Football in Derbyshire

As a fan of football and a frequent visitor abroad, watching top-flight matches in European Countries, I wanted some 'local' interesting challenges. Being a proud Derbyshire man I thought it a good idea to watch as many Derbyshire teams as possible. In 2014 I watched all the teams that were playing in the top eight tiers of English football, at home, in league action, and in 2015 I added to this the tier 9 teams. These are shown below:

Derby County (T2 - Football League Championship)
Chesterfield (T3 - Football League, League 1)
Alfreton Town (T6 - National League, North)
Buxton (T7 - Northern Premier League, Premier Division)
Mickleover Sports (T7 - Northern Premier League, Premier Division)
Matlock Town (T7 - Northern Premier League, Premier Division)
Ilkeston (T7 - Northern Premier League, Premier Division)
Glossop North End  (T8 - Northern Premier League, First Division North)
Sheffield FC (T8 - Northern Premier League, First Division South)
Belper Town (T8 - Northern Premier League, First Division South)
Gresley (T8 - Northern Premier League, First Division South)
New Mills (T8 - Northern Premier League, First Division North)
Heanor Town (T9 - Midland Football League, Premier Division)
Long Eaton United (T9 - Midland Football League, Premier Division)
Staveley Miners Welfare (T9 - Northern Counties East League, Premier Division)

For the 2015-16 season I decided to support The Derbyshire County FA Senior Challenge Cup competition by trying to see as many games as possible and having a 'Road to the Cup Final' experience.

The Cup was first contested in the 1883/84 and is now primarily contested between non-league teams affiliated to the Derbyshire County FA. This being the case Derby County no longer participate, Chesterfield enter the competition with a 'development squad' and Sheffield FC and Staveley MW choose to grace the Sheffield and Hallamshire FA version of the competition.

The competition includes those Derbyshire teams in tiers 10 and 11 and as such, by following this competition, I have added to my 'collection' a number of the smaller clubs.

My challenge started in September 2015 at the Anderson Electricals Arena watching Borrowash Victoria play South Normanton Athletic and ended with the final in Ilkeston. My challenge also included an unbroken chain of games from the first round, this being:

R1 Belper Utd. 3 - 0 Gamesley
R2 Belper Utd. 2 - 3 Heanor Town
R3 Heanor Town 4 - 0 New Mills
QF Heanor Town 2 - 1 Stapenhill
SF Heanor Town 1 - 2 Belper Town
FR Belper Town 0 - 0 Alfreton (Alfreton win on penalties)

Some of my personal highlights in this season's competition have been:

• Chatting to a father and son groundhopping duo at the Borrowash v South Normanton game in round 1;
• Arriving late, due to an early kick-off, but managing to catch the second-half of Hilton Harriers' game against Dronfield Town; and then
• Travelling to Whaley Bridge to watch Hilton's second round game at which I cowered under the pavilion roof, seeking shelter against the torrential rain;
• Watching the epic battle, at my favourite ground, of Belper Utd. v Heanor Town;
• Being recognised for my Tweets and meeting GroundHop UK's Chris at Heanor v Stapenhill;
• Seeing Alfreton's six perfect goals in their match against Long Eaton;
• Visiting Stapenhill's ground which is within the county boundary by a matter of metres, and winning the blackout there; and
• Introducing a friend to the joys of non-league football.

For the season 2016/17 my aim is to complete my collection of seeing all tier 10 and 11 Derbyshire clubs play a competitive match.

Derbyshire FA Senior Challenge Cup - SF (16/02/2016 19:45)

Tonight was my thirteenth Derbyshire FA Senior Challenge Cup match of the season and it involved two teams that I saw in their respective quarter-final games, Gresley (tier 8) and Alfreton Town (tier 6). For which team would '13' be unlucky? And which team would be meeting Belper Town (my 'Road to the Final' team) in the final?
The Gresley player manager impressed when he came on against Pinxton in the quarter-final and we were lucky to see him play tonight. He was red-carded in Gresley's previous match for responding badly to some alleged racial abuse in Leek in which he climbed into the crowd to confront the alleged racist.
I took the trip to Gresley's Moat Ground in South Derbyshire with my Rams supporting father and Forest supporting family friend and we stood near the dugouts.
With the home advantage and a bobbly pitch Gresley didn't look like a team two tiers below the visitors. Gresley started more brightly and deserved to take the lead on 19 minutes. A lovely deep cross-field ball to the right found Smyth who went passed his defender and drilled his shot low passed the 'keeper's right hand and inside the far post.
Alfreton's equalised came against the run of play when Jackson's glancing header, from a corner, found its way through a crowd of players.
Gresley were unlucky to go into the break level but were lucky to still have 11 men on the pitch mid-way through the second-half after a dangerous challenge left an Alfreton player rolling on the ground. Shortly after, the Gresley 'keeper fumbled a pass back, allowing Leesley an easy tap in.
Gresley almost got a last gasp equaliser when the Alfreton 'keeper looked to have simply fumbled a routine 'up and under', under pressure. The referee, however, saw it as a foul.
So, Gresley were unlucky and Belper Town will take on Alfreton Town in the final.

Derbyshire FA Senior Challenge Cup - SF (10/02/2016 19:45)

Tonight I found out which, of Heanor Town or Belper Town, became my 'Road to the Final' finalists. This match was the fifth in an unbroken chain of matches and I seem to have come full-circle with Belper being the common denominator. The five games being:

R1 Belper Utd. 3 - 0 Gamesley
R2 Belper Utd. 2 - 3 Heanor Town
R3 Heanor Town 4 - 0 New Mills
QF Heanor Town 2 - 1 Stapenhill
SF Heanor Town v Belper Town

The match also marked my twelfth game in this season's competition.
I met up with a fellow Ram to watch this game and inside the ground I bumped into Groundhopper Chris who questioned my choice in wearing my Belper Town scarf. I had to explain that in 2014 I watched all the Derbyshire teams that played in the top 8 tiers of English football, at home, in league action, buying a scarf from each. I did reassure him that should Heanor make it to the final I would buy a Heanor scarf... but sadly, it wasn't to be.
Although Belper play in a league one step up from Heanor, there wasn't a gulf in class at all. This very local derby was very tight throughout as well as being competitive and combative, as you would well expect. The bumper crowd of over 300 enjoyed it too, especially the visitors.
Things started brightly for Heanor. A ball from right to left was met sweetly on the half-volley and all the Belper 'keeper could do was to palm the ball onto the head of Demidh, in the middle of the 18 yard box, who nodded it back past the keeper.
Belper soon had the game level. A shot from 19 yards in a central position was cruelly deflected to the 'keeper's left.
Soon after the break Belper took the lead. Some good work on the left found Steadman who, from a 10 yard angle, calmly passed the ball into the far corner of the net.
And 2:1 to the Nailers it stayed.
I shall see Belper Town in the final but I am sure that I will see the Lions again at some point.

Derbyshire FA Senior Challenge Cup - QF (02/02/2016 19:45)

This evening would include a first - the first time I had seen Pinxton FC.
Tier 11 Pinxton had done remarkably well in getting so far in this competition. Their trip to Buxton in the previous round saw them knock out the tier 7 'Bucks', with the reward, tonight, of playing tier 8 Gresley at the Moat Ground. A plum semi-final tie awaited the winner, the chance to entertain tier 6 Alfreton Town who I had seen demolish Long Eaton United in their quarter-final two weeks earlier.
I took the relatively short trip to a bitterly cold South Derbyshire with my pin-badge collecting companion to witness this quarter-final clash. Prior to kick off my companion added the Gresley FC pin badge to his collection, whereas I was more concerned with my stomach and pie and chips.
The first half hour was a rather dull and cagey affair but no sooner had I said to my companion "I think it is going to be a long night with extra time", Gresley scored. Number 9, Guy, weaved his way through the middle, rounded the keeper and slotted the ball home. Pinxton were back level shortly before half-time. Gresley were unable to defend a short corner and as the ball bounced around the box a Pinxton attacker was able to latch onto it to bury it from 18 inches out.
The second-half started a lot more brightly that the first and Gresley began to show their class. Smyth grabbed a brace. His first came from a cross from the right and a calm header in the centre of the goal and the second came from a left wing cross which he sweetly crashed home from 14 yards.
Ball completed the rout in the 79th minute when he met a left wing cross from 7 yards out.