Sedge Have the Cutting Edge

 

Hopperational Details
Date & Venue	Saturday 30 October 2021 at The Clayborn Ground, Cleckheaton
Result	Liversedge 4 Scarborough Athletic 0
Competition	FA Trophy 3rd Qualifying Round
Hopstats	Ground 733 on the lifetime list, and I am here because of a pragmatic travel decision today. Only five grounds on my priority list were hosting a game. Two were in areas with a Met Office yellow warning, and this was the nearest of the other three, and the only one I could reach once I had waited to see whether there would be a pitch inspection.
Context
Liversedge are topping their division at Step 4 in one of the Northern Premier League’s lower divisions, whereas Scarborough Athletic are in Step 3 in the Northern Premier League itself. They occupy a mid-table position. Liversedge needed a 10-9 penalty shootout win to see off Clitheroe in the last round, and Scarborough enter the competition at this point. They are managed by Jonathan Greening, whom I saw play many times with distinction for West Brom back in the day.
In One Sentence
Scarborough missed their chances, and though Liversedge missed some too in the first half, in the end they inflicted a heavy defeat on the visitors.
So What?
You know the drill. Knockout football. Liversedge in the draw for the next round, Scarborough concentrating on the league.
Pre-match Entertainment
Nothing to report this week. Given the weather forecasts, I waited until the last minute before travelling. I would have liked to have visited the nearby Jo Cox memorial wood had there been time.
Match Report
There were several hopperatic types with cameras around the ground before kickoff, and I was pleased to cross paths with George of the @ManchopperBlog for the first time. For the passing neutral, this was a good game. Entertaining, end-to-end stuff, and it may be surprising that the visitors were not really out of it until the third goal went in. Having said that, it ended up being a bit too easy for Liversedge, and the visiting fans were making some loudly uncomplimentary views evident towards the end. The young children of Cleckheaton may have learned some new words in the process, shall we say. The teams changed ends after the coin toss. This might have been a stroke of genius on someone’s part because later on the low sun proved tricky for Scarborough’s keeper and defenders. Liversedge had the lead after 11 minutes. A free-kick was only partially cleared and Jack Stockdill’s shot sneaked in off the post. It really ought to have been two shortly afterwards but veteran keeper Michael Ingham was alert and came out to smother a heavy first touch by Nicky Walker. Scarborough clawed their way back into the game. Neat interchanges down the flanks looked good but caused no real defensive damage for the most part. Liversedge were defensively pragmatic and brave where necessary. The visitors had the ball in the net after space was found down the left by Colville but there was an offside flag. Then Liversedge keeper Jon Stewart needed to make a double save from Michael Coulson and Ryan Watson in rapid succession. When Nicky Walker hit the post after 36 minutes you started to wonder whether Liversedge would eventually be left to rue what might have been, especially as they missed two more chances before the break. Admittedly the final one for Paul Walker was from a very tight angle. The start to the second half was clearly going to be an important phase of the game. Coulson was booked for simulation in the penalty area and the Scarborough players were incensed. They surrounded the referee and there was a good deal of accusatory finger-pointing. I was probably the nearest spectator to the incident. Regular readers will know that’s unusual this season. For what it’s worth, I think the referee was right that it was not a penalty. The defender had not committed to any challenge and was stationary with both feet planted on the floor when Coulson ran into him. It was a simple collision rather than a deliberate foul and that is absolutely clear. I can’t really say whether the collision was then followed by a dive.   Liversedge’s second goal, with 54 minutes on the clock, therefore added to the tension. There was an element of fortune for Paul Walker as a clearance rebounded off him to give Ingham no chance. The game continued to be open, and Scarborough were still looking to score, and Stewart had to make another double block to protect the lead. Liversedge were also getting chances on the break and it seemed likely that there were more goals to come. When it did, it opened up the anti-management shouts from the visiting supporters. Scarborough were sliced open on a break down the right and then across to the centre where Ben Atkinson had all the time and space in the world to control and shoot to make it 3-0. The shouts intensified with about ten minutes left when Nicky Walker smashed in a tremendous shot from distance which did that wonderfully satisfying thing of hitting the post before going across the empty goal to the opposite corner. There was some more pushing and shoving in the closing moments leading to a yellow card for each side before the final whistle. You can’t really argue with a 4-0 scoreline but it felt like it should have been a 6-3. Mr Greening has a job on his hands. I suspect that his Liversedge counterpart Jonathan Rimmington will be somewhat chuffed that his side did such a demolition job on their higher-ranked opponents.
Match Pix
Liversedge in the blue-and-white.
Ground Pix
The ground is reached down a narrow lane (Quaker Lane) between houses that initially feels like your SatNav has landed you in trouble. The parking was well-organised by friendly stewards. The stadium has excellent views into the distance and a nice range of heights for watching the match, both covered and uncovered. It’s got a bit of character and quirkiness about it, and is all the better for it. A pre-match rainbow was a visual bonus.
Goalkeeper Top Colour Stats Update
Usually accompanied by a pre-match prediction on Twitter just before kickoff. Working towards being able to compute a respectable statistical significance test by the end of the season. The full keeper top performance table from my last 234 matches is here, on this separate page.   Today, Grey met Blue in a top-of-the-table clash and scored a win and a clean sheet. The overall colour league table positions remain unchanged. Pre-match Prediction based on Keeper Top Colour: Prediction: Home Win Was the prediction correct? Yes % of correct predictions so far 49% (44 from 89) Based on conventional 3pts for a win, 1pt for a draw, but also -1pt for a goal conceded (GC) and +5pts for a clean sheet (CS).  Colours ranked on a points per game (PPG) basis. The odd decimal places were caused either by undeniable half-and-half tops or lower league sub keepers in a different colour.  The Fire Cracker colour was confirmed with the help of the social media team at Dulux UK.  All of this arises from a comment attributed to Petr Cech (and supported by anonymous scientists of some description) that orange is the best colour for a goalkeeper because it changes the behaviour of other players around the box. It is supposedly because of an innate primeval human reaction to the colour and the colour “spreads” more in the vision of a striker at the key moment of decision. Genius or garbage? The evidence is gathering here, and is leaning towards the latter.
What Next?
Follow @GrahamYapp on Twitter! Provisional plan is to re-complete “everywhere in the top seven tiers” by going to Wimborne Town’s new ground next Saturday, but all will be dependent on weather (and CV19, of course). That will leave me fifteen Step 4 grounds to complete the eighth tier, one of which is Guernsey and will need a bit of planning.

Hebburn, I'm in Hebburn

 

This void represents the impact of a non-downloadable programme. Please, clubs, if you are going down the e-programme route, at least let us hoppers download it. The gaps in our physical collection are irritating but (with some exceptions) we understand it. It’s the souvenir that most of us want and need. Plus, your advertisers might realise soon just how little exposure they are getting for their money.

Hopperational Details
Date & Venue	Saturday 16 October 2021 at Green Energy Sports Ground
Result	Hebburn Town 2 Lincoln United 1
Competition	Northern Premier League Division One East (Step 4)
Hopstats	Ground 732 on my lifetime list is not a random choice. I’ve decided to pick off the longest remaining journey on my priority list, given that the weather forecast is not too bad. So it’s been another whizz up the East Coast main line from Stevenage courtesy of an LNER Azuma.
Context
14th v 13th. Hebburn are three points behind Lincoln but with a game in hand and a superior goal difference. Lincoln have been involved in some high scoring games. I don’t really have any further insight until I see what colour tops are worn by the goalkeepers …
In One (Long) Sentence
Given the number of good chances fluffed by Hebburn, probably the right result, but a first-minute yellow card proved to be a ticking time-bomb as it was followed by a second, and of course a red, just when United were improving.
So What?
The teams swop places and Hebburn are now ahead on goal difference.
Pre-match Entertainment
Trainspotting has been an accidental theme in recent weeks. This week, the Royal Train (but without royalty, I suspect) paused at Stevenage just before my train arrived. One dedicated spotter had turned up specially. No-one waved at us. Newcastle is a visually interesting city. Lots of fascinating architecture and street enhancements, and with an unusual physical arrangement of its bridges, which are also interesting in themselves. I spent a happy couple of hours just wandering around with a camera before a walk to the ground.
Match Report
I was pleased to find that the Belinda Carlisle song, “Heaven is a Place on Earth” features in the pre-match music just before the teams appear. I heartily approve of this punning opportunity, which meant that I was left with the Fred Astaire route for this post’s title. Once under way, Lincoln’s Josh Nichol got himself a very early yellow card for kicking the ball away to prevent a freekick being taken quickly. With less than two minutes on the clock, this would prove to be a bad decision later. Hebburn started well with good diagonal balls and intelligent runs. It only took eight minutes before they were in the lead. Olly Martin’s shot has been recorded for posterity as an own goal for Lincoln’s Owen Sheriff, but from my angle of view I missed the deflection. Hebburn kept pressing and Tom Potter tried to sneak a shot in at the near post when a cross looked the better option. Lincoln’s first shot was not until the 15th minute. Tobias Liversidge’s shot from distance drew a dive from home keeper Mark Foden, but it was always going wide. Hebburn’s next chance to extend the lead came in the 19th minute. Connor Bell, wearing number 9 but running into both left and right channels, played a delicious ball with the outside of his boot but Martin’s cushioned volley was too high. Another flick by Bell released Potter to set up Martin for another great chance. Not his day, as the one-on-one opportunity rolled just wide as Lincoln’s keeper Ellis Spencer came out to narrow the angle. Bell took matters into his own hands a few minutes before the interval. Receiving a ball over the top at the end of a curved run to avoid the offside, he drove in towards the goal, deceived the defender with a stepover and shot into the top corner.   This one went just wide ... Bell (centre) celebrates the second goal Lincoln improved after the break and I made a note that it would be “interesting” if they scored next. I was also happy that the referee’s assistant found the little plastic bit that had fallen off her flag during the first half. However, the visitors’ ambitions seemed to be undermined at first when Nichol made a poor last-man tackle and his second yellow card condemned him to a walk of shame back to the dressing rooms, waved off cheerily by a balcony full of home supporters. Hebburn, however, seemed determined to keep the game poised by missing chances. Dylan Archer became the next player to shoot over from close range, and then keeper Foden was needed to make a close-range reflex stop as Lincoln refused to lie down. When Rob Smith kept his composure for a cool finish to pull a goal back, the match was still alive with just over ten minutes to go. As was the theme of the day, Hebburn stayed charitable. Sub Amar Purewal headed wide and then the same player seemed to scuff another chance just after – that was at the far end from me so I can’t be totally certain what happened – but fortunately the home side kept enough possession in the closing minutes to see out the game and take the points. Lincoln can’t really complain on the total balance of play and chances. A good entertaining game for this passing neutral.
Match Pix
Hebburn in gold and black stripes.
Ground Pix
As is my recent habit, I walked to the ground from Newcastle central station, taking just over an hour and a quarter. The walk along the south bank of the Tyne is a mix of industrial area and woodland, and would not be one for a wet day or an evening game. I used the excellent Metro later for the journey back into Newcastle. This is a smart and well-equipped ground with some further upgrading in progress, overlooked by the balcony of a modern social club building. I lost count of the number of times the club crest appears around the site, certainly more badge branding than any other ground I’ve ever seen. I believe the archway visible at one end to be the entrance to Hebburn Cemetery,
Goalkeeper Top Colour Stats Update
Usually accompanied by a pre-match prediction on Twitter just before kickoff. Working towards being able to compute a respectable statistical significance test by the end of the season. The full keeper top performance table from my last 233 matches is here, on this separate page. Today, true to shirt form, Green beats Radioactive Bile, but no clean sheets and no change to the colour positions.  Pre-match Prediction based on Keeper Top Colour: Prediction: Home Win Was the prediction correct? Yes % of correct predictions so far 49% (43 from 88) Based on conventional 3pts for a win, 1pt for a draw, but also -1pt for a goal conceded (GC) and +5pts for a clean sheet (CS).  Colours ranked on a points per game (PPG) basis. The odd decimal places were caused either by undeniable half-and-half tops or lower league sub keepers in a different colour.  The Fire Cracker colour was confirmed with the help of the social media team at Dulux UK.  All of this arises from a comment attributed to Petr Cech (and supported by anonymous scientists of some description) that orange is the best colour for a goalkeeper because it changes the behaviour of other players around the box. It is supposedly because of an innate primeval human reaction to the colour and the colour “spreads” more in the vision of a striker at the key moment of decision. Genius or garbage? The evidence is gathering here, and is leaning towards the latter.
What Next?
Follow @GrahamYapp on Twitter! Family commitments next weekend but should be back on the Step 4 hopping trail somewhere at the end of the month.

 

Gloucester 'Ave A New Manager, Avenue Manage A Point

 

Hopperational Details
Date & Venue	Saturday 9 October 2021 at New Meadow Park
Result	Gloucester City 0 Bradford PA 0
Competition	National League North (Step 2)
Hopstats	Ground 731 on my lifetime list is not random at all. It’s the only current unvisited Step 2 ground on my list. Gloucester City went through many years of groundsharing after catastrophic flooding at their former home, and this is their first season with a home of their own since 2007. This hop restores "The 160" for me, except that it is currently "The 158" after the demise of Macclesfield Town and Bury, leaving two divisions of the pyramid one club short for this season.
Context
Neither side is setting the division alight, and Gloucester have had a recent change of manager after four consecutive league defeats, parting company with ex-WBA player Paul Groves. This is a game of 21st plays 18th but we can be encouraged by the fact that a recent meeting between the teams ended up in a 4-4 goalfest. (Post-match edit: I jinxed it…) Both sides are likely to start with at least one debutant.
In One Sentence
Bradford’s defence is not easily breached, and when it was, the woodwork was in the way.
So What?
It’s now 20th and 18th respectively for these two sides, but still only about one-fifth of the season completed.
Pre-match Entertainment
Firstly, a trip to the Jet Age Museum which is at the boundary edge of Gloucester Airport, a few miles outside the city. The volunteers who run the place deserve a mention. This is another little gem of a collection with both local and national interest, with the artefacts displayed and explained to a high standard. Well worth a visit and a voluntary donation. Flying visits – literally – are possible if you taxi your plane off the runway at the right point!   Secondly a walk around the redeveloped dock area and the city centre. It’s quite possible my great-great-great grandfather Jasper Saul, a horse-trader turned boatman, passed through here working the boats up towards the West Midlands, where he eventually settled on Canal Side Cottages near the phosphorus works in Oldbury.
Match Report
I suppose it is one of life’s inevitabilities that substitutes are more likely to kick a ball out of the ground than the chosen eleven. Just before kickoff, I really felt for the Bradford official (or volunteer) that had to slosh around in the mud puddles on wasteland behind the stand when his team’s hapless subs launched several footballs out of the ground in quick succession. The home side, under the new interim management of Lee Mansell, started well and their first ping of the crossbar came via Leon Chambers-Parillion after only six minutes. However, for the next half-hour the teams largely cancelled each other out. Midfield was congested. Gloucester were slightly more adept at working triangles and reaching the byline, but with no end product. Kevin Dawson completed one such run just before the half-hour but no-one was there for his pull back. At the other end, home keeper Jake Cole was untroubled by Dylan Mottley-Henry’s header as it drifted wide. Neither keeper had been really tested until Bradford’s Jonathan Saltmer had to be alert to push away an effort from close range after a long throw had caused problems. Gloucester were on top for these closing minutes of the first half and it took both a good saving tackle from Luca Havern and the width of a post to deny them. An excellent shot from distance hit the woodwork and Saltmer showed good reactions to catch and smother the rebound. The second half followed a similar pattern but Bradford continued to be well-organised defensively. Again the sides rather neutralised each other in the middle third. A superb flowing move from the right flank led to Gloucester hitting the bar again through Jordan Young. By now I was resigned to a nil-nil scoreline, though Bradford did cause a few scary moments in the closing minutes. At one point keeper Jake Cole was treated by the physios having ended up flat out in the goal net. There were several minutes of added time before the final whistle confirmed a share of the points.
Match Pix
Gloucester City in red.
Ground Pix
Tidy and well-appointed as you would expect, with an artificial surface. Good montage of flags and banners at the T-End. I parked at the Castle Mead Way car park which was £6 for the day. It was close to the docks and centre for my pre-match perambulations and about 10-15 minutes from the stadium.
Goalkeeper Top Colour Stats Update
Usually accompanied by a pre-match prediction on Twitter just before kickoff. Working towards being able to compute a respectable statistical significance test by the end of the season. The full keeper top performance table from my last 232 matches is here, on this separate page. Today, two colours from the top end of the table share the points and both get a clean sheet. No change in the positions. Pre-match Prediction based on Keeper Top Colour: Prediction: Home Win Was the prediction correct? No % of correct predictions so far 48% (42 from 87) Based on conventional 3pts for a win, 1pt for a draw, but also -1pt for a goal conceded (GC) and +5pts for a clean sheet (CS).  Colours ranked on a points per game (PPG) basis. The odd decimal places were caused either by undeniable half-and-half tops or lower league sub keepers in a different colour.  The Fire Cracker colour was confirmed with the help of the social media team at Dulux UK.  All of this arises from a comment attributed to Petr Cech (and supported by anonymous scientists of some description) that orange is the best colour for a goalkeeper because it changes the behaviour of other players around the box. It is supposedly because of an innate primeval human reaction to the colour and the colour “spreads” more in the vision of a striker at the key moment of decision. Genius or garbage? The evidence is gathering here, and is leaning towards the latter.
What Next?
Follow @GrahamYapp on Twitter! As it happens I have only one new ground to restore complete coverage of Step 3, and that is Wimborne Town. My next realistic chance to go there is not until 6th November due to other commitments, so in the meantime I might be able to pick off another Step 4 ground or two by randomish means. On my list, Guernsey is the ground that will need most forward planning (and expense).