Colliers Go Down in the FA Cup

 

Front page of e-Programme (downloadable pdf)

Hopperational Details
Date & Venue	Saturday 22 August 2026 at Woodhorn Lane
Result	Ashington 2 Thornaby 3
Competition	FA Cup Preliminary Round
Hopstats	Ground #814 on the lifetime list and I’m here because it’s a good day weather-wise for a long drive and this is the furthest ground of my season priorities that is hosting a game today. I’m also very fond of early-season FA Cup games.
Context
Step 4 Northern Premier League Division One East hosts Step 5 Northern League Division One. Ashington beat Hordern CW 2-0 and Thornaby won 1-0 at Guisborough Town in the previous round.
Match Report
This was a good game for the passing neutral. Ashington almost gifted Thornaby an early lead by losing the ball in a dangerous central area with the keeper out of position, but calmed themselves by taking the lead themselves in the 11th minute. Good play down their left flank led to the ball being rolled gently past the visiting keeper Sam Taylor into the far corner, but it came back of the post. A valiant attempted block could only deflect Jamie Holmes’ shot into the roof of the net. Mid-way through the first half, Thornaby were level, slightly against the run of play. Home keeper Matty Alexander was judged to have brought down Spencer Walker as he was rounded. It looked a soft one, admittedly from the other end of the stadium, but Walker himself made no mistake from the spot. Alexander was soon called into action again with a good low save to keep the scores level but there was still no sign of what was to come later. Ashington led 2-1 at half-time when Craig Spooner scored with a well-placed shot after 37 minutes after another fluid build-up. My notes say that the scoreline felt right. Ashington had definitely had the better of the first 45 minutes, usually just missing the clinical final pass after some good approach work. Thornaby’s second equaliser came from the first corner of the half, just a minute after the restart. A textbook header from Jacob Thompson brought the scores level again. Thompson's header hits the back of the net in the 46th minute Thornaby were now gradually to take control of the game and on the hour Walker gave them the lead with a well-taken goal and the tide had turned. There was still plenty of time but Ashington struggled to get the final ball into the box to make Taylor work harder except for one good save in the closing stages. For the last few minutes Thornaby sat back more and played on the break and took the ball to the corners when they could. In this game of two halves you have to say they deserved their win.
So What?
Cliché time – Thornaby into the proverbial hat for the First Round Qualifying.
Pre-match Entertainment
No time at all after a 5hr journey! Caught up with the global news via the BBC World Service en route. What depressing times we live in.
Pix
Goalkeeper Top Colour Stats Update
The background to this, and the latest keeper top colour league table, is here on this dedicated page. Today we had Green (Matty Alexander) v Orange (Sam Taylor). Five consecutive incorrect predictions in a row equals the longest streak in my long sequence but as any mathematician will tell you these are independent events and this has no bearing on the odds for or the outcome of the next game. Pre-match Prediction based on Keeper Top Colour: Prediction: Home Win Was the prediction correct? No % of correct predictions so far 48% (106 from 219)
What Next?
No specific plans as yet. Step 3 priorities will be Redcar Athletic and Worcester City to complete that level, also Liverpool Women (at St Helen’s RLFC) in the WSL. Then there are 30 unvisited grounds at Step 4.

 

Tidings of Runcorn and Joie

 

e-Programme front cover from Runcorn

 

Hopperational Details
Dates & Venues	Saturday 27 September 2025 at the Apec Taxis Stadium, Stockham Lane and Sunday 28 September 2025 at the Joie Stadium, Manchester
Results	Runcorn Linnets 1 Ashton United 1 & Manchester City Women 4 London City Lionesses 1
Competitions	FA Cup 3rd Round Qualifying and Women’s Super League respectively
Hopstats	Grounds 809 & 810 on the lifetime list and I am here for the logistic chance of a north-west weekend double after a last-minute window of opportunity opened up for me to travel.
Contexts
Linnets, of Step 4, have beaten Clitheroe (H, 1-0), Whitchurch Alport (A, 3-0), West Didsbury & Chorlton (A, 2-0) and Pickering Town (A, 2-0) in earlier rounds to set up this tie against Step 3 opponents. United entered two rounds later and have seen off Hallam (A, 2-2 & H, 2-0) and Scarborough Athletic (H, 2-0). In the Sunday game, Manchester City Women will be hoping to mount a title challenge again whereas Lionesses are newly-promoted (but well-financed).
Match Reports
The Runcorn game started brightly – no cagey openings here. Both teams and the referee sought to set the tone and Linnets’ Matty Rain received an early yellow card. Fortunately, no later card for him although there were several more during the afternoon. Ashton looked more threatening and were unlucky not to take an 11th minute lead when a deflection bounced up nicely for the home keeper. Linnets’ Scott Bakkor joined Rain in the ref’s notebook for dissent and I began to wonder whether a red card would change this game – but as it happened, no. It all continued as a good contest with the Step 3 visitors on top but creating no more clear chances. Runcorn started to show their own ambition and needed to snuff out an Ashton break when they had left themselves exposed. Then with 43 minutes gone, a magnificent save by Ashton’s Jordan Eastham kept out Peter Wylie’s header. This was a one-handed flyer of a save, quite magnificent. However, Runcorn did score in the final minute of the first half through Ryan Brooke – the proverbial team-talk changer and the pyramid underdogs ahead at the break. Linnets had Declan McLoughlin to thank for a goalline clearance early in the second half. The swirling and gusty breeze was strengthening somewhat and Ashton’s first corner had caused defensive chaos. Jason Gilchrist then went close for Ashton before Runcorn hit the bar at the other end, that chance being created after good work down the right flank by Joe Ferguson right in front of me. The home side had grown in stature during the afternoon. Subs began to be deployed and Ashton added height with Tom Denton, although the breeze meant that picking him out was going to be tricky. As we entered the final minutes even Eastham joined the attack and might have been caught out from distance on one occasion. In a crazy and frantic few minutes there was a brilliant block by Adam Rooney. It was 90+4 on my watch before Gilchrist punctured the Runcorn defence with the Ashton equaliser. I love a footballing cliché, me, and both teams will feel they should have won this. A really good contest for the passing neutral. Scroll down for pix. My Sunday WSL game will have been well-covered elsewhere for anyone interested so I will be brief. The Joie is an impressive facility as part of the Etihad complex. This was a routine win for Manchester City in the end, whose first half moments of class set up goals for Vivienne Miedema and Laura Blindkilde Brown. Nikita Parris pulled one back for London as City didn’t always look comfortable at the back. It has to be said that there would be more atmosphere, however, on Mars compared with other top WSL games that I have watched recently at Chelsea (both venues), Arsenal (Emirates), Manchester United (Leigh) and West Ham. It was cathedral-like at times as Bunny Shaw added two second-half penalties for the home side. With Arsenal faltering with a couple of early-season draws, City remain best-placed to challenge Chelsea for the title. Two more early-career graduates regret not choosing maths, physics or chemistry
So What?
Runcorn and Ashton replay on Tuesday. Manchester City women are currently third and London City are ninth (of twelve) in the WSL.
Pre-and Post-match Entertainment
Too much time in the car, sadly. Only just made it in time for Linnets and on Sunday the Yappmobile in-car GPS more or less gave up trying to advise me on lane discipline in Manchester, leaving me to fend for myself at some interesting interchanges with vehicles coming at me from all sides like wasps to a jamjar. Then it was almost five hours back home with the Ryder Cup singles on the radio.
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Linnets in yellow (of course).
Goalkeeper Top Colour Stats Update
The background to this, and the latest keeper top colour league table, is here on this dedicated page. On Saturday, Orange and Blue shared the spoils. On Sunday, Pink beat Yellow. However, no clean sheets for anyone. Pre-match Predictions based on Keeper Top Colour: Predictions: Away Win (Sat) and Home Win (Sun) Was the prediction correct? No & Yes % of correct predictions so far 48% (94 from 197)
What Next?
Forward planning and commitment impossible at the moment, so watch out for a last-minute decision for Saturday. The #keepertopcolourstats prediction goes out in the toxic wasteland of Twitter/X (@ModusHRandom) just before kickoff and no-one reads it except Elon Musk, I think. My hopping priorities when the chances arise are Everton (Premier League), Worcester City (Step 3), Liverpool Women’s WSL home in St Helens and 30 Step 4 grounds.

 

Shaftesbury Have a New Drawing-Frome Drama

Hopperational Details
Date & Venue	Saturday 13th September 2025 at Coppice Street
Result	Shaftesbury 1 Frome Town 1
Competition	FA Cup 2nd Round Qualifying
Hopstats	Ground 807 on the lifetime list.
Context
A clash between two Step 4 teams from the Southern League Division One South. This is Shaftesbury’s 10th game of the season, six of which have been in the knockout competitions. They have scored a fair few goals in the early games. A 5-0 replay win over Baffins Milton Rovers in the Extra Preliminary Round of the FA Cup followed a 1-1 draw. They then disposed of Thatcham Town (4-0 at home) and Exmouth (2-0 away) in the next two rounds to set up this tie, pausing only to win at Bristol Manor Farm in the FA Trophy. With three wins out of four league games, it’s fair to say they are enjoying a good start to the season among the leading scorers. Frome have three wins from three games in the league. In the FA Cup, they get here with a home win over Newquay in the Preliminary Round followed by a 4-0 win at Plymouth Parkway. The only blip in their season is a Trophy loss at Winchester last weekend, otherwise it’s an impressive defensive record.
Match Report
As a passing neutral, the best games are those in which the result is in doubt right to the end, and this ticked all those boxes. Tense at times, punctuated by sunshine and sharp showers, it was compelling. It could have been 1-1 after one minute. Shaftesbury hit the post with their first attack, and then the Frome keeper was in action at the other end to deal with a looping deflection. After that manic start, the game settled into mutual cancellation in midfield until Frome flashed a ball straight through the home six-yard box in the 29th minute. As we approached half-time, Shaftesbury forced some corners but they were well-defended. Then, one of those things that the young people of today call worldies. A home attack on the left flank broke down, the ball was recycled into midfield, and Alefe Santos, in plenty of space and time, fired a long-distance shot into the far right to break the match deadlock. At first, the second half followed the same pattern. The teams traded chances. Shaftesbury’s Brandon Mundy volleyed just wide and then a Frome cross was just a fraction too high for a heading opportunity. I noted that, “S will need a second (goal) here” as Frome gradually came to dominate the possession and territory. I was soon to add, “How have F not scored?”. Frome’s David Duru had an interesting few minutes. It was his persistence that created that chance, needing an amazing goalline block and clearance from a home defender to deny Charlie Holliday. This was followed by an attempted overhead kick – spectacular but wide – before he was floored with a head injury. He left the field after lengthy patching-up work and the added time was to become a big part of today’s story. Frome should have levelled sooner but substitute Sam Meakes hit the post when through one-on-one. We had goalmouth pinball, we had another pullback from Meakes go astray just behind the attacker when it should have been easier to score. It looked as if Frome were out of luck. Maybe Shaftesbury could have been better at so-called “game management”. However. At 5.03pm Meakes planted an unstoppable header from a right-wing cross to earn a deserved replay. As we left, someone loudly berated the referee about the added time to which he quipped back about giving value for money. I suspect he’s used that line before. There had been 14 or 15 minutes of added time, on top of the 4 or 5 from the first half. I won’t be able to get to the replay, but I’ll certainly look for the result. #sorrynotsorry about the blogpost title, but I have to have a pun (or two) in here somewhere, it’s the rule. It only works if you pronounce Frome like the locals!
So What?
Replay at Frome Town on Wednesday 17 September at 7.45pm.
Pre-match Entertainment
Nothing whatsoever, no time. Diversion from Hertfordshire via M4 due to closure of the M3, so yet another morning spent bumper-to-bumper on the dreaded M25 western section before joining the queue to crawl past Stonehenge on the A303. Witnessed some terrible and discourteous driving too. The other undoubted attractions of Shaftesbury will have to wait, sorry.
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Shaftesbury in red-and-white.
Goalkeeper Top Colour Stats Update
The background to this, and the latest keeper top colour league table, is here on this dedicated page. Today Yellow v Green, same as last night (West Ham Women 1-5 Arsenal Women). My last 339 games have contributed to the table. Pre-match Prediction based on Keeper Top Colour: Prediction: Away Win Was the prediction correct? No % of correct predictions so far 48% (93 from 194)
What Next?
Not sure. Schoolwork demands really kicking in now so a lot will depend on the weather and whether my GCSE physics students have dogs with an appetite for homework.

 

Hard to See Any Silver Lining for Becks This Time

Hopperational Details
Date & Venue	Saturday 30 August at Eden Park Avenue
Result	Beckenham Town 2 Egham Town 3
Competition	FA Cup 1st Round Qualifying
Hopstats	Ground 805 on the lifetime list.
Context
Both teams play at Step 4 but in different divisions within the Isthmian League. Neither team has started that well in the league, with both looking for a first win, but in knockout games Beckenham won 1-0 at Hassocks in the preliminary round. This is Egham’s fourth FA Cup game of the season. They won 1-0 at Northwood in the extra preliminary round and then needed a replay to beat Corinthian convincingly 4-0 after a 2-2 draw. They are, however, already out of the FA Trophy after a home defeat by Margate.
Match Report
Spacetime is bent in Beckenham. You see the ground on the left as the train pulls into the station from London and when you turn left in the subway you’ll be on the wrong side of the tracks in suburbia. Never mind, just a slightly longer pre-match stroll as a result, and then you see how close the clubhouse is to the trainline. Nice ground, friendly welcome, printed programme, the comfiest clubhouse seats of all time, bit of a slope on the pitch. All good. I check the teams on soc med and note that Egham (The Sarnies) have a “Starting IX” which if true is going to make life difficult. Then the fun starts on the pitch. Grimly fascinating for this passing neutral but entirely frustrating for supporters of both teams. As an honest blogger, I have to record that this was technically the poorest game I’ve seen this season – so many unforced errors, but so many chances created. The xG calculators would be in meltdown. Not too much playing out from the back, but channels, aerial battles and second balls. Both teams have at least a couple of direct runners. Very hard-fought and competitive. Great stuff. Becks should have been more comfortably ahead at the interval. Tyler Tobin, in purple in the Sarnies’ goal, was busy. He made a great save with his legs on 16 minutes from Louie Theophanous, but it should have been a goal. Just before the half-hour Tobin was adjudged to have brought down an attacker at the byeline. He redeemed himself superbly by blocking both Theophanous’ spot-kick and Steve Townsend’s rebound. Although Egham fashioned their best chance just before the break with a glancing header from a freekick, instead of 2-0 it was still 0-0 when the whistle went. Becks made two changes to their lineup and then lost defender Mudiaga Wanogho to injury. Meanwhile, Egham had reminded us of their presence by almost scoring from a corner. On the hour, the first goal. Egham lost the ball in a central position and Theophanous found himself in the clear. This time he buried the chance. He would shoot wide on the break again before the equaliser came. The lead had lasted five manic minutes. Egham substitute Luke Hennaghan had a shot deflected just wide as the visitors responded. He then rolled in a penalty given for handball – there had been a goalline clearance but I think the offence must have been just before that, I can’t be certain. However, 1-1 and now a very open game, and just two more minutes this time before Hennaghan turned the scoreline around with a very cool finish. Now, with Becks having to press forward, the chance and unforced error count went even higher. An Egham defender completely missed a kick. Both teams fluffed one-on-ones. Egham’s Connor Cullen could (should?) have had a couple of goals as the home defence weakened, one effort shaving the post. Finally, with just a few minutes left he tucked away the third goal. We weren’t finished. Theophanous scored again as we entered stoppage time, and even then there was time for another half chance. Egham held on for the win. Both teams will feel that they should have won this more comfortably, it was that kind of game. I ended my day with a cross-London walk between my trains, as usual trying to think of the traditional pun for the post’s title. Decide to go with an obscure musical reference rather than something about takeaways and sarnies. Thanks, as ever, for reading. Follow @ModusHRandom for more of this stuff - current follower count stands at ... 1 ... after I abandoned my previous account on there.
So What?
Beckenham have a midweek league game before they go to Northwood in the FA Trophy next Saturday. Egham go into the proverbial hat for the next round and may not play again until mid-Sept unless something is rearranged.
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Beckenham in Orange, Egham in Green.  First part of Tyler Tobin's double save to deny Becks The equaliser
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 played Purple. Pre-match Prediction based on Keeper Top Colour: Prediction: Home Win Was the prediction correct? No % of correct predictions so far 48% (91 from 190) I'm not the only person ever to have looked at this, by the way. Here's the outcome of a cheeky post-match Google search ...
What Next?
The start of the Autumn term in the nation’s secondary schools, so I may have to concentrate on physics, chemistry and mathematics for a while! Many of my priority grounds involve long journeys so there will also be an element of weather dependence.