✔766 Fleet Lane (WRCFA HQ)

Stanley United 5-2 Littletown

Yorkshire Amateur League - Supreme Division

Saturday 29th May 2021

Stanley United joined the West Yorkshire League in 2000, winning the First Division title in 2015-16. Instead of taking promotion to the WYL Premier Division the following season, they switched to the Yorkshire Amateur League. The club’s highest finish so far was in 2017-18, when they were runners-up to champions Drighlington. 

The club is based at the West Riding County FA Headquarters in the suburban village of Oulton in Leeds. The facility has a 3G pitch with a main stand which runs over pitch length down one side. The stand is fully covered with three rows of flip seats. The dugouts are on the opposite side with grass banking above the hard standing which surrounds the pitch.

Stanley United went nap in the first half, banging in five unanswered goals. Littletown were left frustrated by the performance of the referee, especially the 10 minute sin-bin time, which did appear to go well over the allocated time. The visitors pulled two goals back in the second half, but unfortunately they also had two players sent off, as they became more infuriated with the antics of the fussy man in the middle.

Stanley United 5(Laylock 5, Bruce 10,Diamond 21, Downing 34, Omar 45+1)

Littletown 2(Thompson 56,Ramsden 78)

YAL Supreme Division matchday 21v22

Att.17hc

Red cards - #7(Littletown) 68’ #10(Littletown) 89’

#Heedhopper

94 mile returning drive door-to-door

Total Non-League grounds visited 473

After work I set off for a sunny afternoon in the Mirfield village of Lower Hopton. I arrived at 1.35pm to find the place deserted, apart from a gadgie out walking his dog. After a moment of being understandably pissed-off, I quickly checked the fixtures, before belting up the M62 to the outskirts of Leeds. On arrival I made the mistake of turning right instead of left at the entrance, so I thought I'd been double gazumped, with no sign of any players. I got out of the car and heard the distinct sound of shouting footballers in the distance, realising I was at the neighbouring Rothwell Juniors ground, with the WRCFA situated in the next car park. So after suffering the misery of Groundhopping, it was a relieve to see a match plus bag another new ground tick.

765.Broadway Pavilion

Blyth Rangers 4-1 Hexham

Northumberland FA Minor Cup Semi-Final

Wednesday 26th May 2021

“Blyth Rangers FC is a community focused club, first founded in 2000 by a mother whose son was judged not good enough to play for other clubs. The club has grown from the original junior side to currently having 14 junior teams, from Mini Soccer U6s up to our U19s. The young’uns have a path to senior football, with two adult teams competing in the Northeast Combination Football League, and look a good set up to make the step up to the Northern Alliance.The club is based on Broadway, which is just behind the Blyth Spartans ground, off the A193 road which runs through the town.

Rangers stretched their unbeaten run to 17 matches, with an emphatic win over their Northern Alliance

opponents. Dan Burge grabbed a brace, firstly lobbing the ‘keeper then capitalising on a defensive mix

up to mak it 2-0 with just 17 minutes gone. The lead was extended five minutes after the restart, with a

terrific burst of pace by Ryan Bushby, topped off with an equally impressive finish. Connor Leason

added a fourth from the penalty spot, and a late consolation from Alex Hannand made it 4-1 at full time.

Blyth Rangers meet Newcastle Independent in the final on the 4th of June, which promises to be a

cracking finale. 

Blyth Rangers 4(Burge 11,17 Bushby 50 Leason 77pen)

Hexham 1(Hannand 89)

7pm ko

Att.100.est

✔764.The Balk

Pocklington Town 2nd 1-3 Dringhouses

York League Senior Shield Final

Tuesday 25th May 2021

Pocklington is a market town and civil parish situated at the foot of the Yorkshire Wolds in East

Yorkshire, 12 miles east of York and 22 miles from Hull. The town is bisected by the largely culverted

Pocklington Beck, a small brook that feeds into the Pocklington Canal. The 1086 Domesday Book states

it was the second largest settlement in Yorkshire after York itself. (population over 8,300)

Pocklington Town A.F.C. run four Saturday football teams with the first team competing in the Humber Premier League and the 2nds in the York League Division One. There is also an U19s team and girls' team. The club’s highest honour was in the 2012-13 season, when the 1st team won the Humber League Cup. The 2nds were York Division One champions in 2018-19 after finishing runners-up in the previous three seasons.

The Henry Thirsk Amenity Centre, 

The Balk, 

Pocklington 

YO42 2NZ

Total Non-League grounds visited 471

Current York League grounds visited 9

The ground is fully railed, with dugouts and floodlights installed during July 2008, allowing the club to

make progress up the football league pyramid. There is a spacious clubhouse which overviews the pitch.

Pocklington is twinned with the French town of Le Pays de Racan and the bar is decorated with pictures

of the club’s historic youth team visits there.

Pocklington Town 2nd 1(Brewer 87)

Dringhouses 3(Brown 14 Robertson 16,68)

York League Senior Shield Final

1930 ko

Att.90hc

Dringy had one hand on the Shield as early as the 16th minute, when Liam Robertson doubled their lead following George Brown firing them ahead a few minutes earlier.

Pocklington played much better in the second half, but it was the visitors that extended their advantage when a mistake in midfield was finished off by Robertson. 

The hosts made the scoreline look more respectable when Carl Brewer grabbed a late consolation goal.

#Heedhopper

98 miles door-to-door (via A19)

Katie (driving seat) Lee (shotgun) and me lounging at the back.

Departed Katies at 4.30pm - arrived  at 6.30 and managed a swift drink in the Feathers Hotel, but

unfortunately the other GBG pub - the Market Tap was closed.

✔ 763.Hipswell Lodge

Catterick Garrison Football Centre 2-3 Richmond Buck Inn

Wensleydale Creamery League

Saturday 22nd May 2021

Catterick Garrison Football Centre was formed in May 2006. awarded FA Community Club status in 2020 for consistently providing quality football opportunities in a safe environment. The club has teams at all age levels, from under-6s - under 14s, girls teams and the senior side in the Wensleydale Creamery League.

Hipswell is a village and civil parish in the Richmondshire district of North Yorkshire, which effectively forms a suburb of Catterick Garrison. Hipswell was mentioned in the Domesday Book in 1086 as being in the hundred of the "Land of Count Alan", when the population was estimated at 6 households.

The football ground is in the north of Catterick Garrison just off Richmond Road.

Hipswell Lodge

Smuts Road, 

Catterick Garrison, 

North Yorkshire 

DL9 3BH

#Heedhopper

46 mile drive door-to-door

Following on from the match at Colburn Town last week, this was my second consecutive Saturday in Catterick Garrison, but this time I had the company of Lee & Katie and Jade.

Total Non-League grounds visited 470

Current Wensleydale Creamery League clubs visited 2/11

Catterick Garrison Football Centre 2(Hunt 42, Walker 45+1)

Richmond Buck Inn 3(Thorogood 21 Donaldson 33,69)

Wensleydale Creamery League matchday 13v11

2pm ko

Att.19hc

A cracking 20 yard half volley from James Donaldson midway through the second half, gave the Bucks all three points. The visitors had taken full control with a goal from Marshall Thorogood, before he set up Donaldson to fire home his low right wing cross to make it 0-2. In the 42nd minute Jamie Hunt reduced the arrears, then the last action of the first half saw a quick breakaway finished off by Liam Walker. Buck Inn merited the win and Donaldson’s 69th minute strike proved decisive.