​This Saturday, after watching an extraordinary 16-goal match in the morning in which my daughter's came out on top, I immediately headed off up the M1 towards Leicestershire and in particular the village of Hathern. My destination was Pasture Lane, home of Hathern FC, and the Leicestershire Senior League Premier Division clash between Hathern and Magna 73. It was the ideal opportunity to catch a couple of teams I had never seen before and visit a ground that I'd never visited before. Prior to kick off the home side were in 12th spot with 12 points from their 10 games. Magna were eight places higher and twelve points better off, although they had played three extra games.
Recent meetings between the sides suggested that his games was destined to be fairly closely contested and would either be a home win or a draw. Neither team has registered an away victory in this fixture over the past three seasons, in which Hathern have won two, Magna have won two and there have been two draws.
Many thanks to the match officials for sharing the team sheets prior to kick-off.

​Magna, in their Inter Milan-esque change kit, began well, as you would expect for a team fourth in the league. However, possession counts for nothing when you go a goal behind after three minutes, which is exactly what happened here. The home side earned a corner on the left, delivered into the heart of the visitor's penalty area. Home captain Jake Maden rose highest, heading the ball down into the patch of Lee Ward, who swept it past Harry Johnson. 1-0
Magna, unshaken by the goal, continued to play the tidier football in the centre of the park, but never managed to cause any great problems for Dan Owen between the home sticks. Hathern's biggest threat looked to be from set pieces. In fact, they came close again in the 16th minute when another corner from the left caused more problems in the Magna defence, but coming to nothing on this occasion. Aidy Kilby then had Magna's best chance so far with a header that wasn't too far off target.
However, despite continuing to have the lion's share of the ball, the visitor's found themselves 2-0 down after 25 minutes. An initial attack down the left was cleared but the ball was picked up by Jack McLachlan on the right. He sent over a beautifully flighted ball that Liam Bailey attacked with a stooping header. The connection wasn't clean, but it was enough to send the ball past Johnson for the second time. 2-0
A few minutes later it could easily have been three when Magna gave the ball away on the edge of their own box when trying to play out from the back. Somehow they managed to escape from the mess, but were lucky not to be further behind.
Just past the half hour mark, Reegan Lawrence, who had been buzzing around the Magna forward line all game and had already been involved with a couple of robust challenges on home defenders, cut inside from the left, beat two defenders but then skied his drive well over the bar and into the cricket ground opposite. That miss proved very costly just a minute later when Hathern left-back Anthony Berridge sent over what looked like an intended cross from way out on the left. The slightly miscued effort drifted over Johnson's head and nestled in the far corner. 3-0.
With six minutes of normal time remaining in the half, Matt Savage picked up a yellow card for scything down Lawrence as the striker tried to break free. Probably setting a score from Lawrence's foul on Niall Henry earlier in the half, that went unpunished. Archie Allen then went close for Magna, cutting in and hitting the target, but not troubling Dan Owen. Then, three minutes into added time, Magna did have the ball in the home net but the assistant's flag had been raised. To be fair, there was no complaint from the Magna players.

HT Hathern 3 Magna 73 0. A strange half. Hathern go in three goals up but it doesn't feel like there's three goals between the teams. In fact, Magna have had more of the ball but haven't been able to create too many chances. It just goes to show that the possession statistic is probably the most over-rated in the game. It means nothing.

​Magna came out for the second half looking fired up to get back in the game. Just three minutes in they came within inches of getting back into it when Lawrence's excellent first-time cross from the right was just slightly too high for Carlton Beardmore to get a clean connection with his header, sending the ball lover the bar. However, Magna kept pushing and were probably seeing more of the ball than they did in the first half. The difference now was that Hathern had a three goal lead and were seemingly fairly content to let Magna have the ball, especially as they were still not managing to seriously trouble the home goal.
Just past the hour a superb cross-field ball found Spencer Beck on the right-hand edge of the box. His well-controlled, first time strike beat Owen but also flashed wide of the far post. As the second half wore on, the visitors began to get a little closer, finally making Owen earn his corn, especial in the 78th minute when the home stopper had to throw himself across goal to keep out Beardmore's well struck free-kick.
Hathern's goal attempts were few and far between in the second half but they came close to a fourth with five minutes to go when Ward's poked effort almost caught out Johnson, who just managed to readjust his feet and push the ball away for a corner.
Finally, with a minute of normal time on the clock, Magna got themselves on the score sheet. Hathern failed to clear their lines, allowing substitute Chay Stanley to nip in, round Owen, and slot home. 3-1. However, despite throwing everything at the home side in the 12 minutes of added time, Magna couldn't find another goal.

FT Hathern 3 Magna 73 1. A good three points for Hathern who you could say had a little fortune, certainly with their third goal, but used that to their benefit. They defended well throughout the game, until the late consolation goal and managed the game effectively. Magna played some good football, especially in the middle third, but, for all their possession, didn't cause the home side as many problems as they should.
The result leaves Magna in fourth spot but Hathern jump up to 10th, still nine points adrift of today's visitors, but still with three games in hand.
Next up for Hathern is a home league encounter with FC Khalsa GAD who are one point and one place above them. Hathern have already lost 3-1 at home to them in the Leicestershire Senior Cup. Magna are at home to Aylestone Park Reserves who sit 8th, two points below them with two games in hand. The sides also recently met in the Senior Cup with Aylestone running out 6-1 winners.

Hathern: 1.Owen, 2.Henry, 4.Savage, 5.Maden(c), 3.Berridge, 6.Bailey, 8.Waldrum, 10.Davis, 7.McLachlan, 9.Alleyne, 11.Ward. Subs: 12.Halford-Harding, 14.Gee, 15.Botfield, 16.Musson, 17.Thom, 18.Tormey, 19.Peganov
Magna 73: 1.Johnson, 2.Beck(c), 3.Hicking, 4.Brookes, 5.Beasley, 6.Kilby, 7.Lawrence, 8.Beardmore, 9.Govia, 10.Starbuck, 11.Allen. Subs: 12. Weatherill, 14.Richardson, 15.Stanley, 16.Fairhurst, 17.Marrell, 18.Ward, 19.Rolison

The Ground
Situated on the North-Eastern edge of Hathern Village, Pasture Lane is the road that leads to the village sports and leisure activity areas with Hathern Park (cricket) and the park play area on the left, and Hathern FC on the right. There's a fair amount of parking available inside the ground with further spaces available on Pasture Lane. Entrance payment is either via the car park attendant or by card at the snack kiosk, which is located just beyond the main building that houses the changing rooms and toilets.
The playing area is surrounded by fairly new-looking white plastic fencing. Dugouts are on the far side of the ground and there's now a new wooden covered standing area on the car park side. The pitch doesn't have any discernible slope and looked to be in pretty good condition.

Ground Number: 470
Att: 
Entrance: £3.00
Programme: N/A

This Saturday I decided to dip back into one of my favourite leagues, the Northants Combination, although I was actually travelling to Leicestershire, and the land of bottle kicking. Medbourne, despite being over the border, play in the Northants Combination League and have been in the Premier Division since promotion in 2023. After I had earlier posted that I was planning to attend this game, @CEtchingham77, who had his wedding reception in Medbourne, asked if I knew why they played in the Northants League, a question I couldn't answer at the time. However, after a very pleasant conversation with Medbourne substitute Joel Konteh (sorry for disturbing your warm-up), I learned that it purely a matter of geography. Despite being just inside the Leicestershire boundary, the majority of Northants League sides are much closer to Medbourne than many of the teams in the Leicestershire Senior League.
Blisworth are the reigning champions having won the title for the first time since 2019, last season. However, they came into this match in fifth spot with 19 points from their 9 games, six points behind leaders Road but with a game in hand. Medbourne sat in third position, four points ahead of their visitors but having played three extra games. Maybe significantly, both sides had already suffered heavy defeats to Roade this season. Medbourne losing 5-0 at home last week and Blisworth being beaten 6-0 in August. In meetings between Medbourne and Blisworth, the visitors just about held sway. Last season they won 5-3 at home and drew 2-2 in this fixture. The previous season saw both games end in home wins, 4-0 for Blisworth and 4-1 in this fixture.
Thanks to the member of Medbourne's coaching staff for sharing their team sheet and to referee Gary Gurney for the Blisworth sheet.

​Medbourne, kicking towards the clubhouse, quickly identified a chink in the Blisworth armour. The ball over the top, particularly down Medbourne's left flank, was clearly causing some issues for the visitors. As early as the 8th minute they were almost undone by this ploy, Aiden O'Neill latching onto a pass and hitting the side netting.
However, it was a break down the opposite flank that caused the first moment of controversy when Matteo Falcini appeared to be pushed in the back when clean through on goal. Nothing was given, but that was a let-off for Blisworth. It looked to be a clear foul and, as it was a goal-scoring opportunity, could easily have been a red card.
Blisworth's first real attempt at goal came just before the quarter hour when Adefolarin Ademidun as put through on the right before dragging his shot wide of the far post. A few minutes later following a Blisworth clearance that was headed back over their defence, Ben Wellicome won the race to the ball against Josh McAdoo, but lifted hist shot just wide of the mark. 
At the opposite end, Blisworth were managing to get themselves caught offside multiple times, much to the ire of the visitor's bench and players, who were getting increasingly frustrated with the home linesman (remember, this is step 7, there's no official assistant). I have to say though, many of the decisions were pretty much in line with my position and, whilst I can understand the Blisworth frustration, I felt that 99% of the decisions were spot on. The Blisworth forward line like to play right on the shoulder of the last man and, on this day, were just taking that one step too far. However, as a neutral, it was certainly making for an entertaining game with temperatures neginning to rise.
It could have got worse for Blisworth on 33 minutes when Wellicome sent a dipping drive over Mcadoo only to see if crash back off the bar. The visitor's, however, did have the final say in the half. First Ademidun cut inside form the right before sending a left-foot strike just wide of the neat post. Then the same player was sent clear only to allow a loose touch to give home keeper James Hurrell the opportunity to race off his line and get in a tackle. The ball span loose only for Morgan Littlejohn's lunge for it to catch Hurrell and earn the Blisworth player a yellow card. There was no malice in the challenge, purely slightly late.

HT Medbourne 0 Blisworth 0. No goal at the break, but a really good game of football to watch as a neutral. Medbourne had the slightly better chances and possibly could feel that they should have gone in a goal ahead. However, Blisworth clearly have the ammunition to hurt the home team if they could time their runs that little bit better.

​Only eight minutes of the second half had passed when there was another moment of debate. Falcini broke down the right Medbourne before slipping the ball through to Alfie Frayne, who tucked the al under McAdoo, only to see the flag had been raised. The home team were convinced he was onside and that the flag was retaliation for the first-half incidents. It was impossible to tell from my position. Whatever the case, the referee signalled no goal, and temperatures were notched up that little bit more.
The game was really in the balance now. Stephen Grimly went close with a header for Blisworth before Medbourne captain Jack Burrows went even closer, almost putting the ball in his own net with a miscued back pass that beat Hurrell but rolled just wide of the post.
With under twenty minutes to go and with the game still goalless, the deadlock was finally broken in favour of the home team. They were awarded a free-kick some 25 yards out and left of centre. Alfie Frayne took responsibility, drilling the ball hard into the far corner. 1-0
After waiting 73 minutes for a goal, within four minutes Medbourne were at it again. Goal scorer Frayne launched a long throw into the heart of the penalty area. The ball was allowed to bounce and there was Aiden O'Neill ready to punce. 2-0.
The response from Blisworth was instantaneous. Joey Handley broke up the right before sending over a cross that an unmarked Jake Hogben launched himself at, heading beyond Hurrell. However, although the initial break was onside, Hogben had strayed ahead of the line and was in an offside position when he headed home. No goal.

The Ground
Situated on Hallaton Road and just to the North of the village, Medbourne Sports & Social Club is a multi-sport  facility, that provides football, cricket and tennis to the local community. There's a small car park next to the clubhouse with additional parking available on Hallaton Road. The clubhouse features a bar and snack/tea bar and also has a covered patio area that overlooks the sports pitches. The football pitch runs alongside Hallaton Road, separated by a hedge and a public footpath. There are two permanent dugouts, labelled home and away, that sit on the opposite of the footpath from the pitch. The opposite side of the pitch is completely open except for the taped off cricket square, and looks out of countryside. The playing surface looked to be in good condition, even though the pitch slopes crossways, down from the road side to the cricket square. It's a great spot for watching a match. Thoroughly recommended.

Ground Number: 469
Att: 
Entrance: N/A
Programme: N/A