Europa League Final (15-05-2013)

Chelsea 2 - 1 Benfica (Europa League final)

I'd never been to a major European final before so was delighted when I struck lucky in the UEFA ballot for this match between Chelsea and Benfica in Amsterdam. Something a bit different to my normal exploits! It would be extra special as an English team had reached the final, so this could be a good night for English football. The added bonus was that this was a new ground, taking me to 20 for 2012/13 and 12 for the 2013 calendar year thus far.

The UEFA Europa League (for those of you who don't know) is effectively the old UEFA cup but with a group stage at the start. The competition is massive, with 64 teams starting off in the competition proper, preceded by 4 qualifying rounds. We'd seen Liverpool earlier in the season in action in early qualifiers, before bowing out to Zenith in the last 32. There was some irony to the final tonight, with both finalists 'parachuted' into the competition from the Champions League group stage. Chelseas had overcome a tough Basle side in the semi-finals, whilst Benfica had defeated a strong Fenerbahce in the last 4. The game was to be a key one tonight, with Chelsea's Benitez chasing his last trophy chance, and the club aiming to be the first to hold the two major European trophies at the same time - with the all-German Champions League final taking place later in May.

The Europa League is a strange competition, and has arguably been the poorer relation of the Champions League in recent years. For a start, the scheduling of matches on Thursday makes it difficult for teams without a strong squad to challenge for the trophy - often, teams play a Europa League on a Thursday before playing a domestic game on the following Sunday. I suspect this was for TV scheduling, to spread out the coverage of European football between Tuesday and Thursday - another example of KO times being dictated by the commercial demands of TV.

Then, there is the sheer volume of teams involved. This has two effects - firstly the quality of football (particularly in those early rounds) is poor, and secondly, clubs have to play a ridiculous number of matches. Liverpool, qualifying via a League Cup win in 2011/12, had played 12 matches in reaching the last 32. This was Chelsea's 9th match in the competition, and 15th in Europe in total, in a frenetic season of nearly 70 matches (across no less than 8 competitions).

Some of the routes into the Europa League are bizarre to say the least. There is the UEFA Respect Fair play league, which gives 3 national associations places to award to the 'fairest' team, and obviously the Champions League parachute. This is of course in addition to the normal route of qualifying through league ranks in the previous year. While it has had a chequered history in recent years, the UEFA Cup has been a prestigious competition in the past. English winners include Tottenham, Ipswich and Liverpool, with the latter's wins paving the way for European Cup success. Recent years have seen many British runners-up - Celtic, Arsenal, Middlesborough, and Fulham. The competition certainly hadn't lost any of its lustre for the teams here tonight - this was very much a trophy worth fighting for.

I travelled across from Manchester to Amsterdam on the afternoon of the final - the plane ticket was more than I usually paid for travel, but worth it for a one-off event like this. The atmosphere in Amsterdam reminded me of Euro 2004, when I'd seen Czech Republic vs Denmark in the Quarter-Final in Porto, and had actually been in Lison on the day of the dramatic final between Greece and Portugal. There was plenty of chanting, banter and gathering in the central Amsterdam squares, with a jovial atmosphere building between the two sets of fans. This competition, for all its flaws, really did matter to these fans. As I made my way up to the ground on the local train, it became apparent that many fans had been enjoying the beers of Amsterdam, and were in the mood for a celebration - before a ball had been kicked!

Amsterdam Arena itself is home to Ajax, and also holds various concerts and other events. There is a large complex round the stadium with shop, bars and restaurants, with fans already starting to gather outside. I bought a programme (E7-50) and a pint-sized hamburger (E3-50), and headed to Gate G. This was apparently the 'neutral' section, but as I travelled up the escalator, it became pretty clear that nearly all fans were wearing the red colours of Benfica. Although I don't speak or understand Portuguese, I enjoyed the Benfica chant along to the tune of 'The Entertainer'! The escalators were encased in what looked like a tube, which with its bold colours, reminded me of the Pompidou Centre in Paris (though there is no football ground there I'm afraid). I then made the fateful decision to buy a cup of tea - and, for E1-50, I received a mug of hot water, a teabag and a sachet of powder milk - not as good as many non-league grounds in England, where at least the teabag is allowed to brew in the water. I sat in the neutral section in the upper tier, directly above the majority of the Benfica fans behind the goal. The 'neutral' section was made up mostly of Chelsea and Benfica fans, with only a handful of actual 'neutrals' like myself. Benfica fans came with great hope, but maybe not expectation - after all, they had not won a European final in 8 attempts.

The Portuguese team started more brightly, frequently carving open Chelsea open with intelligent passing, particularly from Perez and the Serbian Matic. On a couple of occasions, they took free kicks short when on the edge of the penalty box, wrong-footing the Chelsea defence in the process. For all their dominance, Benfica didn't really create many clear-cut chances or capitalise on their position - the best chance falling to number 7, who skewed a good chance over the cross-bar. The London team were definitely the weaker team, but still had flashes of chances. Ramires was agonisingly close to picking up a through ball from Mata, while Oscar and Lampard forced smart saves from the Benfica keeper.

The second half began more brightly for Chelsea, with the midfield getting hold of the ball more often. Benfica's 18 had a shot saved by Cech, but just on the hour mark, Chelsea took the lead - Torres latching onto a through-ball, before rounding the keeper and slotting home. Now that they'd taken the lead, I couldn't see anything but a Chelsea win, particularly with a coach as defensively astute as Benitez. However, the lead didn't last long, with a clear penalty for Benfica converted calmly by their highly-rated Cardozo. They finally had something to show for their first half dominance of the ball. Shortly after, Cardozo's flicked volley was saved by Cech, and suddenly it looked like the game had opened up again. Lampard rattled a post with a rasping drive, warning Benfica of Chelsea's attacking threat. It looked like this was heading for extra time until a late Mata corner was swung onto the head of Ivanovic at the back post, whose header looped across the keeper to put Chelsea ahead in injury time. Benefica hearts had been broken again, and again Chelsea had snatched victory from the jaws of defeat. The game (particularly the first half) was not a classic, but the atmosphere and sense of occasion and the fact it was an English win, meant this was a great game to get to. 23 Europa League matchdays starting in July 2012 had culminated in an English win in Amsterdam. It was also fair reward for Benitez, who had done a terrific job at Chelsea in difficult circumstances. What a way to end my run of cup finals in style!

S&H County Cup Final (09-05-2013)

Frickley 4 – 3 Sheffield FC (Sheffield & Hallamshire Senior Cup)

According to Wikipedia, the Sheffield and Hallamshire Senior Cup is the 4th oldest surviving cup competition in the world, after the FA Cup, Scottish FA Cup and East of Scotland Shield. I’d never seen a game in this cup, so the 2013 final at Hillsborough seemed an excellent opportunity to rectify that. I suspect that the importance of the county senior cups has been eroded over time by the growth of more national leagues and competitions. Recalling a 2008 Norfolk Senior Cup final at Carrow Road, I remember that the finalists were both non-league teams playing in the then Eastern Counties League, and that the ground contained barely a few hundred spectators. The big guns rarely blood first teams in senior cups, instead opting for reserves or even under-21 teams to fly the flag. Still, this was silverware to be won tonight, and the two finalists here – Frickley and Sheffield FC - were strong local teams playing in the Evostik Northern league, so no doubt this would be a fiercely contested match.

This was the first time I’d sat in the South Stand at Hillsborough, with my once/twice-yearly visits to Sheffield Wednesday usually taking in a view from the Kop. It was somewhat surreal sitting in a near-empty stand in such a large ground; only last week, Wednesday had clinched survival in the Championship in a sell-out match, whilst I recalled the dramatic Sheffield Wednesday-Leeds match earlier in the season. This had a very different feel to those occasions! On one side were Frickley in blue and white, hailing from South Elmshall near Wakefield – which was surely only just inside the Sheffield FA boundary. In red were Sheffield FC, oldest club in the world, now playing at the Coach and Horses ground in Dronfield. As ever, I saw the connections in the match…only 9 days earlier, my team Kings Lynn had beaten Sheffield FC to secure the Evostik Division 1 South title, despite having lost 2-0 at Dronfield back in September. I’d visited Frickley’s ground once before (in December 2008) for a freezing game against Boston United, and can’t remember anything overly pleasant or friendly about the ground. I was siding with Sheffield FC in this one!

The game did not disappoint. With barely 2 minutes gone, Sheffield opened the scoring with a volley from just inside the area deflected past the keeper, well and truly lighting the blue touch paper. Sheffield FC’s no 10 hit a free kick wide shortly after, before his opposite number scuffed a shot wide from close range.  Frickley then had a  couple of efforts inside the box saved by the Sheffield keeper, and came close to equalising only to be foiled by a sharp Sheffield defender blocking a through ball. The equaliser came shortly before half-time, with Frickley’s no 11 planting a header to the keeper’s right. It could have been 2-1 shortly after, with a clearance off the line from Sheffield FC. It was 1-1 at half-time and proving to be quite a match.

The second half started as dramatically as the first, with Frickley’s no 8 snatching a goal almost immediately from the restart to make it 2-1. Sheffield looked determined to get back on terms, forcing a save from the Frickley keeper, and then inexplicably heading over with the goal gaping. They couldn’t quite find the goal they needed. Frickley then extended their lead with an inswinging left-foot shot flying into the top corner of the net. 3-1 and the Frickley fans began sharing an amusing range of chants – 1 nil and you fucked it up…It seemed almost certain to end in Frickley’s hands, until the 81st minute when Sheffield FC converted a penalty to make it a nervous finish for the team in blue. Then on 85 minutes, Sheffield FC grabbed an equaliser to make it 3-3, making great contact with a header from a corner which flew into the net. My first Sheffield Senior Cup final was heading to extra time! Almost as soon as the thought had crossed my mind, the 4th official held up the board signalling 5 minutes of injury time. This was an open game and anyone could score now. So it proved, with Frickley surging forward and no 12 scoring a late injury time winner just in time to win the cup. According to Wikipedia, they’ve now won this competition 12 times (dating back to 1978-9), level with Worksop, and only 2 behind Sheffield Wednesday. Given the entertainment at this match, I just might come back next year to see if they can make it a lucky 13.

NCEL Final (06-05-2013)

Thackley 3 – 1 Louth Town (NCEL League Cup Final)

The first bank holiday in May, and pretty much the only local match on was the NCEL League Cup final at Staveley. It was a hot sunny day, and I’d not been to one of these finals before, so it was worth a punt. On the short drive to Stavely from Sheffield, I worked out that I’d been there 4 times before . Two were in previous seasons – one for an initial visit in 2009, and another for an entertaining battle royale between Staveley and Retford in 2011-12. In 2012-13 thus far, I’d been to a July friendly in hot sunshine (not long after the Olympics began) and a freezing match just before Christmas 2012. It was nice to see the sun out again at the end of a long season blighted by snow and ice! The ground at Inkersall Road has improved significantly since my first visit there in March 2009. There is a modern stand with a few seats, a small covering over terraces at either end, and a refurbished club house complete with the almost obligatory Sky TV. You get the feeling that while they are hovering round mid-table of the NCEL Premier, this is a club on the up, and like Handsworth, with big ambitions for the future.

The two clubs lining up for today’s final were Thackley (near Shipley in Bradford) and Louth (central Lincolnshire). Thackley had finished in mid-table in the NCEL Premier, while Louth (having reformed a couple of years ago) were in the NCEL Division 1. I was somewhat perplexed by the programme which explained that Thackley were aiming to be the first team to win consecutive league cups – when the listing of past winners showed Scarborough Athletic had won it in the previous year (confusingly stated as 2012-13)! I decided to forget worrying about past history and focus on the match today, when Thackley would surely be favourites to pick up some silverware.

As usual, the match defied expectations, and Louth came out firing on all cylinders looking for the win. They were tough to break down in midfield, and direct in the attack, and opened the scoring on 8 minutes with a header after a flick on from a throw-in. Thackley responded with a shot from the right on 14 minutes which was parried away by the Louth keeper. Louth had a chance to extend their lead when no 11 skewed a shot wide from the left on 18 minutes. Already this was shaping up as some match. Gradually, Thackley began to dominate the ball, forcing the keeper to save with his legs on 35 minutes, and having a free-kick saved just on the stroke of half-time.

The second half ended as the first began, with Thackley (in bright orange) forging chance after chance. A free kick from no 11 was deflected over by the wall, before equalising round about the hour mark with a header from a long throw. Both goals scored were almost mirror images of each other! Thackley took the lead shortly after, with a low cross from the left tapped in comfortably by a grateful striker. It looked like my hopes of a shock were looking rather forlorn today. This was confirmed with Thackley’s no 16 surging forward from the left into the box, and scoring superbly into the corner of net. Louth did have further chances, with no 12 flashing a header just wide of the keeper’s post, but it was too late. Final score 3-1, and Thackley had wrapped up the cup. Even with the presentation of the trophy and medals, it felt like an anticlimax to a long NCEL season. It would be like purgatory through May, June and July when I’d be sorely missing the action of this fantastic local league.

Shaw Lane Aquaforce (23-04-2013)

Shaw Lane Aquaforce 0 - 0 Handsworth (Sheffield and Hallamshire County Senior Football League)

Continuing to take advantage of the cluster of early evening games in the local Sheffield league, making my way to Shaw Lane in Barnsley. The ground was a short walk from the station, so was ideal for an easier ground hop. I was particularly interested to see the ground as Shaw Lane had applied for promotion to the NCEL league, so could shortly be entering the pyramid. The added attraction was that the home side had very nearly wrapped up the league title, but faced a strong Handsworth side who likewise had applied for promotion. Handsworth, since being demoted for ground grading issues in 2012/13 (despite winning the NCEL division 1 title), had faced a tough time in this league, probably indicating the strength in depth of football in south Yorkshire. I recalled a game earlier in the season when they'd been taken apart at Oliver's Mount by an organised Houghton side. The clash tonight would hopefully give some indication of the strength (or weakness) of the league.

The ground at Shaw Lane itself is part of a wider sports complex. To your left as you enter is a cricket pitch, as I passed there was a match in full swing. Behind a clubhouse are a set of 5a side football pitches, and a rugby ground. To get to the pitch, I walked alongside the rugby pitch, and turned left up a hill which looked like it was in the middle of being churned up. Possibly redevelopments for next season? There was a grassy pitch at the top next to more astroturf pitches, surrounded by spectators, and ready for kick off. Forget the fuss which surrounds many matches - at this level, you only know if a match is on by the fact that there are corner flags and nets in the goals!
The first half was a bit of a cagey affair, with both teams not quite going out with attacking intent. The chances of note were a shot from Handsworth's no 11 which flashed wide, and shots straight at the keeper from Shaw Lane's numbers 9 and 10. Handsworth with their pacey midfielders, began to dominate possession, thought they didn't really create many clear cut opportunities. At this point, it looked like one way traffic, and like Handsworth would sneak a win.

The second half was a fantastic battle, with both teams really going for the jugular. Early on, Handsworth's no 4 volleyed over from the middle of the box, while Shaw Lane's no 10 had a low shot tipped wide by the keeper. There was a moment of controversy, with a Shaw Lane header from a corner appearing to hit the hand of the defender on the back post. It looked like a handball to me, but the referee didn't give anything. The game swung back into the home side's favour, with no 4 dribbling into the box, and setting up no 9s shot before it deflected off no 4 in a crowded penalty area. For long periods, Handsworth were pinned back inside their own half. Shortly after, the number 10 cut inside from the right, firing a shot just wide. Handsworth did make the occasional break, number 11 hitting a left foot shot past the post. Late on, a speculative shot from Shaw Lane's no 5 was tipped over by a relieved Handsworth goalkeeper. This match - particularly the second half was a great advert for this local league, and showed why even a newly relegated team like Handsworth had faced a real challenge this season.

Caernarfon Town (20-04-2013)

Caernarfon 4 - 1 Llangefni (Welsh Alliance Division 1)

Caernarfon, I was reliably informed, is in a 'very Welsh' part of Wales, where English is a second language, and even avoided by some. It was therefore with some trepidation that I set off for this 2.30pm Saturday kickoff at Marcus Street, which lies upon a hill up from the town centre. I needn't have worried - though the bloke at the turnstile did start speaking in Welsh when I handed over the entrance fee, he picked up my English and directed me towards a programme seller. Entrance fee of £3.50, which was a bargain!

Although I'd previously been to a couple of Welsh grounds on previous occasions - Pendarren Park in Merthyr, and Colwyn Bay's ground - this was the first match I'd been to in the Welsh leagues. This was the Welsh Alliance Div 1, essentially the 3rd tier of the Welsh league system, part of a wider pyramid-like system. The regionalisation of many Welsh leagues is apparently a historical legacy of the poor transport links between the North and South, with this league essentially concentrated on the North & North West corner of the country.

Marcus Street stadium is probably comparable to many grounds at steps 3 & 4 of the English non-league setup. There were a couple of covered terraces near the entrance behind the goal, and a seated main stand to the right, along with more seats behind the far goal. There was clearly building or development work taking place on the side opposite the stand, with a stationery digger surrounded by sand and rubble.

I realised as I looked at the league table that I'd picked a top vs bottom match to go to - which should give me some indication of the standard of the league overall. Caernarfon were top looking like certain champions, while Llangefni were bottom, having conceded a cricket score of goals thus far. The home team were among the most colourful I've seen - Caernarfon started in yellow shirts and green shorts, and their goalkeeper was dressed head to toe in fluorescent pink! The goalie must have been confident as he also had the number 13 shirt on!

The game reflected league positions, with Caernarfon in control and oozing confidence on the ball. Barely 15 minutes had gone before the home side hit the post, with the rebound screwed over. Shortly after, Caernarfon scraped the crossbar with a shot-cum-cross - I had a feeling this could get one sided gem today! The breakthrough came when no 10 slotted home comfortably from close range after dribbling from the right wing into the box. More chances were forged - 6 having a close range shot saved, and 10 inconceivably hitting the crossbar with the goal gaping. It was a surprise that it was only 1 nil at the break.

The second half continued in the same vein, this time with more converted chances from Caernarfon. 6 slotted in a ball from the right to double the lead, while shortly after no 10 scored the 3rd to make the game safe. Llangefni bundled in a consolation in response, Lewis stabbing in a cross from 9. Still Caernarfon came, creating chance after chance, barely allowing the away side out of their half. I was in a perfect position to see a stinging shot from Caernarfon's no 8 rattle one post then the other. I'd not seen that before in a live game, though I do recall a similar incident back in 2000 when Melbourne Fc played Man united. Funny the things you remember! They'd hit the woodwork 5 times in this match, probably suggesting their dominance. The Canaries made it 4-1 with an own goal from Llangefni from a low and fast cross.

I was impressed by my first and only groundhop in the Welsh league, and would definitely revisit similar clubs in the future. The standard was decent, and I was now keen to see what the higher leagues of Welsh football are like - Welsh clubs are routinely involved in annual Champions League and Europa League qualifiers, so maybe these are worth a trek across the UK to see.

Worcester City (13-04-2013)

Worcester 3 - 1 Hinckley (Blue Square North)

In normal circumstances, an end of season game between Worcester (all but safe from relegation) and Hinckley (already relegated) would have had limited appeal. However, today was different as it was the penultimate game to be played at St George's Lane stadium, before the ground was sold off and Worcester moved to pastures new for 2013/14. The final game was an all-ticket affair, and would no doubt be a title parade for Chester as they waved goodbye to the Blue Square North, so I'd opted for today's dead rubber.

The ground was a gem, although I could see why the club wanted to move to more modern facilities. One side had an old stand with a couple of steps of terracing beneath it, while the opposite side of the pitch was terracing, some of which was covered by a corrugated iron roof. The far end rose behind the goal, to the point that you just could see the top of the crossbar over the advertising hoarding. The terracing was cracked with parts covered in moss, and had clearly been darkened and weathered by the elements over the years. This was a classic ground, reminding me of Workington's Borough Park, Gainsborough Trinity's Northolme, and Altrincham's Gigg Lane. I counted 22 steps up the terraces as I took my place under the covered area opposite the main stand - they don't build grounds like this any more!

The game kicked off in ignominious style, with the club announcing a minute's silence for some recently deceased fans, before the referee started the game without anything of the kind! There's a first for everything. Given the relative position of both clubs, I wasn't expecting a classic, but the game defied my expectations. The teams at first seemed evenly matched in different areas of the pitch - Hinckley had some committed players and showed a lot of desire to win the ball back in midfield. Worcester, on the other hand, looked more assured on the ball, but not quite as committed. Hinckley had a David Luiz lookalike who seemed to play a similar role to his Chelsea twin, roaming between midfield, defence and attack. I wasn't sure whether he was playing this role through choice or whether his manager had given him free rein - I suspect it was the former! The opener came for Worcester on 25 mins, with the no 10 making a surging run in from the left wing, before slotting the ball neatly to the keeper's left. It was a neat goal, and put a polish on an otherwise in eventful first half. The second came shortly after, with an in swinging free kick launched into the Hinckley box, before being headed down and poked in for close range by no 9.  Worcester seemed happy with their half time lead.

As I wandered round the ground at half time, the announcer apologised for the lack of the minute's silence, and then proceeded to welcome a visitor from Arnold Town in the same breath. I glanced up to the right and there was a lonesome figure with a ATFC flag on a blue and yellow background. I was unsure of the connection between Arnold and Worcester or Hinckley, but thought it must have been a fellow ground hopper. As I took photos from almost every conceivable angle, I noticed that a lot of people were doing the same which was rare - many were home supporters perhaps taking the opportunity to savour memories before the ground was flattened. There were 826 spectators here today - I wonder how many were ground hoppers or neutrals seeing the ground for the first and last time.

The second half began in the same fashion as the first, with both sides looking fairly evenly matched. The difference was that Worcester looked to have had an injection of passion into their game, and it was no surprise when the third goal arrived.  There was still determination from Hinckley, which impressed me given their relegated status. Deep into stoppage time, the Hinckley no 11 Brown hit a beautifully curled free kick with his left foot into the Worcester net. It was barely scant reward for their trip from Leicestershire, but at least they had something to show for their final game at this ground, and in this league.

As I walked out of the ground, I couldn't resist one final photo - this time not the pitch or terraces, but the caged tunnel the players emerged from. This had a peculiar clock face above it, split into 15, 30 and 45, I suspect it hadn't been used for years. These kind of idiosyncratic features are what's really lost when these type of grounds gradually disappear from the UK football scene.  108 years of history and St George's Lane would shortly fade into memories, photographs and (presumably) a new housing development.

Everest (28-04-2013)

Everest 1 - 1 Eccleshill Red Rose (Sheffield and Hallamshire County Senior Football League)

This game in the Windsor Food Service Sheffield & Hallamshire Premier division (got that?) had the kickoff time of 6pm, which was a nice idea with evenings getting longer and lighter as we moved towards Summer. This was in complete contrast to the cup game at Swallownest which kicked off at 1.30pm on a Saturday. Everest's ground was located at the back of what used to be Handsworth Working Men's Club, and was now the Holme Lea pub. Confusingly, Handsworth FC themselves don't play in Handsworth, but actually in the Darnall area. The ground was as I expected, with a blue rope marking the perimeter of the pitch, and a small set of changing rooms away to the left. I arrived bang on 6pm, but with my luck the game kicked off later than expected at 6.30 - I had visions of playing in the dark if the game wasn't done by sunset!

Everest, playing in blue, looked to dominate their opponents from the start, with no 11 put through, before the Eccleshill goalie saved with his legs. Shortly after, the Everest no 6 hit the post with a clean shot from his right foot. The chances continued, with 11 firing straight at the keeper from close range, and 8 taking a long shot straight at the keeper. Slowly, Eccleshill started to get into the game, their no 11 taking a long range shot which flew just wide of the post, before their no 9 clipped a shot straight at the Everest goalie. Just before halftime, Everest's no 9 had a header saved.

The second half was as evenly matched as the first, though I did sense that Everest looked like the better team. Against the run of play, Eccleshill scored with no 8 chipping over the goalie in a one-on-one situation, the ball dropping into the top left corner of the net. They threatened to score again, with the no 7 sending a free kick dipping just over the crossbar. No 10 shot low to the keeper's left, with only a flying save keeping it out. Everest responded to the attacks with more aggression and direction, number 6 hitting a stinging shot straight at the keeper. The momentum swung back into Everest's favour when they won a penalty after the Eccleshill no 5 clearly hand-balled inside the area.  It was becoming windy and wild, and I wondered if this would cause the penalty taker a problem. He had no such difficulties and planted a low shot into the corner of the net - a good penalty well-executed. Final score 1-1 and a deserved point for both sides.

Chorley (02-03-2013)

Chorley 1 - 0 Matlock


Chorley had long been on my list of grounds to visit in Lancashire, being one of the grounds which would have been faily accessibly in my university days in Liverpool. I never made it to Victory Park back then. I do recall a  2007 game at Cantilever Park between Warrington and Chorley in the NWCL, when the visitors did everything but score, and came away with a goalless draw for their efforts.

From Sheffield, Chorley was fairly straightforward, involving a train across to Manchester before taking a First train north from Piccadilly. For once, the ground was conveniently located close to the station, barely a 10 minute walk I discovered. This was a pleasant change from the long walks to Liversedge and Gresley! I instantly liked Victory Park, for a start, the brick walls round the turnstiles were painted in club colours, with the club name painted outside. The ground was set back from the turnstiles, and had a seated main stand on the far long side, with sheltered terraces at either end behind the goals. The terraces to my right went back a long way - possibly 15-20 deep, and gave an excellent view of the ground, and the impressive looking main stand.

The match pretty much conformed with my expectations based on league positions. Matlock were safe in a lower mid table position, while Chorley stood in mid-table, outside the playoffs and unlikely to get there. The first half was rough and direct, with late tackles flying in all over the pitch. Matlock had some skilful players, particularly 9 & 11, who caused the Chorley defence some difficulties. There were no real chances of note, and the most significant incident was a squaring up of players after a particularly brash and reckless challenge. These were two fairly evenly matched sides, and it had a draw written all over it - as well as several bookings and red cards!

The second half saw more opportunities, with Chorley hitting the side netting with a free kick, before a Matlock free kick at the other end looped dangerously onto the crossbar. The game was increasingly fractured by free kicks (given legitimately I have to say) and poor passing, with the entertainment provided by heckling of the Matlock goalkeeper by the home crowd. This was heading for a draw until the 88th minute, when the Chorley striker took the ball out to the right, before swiping his foot through the ball, which flew into the top corner of the Matlock goal. All the booing of Matlock was forgotten as the home fans celebrated a win in what was a bruising mid-table encounter. Back to the train station for me to catch the 17.24 train to Manchester - it made a comfortable change to have a straightforward journey between the ground and station. A ground in Lancashire ticked off too - that was the first one in a while!

Gresley Rovers (16-02-2013)

Gresley Rovers 1 - 2 King's Lynn (Evostik Division 1 South)

The week of 5 games in 8 days began on the border of South Derbyshire, at the Moat ground in Swandlincote. After a quick train ride to Burton-upon-Trent, I had a 6-mile walk to the ground. I realised as I walked that I was walking out of Staffordshire and into Derbyshire - was this the Midlands or the North? The route itself was scenic, moving from an impressive walkway across the River Trent, evolving into a string of villages before I approached Swandlincote. The Moat ground had been on my list for a while; back in the late 90s when I started following King's Lynn, I remember them as familiar sparring partners in the old Dr Martens league. Three relegations, three promotions, and a winding-up order later, and here we were!

The ground was a classic, nestled closely between terraced houses, with old turnstiles leading down a dark alley before you came out into the light of an intimate ground. I noticed two things about the ground - like Marine's Merseyside ground, it only had 3 sides for spectators, and to add to the lower league feel, there was a distinctive dip and slope in the middle of the pitch. That may explain the name of the ground!

King's Lynn started in a distinctive turquoise kit, almost fluorescent in its brightness. In true style, we started off brightly, attacking directly down the wings and through the middle. Gresley though, looked a lot tougher than some of the teams we had faced so far, standing up to challenges and looking difficult to break down. The breakthrough came when a speculative ball was dropped into the box from the right side, looping down towards Dunkley, who made no mistake and buried it. The lead took the pressure off, and I was tempted to think we might get a second before half time. It didn't materialise, but I was happy enough with a halftime lead.

The second half was a fast and physical battle all over the pitch. Despite falling behind, Gresley looked determined to get something back and not cave in. Several of the midfielders looked useful and intelligent on the ball. Still Kings Lynn attacked, and it looked like we might quell the fight back. Then late on, Gresley snatched an equaliser, which I have to admit was thoroughly deserved. The crowd cheered them forward and it seemed that the tide was turning in their favour. Kings Lynn looked out of sorts and were misfiring in front of goal, and the home team looked more like scoring. One of their players went clean through and our keeper made a superb stop. At this point I would have been happy with a draw, which would still keep us in the playoff spots at the top. Then in the 89th minute, we pushed forward again, and a corner was curled in before missing everybody - our left back Jordan Yong picked up the ball just inside their area, and smashed it into the net. Fantastic finish, which meant we took another 3 points back from our travels, even if we were somewhat lucky along the way. I set off on the long walk back to Burton in good spirits, looking forward to the next match.

Liversedge (02-02-2013)

Liversedge 2 - 2 Scarborough (NCEL)

February the 2nd, and I set off to my first official new ground of the year. Unofficially,  I counted a visit to Swallownest Miners Welfare as the first ground, but was unsure whether this counted as there was not a covering at the ground! Liversedge is located in West Yorkshire, roughly equidistant between Bradford, Huddersfield and Wakefield. To get there from Sheffield, I took a circuitous train route via Wakefield Kirkgate, Mirfield and Dewsbury. As ever on these trips, I like a walking challenge, and this was perfect as the ground was 5 miles from Dewsbury station! It was a relatively straightforward walk along a main A-road which joined Dewsbury to Heckmondwike, Cleckheaton, and eventually Halifax. I was impressed by the robust stone houses and buildings along the route. The ground was buried in between Heckmondwike and Cleckheaton, and was accessible from a country path, in between rolling Yorkshire hills and countryside, quite a picturesque scene for a football match.

As I approached the ground, it seemed busier than one might expect a normal NCEL match to be, then I realised that the away team were Scarborough Athletic - a reformed club of the now defunct Scarborough, who I can remember being relegated from the league over 10 years ago. A steward directed me away from the turnstiles to a gate where cars were entering, 'this way sir'. The man at the gate looked perplexed for a moment, then gratefully took the entrance fee of £5.

I immediately liked the ground, as the entrance was effectively one side of an embankment next to the pitch - it was as if the pitch had been carved out of the hill so there could be a football ground here. The place was swarming with Scarborough fans with red and white scarves, and I remembered how they had been relegated all those years ago. Jimmy Glass, the Carlisle goalie, had scored a late winner which relegated Scarbough and protected Carlisle's league status. I wondered if this hadn't happened whether Scarborough would never have gone into liquidation, and whether they would be here today as a reformed club. I had passed the old ground, Seamer Road, on a visit to Scarborough a couple of years ago, and there was something mythical about this great league club which used to exist on the North Yorkshire coast.

Back to the reality of this NCEL match, and I took a glance at the league table. Scarborough were top of the league, almost running away with it, 6 points ahead of their nearest competitors. Liversedge were languishing in 14th position, clear of relegation, but looking at best like a mid- table team. The goals scored were striking - Scarborough had 87 to Liversedge's 39. I had a feeling this could be a mauling today.

From the word go, it looked like Scarborough were the more assured team, and in control of the match. There were several early attacks, and it seemed only a matter of time before they scored. Liversedge, meanwhile, were surprisingly direct with their attacks, using a striker on the last defender with two supporting wingers alternating either side of him. On a couple of occasions, they managed to scramble a cross in, only for their attackers to be outnumbered by the away defence. Positively, they were getting the ball into the right areas in and around the penalty box. Scarborough still looked in control, and like they had a yard more pace and a lot more skill on th ball than Liversedge. It was no great surprise when they opened the sorting with a flicked header just after 30minutes. Liversedge had not managed to get to half time on level terms, so I felt that there was no way back from this point. Surely the superiority of Scarborough would tell in the second half.

Liversedge started the sound half with direct attacks, and bolstered their midfield with a stronger physical presence. Scarborough still had the assurance on the ball, but lacked conviction in challenges, and seemed less hungry than their opponents. The home side didn't create many chances, and it seemed as though they might be hit with a counterpunch on the break, or succumb to tiredness in the latter stages. The clearest chance came just after the hour mark, when the pacey 'Sedge striker ran at the defence, and slid in a shot just inside the box. It was cleared, but only to the second striker, who hit a flat shot on the floor, placed in the far corner. It rattled the outside of the goalkeeper's right post, and bounced away for a goal kick. This looked like the golden opportunity which had been missed. Minutes later, they did find their reward, scrambling in a scrappy goal inside the 6-yard area.

Finally, it seemed that the home side would have a just reward for their energy and commitment. The Scarborough fans went quiet - it had been a long time since they had dropped points in the league. Yet there was another twist to the tale, with Scarborough attacking straight from the restart, crossing in a dipping ball from the left, which was headed into the roof of the net by the oncoming striker, with the speed of the attack leaving the goalkeeper stranded. That was it, surely? Liversedge again defied expectations, and surged forward with a late attack, and managed to sneak the goal and the point they deserved - once again the Scarborough fans fell silent, and I have to say I wasn't disappointed. Liversedge had done fantastically well, battled hard, and could have even shaded it in the dying seconds. This ground and match was a great advert for the NCEL, and reminded me why I liked this league so much - it was good to be back after a Christmas break.