Sheffield United (31-12-2016)

Sheffield United 1 - 0 Northampton Town (League One), Saturday 31 December 2016

Ticket £21
Bus into Sheffield £1-50
Total £22-50

It has been almost 5 years since I last visited Bramall Lane, so today's lunchtime kick-off was an ideal opportunity to revisit. Truth be told I am not that keen on the Blades, even though they are my closest Football League side. Still, at it's best 'The Lane' offers a crackling atmosphere, and this post-Christmas fixture should hopefully blow away some cobwebs today.

After catching the bus in, collecting my ticket and taking some photos I headed inside to the 'Kop', where my seat was fairly central, for a perfect view of the action. Via it's back entrances the stand is exposed to the elements, with a kind of platform elevated high above nearby terraced streets. Despite their long stay in tier 3 of English football, United still feel like a big club, and the crowds building up outside supported this.

This should be a straightforward win for the Blades who were second going into this one. They went for Northampton from the outset, creating some early pressure which the away side withstood. But Northampton - in a striking fluorescent away kit - looked decent for the first half an hour. Although they did not create any shots on target in the first half, they did have a few handy runs and attacks which should perhaps have resulted in more. In particular Hoskins was excellent for the Saints when they did forge forward towards the Kop end. Sheffield United were clearly the better team but were often caught out on the odd counter-attack - this was not going to be an easy win today. 

Northampton ran out of their counter-attacking intensity in the second period, but still put up a strong resistance to United. The stats showed that overall the home side had 22 shots compared to 7 for the Midlands side, which reflected the pressure exerted by the Blades throughout. Gradually, the away defence began to stutter and it seemed as if United would finally blow the doors down. Loose balls on the wing and too much space for United eventually turned into a couple of goal-mouth scrambles. Northampton were on the ropes. 

But there was still no goal, and as the countdown at the far end dropped to 2 minutes, the vociferous Kop were getting more frustrated. To be fair to United they continued to pour forward, and their patience paid off when Kieron Freeman banged a loose ball in the box right into the roof of the net. 89th minute and a collective sigh of relief rang out across 'The Lane'. They still had time to hit the bar in the closing stages, but 1-0 was enough to see them win again. 

Their manager Chris Wilder has been named the EFL Manager of the Year for 2016, and I could see why. This team look hungry, capable, and ready for promotion. They are top of the league going in to 2017, so there is much optimism in these parts. I headed back into the centre and walked all the way back to Handsworth, where I watched Final Score as results across the country flooded in. My rollercoaster 2016 footballing year has finally come to an end.

Frecheville (17-12-2016)

Frecheville 4 - 2 Wombwell Main (Sheffield and Hallamshire County League), Saturday 17 December 2016

Free entry
Free travel

Frecheville sounds rather like a Sheffield-based dairy, but is actually a football club on the South East of the city. In fact it is only about 3 miles from our house, so I decided it was finally worth a visit. I had nearly opted for Sheffield Wednesday today but then saw the crazy price of £36. This was completely free and involved no more than a 45 minute walk each way.

The ground is just off Birley Moor Road, but I reached it from the A57 side, taking back streets up hills to get there. It is actually both a cricket and football club, so the football was being played at the far end, down several leaf-covered steps from the main clubhouse and changing rooms. Frecheville have a small covered terrace area at the near end of the pitch, and the standard white pole along one side. On one long side was the obligatory blue rope separating the pitch from the spectators.

Frecheville have a reputation as a decent team in these parts, and I have heard rumours that they may apply for the NCEFL at some point. Dressed in a distinctive orange and black kit they started brightly, but Wombwell took the lead when Frecheville's 11 mistakenly headed back across his goal with the keeper stranded. This provoked a reaction from the home side, and they made it 1 apiece when 10 bundled in from close range after the away keeper couldn't hold onto a stinging shot. They then made it 2-1 with a goal from number 8, who found space in the box and turned and shot. The first half ended on a bit of a sour note, with Frecheville's 6 sliced down in an industrial tackle, before then himself launching into a high challenge. The referee did well to calm the melee which ensued.

After a full half-time break (not always the case at this level), the second period began. The skies were starting to darken so it definitely felt like a winter game. The home side extended their lead when their left-back scored a peach of a goal - right in the top corner - and began to look far superior to the away side from Barnsley. Frecheville's left winger ran half the pitch at one point and nearly scored what would have been an outstanding goal. The home side then rattled the angle of post and bar via the away keeper's finger-tips. Wombwell's main threat came when they were direct and launched the ball into the box - they were not going to win this game by skill. 

Their keeper had a bizarre posture as Frecheville launched yet another attack, standing like a frog ready to jump! The fourth goal came when 15 turned a cross in superbly on the near post. To their credit Wombwell continued to toil away, and grabbed a consolation when 9 was brought down in the box and converted the penalty (right into the top corner).

Overall this was an entertaining match, far better than the awful one I had seen at Stocksbridge 2 weeks ago. On this evidence I will try to find other matches in this league as it is cheap, local and of a fairly good standard. I headed back to Handsworth via Richmond Park and made it through the door at 4:35, just in time for Final Score.

Hallam (10-12-2016)

Hallam 4 - 2 Teversal (NCEL Division 1), Saturday 10 December 2016

Bus Sheffield £3-90
Tea x2 £1-40
Entry £5
Total £10-30

I feel like I have let Hallam FC down over the years! Despite being in Sheffield since 2008, I'd only actually been to Sandygate once before today. It has slipped down my list when I have been gallivanting around the North West and other places. So this, combined with a relatively easy cross-city bus ride, made this a perfect one today.

(Obviously) Sandygate is the oldest football ground in the world, so is something of a 'Mecca' for the non-league community. It sits high up in the Sheffield suburb of Crosspool, and is bounded by rather magnificient grey stone walls, making the entrance not dissimilar to Stocksbridge's Bracken Moor. The club share the ground with a cricket club, meaning that only 3 sides were accessible to spectators today. Apparently there was a Father Christmas here today, as well as free mince pies! I made the most of the latter when I had a cup of tea before kick-off. My diet will have to wait!

The first half was relatively short on chances but high on interest. Teversal, sitting near the bottom of the table, came out with a Leicester-city style plan, launching the ball forward and making the most of opportunities to counter-attack. After an early warning drive from Hallam's right-back was saved, Teversal took a lead when Jason Dawson headed superbly in. Unbelievably they then doubled their lead when David Cockerill - a larger man who nonetheless had a clever sleight of touch - took down a high ball, and planted it brilliantly into the top corner.

The second half brought a passionate response from Hallam. James Reed halved the deficit with a rifled effort, and you felt that Teversal were now vulnerable. Teversal nonetheless continued with their game plan, and their number 11 did resemble one Jamie Vardy in his gait and playing style - running onto loose balls with a fierce tenacity. 

The crucial phase of the match was when Teversal's 7 slipped clean through but could only skew his shot wide. That would have made it 3-1. At the other end, Hallam were awarded a penalty, and while they couldn't convert at the first time of asking, Jake Currie made it 2-2 with the rebound. There was now only one winner. Teversal looked exhausted. Tom Roebuck made it 3-2 to the home side with a header, before slotting in from a late counter-attack to add a gloss to the scoreline. Hallam had most certainly deserved the win, but I felt a bit sorry for the Mansfield team, who could have pulled off a shock had they been able to maintain their momentum for the second period. I hope that I'll be back at Hallam sometime soon, and that I don't leave it another 8 years before visiting again!

Stocksbridge (03-12-2016)

Stocksbridge 1 - 2 Basford United (Evostik Division 1 South), Saturday 3 December 2016

Entry £7
Petrol £5 approx
Tea x2 £2
Programme £1-50
Total £15-50

After a Saturday morning at work, and last week's long trip to Hereford, I decided to head to Bracken Moor for my first December game. Up until February this year it had been almost 8 years since I'd visited, so I felt it was high time for my 3rd trip to Stocksbridge. The ground is beautiful, despite it's three sides, and I had a camera handy for the impressive views across the nearby valley. From our house it was only about a 40-minute drive up the M1 and the Woodhead Pass, so it was an ideal one today.

I was also attracted by the potential of seeing a 'Roy of the Rovers' type player. In my first visit back in 2008, I had unwittingly seen Jamie Vardy in action up here, so anything was possible. As the teams warmed up I had visions of an epic non-league encounter, and flowing, box-to-box football. 

To be frank the game was awful! The game was sadly defined by a bizarre refereeing decision in the 6th minute. Basford took a corner, the whistle went, and a Steels player caught the ball in his box. To the bemusement of all players (on both teams), the referee awarded a penalty to Basford! Despite the rather embarrassing circumstances, Basford's Ben Hutchinson kept his head and made it 1-0, with vocal protests still continuing from the home side. Courey Grantham then doubled the lead with a superb run and shot. Stocksbridge's effort in midfield finally paid off though, as Nathaniel Crofts cut the deficit when he cut in from the wing and had a go.

Chances were very limited in the second period. Basford forced a couple of decent saves from the home keeper, whilst Stocksbridge's striker saw a flicked header drift frustratingly wide. The Nottingham side seemed determined to sit on the lead for a somewhat fortuitous win. The main on-pitch event of the second half was when there was a clash at the far end of the pitch, resulting in a couple of yellow cards. As darkness fell, the main entertainment off the pitch was a loud group of Essex ground-hoppers, who were making bizarre noises and comments as the away keeper took goal kicks. I have enjoyed my visits to Stocksbridge, but unfortunately today had just been one of those days when the football is absolutely devoid of any entertainment! I was relieved to get into the car, warm up and head back down the motorway in time for tea.