Non-league day

[Small Rodent]

Dulwich Hamlet 1 - Burgess Hill 2

First impressions when I arrived at EastDulwich station was the opulence dripping off the walls. A mere 10 minute train ride from Streatham. Surely here the revolution will begin. I was shocked that the pubs were full on a Saturday lunchtimeand with smart-looking young ladies.

The ground was very pleasant and the game interesting. Dulwich had a very commanding captain at centre back, who impressed me. At half-time I went to the bar and loved that I could take it into the stand. Spotted a chap with 2 children in Villa shirts and spent most the half talking to him. Steve Rowell, if you're on here, nice meeting you and your sons.

I will definitely go back with friends.

And is it an FA regulation that every single ground in the country has to have an empty half bottle of vodka on the toilet floor?

[Shepton Bob]

Just a few details. £4 to get in, 50p for a mug of tea (proper mug) !! Nice Clubhouse with Sky Sports etc  Loads of families there. great atmosphere. One other thing........ Shepton Mallet have a Caretaker Manager in charge..............It follows me round I'll tell yer !!!

[Hammer]

I too was at Dulwich Hamlet. Didn't see you, Small Rodent, sorry! Did have brief chat with same bloke with kids though at the end.

If anything could sum up the joys of non-league football, it would be the moment in the first half when a Burgess Hill player launched a free kick miles over the bar, and setting off a car alarm somewhere in the car park behind.

Good fun though - may well go back again. Not sure about Hamlet's pink/purple kit though. It was like rejected Hogwarts colours

[kiddylion]

i went to altrincham v kidderminster with a few of my harriers supporting mates.it was abit of a 6 pointer already with both clubs in the bottom 2 places.they won 2-1 all the goals in the 2nd half,game was abit scrappy,the winner a penalty.
crowd was just over 900 with about 100 away fans.
it was £5 to get in if you were a season tkt holder of any premier/football league club so i used my villa season tkt.it was £13 otherwise.
a good day out i enjoyed it,going again next saturday at home against hayes & yeading.

[not3bad]

Interesting location, Ascot Utd.  You have to tramp over half the racecourse to find the football ground.  Anyway, to the match report:

Ascot Utd 3 Staines Llammas 0

The final score flattered the home side in a match of incident at both ends. It was Staines Llammas who did most of the pressing in the early proceedings, though they had little change from a well drilled Ascot defense. However Staines should have scored when their attacker failed to connect with a low cross that came in from the right. Then 2/3 of the way through the 1st half, a breakaway attack from Ascot, a parried header and Paul *didn't quite catch his surname* netted the rebound.

The last 15 minutes of the 1st half were slow apart from when Staines gained a free kick just outside the penalty area. The resultant kick brought a fine save from the Ascot keeper, who then saved again when a header came in from the following corner.

Half time: 1-0

The Ascot clubhouse served a decent burger.

As the teams ran out for the second half the Ascot keeper was complemented on his first half save. He did not react bringing accusations of him being a miserable bugger.

Second half and Staines again pressed for an equaliser, and were again wasteful in attack. As time ticked down they became frustrated and a few narky fouls came into their game, causing a couple of pauses when players went down injured. Then as the crowd were looking at their watches, an Ascot corner was headed home by Paul Magrotty [sic].

That was 90 minutes, but injury time gave the opportunity for Ascot's star player, Siam 'Turbo' Macyntire, to run on to a long pass and smash it past the keeper for the goal of the game.

Final score: 3-0

Attendance: 197.

[Dave Cooper please]

That was NOT the match ball, I found it round the back of the toilets.
Causeway were never three goals better than Coventry Sphinx, but they took their chances.

Causeway 'til I die!

[ronshirt]

Consett 1 - Bedlington Terriers 0

Entrance £5, programme £1, pie and peas and a can of coke £2.20.

The only WAG in attendance, with practically the whole of the stand to choose from, decided to sit 3 seats away from me (new haircut you see) - and then spent the first 45 mins texting her friends. The Consett keeper had shorts that reached below his knees and the Terriers no. 2 wore a padded rugby helmet and employed salty language.

In the second half Consett hit the woodwork five times, thrice in as many seconds. The bloke next to me when asked said that Trevor Benjamin was the one with the yellow boots. Except the one in the yellow boots was too young and completely the wrong colour to have been the Tumbling Bear's Leicester replacement. But still I believed.

The attendance was 187: many of whom smoked cigarettes.

[Nev]

Stourbridge lost 3-0 to Cambridge City. All the goals in the second half after the Glassboys had more than matched their hosts. A missed penalty in either half for both teams, Rowe missing for Stour at 0-2 late in the second half.

Decent enough ground but not much atmosphere, the ref was one of those little bald, officious men who seem to annoy just about everyone.

WM were in attendance doing reports for their non-league special, they were also at the Grove where Halesowen lost 6-1 to Hemel Hemstead.

[damon loves JT]

I was at the same game as Nev. I enjoyed it very much, as did my son.

You only realise when you go to a non-league game and stand behind the goal what bollocks goalkeepers talk. Shouting absolute crap at their team-mates, non stop.

But the Stourbridge goalkeeper kept his side in it first half. Three very good saves including the pen.

[dave.woodhall]

I was at the same game as Nev. I enjoyed it very much, as did my son.

You only realise when you go to a non-league game and stand behind the goal what bollocks goalkeepers talk. Shouting absolute crap at their team-mates, non stop.

But the Stourbridge goalkeeper kept his side in it first half. Three very good saves including the pen.

As a newcomer, what was your opinion of the Stourbridge supporters?

[damon loves JT]

Normal for non-league.

But friendly enough.

[dave.woodhall]

Normal for non-league.

But friendly enough.

They are friendly. But you'd never call them normal.

[Nev]

If you think the fans are odd you should meet the people who run the club.

[PaulTheVillan]

The Pilkington keeper spouted absolute shit all through the game, then the ball came near him and he did an air kick, I  was pissing myself.

[ChrissyPrice]

Croydon Athletic 1 Conchord 3

A very good away team easily beat high flying Athletic. 4 memorable goals of which one was an absolutely fantastic own goal. Indeed we muttered after each one "Worth the £8 admission on its own".

And at the end the home team stayed on the pitch to say they were all off as they weren't getting paid. All very sad. We felt like we were intruding on private grief so we left.