox headed across goal, only for it to be slightly too far for Matthew Williams to reach. 1-1 was a fair result, and well-worth the journey.

The trip back was disastrous. As I was about to get on the bus, the driver said 'that's it', waving his arms across. It transpired there had been an accident on the main road into Skipton, and all buses were being sent back. When I asked about alternatives, he said 'catch a plane', before giving the real option of going down to Colne and across to Keighley. At this point, foolishly or not, I decided to walk it cross the country. Needless to say that after trekking across fields, graveyards and country lanes for 8 miles (some of it in the dark), I arrived in Skipton at about 7.30, just in time for the 7.47 train. Only 2 hours later than planned! I really do get myself into some situations.

England (09-10-2015)

England 2 - 0 Estonia (European Championship Qualifier), Friday 10th October 2015

Match ticket = £32-50
Coach = £37
Tea at Sheffield = £1
Bus = £1-80
Snacks = £1-86
Tea at Asda = 90p
Programme = £6
Taxi = £10
Total = £91-06

Back at Wembley again! For the third time this year I was heading to the arch, for a 'dead rubber' against the Estonians. We've breezed through the group thus far, and although the media seem to think its been straightforward, I think back to that game in Basle where Switzerland had us on the ropes for a short period. The 2-0 win there has I think helped us gather the momentum this campaign, which is surely something to be praised rather than complained about.

As usual, I was on the coach down to the stadium straight from Sheffield. It is the first time I've had a vaguely bad experience with other passengers. Two blokes behind me were clearly drunk already, kicking the seats, and further down the bus another chap was coughing loudly and incessantly. There were only 18 passengers on board from Chesterfield & Sheffield today, so maybe that made it seem OK to behave in an anti-social way!

Upon arrival at the stadium, I decided to stretch my legs, and found the nearby Asda for fruit, snacks and a cup of tea in the cafe. The tea revitalised me after the long journey, and I recovered my bounce as I headed back to the ground. I was in block 508 (entrance E) today, on the dizzying heights of the fifth tier, and had a nice 'dinner' of some tuna rolls in the practically empty ground.

The game was better than I expected. England were playing a 4-3-3 system, with Lallana, Kane and Sterling spearheading an attack ahead of Barkley, Milner and Walcott. Not a bad front 6 on paper. Walcott's early volley forced a two-handed palm away by the Estonian keeper, before Sterling and Barkley fired wide. Barkley is growing into his role, and despite not always finishing well, he's one for the future. A fantastic move between Milner and Walcott then resulted in another close shave, before Walcott made it 1-0 almost on the stroke of half-time. The goal looked offside, but that didn't matter.

The second half was not a bad contest, although we barely got out of 2nd/3rd gear. Barkley was particularly dominant in midfield, but couldn't quite get a goal for his endeavours. Estonia's midfield actually played some half-decent football, with Ats Purje and Sergei Zenjov looking particularly handy with passing, movement and attacking. In particular, Estonia's Konstantin Vassiljev was a real engine of the team, picking up loose balls, distributing quality balls, and looking a threat when in possession. While they didn't have the quality to create chances or finish, they deserve some credit for the way they set out. England always looked in control, and made it 2-0 when Jamie Vardy sprinted free on the left, and unselfishly slid it to Sterling, who fired home. It was somewhat ironic that a selfish player like Sterling had profited from unselfish team play from a colleague!

So, the last home qualifier. I'm not sure when I'll be back here again. Roll on Euro 2016. Let's hope (a) we can do well, and (b) I manage to get a ticket!

Eccleshall (03-10-2015)

Eccleshall 0 - 0 Haughmond (FA Vase 2nd Qualifying Round), Saturday 3 October 2015
[Haughmond won 4-1 after penalties & AET]

Train (Stockport-Stoke) = £13
Entry = £4
Programme = £1
Tea = £1
Bus = £5
Total = £24

Eccy, as it is affectionately known by locals, is one of the trickiest outposts of the NWCFL to reach by public transport. The town is about 7 miles from Stafford, but lies in the 'nether region' not far from the Welsh border, with Market Drayton nearby. I had carefully planned the trip, and arrived at Stoke in time to catch the 12.42 bus. When I asked for a return to 'Eccles-hall', the driver looked confused and said 'Eccle-shall?' in response - clearly the correct pronunciation was one including the 'sh'. For a fiver, I managed to reach the town/village, about an hour's ride from outside Stoke station.

After exploring a couple of streets, and finding a variety of independent shops and bars (including a Belgian bar!) I headed to the ground. As the footpath ran out, I decided to trek through some fields, only to discover that I seemed to be on a cattle path, which headed down to the River Sow (and which seemed to be on private land). I sucked it up, and made it back to the road, using the slim grass verge for a while, and crossing over when I reached Pershall Park.

The chap at the gate-cum-table gave me a friendly welcome, and I parted with £5 for entry and a programme. The ground was what I had expected (in a good way). To the right of the entrance was a blue club-house, with what looked like breeze blocks, and to the left was a covered area with 3 'church hall' chairs. The dug-outs were on the far side opposite the club-house, with a blue roof covering a bench behind the away dug-out.

After the obligatory cup of tea from the intimate club-house, I took up my place behind the far goal. By virtue of my position and the lack of spectators I became a default ball-boy for most of the first half! In a white kit resembling Spurs, Haughmond came here as underdogs. From Shrewsbury, they were plying their trade in the West Midlands Regional League, one of the weaker leagues in the Midlands. They began positively, with 6 forcing a save to the keeper's right early on. Eccleshall looked threatening when they attacked, with a corner flying agonisingly across the face of goal. Their 8 and 9 then both screwed shots wide. I was particularly interested in the away side's formation, as they had clearly set out to stifle their slightly superior opponents - playing with 3 at the back with 8 acting as a kind of sweeper. Haughmond had the best chance of the first half, when 9's overhead kick volley rattled the cross-bar (think Benteke at Old Trafford). The home side were clearly frustrated, and an altercation in midfield resulted in bookings for the home side's 6 and Haughmond's 11. Haughmond's unfortunate 9 then rounded the keeper, only to fire into the side netting.

The away side had been much better in the first half, but the game became more even in the second period. Eccleshall's right-back was booked early on for a nasty late tackle on the Haughmond winger, before the home side's number 8 hit just over with his second touch. Haughmond's excellent 8 then had a rasping shot which the home keeper nearly spilt. The home keeper looked particularly at sea and lacking authority when the ball came in the box. The challenges continued to fly in, and Eccy's 7 was booked for a late tackle on 10, who shortly after fired wide with his left foot. 7's free kick was then saved, which proved to be their best chance of the second half. At the far end (where I had resigned as ball-boy!) Haughmond's 14 then rattled the bar (this time from close range), and then 9 could only snatch a shot wide.

So, like the Ashton-Atherton game, extra time beckoned. Unfortunately this time I had to leave early, as I had to make the 17.14 bus back to Stoke, so could only stay for 5 minutes of it. I felt sure that if this match went off for another 90 minutes, neither team would score. This was confirmed when I checked the result on 'The Cloud' at Stoke station. Haughmond had won 4-1 on penalties, and (based on the 95 minutes I saw) they deserved the victory, particularly for setting out so well tactically. Eccy is a nice ground worth a visit, but go in a car - it's a nightmare to reach by bus!

FC United (02-10-2015)

FC United of Manchester 0 - 2 Worcester City (National League North), Friday 2nd October 2015

Fish & chips = £5-40
Entry = £9
Programme = £2
Bus £1-50
Tea = £1-20
Fruit = £1-10
Total = £20-20

So I finally managed to get to FC United's new ground at Broadhurst Park, which is becoming something of a well-trodden route for hoppers and fans alike. The club's history is well-documented, having been formed in 2005 as a reaction to the Glazers' takeover of Manchester United. They have to be fair flown through the leagues, having risen from the NWCFL Division 2 to today's heights of the National North. At present they seem to have found their level in this league.

Broadhurst Park is in Moston, about 4 miles from Manchester city centre, so after some dinner I ambled up there, arriving at the ground at about 7. There was just enough time to get a couple of photos in the light! The ground is full of character, with two sides covered in club flags and slogans referring to their origins and history. The sweeping terraces behind the goal contrasted nicely with the modern stand. I particularly liked that the ground didn't feel plastic or 'breeze-block'-esque, with a great atmosphere gradually building on the terraces.

For tonight's game, Worcester City were the visitors, below FC in the league, but more established at this level. Since my visit to St George's Lane in April 2013, they still haven't found a permanent home, and now ground-share with Kidderminster Harriers.

For the first 10-15 minutes, it seemed the sides were sizing each other up, with hardly any chances to speak of. Then FC's Sam Madeley hit a left-foot effort wide, and Lee Hughes did the same at the other end. Hughes then made it 1-0 when he attempted a rifled shot from outside the box, and beat the FC keeper (who looked like he'd been caught flat-footed). This briefly silenced the home crowd, before the chants started to build again. The most bizarre moment came when Worcester City had a free kick from the right-wing. Two players stood over the ball, one ran over it  and then the second did the same. In complete bewilderment, the first player then crossed it in - it clearly hadn't been part of the routine! FC's Wolfenden was then foiled at the far end by Nathan Vaughan in the Worcester goal. As if to set the game up for the second period, Lee Hughes was dismissed for the away side after raising his hands to an FC player.

FC came out looking hungry, and began in positive fashion with some neat interchanges between Sean Cook and Wolfenden. Cook seemed to be at the centre of many attacks, rifling wide, and orchestrating a purposeful home attack. The pace of the game was excellent, and they had Worcester pinned back in their own half for long periods. Worcester were relying on some pretty Route 1 attacking, dropping balls in the box and hoofing it when they had the opportunity. Madeley was again foiled by the away keeper, before Wolfenden's rocket (heading for the top corner) was tipped over. Admittedly, Vaughan was then booked for time-wasting, but he had been excellent in the sticks throughout.

As it was announced that Dean Stott was FC's man of the match, it seemed like they might just nick something, but Madeley then missed an absolute sitter with the goal gaping. The Midlands side then struck a hopeful ball into the centre circle. Deon Burton picked it up and somehow curled a terrific pass down the left wing for Dunkley to latch onto it. This kid had some pace on him, and took the ball with consumate ease, before sliding it in to make it 2-0. The away fans were understandably ecstatic.

This had been a decent game of football, and showed that even the great FCUM don't always have it their own way. I was about to sprint to the nearest tram stop when I noticed an express bus for Manchester city centre, and for £1-50, this sped down to Stevenson Square in plenty of time for the 22.22 train. That's miles better than the bus farce at Anfield, and much cheaper too. For just over £20, I'd seen a National North game, had dinner, a cuppa, and a bus ride back into town. Who can say fairer than that?

Runcorn Town (26-09-2015)

Runcorn Town 5 – 0 Squires Gate (NWCFL Premier), Saturday 26 September 2015

Train ticket (Manchester-Liverpool South Parkway) = £12-30
Train ticket (Liverpool South Parkway-Runcorn) = £4-40
Entry = £5
Programme = £1-50
Tea x2 = £2
Total = £25-20

For the second week in a row, I was heading to Merseyside, this time to see Runcorn Town. The trip represented something of a nostalgic visit down memory lane, passing places I’d been to in my student days – Spike Island and the remnants of Holly Park (which is now the plush new Liverpool South Parkway station). As with last week, I deliberately ‘broke’ the train journey, and saved £1-70 in the process!

Runcorn is about an 8 minute ride from Parkway, and the ground was c1 mile away so this was an easier one today. After wandering down to the Mersey and a brief meander into the centre, I headed off to the ground. As I walked I became very maudlin, pondering back on my student days and other things – today (a bright sunny day) was not a day for such miserable thinking, so I banished such negativity as I reached the ground. The ground was buried at the back of a sports ground which sat next to a chemical works (Ineos? Viridor?). The ground’s name – the Pavilions – obviously came from the impressive club-house/community centre which guarded the track down to the pitch. In fact, there was even an old pitch, together with a robust-looking stand and the obligatory metal railing. There is probably a story there, but I couldn’t find any reference to it in the programme or club history.

The game should be a straightforward win for Runcorn, as they sat in the play-off positions, whilst Squires Gate (of Blackpool) had only 4 points so far. The away side registered the first effort when Riley headed over after a quick counter-attack. After that, it was almost all the home side – named the ‘small team from Weston’ on one of the pitch-side signs. On 7 minutes, Marvin Molyneux made it 1-0 with a simple header. After further efforts from Paul Shanley (it looked like it scraped the post) and a volley from their number 6, Runcorn doubled their lead when Ablewhite fired in a rebound after a solid save from Fletcher. Squires Gate barely created a single meaningful chance, with Riley just about squeezing out a weak shot from the edge of the ‘D’ and their striker flicking a header just wide. Then a ruthless Runcorn made it 3 when Shanley confidently slid the ball past the beleaguered away keeper. Molyneux then found himself clean through after a defensive error, but could only force a save.

There were some bright spots for Squires Gate, who were beginning to ‘touch and play’, as they forged some good passing moves in midfield. Cook on the right wing cut inside, and curled a left-footer just over. Just as they were starting to get a foothold, Squires Gate conceded again, with Shanley rifling in a low shot on the near post.

The second half was far more evenly matched, even though the game as a whole was over. Runcorn’s Molyneux headed onto the post early on, before Cook hit a right-footed shot just wide. Paul Shanley was excellent for the home side, taking the ball with confidence, showing great strength and tenacity. The Blackpool side then had a glut of half-chances, with McKendrick’s ambitious lob just flying into the arms of the keeper. He had another shot which flew ‘just over’ (I say that a lot but in this case it really was a matter of inches). Sadly, they could not convert, and Runcorn’s ruthlessness was emphasised when their substitute (12) slid it to Stephen Milne who made no mistake with the finish. The away side continued to threaten with the odd free kick and half-chance – with Riley’s set-piece tipped over by the home keeper. The main event at that point was when the referee blew for full-time before 90 minutes was up!

So this was a bit of an anti-climax. The game was over by half-time, and though Squires Gate looked much better in the second period, they were ill-equipped to cope with a tough and efficient Runcorn team. I ambled back to the station – no rush this time – and managed to get the 18:03 from Parkway, arriving through the door at 20:10. The list of grounds is getting shorter…

Liverpool (20-09-2015)

Liverpool 1 - 1 Norwich (Premier League), Sunday 20th September

Tea = £1-90
Mint tea = £2-20
Sandwich = £1-50
Ticket = £47
Train = £15-85
Bus to Anfield = £4
Programme = £3-50
Total = £75-95

So we're back at Anfield for the post-Gerrard era. Once again the team's early season form has been patchy, despite more and more investment over the summer.

The great thing about Liverpool's Autumn games is that nearly all the ones we are going to fall on Sundays due to Europa League...which means that I can do a non-league game on the Saturday. Today we'd made excellent savings on the train thanks to some advance tickets, costing £15-85 each!

So it was in relaxed mood that we arrived at Anfield, and after some photos of the developing Main Stand, we went straight inside to a familiar block MX. We were right next to the Norwich fans who had brought a big contingent despite the distance. No matter what happens to the fortunes of the team, Liverpool are still regarded as a 'big' club to visit.

On the pitch, the home side started well, seizing the ball with desire and attacking with pace. The best opportunities were crafted by Moreno's work on the left, with Milner firing into Ruddy's hands and then just wide. Sturridge, back after a long absence, looked ropey and lacking in sharpness. At one point hd got himself into a complete tangle when trying to shoot (and when hd should have let Coutinho have the ball). The Brazilian was excellent too, heading just wide after another swift move. At the Kop end, Norwich's best chances came with a header which drifted just wide, and when no 10 forced a save from Mignolet.

So far it was a familiar story. Plenty of possession but little real bite. Norwich seemed to come out more confident and for the first 5 minutes of the second half the Reds' defence was in disarray. Cameron Jerome was looking like a real threat up front. Then came the breakthrough for the home side when Danny Ings superbly controlled a through ball and rolled it past Ruddy with his second touch. I was pleased to see a young English striker score for such a big club again. But Liverpool's concentration wavered, and within 5-10 minutes Norwich had equalised. Mignolet came rushing out of his goal for a corner, completely missed the ball, allowing Russell Martin to control the ball and loop it over him to nestle in the net. Another defensive lapse had cost the home side.

Shortly after Norwich's 6 forced a fine save from the Liverpool number 1 - Mignolet is capable of moments of brilliance like that but cannot get the basics right (like catching a ball!). Coutinho had a gilt edged chance when he ran clear, but was foiled by a great one handed block by Ruddy. The Reds had plenty of possession and some of the passing in midfield was terrific but there was no end result. Thanks to some lacklustre finishing and determined defending, Norwich held on for a point. It hadn't been a bad game of football and there were several bright spots for Liverpool - the performances of Ings, Milner and Clyne for instance. As we headed off for the bus, slowly parading like penguins round the Main Stand, this felt like Groundhog Day. Liverpool FC - 'work in progress'.

Redditch United (19-09-2015)

Redditch United 2 - 0 King's Lynn (Southern League Premier Division), Saturday 19th September 2015

Train = £30-20 (£11-30 + £18-90)
Entry = £10
Programme = £2
Tea = £1
Total = £43-20

Redditch is one of the few Conference North away games I didn't manage to get to in 2008/09. On top of that I believe its the only ground from that season that I've not seen since. The club is apparently one of the oldest establish clubs in the Midlands, and in fact has played a part in King's Lynn's recent history, having beaten us in a play-off for the inaugural Conference North/South in 2004. Its funny how quick things change, but how much they stay the same - we're now both in the Southern League, and although King's Lynn are a reformed club, this felt like old times. Prior to kick-off I realised I'd not seen a Southern League game for some years now, with the most recent probably being my forays in the West Midlands in 2009/10.

Thanks to some online research, I discovered that I could save £15 on train tickets today if I bought 2 tickets, breaking the journey at Derby. This made a brief stop at Derby worthwhile, and I was quite pleased with myself at saving money before the day had even begun. Trains down were smooth, and I even had the joy of changing at the nearly-opened Birmingham New Street. Suffice to say the platforms are still appallingly dank and dark, but the main concourse and entrance is now much improved.

After a 40-minute ride out to Redditch, the end of the line, I had a wander through the town. There was a funfair in full swing in the centre, and I had a pleasant amble around in the sunshine, doing a loop from the centre and back towards The Valley. The ground was barely 1/4 mile from the station, and at the end of a proper tarmacked road. It had actually been featured in a recent issue of Groundtastic so I was looking forward to this one.

The ground was fantastic, with a set of sweeping terraces to my right, and a more compact standing area along the far side. The main seated area was a distinctive structure, consisting of a red balcony, and holding a bar/clubhouse at the bottom. This definitely lived up to expectations.

In bright sunshine, the game kicked off. King's Lynn made a strong start, attacking with verve and energy. In particular, Toby Hilliard was lively and looking like a real threat. At this point, the home defence looked all at sea, so I felt confident we could grab a goal early on. Sadly this was our best period of the match, and Redditch gradually got a foothold largely thanks to out-muscling us in the centre of midfield, and to some hesitant goalkeeping from Alex Street. With pretty much no chances registered for the first half an hour, they took the lead on 28 minutes when Jamie Ashmore slid the ball underneath an onrushing Street. Frustration began to show in the away ranks, with Zielonka's late tackle earning him a booking.

The second half continued in much the same vein. Street, in the away goal, mis-kicked a backpass, giving the ball away unnecessarily, and the nervousness seemed to permeate through the defence. We looked vulnerable, and it was no surprise when Redditch doubled their lead when Shearer had plenty of room to pick a spot from outside the box. For a while this seemed to spur King's Lynn into action. Hurst's drive flew over the angle of post and bar, and Clunan's cheeky lob over the home keeper dipped just over. For all our possession, there were relatively few chances, and every time the 'Reds' had the ball, they looked like scoring. Street was having a nightmare, hesitating when coming out, and lacking authority around his box. He was lucky to escape with a yellow card when he clattered into the Redditch striker hurtling towards him. But then he redeemed himself when he saved the penalty down to his right.

Like other games I've seen this year, tempers began to flare. Kern Miller stupidly head-butted Dubidat after tangling with the striker, and for some reason only got a yellow. Both managers made wise decisions when replacing these players to avoid any further trouble. We were seeing plenty of the ball but there were hardly any real chances. Lee Stevenson's weak drive went straight at the keeper, while Speight's acrobatic volley flew just wide. At the other end, Bunn drove a shot straight into the keeper's hands.

So, 2-0, and it was a disappointing result. We had struggled to cope with the physicality and determination of the Redditch midfield, and there was a real lack of penetration up front. Our start in the Southern League has been patchy to say the least, with a lack of goals, and points on the board. I'm confident things will get better, but I think this game showed why we have found our level, and won't be challenging for promotion this year.