​Work has kept my live football to a minimum in recent months and looks like it may well do again in the early part of next year, so it was great to have an opportunity to take in a Saturday game so close on the heals of Tuesday's visit to Walton Casuals. Not only did I manage to find a game on in this weather but it was also the number 1 game on my list of potentials, a United Counties Premier local derby between third-placed Loughborough University and second-placed Quorn.

The Ground
Unsurprisingly The Scholars play their home games within the grounds of the University and what a superb facility they have. The university is known for its prowess in sports related subjects and boasts an amazing alumni including Sebastian Coe, Tanni Grey-Thompson and Paula Radcliffe amongst many others. In the football world they can list FA Cup winner Lawrie Sanchez and former Arsenal goalkeeper Bob Wilson.
The ground itself was opened in 2012 and has a capacity of around 3,000. It features a main stand that incorporates all of the facilities, clubhouse and covered seating areas. The entire ground is surrounded by concrete terracing seven rows deep and, most unusually for Step 5, has an electronic scoreboard. The pitch is a UEFA standard Fibresand Grass construction which, even after the continuous downpours we have ad in the past week, looked in absolutely immaculate condition. Overall this is a top class stadium maintained to an extremely high standard. This seems to be a running theme for this part of the country. Over the past couple of years I have visited a number of the grounds around Leicstershire and the majority are great examples of non-league stadia. Quorn themselves have a fine ground at Farley Way (On The Rebound), Barrow Town's stadium (Down By The Riverside) is one of the best I have been to, Anstey's Cropston Road has been lovingly renovated (A Game Of One Half), and Shepshed's Dovecote (Moore Woes For Shiners) is also an excellent ground full of character. 

​The Background
Coming into the game the United Counties Premier League top three was a triumvirate of Leicestershire clubs all located within around 3 miles of each other. Leaders Shepshed Dynamo on 36 points (13 games) were top on goal difference from Quorn (18 games), with Loughborough University in third a point behind (16 games). Both sides were in a reasonably good run of form, Quorn had won 5 of their last 6 league outings including a 2-1 defeat of Shepshed (Dynamo's only defeat of the season so far). The Scholars had won 3 and lost 3 of their last 6, but this did include a  13-0 hammering of bottom side Sleaford Town 2 weeks ago. Interestingly, both teams transferred from the Midland League at the end of last season, when Quorn finished in the top 6 whilst Loughborough ended the season third from bottom although well clear of the drop zone on points. Quorn had won 3-2 at Farley Way whilst this fixture ended in a 3-3 draw. To make matters more interesting the next match for both teams is away at Shepshed. Loughborough travel there on Boxing Day whilst Quorn, who don't have a Boxing Day fixture, visit the Dovecote on the 4th of January.

​The Game
On what had been quite a mild day for December, it was definitely starting to drop a little chillier as the teams came out. However, the atmosphere soon warmed up as first Loughborough attacked from the kick-off but were then caught on the hop as Quorn hit back with a swift break down their left. Rackeem Reids's shot was parried by James Stallan but it fell kindly to Micah Jebbison who hammered it back past the keeper to make it 0-1. What a start to the game!
Loughborough's response was to start pinging passes around the pitch in the style that they love to play. It's great to watch but Quorn were clearly well aware of the threat and worked hard to close the University players down, win the ball back and break forward themselves. Even after going a goal ahead so early on, Quorn had certainly not come to defend, and the goal made no difference to their style.

The away side doubled their lead on 17 minutes. Once again it came from an attack down the left. This time the ball was only cleared as far as the edge of the box where the lurking Stephen Hart fired it back at goal. It took a deflection on the way, deceiving Stallan. 0-2.

Still Loughborough continued to play their football with the lively pairing of Dawes and Cashmore making sure that the Quorn defence could not relax.
Just before the half-hour mark the home side's task got a lot harder. Another Quorn attack, this time down the right side, was finally thwarted by the outstretched hand of Theo Sackey-Mensah in the box. The referee had no hesitation in pointing the the spot and then, after a taking a little time to consider, produced a red card for the Scholars defender. There were cries of double-jeopardy from the local support but the referee clearly felt that a clear goal-scoring opportunity had been deliberately denied. Stephen Hart took the spot kick and sent the keeper the wrong way to make it 0-3.

For the remaining 15 minutes of the half Loughborough changed tack, moving Connor Smith further up the park on the right and launching the ball towards him in the hope of winning a flick-on for the speedy pair of Cashmore and Dawes. Smith did manage to get a head to a few of the long balls, but the tactic did not seem to unduly worry the Quorn defence who comfortably saw out the remainder of the half.

HT Loughborough University 0 Quorn 3. A very solid performance by Quorn who were in control even before the penalty incident. However, the red card has probably ended the game as a contest.

​At 3-0 up and with a man advantage, Quorn could well be excused for taking their foot off the pedal somewhat. However, plenty of credit has to go to Loughborough who went back to playing their more natural style of keeping it on the deck and passing their way through the opposition. You have to say as well that for much of the second period it was Loughborough who looked the better side. Again, Quorn may well have sat back a little, but they were being stretched by the 10 men at times. An early second half attempt from Cashmore set the tone and only a very good stop from Max Culverwell kept the three goal lead.

Six minutes after the hour mark, however, Quorn did get a fourth when Tawanda Mangondoze headed in from a right-wing corner. 0-4.

Loughborough heads didn't drop though and they continued to ping the ball about with substitute Dan Collins looking very lively when he came on. The fresh legs and running ability giving the Quorn defence plenty to think about if they wanted to keep a clean sheet. In fact, just before the final whistle, with Quorn also down to 10 after an injury picked when all three subs had come on, Collins again jinked through a few tired looking tackles before unleashing a low drive that beat Culverwell but clattered off the inside of the post and flew to safety. 

FT Loughborough University 0 Quorn 4. All in all, a brilliant and well deserved result for Quorn who go top of the league for Christmas after Shedshed were held to a draw by Anstey Nomads.
Great credit to Loughborough for their refusal to change their style of play. This is the third time I have seen them and they always try to play an entertaining brand of football. Even at 4-0 down and with only ten men, they continued with this style of play today. As a coach myself I find it heartening to see a team stick to their beliefs in this way. 
No doubt that both of these sides will be up there come the end of the season.

Loughborough University: Stallan, Ferrinho, Davis(c), Sackey-Mensah, Turner, Duah, Smith, Ogunmekan, Cashmore, Dawes, Connor. Sunds: Cooke, Hilton, Fadahunsi, Iaciofano, Collins

Quorn: Culverwell, Stringfellow(c), Marshall, Oshungbure, Chapman, Meikle, Jebbison, Dale, Mangondoze, Hart, Reid. Subs: Hencliffe, Rowlamd, Brothwell, Ebanks

Att: 162
Ground Number: 223
Entrance: £6.00
Programme: £2.00

Following yet another enforced week away from football due to work, I was again looking for a game to go to on Tuesday evening. With the weather playing havoc, it was not as easy as just picking a game. My first choice was the top of the table Combined Counties clash between Spelthorne Sports and Ascot United, but that was called off, as were several other Step 5 and 6 games that were on my list. However, I had always had a backup plan and the artificial pitch saved the day, so off I went to check out Walton Casuals v Hayes & Yeading United at the XCel Sports Hub.

The Ground
Walton's ground is part of a large sports complex which offers a gym, sports hall, swimming, squash, indoor climbing, athletics and more, as well as they state of the art football stadium and 3G pitch. There is ample free parking available adjacent to the ground which is accessed through a turnstile in the corner of the stadium. There is, I believe at least one more entrance turnstile for busier times. All of the facilities are on the athletics track side of the ground, to your left as you enter. There is a fairly large stand which also incorporates the clubhouse and bar (on the top floor). There is also a separate snack bar at ground level, next to the turnstile block. The rest of the ground is given to wide hard-standing. Dugouts are on the far side, opposite the main stand. It's a very tidy and clean stadium, as you would expect for a comparatively new facility.
As with all new stadia, especially ones that have artificial surfaces, it does lack some character at the moment, but maybe this will come as the ground ages.

​The Background
Before kick-off the teams were sitting next to each other in the Southern League Premier South table. Casuals occupied 11th spot, a point and a place above Hayes & Yeading but having played 5 games more than their visitors. Casuals came into the game having won 3 and drawn three of their last 10 games, a significant improvement on the start to the season where they had lost their opening 5 games. Their current mid-table spot had seemed a long way off in September.
Hayes & Yeading were promoted as Champions of the Isthmian Division One last season but also transferred into the Southern League at the same time. Therefore, there was no game between these sides last season. Recent form for United was pretty good, having won 6 of their last 10 outings in the league.

​The Game
Both sides started the game very well, knocking the ball around fluidly on the perfect artificial surface. I've said before that I am not the biggest fan of 3G pitches but I can certainly see their advantage, especially to non-league clubs who need to make full use of their facilities and for getting games played when grass pitches were being deemed unfit all across the country. 
Casuals were forced to make an early substitution after David Fitzpatrick picked up a knock and, despite trying to continue, was taken off after 20 minutes. He was replaced by Cheyce Grant.

​Casuals' Rhodell Gordon was clearly their danger man. By the time Fitzpatrick had departed he had already had a couple of sighters at the United goal and had the ball in the net - although the referee's whistle had already sounded for an infringement before the shot was struck. However, the range finders proved invaluable in the 28th minute when the ball was again played to Gordon on the corner of the penalty area, out to the left. He angled a perfect shot over Smith and into the far corner to make it 1-0 to the home side. A superbly taken goal.

The lead was not to last long though as United responded brilliantly, hitting back within three minutes of going behind. A move down the left ending with the ball being squared across the six yard box to give James Clark the simplest of tap-ins to equalise. 1-1
Maybe the quick response was just what United needed and knocked a bit of the stuffing out of Casuals because, as the half drew to a close, it was the away side who seemed to finishing the stronger of the two.

HT Walton Casuals 1 Hayes & Yeading United 1. The half was as tight as the scoreline suggests with very little choose between the sides at the break, although United did seem to be growing stronger as the half progressed.

​Sure enough, Hayes & Yeading came out for the second period looking rejuvenated and immediately set about their opponents with some vigour. We had only just reached the 50 minute mark when some sloppy home defending allowed Omar Rowe to get in a shot that took a deflection on the way past the stranded Tokarczyk and into the home net. 1-2
To their credit, United scented blood and were immediately back in possession from kick-off almost snatching a third goal two minutes after going in front. Casuals were wobbling at the back and 10 minutes into the second-half, following some more lax defending that allowed Rowe to win the ball back inside The Stags 18 yard area, they found themselves two goals behind. Rowe's effort in winning the ball set up Scott Donnelly who shaped a delightfully calm finish past Tokarczyk and into the lower far corner of the net. 1-3

Hayes & Yeading were in full flow now and it is to the credit of Walton that they managed to steady the ship somewhat despite being pushed back time and time again, they at lest managed to stem the flow of goals. However, they weren't making any real inroads up front. Substitute James Ewington saw an effort skim Smith's right-hand post but that was as close as they came. That was until the 82nd minute when, inexplicably, there was all manner of miss-kicks and miscues from both sides inside the United box. Eventually the ball fell to another substitute, Charlie Fox, who was left with the simple task of rolling the ball into an unguarded net. 2-3 and still maybe enough time for an onslaught on the United goal? Unfortunately for the home side that never transpired and their task was made even harder when they lost Wayne Brown to injury after already using all three subs. Down to 10 men and still chasing the game, they inevitably left some gaps which United tried to exploit. They came very close in the closing minutes when Sheppard's dipping shot beat Tokarczyk but came crashing back off the bar.

FT Walton Casuals 2 Hayes & Yeading United 3. A decent game of football for the neutral. United just about deserved the points on the basis of their very strong showing for the first 30 minutes of the second half.

Walton Casuals: Tokarczyk(c), Atkinson, Mason, Pearce, Gasson, Brown, Skinner, Gogonas, Howe, Fitzpatrick, Gordon. Subs: Ewington, Grant, Gyebi, Fox
Hayes & Yeading United: Smith, Renee, Little, Robinson, McDevitt(c), McCreadie, Donnelly, Sheppard, Clark, Rowe, Williams. Subs: Obi, Toomey, Piorkowski, Hanlon, Weight

Att: 178
Ground Number: 222
Entrance: £12.00
Programme: £2.00

​Yes, I know that it's not non-league but as a coach of a girl's football team and an avid follower of the women's game, I thought it was a bout time that BotP branched out into watching some women's football. Wife and daughter fancied some Sunday shopping therapy so an opportunity presented itself. They could drop me at Adams Park and then head off to the Eden Centre whilst I took a look at Reading taking on the league leaders Arsenal. Plenty of talent on view for both teams but, as a neutral and a lover of watching the game, the names in the Arsenal squad were, I admit, the ones that attracted me to the game. Their starting eleven reads like a who's who of the women's game, Zinsberger, Evans, Williamson, Beattie, Schnaderbeck, Walti, Little, Nobbs, Van de Donk, Miedema, Mead.

I have been to the Adams Park a few times previously, the most recent being for the visit of Stourbridge in the FA Cup 3rd Round a few years back. A fantastic fantastic day out when The Glassboys were the Pride of the Black Country and nearly pulled off a cup shock. 

Enough of the reminiscing though, back to the current day. Arsenal came into the game top of the table ahead of Manchester City on goal difference, not in any small way because of their 11-1 destruction of Bristol City in their last game. In Vivienne Miedema they have the league's most prolific striker, bang in form after scoring six and getting an assist for at least three others in the last game.
Reading were on a run of four unbeaten in all competitions and were fairly comfortable in mid-table. With former England international Fara Williams driving them on in midfield alongside Jade Moore, Angharad James and a host of other international experience, the Royals were not to be underestimated.

​This was shown to be the case when the game kicked off. It was Reading who started the brighter with Williams being presented with a golden opportunity in the first 5 minutes. Van de Donk's wayward backpass let in the Reading captain who side-stepped Leah Wiliamson to make space for a shot, but Zinsberger narrowed the angle well to block the effort. Reading continued to look the brighter of the two teams, Chaplen having another effort that had Zinsberger scrambling as it went wide. Arsenal looked a little off the pace in the opening encounters.

Then, just before the half-hour mark we finally got to see what Arsenal are capable of producing. The Gunners midfield won the ball back on the halfway line, Danielle van de Donk drove forward with overlapping runs going past her on both sides, she let the Reading defence edge towards Kim Little's run to her right before laying the perfect pass off to her left and perfectly into the stride of Miedema. The star striker took a touch before lofting the ball over the advancing Moloney to make it 0-1. A goal devastating in it's simplicity but superbly executed in both weight of pass and delicate finish.

The goal shook Arsenal out of their slumbers and they went on the hunt for a second goal. On the 37th minute it came, and what a goal it was. Beth Mead's corner from the right was pulled back to the edge of the box for Kim Little who played a one-two with Leah Williamson, exchanged another one-two with Jordan Nobbs and then executed the perfect volleyed lob over Moloney into the far corner. 0-2. A goal of sheer quality.

Arsenal looked for a third before the break but Reading held on and were probably glad to her the whistle for half-time.

HT Reading 0 Arsenal 2. The home side started brightly but were undone by two pieces of world class football from Arsenal. 

​After the break, Reading renewed their efforts to get back into the match. It was turning into a tough encounter for both sides with no quarter being asked or given in some crunching tackles. The Royals huffed and puffed for much of the second-half, causing Arsenal plenty of problems and making Schanderbeck, Evans, Beattie and Williamson work very hard. However, they could never commit too many to the attack for fear of the danger posed by the speed of the Arsenal break, especially through the wing-play of Beth Mead and movement of Vivienne Miedema.
Fara Williams almost put her name on the goal of the game award with a fantastic first time lob from 30 yards but the ball sailed narrowly wide with Zinsberger well beaten.
Just as we headed into time added on, Arsenal once more showed how incisive they can be. Van de Donk, taking a pass out on the left-flank played a first time pass over the Reading defence and perfectly into the path of Miedema. There was only one outcome as the striker once again executed the perfect lob over Moloney to make it 0-3.

FT Reading 0 Arsenal 3. The scoreline reflects Arsenal's superior quality on the ball but does not really tell the whole tale of the game. Reading gave as good as they got for much of this game but just lacked the additional skills required to unlock the Arsenal defence. The Gunners, who were probably not at their best, produced three moments of sheer class and three top quality finishes when it mattered.
A thoroughly entertaining game of football which had an edge to it but was, for the most part, played in a sporting manner. Good to see a work colleague of mine, Richard Hulme, officiating and keeping a tight rein on any potential flash points.

Reading: Moloney, Pacheco, Potter, Leine, Howard, Allen, Moore, James, Williams, Utland, Chaplen. Subs: Eikeland, Farrow, Laws, Bennink, Reynolds, Quirk

Arsenal: Zinsberger, Schanderbeck, Beattie, Williamson, Evans, Walti, Little, Nobbs, Van De Donk, Mead, Miedema. Subs: Roord, Maier, Mitchell, McCabe, Quinn, Magnin

Att: 943
Ground Number: Re-Visit
Entrance: £8.00
Programme: £1.00

A rare occurrence for me lately, a second consecutive week of Tuesday night football. With a number of games to choose from I eventually settled on a two hour journey up the M1 to Leciestershire and a top-half versus bottom-half clash in the Midland League Division One, Hinckley v Stafford Town.

The Ground
Hinckley currently play their home games some 10 or so miles North of the town at the former home of Ibstock Town, The Welfare Ground. This is now logistics country. On the way to the ground from the motorway you will pass an Amazon fulfilment centre, Stobart, MTS Logidstics and Premier Logistics depots. Not forgetting that Hinckley are sponsored by another logistics company, DPD. A landscape that was once littered with 
winding gear from the mines is now peppered with large warehouses and containers.
The football stadium is part of a larger complex, the Ibstock Miners Welfare Sports & Social Club which also caters for bowls, has a 3G five-a-side pitch and is home to the local pigeon fanciers. There is ample parking adjacent to the ground, which is accessed through a brick-arched turnstile bearing the name of the original owners, Ibstock Welfare FC. The ground itself has been completely re-badged for Hinckley AFC (with a nod towards local Sunday side Sporting Dynamo, who also play here), with the club logo adorning the clubhouse, the stands and the Portakabin that serves as a small bar and club shop inside the ground.
The facilities are all on the car park side of the ground. The club shop, a snack bar, the dugouts and all of the covered areas are along this side of the pitch. The are two covered stands, either side of the rear wall of the main club building. Nearest the entrance is a white-posted covered standing area with a small seating area further down the ground.The ground has been around for quite a while and, as such, has plenty of character about it, something that was also noted by The Wycombe Wanderer on his visit here to watch Ibstock United just before they went out of existence.

The Background
When Hinckley United folded back in October 2013 a group of supporters got together and formed a new team, Hinckley AFC, owned and run by the supporter's trust. The new club came into being in 2014 and was placed in Division One of the Midland League three steps below the level that United played at before they went under.
Stafford were promoted back to Division One in the Summer after spending a season in the Staffordshire County League. So far it has not been a an easy transition back into Step 6 life. Going into this game they were just a point above basement boys Nuneaton Griff and could only show two wins and eight points from their 17 games. Those two wins both came early in the season, the first being a 2-1 victory against Hinckley in the reverse of tonight's game. The last win in any competition came early in September and their last 6 league games had all ended in defeat, conceding 29 goals an scoring just 4 themselves.
Hinckley, meanwhile, were placed 6th with 26 points from their 15 games, although they had lost their last league game, a 4-0 home defeat Leicester Road, who were also formed after the demise of Hinckley United and actually continue to play at United's old De Montfort Park ground.

​The Game
The game started at a frantic pace. From the kick-off Stafford attacked but when their foray fizzled out, Hinckley were quick to break to the other end of the pitch and start a raid of their own. In fact, within the first five minutes the home side could easily have been two goals to the good, with both Green and Richards coming very close, the second after two consecutive corners caused chaos in the Town defence with Richards seeing his effort hacked off the line by a grey-clad defender.
Hinckely continued to make the running in the game but could not completely relax with the lively-looking Kyle Ashman giving their defenders plenty to think about on the rare occasions that the ball found him.
17 minutes in, Hinckley won a free-kic kjust outside the box. Bekir Halil curled an effort around the wall which beat George Hill in the Stafford goal but, unfortunately for the home side, also just beat the keeper's left-hand post. However, Hinckley were now completely in control of the game and it seemed just a matter of time before they made their dominance count.
Just before the half-hour mark though football played one of its little tricks that so often happen. Totally against the run of play a Stafford throw-in was flicked on by Ashman. Ed Page latched onto it, drove into the box holding off a challenge as he did, and slipped the ball under the advancing debutant Elliott Taylor to score his first goal for Stafford and give them a very surprising lead. 0-1

The goal served to galvanise both sides but Stafford's joy was only to last for 4 minutes when, on 31 minutes, some great work on the right-hand side led to a low cross laying a tap-in on a plate for Shane Benjamin. 1-1. This would surely be the boost that the home side needed to go on and win the game? However, despite plenty more pressure before the end of the half and at least one more effort being cleared off the line, they couldn't grab a second and had to be happy with a share of the first half spoils.

HT Hinckley 1 Stafford Town 1. Not sure how this game was level at the break. Stafford would be pleased with their night's work up to this point, but surely Hinckley would make their dominance pay as the game wore on.

​The second half, however, started with Stafford looking a little livelier and Hinckley looking flatter. It was a much more evenly contested game at this point. Then, on 56 minutes, came the moment that swung the game in favour of Stafford. The ball broke to the feet of Kyle Ashman some 25 yards out. He unleashed a swerving effort that seemed to deceive Taylor and flew into the top corner. It was a great strike but I think the home keeper will be disappointed not to have saved it. 1-2

Hinckley continued to huff and puff but didn't really cause Hil any moments of concern until the 72nd minute when Thompson got on the end of a free-kick inside the box. However, even then the Stafford stopper needn't have been worried as the ball was sent sailing over his bar when it really should have been the equaliser.

Hill finally got his hands warm when he was forced into a couple of good stops in the last five minutes, the second of which was a superb tip over the bar from a Ky Green header. A great save which turned out to be the one that kept the three points in the bag for his team.

FT Hinckley 1 Stafford Town 2. A superb three points for Stafford, well deserved on the effort they put in. Hinckley, after dominating the first half but failing to take advantage, were disappointing in the second period, conceding a goal and then failing to make the Stafford keeper make a save until 2 minutes from time. 
​
​Hinckley: Taylor, Reuben, Rowe, Kendrick, Green, Ball, Thompson, Halil, Benjamin, Richards(c), Hirst. Subs: Cross, Giles, Brown, Commins, Webster

Stafford Town: Hill, Marshall(c), Jessup, Turner, Wright, Webb, Milgate, Ashman, Page, Baker, Heath. Subs: Dufft, Redford, Marshall, Kelly, Concar

Att: 120
Ground Number: 221
Entrance: £6.00
Programme: £1.50

​After another enforced break due to business travel it was back to some live football on Tuesday night. Not a new ground this time, but a return to Northamptonshire for the United Counties League Cup tie between runaway Division One leaders Long Buckby and high-flying Premier League side Loughborough University.

The Ground
It's been almost five years since my first visit to Station Road. That evening the home side, bottom of the Premier League, had given themselves some hope with a 3-2 home defeat of Oadby Town. Ultimately, however, it proved in vain and they were relegated at the end of the season.
By the time I got to Long Buckby the small car park at the ground was full but there was still plenty of parking available on Station Road itself. Access to the ground is via a narrow path that leads past the clubhouse, alongside the cricket pitch and another football pitch, and finally to a double turnstile. As I remarked on my first visit, that passing through the turnstile actually takes you into a courtyard, off which is the refreshments bar and the toilet block. The opposite side of the courtyard is the back of the main stand which runs over half the length length of the pitch on the Station Road side. The rest of the ground, which has not noticeably changed since my first visit, is unremarkable save for the dugouts on the opposite side to the main stand.

​The Background
Long Buckby went into this game leading Division One by 16 points, having lost just once in the league. They were hosting Premier League Loughborough University, sixth in their table but on the back of a 5-2 defeat at Lutterworth Town in their last game.
As far as I could see, there was no previous history between these sides in either league or cup.

​The Game
Loughborough took the lead as early as the fifth minute after a defensive mix-up allowed Will Dawes to nip in, round the keeper, and slide the ball into an empty net to make it 0-1.

After going behind the hosts stepped their game up and, arguably, had the better chances in the remainder of the half. In fact, only two minutes after losing the goal they came very close to levelling the game. Bucks Number 11, running from just inside the Loughborough half, skipped through a number of challenges and unleashed a low drive to the Scott Martin's left. The keeper got down to it and somehow managed to deflect the ball up and over the bar for a corner. It was a good response from Long Buckby and showed that they weren't going to roll over to their higher ranked opponents.

The game continued to ebb and flow with the home just about edging the play. However,just before the half-hour mark, Bucks had their keeper to thank for keeping them in it when he produced a superb one-handed stop to prevent a header from Connor beating him.

HT Long Buckby 0 Loughborough University 1. Very much a contrast in styles across the pitch. Loughborough certainly playing the more cultured style of football but, on a very wet and boggy pitch, Long Buckby's more direct approach caused plenty of problems. The home side have a right to feel slightly aggrieved at being behind, after creating more chances than the Scholars.

​Loughborough appeared for the second half looking as if they had been given a wake up call from their coaches at the break. Within four minutes of the restart they had doubled their lead and once again it was the dangerous Will Dawes who got the goal. This time his low drive from a very narrow angle, squirmed through the hands of the Bucks goalkeeper and dribbled over the line. Possibly an own goal but, as it was on target, I think the striker will be claiming it. 0-2

Four minutes later and with The Scholars now having the bit firmly between their teeth, Dawes went from goal scorer to goal provider, jinking past a defender to the by-line and squaring for Tom Iaciofano to slide the ball home from close range. 0-3

Loughborough were now, effectively, home and hosed, but they were not letting up. Iaciofano got his second and The Scholar's fourth with a sublime, outside of the left foot, finish into the far corner. 0-4

The game had now well and truly gone for The Bucks. After more than holding their own in the first half they were being given a footballing lesson by the University in the second period. To make matters worse they were reduced to 10 men in the 83rd minute after their Number 2 received a second yellow for an off-the-ball trip on a Loughborough player.

Five minutes later and the home side were down to 9 men with Number 6 getting a straight red for a lunge just outside the box. Loughborough also withdrew Tope Fadahunsi at this point, even though they had no further substitutes. Originally I thought that the referee had sin-binned the defender, but it appears it was just a coaching decision. The wait for my first sin-bin goes on.
Immediately after the red card Loughborough substitute, Ollie Jarrett, was on hand to tap in another low cross to make it 0-5.

FT Long Buckby 0 Loughborough University 5. A harsh lesson for The Bucks in the second half. A young and talented Loughborough side, featuring four debutants, gave them the run around after the break. However, it was plain to see why The Bucks are pushing for promotion this season.

Loughborough University: Martin, Fadahunsi, Davis, Sackey-Mensah, Townrow, Parsons, Iaciofano, Ogunmekan, Warwick, Dawes, Connor. Subs: Wright, Hilton, Bryan, Jarrett

Att: 
Ground Number: Re-visit
Entrance: £5.00
Programme: £1.00

​It was another one of those days spent keeping an eye on Twitter trying to see which games were on and which had fallen foul of the weather. On the plus side I had quite a long list of potential games and, as luck would have it, number two on the list survived the early rain.

The Ground
The Runnymede Stadium, which Egham have played at since their foundation in 1963, is a fine example of a traditional style non-league football ground. There is cover on all four sides of the ground which adds to the atmosphere of the stadium, giving it a hemmed in feel. The stadium is accessed through a fairly recent-looking housing development but has managed to retain a reasonable sized car park and clubhouse (which is separate from the ground itself. Access is through a turnstile that brings you in just to the side of the goal at the clubhouse end. The main stand, tea bar and players facilities are to your left. There are covered standing areas behind both goals and low, covered stand all down the side of the pitch opposite the main stand. The ground has a capacity of 5,500.

​The Background
Before the game there were three points between the sides. Egham sitting just below mid-table with their visitors four places better off. Neither side could lay claim to any great form in recent weeks. Egham, despite winning their last league outing 4-1 at Camberley Town, had only picked up a single point in the four games previous to their trip to Krooner Park. Badshot Lea had also won last time out, 3-2 at Abbey Rangers, but had also lost 3 of the previous five before that.
The sides had not met in a league clash since The Sarnies promotion season of 2012-13, a season in which The Baggies finished seventh. Egham won both league encounters that season, 3-0 at Goldalming's ground where The Baggies were ground-sharing at the time and 3-2 in this corresponding fixture. There was, however, an early season 2-1 FA Cup victory for Badshot Lea.

The Game
The Baggies started the game at a much higher intensity than their hosts and this was shown by the fact that for the first 15 minutes the majority of the play was in the Egham half of the pitch.
Former Sarnie, Meschach Williams, was causing the home defence some problems with his pace and trickery. However, the away team failed to take advantage of their early possession, and as the game wore on the home side began to play themselves back into contention.
It was a full bloodied contest with some hefty challenges all across the park, some of which were deemed a little too robust for the referees liking and Badshot Lea found three of their players names in the little black book well before half-time.
Some hefty challenges going in at times and the visitors pick up 3 yellows
After weathering the Baggies' opening storm it was Egham who probably came the closest to scoring in the first 45 minutes when Kiemon Robinson's low, driven cross only just evaded the boot of the sliding Thomas at the far post.

HT Egham Town 0 Badshot Lea 0. The visitors opened well but the game was fairly even for the last 30 minutes. If anything Egham created the most clear cut opportunity but neither side good grab the opening goal.

​After the break Badshot Lea came out early but Egham, not making the same sluggish mistake that they made in the first half, were on the front foot. Taking the game to their visitors right from the whistle.
Five minutes into the second period Baggies keeper Kallum Lunn was called upon to make a fingertip save to prevent Egham's top scorer, Luke Maguire, from breaking the deadlock. Lunn was certainly no the busier of the goalkeepers.

However, even Lunn's agility could not prevent the home side from taking the lead in the 71st minute. Kiemon Robinson swung in a tantalising corner which a number of players challenged for at the near post. No-one, including the keeper, got a touch on the ball and it bent straight into the net to make it 1-0.

The Baggies tried valiantly to respond but Egham remained solid at the back, seeing out the remainder of the game without too many alarms.

FT Egham Town 1 Badshot Lea 0. A low-scoring but entertaining game. The Baggies opened so well that it looked initially as if it was just a matter of time until they went ahead. The Sarnies weathered the initial storm and the remainder of the first-half was an even affair. IN the second-half it was again tight but Egham probably had the upper hand and just about deserved their three points.

Egham Town: Daley, Peden, Whorms, Da Costa(c), Sobalak, Humphries, O'Connell, Maguire, Thomas, Mbengui, Robinson. Subs: Ejiwunmi, Hassan, Rodrigues, Toney, Tomkins

Badshot Lea: Lunn, Pound, Roberts(c), Headley, New, Lloyd, Cadete, Blake, Williams, Lewington, Medcraft. Subs: Gorman, Pilling, Khadka, Cotton, Ciardini

Att: 
Ground Number: 220
Entrance: £7.00
Programme: Online only

Last week was another barren football week for BotP. Even a potential trip to a German tier 5 game fell through due to work commitments and with more travelling on the near horizon, it was good to have a chance to get out and about this Wednesday. After much musing and checking of weather, I finally decided to head South and take a look at the Southern League Premier South clash between Farnborough and Hendon.

​The Ground
Cherrywood Road, or The Easy as HGV Stadium to give it it's current name, is a ground befitting of Farnborough's recent past as a National League (Conference as it was at the time) side. There is a large car park within the boundaries of the stadium (£2 to park) which is a god-send on a damp, chilly evening. Entrance to the ground is through a turnstile complex adjacent to the clubhouse and main seating area, the Charles Mortimore Stand. Looming above and to your right as you enter is the 1300 seater Prospect Road End (PRE). Opposite the entrance is the East Stand which runs the full length of the ground and features covered terracing towards the PRE, the dugouts spanning the centre-line and covered seating at towards Moor Road End. There is a complete, covered, shallow terracing at the Moor Road End, traditionally the section set aside for visiting supporters in games that require segregation. In all the ground has a capacity of 7,000.

​The Background
Prior to kick off both sides were sitting at the wrong end of the table. Farnborough just above the drop zone with 13 points from their 13 games. Hendon, however, were in a far worse situation, second from bottom, three points from the safety line and on a run of three straight defeats. After the departure of Jimmy Gray a few days ago, the club announced their new manager, Lee Allinson just prior to the game. Last season saw the sides draw 1-1 in this fixture. A draw would not be of much use to either side at this stage of this season.

​The Game
There was a bizarre start to the game, not to say a terrible start for the away side. We were only 4 minutes into the game when a ball into the Hendon box caused absolute chaos. In the confusion a hasty clearance cannoned into a group of players and dropped into the back of the net. 1-0. The goal was eventually given to Farnborough captain Tom Leggett but it was such a mess that I initially thought that it was an own-goal and the Farnborough stadium announcer gave it to Connor Cullen. Whatever the case, it was a shambolic piece of defending which the home side were more than happy capitalise on.

​With the rain continuing to fall the game was never going to be a classic, especially with two teams scrapping for results at the wrong end of the table. Farnborough continued to boss the game completely but, despite having the ball in the Hendon half of the pitch almost constantly, failed to add to their lead for almost 30 minutes.
​

​When the second goal did come, however, it was worth the wait. Cullen, who had seen the first goal taken away from him, got his name on the score-sheet with a cracker of a strike from the edge of the box, the ball flashing past Grace into the far corner. 2-0
Suddenly, as if realising that the game was slipping away, Hendon woke up. They created more opportunities in the final 10 minutes of the half than they had managed in the previous 35. Liam Beach in the home goal finally got his knees dirty, but Hendon could not find a finish to bring them back into the game.

HT Farnborough 2 Hendon 0. In the main a comfortable half for Farnborough. Hendon showed some signs of revival after going 2-0 down, but need to improve in the second-half if they want to get anything from the game. In many ways they must be grateful that they are only two goals down at the break.

​There were still signs of some extra Hendon verve as the second-half began but, again, they lacked any real cutting edge and, despite having more possession, failed to really threaten the Farnborough goal.
A minute before the hour mark Farnborough then closed the game down. Andrew Sealey-Harris picked the ball up on the right-flank, jinked inside his man and struck a rocket of a left-footed drive past Grace to make it 3-0.
There was no way back for Hendon after the third goal but, just to make sure, the home side grabbed a further goal on 83 minutes when a corner from the right was allowed to drop into the centre of the Hendon six-yard box area. Farnborough's CJ Fearn was first to react, forcing the ball over the line to put the icing on the cake. 4-0

FT Farnborough 4 Hendon 0. A very good three points for the Yellows who controlled the game from start to finish. They looked very lively going forward and on this form shouldn't have too much difficulty pulling away from the relegation spots and possibly pushing towards a play-off place. On this showing, there is plenty of work for Hendon's new boss Lee Allison to do, although there were some brief spells where they showed that he does at least have something to work with.

Farnborough: Beach, Oyenuga, Alowade-Williams, Fearn, Brice, Francis, Sealey-Harris, Ten-Grotenhuis, Cullen, Leggett(c), Young. Subs: Charles-Smith, Coles, Owens, Emmanuel, Akongo
Hendon: Grace, Hall, Panter, Manesiol, Hamblin(c), Noel-McLeod, English, Hope, Calcutt, Mitchell, Charles. Subs: Tingley, Todd, Ogbonna, Luther, Jonas

Att: 176
Ground Number: 219
Entrance: £12.00
Programme: £2.00

​After a week in Germany and no game for me last week (or again next week as it happens) I was happy to be out and about again  for a midweek trip down to Surrey and a new stadium to boot. My chosen game was Godalming Town v Farnham Town, the reverse of a fixture I saw at Farnham's Memorial Ground 18 months ago.

The Ground
Godalming's ground, The Bill Kyte Stadium, carries the name of their legendary former President, Mr Bill Kyte who, before his death aged 98 in February last year, had been with the club for 57 years. There is a very touching tribute to the man they called Mr Godalming Town on the club's website (Bill Kyte).
Parking at the ground is limited to players and club officials but there is a large car park on Wey Court just a few hundred yards from the entrance to the ground. Admission is through a single turnstile that brings you into an area below pitch level and directly behind the main stand. In this area is the clubhouse, the snack bar and toilets as well as a large whiteboard that is used to display the teams (I love this. More grounds need this sort of arrangement). There are few steps up, either side of the main stand which also houses the changing rooms, that take you up to pitch level. Aside from the aforementioned main stand, there is also covered standing provided behind both goals. The amenities at the ground give away the fact that the team played two steps higher not that long ago. The ground has a good feel to it and some character and, as Shorts Man (see below) pointed out, it would be great to see the place full one day.

​The Background
The game this evening was a Combined Counties Division One Challenge Cup match, a trophy currently held by Frimley Green.The sides couldn't have been coming into the game in much different form. Farnham, currently sitting in second place, were on a run of six games unbeaten in all competitions, which included five consecutive victories with only two goals conceded. Godalming, despite having won their last league outing 4-2 at home to Ash United, had lost the previous 4 in all competitions, sat third from bottom and had, only the previous evening, suffered the resignation of their manager Les Cleevely. Add to that the fact that the team had been pulled together at short notice, and all pre-match indications pointed to a Farnham victory. What no-one had taken into account was that I was going to attend the game (more of that later).
I'd like to add at this point that I picked up quite a bit of the local news (manager leaving, team changes etc) from Dave Fiddler, aka Shorts Man who got a few mentions the last time I saw these sides meet back in February 2018 (Shorts Story). It was great to catch up with Dave in person, chew the cud a little about football, rugby league and current affairs. Dave is still out there in all weathers, supporting The G's in his shorts and, this particular evening, a T-shirt! when every else was wrapped up in jumpers and jackets. All I can say is that he is from the North. They are a different breed. Nice bloke and a great supporter of the club. They are lucky to have someone like him.

​The Game
The game started off as the form book would have it. Farnham settled the better and looked eager to establish themselves. This they did as early as the 8th minute when a break down the left saw the ball fed into the box to the feet of captain Charlie Oakley. His deft back-heel was nicely into the path of Jack May but his shot was parried by Adam Giles in G's goal. The ball fell back to Oakley who arrowed a left-foot effort into the corner of the net to make it 0-1.

The goal was like an alarm clock to the home side. Almost immediately, they roused themselves and began to look for a way back in. The breakthrough didn't take too long either. After 17 minutes they were level after a lovely move down the left and a lovely, crisp angled drive from Ben Bauchop found the far corner of Boughton's net. 1-1
Eight minutes later and the home side had completed the turnaround. Lively winger Reece Weekes found some space on the edge of the box but saw his shot (yes, shot. Not what I had mistakenly tweeted at the time) come back off the post. Donte Lodge-Francis was first to react though, snapping up the loose ball and planting it into the Farnham net. 2-1

HT Godalming Town 2 Farnham Town 1. A very good response from the home side who seemed to need the wake-up call of going a goal behind to get themselves going.

​If Farnham had started the first half well, this was eclipsed by the way that Godalming came out all guns blazing for the second period. Within three minutes of the restart Lodge-Francis chanced his arm from outside the box and saw his effort squirm through Boughton's grasp and into the net. 3-1.
Three minutes later came the goal of the game. Darren Wheeler picked the ball up out on the left, danced past a few tackles and then clipped a delightful shot, with the outside of this right foot, past Boughton and into the far corner. 4-1
The game looked to be done for Farnham after only 6 minutes of the second-half and just before the hour mark the home side sealed the deal. Good work down the left saw the ball fed to Lodge-Francis for a simple finish to claim his hat-trick. 5-1

Farnham, to their credit, steadied the ship a little after this second-half onslaught. They even managed to get a goal back after 64 minutes when Karma Thomas was presented with a tap-in to make it 5-2. However, the initial flurry after getting one back didn't lead to any more and it was Godalming who almost increased their lead when Weekes struck a post shortly after Thomas's goal.

FT Godalming Town 5 Farnham Town 2. Three goals in twelve minutes at the start of the second-half ended the game as a contest. Farnham kept fighting and got themselves a consolation goal but never really threatened to make it a close finish.

So, the form book was turned upside down. Maybe, given my record of watching Farnham, it wasn't such a shock. This was the third time that I had seen them play and the third time that I had seen them lose. I think it may be a good idea for me to steer clear of their games for a while, but I am determined to see them win one day. Meanwhile, I am happy to take donations to charity for me to take my jinx to another club.
Just before posting this I saw an announcement that fourth goal-scorer Darren Wheeler has been announced as interim manager. Congratulations Darren!

Godalming Town: Giles, Hardisty, Francis, Mbele, Scotcher, Sellick(c), Villa, Bauchop, Lodge-Francis, Wheeler, Weekes. Subs: Cavender, Grant, Carter
Farnham Town: Boughton, Mitchell, Smith, Sowden, Harper, Branch, Pegg, Meaton, Oakley(c), Thomas, May. Subs: Nash, Corbett, Sharratt, Kerrison

Att: 
Ground Number: 218
Entrance: £8.00
Programme: £2.00

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