Heed Hopper

We did the Saturday and Sunday legs of this year's West Lancs Hop.

I did the driving on Saturday, which was in and around the Lancaster area, and on Sunday Katie drove to the outskirts of Bolton, with Lee being our navigator on both days

All the grounds are similar, with railed off pitch, team benches and good clubhouse facilities. Admission for all matches was a fiver (except Stoneclough who charged £6) and I purchased pin badges for all six grounds from Terry Hall

29th August 2026

993. Caton Sports Field

Caton United 1 Langho 5

Division Two md7

14th v 10th

11am ko

Att.241

Football in Caton was established in 1898, winning an array of honours in league and cup during their long history in the North Lancashire & District League, including winning its Premier Division on three occasions. The club joined the West Lancs Division 2 in 2023-24, but have struggled at the wrong end of the table over the last three seasons.

After a tight first half it was the visitors who took charge in the second period, running out 5-1 winners.

7’ 0-1 Edward Drake

55’ 0-2 Max McLaughlin

57’ 0-3 Callum Darcy

67’ 1-3 Jack Curwen

73’ 1-4 Edward Drake

90+2’ 1-5 Joel Phelps

994.York Road Playing Field

Storeys 7 Hawcoat Park 0

Division Two md7

6th v 15th

2pm ko

Att.253

The works team Storey Bros of Lancaster FC can be traced back to 1887, when the club played at Giant Axe, the home of Lancaster City. The club had one of the best set ups in the North Lancashire League and had a few ground moves before settling at York Road during the 1950s. Storeys won the Premier Division title in 1991, then their best period came in the 2000s. winning 13 trophies in nine years, including being Premier champions five times. They joined the West Lancs in 2019, but haven’t progressed from Division 2.

A convincing win for the hosts, with three players on a hat-trick with a quarter of the game remaining. As it turned out it was the big centre-half who notched his third and not the two strikers.

Cameron Hollywood 11’,19’

Joel Creech 41’ 64’ 88’

Issac Fenton 43’,46’

995.Galgate Recreation Ground

Galgate 2 Appley Bridge 3

Division Two md8

12th v 7th

5pm ko

Att.268

Galgate FC was founded in 1888 and known as The Silkboys due to the village’s silk mill heritage. The club made an appearance in the FA Cup in 1949, losing 5-3 away at Fleetwood. They joined the West Lancs in 2018 and are another club who have struggled to progress up to Division One.

After a heavy downpour before the match and persistent rain throughout, it turned out to be the best game of the day, with a last minute clincher for the away side.

12’ 0-1 Harley Ray

44’ 1-1 Callum Moore

62’ Red Card Kyle Lewis (Galgate)

64’ 1-2 pen Danny Atkins

68’ 2-2 Ben McMeeking

90+2’ 2-3 Danny Atkins

30th August 2026

996.Fox Park

Stoneclough 3 Chipping 2

Division One md8

4th v 1st

11am ko

Att.324

Stoneclough were formed in 1986 by a bunch of local lads wanting to play within the community. The club played at Stoneclough Playing Fields and were the dominant side in the Bolton Combination during the 1990s.

In 2001, the club finally gained the ground lease on Brook Street and entry into the West Lancs League. They won promotion in 2004-05, then won the Division One title in 2007-08 to reach the Premier Division. The club found themselves back in Division Two in 2024, but won promotion again last season as runners-up.

This was the only ground to have a stand, because it was used to film scenes for the Netflix series, "The English Game" when a small Victorian style stand was erected, with the structure left for the club to use when filming was completed.

An entertaining game was decided by a cracking volley by Joe Howlin, ten minutes from time.

10’ 0-1 Ethan Edmundson

14’ 1-1 Lewis Greenhalgh

36’ 2-1 Joe Howlin

67’ Red Card Troy Bentley (Stoneclough)

74’ 2-2 Aaron Hewitt

80’ 3-2 Joe Howlin

997.Eagley Sports Complex

Eagley 2 Hurst Green 2

Premier Division md8

3th v 7th

2pm ko

Att.359

Originally called Eagley Mills FC, the club is one of the country’s oldest amateur clubs, tracing back to 1877. They were Preston North End’s first opponents in 1878 and the first club Bolton Wanderers faced in the FA Cup in 1881 (a 5-5 draw, 0-1 in the replay) After the war the club played in the Bolton Combination, becoming league champions in 1965-66.

Eagley joined the West Lancs League in 1988, winning Division Two at the third attempt. After reaching the Premier Division, the club were relegated in 2017, but won the Division One title in 2023-24 and are currently the West Lancs champions, winning the Premier Division last season.

Hurst Green amazingly grabbed a point with two stoppage time goals.

42’ 1-0 Finlay Stafford

67’ 2-0 Cormac O’Mahony

90+2’ 2-1 Jake Craven

90+3’ 2-2 Dave Bowlin

998.Thomason Fold

Turton 0 Carnforth Rangers 3

Division One md8

5th v 2nd

5pm ko

Att.314

The original Turton FC formed in 1871, playing a major part in the formation of the Lancashire FA. In 1879-80 they played in the FA Cup for the first time and took part in the first Lancashire Cup competition. The club played in the Lancashire Combination and were dominant in the Lancashire Junior Cup, lifting it four times at the turn of the century, then adding the Lancashire Amateur Shield in 1913.

Turton joined the West Lancs in 1987-88, winning Division Two in their debut season. The club won Division One in 2015-16, but were relegated from the Premier Division in 2024.

Carnforth had the game wrapped up by half time, scoring three times without reply.

Cameron Holmes 11’pen, 44’

Jack Johnson 37’

Leyburn United 2-2 Carperby Rovers

North Riding FL Division 3

Tuesday 25th August 2026

Leyburn is a market town and civil parish in Richmondshire, North Yorkshire, which sits above the northern bank of the River Ure in Wensleydale. The name derives from 'Ley' or 'Le' (clearing), and 'burn' (stream) and was mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086.

Leyburn United, played in the Harrogate and District Football League until their resignation in 2016. The club rebranded as Leyburn United JFC, with junior teams and eventually a senior side, who are another new club to enter the North Riding FL Division 3.