Willenhall Town

Another of my favourite cup competitions gets underway today with the Preliminary Round of the FA Sunday Cup. The venue is Noose Lane, long time home of Willenhall Town, although financial difficulties mean they are now tenants to Sporting Khalsa, with all signage at the ground in the name of the new owners, and even the goal nets and corner flags are in the yellow and blue Sporting Khalsa colours.


Festival Sunday League side Hundred Acre are today's home team, entering this competition for the first time in a number of years after returning to their league's Premier Division and securing a third place finish last season.


The visitors, Plough Barflys from the Nottinghamshire Sunday League, are making their competition debut, but they too achieved a third place finish in their league's top flight last season, and it is a league with recent pedigree in the FA Sunday Cup, with Scots Grey lifting the trophy in 2009.


Hundred Acre almost make a flying start, with chances in the first couple of minutes, but the visitors weather the storm, and hit back to take a 12th minute lead, David Marlow heading an Aaron Potter cross back across the goal and in off the post.


Hundred Acre respond quickly, their assistant manager and former Scotland international and Birmingham City striker, Paul Devlin providing the cross for Nathan Gough to head in a 21st minute equaliser, and just four minutes into the second half they take the lead, Justin Jackson doing well to control and finish from an awkwardly bouncing ball after a Rob Rencher corner is only half cleared.


From that point on the game is all about Plough Barflys chasing an equaliser, with Barry Payne seeing a shot blocked on the line by Michael Murray, and Corey Nightingale putting a good chance over the bar after keeper David Rimmer had been at full stretch to deal with David Marlow's cross. However, when Charlie Niblett's header hits the bar with just three minutes to go, it is clear it is not going to be their day, and Hundred Acre hold on for a 2-1 victory to see them through to the next round.

Gala Fairydean

The First Round of the Scottish Cup often throws up some interesting encounters between teams from opposite ends of the country, todays encounter in the border town of Galashiels a good example, with Gala Fairydean, boasting a 100% start to the campaign in Division One of the East of Scotland League, hosting Aberdeen based Sunnybank who are reigning Scottish Junior FA North Region champions.

Rugby Union competes with football as the main spectator sport in this part of the world, with the two grounds standing side by side, and both known as Netherdale.

There is no doubt that the main feature of the football ground is its unusual and quite spectacular grandstand.

The stand also provides excellent views of the game and the surrounding countryside.

Meetings between teams from the respective leagues are so rare that this is a very difficult game to call, but Sunnybank make a flying start, Steven Bartlett giving them a 9th minute lead, before David Greig drills home this free-kick to make it 2-0 on 15 minutes.

A potential turning point arrives just three minutes before the interval, with Alan Smith missing a great chance for the hosts, and Sunnybank breaking straight to the other end, where Nicky Gordon headed home Willie Steel's cross.

Any lingering hopes for Gala are killed off after 61 minutes, with Nicky Gordon laying the ball back for Steven Bartlett to make it 4-0, but the hosts are denied when Paul Young's overhead kick hits the bar, and the same player does score a 78th minute consolation after a penalty award for a foul on Aaron Brunton, following up to score after his spot kick is saved by Lee Sweeney.

The final ten minutes see Gala collect two straight red cards, Ross Glass for raising his hands to an opponent and Greg Hay for a two footed tackle, and not surprisingly Sunnybank take full advantage, adding further goals from Nicky Gordon and Chris Steel to wrap up a very impressive 6-1 victory.

Neston Nomads

The opening round of the Cheshire FA Amateur Cup, and Chester and District League minnows and competition debutants Neston Nomads have a home draw against Cheshire League side Middlewich Town.


The venue is the Neston Recreation Centre, with the sports centre building just visible through the trees and beyond the floodlit artificial pitch that is today staging hockey matches.


The weather is wet for much of the afternoon, with the trees providing welcome shelter for spectators and substitutes alike.


The match is clearly a potential banana-skin for Middlewich, particularly as they have not made the best start to the season in their league, with a very well grassed pitch potentially a further leveller.


The hosts gave a good account of themselves from the off, although their only real chances are restricted to long range efforts, and Middlewich look the more dangerous team, eventually taking a 27th minute lead, Martin Bell breaking on to a loose ball and finishing confidently as home keeper Ben Owens narrowed the angle.


Middlewich are unable to rest on their laurels until the second goal arrives on 64 minutes, with John Shakeshaft's header from this Adam Morris corner finding its way into the net through a crowded goalmouth.


Neston are unable to find the consolation goal that their efforts perhaps deserve, and another Martin Bell strike, finished at the second attempt, wraps up a 3-0 win for the visitors.

Cheadle Town

The FA's refusal to allow artificial pitches to be used to stage FA Cup ties, sees this First Qualifying Round tie take place on a Sunday afternoon, with Woodley Sports hiring the Park Road ground of their neighbours Cheadle Town.


Sheffield are the visitors, and with the teams similarly placed in Divisions One North and South of the Northern Premier League respectively, a close contest seems likely.


A prominent feature of any visit to Cheadle is the number of planes flying over the ground on their final approach to the nearby Manchester Airport.


Sheffield skipper Brian Cusworth was to have an eventful afternoon, with a couple of glaring misses and a couple of efforts cleared off the line, all this after he came close to opening the scoring, charging down a Liam Higginbotham clearance only for the woodwork to spare the Woodley keeper's blushes.


Things took a turn for the worse for the visitors after 25 minutes, Tom Jones penalised for pulling back Mike Clarke when the last defender, with the inevitable red card still visible in the next referee's hand in the next photo.


Woodley take full advantage to take a two goal interval lead, Kristian Dennis finishing off a chance at the second attempt, and then providing the cross for Scott Hogan to head home the second.

The next photo would provide a real challenge in a spot-the-ball competition.


A view of yet another plane flying over the ground.


Five minutes after the interval a Mike Clarke header comes back off the post, a real turning point as ten man Sheffield would surely not have come back from three down.

They do receive a lifeline after 55 minutes, Sam Walker clipping Chris Adam's heels, and Jordan Eagers stepping up to make it 2-1 from the penalty spot.


From that point on the visitors dominate proceedings, fully deserving their 76th minute equaliser as Ashley Burbeary heads home a Greg Wright cross, and despite their numerical disadvantage Sheffield have the better chances to win the game, although they are clearly happy to settle for a replay that looked very unlikely earlier in the afternoon.

Castle Hill

Today is the First Round of the Lancashire FA Amateur Cup, a competition for the real grass roots level of football in the county, being open to teams from below step seven leagues, and I am at the Castle Hill Centre on the north side of Bolton.

The ground stands right next to the embankment carrying the Bolton to Blackburn railway line.

Terraced houses and some newer flats hem the ground in on the other side.

Hosts Castle Hill are in their first season in the Premier Division of the Lancashire Amateur League after a runners-up spot earned them promotion from Division One.

Their ground is part of a sports and community centre attached to a local school, with the centre buildings the dominant feature behind the goal at the south end of the ground.

The visitors are New Longton Rovers from the Premier Division of the Preston and District League, and there are no goals in a closely fought first half, with the hosts perhaps just about shading proceedings.

The blue shirted home team certainly pose the greater threat after the interval, and Chris Hutcheson fires them into a 57th minute lead, before Matt Heaton cuts in from the left wing to make it 2-0 after 77 minutes.

New Longton are unhappy about something in the build up to that second goal, but Billy Sanderson takes his protests too far to earn a straight red card, with his brother Jack Sanderson making comments about that decision to earn himself a second yellow.

Against nine men Castle Hill can coast home comfortably, and Ashley Gregory and Chris Hutcheson add further goals to wrap up a 4-0 win.

Keswick

Westmorland League side Keswick have recently completed the building of their new clubhouse and changing rooms on the western edge of the town's Fitz Park in an area known as Hospital Field. It is an impressive facility in a glorious setting, surrounded by some of England's highest mountains.


The new pitch right in front of the clubhouse should be ready to use in the next few months, and in the meantime matches are being staged on the pitch next door in Fitz Park, which as the next picture shows is only a short distance away.


On a beautiful late summer's afternoon plenty of people are enjoying their Sunday in the park, with a cricket match also taking place next door.

The cricket pavilion stands just beyond the far end of the football pitch.

Today's game is the semi-final of the Westmorland FA Invitation Trophy, which is traditionally staged on a Sunday afternoon, and is open to the winners of the four senior Westmorland competitions from the previous campaign, with the trophy also used to select which club will represent Westmorland in the Northern Counties competition.

Keswick qualify as holders of the Benevolent Trophy and have had a day off from Westmorland League competition on the Saturday, but their opponents Kendal County, who are the holders of this cup, have moved up to West Lancashire League this season and have had to play the previous day.

It always seems set to be a close game. Jamie Little runs on to Steven Rigg's through ball to give Keswick an 18th minute lead with a neat chip over the keeper, whilst Gary Baker plays a long ball across to the far post on 62 minutes for substitute Steve Cross to equalise with a low volley.

1-1 remains the score after ninety minutes, but it is no hardship to spend an extra half hour in such idyllic surroundings.

Extra time again sees goals exchanged, Steven Rigg restoring Keswick's lead after 103 minutes as he runs from deep to head home Richard Bell's long ball. With just three minutes remaining Kendal County are rewarded for sending both central defenders forward for a Steve Cross corner, Michael Packham heading back for Matthew Swallow to equalise.

Cricket boundary and football touchline are in close proximity in the next picture.

A penalty shoot-out is needed to settle the outcome, and both teams are successful with the first four kicks. Kendal County's stand in keeper Kevin Pickering can be seen celebrating below after he saves from Richard Bell, before he then steps up to convert for the visitors to send them through to the final.

Merseyside Police

The opening round of the Lancashire FA Amateur Shield, and I am at the Riversdale home of Merseyside Police, with the area particularly busy today as Lancashire are staging a fixture just around the corner at the Aigburth home of Liverpool Cricket Club.


Merseyside Police were previously based at their sports ground at Fairfield, but with that facility now closed they have moved across the city to a venue that enjoys quite stunning views across the River Mersey.


It is a multi sport venue, with facilities for cricket, rugby and tennis as well as football.


The roped off cricket square can be seen in the next photo, with a second football pitch in the background.


One of two grass tennis courts is visible in the next shot of the goal at the clubhouse end of the ground.


The hosts play in Division Three of the West Cheshire League, whilst their visitors are Furness Cavaliers from Division Two of the West Lancashire League.


The divisions lie at equal levels of the non-league pyramid, and with both teams going into the game on the back of some good recent results a close contest seems likely.


So it proves, and in a tight first half the best chance sees Mick Seddon get in behind the visitors defence only for keeper Scott Linklater to produce a good save.


After the break Merseyside Police come closer still, skipper Paul Clarke heading fractionally over the bar from a Daley Woods corner in the photo below, but the opening goal is only briefly delayed, Daley Woods running on to Tom Sumner's pass in the 66th minute and driving a shot into the far corner.


Danny Hughes could have doubled the advantage only to put a free header over the bar, but the inevitable late Furness Cavaliers pressure only yields a couple of half chances, and the 1-0 scoreline is enough to see Merseyside Police in to the next round.