Up and Running

Always good to get to the first game of a new season, and to visit Handsworth FC after not getting the chance in 24/25.

The sun was out and 133 of us took the chance to catch a match at Olivers Mount where walking in from the road of the same name also took me past a cricket match and that nice juxtaposition of the great summer and winter sports together.

Handsworth are preparing for another season in the Premier Division of the Northern Counties East League (NCEL) and were good value for a 4-0 victory against Goole, relegated from the top flight last time out.

The hosts have a Sheffield derby against Hallam FC on Wednesday 9th at 7.45pm, adults £6, concessions £4 and kids go free.

Hallam FC v Handsworth FC

 

A Sheffield derby in the NCEL Premier Division on Saturday and with neither United or Wednesday in action it meant a bumper crowd of 730 enjoyed the game between Hallam FC and Handsworth as well as unusually mild temperatures for the final day of November.

And when the weather is like that then Sandygate is a cracking place to watch football with a beer or pie in hand, especially when the two teams produce a game of six goals, four of which went to the visitors for a win they deserved overall for an excellent first 20 minutes and some resolute defending as Hallam pushed to make it 3-3 at the beginning of the second-half.

Hallam continue to work hard to improve facilities at the ground, with an extension to the Shed End next on the agenda, as well as offering good value for money at £6 for adults.

Their next home league fixture is on the 21st December against Penistone Church while Handsworth entertain Beverley Town on Saturday 14th.

The Cobbydalers v The Vikings

Northern Counties East League (NCEL) action this coming Saturday sees Silsden AFC host Goole AFC and admission to The Office Interiors Stadium is on a 'pay what you want basis'.

Goole offered a similar scheme over the festive period and, in line with very healthy crowds throughout the non-league game, were rewarded with a record league attendance of 478.

The excellent site Outside The 92 has a full report on that game which can be viewed here, while the official NCEL website is a great source of fixture information amongst lots of other things.

Game Of The Week: Thackley AFC v Eccleshill United

Bragging rights at stake in this West Yorkshire local derby between the ‘Dennyboys’ of Thackley and Eccleshill United with the two sides currently around mid-table in the Northern Counties East League (NCEL) Premier Division.

With Leeds and Huddersfield not in action and Bradford City on the road there should be a decent crowd in attendance at Dennyfield and the hosts will hope that their offer of ‘Pay What You Want’ admission on the gate increases those numbers.

Founded in 1930, Thackley have been members of the NCEL Premier Division since its inception in 1982 and a nice, potted history on the official website brings together Ian Ormondroyd and Johan Cruyff as having links to the club.

Stop Press: I'd just finished the above piece when I saw a tweet from Silsden AFC about their game in the same division on Saturday, against Knaresbrough Town, which will also be 'Pay What You Want' in celebration of the life of club stalwart John McNulty. 

The excellent NCEL website is a great resource for fixtures and results from both divisions of the league.

Honours Even As Hallam Battle Back

After recent postponements, including what would have been an interesting game against North Ferriby last Saturday, Hallam FC returned to action in the Northern Counties East League against Worsbrough Bridge Athletic.

Just over 300 were at Sandygate and a biting wind would normally make the warmth of the clubhouse very inviting but both teams kept the spectators fully engaged as they shared six goals.

Hallam had already missed the first of several good chances when the visitors took the lead from the penalty spot and Worsbrough recovered from the loss of an equaliser by scoring twice more before the break, the first of which was the type of goal that contractually has to be described as 'Beckhamesque' as it involved the goalkeeper being lobbed from around the halfway line.

But the advantage of the Sandygate slope saw the hosts cut the deficit within seconds of the second-half starting and a neatly taken equaliser looked to have set up a grandstand finish, especially when Worsbrough were reduced to ten men.

The score stayed the same however, both teams perhaps having given their all in difficult conditions.

Adult admission at Hallam remains just £5, with Concessions £3. The official NCEL website has an excellent fixture list.

Selby's Century & 'Cheap' Shots

A fine achievement will be marked in North Yorkshire this coming Saturday, 21st September, when Selby Town FC mark 100 years since their first match when they entertain Hall Road Rangers in the Northern Counties East League (NCEL) Division One.

A special programme will be on sale and normal admission prices apply which mean it is just £5 Adults, £3 Concessions and free for those aged 14 and under.

Selby are also scheduled to be at home on Saturday 12th October which is this year's Non-League Day date.

They have an FA Vase tie against Cheadle Town which should prove popular while the NCEL itself is looking to get 500 people through the gate at each of their games that day.

Higher up the pyramid and Aldershot Town of the National League have launched a 'Pay What You Want' offer for their home game against Hartlepool United on Non-League Day.

Tickets must be purchased in advance to qualify for the offer, which has a minimum price of £2.

Staying in the National League and Notts County are marking their new ownership with a 123 offer for the visit of AFC Fylde on Saturday 28th September.

Adult tickets are priced at £3, it's £2 for those aged Over 65 or between 18-21 and £1 for Under 18's.

Joy Or Pain At The Pleasure Grounds?

The Victoria Pleasure Grounds will see some pain this coming Saturday as the Northern Counties East League (NCEL) match between Goole AFC and Hall Road Rangers is almost the ultimate relegation battle with at least one and possibly both of the sides slipping through the trapdoor come the final whistle.

With two teams dropping into Division One, Goole are currently just above Hall Road and just outside the bottom two by virtue of a slightly better goal difference, albeit both sides have conceded over 100 goals during the campaign.

Harrogate Railway Athletic occupy bottom spot but are just one point worse off so it could be that both teams at the Pleasure Grounds experience little of that particular emotion.

Goole are asking for the support of the town for such a big game and have made it 'Pay What You Want' admission on the gate.

Your Day At The Match For £10 In The NCEL

The Northern Counties East League, formed in 1982 from a merger of the Yorkshire and Midland Leagues, currently has 44 teams in its two divisions and is always an affordable place to watch your football with plenty of clubs offering admission for a fiver or less.

Two teams who have taken things a step further and come up with match day packages are Barton Town and AFC Emley.

At Barton's Easy Buy Stadium in North Lincolnshire, 'The Perfect Ten' covers admission to the game, a programme and food and bar vouchers worth £3 each.

It's available on the gate with the next home fixture scheduled for Tuesday 28th November against Staveley Miners Welfare.

At AFC Emley, in West Yorkshire (look for the mast and you won't be far away) an online ticket is available to buy in advance for £10 which gets you admission, programme, a raffle ticket, hot food menu item and a hot drink.

They take on Retford United on Saturday 2 December. 

The Toolstation Cup

The Battle of the Leagues is fast becoming a pre-season staple, teams from the Toolstation-sponsored Western and Northern Counties East leagues meeting in a fixture that raises money for charity.

Cribbs FC host this summer's edition with Street FC taking on AFC Mansfield on Saturday 22 July at 3pm.

Admission is £3 (including programme) with all proceeds going to RNLI Flood Rescue Team and the Countess of Brecknock Hospice.

Next Saturday at The Lawns we stage the @ToolstationUK Cup between @fcstreet from @TSWesternLeague v @AFCMansfield from @NCEL 3pm KO. pic.twitter.com/IrPeQEbBCH

— Cribbs Football Club (@CribbsFC) 15 July 2017

The Toolstation Cup 2016

Once again, the Toolstation Cup brings together two sides from the leagues that are sponsored by the company for a pre-season friendly that offers free admission to supporters and the chance to raise money for two very worthy causes.

Sandy Lane, Worksop is the venue on Saturday 23 July (kick-off 2:30pm) as Handsworth Parramore, runners-up in the Toolstation Northern Counties East League (NCEL) last season, take on Toolstation Western League champions Odd Down AFC.

If you go along to the game, entrance is free but please support the half-time raffle from which all proceeds will be donated to the RNLI Flood Rescue Team and Sheffield’s Weston Park Cancer Charity.

Thanks to the Non-League Paper for this story.