MUCH to my personal delight, football groundhopping seems to start earlier every season.
Here are details of four matches I attended towards the end of June. These were quite low key games therefore no opportunities whatsoever for betting within football betting schedules…
Estudiantes London 0-2 Maintain Elite Training Project
-
When: Friday 21st June 2024
-
Kick-off: 7.45pm
-
Where: The Latymer School 3G Pitch, Haselbury Road, Edmonton, London N9 9TN
-
Competition: Pre-Season Friendly
-
Attendance: 26
Sport and education establishment Estudiantes London are affiliated to the famous Argentinian club playing in the same red and white stripes.
They are members of the Middlesex County Football League – a Regional Feeder League for the national Pyramid - and proud of the fact that students averaged more than 94% in 2023/2024 academic year study programmes.
Ground description: Positioned directly behind the school, it is an artificial 3G pitch opened in 2022 offering spectator viewing along one touchline. A couple of adjacent grass pitches are used in the Barnet Sunday League.
The match: Scorers for the M.E.T. football development team were Koy (12 minutes) and Papadopolous (46 mins).
Bishops Cannings 2-6 FC Devizes United
-
When: Saturday 22nd June 2024
-
Kick-off: 2pm
-
Where: Wiltshire County Football Association 3G Pitch, Green Lane Playing Fields, Green Lane, Devizes, Wiltshire SN10 5EP
-
Competition: Pre-Season Friendly
-
Attendance: 42
Bishops Cannings compete in the Wiltshire Senior League - another Regional Feeder League. Their village contains 1,800 residents situated three miles north-east of Devizes.
Ground description: Home fixtures for Bishops Cannings are staged on the 3G at Green Lane Playing Fields. It is a great community facility unveiled in 2020 and operated by the Wiltshire County Football Association. Spectator provision adjoins one side of the pitch.
Additionally, an impressive main building houses changing rooms, a cafe, meeting rooms and the County FA offices. This overall development cost £1.7 million in partnership with Devizes Town Council and the Football Foundation.
The match: FC Devizes United racked up six of the best through Webster (11 minutes), Stobbart (35 mins), Williamson (61 mins), Gleed (65, 72 mins) and Anning (89 mins), Meanwhile, Raczek netted twice for the hosts (13, 73 mins).
Dial Square 0 Fleet Town 2
-
When: Saturday 29th June 2024
-
Kick-off: 2pm
-
Where: Kings Community Sports Hub 3G Pitch, Kings College, Southway, Guildford, Surrey GU2 8DU
-
Competition: Pre-Season Friendly
-
Attendance: 37
Dial Square was the original name of Premier League giants Arsenal FC on formation way back in 1886.
But as recently as 2020, disillusioned Arsenal fans who felt their club had lost identity decided to re-form Dial Square.
The aim is to return to Arsenal’s inaugural district of Woolwich constructing a purpose built stadium inside 15 to 20 years. Currently, Dial Square have won promotion for 2024/25 from the Surrey County Intermediate League to the Surrey Premier County League – again, a Regional Feeder League.
Ground description: The 3G surface was installed in 2019. It sits beyond the college complex and incorporates a spectator enclosure down one touchline. There is also a gym and sports hall as part of the Kings Community Sports Hub.
The match: Fleet Town of the Combined Counties League Premier Division South at Step 5 of the national Non-League Pyramid proved too strong.
Their marksmen were Bone (34 minutes) and Cadete (74 mins). I spent most of my afternoon chatting to the enthusiastic Fleet Town ‘Massive’ admirably led by club chair Caroline Bone.
Irish Embassy London 2-2 Ukraine Embassy London
-
When: Saturday 30th June 2024
-
Kick-off: 11am
-
Where: Pitch 2, Prince Georges Playing Fields, Grand Drive, Raynes Park, London SW20 9DY
-
Competition: London Diplomatic Dfa Ifleague
-
Attendance: 9
Several summer leagues are dotted around the United Kingdom including those in Derbyshire, Catforth & District (Lancashire), Eccles (Greater Manchester), Llandyrnog & District (Wales) and some in the far north of Scotland embracing offshore islands.
Yet there has been nothing in the south of England…until the groundhoppers suddenly discovered an almost secret London Diplomatic League. Fortunately, the Irish Embassy are fairly active on Facebook and Instagram platforms so I managed to confirm this fixture.
Ground description: Three pitches running side by side in a large playing fields right next to Raynes Park Vale FC of the Isthmian League. It was pretty crowded due to numerous car boot sale participants on site.
The match: Amidst fine rain landing on a dusty landscape, Ukraine raced into a 2-0 lead courtesy of two Prokipchok strikes (8, 15 minutes). However the Ambasáid na hÉireann London - to give them their official title - quickly levelled via Harman (17 mins) and Wilson (21 mins). After that early glut of goals, there was no further scoring.
*Credit for the photos in this article belongs to Tony Incenzo*
