Acrylic Afternoons - A trip to SHEFFIELD

1230 - PREMIER LEAGUE, BRAMALL LANE, SHEFFIELD UNITED 2-2 EVERTON, ATTENDANCE: 31,124

After 3 winless PL games, with no goals, Everton are at least off the mark...

...but another potential win got away once more. After taking the lead through Abdoulaye Doucoure, there were more than enough opportunities to put the game to bed.

Instead The Toffees had to come from behind to draw 2-2, Arnaut Danjuma equalising. However right at the end it took some goalkeeping heroics from Jordan Pickford to preserve a point.

Onward Evertonians...

⚽️⚽️⚽️⚽️⚽️⚽️⚽️

1500 - SHEFFIELD & HALLAMSHIRE COUNTY LEAGUE DIVISION TWO, SHEFFIELD OLYMPIC LEGACY PARK, YOUDAN FC 2-3 THURCROFT, ATTENDANCE: 16 (h/c)

An entertaining match to watch and, as the cliche goes, a game of two halves. Thurcroft 3-0 up at the break and absolutely cruising, Bradley Mears (x2) and Morgan Corbiere scoring the goals.

Youdon came out for second half and proceeded to dominate. They almost, and really should've, pulled off an unlikely comeback but after goals from Bruce Nkomo and Brandon Chan the elusive equaliser just would not come.

The Olympic Legacy Park, which is also home to Sheffield Eagles Rugby League, and is built on the site of the old Don Valley Stadium. I've been informed there is some overlap with the pitch. Therefore does it count as a new ground "tick" or just a revisit? One for the groundhop police...

MALMESBURY VICTORIA (The Flying Monk Ground)

HELLENIC LEAGUE DIVISION ONE, MALMESBURY VICTORIA 2-0 DEVIZES TOWN, ATTENDANCE: 127

I found myself in the historic town of Malmesbury for some Friday night football. I missed out when they hosted a "groundhop" game last year.

Malmesbury is famous for it's Abbey, a monastery famed for its learning. It was later home to one of Alfred the Great's fortified burhs for defence against the Vikings. Æthelstan, the first king of all England, was buried in Malmesbury Abbey when he died in 939.

After a very brief stroll around the Abbey, I headed along the banks of the Tetbury Avon to the fabulously monikered Flying Monk Ground, which was named after the previously adjacent pub, which in turn was named after Æthelmær, an 11th-century English Benedictine monk known for his early attempt at a gliding flight using wings. The pub is now gone and is now a Co-Op store.

The ground is compact and quirky to say the least. Right up my street!

The club was established in 1898 as Malmesbury Town but folded in 1936. The club was reformed in 1947 and then renamed Malmesbury United in 1968. In 1975 they merged with Swindon Victoria to become Malmesbury Victoria, taking Swindon Victoria's place in Division One of the Wiltshire Combination in the process. In 1976 the club were founder members of the new Wiltshire County League and remained there until the were promoted to the Hellenic League in 2000.

They remained in the Hellenic League until 2014, before returning to the Wiltshire League due to financial difficulties. After being crowned champions in 2015 they opted to remain in situ but they were then promoted to the Western League the following year. In 2018 they were laterally transferred back to the Hellenic League where they have remained.

Tonight it was a Wiltshire Derby as Devizes Town were the visitors. An own goal after 5 minutes and a second half strike from Harvey Scholes secured the win for Malmesbury, who remain unbeaten in the league so far this season (P5-W4-D1) and sit top of the table tonight.

It really should have been 3-0 when, deep into stoppage time, Malmesbury broke away and their player rounded the keeper, skipped past two defenders, then fired his shot high into the Co-op car park rather than the open goal. Worse than Neal Maupay! 😂

BRECHIN VICTORIA (Victoria Park)

SCOTTISH JUNIOR FA EAST REGION MIDLANDS LEAGUE, BRECHIN VICTORIA 3-2 DUNDEE VIOLET, ATTENDANCE: 64 (h/c)

I headed up to north east Scotland for a couple of midweek matches, the second being in Angus as Brechin Victoria hosted Dundee Violet at Victoria Park.

Founded in 1917, Brechin Victoria are part of the Scottish Junior FA and were inaugural members of the Midlands League when it was established in 2021.

Tonight was an entertaining encounter but the visitors from Dundee will be wondering how this one got away. They were far the better team but somehow found themselves 2-0 down, Kieran Longmuir (18) and Mitchell Smith (35) scoring for The Vics. Classic counter attacking play at it's best.

Violet did get it back to 2-2 courtesy to two penalty kicks, both converted by A.Lonrente (37) and A.Kelly (67) respectively before Brechin went on to grab a winner when Murray Smith (78) prodded home after being left unmarked in the six yard box from a corner. It's a funny old game.

For me that was the second night in succession that the homesters had won 3-2 despite the visitors scoring two penalties (click here).

Speaking to The Vics chairman pre-match and it seems there is a possibility they may be going off to groundshare at Glebe Park once the new 4G pitch is installed. Ironically Brechin City played on the adjacent Nursery Park before moving to Glebe Park in 1923.

Should the move materialise, I'd definitely put this wonderful wee ground on your "to do" list before it does happen...