LITTLEHAMPTON TOWN (The Sportsfield)

ISTHMIAN LEAGUE SOUTH EAST DIVISION, LITTLEHAMPTON TOWN 0-0 THREE BRIDGES, ATTENDANCE: 223

I made a very long journey this Saturday to the south  coast. As you do. The West Sussex seaside town of Littlehampton was my destination and it involved a very early start. Crazy, but needs must!

I was actually heading to Littlehampton last October, but the game was postponed due to stormy weather and I therefore ended up diverting to Wimborne Town instead. I could have met with the same fate today but fortunately The Sportsfield pitch passed an 11am inspection, so it was game on!

So, why the urgency to visit Littlehampton Town you ask? Well it was simply to see the old, mostly, wooden main stand in all it's glory before it is demolished, and replaced, at the end of the current season. The way the fixtures have dropped with Everton, this was probably my last chance to visit and time is certainly running out.

The main stand at The Sportsfield has stood for over 100 years but is now a dilapidated state. The Ivy is crawling over, and through, the stand whilst the roof is being held up with scaffolding. Unfortunately with ground grading regulations, especially the higher you go up the pyramid, the stand is no longer fit for purpose.

A crowdfunder was set up to help towards a replacement structure but in late 2023 it was announced that a grant of £100,000 from the Football Foundation Premier League Stadium Fund had been awarded to cover the costs of the new build. The club have stated that demolition of the stand will take place as soon as the 2023/24 season ends and it is hoped the building of the new 154 seat stand will be completed by June, allowing the ribbon to be cut with a pre-season friendly in July.

Littlehampton FC were formed in 1896, the Town suffix being added in 1938, and the club were founder members of the West Sussex League the same year before joining the Sussex County League in 1928. The club moved into The Sportsfield,  which is shared with cricket, around the turn of the last century. 

Littlehampton didn't win their first ever Division One title until 1991 and they then won the final ever Sussex County title in 2015, when the league was renamed the Southern Combination. Despite winning these titles, the club never achieved promotion to the Isthmian League, maybe due to ground grading, until they won the Southern Combination in 2022. This was on the back of an FA Vase Final appearance at Wembley, where they were beaten 3-0 by Newport Pagnell Town.

Season 2022/23 was Littlehampton's first ever campaign at Step 4 and they finished in 12th position. They are currently on course for a similar finish this season.

It was a cold and damp Sportsfield this afternoon and the game versus Three Bridges was a tight affair. It ended goalless but it was a hard earned point for The Golds as they played the last 30 minutes or so with 10 men. Around the hour mark Dion Jarvis recieved a second yellow card but despite lots of pressure Three Bridges couldn't find a way through. The visitors best chance of the game came just after half time when they were awarded a penalty but Ibrahima Jollah saw his effort save by James Binfield (pictured below). 

Overall the draw was a fair result. Something inside told me today might finish goalless after Littlehampton drew 4-4 with Hythe Town last week. The nul-nul meister strikes again!

The Main Stand at Littlehampton Town 1921-2024.

RADFORD FC (Selhurst Street)

UNITED COUNTIES LEAGUE DIVISION ONE, RADFORD 2-1 BLACKSTONES, ATTENDANCE: 90

I was originally heading to Selhurst Street prior to the Nottingham Forest vs Everton game back in December but a frozen pitch put paid to that plan, so today was the perfect opportunity to try again.

Radford is part of Nottingham and is a couple of miles north of the centre city. The football club was Founded in 1964 as Manlove & Alliots FC, who were an Engineering firm situated in Radford. After the firm transferred to Scotland in 1970/71, the club changed its name to Radford Olympic before moving to Saturday football for season 1979/80, joining the Central Alliance League. The club were one of the first amateur teams to carry a shirt sponsor, a local pub, the Pheasant Inn, hence the nickname of The Pheasants.

Radford then joined the East Midlands Regional League the following season and then moved into their own home at Selhurst Street for season 1981-82. In season 1982/83 Olympic finished Champions of Division One and moved over to the Central Midlands League. The club remained in this league until 2008 when they became founder members of the East Midlands Counties League. Now known as Radford, after dropping the Olympic in 1987, the club remained in the East Midlands Counties League until it was disbanded in 2021, when the club became members of the United Counties League.

Stamford based Blackstones were the visitors to Radford this afternoon in this United Counties League Division One encounter and the question 'who'd be a goalkeeper?' was definitely asked today!

There wasn't a lot between the teams (8th vs 7th at start of play) but the unfortunate Simon Dalton certainly helped Radford this afternoon. The Blackstones no1 misjudged a cross from Mitchell Tait (after 3 minutes) and the ball sailed into the back of the net. 

The worst was yet to come. A tame effort, from outside the box, from Josh Gardner (25) appeared to be comfortably gathered by Dalton but somehow the ball squirmed underneath his body and trickled over the line.

Inbetween the goals Radford's Conor Moore made a tremendous clearance off the line when it looked like certain goal.

To be fair to Dalton he kept his side in the game in the second half as Radford countered as Blackstones pushed forward. The visitors finally got their goal through Ed Thorpe (84) and at that point it seemed the equaliser would soon follow but Radford held on.

SHAWBURY UNITED (Shrewsbury Town Community Pitch)

MIDLAND LEAGUE DIVISION ONE, SHAWBURY UNITED 2-2 HEATHER ST JOHN'S, ATTENDANCE: 49

First and foremost, Happy New Year! All the very best to those of you taking the time and trouble to read these words.

With storm Henk wreaking havoc over the first few days of 2024, I decided to play it safe and head for a game on an artificial surface. There were plenty of matches taking place inside these ubiquitous cages and the one I opted for was the Midland League encounter between Shawbury United and Heather St John's at the Shrewsbury Town Community Hub, located at the back of the South Stand at The New Meadow.

Shawbury is a village about 10 miles north of Shrewsbury and the football club was formed in 1992. After initially playing in local Shropshire leagues, the club joined the pyramid system in 1999 when they became member of the West Midlands (Regional) League.

The club have led a nomadic existence in recent times playing home games at Wem Town, Ludlow and now Shrewsbury. There are plans in place for the club to return to Shawbury as land has been gifted to the club on a 99 year lease and the club are continuing to raise money to build a new football facility in the village.

Today was mid-table encounter but it turned out to be an entertaining game which finished all square. The visitors came from behind twice, despite having their goalkeeper Matthew White sent off for (what was presumed to be) dissent after the award of a penalty, which Eric Mensah converted for Shawbury. He continued to argue the toss after the penalty had been scored and the referee obviously must have had enough.

Kyle Jardine scored the equaliser for Heather St Johns to ensure it was all square at half time before.

Jack Howse thought he'd headed home a late winner for the homesters but in stoppage time Jardine raced through to score a second equaliser. It was a deserved leveller as it was an evenly matched encounter and Heather St John's more than matched Shawbury, despite their numerical disadvantage.

🎄 ⚽️ BOXING DAY 2023 ⚽️ 🎅

May I start by wishing you and yours a very Happy Christmas. Like most people, after the celebration and over indulgence of yesterday, I needed to blow the cobwebs off and what better than a Boxing Day 'double header' of football.

It was actually great to get in a couple of new grounds as it had been over a month since my last newbie, in South Wales, so it was early start for a trip up to the North East and an 11am kick off on Teeside...

NORTHERN LEAGUE DIVISION ONE

PHOENIX PARK, TRINITY COLLEGE 

BORO RANGERS 2-2 REDCAR ATHLETIC 

ATTENDANCE: 254

My Boxing Day double began with a very entertaining game at Phoenix Park where it was honours even in the 'A174 derby'. Middlesbrough based Boro Rangers were hosting near neighbours Redcar Athletic in the Northern League division one. 

This is Boro's debut season at this level, having won the division two title at the first attempt having gained promotion from the North Riding Football League. This was actually the sixth season in a row Boro Rangers had won a league title having won the Teeside League (2016 & 2017) and the North Riding League (2018, 2019 & 2022). Not bad for a club that only formed in 2003.

The club are based on the 3G pitch at Trinity Catholic College in Middlesbrough and, given the weather over the Christmas period, this was part of thinking as it was virtually guaranteed to be on.

After a fairly even opening period Redcar took the lead through Donny Holdsworth (35) but a penalty just after half time, converted by Danny Lofts (48) levelled things up. Redcar were then reduced to 10 men when Joe Ferguson (54) recieved a second yellow card but it was the 10-men re-took the lead when Lewis Riston (74) headed home. Lofts (81) then equalised for the second time, but despite late pressure from Boro a winner wasn't forthcoming. 

The draw was a fair result in my humble opinion.

From Phoenix Park it was then a 40 minute up the A19 to...

NORTHERN LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION TWO

BOLDON COLLIERY WELFARE 

BOLDON COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION 3-3 JARROW

ATTENDANCE: 144

My Boxing Day double concluded with a trip to the  Boldon Colliery Welfare Ground. I had been next door many years ago to see the now defunct Jarrow Roofing Boldon Community Association but this was my first visit to this ground.

Formed in 1892 as Boldon Star, Boldon CA had been mainstays of the Wearside League for over 70 years before gaining promotion to the Northern League for the first time in their history in 2021, after an appeal to the FA after the season was curtailed due to the covid pandemic.

Boldon Villa was another previous name of club, hence the signage around the ground, and 'The Villa' is the clubs nickname. Legendary Charlton Athletic goalkeeper Sam Bartram was born in Jarrow and played for Boldon Villa in his youth.

Today I witnessed a superb 'South Tyneside derby' which ultimately finished honours even in the but that wasn't half the story!

Jarrow were in complete control of the game from the off and goals from Luke Hudson (14) Lutfur Karim (32 penalty) and a brilliant strike from Chris Brennan (36) put the visitors in a commanding position. It was them imperative that the homesters scored the next goal and that is what they did through Levi Collins (39). That lifeline was well and truly grabbed!

The second half saw a complete turnaround and it was Boldon who were the dominant force. Jude Harrison (70) headed home to make it 3-2 and with the clock ticking into stoppage time the homesters were awarded a penalty of their own, which was converted by Collins (90) to bring the score level at 3-3.

A tremendous match for the neutral and a great advert for the Northern League.

🎄🎅 MERRY CHRISTMAS & A HAPPY NEW YEAR.  SEE YOU IN 2024! ☃️🎄