Singing the Blues' Praises

Hopperational details
Date & Venue	Saturday 9 April 2016 at Hanbury Stadium
Result	Haywards Heath Town 5 Mile Oak 1
Competition	Southern Combination League D1 (Step 6)
Hopping	Ground 585 on the lifetime list, here because of the postponement of the Isthmian League fixture at Burgess Hill Town.
Pre-match preparation
All rendered irrelevant by a pitch inspection while I was crawling round the dreaded M25 in the Yappmobile.  I was headed for Burgess Hill v Hendon which was called off late morning.  Most hoppers will know that dawning realisation on pulling on to a car park which looks worryingly empty.  This happened to me at 2.25pm so it was very much a quick look at the map and the fixtures for the next tier.  Haywards Heath jumped out as reachable and I made it with ten minutes to spare but having no idea whatsoever of the context for the fixture.  Thank you to Doris the Satnav for a flawless performance.  The first clue was the visitors forming a guard of honour for the hosts as I took my place in the stand.  First impressions of this club were very favourable and the standard of the surface deserves a mention.  Sorry that I didn't realise that the league trophy was being presented after the game or I'd have stayed a bit longer.
This match in one sentence
A comprehensive home win for the divisional champions.
So what?
The almost-invincibles of Haywards Heath will have three more celebratory games.  Mile Oak’s promotion hopes are mathematically still alive.  This groundhopper's day was rescued from disaster.
The drama unfolds
A quick look at the programme during the early exchanges confirmed that the hosts had won the league two games ago by beating today’s opponents 4-0 away.  In fact they have won 27 (twenty-seven!) in a row after losing the first game of the season, and not conceded a goal in eight.  Impressive.  Mile Oak just about have a mathematical interest in promotion from third place, but they would need a win today.  This looked unlikely from the outset as Haywards Heath contrived to miss a number of chances.  Number 9 Max Miller caught the eye as he created chances for Freddie Barker (skied) and Danny Turner (just couldn’t make contact) whilst hitting the post himself in between. Into low-earth orbit for this early chance ... Haywards Heath were on top but it took an odd goal to break the deadlock.  Mile Oak’s keeper Aaron Stenning came out into the sweeper position but his clearance went to the left wing, and the ball was hit in from a fair distance by Jamie Weston.  They got a second through Miller almost immediately despite Stenning getting a hand to his shot.  2-0 after 36 minutes Two minutes before half-time and in a goalmouth siege, Haywards Heath hit both posts but from a neutral’s perspective the game was kept alive in first-half stoppage time.  The home defence allowed a left-wing cross which was buried by Eric Wedge-Bull at the far post.  2-1 at half-time The Mile Oak comeback was snuffed out by Miller with a nicely-worked goal early in the second half.  They then added two more late on. Fullback Scott Marshall looked as surprised as anyone when his excellent shot made it four, and then sub Alfie Rogers scored the fifth. It sealed a comprehensive win for the champions who will go up to step 5 next season.  Final Score 5-1 Number 2 is mobbed for scoring number four Number five is scored ... ... and celebrated
Ground Pix
Only the lower half of the main stand is in use at the moment
Match Pix
Haywards Heath are The Blues.
Five Years of Modus Hopper Random
Five years to the day since my first game on Faroese soil and the start of a sequence of blogposts that still gets more hits than anything else I have ever written. http://modushopperrandom.blogspot.co.uk/2011/04/another-northern-league-day.html
Goalkeeper Top Colour Stats
Green versus green so nothing gained or lost today.
What Next?
Watch @GrahamYapp on Twitter for details!  New term starts on Monday and it will be a last-minute decision next Saturday given that it is GCSE coursework moderation week.

Recipe for a Norfolk Stuffing

Hopperational details
Date & Venue	Friday 8 April 2016 at The Recreation Ground, Mundford Road
Result	Thetford Town 4 Gorleston 0
Competition	Eastern Counties Premier Division (Step 5)
Hopping	Ground 584, chosen because it was a match that mattered to at least one of the teams involved.
Pre-match preparation
This is Thetford Town’s last home game of the season – their other four are all away, and they are uncomfortably close to the relegation zone.  This is a division of twenty teams, and if the same history applies as in that other Premier League, Thetford are still ten short of forty points.  Gorleston have done enough to be safe in lower-mid table, and Thetford won the reverse fixture fairly recently.  It feels like a “must win” for the home side otherwise there could be an uncomfortable ending to the season.
This match in one sentence
A hard-fought first half eventually led to a comfortable win even before home supporters provoked the visiting keeper into his own red mist.
So what?
That's thirty-three points for Thetford, who are more likely now go on to keep their Premier Division place and further fixtures with Gorleston.  Relegation rivals Swaffham Town, 5pts behind but with a game in hand, have lost eight in a row.
The drama unfolds
Both teams started at a good pace.  Gorleston’s defence looked solid early on and they had the first real chance, Keegan Middleton flicking the ball to himself and creating the chance for a left-footer just wide.  The first of several niggles came midway through the half.  A Gorleston player made a miracle recovery after a tackle that earned a yellow card for the defender.  Yes, an uncontrollable lunge, but someone has been watching too much Match of the Day.  Thetford gradually got on top territorially but could not create the end product.  Then out of nowhere, Gorleston pinged the woodwork as the game neared the interval.  In stoppage time, Thetford won a freekick on the edge of the box and here is what happened.  For some reason (incompetence!) I did not make a note of the scorer so will edit when the official result is published. 1-0  at half-time Gorleston started the second half well but then conceded a scruffy close-range goal.  I think the scorer was Joe Allen but would stand to be corrected.  2-0 after 51 mins Insult was added to injury when they were then caught on the break.  Robbie Priddle timed his run to perfection and scored with a low shot to remove any doubt about the destination of the points.  3-0 after 61 mins The game looked as if it was petering out when the visiting keeper Taurean Molloy reacted to a spectator behind the goal.  It is almost certain that something provocative was said, and it is certain that the keeper moved towards the spectator and instigated a physical contact.  Thetford players got between the spectators and other Gorleston players, and to be fair they seemed to be defusing the situation quickly. The ref really had no choice but to produce a straight red, and from where I was sitting it looked as if the keeper then made contact with the ref’s arm before being ushered away by other players.  I thought it strange that he was eventually escorted from the field with the arm of the HOME number 8 around his shoulder.  It all left a rather sour taste.  There is no doubt that the home club regulars would be able to identify the agent provocateur. When Gorleston headed a good chance over the bar with a minute left, it summed up their night.  There was time for a sub to belt in a fourth goal past the replacement keeper (defender Dan Goodrum) in stoppage time.  Final score 4-0 There was plenty of whooping and hollering from the home dressing room as I left the ground.  That’s what it must mean when you keep your place in the Premier League.
Ground Pix
I really wanted to avoid county stereotypes but this was the first thing I noticed on arrival.  Maybe the placement next to the tea bar is a coincidence.  To be fair, it must be a relevant advert in these parts but I was really bemused even more by the cartoon image of the scientist on the left.
Match Pix
Five Years of Modus Hopper Random
A five-goal thriller from exactly three years ago as London Tigers won at Holmer Green in the Spartan South Midlands League. http://modushopperrandom.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/holmer-green-party-thwarted-by-tiger.html
Goalkeeper Top Colour Stats
This will properly mess up my spreadsheet.  No doubt that the home side’s orange earns the win and the clean sheet.  The original visiting keeper wore white and conceded three of the goals before dismissal after 78 minutes.  The replacement (one of the original outfielders) wore blue and conceded one.
What Next?
Burgess Hill Town v Hendon on Saturday for another step 3 tick.  Watch @GrahamYapp on Twitter for details!

Salford City - Industry, Integrity and Different Gravy

Hopperational details
Date & Venue	Saturday 2 April 2016 at Moor Lane
Result	Salford City 5 Grantham Town 0
Competition	Northern Premier League (Step 3)
Hopping	Ground 583, my first match of 2016 (work reasons) and chosen for convenience from my hoppriority list of ten unvisited Step 3 grounds because I am in the area for other reasons.
Pre-match preparation
I have been paying just enough attention in recent months to notice that Salford are having a good season, and had a decent FA Cup run with TV exposure too.  They are now in a good position to make the playoffs.  One of the co-owners, a certain Gary Neville, may be at a loose end this weekend after leaving Valencia.  This game might not be as easy as the league table suggests as 3rd play 14th.  Salford have won five and drawn one of their last seven league games, and have not conceded a goal in four.  Grantham are unbeaten in their last eight, and have five odd-goal wins and three draws.  I am expecting a competitive, close encounter rather than a one-sided goalfest.
This match in one sentence
A one-sided goalfest.
So what?
The title remains a mathematical possibility but that will probably go to either Blyth or Darlington, depending on the latter’s games in hand.  Salford’s playoff place is in their own hands now with four games to go as they sit 3rd. Grantham look to be safe in mid-table, remaining 14th today,
The drama unfolds
14 mins: a cross from the right-wing was only partly cleared and the ball fell nicely for James Poole who finished beautifully from the 18-yard line.  1-0 27 mins: the hosts doubled their lead with an even better goal from Danny Webber, who curled a right-footer beyond the reach of the Grantham keeper Jake Turner.  2-0 37 mins: the first real chance of note for Grantham Town but Jay Lynch made the block save at his near post – a goal there might just have changed the game.  2-0 at half-time 51 mins: a good tip-over-the-bar save from Turner as Salford continued to threaten. 67 mins: Turner makes two saves in quick succession but eventually pressure led to a brave headed goal by Jordan Hulme.  3-0 79 mins: Grantham were not coping with Salford’s one-touch play in an around the box and another teasing right-wing cross was headed home by Hulme.  4-0 87 mins:  Salford were in no mood for scoring scruffy goals and sub Evan Gumbs fires a grasscutter from distance into the corner.  5-0 This was a very impressive performance from Salford.  Hulme was denied his hat-trick first by Turner then by the post in stoppage time.  Grantham’s day was worsened by a late injury to Lee Shaw which looked like it ended in a visit to hospital.  Final score 5-0
Ground Pix
Forget everything that we thought we knew about Northern Powerhouse economics.  With a price structure like this we should all be selling the Bolivian zinc and investing in the Northern Gravy futures market.
Match Pix
Something You Don’t Get in the Premier League
I can only assume that this is traditional solid Northern careers advice for any youngsters tempted by a move to that London town:
Goalkeeper Top Colour Stats
Blue beats purple and has a clean sheet too.  Updated points table at some unspecified point in the future!
What Next?
Watch @GrahamYapp on Twitter for details!  I can’t tell you how much I enjoyed my first game of 2016.  One day I will restore some work-life balance and pick up the random groundhopping trail again.