✔945. Harrowby Lane Playing Fields

Harrowby United 2-1 Ashby Ivanhoe
United Counties FL - Premier Division
Saturday 16th November 2024

Harrowby United Football & Social Club are based in the parish of Harrowby in Grantham, Lincolnshire.

Harrowby is a hamlet in the South Kesteven district, 2 miles east of the market town of Grantham. Harrowby is split into two parts: Harrowby Within (now part of Grantham), and Harrowby Without (part of the parish of Londonthorpe and Harrowby Without), which includes Harrowby Hall. Harrowby is listed in the 1086 Domesday Book as "Herigerbi", with 18 households.

The club was formed in 1949, initially playing in the Grantham & District League, until joining Division One of the Central Alliance in 1967. After just one season they moved over to the East Midlands Regional League. 

East Midlands Regional League 1968 - 1985

Midlands Regional Alliance 1985 -1991:

Premier Division champions 1989–90, Challenge Cup winners 1989–90

United Counties League 1991 - 2006:

Division One champions 1991–92


Harrowby finished bottom of the Premier Division in 2005-06, which saw a return to the Grantham & District League. The club spent the 2007–08 season in the Lincolnshire League, finishing bottom of the table, before joining the Supreme Division of the Central Midlands League. In 2009 they were renamed Grantham Rangers, but folded at the end of the season, after finishing at the foot of the Supreme Division.

The rebirth of Harrowby United came in 2012 when Grantham & District League champions Beehive United changed their name to Harrowby United, taking promotion to Division One of the United Counties League. Last season The Arrows finished fifth in Division One and won the play-offs to take their place in the UCFL Premier Division.


JRL Brickwork Stadium 

Harrowby Lane Playing Fields

Dickens Road, 

Grantham, 

Lincolnshire NG31 9QY


The Stan Stand at the far side, is named after the caretaker of the neighbouring school who helped out at the ground and sadly passed away aged 51.

There's a new covered enclosure on the near side, with extra cover in front of the clubhouse. 

Harrowby United 2 Ashby Ivanhoe 1

GCE Hire Fleet UCFL Premier Division matchday 17

8th v 11th

3pm ko 

Att.TBC


Admission, pin badge, programme. refreshments and bait: hospitality 


Special thanks to club chairman Mick Atter for his generous hospitality. Malcolm and I were guests at the game, as his family business ‘The Smoothing Iron’ (the best domestic & commercial ironers and launderers in Lincolnshire) do the club's kits. 


The visitors made a positive start, but a fabulous headed goal from King and a spot-kick put the Arrows two up after twenty minutes. 

Ashby pulled a goal back in the second half, but the hosts battled on to secure the three points. 


12’ 1-0 Elliott King 

19’ 2-0 Jack Gurney (pen)

69’ 2-1 Jordan Wilson

#Heedhopper 

163 mile drive door-to-door 

Following my visit to Stamford on Tuesday night, the breadknife and I had a few days in Cambridge on one of our mega pub crawls. We returned to Ann and Malc's in Grantham on Friday, and I ticked off Harrowby before heading back home after the game, which concluded a very enjoyable week in the East of England. 

✔944. Zeeco Stadium

Stamford 2-1 Boston United
Lincolnshire Cup Quarter-Final
Tuesday 12th November 2024

I visited Stamford AFC for a brief visit to their old Kettering Road Ground in January 2014. You can read that blog entry on that eventful day, which also includes a potted history of the club and info of the town. 


https://100groundsclub.blogspot.com/2014/01/my-matchday-379-kettering-road.html?m=1


In the ten years that have passed, the club were relegated to the Northern Premier League Division One in 2016. The Daniels missed out in the NPL Division One Midlands play-offs in 2021-22, but were league champions the following season. The club now plays in the Southern League Premier Division Central.




Zeeco Stadium 

Borderville Sports Ground 

Ryhall Rd, 

Stamford 

PE9 1US


The stadium has a terrace behind one of the goals, with a seated stand along one side which accommodates 300 spectators.

The first game at the ground was in December 2014 for a Northern Premier League match against Nantwich Town. The highest attendance so far is 1,572, on the 10th July 2019 against League One side Peterborough United in a Pre-Season Friendly.

Stamford 2 Boston United 1

Lincolnshire Cup QF

7.45pm ko

Att.243

Spondoolicks:

Admission £10

Tea £1.50


Stamford booked their spot in the semi-final with a goal in each half. A late consolidation goal wasn't enough for the young Boston side. 


27’ 1-0 Billy Bennett

58’ 2-0 Rob Morgan

89’ 2-1 Oliver Nicholson 

#Heedhopper 

156+30 mile drive door-to-door.


A week-long break in the East of England started on Sunday night when we arrived at Aunty Anne and Uncle Malc's just outside Grantham. On Tuesday, the breadknife and I caught the bus into Lincoln for a pub crawl, before I nipped down to Stamford for the match in the evening. 

✔941 South Leeds Stadium

South Leeds 2-3 Worsborough Bridge Athletic
Northern Counties East League Division One
Saturday 12th October 2024

Middleton FC formed in 2017 as a Sunday League Team in the Leeds Combination League, switching to Saturday football the following year into the Yorkshire Amateur League. The club progressed through the divisions, winning three promotions and the Supreme Division title last season, which gained promotion to the Northern Counties East League. Less than a week after winning promotion, the club was renamed South Leeds FC, having merged with a local junior club.

The club have 6 teams from Seniors to Juniors,with the Reserves playing the Yorkshire Amateur League Premier Division.


Yorkshire Amateur League:

Division 3 Champions 2018–19

Premier Division Champions 2020–21

Supreme Division Champions 2023–24


Yorkshire Amateur League Hancock Cup Winners 2018–19

Yorkshire Amateur League Cup Winners 2022–23

Leeds & District FA Senior Challenge Cup Winners 2021–22



South Leeds Stadium 

The John Charles Centre of Sport

Belle Isle

Leeds

LS11 5DJ 

Current NCEL grounds visited 37/42

 

The John Charles Centre for Sport is a multi-purpose sports facility in South Leeds, which opened in 1996.

The stadium was the first part of the sports centre to be built. It has a two tier stand at the west end of the ground which has a capacity of 3,450 named the Geoff Gunney Stand. It also houses the changing rooms, corporate boxes and the Phoenix Bar. The stadium has a running track and the pitch is shared with Hunslet rugby league club.


South Leeds 2 Worsborough Bridge Athletic 3

Baris NCEL Division One matchday 16/13 

7th v 19th

1500 ko 

Att.134

Spondoolicks:

Admission £6

Sausage roll £2.50

Coffee £1.50

(Programme available £2)


The match was settled at the restart when Keelan Grist put Athletic three goals up. South Leeds made a decent fist of it with ten men, but ran out of time to gain a point. 

26’ 0-1 Lewis O'Connor 

29’ 0-2 Lloyd Smith 

46’ 0-3 Keelan Grist 

63’ 1-3 Jordan Hassiem 

70’ Red Card - (South Leeds)

90’ 2-3 Joseph O'Neil 

#Heedhopper 

98 miles door-to-door 

0610 Megabus to Leeds arr 0850


I spent the morning perusing the city record shops and ticked off beers in the JDW Real Ale Festival.

I caught the 75 bus towards Middleton at 12.15pm, stopping off at the White Rose Shopping Centre to meet up with Lee and Katie, to visit a previously uncharted ‘Spoons, before the short drive to the ground. 

 

✔940. Jill Scott Astro Pitch

Jarrow FC Reserves 5-3 Durham City

Clem Smith Bowl Preliminary Round

Saturday 5th October 2024


Jarrow FC Reserves play home matches behind the Perth Green ground at the Jill Scott Astro Pitch. Jill Scott MBE, the Premier League, The FA and Government’s Football Foundation officially opened the 4G pitch at Perth Green Community Centre in February 2023. 

This was the first of 23 grassroots football pitches named after England's Euro 2022 winning lionesses, unveiled in the North East in honour of mackem midfielder Jill Scott.


Jarrow FC Reserves 5 Durham City 3

Clem Smith Bowl Preliminary Round 

1330 ko 

Att.52hc 


A very entertaining cup tie with some cracking goals. The match could have gone either way until Jarrow clinched the tie deep into stoppage time. 


 7'  0-1 Junior Masandi 

19' 1-1 Bradley Holt 

20' 2-1 Jak Edwards 

47' 2-2 Owen Hayton 

51' 3-2 Ethan Mitchell 

62' 3-3 Brandon Gredziak 

63" 4-3 Bradley Holt

90+9' 5-3 JJ Duncan 


#Heedhopper 

Current Wearside League grounds visited 49/51