Maybe I'm The Odd One at Cray Wanderers

Hopperational Details
Date & Venue	Saturday 15 February 2025 at Flamingo Park
Result	Cray Wanderers 2 Cheshunt 1
Competition	Isthmian League Premier Division (Step 3)
Hopstats	My first new ground since September 2024, and #793 on the lifetime list. Since the last blogpost, my only game has been a Stamford Bridge re-visit for a key WSL game (Chelsea 1 Arsenal 0) that had plenty of coverage elsewhere.
Context
It’s the first day of February half-term for me. My disappearance since September has essentially been work-related. I’ve repeatedly deferred retirement and in this phase of my career I’ve been a part-time science teacher in Hertfordshire for several years now. Such is the difficulty in finding good candidates in my subject areas (chemistry and physics), especially in comprehensive schools, that I’ve been persuaded (easily enough to be fair) to contribute at three different schools this year. So I have nine different exam classes – and hence the reason that 2024-5 weekends have been more about lesson planning and recovery than travelling to football matches. I’ve been close to completing “everywhere down to Step 3 in England” for a couple of seasons – with promotions and new builds moving the target – and today gave me the chance to tick of one of the three that I most needed. After this, I will need to get to Truro City’s new ground (Step 2) and Plymouth Parkway (Step 3) but whether I will manage that before Everton’s new ground opens is very much in doubt! My research for this match was restricted to a check that it is essentially a mid-table game with the hosts a few places higher, and both have similar recent records with a win last weekend and a draw before that.
Match Report
The early stages of the game saw very few chances created, though Cray established territorial superiority – something they would never relinquish. Cheshunt’s goal after 16 minutes came from a goalkeeper error. Shaun Rowley clearly called for the ball as he came several metres out of his area, but the fluffed clearance fell nicely for an easy roll-in for Kenny Coker. The lead lasted six minutes and the equaliser was deserved. Nyren Clunis was on hand to score from a flick-on from the right, tucking the ball into the opposite corner. The first half ended at 1-1 but not before Cheshunt spurned a great chance on the break in the closing seconds. Tobias Braney could not quite get enough power on a close-range downward header after the home defence had been sliced open down their left. The second half started with higher levels of entertainment as there were half-chances at both ends. Rowley redeemed himself with two good saves. Cray had a goal disallowed for offside and then smacked the crossbar with a textbook header. Cray were very much on top as the time ticked on but it took till the 68th minute for the winner. It was scored on the break after a Cheshunt attack, made for Soul Kader by a timely pass by Josh Williams. Williams had been a constant threat to the visitors’ defence with his direct running. Cheshunt heads never dropped but in the end Cray held on comfortably enough. Cray might feel they should have won by a bigger margin, but equally Cheshunt could be wondering whether a 2-1 lead at half-time would have changed things. I was left wondering when the feeling would return to my fingers and toes – even with five layers, it was cold.
So What?
The teams end the day in 9th and 15th places respectively, and I now think of myself as being “The One” in the official attendance of 401.
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Goalkeeper Top Colour Stats Update
The background to this, and the latest keeper top colour league table, is here on this dedicated page. Today, Orange beats Purple as predicted. Pre-match Prediction based on Keeper Top Colour: Prediction: Home Win Was the prediction correct? Yes % of correct predictions so far 49% (85 from 172)
What Next?
No idea! Watch this space.

 

Racing Stumble at the Last

 

The programme front cover shows Tyler Hollyoake (2006-24) and there was a minute of silence in his memory before kickoff.

Hopperational Details
Date & Venue	Saturday 7 September 2024 at Townsend Meadow, Hampton Road
Result	Racing Club Warwick 2 Hanley Town 3
Competition	FA Trophy 1st Round Qualifying
Hopstats	Ground 792 on my lifetime list and a return to a truly random decision-making process involving an octahedral die and a 1990s coin ...
Context
Two Step 4 sides but from different divisions within the Northern Premier League. Hanley Town play in the West division whereas Warwick are in the Midland. A knockout game may be a welcome break for the sides – neither has started particularly well in the league. I learned from some friendly home supporters (thanks, gents!) that a certain Callum Carsley was absent from the side due to supporting his dad Lee’s big day with England in Dublin. RCW are up to Step 4 this season after promotion from the United Counties League.
Match Report
As a passing neutral, I don’t enjoy one-sided games very much, so this was right at the other end of the dramatic scale. I try to think about the hinge point of each game, and generally speaking, the later it is the better. I don’t think I’ll see many with later dramas than this, with ex-Stoke and ex-Blues defender Ryan Shotton scoring in the 88th minute from a set piece. The Hanley player-manager put his side into the lead for the first time in the game. The score had been 1-1 at the break. A somewhat tetchy start as both sides tested out the officials resulted in Warwick taking a 10th minute lead. Josh McKenzie had an easy close-range finish after Hanley keeper Adam Whitehouse could not hold on to a driven low cross. It would have taken McKenzie’s mind off his early yellow card. Ryan Shotton about to do managerial things to support his keeper Another EFL veteran, Tom Pope (ex-Port Vale for example) levelled just five minutes later from the penalty spot. This was a disputed penalty given for dangerous play, a raised defensive foot getting too close to a somewhat stooping attacking head giving plenty of room for debate. I wasn’t close enough to make any other comment other than the ref won’t be getting Christmas cards with a Warwick postmark, but he was almost certainly technically correct under current guidance for referees. Whether the bounce height off a 3G surface is a factor in this is also a point of discussion.   Tom Pope makes it 1-1 from the spot The rest of the first half was pretty even, with defences holding firm. There were lots of aerial battles and the biggest goal threats came from set pieces, with both sides having plenty of height both at the back and the front. A Pope header had hit the bar. Hanley got on top, territorially at least, after the interval but Warwick looked dangerous on the break. They had wasted one such chance with a one-on-one before they took the lead, with 75 minutes gone. The perseverance of James Hancocks on the Warwick left flank allowed him to set up Archie Hamp in plenty of space. By this stage both sides had hit the proverbial woodwork again. Hanley did not fold and their second equaliser came on 86 minutes through Brandon Newell, assisted by Pope, and then came Shotton’s late, late intervention to put Hanley into the next round. As I say, great for the passing neutral with an interest in #keepertopcolourstats, but gutting for the hosts. One enjoyable feature was watching how the ex-EFL veterans managed themselves through a full ninety minutes. As a veteran myself, in a different field of course, respect is what I say!
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RC Warwick in gold and black.     Not sure whether this arty attempt worked but you can decide
Goalkeeper Top Colour Stats Update
The background to this, and the latest keeper top colour league table, is here on this dedicated page. Today Green loses to Red. No clean sheets. No change in the colour league positions since last week. Pre-match Prediction based on Keeper Top Colour: Prediction: Away Win Was the prediction correct? Yes % of correct predictions so far 49% (84 from 171)
What Next?
A last-minute decision next Friday, probably. I'm on Threads (grahamyapp) with the tumbleweed rather than in the toxic cesspit of Twitter these days.
By the way …
The four fish on the Icelandic coin are capelin, and the non-fish side represents the four traditional protector spirits of Iceland – a giant, a bull, an eagle and a dragon. I picked up this coin on a 1996 visit that included KA Akureyri v Fram Reykjavik which was my first game outside England and sits in position 41 on my lifetime ground list.

 

No-Messing Nomads Into the Next Round

No printed programme, but available for online viewing. Here's a screenshot of the front cover.

 

Hopperational Details
Date & Venue	Saturday 31 August 2024 at Cropston Road
Result	Anstey Nomads 3 Alvechurch 1
Competition	FA Cup First Qualifying Round
Hopstats	Ground 791 on the lifetime list. Here because I wanted to tick off an unvisited Step 4 ground and this seemed a good choice for an FA Cup game as the visitors were from Step 3 in a different league. Nomads play in the Northern Premier League Midlands Division and Alvechurch are in the Southern Premier Central.
Context
Alvechurch enter the competition at this stage. Nomads had a thumping 5-0 win away at Grimsby Borough in the Preliminary Round.
Match Report
Anstey scored in the first minute through Leo Brown with their first attack, but for me this result was decided on the hour when Alvechurch striker Dan Sweeney had two good chances in quick succession with the score at 3-1. The first was a header straight at the keeper Conrad Logan, and the second was a shot that rolled just wide. If either or both of those had gone in, the last half-hour would have been more interesting, but as it was the Nomads were able to hold on fairly comfortably while still looking strong themselves on the break. This was an open and entertaining game for the passing neutral, with end-to-end passages of play and a good contest between attacking threat and defensive strength. The Anstey supporters had redefined optimism with their chant of, “We’re the famous Anstey Nomads and we’re going to Wemb-er-lee” just before the Alvechurch equaliser. This came when a defensive slip near halfway allowed Dylan Allen-Hadley to run unchallenged for a calm and composed finish with 25 minutes on the watch. The Anstey response was immediate, however, and they re-took the lead within a minute through Kyle Tomlin, and the score stayed that way until half-time. With hindsight, Alvechurch will rue missing two good first half opportunities. On one occasion they sliced open the home defence on their left flank but the cross from the byeline came in too close to Logan. The other was from a superb turn from Kieran Wakefield but his shot was then saved by Logan’s feet. The third Nomads goal was a peach, and came just five minutes into the second half. It was beautifully worked on the break through the centre and James Tague cut inside to curl a great shot in off the bar. They might have got a fourth but a deflected shot pinged back off the crossbar. By the way, well done to whoever chooses the eclectic pre-match music playlist. You are clearly dedicated to expanding the musical horizons of anybody under 30 years of age. Good work. Also thanks to the Anstey and Alvechurch social media streams for help in identifying scorers.
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Goalkeeper Top Colour Stats Update
The background to this, and the latest keeper top colour league table, is here on this dedicated page. Today, Green beats Orange, as predicted, but no clean sheets. Pre-match Prediction based on Keeper Top Colour: Prediction: Home Win Was the prediction correct? Yes % of correct predictions so far 49% (83 from 170)
What Next?
Hopefully something next weekend from my priority list, but the length of journey will depend on how I’m feeling at the end of my first week in a new teaching job!

Cornish Crunch Game is Hard Cheese for Mousehole

 

Hopperational Details
Date & Venue	Monday 26th August at Kellaway Park
Result	Helston Athletic 4 Mousehole 2
Competition	Southern League Division One South
Hopstats	Ground 790 on my lifetime list, taking the chance to tick off one of the longer journeys on my hopping priority list.
Context
Helston were promoted to Step 4 from the Western League last season, the same route taken by Mousehole the year before. Both sides have made good starts to the league season though social media posts and a reduced subs list suggest that the visitors are depleted by injuries.
Match Report
This was an entertaining game, though the result was probably settled just before the hour when Helston got their third goal. The victory was due in no small part to their aerial dominance at set pieces. The early lead came after just six minutes when Mousehole’s keeper Ollie Chenoweth missed his punch, having called, and Jack Crago headed in. The second was a straightforward planted header by Aaron Bentley from a left-wing free kick. Helston had had much success down their right flank, including throw-in routines that seemed to work over and over again for them. It was 2-0 at half-time and could have been more. Credit therefore to Mousehole who scored a good goal soon after the break. Good work by number 11 who gave an inviting pass for number 9 Mark Goldsworthy as the home defence backed off. However, the result was in doubt for just a few minutes. The aforementioned third goal was again from a set-piece, and they added a fourth just ten minutes later. The scorers were a reprise of Crago and Aaron Bentley. Mousehole’s 11 (Jack Symons, I believe) added to his earlier assist with a consolation goal at the second attempt with 15 minutes or so left, but the home side were able to hold comfortably enough for their win. It had been a long drive to get here, and was to be an even longer one back the next day, but I’m very glad to have got this tick. So completes my bank holiday treble from Ipswich to Helston via Wokingham. I noted the big difference between the two step four crowds of 387 today and 82 two days ago in Suffolk, with Wokingham's Sunday Vase fixture somewhere in between.
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Helston in blue ...   "Today's visitors are known as The Seagulls ..."
Goalkeeper Top Colour Stats Update
The background to this, and the latest keeper top colour league table, is here on this dedicated page. Today Orange defies the colour league table with a win over Grey. Pre-match Prediction based on Keeper Top Colour: Prediction: Away Win Was the prediction correct? No % of correct predictions so far 49% (82 from 169)
What Next?
No definite plans but quite possibly an FA Cup tie at a Step 4 ground at the weekend. At some point there will be three more trips in this direction as Plymouth Parkway, Falmouth Town and Mousehole itself are all on my priority list for this season.