PDFL/UCL Hop - part 2

Sunday 29th July 2018
After Saturday’s shenanigans it was an early start on Sunday, as Mark and I departed our digs in Long Sutton for the ninety minute drive across to Wellingborough. A ‘Spoons breakfast was demolished before kick off and in between the two games we dragged Katie along to the excellent GBG listed Coach & Horses.
Wellingborough is a large market town in Northamptonshire, situated on the north side of the River Nene, originally named "Wendelingburgh". The settlement was established in the Saxon period and is mentioned in the Domesday Book under the name of "Wendelburie". The town was granted a royal market charter in by King John of England in 1201. (population almost 50,000)

620 The Dog & Duck
Wellingborough Town 3-0 Peterborough North Star
United Counties League Premier Division
10.45am ko
 The current Wellingborough Town was formed in 2004 after the original club, dating back to 1867, had folded two years earlier. The Doughboys comeback began in the Northamptonshire Senior Youth League, before rejoining the UCL the following season. The club finished runners-up in Division One in 2005–06 and returned to the Premier Division.

The Dog & Duck has a classic style main stand, with elevated seating decked out in the yellow & blue club colours, topped off with the team initials on the back wall. The rest of the ground is open, with the dugouts on the opposite side to the stand and a section of terracing behind the goal, which runs down from the clubhouse at the entrance. There is also a club shop hut next to the main stand and floodlights running down both sides.
 After a close knit first half the Doughboys took control after the break, to record a convincing 3-0 win over Peterborough North Star. They took the lead early in the half when a corner kick was met by substitute Freitas who headed in off the post, then doubled their advantage when Adam Speight’s strong run through the defence was finished off in style. They were three up just before the hour mark when a Lloyd Buckby daisycutter from 20 yards, somehow slipped under his body and into the net. 

 Matchday Stats
WTFC 3(Freitas 47 Speight 54 Buckby 58)
PNSFC 0
Att.237


621 Victoria Mill Ground
Wellingborough Whitworths 0-3 Cogenhoe United
United Counties League Premier Division
1.15pm ko
 Whitworths Football Club were formed in 1973 following the disbanding of Wellingborough Ideal Clothiers Football Club. The majority of the Clothiers team were also playing for the Victoria Millers Sunday team and switched to Saturday’s to form a new club.
The club played in the Rushden and District League, the East Midlands Alliance, before getting the ground up to standard to join the UCL in 1985. The Flourmen have finished runners-up three times and won the division without losing a match in 2006–07. This is their second season in the Premier Division after surviving relegation on goal difference last term.

 The Victoria Mill Ground is just a wayward goal kick away from the Dog & Duck. The ground is quite tidy affair, with a standard main stand at the entrance behind the goal, and sections of cover on all three sides. The shelter at the far goal is topped off with the club moniker on its facade.
Another three-niler in Wellingborough, but this time it was the away team which came up trumps. The Flourmen faced Cogenhoe United who took control in the first half with Montel Dore connecting with a right wing cross on 14 minutes, then just before the interval Ryan Dove tapped in at the far post.
Confirmation of the three points were confirmed from the penalty spot, with Dove grabbing his second to seal the victory on 82 minutes.

Matchday Stats

WWFC 0
CUFC 3(Dore 14 Dove 41,82)
Att.302






622. The Stilton Pavilion
Stilton United 4-2 Cardea FC
PDFL Division 2
5pm ko

 Before the last match in Stilton, me and my Gooner mate called for a few sherberts in Woodley, Oundle and Digfield to arrive just as the players entered the field.
Stilton lies south of the city of Peterborough in Cambridgeshire, on the old Great North Road, found just south of Norman Cross by the A1(M), The village lies 70 miles north of London and was once an important coaching stop in the days before motorised transport. Listed as Stichiltone or Sticiltone at the time of the Domesday Book the name Stilton means "village at a stile or steep ascent" (population almost 2,500)
The village famously gave its name to Stilton cheese. Previously the most widely accepted explanation was that the cheese came down to be sold at the Stilton coaching inns, however subsequent research has led to claims that the cheese did originate in the village in the late 17th or early 18th centuries, before any credentials of its production in Leicestershire
 Stilton United were formed in 1920, having played in two different pitches in the village before a nomadic period from 2003, playing “home” games in Peterborough and Yaxley.
United were PDFL Premier League champions in 1999-2000, but the upheaval resulted in demotion to Division 5. The club rebuilt and eventually climbed back to the top division in 2011. The club once again took demotion in 2017-18, this time down to Division 2 after folding their reserve side.
So after 15 years football has finally come home for Stilton United, following a 5 year project initiated from the Parish Council, with the aid of the Football Foundation, various significant funding and a grant from the Premier League.  
The Stilton Pavilion isn’t just a base for the football club, but caters for the community for cultural and social events. The pitch is behind the pavilion which is still a work in progress, but is enclosed on three sides with a skate park at the entrance.
The Division 2 fixture against Cardea was a good game to finish off the weekend. The hosts went two goals up with Kyial West scoring each side of the break, but Cardea drew level with two goals in five minute,s through Mike Dandrilli and a long distance effort by Aaron Yeoman. The comeback seemed to give Stilton a kick up the backside as they regained the lead minutes later through Lewis McManus, and a superb volley by West saw the number nine complete his hat-trick and complete a dream start back in the village.

 Matchday Stats
SUFC 4(West 38,50,80 MvManus 64)
CFC 2(Dandrilli 55 Yeoman 60)
Att.304









#Heedhopper
The Katiemobile pulled up outside Gallowgate View at 10.20pm. Many thanks to Katie & Lee for being great company (as always) and to Teddy and Snowy Wallace for being well behaved in the back of the car, so I could have a nice kip!  Also… cheers! to Mark for the bevvy hunting and Groundhop UK for putting on another good weekend.
Spondoolicks
Wellingborough Town - Admission £6 Programme £2 Pin badge £3
Whitworth £5/£1/£3 Stilton United £4/£1 pin badge from Terry £3

PDFL/UCL Hop - part 1

Saturday 28th July 2018
My competitive football season got underway with the annual Peterborough & District/United Counties League Groundhop. I set off on the X1 bus at 8.15 for the thirty minute journey to Houghton-le-Spring to meet Katie & Lee. We swerved the first Groundhop fixture at Whaplode Drove for a later start (and a lie in) hitting the road at 9am and arriving at our first match at 1 o’clock.
617. Tydd St Giles Community Centre
Tydd 2-3 Moulton Harrox
Peterborough & District League Premier Division
1.30pm ko

 Tydd St Mary and Tydd St Giles are villages in the South Holland district of Lincolnshire, recorded in the Domesday book as Old English “tydd” meaning ‘shrubs or brushwood’. Tyde St Marys has two medieval boundary crosses, at Manor Hill Corner which is Grade II listed, and the scheduled monument White Cross at the western edge of the village.


The original Saints formed in 1973 playing in local leagues at the Memorial Park in Tydd St Mary. The club moved from the Boston League to the PDFL in 2012 and have achieved 5 promotions in six seasons to reach the Premier Division. Last spring the club relocated across to Tydd St Giles to become Tydd FC.

 The village pitch was cordoned off for the event with gazebos set up for refreshments and random chairs supplied for the ‘hoppers. The players use the community centre facilities and the pitch is roped off on all sides. The ground isn’t up to Step 7 status yet, but they were giving special dispensation for this Groundhoppers event.


Tydd faced Moulton Harrox, their opponents taking the lead on the half hour through Ian Bradbury. The visitors took command after the break with a brace from Joe Townsend, firing in at the far post before heading home from a corner kick on 57 minutes. The saints quickly replied with a fierce long throw towards goal, taking a deflection on route, with Jake Clitheroe claiming the touch. With time running out they were awarded a penalty, which Clitheroe despatched but it was too late to pinch an unlikely point.

Matchday Stats


TFC 2(Clitheroe 59 90+4pen)
MHFC 3(Bradbury 29 Townsend 50 57)
Att.342


618. Memorial Park
Sutton Bridge United 5-3 Peterborough Polonia
PDFL Premier Division
4.30pm ko


 Sutton Bridge is in South Lincolnshire close to both the Norfolk & Cambridgeshire borders. Sutton Bridge United reformed in 1984, having originally been founded in 1909. The club have played in local leagues and this is their third spell in the PDFL.
The club currently have two Saturday adult teams playing in the Peterborough League, a veterans team in the Peterborough Veterans league, and  youth teams in the Peterborough and District Junior Alliance league and under 10s teams in the Mid Norfolk Youth League. Memorial Park has changing rooms set back from the roped off pitch, because of the cricket field in between, with temporary dugouts added at one side.
 The team faced Peterborough Polonia who had a few supporters amongst the crowd of Groundhoppers, including one enthusiastic drummer. (well he wasn’t a drummer per say, he didn't have any rhythm, just basically brayed the fuck out of it!)Those visiting fans saw their side go a goal behind after 20 minutes, when the ‘keeper picked the ball up just outside the penalty area, which earned him a yellow card. From the resulting free kick, Joe Sutton curled a lovely shot around the wall into the corner of the net.
The Polish side turned the game on its head with Piotrek Stepien tapping in at the far post, before a good finish by Dorian Janicki made it 1-2 at half time, which was the cue for the drummer boy to go completely ape shit on his drum. During the second half some young lassie took offence to the drummer, trying to wrestle his instrument from him, before punching the skin and breaking it. The club security had to intervene to break up the fight, apparently started because the din was putting off the home goalkeeper.
Jack Fowler fired Sutton Bridge level on 56 minutes before a hat-trick by Matthew Eaton including two penalties each side of the heavy rainstorm, one of which saw ‘keeper Bialoskorka receive his second yellow card. Wojtowicz grabbed a late consolation for Polonia, which wrapped up a fixture which had everything… 8 goals, a red card, a thunderstorm and a bit of aggro, so tremendous value for four quid!

 Matchday Stats


SBUFC 5(Sutton 20 Fowler 56 Eaton 67pen 71pen 75)
PPFC 3(Stepien 36 Janicki 43 Wojtowicz 90)
Att.337





619. Elsaforde Park
Sleaford Town 0-1 Deeping Rangers
United Counties League Premier Division
7.45pm ko



 Sleaford is a market town and civil parish sandwiched in between the Lincolnshire neighbouring towns of Grantham and Boston, and south of the city of Lincoln.  
Sleaford Town were founded in 1968 joining the Lincolnshire League, which they finally won in 2003–04, the title win gaining the Greens promotion to the United Counties League. After leaving their previous ground, Sleaford played three seasons at RAF Cranwell, but despite winning the Division One title in 2005–06, they were denied promotion until their new Eslaforde Park ground was ready. The following season, they finished runners-up and stepped up to the UCL Premier Division.

 The ground has a standard main stand, decked out in green seats on the far side with a small covered enclosure behind one goal. The clubhouse and changing rooms dominate one side, with the dugouts in front of the building.


The Greens opened their campaign against Deeping Rangers and were quick out of the blocks making a positive start in the opening period. However it was the visitors who struck first with Michael Simpson receiving a through ball and firing in from 12 yards. That turned out to be the main highlight of the game, with both sides huffing and puffing but a lack of any real composure in front of goal saw neither ‘keeper really tested. 
 Matchday Stats


STFC 0
DRFC 1(Simpson 17)
Att.285




#HeedHopper
After the match I headed into Sleaford with Mark Wilkins to tick off some GBG pubs. We then made our way back towards our digs in Long Sutton, calling at Donington, Bicker and Swinehead before crashing out with a kebab compass at the Crown & Woolpack for our overnight stay, before part 2 ofthe ‘hop on Sunday
Spondoolicks
Both PDFL fixtures admission £4 and Programme £1.
Sleaford Town £6(didn't buy a programme)
Pin badges purchased from Terry's Badges £3 each. 

✔616 Archers Field Recreation Ground

Beeston Rylands 3-5 Bilborough Town
Pre-season Friendly
Saturday 7th July 2018
My 2018-19 football season got off to an unexpected start with a Saturday morning kick off in Stapleford in Nottingham.
I was in the city for our annual lads bevvy and races trip without any football planned, however England's progress in the World Cup meant all the pre-season fixtures were rescheduled to avoid the big clash at 3pm.
Archers Field was the venue as Beeston Rylands arranged a pre-season kickabout at the ground, with fellow Notts Senior League side Bilborough Town.
Both teams put on a good show in the boiling heat, with some good goals amongst the eight on show, the best strike coming from the Bilborough number 2 who chipped the 'keeper from the halfway line. Overall an enjoyable game and a good work out for both teams.

In the company of Darren Turnbull and Mark Wilkins
Attendance 18hc