What a weekend! Non-League Day, 1st Round of the FA Vase and, to top it all off, it was also time to celebrate our wedding anniversary. So, after dinner and a night out watching The Stranglers and Alice Cooper in Brimingham, there was just time to quickly knock out a sluggish Dudley Parkrun before heading over to Stourport for my chosen game, and then finally gathering some brainpower together for my brother-in-law's charity quiz night in aid of Acorns Children's Hospice. The less said about our quiz performance the better, so here's what happened at the football.
I love the FA Vase, so much so that I gave up a fairly rare opportunity to watch my home town side Stourbridge play in favour of a trip to Walshes Meadow, current home of West Midland Regional League Division 1 side Droitwich Spa, as the locals took on Step 5 outfit Whitchurch Alport.

The Ground
It was good to read in the programme that there are plans afoot for The Saltmen to move back into Droitwich. However, for the time being, they are playing their games at Stourport Swifts' Walshes Meadow ground on the banks of the River Severn.
The ground is hemmed in the the river side by a dense row of tall trees from which stray balls often have to be retrieved with the aid of a long pole. The dugouts are also situated on this side of the ground as too is the snack bar. There is a single covered seating stand on the opposite side of the pitch.

​The Background
Whatever happened in this game, some club history was already being made. Neither Droitwich nor Whitchurch had ever made it into the First Round of the competition before, so this was a big day for both sides.
Plenty of Whitchurch supporters had made the trip down from Shropshire and were already in good voice as the teams appeared. Their chants being countered by a smaller, but equally vocal, group of local supporters.

​The Game
A feisty start to the game. The Alport goalkeeper and defence seem to have some kind of feud brewing with Spa number 10 James Lemon. The game was only a few minutes old when the referee had to intervene as a spot of wrestling between Lemon and David Parton in the Alport goal. There followed a few meaty challenges on the Droitwich striker, a theme that continued throughout the first half. 
There were chances at both ends in the opening ten minutes, Matt Oliver twice made good stops to keep out Alport whilst Lemon and Collins were making life difficult at the other end for the Alport defence. Whitchurch occasionally showed signs of their higher league ranking, once or twice cutting through the Spa midfield and mounting what looked like dangerous attacks. Each time, though, Droitwich held firm, defending stoutly and countering with raids of their own. Matt Oliver was then called upon to make a brilliant save, getting a fingertip to Joe Cuff's rasping effort.

From a neutral's point of view the game was fascinating. The lower ranked side were working incredibly hard and were undoubtedly the better side. Whitchurch were hanging in there but there was always the thought that they would step it up a gear and begin to take control. For a small time midway through the first-half, this appeared to be the case. Maybe Droitwich couldn't keep the pace up for the 90 minutes, or maybe Alport were beginning to recover from the initial onslaught? Whatever the case the Step 5 side looked as if they were beginning to assert themselves. Credit again to The Saltmen though, after a short breather, back they came, stunting Alport's revival and finishing the half the stronger team again.

HT Droitwich Spa 0 Whitchurch Alport 0. Great work-rate from Droitwich. They clearly have a game plan to play a high intensity style and it certainly worked for the first 45 minutes. Can they possibly keep up the pace for another 45?
​
​The start of the second-half seemed to answer yes to my half-time question. Straight from the whistle Spa were back on the offensive. Twice, within 3 minutes of the restart, Parton was forced to go full length to prevent Collins from opening the scoring. The Saltmen continued to knock on the door with no sign of a let up in their energy levels.
Whitchurch were then quite lucky to keep their captain on the pitch. After picking up a yellow in the first half, Darren Campion committed what looked like a second bookable offence only for the referee to show leniency and let him off with a talking to, much to the annoyance of the noisy Spa contingent in the main stand.
Just past the hour mark came the inevitable breakthrough. Another period of pressure from the home side culminated in the ball dropping to the feet of Jordan Cox whose right-footed shot beat Parton to make it 1-0.

Of course, at this point, you would think that a Step 7 side 1-0 up against a Step 5 side would pull 10 men behind the ball and defend their lead. Not this team. Alport tried to raise their game and, as in the first half, had a short period where they again looked as if they might be getting a foot-hold, with Stephen Jones having their best effort with a free-kick going just wide. Droitwich were having none of it though and almost doubled their lead on 71 minutes when Collins shaped a lovely free-kick around the wall only to see it come back off Parton's left-hand post.
The reprieve for Alport was short-lived though. Seven minutes later it was two and it was Jordan Cox again, this time latching on to hesitancy from the Alport keeper to rob him of the ball and drift an effort into the far corner for 2-0. Cue wild celebrations from the home support.

Try as they might there was no way back for Alport now and even after going two up, Droitwich were not letting up. There was no hint of sitting deep and hanging on for the whistle. If anything they looked hungry for a third goal.
​
FT Droitwich Spa 2 Whitchurch Alport 0. A thoroughly deserved win for The Saltmen. They were the better side from the first minute until the last. Having not seen either side play before, I don't know if Whitchurch had an off day, if Droitwich played out of their skin or if it was a combination of the two. What I can say is that Droitwich's work-rate was too much for Alport on the day. Thanks to both sides for playing their part in providing great entertainment and best of luck to them both for the remainder of the season.

Droitwich Spa: Oliver, Phillips, Brookes, Dugmore, Hunt(c), Rudd, Davis, Tilbury, Collins, Lemon, Cox. Subs: Morris, Burgess, Tilley, Crowther
Whitchurch Alport: Parton, Minshall, Pickerill, O'Neill, Dickin, Campion(c), Jones, Griffiths, Hughes, Robinson, Cuff. Subs: Johns, Burzynski, Bath, Dunne, Skelton, Ellis

Att: 203
Ground Number: 217
Entrance: £5.00
Programme: £1.00

​Without noticing, I have been drawn towards Combined Counties games this season and this Tuesday evening was no different. A first ever trip to leafy Ascot was on the cards as I headed off to check out the Combined Counties Premier League leaders in action at home for the first time this season.

The Ground
The evening was all about the re-opening of Ascot United's ground, together with their brand-spanking new 3G pitch The stadium is situated within the grounds of Royal Ascot Racecourse, snugly wedged between The Straight Mile and Royal Ascot Golf club. In fact Ascot Racecourse are the club's landlords. This was my first visit to The Racecourse Ground so I can't compare the new ground with the old one. However, what I can say is that first impression is that there has clearly been a lot of hard work done at the ground and, I would say, plenty more still to do on the surrounding area. 
Upon arriving at the ample car park, I was surprised to see so many cars especially as I was 45 minutes early for kick-off. It soon became clear that the reason for so many vehicles was that the club has a thriving mini-soccer scene with session staking place on the new surface prior to this evening's Combined Counties game. As a mini-soccer coach myself, I am always heartened to see so many local kids - boys and girls - getting involved with game and it's fantastic see a club like Ascot United embracing youth football in such a way and sharing their superb facilities.
Back to the new ground. It's shiny. A shiny new pitch, shiny new fencing, shiny new dugouts and a rather unique terrace on the car park side of the ground with a covered seating area raised above the level of the pitch along with covered standing outside the clubhouse.
Personally I'm still not 100% certain about 3G pitches. I completely understand why clubs install them and I don't have any particular beef about the pitches themselves any more - current technology seems to have produced a very playable surface - but the old-fashioned football supporter in me still likes to see a bit of mud and a slick grass surface. Having said that, I am sure that we will continue to see more and more artificial surfaces in non-league and it certainly won't stop me watching the game.

​The Background
Despite having played all eight league games away from Ascot, The Yellamen were coming into this match unbeaten, having only dropped two points - a 1-1 draw with Hanworth Villa - and were sitting pretty at the top of the league. Guildford, meanwhile, were down in 15th spot having won two and drawn three of their nine outings this season. City's main problem had been scoring goals, with just 7 in 9 games. Their strong point, however, was that they had also only conceded 7 goals, a great statistic for a team in the lower half of the table. In fact, only two teams had conceded fewer, Abbey Rangers and this evening's hosts.
Ascot transferred from the Hellenic League at the end of last season and, as far as I can make out, this would be the first meeting, certainly competitively, between the teams.

​The Game
With kick-off delayed by 10 minutes (crowd congestion?), there was time to do a circuit of the new ground and take a good look around before we got under way.
Both sides struggled to get a hold on the game in the early encounters and this was to become a feature of the first half, with neither side able to take control. The reason for Guildford's low number in the goals against column was quite apparent from the start. A well organised back line protected by a solid midfield who were always on hand to drop into defence when called upon. Ascot tried switching the ball from flank to flank but got very little change from the Sweeney defence.
Arguably the best chances of the half fell to Guildford who were finding some success with raking diagonal balls to the speedy Eli Ogunseye on the left flank. His pace was causing all sorts of trouble for the home defence but the final ball was still lacking.

HT Ascot United 0 Guildford City 0. At half-time I tweeted that the home side were certainly not having it all their own way. I can't think of a better way of summing up the half.

​We didn't have long to wait in the second half before the deadlock was broken, four minutes to be exact. However, it did not go the way that the majority of the 400 supporters would have wanted. Guildford, immediately on the front foot broke forward with the ball ending up at the feet of Dan Stewart some 25 yards out, he took a couple of strides before firing a low drive past the outstretched hand of Sam Gray into the bootom corner. 0-1
For 10 minutes or so all was looking good for Guildford. Ascot were pushing to get back into the game but the City dfence still looked solid and they were working hard across the pitch to shut down The Yellamen ebfore they could get up a head of steam. Unfortunately for City midfielder Wayne Ridgeley, already on a yellow from the first half, took matters a little too far with a late challenge in the centre of the pitch leaving the referee little choice but to produce a second yellow and the red card.
It was going to be a tought last 33 minutes for Guildford now. Down to 10 men and defintiely on the back foot.
It was looking like just a matter of time before Ascot fouind and equaliser and went on to win the game. They were now awarming forward at every opportunity but Guildford seemed quite comfortable and happy wirth their defensivve ability, happy to sit deep and soak up the Ascot pressure.
Possibly the biggest turnign point of the game came on the 67th minute when it looked to everyone in the ground as if Ascot were about to get that illusive goal.Somehow though Billy Irving flung himself at the goal-bound effort and managed to clear the ball off the line with the keeper beaten. It was a magnificent effort freom the defender, not only saving his team from being pegged back but inspiring his team-mates to continue their fight for the points.

We approached the last 5 minutes of normal time with the game being played almost exzclusively in the Guildford half of the pitch but, as often can happen in these situations, Guildford managed to break downfield. One Ascot player was clearly struggling with an injury, then captain Louis Bouwers slipped at an inopportune moment leaving Dan Stewart to sieze his opoortuntiy, bursting past the stricken defender to slide the ball under Gray much to the delight of the supporters behind the goal. 0-2

This goal knocked the stuffing out of the Ascot team but they continued to push forward, desperate to save their unbeaten record. It was, however clear that this was not going to be their evening and as we went into time added on, Eli Ogunseye confirmed the result, bursting into the Ascot box and finsihing with aplomb to make it 0-3.

FT Ascot United 0 Guildford City 3. A very good performance from Guildford who clearly had a game plan and executed it perfectly, which I am sure had them dancing in the streets of Freiburg. Not the result that Ascot were looking for but, on the plus side they had a bumper crowd some of whom will hopefully return on a regular basis. They have a lovely new playing surface, a really nice ground and they are still top of the league. So, not all bad.
I, however, may have to stay clear Ascot United games in future. They have only lost two of their fifteen games in all competitions this season. I have seen them play twice. I'll let the reader guess which two games I have seen.....
Finally, great to meet Football in Berkshire's Tom Canning and his crew last night. We have corresponded on a number of occasions but have never been at the same game before as far as we know. Always good to put a face to a name. If you haven't checked out the Football in Berkshire (formerly Football in Bracknell) site you really should - https://www.footballinbracknell.co.uk/
​
Ascot United: Gray, Lock, Etienne, Carey, Bouwers(c), Ellis, Haworth, Denton, Davies, Hodges, Lalustani. Subs: Burden, Bennett, Laflin, Wensley, Richardson
Guildford City: Basey, Mason, Nzelo, Woodhouse(c), Sullivan, Irving, Ridgeley, Dacres-Smith, Harding, Stewart, Ogunseye. Subs: Everard, Pillay, Adams, Ocansey

Att: 396
Ground Number: 216
Entrance: Free / Donation
Programme: Free

​Tuesday's weather in Oxford had been so bad that, even though some games further afield were given the green light, it didn't seem like a good idea to drive through monsoon conditions for over an hour each way. So, I kept my powder dry and hoped that the weather improved enough to get to a game on Wednesday. It did, so my next decision was, where to go. Most grounds that I hadn't yet visited were in the West Country, in and around Bristol. In the end I decided on something of a local derby Southern League Cup game between Slimbridge and Yate Town.

The Ground
Slimbridge's Thornhill Park ground is situated just to the South-East of Slimbridge, between the Bristol Road and the M5. There is a reasonable sized on-site car park, mainly for the use of players and officials. However, there is also plenty of parking in a car park and industrial estate adjacent to the ground. This is where the match-day officials were pointing us when I arrived. Access is via a turnstile that brings you into the ground directly behind one of the goals. Immediately to your right is the clubhouse and snack bar, to your left is a covered terrace directly behind the goal. The main stand runs down the right-hand side, the M5 side, as you enter, with the dugout son the opposite side.
The thing that really struck me when I saw the ground was the pitch. It looked absolutely impeccable. A carpet in fact. Given the amount of rain that we had had recently, which followed a period of almost drought-like conditions, it was in perfect condition. You have to take your hat off to the Slimbridge groundsperson(s) for giving the teams such a great surface to play on.

​he Background
Although these sides are close neighbours they are currently separated by a division after Yate's promotion through the play-offs last season. Recent league encounters between the sides have tended to go the way of The Bluebells, winning four of the last eight league games with two draws and two wins for Slimbridge - both of which came in the 2016/17 season where The Swans won 2-1 at Yate and 3-1 at home. Last season saw Yate take both games, 3-0 at home and 4-1 at Thornhill Park. The Bluebells went on to beat Moneyfields (5-4 on pens) and then Cinderford Town 3-1 in the play-off Final.
The sides have also met in the FA Cup fairly recently with Slimbridge edging a close encounter 2-1 at Lodge Road in the 2006-07 season.

The Game
The game started at a very lively pace with both sides trying to close the ball down quickly all over the pitch. Yate, in particular, were playing a very high press, defending from the front and trying to apply as much pressure as possible to a very young looking Slimbridge side. The Swans clearly like to play the ball out from the back rather than having the keeper launch it (although this would prove to be a useful weapon later) and Yate had clearly done their homework with their forwards working hard to shut down space when the home defenders took possession.
Slimbridge were certainly capable of playing the ball around nicely up until the final third where they seemed to lack some nous when it came to unlocking a very solid and experienced looking Yate defence, led and marshalled by skipper Nicholas Peare.
It was the away side who were looking the more dangerous when they pressed forward and, sure enough, after 26 minutes they broke the deadlock when midfielder Sam Kamara unleashed a superb effort from the edge of the box, dipping over Wright and just under the bar to make it

Yate tried to press home their advantage and nine minutes later Bradley Webb crashed an effort off Wright's right-hand post, almost doubling the Bluebell's lead.
Slimbridge continued to play their football and, as the half wore on, they did mange to get a couple of shots on target but nothing to unduly worry Adam Forster between the Yate sticks.

HT Slimbridge 0 Yate Town 1. The visitors have shown their extra experience and quality at times, managing the game better than  Slimbridge. However, the home side are by no means out of it, especially if they could find a way of unpicking the tight Yate defensive line.

​As with the first half, the second started off lively but this time it was the home side who were suddenly finding that extra yard of pace and were, without doubt, causing more concern for Peare and his fellow defenders than they did in the first period. There were maybe even one or two signs that the rock-solid Bluebells defence did have flaws after all. However, they still stood firm, relying on their extra experience to weather the spirited efforts of the young Swans outfit.
Then, on 70 minutes, Yate again demonstrated their extra quality when, after defending a Slimbridge attack, they broke exceptionally quickly and, three or four precision passes later, Bristol City loanee Louis Britton was able to calmly stroke home the second goal. 0-2.

Many people in the ground thought that was game over but Slimbridge clearly had other ideas. Within 3 minutes they were back in the game, and it was a goal scored not by their previous style of playing out from the back it was, in fact, a massive launch from their own goal area that caught out the Yate defence as the ball sailed over their heads. Swans substitute Ethan Dunbar reacted quickly to nip in, control the ball and run on to finish neatly past Forster. 1-2 and game on perhaps?

The goal coming so soon after Yate had gone two up could easily have unsettled the away side. However, they quickly regained their composure and, despite Slimbridge throwing everything they could at them for the remaining minutes, Yate held out to progress to the next round.

FT Slimbridge 1 Yate Town 2. A very spirited second half from the home side but the youngsters couldn't quite match Yate's extra experience. Despite defeat the home side must be very pleased with the number of young players that they have coming through the ranks. The future could well be bright for The Swans. Yate looked to be a very accomplished side and, on that showing, should have no problems retaining their Premier League status.

Slimbridge: Wright, Harper, Waddington, Chambers, C.Turner(c), Pring, Spurrier, Horrell, Bloomfield, M.Turner, Tuodolo. Subs: Giles, D.Turner, King, Dunbar
Yate Town: Forster, Evans, Horton, Peare(c), Ford, Webb, Kamara, Guest, Bryant, Britton, Twyman. Subs: Lee, Price, Mehew, Humphreys, Keightley

Att: 92
Ground Number: 215
Entrance: £8.00
Programme: Online

​After spending the morning coaching my under 10 girl's team, I had an unexpected opportunity to take in a Saturday football match. A quick glance at the local fixture list revealed the perfect opportunity. Cropredy's Williamscot Road ground has been on my list for well over a year and today The Crop, sitting top of the league and unbeaten, were at home to second-placed Hanborough, also unbeaten and only below Cropredy on goals scored. Too good to be missed, and less than half an hour from home. Perfect.

The Ground
Cropredy's ground, on Williamscot Road, is situated just South of Cropredy - a village a few miles North-East of Banbury - and, as the name suggests, on the road towards Williamscot. The football team share the location with the local cricket team and the tennis club. There is a large car park from which you could probably watch the game on a really bad day. Adjacent to the car park is a club house that serves both the football and cricket club. The pitch is open on one side where it is shared with the cricket pitch but does have one the most unusual and quaintest stands that I have ever seen. I am not even sure that it can be classed as a stand as it only has a capacity of six or seven (at a push). What is for sure is that it is a fine example of what makes non-league so enjoyable for me. The opposite side, next to the tennis club, is where the dugouts are situated and the club has also made great use of the wooden surround fencing by selling advertising boards all along the side of the pitch. The pitch looked to be in good condition and the entire sports ground had the appearance of a well cared for facility. This may have been my first visit but I don't think it will be the last.

Now a short history lesson; Despite the football club being founded in 1967 the club badge bears the date 1644. This was the year the the Battle of Cropredy Bridge took place between the Parliamentary forces led by Sir William Waller and King Charles' Royalist Army. Waller's forces suffered a number of casualties leading to the remainder of his men becoming demoralised and conceding defeat to the Royalists. The aforementioned bridge is literally yards from Cropredy's ground.

The Background
As I said, Cropredy and Hanborough started the day as two of four undefeated teams in the Oxfordshire Senior League, so barring a draw, something had to give this afternoon.
Cropredy, formed in 1967, came up through the Banbury & District League and were promoted into Step 8, Oxfordshire Senior League Division One, in 2015. They finished as runners-up in their first season, gaining promotion to the Premier League, where they have stayed ever since. The Crop drew their first game this season, 3-3 with Launton Sports, but have won every game since.
This is Hanborough's first season in the Premier League after promotion from third place in Division 1 last season. The team came up through the Witney & District League, having won the Premier Division on no fewer than seven occasions since 1949, the last time in 2017 when they moved into the Oxfordshire Senior League Division 1.
It's been a great start for Hanborough, only dropping two points in their first four games and that was a 2-2 draw with last season's champions Freeland.​

​The Game
On a very blustery day, the opening encounters of the game were very representative of two sides looking to hold on to an unbeaten start to the season. It was tight, it had a little edgy undercurrent. No quarter was being given as the sides tested each other out but, as we progressed towards the ten minute mark it was clear that the home side were gaining the upper hand and were starting to exert some pressure on the Hanborough defence.
That said, with just under 20 minutes on the clock, it was the visitors who engineered the first major opportunity of the game. Following a fee-kick on the left, the ball wasn't fully cleared and Cropredy were happy to see the resultant drive flash narrowly over the bar.It was a warning to the home side who, up until that point, had looked the more likely to take the lead. 
Cropredy did come close on 34 minutes when the Hanborough spilled a tame effort near the goal line. A Crop striker was quick to react but the keeper made up for his mistake by just getting a fingertip to the effort and turning it out for a corner.
Six minutes later, however, the home side finally made their possession count but it took a moment of individual brilliance to unlock the Hanborough defence. Jack Welch picked the ball up some 25 yards or so out from goal then weaved his way, with some quick footwork, around there Red's defenders before slotting the ball past the keeper to make it 1-0

HT Cropredy 1 Hanborough 0. The correct scoreline based on the balance of play. The windy conditions caused plenty of problems for both teams.

​After savouring a glorious individual goal in the first half, one minute into the second half Cropredy treated us to a really well worked team goal. Some good interplay in midfield led to the ball being spread wide to captain Dan Reeves who proceeded to play the ball across the six yard box, handing a goal on a plate for Aaron Dineen. 2-0.

The game was over as a contest just before the hour mark and, again, it was a goal worthy of any setting. Harry Walters, who had been buzzing around the Hanborough defence all game, pulled a ball out of the air with superb skill, beat his man and then produced a calm finish to seal the victory. 3-0.

Despite being well beaten, Hanborough heads did not drop. In fact, within three minutes of going three goals behind they had two very good opportunities to pull a goal back. First a low drive got a slight touch from a defender which sent it inches wide the their Number 9 had a snap shot just about held on the line by the Crop keeper.
Following that brief flurry from Hanborough the game quietened down a little. Cropredy obviously knew that the points were in the bag and Hanborough were not going to be able to pull three goals back in the remaining time. The game didn't peter out as such but there was an air of inevitability about it for the final 15 minutes or so. Nevertheless, it was certainly an enjoyable game to watch.

FT Cropredy 3 Hanborough 0. A well deserved victory for Cropredy sees them maintain their place at the top of the table and retain their unbeaten record. Hanborough may have been well n=beaten on the day but they played their part in the overall entertainment and looked to be a good side who should continue to do well this season.


Att: 23 (my count)
Ground Number: 214
Entrance: £0
Programme: N/A

​Tuesday matches are much like buses. You go a few weeks without and then two come along consecutively. This Tuesday, despite the torrential downpours that had been on and off all day, I headed around the M25 towards Addlestone Moor for an FA Cup 2nd Qualifying Round replay between Combined Counties Premier outfit Abbey Rangers and Essex Senior League Walthamstow.

The sides drew 1-1 at Wadham Lodge last Saturday. Marcus Cousins put Rangers in front with a header before Billy Jones equalised early in the second-half. Abbey captain Tom Bentley was then dismissed after picking up a 2nd yellow, but Abbey held on for the replay.

The Ground
Abbey's Addlestone Moor ground is situated on the South Eastern edge of Chertsey, adjacent to Chertsey High School. There is a reasonably large car park and off road parking nearby. Access into the stadium is via a gate alongside the main facilities building, which houses changing rooms, clubhouse and snack bar. The front of the bar has a covered patio area directly behind one of the goals. There are two small stands to the left, on the High School side of the ground, both are seating areas. There is also a small lean-to, for covered standing, at the far end of this side of the ground. The far end of the ground backs onto a 3G pitch and the opposite side of the pitch is fenced off from another school playing field.
With a decent PA system in full flow and a good crowd already building, the lights on and a pitch made slick from the day's rain, it felt like a proper FA Cup venue.

​FA Cup History
This season is only Abbey's fourth time of entering the FA Cup. In fact, their replay win against Loxwood in the Extra Preliminary Round was their first ever victory in the competition, making this the furthest they had ever been. Two Step 4 sides have already been disposed of this season too. Both East Grinstead Town and Whitehawk have been beaten 1-0 on their own grounds.
For Walthamstow it was just their second season in the competition, reaching the 1st Qualifying Round last season and already beating that record this term. In a previous incarnation, as Waltham Forest, the club has reached the 2nd Qualifying Round three times before, the latest being in 2016-17. If you go back even further, to when the club was Leyton FC, they made a 3rd Round appearance in the 1909-10 season, going down 1-0 to Leicester Fosse.

​The Game
Walthamstow started the game very quickly, easing into their stride from the kick-off and looking very sharp as they pressed forward. The approach paid off as early as the 7th minute when Callum Ibe latched onto a neat Dwade James flick, catching the Abbey keeper in two minds before deftly lobbing the ball lover him into the net. 0-1. Cue celebrations from the Waltham Rabble behind the goal, including a sparkly party popper. Fantastic.

Shortly after the goal the Walthamstow Twitter feed posted this 'We may be 1-0 up, but an Abbey Rangers fan has just reminded us we've not got a dog track anymore. Very somber mood.' Note the use of the singular, fan. Although there were plenty of Abbey supporters around, only one of their fans was trying to match the noise made by the Stow supporters. It was the beginning of an evening of friendly banter between the 'Rabble' and the fan.

​Abbey immediately looked to get back into the game and, except for a brilliant reflex save from James Bransgrove in the Walthamstow goal, would have drawn level. The keeper got down low to his left from a close-range header, pushing the ball round the post. He was called into action again from the resultant corner, making another good save to keep his team in front.

Walthamstow, with their direct style, were still putting pressure onto the Abbey back-line and went very close to making it 2-0 when only a good save from Rangers stopper Liam Stone prevented Jack Folan from scoring. The follow-up was then sliced out for a corner by Tim Pitt.

Abbey's most dangerous moments had come from set pieces, which Walthamstow appeared to be very shaky when defending. So, after 39 minutes, it was no surprise when Marcus Cousins was left unmarked to power home an equalising header from a right-wing free-kick. 1-1.

HT Abbey Rangers 1 Walthamstow 1. The away side had more of the ball and played with the greater intensity. However, Rangers always carried a threat and will be happy to go in level at the break. On cue, the rain starts to come down.

​Walthamstow were out early for the second-half and, as with the first 45 minutes, they started very quickly. Only a minute into the half, Callum Ibe was inches from grabbing his second when he saw his rasping drive beat Stone but smack against the crossbar and rebound to safety.

Despite their quick start and continued advantage in terms of possession, Walthamstow found themselves behind just before the hour mark and again it was the result of a set-piece. This time a left-wing corner caused some trouble in the Stow box and, when an attempt was made to clear the ball at the same time as an Abbey head tried to get a touch, the referee, after a brief glimpse at his assistant, pointed to the spot, awarding the penalty for a high boot. It looked harsh from the other end of the pitch, but the referee and assistant had a much better view than I did.
Bradley Sweeney stepped up and lashed the ball past Bransgrove to make it 2-1.

The banter with the Abbey 'fan' continued in the second-half, with the Rangers supporter joining the Stow Rabble behind the Abbey goal for a while. Good to see plenty of smiling faces and lighthearted comments from both sides.

Walthamstow piled on the pressure after going 2-1 down. They play a very direct style of football, getting the ball up to the front players as quickly as they can. It's certainly not hoofball though and is entertaining to watch as a neutral.
However, the more they pushed forward, the more they left gaps at the back and Abbey were quick to exploit them on a couple of occasions, one of which almost led to a third goal but, incredibly, the ball stayed out when it looked easier to have scored.

There was still time, in the dying minutes, for Walthamstow to have the ball hacked off the Abbey line but it was not to be for the E17ers and, after a fairly long spell of added time, the referee drew proceedings to a close.

FT Abbey Rangers 2 Walthamstow 1. A history making victory for Rangers as they reach the 3rd Qualifying Round for the first time in their history. Walthamstow will be disappointed with the result after taking the lead and looking the more likely side for most of the game. Rangers, however, were always dangerous and took the chances that came their way. 

Abbey Rangers: Stone, Pitt, ?, Collins, ?, Bentley(c), Frith, ?, Cousins, ?, Hoppitt. Subs: Kersley, ?
Walthamstow: Bransgrove, Crilley, Gulliver, Folan, Murphy(c), Douglas, McCullock, Jones, James, Ibe, Gebral. Subs: Bennett, Fortune, Yexley, Aiken, Symons, Ramos

Att: 
Ground Number: 213
Entrance: £7.00
Programme: Included

​Finally! Back to normal with a Tuesday evening game, the first of the season. There were a good few matches to chose from but the lure of the FA Vase proved to be the decider as I headed off to just South of the river and a re-arranged FA VAse 2nd Qualifying Round game between Molesey and Greenwich Borough. The initial game, on the previous Saturday, had been abandoned after 80 minutes, at 0-0, when the Borough keeper picked up a serious injury. The good news is that, from all accounts, he is OK and on the road to recovery.

The Ground
Molesey's Walton Road ground sits between East and West Molesey, just South of the Thames and not much more than a decent goal-kick away from Hampton Court Palace. It's very much a residential area and, as such, parking at the ground is fairly limited (maybe 30-35 cars), although I managed to get one the two remaining spots). Access to the ground is via a double turnstile entrance which brings you into a corner of the ground. Immediately to your left is the clubhouse - also accessible from the car park - and the rather unique main stand which has seating on the upper level and the snack bar on the lower level.
There is cover on all four sides of the ground, with identical covered standing areas behind each goal and a similar structure opposite the main stand.

​The Background
This was an FA Vase clash between two Step 5 sides who were both in Step 4 last season. Molesey were relegated from the Isthmian League Division 1 South Central after spending four season at that level. They have started life back in the Combined Counties League quite well and are currently in sixth spot, but would be in second were it not for a 3 point deduction (issues on the day of this game).
Borough, who had spent three seasons in Step 4, dropped down from the Isthmian League Division 1 South-East. Their return to Step 5 has not been quite as smooth and, before this game, they sat in 16th spot with only one win from their five league games. However, that said, their one win was their last league outing and they remain unbeaten in their last five in all competitions, so maybe things are turning around.

The sides have met in the FA Vase before, in the 2014-15 competition, when Borough won 2-1 at Walton Road. There was also an FA Cup meeting between the teams in 1993-94 in which Molesey won 4-0 at Greenwich before going out in a replay to Tooting & Mitcham United.

​The Game
There was a good pace and competitive edge about the game from the first minute.
Molesey settled into their rhythm quickly and were playing some nice football up until the final third. They got in down the right on several occasions but, each time, the final ball let them down. Greenwich had a little less of the ball but when they did break forward they too looked dangerous.
Moles striker Reis Stanislaus was causing some concern for the Borough defence with his pace and strength. However, the two Greenwich centre-halves were well capable of looking after themselves, which led to an intriguing, on-going battle throughout the half. Credit to the players that, even after a few hefty challenges and heated exchanges, it never really threatened to boil over.
For Borough left-back Billy Muckle was always willing and able to push forward. A lot of their more dangerous looking forays into the Molesey half came down the Borough left-flank, with Muckle pulling the strings.

Despite the fact that there were no goals the half seemed to pass by very quickly, a testament to the entertainment value of the game.

HT Molesey 0 Greenwich Borough 0. The Moles edged a fairly tight half, certainly on possession. Neither side has been able to find a cutting edge and Molesey's final ball has let them down on a several occasions. A better cross, or a better passing option in the final third may well have got them a goal.

​After being slightly second best in the first-half, Borough certainly stepped it up in the second and, with only six minutes gone, they took the lead. A long ball from goalkeeper James Boughtflower eluded the Moles defence. Richard Jimoh latched onto it and tried a lob over the advancing keeper. The ball had plenty of height but was not going in. A Moles defender tried to clear the ball but only succeeded in scooping it up in the air for Jimoh to seize his second chance and roll it into an empty net. 0-1

After setting up the first goal, it was now Boughtwater's turn to shore things up at the other end. First of all he reacted well to tip a stinging Reis Stanislaus drive over the bar then, in the 69th minute, he produced a a superb point-blank, reaction save to somehow keep it at 0-1. This for me may well have been the deciding moment of the game. Molesey were on the up at the time, pushing Greenwich deeper as they searched for the equaliser. If that effort had gone in the balance of the game could well have completely shifted. As it was, eight minutes later, Fred Obasa was left alone on the edge of the home penalty area and fired home a rocket to make it 0-2.

Molesey again tried to rally and, in the final minute, had the opportunity to set up a nail-biting added time for the visitors when they were awarded a penalty. Joe Pratley-Jones stepped up but once again was denied by Boughtflower in the Greenwich goal.

FT Molesey 0 Greenwich Borough 2. An entertaining game with both sides playing some good football at times. The difference between the sides in the end was Borough's goalkeeper James Boughtflower. Two excellent saves from open play, the second of which was as good a save as you will see anywhere, and a penalty save. Greenwich will now face Fisher FC in the next round.

Molesey: Allen, David, Meyers, Lewington, Pratley-Jones, Wales(c), Windsor, MArklew, Stanislaus, Gumbs, Di Guissepi. Subs: Grobler, Champion, McShane, Majembe, Jno-Baptiste

Greenwich Borough: Boughtflower, Amoam, Muckle, Foster, Josepgh(c), Fitzgerald, Obasa, Nelson, Darboe, Jimoh, Ita. Suns: Green, Richard, Zepo


Att: 
Ground Number: 212
Entrance: £8.00
Programme: £1.00

After drawing another blank Tuesday evening, I decided on a long trip down the M4 to the West Country on Wednesday evening for the Western League Division One clash between Oldland Abbotonians and Hengrove Athletic.

The Ground
Oldland Common is a village on the far eastern outskirts of Bristol. Once completely separate from the city, a glance at the map shows that urban sprawl is rapidly consuming the village. However, Oldland Abbotonians ground, off Castle Road, still has a village feel to it. Situated at the end of a very narrow single track road, there is a small clubhouse and car park, with an adjacent field used for overflow parking. The ground itself is surrounded by a new-looking green meshed fence with a gate and small hut in the corner of the car park end. There are two covered stands. The Alan Bush stand which sits on the right hand side of the ground as you look from the car park, provides covered seating nestled under trees that run the full length of the pitch. On the opposite side of the ground, along with the dugouts, there is a small box-shaped structure providing sheltered standing. This is apparently the Reg Hamblin Stand although, it seems, it is rarely open to the viewing public. For the reason behind this follow this link (Two Toe Tony).

​The Background
Oldland have alternated between good and bad seasons in recent years. A top four finish in 2016 was followed by a 17th spot in 2017. An improvement the following year saw the club gain 7th place before, last season, they dropped to third from bottom. This season, in keeping with the pattern, they have started well and, coming into this game, were top of the pile albeit having played a game more than most. Their only blip so far came in a 2-2 draw at Wincanton.
Hengrove lost a lot of players following last season's relegation from the top flight. This has meant that they have had to completely rebuild their squad and early results have reflected the Summer upheavals. Sitting second from bottom, they have massaged just one point so far, a 0-0 draw at Amesbury. They have also gone out of both the FA Cup and FA Vase. A trip to the league leaders is probably not what they would have wanted to face next. However, the game is a local derby and we all know that derbies can throw up some unexpected results.
The last time the sides were in the same league was Athletic's promotion season of 2016-17. Hengrove won 1-0 on their own patch before easing to a 4-0 victory in the corresponding fixture to tonight's game.

​The Game
Under already darkening skies - Autumn really is upon us now - Hengrove, in their change kit of all grey, were actually quite hard to pick out. Their kit blending in with the background. Shades of Manchester United at Southampton a few year's back? However, unlike United, Athletic didn't need to blame their kit for the way they played. In fact, as we progressed into the first half it was clear to see that they were not just here to make up the numbers. 
Neither goalkeeper was being unduly threatened but, despite the home side winning the possesion battle, it was Hengrove who looked slightly more dangerous on the attack.
Around midway through the half Oldland striker Joe Beardwell and Athletic defender Luke Crewe clashed whilst challenging for a ball in the air. The coming together left the defender on the ground and his team-mates claiming that Beardwell led with his elbow. The striker claimed that it was accidental and the referee agreed with him. I've definitely seen red cards brandished for less than that and the striker can count himself a little lucky to get away with it, accidental or not.

HT Oldland Abbotonians 0 Hengrove Athletic 0. Hengrove will be much the happier of the two teams. The rebuilding of their squad could well be coming together and they have more than held their own against the league leaders so far.
​

​As the second half wore on a certain amount of nervousness seemed to creep into the away team. They were still hanging in for a point but they had definitely started to drop deeper and were relying more and more on long balls out of defence to ease the pressure. Having said this, Carl Bush in goal, still had clean knees as we went into the last 15 minutes. He was to earn his corn at the very death of the game however.

Oldland brought on winger Owen McCallum quite early in the second half and he immediately pepped things up for the home team. His runs down the right flank, unfortunately for him often missed by his team-mates, were worrying the Athletic defenders. Twice balls were played inside the full-back and twice the winger got past his marker and was able to put a cross in. One of these crosses led to oddly muted appeals for a penalty when the ball appeared to be blocked by an outstretched Hengrove arm. It was a clear hand-ball, in front of the assistant but not given and hardly appealed for by the home side. A let off for The Grove.

As the clock ticked onto the 90th minute, Oldland almost snatched the points when a dangerous ball was played deep into the Hengrove area. A group of players tussled for the ball, with a head making final contact directing the ball towards the lower right-hand corner of Bush's net. The keeper, however, was having none of it and threw himself sideways to make a brilliant save, parrying the ball away for a corner.

FT Oldland Abbotonians 0 Hengrove Athletic 0. A deserved point for the away side who, overall, probably had the more clear cut chances in a game that wasn't overflowing with goalmouth action. The O's stay two points clear at the top but, having played two games more than most, coudl be caught by anyone down to tenth.

Oldland Abbotonians: Carter, Hyslop, Mills, Symonds, Vinall, Robson(c), Summerhill, Beazer, Beardwell, Taylor-Fox, Hart. Subs: McCallum, Hoyle, Dempsey, Cains, Bright
Hengrove Athletic: Bush, Crewe, Lock, Shorney, Trott, White(c), Parsons, Bond-Kendall, Knight, Burton, Jones. Subs: Ratcliffe, Hubbard, Mancini

Att: 55
Ground Number: 211
Entrance: £6.00
Programme: Included in entry

​We are into September and, for some reason, my normal modus operandi of watching games on Tuesday evening has yet to transpire this season. Once again Tuesday was forsaken in favour of a fixture later in the week, in this case a Wednesday evening Hampshire Premier League fixture between Overton United and Colden Common. Overton had popped up on my radar last season but I hadn't managed to get to a game, so seeing that they were at home this week, it seemed like am opportunity too good to be missed.

The Ground
Overton pay at the Overton Recreation Ground, a facility shared with the cricket team. It is on the Northern edge of Overton village, situated just over the Hampshire border from Berkshire and historically famous for producing the paper for banknotes (as well as being practically next door to the Bombay Sapphire Distillery, housed in an old paper mill). There is a small car park on site and a fair amount of on=road parking nearby (beware, the streets are quite narrow). The ground is open all round, no fencing, no turnstiles and is opposite a church that tolls it's bells every hour giving the rather pleasant feeling that you are watching football on a typical British village green. There is no cover at the ground although there is a bar on the first floor of the recreation centre itself. There are also a couple of benches on a rise at the car park end of the ground should you fancy resting the legs at any point. I have to say that the pitch looked to be in extremely good condition and has no pronounced slope.

​The Background
Coming into then game the visitors, Colden Common, had certainly had the better start to the season. Currently sitting in sixth spot with 13 points from their 7 games. Overton, admittedly after one fewer game, were down in 13th position having picked up just one win and two draws - their last two games, the latetr of which was a 4-4 draw at Sway. However, Overton had also played all six of their league games away from the village. This, presumably, is because they have to wait for the cricket season to finish before they can play at home.

Both clubs are founder members of the Hampshire Premier League (2007-8 season) and, again, it is Colden Common who have the historical upper-hand. They have won the league twice, in 2008-09 and again the following season. Overton's best league finish came last season when they managed 4th spot.
Last season saw the teams play out a 1-1 on the outskirts of Winchester, whilst Common triumphed 3-0 in the corresponding fixture to this evening.

Overton would need to be on their guard against Common's prolific forward-line. Sam Adams (7) and David Paskins (6) had already scored 13 goals between them in their seven games. 

​The Game
Common started like a team unbeaten in their last three games, pushing Overton backwards from the first whistle. However, in an early example of how the game would develop, it was the home side who were first to come really close to a goal when Amiable's cross looked to be looping in at the far post before the Common goalkeeper touched it onto the woodwork and clear.
One minute later, with around eight on the clock, Common showed their dominance of p the ball when their number 10 weaved through a number of home defenders before laying the ball off for David Paskins to even up the top-scorer chart with a low, driven finish. 0-1
After the goal, Common continued to press forward urged on by their vociferous coach, and it looked like it was a matter of time before they put the game to bed. However, it was a further 15 minutes before they managed to add to the score. Overton gave the ball away inside their own half and were immediately made to pay when a sharp exchange of passes set up Sam Adams to make it 0-2 and take the lad in the team scoring charts again.
At this point it looked as if the result was already in the bag for the away side, and it was just a matter of how many goals would they rack up. Aside from the cross that struck the post, Overton had rarely threatened the Common goal and they were clearly struggling to string their passes together.
Then, just after the half-hour mark, the game changed. It was hard to tell if Colden Common took their foot off the pedal or if Overton gained some confidence, I suspect a little of both. Whatever the case, on 34 minutes the home side were back in with a shout. A great run down the right from full-back Finley Hall produced a low cross which was controlled by Ben Nicholls, who swivelled and fired a shot into the far corner. 1-2.

HT Overton United 1 Colden Common 2. A strange half in a lot of ways. Colden Common were so much in control for the first half an hour that they could, and should, have been out of sight. However, they dropped their concentration and United, to their credit, came back at them and have given themselves a fighting chance.

​As I said before the ground has no fencing or entrance gate so there is no way that they can charge for entry. However, as half-time drew to a close a man appeared with what looked like a collection box from the church and began collecting some donations from the assembled supporters. I remember a similar system at Olney Town a few years ago. It's a vital way for the club to raise a few pounds towards running costs.

The second half was only seven minutes old when it burst into life. Common came very close to extending their lead when Paskins' snap-shot came back off the post and directly into the arms of Burrows. The keeper immediately started an Overton break, and then a lofted ball over the top of the Common defence saw Ben Nicholls go clear through to bury his second and the equaliser. 2-2. What a turn around from the home side after looking dead and buried in the first half, they were suddenly level.

The game, as well as the score, was now much more even. Confidence had re-appeared in the home ranks and we had a real game on our hands.
Just past the hour mark Colden Common re-established their lead when their Terry New volleyed in a superb effort from the edge of the box. 2-3. Could the away side have finally killed off Overton's resistance? It was certainly beginning to look that way as we approached the final 10 minutes.

However, Overton were not just going to sit back and wait for the final whistle.  They pressed forward and won themselves a corner on the right. When the ball was played in it was met by the head of Craig Williamson at the near post, who sent the ball into The Commoners net for the third time. 3-3
Seven minutes later a speculative low cross from the left was spilled by the Colden Common keeper. First to react was Finley Hall, who rolled the ball into the empty net to put Overton in front for the first time in the game. 4-3.
The home side hung on for the final few minutes of the game for a very unlikely (after the first 30 minutes) three points.

FT Overton United 4 Colden Common 3. For the neutral, a very entertaining game of football. Both managers will have plenty to address before their next game but United must be pleased with the way they stuck at it. All in all, a very enjoyable evening of football. Best of luck to both sides for the remainder of the season.

Overton United: Burrows, F.Hall, Swan, Williamson, Mellos(c), Reynolds, S.Nicholls, Rudge, B.Nicholls, Aimable, N.Hall. Subs: Jones, Darmody, McCann

Colden Common: 

Att: Approx. 40?
Ground Number: 210
Entrance: £0.00
Programme: N/A

Game three of the FA Vase mini-marathon weekend. After two trips North, into Leicestershire and Derbyshire, it was time to head South and the market town of Wokingham as the local side Wokingham & Emmbrook (The Satsumas) took on another market town, Chipping Sodbury Town (The Sods).

​The Ground
Lowther Road is situated in Emmbrook, a suburb of Wokingham. The football club share the facilities with the local cricket team so, as with my childhood team Stourbridge, the ground is effectively three sided, leaving one side open for the cricket outfield to expand over the football pitch.
The club has only recently returned to Lowther Road following an enforced nomadic period whilst the ground was upgraded to include floodlights (an extended period due to some complications with planning permission for the lights I believe, but this is not the place to get into that subject). Thankfully, the club is now back in the town and today signified a very special occasion, being the first time 20 years the The Town's Team, as they brand themselves, are playing an FA competition back in Wokingham. A great achievement to all associated with the club.

​I parked on Lowther Road, but there was ample, well-marshalled parking available within the sports ground itself. The clubhouse and main facilities are situated a short walk from the football pitch, presumably as they were originally built for as the cricket pavilion. I'm not sure if it was a special occasion foe the FA VAse but there was also a barbecue in full swing (I immediately regretted eating before I set out).
On the far side of the ground are the dugouts and a small covered seting area. theer are no other covered areas around the perimiter, not that it mattered on a warm late Summer's Sunday afternoon.

The Background
As far as I could see, this is the first meeting between these sides in any competition. Neither side has that much history in the FA Vase either. The Sumas did make Round 1 in the 2015-16 competition but after beating Shrivenham 6-1 to qualify they went down 3-1 at Hartley Wintney. The Sods have never made it out of the qualifying rounds, losing all three of there previous Vase matches.

The Game
The opening encounters of the game were pretty even with the sides testing each other out and getting used to the fairly blustery conditions. We were 15 minutes into the match when Sods winger Jack Parker saw his shot come back off the post with Woodward beaten. To make matters worse, Sumas then immediately broke through the middle. A long ball caused some confusing between defence and goalkeeper allowing Jake White to benefit from the hesitation, take the ball around the keeper and slot it into an empty net. 1-0
The game then ebbed and flowed with both sides playing some good football. Luke Scope and Jake White were a constant thorn in the side of the Sods defence. The home defence looked well organised but had to be constantly on  guard to snuff out threats, especially from Sods captain Sam Makepiece and left-sided player Jack Parker.
Just before half-time Sumas thought they had taken a two goal lead when, after a free-kick, Eagles' header was turned into the net only for the assistant to flag for offside.

HT Wokingham & Emmbrook 1 Chipping Sodbury Town 0. A fairly even game across the park in terms of possession. However, the difference has been the forward lines. The Sumas' strikers caused all sort of problems for the Sods defence. The same coudln't be said at the other end.

​Chipping Sodbury were out early for the second half and immediately looked like they were on a mission to hit back early in the second half. Wokingham, however, were equal to the task, quelling any Sodbury storm before it even began. Maybe this led to complacency setting in because, after 10 minutes of the second period they suddenly seemed to take their foot off the peal and began to sit back deeper and deeper, allowing Chipping Sodbury to push forward. It was not a good tactic because on the hour mark they were made to pay. A superb, threaded pass from Nuevo-Draper, following a free-kick, put Makepiece through and the captain made no mistake wit the finish. 1-1.
Conceding the goal seemed to shake Sumas from their slumber and we were then treated to a period where both sides were looking to get their noses in front again.
Chipping Sodbury came very close to scoring again after 84 minuets when a shot crashed against Woodward's bar and flew to safety. Then, almost immediately after that incident The Sods found themselves down to 10 men when Ben Chick picked up a second yellow, presumably for something he said to the referee. To be fair, this had been coming. All through the game there had been some very strange decisions from the official and, especially in the second half, there were constant breaks for his whistle and for him to have a word with various players. I'm all for referees keeping a strong hold on games but this seemed to be overly picky to me and the players, on both sides, were getting more and more frustrated with the decisions.
Sodbury saw out the remaining few minutes of normal time and we were set for an extra 30 minutes.
FT Wokingham & Emmbrook 1 Chipping Sodbury Town 1

The first half of extra-time passed with very little incident. To be fair to The Sods, going down to 10 men didn't seem to affect them too much, or maybe it should be said that Wokingham didn't take advantage of their extra number?
Whatever the case, the first 15 minutes of extra-time produced no change to the scoreline.
Six minutes into the second period extra-time came the deciding moment of the game. A corner from the Sumas left was cleared only as far as Elliott Rushforth on the edge of the box. His low drive flew past Parker's out-stretched right-hand and hit the back of the net. 2-1.
There was no coming back forChipping Sodbury after the goal. Heads didn't go down. They certainly gave it a go, but being down to 10 on a hot day after nearly 2 hours of football, there just wasn't enough left in their tank.

FT ET Wokingham & Emmbrook 2 Chipping Sodbury Town 1

A superb result for The Sumas and my first 'cupset' of the weekend. Wokingham will now entertain Thornbury Town in the next round after the Gloucestershire side beat Cheltenham Saracens 6-2 on Saturday.
Chipping Sodbury can focus on pulling themselves clear of the Western League premier relegation zone.

Wokingham & Emmbrook: Woodward, Carter, Broadhurst, C.Eagle, Day, L.Eagle(c), Harris, Bateman, Scope, White, Holland. Subs: Rushforth, Edwards, Guest, Dean, Byrne
Chipping Sodbury Town: Parker, McMillan, Barrett, Chick, Benzer, Nuevo-Draper, Burman, Brown, Muhammed, Makepiece(c), Parker. Subs: Invernizzi, Ahmed, Henderson, Naylor

Att: 220
Ground Number: 209
Entrance: £6.00
Programme: £1.00

​The second game of the FA Vase Weekend Trio took me back up the M1 to East Derbyshire and to the former coal-mining village of Pinxton. I know the surrounding area reasonably well because the company I work for has an office on the opposite side of the M1, just a couple of miles from Pinxton. However, I had never been to the village or the football ground before despite having a work colleague, Mark, who lives next door to Pinxton's Welfare Arena.
It was Mark who set up the interview with Pinxton's manager Kenny Shinfield (In the Ken), a former school-mate.
Having driven through an absolute monsoon on the way North, I was concerned that I would arrive to find the game postponed. However, after passing Nottingham the skies started to brighten a little and, by the time I turned off the M1, the sun was breaking through. Game on.

The Ground
The approach to the Welfare Arena is via a service road off the main village thoroughfare. There is a social club on the site, Pinxton Miner's Welfare Social Club, which gives the ground it's name. There is a fair amount of parking around the social club and on the approach road. The ground is perched above the social club looking out over the Derbyshire countryside. It's a short walk up alongside the ground to the single gated entrance which is situated pretty much on the halfway line.
The first thing that strikes you when you get into the ground is that it does not have the appearance of a Step 7 stadium. In fact, at first glance the facilities are on a par with the majority of Step 5 grounds I have been to.
To the right of the entrance, behind the far goal, is a grass bank and a snack bar/hospitality bar, raised above the ground and accessed by a few steps. There is also a sheltered standing area incorporated into the bank.
On the far side of the ground from the entrance are the dugouts and a small covered seating area. The ground is clearly well cared for, well appointed and a credit to the club. The pitch also looked in very good condition.

​The Background
Prior to this game the sides had never met in the FA Vase, or any other FA competition as far as I could see. 
Pinxtons best FA Vase run came in the 2015-16 season when they made it through to the Third Round before going down 4-3 at home to Nuneaton Griff. Birstall can boast a Fourth Round appearance in 1997-98 when Spalding United finally ended their run with a 2-1 victory in Lincolnshire.
​
The Game
A tight and competitive opening to the game with both sides giving as good as they got. As I commented to my colleague Mark, who had joined me to watch his first ever Pinxton game, with 20 minutes gone you couldn't tell that Pinxton played their football at a step below Birstall. It was very evenly matched.
The deadlock was broken after 31 minutes and it was the home side who grabbed the advantage. Some nifty footwork took Sion Nathan Green into the box allowing Robert Fretwell to slide the ball into the net to make it 1-0 to Pinxton.

irstall rallied and as we headed towards half-time began to exert some more pressure on the home defence. One such raid saw a moment of some controversy as Parkin was sent through. Power rushed out of his goal and clearly felled the attacker just outside the area. Parkin was quick to his feet and, with the keeper out of his goal, could well have had a sight of goal. However, the referee blew her whistle and called play back for the free-kick, much to the angst of the Birstall players, not helped when the free-kick came to nothing.

However, Birstall were to get themselves back into the game before half-time. With a couple of minutes remaining they forced a corner on the left. The cross was not properly cleared and Lee Barratt reacted quickest to loop a header over both goalkeeper and a defender on the line. 1-1.

HT Pinxton 1 Birstall United 1. Level at half-time and probably a fair reflection on the game.

The second-half was less that 5 minutes old when Birstall completed the turn around. An Ethan Bibby free-kick was well saved by Power in the Pinxton goal but Jake Robertson was on hand to lash the rebound back past the keeper and into the net for 1-2.
Two goals in, effectively, seven minutes. They say that there are good times to score goals - although I'm not sure that there is a bad time to score - and Birstall equalising just before the break and then going ahead so soon after half-time, certainly seemed to knock some of the stuffing out of Pinxton for a short while.
A few minutes past the hour mark and Birstall seemed to have hammered in the final nail. A swift break down the right led to a dangerous ball into the middle that appeared to take a final touch off a Pinxton defender before nestling into the back of the net. 1-3 and seemingly no way back for the home side.