Groundhopping journeys

 With Storm Boelo brewing I decided to keep this Saturdays game local and opted for the West Yorkshire League in the pituresque village of Oxenhope, terminus of the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway and home to some excellent Fish and Chips and a hidden gem of a cake shop! The opposition were Gomersal and Cleckheaton, a side I had visited last season and who boast some impressive players. I had a soft spot for Oxenhope as they were very helpful in sending me a pin badge last season, as a collector these things are appreciated and I made it my mission to visit this season although I could not have picked a worse day weather wise. Out in the wilds and the rough terrain of open countryside the swirling wind and torrential rain left me sodden at full time and I remained in that state until I got home and changed 2.5 hours later. I travelled via bus, into Leeds, into Keighley, where I took in breakfast at Asda Cafe and then through to Oxenhope on the Brontebus to Hebden Bridge. I went d...

 My Saturday game took me upto the North East via the Flixbus to Newcastle, after the morning wandering around Grainger Market I took the Metro to Hebburn and arrived at the ground in good time. Hebburn itself didn't offer much with an old 1960s style outdoor small shopping precinct, an Aldi and a very swish council building featuring a library and a swimming pool. The houses I passed on my way to the ground reminded me of many a northern town that has been forgotten, as somebody in the ground who I met and will later mention said to me, 'we are the gaza strip between Newcastle and Sunderland.' I had an added interest in the fixture today, having initially planned to do Boldon CA in the Northern League, I saw that Hebburn were playing York City's old adversaries Scarborough who I was hoping to see get beat hence me going in the home end. However Scarborough also boast many an ex York player, including one of my childhood and younger adult years heroes Michael Ingham as ...