Rain Before Seven

 

Easter 2024 : The Wild West & Wolverhampton

Thursday 28 March

Postponed : Honiton Town v Sidmouth Town

Having spent over five torrid hours driving down from Hertfordshire, through horizontal rain at times and with a couple of genuinely scary motorway moments, I was amazed to find the game still on as I reached the ground. However, the match referee took a different view about 45 minutes before kickoff so that was that. At that moment, the prospect of the subsequent seven games all going ahead seemed very remote. The six SW grounds occupy positions 774 to 779 on my lifetime list. The Molineux visit was my third, but a quarter of a century since the second so it has changed a bit!

Friday 29 March

Torrington 1 Crediton United 0

Vicarage Field

SW Peninsula Premier East

Keeper Tops : Grey v Orange

Winning goal in the first half, fired into the top corner after a scramble. Crediton hit the bar once but Torrington held on throughout a range of weather conditions from spring sunshine to hailstorm. Add to list of "Grounds from which a Steeple is Visible".

Torridgeside 0 Okehampton Athletic 3

Donnacroft

SW Peninsula Premier East

Keeper Tops: Grey v Green

All the goals in the first half, started with a complete miskick from the man in Grey, and finishing with a direct freekick just under the centre of the bar where the said keeper had taken an unusual starting position at the far post. Visitors played the last few minutes with ten men after a dismissal for dissent. Can go on the list of “Grounds With Farm Animals Visible” and also onto the "Grounds Where I Also Saw a Rainbow".

Holsworthy 0 Bude Town 0

Upcott Field

SW Peninsula Premier West

Keeper Tops: Pink v Green

Fair play to the hosts who had done well to dry out part of the pitch with a space heater and they were rewarded with a gate of 906. A grimly entertaining game between two hyped-up teams and thankfully no broken ankles from the tackling.

Holsworthy were clearly in-tent on getting this game on

Saturday 30 March

Liskeard Athletic 2 Dobwalls 0

Lux Park

SW Peninsula Premier West

Keeper Tops: Orange v Green

A goal in each half sealed the result of a match that had started in a downpour. Lots of strong tackling on a wet surface. A Dobwalls sub appeared in a number 99 shirt. Ground can be added to list of “Grounds with the Same Name as a Unit of Measurement in Physics”.

Elburton Villa 1 Bovey Tracey 2

Haye Road

SW Peninsula Premier East

Keeper Tops: Radioactive Bile v Green

Bovey Tracey had the best kit design of the weekend. They took a two goal lead into the final half-hour but were lucky (from where I was standing) not to pick up a red card. Then what looked initially like a fabulous block did result in a red card for handball and the hosts scored from the penalty. The rest was rather undignified and fractious, with a red card for each side during over twelve minutes of stoppage time. Most of us just wanted this one to end.

Ivybridge Town 6 Dartmouth 0

Erme Valley

SW Peninsula Premier East

Keeper Tops: Blue v Yellow

The result reflected the league table top v bottom status but four of the goals were late on, and some credit has to go to the visiting keeper for the saves which kept the score in single digits. Ground can be added to the list of “Pitches adjacent to flowing water needing someone with a net”.

 

Sunday 31 March 2024

Arsenal Women 1 Chelsea Women 0 (aet)

Molineux, Wolverhampton

Women’s League Cup Final

Keeper Tops: Black v Yellow

Rather a disappointing game with the latter stages overshadowed by the collapse off the ball of Arsenal’s Frida Maanum, now thankfully recovering. It appeared that no-one wanted to be the one to make a mistake. Stina Blackstenius got the very late goal in extra-time that spared us from a penalty shootout. Ground can be added to list of "Grounds Also Known as Dingle Dell" to those itk.

 

The overall effect on the #keepertopcolourstats league table is here. Four more games and I will have a sample big enough for a proper statistical test, if I can teach myself how to do it. It’s called a Kruskal Wallis One-Way Analysis of Variance and I promise you that no other football blogger goes there. This is because they are sensible and I am not. Thanks, as ever, for your interest. Credit to the clubs and the organisers for getting these games on. A tremendous effort.

https://modushopperrandom.blogspot.com/p/p-w-d-l-gc-cs-pts-ppg-red-11.html

 

 

Five-One to the Albions

  

Hopperational Details
Dates & Venues	Saturday 6 January 2024 at The Vestacare Stadium Sunday 7 January 2024 at The Hawthorns
Results	Avro FC 0 Witton Albion 1 West Bromwich Albion 4 Aldershot Town 1
Competition	Sat: Northern Premier League D1 West (Step 4) Sun: FA Cup Round 3
Hopstats	Saturday finds me at ground 773 on the lifetime list, and here because Avro made an early Game On declaration giving me enough time to make the journey north. Mind you, I needn’t have worried – this is a 3G surface. Sunday is a rite-of-passage game for the Yapps. I take over the Grandad role (which means a pocket full of half-time sweets) and join my son and grandson for the latter’s first-ever game. Three generations staying true to the family roots.
Context
Avro are performing very well in their first Step 4 season but maybe of late have struggled to convert draws to wins. Witton Albion are mid-table. West Bromwich Albion are in the Championship play-off positions but are likely to field a side of squad players for the FA Cup game against National League Aldershot. Aldershot have seen off Lewes, Swindon Town and Stockport County in earlier rounds. The Swindon game was a remarkable 7-4 scoreline, with the Shots having been 7-0 up.
In One Sentence Each
Witton Albion edged a very close encounter with a first-half goal, but were pushed to the end. West Bromwich Albion had a comfortable win built on two early goals, Aldershot’s consolation coming at the very end of stoppage time.
So What?
Avro drop to 5th but remain in the play-off places. Witton are three points behind, in 9th. WBA will await the fourth-round draw and Aldershot will concentrate on the FA Trophy in the first instance with a trip to Bishop’s Stortford next weekend.
Match Report : Avro v Witton
The only goal of the game came after 14 minutes. It was a really good finish by Harry Brazel. The ball sat up nicely for a first time low shot into the left corner. These two evenly-matched and well-organised sides then largely cancelled each other out. Witton’s keeper Ollie Martin made one block with his foot and his opposite number James Coates prevented a second Witton goal with a spectacular flying save as the first half ended. The second half started with chances at either end, but gradually Avro’s urgency started to dominate. Witton looked very solid in defence until 69 minutes had passed when Martin made the first of two exceptional saves in quick succession. This was a diving stop with a strong left arm. Avro continued to get the ball into the area and there were a couple of games of pinball which could easily have produced the equaliser. With eight minutes to go the floodlights went out and I wondered whether I would end up having to make this long journey again. My personal groundhopping rules have not yet been tested with an abandonment! Fortunately, illumination was soon restored, the Avro pressure was renewed and the Witton defences did enough. This was a very hard-earned three points for the visitors.
Ground Pix
The Vestacare Stadium has a good deal of character about it, with various types of locations for watching the game. Watch the potholes in the car park if you are coming for an evening game in the dark, though!
Match Pix
Avro in the black and blue stripes.
Match Report : WBA v Aldershot
This game has been well-covered in the mainstream media so I will merely add that the main interest was in the promising performances of a number of young debutants and squad players. The result wasn’t really in doubt once the Baggies were three up after half an hour. Tom Fellows on the right flank had been doing most of the damage, albeit in lots of space that he was allowed by the defence. The first goal was a peach of a finish from Nathaniel Chalobah. The second was a gift for Jovan Malcolm, and the third was a powerful instinctive finish from an inadvertent loose ball by Daryl Dike. This was Dike’s return from serious injury and he did not reappear for the second half. The visiting fans, not unreasonably it has to be said, gleefully gave us a rendition of, “Is this a Library?”. Fellows had to wait until the 88th minute before getting his name on the scoresheet and there was still time for a consolation for Aldershot’s Ollie Bray which took a bit of gloss off the result. Much of the game was played at training ground pace, and Albion conceded a fair bit of possession in the second half, playing on the break. Caleb Taylor looked comfortable on the right side of the back three in his second appearance, and there were five WBA debutants all told. The only one who won’t want to see the highlights again is Layton Love, who skied a good chance when through on the break. Job done, though, and we were at pains to point out to my grandson that … It. Is. Not. Always. Like. This. At. The. Albion.
Ground Pix
Tony Brown, Albion legend of 60s & 70s Boiler Man, current Albion legend. Or laughing stock. Fair play to Aldershot who filled the Smethwick End with 5700 fans
Match Pix
Aldershot in red.
Goalkeeper Top Colour Stats Update
Usually accompanied by a pre-match prediction on Threads just before kickoff. Working towards being able to compute a respectable test of statistical significance, it looks like an Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) test will be appropriate. The full keeper top performance table from my last 289 matches is here, on this separate page, and I’ll organise the test when we reach 300 pieces of evidence. This weekend Pink lost to Yellow on Saturday and Grey beat Green on Sunday. Pre-match Prediction based on Keeper Top Colour: Predictions: Home Win & Home Win Was the prediction correct? No (Sat) & Yes (Sun) % of correct predictions so far 48% (69 from 144)
What Next?
Unsure because we are in the weather-dependent segment of the season. I have to be in the Midlands again next weekend and will look to pick off another one of my 21 target Step 4 grounds if I can. My next chance to tick off Plymouth Parkway to complete Step 3 is not until the following week.

Biggleswade Don't Deliver the Goods

 

Hopperational Details
Date & Venue	1 January 2024 at JSJ Stadium, New Roker Park
Result	Stotfold 6 Biggleswade 0
Competition	Southern League Division 1 Central (Step 4)
Hopstats	Ground 772 on the lifetime list and I am here because Stotfold were able to confirm “Game On” before any of the other teams on today’s shortlist.
Context
A mid-table fixture with the visitors a little higher. A local derby (the teams are about six miles apart) for the bank holiday Monday. They haven’t yet played each other this season. Biggleswade not to be confused with either Biggleswade Town (also in this division) or Biggleswade United, playing at Step 5 in the Spartan South Midlands Premier. If there is a smaller town with three senior men’s teams, I’d be surprised.
In One Sentence
Game over after 15 minutes when the score was already 4-0.
So What?
13th and 11th at the end of the day but Biggleswade have played two games fewer.
Match Report
The first goal after five minutes was from Stotfold’s second good chance. The bad week for goalkeepers in Purple continued even after Tyler Josephs had made one good block. The second came almost immediately from a narrow angle, and the third was a surgical strike down the right leading to a crossfield pass with the scorer in square decametres of space (take that, Jacob Rees-Mogg). When the fourth went in from a superbly struck direct free-kick on the quarter-hour mark, I wondered why I was still standing as far away from the action as I could have been. The fifth was scored after 35 minutes, the ref playing advantage to good effect. So, half-time, and then the rains came. The playing and watching conditions after the interval were unpleasant and Stotfold charitably added just the one more. Biggleswade had been pretty toothless without looking dispirited, Stotfold had been clinical, Josephs had been very busy. For the record the goalscorers were: James Peters, Henry Snee, Callum Kane, Matt Ball, Robbie Buchanan and Snee again.
Ground Pix
Visit the Non-League Bins Facebook Group
Match Pix
Sorry about the quality. Stotfold in yellow-and-black.
Goalkeeper Top Colour Stats Update
Usually accompanied by a pre-match prediction on Threads just before kickoff. Working towards being able to compute a respectable test of statistical significance, it looks like an Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) test will be appropriate. The full keeper top performance table from my last 287 matches is here, on this separate page, and I’ll organise the test when we reach 300 pieces of evidence. Today a big win and a clean sheet for Grey over Purple. Pre-match Prediction based on Keeper Top Colour: Prediction: Home Win Was the prediction correct? Yes % of correct predictions so far (48%) 68 from 142
What Next?
Weather conditions will decide whether I can get to a Saturday game, but whatever happens I am heading for WBA v Aldershot on Sunday. My first visit to The Hawthorns for several seasons now, and my grandson’s first match. The West Brom genes have come good.

 

The Draw of the Other Baggies

Hopperational Details
Date & Venue	Saturday 30th December 2023 at The Operatix Stadium
Result	Badshot Lea 2 Thatcham Town 2
Competition	Isthmian League Division 1 South-Central
Hopstats	Ground 771 on the lifetime list and I am here pragmatically rather than randomly. I had a choice of seven Step 4 grounds but three were impractical given the weather forecast. Of the other four, Badshot Lea gave a very clear and early indication that the match was on, thanks to a team of club volunteers who had worked to remove surface water in time for a referee inspection.
Context
The two teams are around mid-table in their division. Badshot won the September game at Thatcham by a solitary goal. Thatcham drew their last fixture, while Badshot had a postponement. I’m West Brom born-and-bred but it was not until today that I found out that another team shares the nickname of “The Baggies”.
In One Sentence
An entertaining contrast in styles, rather ruined by atrocious weather conditions after the hour.
So What?
The teams end the day in 10th and 12th places respectively.
Match Report
This was hugely enjoyable for the first hour, but then you had to feel for the teams as the weather turned very unpleasant with incessant wind-driven rain. Thatcham took an early lead. I was just making a note about how measured and attractive was Badshot Lea’s approach play when they gave the ball away on the halfway line. David Nyarko pounced and was able to convert the one-on-one chance. The equaliser came very quickly though. From a corner, I heard the shout of “Keeper!” shortly before the sound of the ball hitting the back of the net. George Hedley had beaten him to the ball. I claim half an assist as the person who retrieved the ball before the corner was taken. Badshot Lea returned to their passing play, working one-twos and triangles around the flanks, but it was again from a breakdown that Thatcham restored their lead. Nyarko chased a long ball and scored from a tight angle. It needed two good blocks in quick succession to prevent an equaliser, and Cameron Rohart-Brown fired narrowly over the bar. The only other incident of note was a minor scuffle which led to a couple of cautions after the referee had consulted both assistants. This was at the far end from me so I can’t say much else but the chat was that the Thatcham player had raised his hands but there had also been an element of retaliation. Only they will know, The second half started with another timely Thatcham block, and their keeper was almost embarrassed by a high bounce. We saw an interesting freekick routine where the chance of a direct shot was spurned in favouir of a pass to the flank – it came to nothing. However, Badshot Lea got their second equaliser just after the hour, a composed finish by Baback Dehgani after another spell of pressure.   Deghani celebrates his goal The conditions began to worsen and rather undermined the home side’s attempt to regain superiority. Both teams made the best of the conditions and there were a few more half-chances. Overall, an enjoyable outing for the passing neutral despite a tedious journey around the M25 each way.
Ground Pix
Pay attention to the advice given on the website about access and parking. The postcode alone takes you to a narrow lane with no entry to the ground.
Match Pix
Badshot Lea in the claret and blue. Conditions were not conducive to good photographs today.
Goalkeeper Top Colour Stats Update
Usually accompanied by a pre-match prediction on Threads just before kickoff. Working towards being able to compute a respectable test of statistical significance, it looks like an Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) test will be appropriate. The full keeper top performance table from my last 286 matches is here, on this separate page, and I’ll organise the test when we reach 300 pieces of evidence. Today, a draw between Pink and Green. Pre-match Prediction based on Keeper Top Colour: Prediction: Away Win Was the prediction correct? No % of correct predictions so far 48% (67 from 141)
What Next?
It will be weather-dependent, but I hope to get in another ground from my Step 4 list on New Year’s Day, en route to the Midlands. Then the following weekend I will be at the FA Cup 3rd Round tie between West Brom and Aldershot – which will be my grandson’s first visit to the Hawthorns, and my first in the grandad role that was occupied in the 90s by my late father. No, you do not need to inform the NSPCC.