Forest Green Rovers 3-1 Gateshead (National League) I'm feeling a bit guilty cooking sausages for breakfast ahead of visiting the world's first vegan football club today. Forest Green are going well under Robbie Savage, third in the National League a point behind leaders Carlisle whilst their opponents this afternoon Gateshead are struggling this season in nineteenth, just six points above the drop zone. Kick off time has been put back to 3:03pm which is a statement by the Na

Tamworth 0-1 Woking (National League)   It's Saturday and they're talking long throw ins and set plays on the radio ahead of the lunch time kick off between Tottenham and Manchester United. The modern game has gone direct with coaching focussed on beating the low block. It seems the only way to conquer it is by getting the ball into the opposition box.   Arsenal are the direct daddies, averaging over 30 touches per game in the opposition box this season, whilst Burnley are b

Braintree Town 0-1 Brackley Town (National League) I said that Carlisle United's win at the weekend was perhaps the biggest shock in the FA Cup on Saturday, but what I didn't consider was Brackley Town's win against Notts County on penalties, the Saints marching on in the cup after knocking out the League Two side following a 2-2 draw which was largely thanks to a late Callum Stewart leveller in the 96th minute from the spot. Brackley next host Burton Albion in round two but

Carlisle United 2-1 FC Halifax Town (National League) I've had a weekend of wall to wall FA Cup action. I hardly moved from my sofa on Sunday as I watched Shrewsbury beat South Shields on telly, I also saw Port Vale see off the lowest ranked outfit Maldon & Tiptree and Accrington edge Northern Premier League Gainsborough Trinity to annoy the TNT cameras who were no doubt looking for a shock. on Monday night Leyton Orient silenced Tamworth at the Lamb to ensure another league

Mansfield Town 3-2 Harrogate Town (FA Cup Round One) Saturday afternoon, 3pm, the FA Cup. How much more traditionally English can one get? Upon hearing Friday's sorry announcement that the Premier League is playing just one Boxing Day fixture (Manchester United v Newcastle United at the ridiculous KO time of 8pm) this coming Christmas, to have a small bit of traditional value left in our football, is slightly satisfying for one who likes the simplicity, purity and once high

Scunthorpe United 2-1 Aldershot Town (National League) Aldershot have a new Manager. John Coleman won't be taking charge today, leaving duty to Alan Dowson and James Henry in caretaker control, but I'm sure the announcement will make an impression on his new team. Having spent ten years at Accrington Stanley, Coleman knows what it takes to get out of this division, leading the Reds from the Northern Premier League to the third tier of English football during two spells at th

South Shields 4-0 Scarborough Athletic (National League North) The rain is pelting down on my car, that tinny sound it makes sounding harder than it actually is as I drive back down the A19 and through the Tyne Tunnel (£2.50 again) in rush hour with windscreen wipers on the go after my quick stop and go at Starbucks. South Shields are leading the National League North. A team with ambition since Geoff Thompson took on the club in 2015. The Utilitywise founder, owner of a Bri

Newcastle United U19 1-5 Benfica U19 (UEFA Youth League Group Stages) It's all going off today. I'm heading north whilst listening in to the radio, Sean Dyche is the new boss of Forest, Danny Rohl announced in charge of Rangers whilst Ian Evatt has got the Blackpool job. West Ham are getting slated on air for last night's dismal performance against Brentford and the outcry from the Maccabi Tel Aviv fan ban by Birmingham (West Midlands) Police has finally ended out of Westmin

Boston United 1-1 Scunthorpe United (National League) I've dropped the dog off at the mother-in-law's and am driving through Nottingham against traffic which is heading to the Forest and Chelsea game. Midday on a cool and cloudy October's Saturday, I'm heading again to Boston, but for a Lincolnshire derby against another side I know a bit about in Scunthorpe. Last season they were a division apart, but they did play each other the season before when Boston in the end gained

Leeds United U21 2-0 Athletic Bilbao u21  (Premier League International Cup Group Stages) I’ve got a bit of man flu. Just coughs and sneezes which I always seem to pick up around this time of year, but that won’t deter me from heading north today, to the city of York, and to watch a Premier League International Cup game between two young sides, Leeds United and Athletic Bilbao. Now, Athletic Club, have always fascinated me, they have a cantera policy (cantera meaning quarry

Scotland 2-1 Belarus (World Cup Qualifiers) I'm rounding off a trip to Scotland and Ireland to Scotland and back, a busy four days of football comes to a close with Scotland v Belarus in this World Cup qualifying group C game. Up early, my flight from Belfast to Glasgow is scheduled for 7am, so I'm at the airport for five and back in mainland Britain for 8. I've an hour or two to kill as I've booked a stadium tour at Ibrox, the home of Glasgow Rangers, after a dine in McDona

Ballymena United 1-3 Coleraine (NIFL Premiership) It's my day off today. I've an early flight back to Glasgow tomorrow but I've done all the touristy things in Northern Ireland over my recent annual visits, so rather than sit in my B&B all day watching Homes under the Hammer, I'm off to find a match, and something to do. Ballymena verses Coleraine intrigues me mostly. Firstly, I've always been intrigued by the name Ballymena, ever since getting a Nigel Worthington Panini sti

Northern Ireland 2-0 Slovakia (World Cup Qualifiers) Day two of my road (and air) trip watching international football and it's Northern Ireland's turn as Michael O'Neill's men host Slovakia at Windsor Park. No sooner have I packed my bags and left Hampden, am I in the air, next morning bright and breezy landing at Belfast International after a short Easy Jet flight from Glasgow. It's 8am and I'm already in the Hertz queue for a hire car, I can't check in to my B&B until 1p

Scotland 3-1 Greece (World Cup Qualifiers) The international window has lured me back north to Glasgow, Hampden Park and a return to...

Scunthorpe United 3-1 Morecambe  (National League)   Scunthorpe United fans know all about suffering concerns of their clubs uncertain...

Scunthorpe United 0-1 Carlisle United  (National League)   I'm fully invested in the National League promotion race right now. Having...

Boston United 0-2 Boreham Wood  (National League) In three of the last ten seasons, Boreham Wood have finished in the playoff places in the National League. In 2018, they lost to Tranmere Rovers in a Wembley final, the nearest they have come to reaching the Football League. In 2020 they were fifth when their season was early curtailed by COVID with just nine games to play, whilst in 2023 they were beaten by Notts County in the playoff semi-finals after a sixth placed finish,

Ilkeston Town 0-3 Cleethorpes Town  (Northern Premier League) It’s the penultimate round of the County Championship. Nottinghamshire are at Surrey playing out a huge match in Division One to determine who’s most likely to win the league, whilst I’m at Derbyshire who face Glamorgan in a third verses second battle in Division Two. Like last week, when in Sussex ahead of my trip to Lewes, I’ve worked out on a Tuesday night, I can probably make it to a game of football, and Ilkes

Lewes 0-1 Chichester City (Isthmian League Premier Division) I'm at the cricket between Sussex and Hampshire this week, staying in Hove, I now have the perfect excuse to take a Tuesday night game in at the Dripping Pan. Football's bucket list venue for non league nerds and groundhoppers like me. I've never been before, but it's long been one to chalk off, the venue often appearing in 'great ground guides' and 'top 100' homes of football to pay a visit, as well as on many soci