Scottish Groundhop 2021

After a delay of 18 months, for the obvious reasons, the Scottish groundhop originally scheduled for March 2020 finally took place over this weekend. I was lucky as four of the six grounds I needed to visit were all on the Saturday, meaning I could do a day trip rather than stop over. It was an early start to arrive in time for my first game of this extravaganza...

11:15am East of Scotland League, Conference A

King's Park 

Dalkeith Thistle 8-2 Tweedmouth Rangers

Att: 309

The visitors were actually winning at half time before a red card for an off-the-ball incident saw Tweedmouth down to 10 men. The collapse was unreal as they proceeded to conceded 7 goals, with Dalkeith hitting the woodwork on numerous occasions which could have made the scoreline even more embarrassing. The steak pie on sale at the ground was tremendous.

Goals:

Dalkeith Thistle: Ryan Weston (32, 61) Darren McTernon (50) Darren Leslie (58pen) Greig Callaghan (66) Own Goal (70) Danny McFadden (76) Jack Burrows (90)

Tweedmouth Rangers: Michael Robinson (6 & 35) plus red card (46)

2pm Lowland League 

New Dundas Park

Bonnyrigg Rose 2-1 Dalbeattie Star

Att: 517

Bonnyrigg looked the stronger outfit throughout but couldn't convert their chances. Dalbeattie looked short of ideas in the final third but could have nicked a point right at the death. I must give a special mention to the doner pies that were on sale. They were superb!

Goals:

Bonnyrigg Rose: Lewis Turner (17) Kerr Young (59)

Dalbeattie Star: Lewis Todd (46)

5pm East of Scotland League, Conference B

Newbattle Complex 

Easthouses Lily Miners Welfare 2-5 Glenrothes

Att: 208

A good game. Visitors much the better team in the opening exchanges but after racing into a two goal they were pegged back by the homesters. A late flurry of goals though ensured victory for Glenrothes, including a hat-trick from Graeme Walker. I completed my own hat-trick with a Chicken Balmoral pie which was an absolute winner!

Goals:

Easthouses Lily: Lewis Sives (60 & 63)

Glenrothes: Graeme Walker (7, 56 & 90) Reece Brown (79) Lea Schiavone (90)

7:45pm East of Scotland League

New Victoria Park

Newtongrange Star 2-2 Tranent Juniors

Att: 401

Bottom vs Top but Nitten thoroughly deserved their point after twice taking the lead. A tremendous encounter concluded a fabulous day of football. Great to catch up with people but my tight schedule meant it was all too brief. I was home just before 3am but it was well worth it. The next Scottish Hop is scheduled for March 2022. I cannae wait!

Goals:

Newtongrange Star: Chris Robertson (27 & 37)

Tranent Juniors: Sean Wringe (31) Craig Stevenson (62 pen)

The aforementioned doner
kebab pie. Delicious!

EVERTON WOMEN (Walton Hall Park)

FA WOMEN'S SUPER LEAGUE, EVERTON 3-1 BIRMINGHAM CITY, ATTENDANCE: c700

Finally, after an 18 month wait, today brought about the opportunity to watch Everton play at their new ground at Walton Hall Park. I wasn't the only one drawn to this televised early kick off, with plenty of familiar faces in the crowd.

The ground has been redeveloped for use by the Everton Women's team in the grounds of Walton Hall Park, which is also the home Liverpool County FA. It currently has a capacity of 1,500 but this will be increased to around 2,200. There is 500 seat stand in place and there are plans for a covered terrace to be built on the opposite side, which should be completed by the end of 2021.

The ground was due to host the first game in September 2019 but delays meant the first game at the ground wasn't played until February 2020, Everton suffering a 3-2 loss to Manchester United.

Everton have had a tough start playing, and losing, to both Manchester City and Chelsea without scoring a goal. Today provided the opportunity to bounce back and claim their first victory of the season against a Birmingham City side also yet to win.

German international Leonie Maier scored on her Everton debut after 13 minutes when Grace Clinton's blocked effort found it's way to her on the edge of the box and she curled her shot into the bottom corner, via a slight deflection.

Everton were dominating the possession but not really creating any clear cut chances, Birmingham even less so, but on 32 minutes the visitors were level. Jade Pennock created space for herself and drove into the area to fire past Sandy MacIver in the Toffees goal. A fine strike.

I thought that was a great finish but Everton's record signing, Hanna Bennison, went even better on 73 minutes. After neat link up play with Toni Duggan, the 18 year old Swedish International hit a superb shot into top corner to restore The Toffees lead.

Victory was confirmed in stoppage time when Danish international Rikke Sevecke rose to head home an Izzy Christiansen corner. The three points lifted Everton off the bottom of the table and hopefully now the only way is up.

From Walton Hall Park it is approximately a 20 minute walk to Goodison Park where the Everton male counterparts beat Norwich City 2-0 to complete a good day all round. Up the Toffees!

Highlights of the game can be viewed by clicking here

GLOUCESTER CITY (New Meadow Park)

FA CUP 2nd QUALIFYING ROUND, LONGLEVENS AFC 1-3 GLOUCESTER CITY, ATTENDANCE: 2,320

This afternoon I headed to Gloucester to visit the first of the three brand new grounds in the National League North that I needed at the start of the season (York City and Boston United being the others).

This Sunday afternoon though it was an FA Cup tie I was watching as Gloucester City took on Longlevens in a huge local derby, the first competitive meeting between the sides. This was a proper David vs Goliath match at it was National League North (step 2) vs Hellenic League (step 5).

The game was officially a Longlevens home game but the tie was switched to Meadow Park on police advice. Both clubs were rewarded with a record crowd for the new ground with over 2,300 present, including plenty of familiar faces from the groundhopping fraternity.

I did say new ground by the way, or is it a rebuild? That's a debate for others. As far as I am concerned it is a new ground as I never previously visited Meadow Park.

Gloucester returned to the city in 2020 after a nomadic 13 year existence groundsharing at Forest Green Rovers, Cirencester Town, Cheltenham Town and Evesham United. The original Meadow Park was destroyed by flooding in 2007 when the River Severn burst it's banks. There is a famous photograph that shows the water almost touching the crossbar (it is easily found with a Web search).

Although the new ground is on the same site, in the Hempsted area of the city, the pitch, the two 350 seat stands and clubhouse have been raised over 10ft to safeguard against any future flooding. The terracing from the original Meadow Park is visible behind the South Stand.

The first game at the new Meadow Park was an FA Trophy game against Needham Market in December 2020. The Tigers won 4-2. I was heading the next game on Boxing Day against Leamington, with my ticket purchased and everything, but then Covid-19 restrictions were imposed and that game was played behind closed doors before the season was eventually null and voided.

Longlevens were enjoying their best ever run in the FA Cup, this 2nd qualifying round being the furthest they had ever been before. Unfortunately for the Levens today was where that run ended. They gave a good account of themselves but in the end Gloucester just had too much.

The Tigers were on the front foot from the off and took the lead through a Danny King shot after 12 minutes. Any thoughts of a cup upset seemed unlikely at this point with Gloucester dominating the the game.

However, on 31 minutes, Longlevens scored the goal of the game when a quick counter attack led to the ball falling to Cam Williams who curled in a shot, from outside the area, past the despairing dive of Jake Cole in the Gloucester goal.

This rattled Gloucester and for a few minutes Longlevens had them pinned in their own half but half time came at a good time for The Tigers and within minutes of the restart they were back in front, King tapping home at the far post.

Gloucester dealt with the attacks from Longlevens and probably should have extended their lead on the counter but the win was finally secured with eight minutes remaining when King headed home to complete his hat-trick.

A deserved win for Gloucester but Longlevens bowed out with their heads held high.