HONITON TOWN (Mountbatten Park)

SOUTH WEST PENINSULA LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION EAST, HONITON TOWN 2-2 TORRIDGESIDE, ATTENDANCE: 96

It's funny how things work out...

Along with many other like minded football fans, I headed to the South West of England for the South West Peninsula League 'groundhop' which was returning after a six year hiatus. Seven games were scheduled over three days, starting in Honiton on Maundy Thursday but, as I arrived in the town and parked up, which was just 35 minutes before kick off, I recieved a message off a mate to say the game had just been called off. I can't repeat what I shouted out!

Despite the herculean effort of the groundstaff and volunteers, the referee deemed a small patch of the pitch in front of the stand unplayable. The managers and players of both teams were happy to give it a go, the club were obviously desperate for the game to go ahead, as it would have been a huge payday for them, but the officials were unmoved. Incredibly sad for everyone concerned.

The rain continued to fall over the weekend and it was lucky that all the scheduled 'hop' games went ahead, some on pitches in a similar condition to Honiton, but moving onto Easter Monday the rain was still falling and still playing havoc with matches. Once again there were lots of postponements but one club tweeted that it was definitely 'game on' and that was Honiton Town, joking that it was all systems go after the pitch had had a "nice rest on Thursday". So off I headed back down the A30 to Mountbatten Park. As I said, it's funny how things work out.

Honiton Town were founded in 1950 and were members of the Devon and Exeter League until 2017 when they joined the South West Peninsula League. Last season (2022/23) was their highest ever league finish, 13th in the East Division.

Mountbatten Park is on the edge of the town and is shared with the cricket club, so there is hard standing down two sides of the pitch along with a small covered stand and a larger seated stand.

The football club are nicknamed 'The Hippos'. Why the Hippos I hear you cry? Well, about 100,000 years ago, a wide range of species lived in South Devon and the water-rich, boggy area around Honiton was particularly attractive to hippos, who migrated from Southern Europe towards England. When the construction of the A30 road began, fossils of hippo bones were discovered and are on display in the local museum.

On the subject of water-rich, boggy areas, the playing pitch was no different to Thursday, with that troublesome patch in front of the stand still very soft. This time though the game kicked off and was played to a finish. Hooray!

In an entertaining game, Jordan Harris gave Honiton the lead in the 20th minute before Torridgeside equalised in the 39th minute George King firing home a free kick. The visitors took the lead in the 57th minute through Shaun Copp and looked set for the three points until Lewis Couch bagged an equaliser for Honiton, deep into stoppage time. That sent the Hippo Ultras into delirium - cue the pyro!

That concluded a wonderful, if wet, weekend in the South West. Looking forward to Easter 2025 already.

⚽️ ⚽️ ⚽️ ⚽️ ⚽️ ⚽️ ⚽️ ⚽️ ⚽️ ⚽️

For the record, the 2024 South West Peninsula League Easter Groundhop consisted of the following matches...

11:30 - 29/03/24 - Vicarage Field 
Torrington 1-0 Crediton United
Attendance: 422

15:00 - 29/03/2024 - Donnacroft 
Torridgeside 0-3 Okehampton Argyle
Attendance: 451

19:00 - 29/03/2024 - Upcott Field
Holsworthy 0-0 Bude Town
Attendance: 906

11:30 - 30/03/2024 - Lux Park
Liskeard Athletic 2-0 Dobwalls
Attendance: 508

15:00 - 30/03/2024 - Haye Road
Elburton Villa 1-2 Bovey Tracey
Attendance: 311

18:30 - 30/03/2024 - Erme Valley Playing Fields
Ivybridge Town 6-0 Dartmouth
Attendance: 388

REAL BEDFORD (McMullen Park)

SPARTAN SOUTH MIDLANDS LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION, REAL BEDFORD 5-1 DUNSTABLE TOWN, ATTENDANCE: 162

For Non-league Day 2024 I headed to McMullen Park for a Bedfordshire Derby between Real Bedford and Dunstable Town in the Spartan South Midlands League Premier Division.

The Pirates dominated the game and it was a convincing victory, which maintains their current position at the top of the table. It's between Real Bedford and Milton Keynes Irish for the title, and promotion, with Bedford currently having the points on the board but Milton Keynes having the games in hand. It's going right to the wire this one.

This afternoon's game was effectively over by half time with Real Bedford 3-0 up thanks to goals from Archie Jones (30) and a brace from Joey Evans (40, 45). An own goal (56) made it 4-0 before Dunstable netted a consolation through Alfie Osborne (69). The Pirates completed the scoring with a fifth goal through Ben Stevens (71).

Real Bedford were formed in 2002 with a merger of Bedford United and Unione Sportiva Valerio. Valerio were a Sunday league team formed in 1995, whilst Bedford United were established in 1957 as the works team of the printing firm Diemer & Reynolds. After the merger the club took Bedford United's place in the Spartan South Midlands League as Bedford Valerio United before becoming Bedford FC in 2007.

In April 2022 Bedford were taken over by over by bitcoin podcaster Peter McCormack, who stated that he intended for the club to reach the Premier League. The club's name was changed to Real Bedford prior to the 2022–23 season, which was a successful campaign which saw them lift the Bedfordshire Senior Trophy and the Division One title. They are currently on course for back-to-back promotions.

McMullen Park has been home to Bedford since 1996 when, after a nomadic existence, the club set up base on land between the main A421 trunk road and Bedford Town's ground, The New Eyrie. McMullen Park is named after lifetime founder-member and former Vice Chairman Jim McMullen. How long the club will stay at McMullen Park remains to be seen as there is currently a dispute between the club and Bedfordshire Council over the lease of the ground (click here). Watch this space, as they say...

Archie Jones opens the scoring for The Pirates. 

McMullen Park is adjacent to the main A421 trunk road. 

JUVENTUS FC (Juventus Stadium)

SERIE A, JUVENTUS FC 3-2 FROSINONE CALCIO, ATTENDANCE: 40,719

Ciao! This was the fourth, and final, game of a four day trip to Italy. Today I headed back to the city of Turin, where this adventure started last Thursday, as Juventus welcomed Frosinone to the Juventus Stadium.

The 'old lady' of Italian football, Juventus were founded in 1897 and are the second oldest football club in Italy behind Genoa CFC. They are the most successful club in Italian football with 36 league titles, 14 Coppa Italia and 9 Italian Super Cups. They have also won the European Cup (twice in 1985 and 1996), UEFA Cup (three times in 1977, 1990 and 1993) Cup Winners Cup (in 1983) and the Super Cup (in 1984 and 1996).

Juve famously play in black and white striped shirts, these colours were adopted in 1905 after being inspired by Notts County. For people of my vintage, the Juventus side of the 1980's led by legendary Frenchman Michel Platini, and also containing Zbigniew Boniek and Marco Tardelli, is the one that sticks in the mind. Of course there have been a couple of Welsh legends who have turned out for I Bianconeri in the shape of John Charles and Ian Rush, who infamously claimed he couldn't settle in Italy as "it was like living in a foreign country".

The Juventus Stadium was opened in 2011 and was the first modern, club owned stadium to be built in Italy. For sponsorship purposes it is currently known as the Allianz Stadium. The ground has a capacity of 41,500, was built on the site of the old Stadio Delle Alpi and is approximately 5 miles from the city centre of Turin; I'd bear that in mind if you ever need a quick getaway after a game!

I'll be honest and say that after the atmosphere of last night's game at the Stadio Luigi Ferraris, this stadium felt a little sterile by comparison.

This afternoon Juventus laboured to a 3-2 victory over struggling Frosinone and it took a 95th minute winner from defender Daniele Rugani to cruelly deny the visitors a deservedly point.

Dušan Vlahović put Juve ahead after just 3 minutes before Walid Cheddira headed home an equaliser after 14 minutes. Frosinone silenced the stadium when they took the lead after 27 minutes, Marco Brescianini firing home. Vlahović levelled after 32 minutes with a sublime left foot finish. All square at the break. Juventus dominated the second period but despite creating a few decent chances they didn't look like breaking the deadlock. Frosinone thought they had earned a deserved point but Rugani's intervention, with the last kick of the game, finally broke their resistance and their hearts.

That concluded a fantastic trip. A liitle bit hectic at times but well worth it. Until the next time, arrivederci!