✔517 Loch Park

Glenafton Athletic 0-2 Auchinleck Talbot

West Region - Super League Premier Division

Monday 25th April 2016

Glenafton Athletic play in the parish and former mining town of  New Cumnock in East Ayrshire. Its growth came during the 20th century, with several pits and miners rows expanding this small town into a mining community.(Population just under 3,000)

In 1950, thirteen people were killed and 129 miners were trapped at the Knockshinnoch Castle Colliery. a film was made about the disaster called The Brave Don't Cry in 1952, starring John Gregson, and there’s now a memorial at the site of the disaster. 

New Cumnock has an interesting history, with links to William Wallace, Robert the Bruce and Robbie Burns. (which I’ll be covering in my book) Scotland’s national bard was a frequent visitor and he immortalised the Afton Water which flows into the River Nith with his 1791 poem ‘Sweet Afton’

Flow gently, sweet Afton! amang thy green braes, 

Flow gently, I'll sing thee a song in thy praise; 

My Mary's asleep by thy murmuring stream, 

Flow gently, sweet Afton, disturb not her dream.

Glenafton Athletic formed in 1930 and take their name from the Glen Afton in the parish. 

The Glens played in 3 consecutive Scottish Junior Cup finals between 1992 and 1994, their only success being a 1-0 win over Tayport in 1993. Each side of that they lost out to Auchinleck Talbot and Largs Thistle. The Glens first final came in 1963 when they were beat by Irving Meadow at Hampden Park, and their most recent final appearance was just two years ago, losing to Hurlford United in the Ayrshire derby. 

Honours include - 

8 times Ayrshire League champions 

West of Scotland Super League First Division winners: 2011–12

Ayrshire League Cup winners 6 times and Ayrshire Cup winners on 5 occasions

Loch Park
115 Castle, 
New Cumnock, 
KA18 4AE

Capacity 3,400
(Scottish grounds visited 72 Junior grounds 26 Lifetime Junior Cup winners 19/27)


After 30 years playing on the colliery pitch at Connel Park, Glenafton Athletic moved to Loch Park in 1960, and at the same time changed the club colours from black and white to red. The ground has a 250 capacity covered stand on one side, filled with bench seats and named in honour of Mick Morran, the club’s late physio. At each side of the stand there is plenty of terracing, with the rest of the ground open with sleeper terracing and grass banking, including the strange site of the TV gantry being used as some kind of dog pen. There’s a clubhouse bar in the Hugh Campbell Hall, named after the former club president, next to the snack bar on one side. The changing rooms are behind the goal in the Hunter Pavilion, which has a trophy room and hospitality upstairs. The club have revealed plans for a new changing facility and an all weather playing surface. 

Glenafton Athletic(4th) v Auchinleck Talbot(2nd)
Mcbookie.com West of Scotland Super League Premier Division Matchday 17/15
Kick off.6.45pm
Att.250est
Weather:Bright, but very cold.

0-1 Graham Wilson (29’)
A left wing cross found Wilson at the far post, sliding the ball past the ‘keeper from close range.
0-2 Dwayne Hyslop (56')
A precise direct free-kick from 20 yards, left of the penalty area was fired into the top right corner of the net by Hyslop. 

Entertainment 7/10
Top Bloke - Graham Wilson(Auchinleck Talbot)

This victory saw the Bot leapfrog Troon at to the top of the division, and with still 4 games in hand over their nearest rivals, they look well on course to win a fifth Super League Premier title.

Spondoolicks
Admission £6
Programme:none
Golden Goal ticket £1(had 62')
Coffee £1

The Gadabout

131 miles door-to-door

A69/A75/A76

I took advantage of a week’s leave from work and an early evening kick-off to tick another off my “T’ do” list in the Scottish Juniors. The trip to New Cumnock takes around 3 hours, but it’s just as quick and a helluva lot cheaper by road than rail. Lee and Katie were available to accompany me on my latest trip north, so they headed up to 100FgC HQ for a 2pm departure. We stopped off at The Robert the Bruce in Dumfries for some bait, before driving along the A76 zig-zag into Ayrshire.

We kept up our recent record of seeing someone we know, wherever we go, with the appearance of Mark Wilkins (100FgC AF33 ) who had travelled up from London, but using Carlisle as his groundhopping base for the next few days. 

On our way to New Cumnock there was an accident on the A75, which could have caused us a serious delay if it wasn’t for a nearby escape route, but the return journey thankfully went smoothly, so I was back at HQ at 11.20pm.

Ground no.517 Loch Park - Matchday Web Album (29 pictures)

Footnote

I’m in the process of writing and hopefully getting a book published on the winners of the Scottish Junior Cup over the last 50 years, which will feature a thorough chapter on the history of Glenafton Athletic and the town of New Cumnock. 

✔516 Burgh Road

Skegnesss Town 3-0 CGB Humbertherm

Lincolnshire Football League

Wednesday 20th April 2016

Skegness is a seaside town and civil parish in the East Lindsey district of Lincolnshire.

(Population just under 19,000)

The name comes from the Danish period of settlement of England, although there is no reference to a village named Skegness in the Domesday Book. The town's name means either "Skeggi's headland" or "beard-shaped headland" 

Skeggi(meaning "bearded one"), may have been one of the Vikings who established the original settlement to the east of the current town, which was washed away by the sea in the early 16th century.

Home to the first Butlin's holiday resort which was opened in 1936 (went there in 1998 with the breadknife and Laura when she was a toddler. Our chalet got broke into on the first night, swiping my Newcastle shirt and trainers)

Skegness Town formed in 1946

Founder member of the Lincolnshire League in 1948

Champions in 1951–52, 1955–56

Central Alliance (South) 1956-1958 champions in both seasons.

Joined the Midlands League for one season before it folded, followed by a third Central Alliance (south) league title in 1960–61

Re-joined newly formed Midlands League 1961-1982

1978-79 runners -up (lost out on title by goal difference)

Played one season in the Northern Counties East League as founder members in 1982-83 

Lincolnshire League 1983-present

Champions in 2006–07 & 2007–08, 2013-14 

Burgh Road

Non-League grounds visited 253

The club have played on Burgh Road since 1947. The ground will be replaced by a retail park with an Aldi store on the site of their current location. The Lillywhites will move just a short distance to Wainfleet Road, where the complex will have the main stadium, two further pitches and a new community all weather 3G pitch.

There is a small covered stand, filled with pairs of blue cinema seats, with a few rows of wooden benches along the side. The Lillywhite Social Club is at the ground entrance with the changing rooms and canteen bar behind the same goal. The rest of the ground is overgrown so spectators are allowed to stand on the pitch side of the wall, along by the team dugouts on the far side.

Skegness Town(1st) v CBG Humbertherm(9th)

Balcan Lighting Supplies Lincolnshire Football League Matchday 20

Kick off 6.49pm

Att.45c

Weather:Sunny,chily

1-0 Will Britton (5’)

The number 9 latched onto a through ball, knocking the ball past the oncoming keeper before rolling the ball into the empty net.

2-0 Will Britton (16’)

Picked up the ball in the inside right channel and fired in a right foot shot into the far corner.

3-0 Will Britton (53’)

Skegness could have been at least 6 or 7 goals up at half time and Britton could back bagged 5 of those, but he finally completed his hat-trick, heading home a left wing cross early in the second half.

Entertainment 7/10

Top Bloke - Will Britton (Skegness Town)

The Lillywhites are on the verge of winning the league after neighbours Skegness United did them a favour with a 1-1 draw with Wyberton. The match played simultaneously just along the road on Wainfleet Road.

Spondoolicks

Admission £2

Programme £1

Sausage Bap £2.50

Coffee £1

Tea £1

The Gadabout
190 miles door-to-door
Via A1/A18/A180/A631/A16

I’ve been to Skegness many times throughout the years(but only once at Butlins mind) and the imminent closure of the town’s long standing football ground meant an unexpected return. Katie text me on Sunday asking if I fancied the trip with her and Lee, as this was the club’s second last game at Burgh Road ... which was an offer I couldn’t refuse. After finishing work I drove down to Katie’s house in Houghton-le-Spring, left the car there, and we were on the motorway and off to the seaside by 2pm.
The long trek through Lincolnshire meant the journey took almost three and a half hours, so just a swift pint and no Chicken Club in the dog rough 'Spoons pub in the town before the match. 
Peter Miles (100FgC AF17) was also at the game, having travelled up the east coast from Essex, and I imagine more Groundhoppers will be heading to Skeggy next Wednesday when Town play there finally match at Burgh Road against Wyberton. 

Ground no.516 Burgh Road - Matchday Web Album  (33 pictures)

✔515 The Canniepairt

Tayport 1-5 Linlithgow Rose

SJFA East Region Super League

Saturday 16th April 2016

Tayport is a small harbour town and burgh close to the north east tip of Fife, originally known by its Gaelic name Partan Craig, which translates as "Crab Rock" 

(Population just under 8,000)

In 1598 the settlement received its burgh charter in the name of Ferry-Port on Craig. In the 1850s, the Edinburgh, Perth and Dundee Railway Company established a railway service running from Edinburgh to Aberdeen that stopped in the town. They used the much simpler name of "Tayport” which soon caught on and eventually replaced Ferry-Port on Craig as the more commonly used name.

The town is renowned for the line fishing industry, one of the oldest in Scotland, and of course the ferry service across the Tay, which was established in the 12th century. The railway ferry ceased in 1887 and the passenger-only ferry continued to run from the town to Broughty Ferry until 1920.

Tayport Amateurs formed in 1947 playing in the Midlands Amateurs’ Alliance League.

Became Tayport FC when the Junior team was launched in 1990, beginning life in the Tayside League rather than the Fife League due to their geographical position. The amateur side played their final season in the Amateur Leagues in 2000-01.

They won their first league title in 1991-92, becoming champions nine times in an eleven year period up to the 2001-02 season. SJFA East Region Superleague winners in 2002-03 and 2005-06, finishing runners-up the two years in between.

Scottish Junior Cup winners 3 times in 1995-96 (Camelon 2-0) 2002-03 Linlithgow Rose (1-0) and 2004-05 Lochee United(2-0) also runners-up in 1993, 1997 and 2004.

Plenty of cup honours include lifting the North and Tayside Cup 6 times and the Currie Cup on 9 occasions.

The Canniepairt 

(Scottish grounds 71 - Scottish Juniors 25 Lifetime Junior Cup winners 18/27)

Capacity 2,000

The local council invited the club to move from East Common to this former farm land in 1975. The ground has a covered terrace enclosure running down on one side, behind the home dugout, the away club dugout is on the opposite side in front of a grass banking standing area. The changing rooms are behind the goal where there’s open hard standing. At the top goal there is a large hedge making The Canniepairt a three sided ground.

Tayport (15th) v Linlithgow Rose (4th)

SJFA East Region Superleague Matchday 23/22

Kick off 2.30pm

Att.175hc

Weather:Sunny intervals, heavy rain shower in the second half.

0-1 (24’) Tommy Coyne 

Ball slipped into the box to Coyne, who produced a nice finish into the roof of the net.

1-1 (30') Alan Tulleth

Cross field pass found Tulleth unmarked on the left in acres of space, fired in a hard low shot into the far corner. 

1-2 (31') Colin Strickland

Right wing ball found the number 9 in the box, who had time and space to slot home.

1-3 (40') Colin Strickland

Long ball down the middle found Strickland, the keeper didn't come to meet the long ball which made an easy finish

1-4 (60') Tommy Coyne

Cross from right headed in from six yards

1-5 (87’) Conor Kelly

Comedy of errors in the Port box, capitalised on by the substitute.

Entertainment 8/10

Top Bloke - Colin Strickland (Linlithgow Rose)

Spondoolicks

Admission £5

Programme £2

Scotch pie £1.20

Coffee £1

Tea £1

The Gadabout
185 miles door to door

0945 East Coast train service from Newcastle to Edinburgh, arrived at 1105.
100FgC squad #155 James Little picked me up outside the station at noon for the 60 mile drive across to Fife, via the A90 and A91.  Stopped off for a pint in Cuper on route, arriving at the ground just before 2pm. 
Afterwards James dropped me back off in Edinburgh in good time for a couple of pints in The Standing Order before boarding the 1900. Arrived back in the Toon at quarter to nine.

Footnote
I’m in the process of writing and hopefully getting a book published on the winners of the Scottish Junior Cup over the last 50 years, which will feature a thorough chapter on the history of Tayport and its football club.

Ground no.515 The Canniepairt - Matchday Web Album (31 pictures from Tayport)

Around the Alliance - part sixteen

513.Annitsford Welfare

New Fordley 1-0 Newcastle Chemfica

Northern Alliance 1st Division

Saturday 26th March 2016

I visited New Fordley at The John Willie Sams Centre in December 2014, which was part thirteen of the Around the Alliance series. Since then the club have moved to a new base 

just a mile and a half up the road in Annitsford. The ground recently opened a new state-of-the-art £245,000 changing room pavilion, thanks to a £74,558 grant from the Premier League & The FA Facilities Fund, as part of the Football Foundation. 

Annitsford Welfare Sports Ground was hardly used and basically falling into despair, but the club’s partnership with the Northumberland  FA in securing the grant, has giving a big boost to youth football in this part of North Tyneside.

New Fordley went top of the First Division with a narrow win over Chemfica. The decisive goal came just before half time when a left wing cross from Lee Sellar was met by Danny Sayer to steer the ball home from six yards. The visitors could have pinched a point late on but overall the hosts deserved this win which put them ahead of Birtley St Josephs at the top of the table. At the time of writing Shilbottle still have six games in hand, so they should win the title, so it’s between Fordley and St Joe’s for the runners-up spot in the promotion race.

Matchday stats
Admission & programme:none
NFFC 1(Sayer 41) NCFC 0
Att.24hc
Top Bloke - Lee Sellar(New Fordley)

Revisiting Purvis Park

Gateshead A 1-0 Grainger Park Boys Club

Bluefin Sports Insurance Amateur Cup final

Monday 28th March 2016

On Bank Holiday Monday I nipped over to Percy Main on the Metro for the Bluefin Sports Insurance Amateur Cup Final. This trophy is basically the Second Division cup, with the Gateshead Academy side having a relatively easy route to the final beating Seaton Burn (7-1) Alnmouth United (6-1) and Whitburn Athletic (5-1) in the semi-final. 

Grainger Park Boys Club are the current holders of the trophy, beating Gateshead Leam Rangers 3-2 in last year’s final. This season their route to Purvis Park has seen them despatch Wallsend LC (7-3) Forest Hall (5-1) and Cramlington United (3-2)

The game got off to a lively start with Heed ‘A’ scoring from their first attack, although it was a bit of a freak goal, as a defensive clearance hit the legs of Jack Elliott and looped over the ‘keeper and into the net. There was a bit of a delay from the players and the spectators, before everyone realised the ball was actually nestling in the goal. (according to the press the goal was credited to Mechack Kanda, but Ellliott definitely scored)
I was expecting the young Gateshead side to get stronger as the match progressed and win the game with ease, but full marks to Grainger Park, they improved in the second half and had good chances to take the game into extra time. 
The Amateur Cup is the first pot in the bag for Gateshead ‘A’ The young Heed are well on course to win the 2nd Division title and just one victory away from the Football Conference Youth Alliance League title.



Matchday stats
Admission with programme:£3
GFC 1(Ellott 2) GPBC 0
Att.75.est
Top Bloke - Jack Elliott(Gateshead A)

514.Wardley Welfare

Felling Magpies 2-0 Cramlington Town

Northern Alliance 1st Division

Saturday 2nd April 2016

Wardley is a large residential area on the eastern tip of Gateshead on the border with South Tyneside. It was once a vibrant pit village, with its colliery, terraced houses and the welfare ground, which was once home to Wardley Welfare FC. 
The Welfare is now the home of the Felling Magpies senior team. The club were formed in 1989 and currently run 28 boys and girls teams of all age groups. The senior side are newcomers to the Northern Alliance, taking over the place of Gateshead Leam Rangers, who had won promotion to the 1st Division last season.

This season I’ve been lucky enough not to have seen a 0-0, and in all the matches I’ve watched in the Northern Alliance I’m still to witness a goalless draw. That proud record looked threatened after a poor first half, with the only decent chance coming just before half time, when a header from Liam Barnett was cleared off the line.
The Magpies stepped it up after the break and produced on a good second half performance. Just before the hour mark Barnett did well to beat the offside trap, before running through on goal and firing in from 12 yards. Then on 72 minutes the three points were bagged when a shot from Liam Barnett from the edge of the box, took a massive deflection which wrong footed the ‘keeper, sending the ball into the right hand corner of the net. 
This win has Felling sitting comfortably in 7th spot and it’s great to see a set of Magpies wearing black ‘n’ white winning more matches than they lose.

 
Matchday Stats
Admission & programme:none

FMFC 1(Barnett 57 Aitken 72) CTFC 0

Att.16hc

Top Bloke - Liam Barnett(Felling Magpies)