Kodak (Harrow) - Harrow Weald Recreation Ground

Kodak (Harrow) FC

Harrow Weald Recreation Ground

Boxtree Lane

Harrow 

HA3 6HW

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Ground Number: 1376

Saturday 30th November 2024

Kodak (Harrow) 3-0 Camden United

Middlesex County Premier

KODAK FC - A BRIEF HISTORY

Kodak FC was formed in 1935 for workers at the factory which was located on Headstone Drive, near Harrow & Wealdstone station. Built by the American Kodak company in 1890, it was their largest factory in the United Kingdom and at its peak in the mid-20th century employed up to 6,000 workers. Production of photographic film ended in 2005 and the plant closed its doors in 2016. As for the team, they played at the nearby Kodak Sports Ground on Arbus Crescent which was sold in the early 2000s, eventually closing in 2011. It is now Headstone Manor & Museum. They relocated to the adjacent Headstone Recreation Ground before settling at their current home, the Harrow Weald Recreation Ground.

Various leagues were played in before they joined the London Commercial League in 1973, at the time known as Kodak Sports. In 1988, they joined the  Chiltonian League and remained for five seasons, finishing 3rd in Division 1 for a couple of seasons around 1990. It was around this time that they changed their name to Kodak (Harrow) to differentiate from similar-named teams in Hertfordshire. They then returned to the London Commercial League. In 2007, the club joined the Middlesex County League, finishing as champions of Division 1 West in their first season. In 2009, they finished 7th in the Premier Division but results deteriorated and in 2013 they were relegated back to Division 1 West. A long spell in the lower tier followed but in 2022 they were champions of Division 1 North West and returned to the Premier Division. They remain there to this day and last finish had their best-ever finish of 6th. Local cup wins include the Middlesex Intermediate Cup in 2006.

MY VISIT

It had been a good Saturday, although the bit between leaving Wetherspoons in Putney and saying goodbye to Colin at Amersham had been fraught with minor travel issues. The thought of the 4 am alarm whilst others enjoy a proper weekend is always hard to take. It had been a good day though. Geoff the Ref had been great company at the game, and we chatted with a Wealdstone fan called Steve on the train home. I was back at 9.15 and disappointed that no Football League highlights were available. I had a couple of nightcaps and watched Match Of The Day. So much for an early night, but I wasn't in the mood for one as I heard the rain messing up my Sunday plans. The disappointment of Woodley United v Wycombe Wanderers Women being called off was tempered by the fact that it was horrible out and I could have an afternoon nap to catch up on sleep. Monday was fairly peaceful at work and my day off on Tuesday. I made my 950th visit to Adams Park for Wycombe Wanderers v Mansfeld Town. The game was as dull as ditchwater but somehow we managed to find a 90th-minute winner thanks to Luke Leahy's speculative cross-shot.

 

Wednesday saw me do my research on Kodak FC for my blog, something that I enjoy doing. As with last week, I also turned on notifications on the club's Instagram account so as to keep up to date with any changes. The rest of the week was busy at work but quiet at home. I'd have liked a game on Friday but there was nothing nearby. Instead, it was a sober night in, having had a couple before the Wycombe game on Tuesday. I was in bed by 9.30 and up at 6.40 when my alarm went off. It took me a while to get going but I managed to get to the bus stop by 7.25 in advance of my 7.30 bus. I'd taken that rather than the 7.50 to give me more time to make the next connection. I got a meal deal including Currywurst Roll from Tesco as I'd not had time for breakfast. I was planning to get an earlier train, but that all went to pot as cowboys at Chiltern Railways were running late.

 

The Metropolitan turned up as scheduled and despite a couple of minutes delay I was at Harrow On The Hill well on time. An impressive array of buses were on offer but the one I needed, the 395 to Greenford (where I had lived for the first six years of my life) turned up on time. The service was delayed though thanks to inadequate roads making life difficult for the driver. It eventually came to a halt when a builder's lorry was blocking the road, only allowing cars past. No ones fault really but I got out and walked to the pub. It was busy with drinkers already but due to the delay, I only had time for one pint of Black Dragon with my breakfast muffin, plus an energy drink to take away. Leaving the peaceful place and roaring fire was a shame, but I had a train to catch. It was then that I discovered the Picadilly was up the spout, but other than having to get a shift on, it was of little consequence. It was a 20-minute walk to Greenford Underground and the central line to Ruislip Gardens. I chatted with a nice Irish groundhopper and spent around a tenner in the club shop on programme, magazine and fridge magnets. It was also nice to meet up with my brother who had come down from Bromsgrove. Wycombe took the lead in the first half through an excellent Beryly Lubala free kick from which I had a great view. Against the run of play but needing the bog meant a restricted view in the second period. I eventually found a better space, just in time to see Richard Kone score a second. I made it to Ruislip tube station after the game, earlier than scheduled. With a few games falling in the Middlesex League, I was loathe to spend money on a taxi, so bus it would be. Everything was delayed though, so my early arrival saw no benefit to my original plan. Crap roads through graffiti-riddled slums further delayed my arrival, as did traffic lights every few feet.

 

Kodak Harrow were in 10th and last week they beat Kensington Dragons 2-1. Camden United were 4th, last week they had beaten Eagles Land Cricklewood 2-1. A few others had made the trip from Wealdstone and we arrived at 14:12 with the game having kicked off six minutes late. It was a scrappy contest with Kodak edging it but creating no serious chances. The second half kicked off at 15:10 after an elongated half-time. Kodak took the lead on 55 minutes, just forcing the ball over the line in a goal-mouth scramble. A few minutes later, Camden were awarded a penalty but the Kodak keeper made a great save to preserve his team's lead. It was really lively now and the hosts came close to doubling the lead on the break. A header from the cross made it 2-0 on 68 minutes. The game got quite tense and the linesman had to break up a minor set-to between the benches after the Kodak coach strayed into the Camden technical area. A well worked passing move and a low shot made it 3-0 to Kodak with five minutes remaining. It was a deserved win, Camden showing some brief flashes of why they were near the top of the league but not enough.

Top picture of the goalmouth scramble taken by fellow spectator Torquay Groundhopper

 

The only notable result so far was Fleetwood Town 0-0 which poor PuffPuff had spent the thick end of a ton ticking what sounded like a terrible game. From the ground, it was a five-minute walk to the bus stop and then another five minutes wait for the delayed bus to Hayes. The traffic was a bit better now and the place looked a lot better in the dark with a decent range of takeaways. The bus was packed though, even though it was a double-decker. It was over an hour on the bus but I was kept entertained by the excellent Wealdstone programme I'd bought earlier. Ideally, I'd have typed my blog but with it being a big game, I'd avoided bringing more than I needed. We got turfed off the bus halfway there but an identical one was waiting to take us the rest of the way. I was at the Botwell Inn at 5.20, lamenting the loss of Hayes's former Church Road with my £1.99 pint of Stowford Press. It was certainly a multi-cultural area with plenty of Sikhs enjoying a pint. There were also lots of interesting takeaways but I opted for a bag of random East European crisps and a can of Scrumpy Jack so I could start heading home. The SL9 was a slightly quicker bus to Harrow station. It had been out of the way, but the Hayes Wetherspoons was one that fellow hopper Colin had ticked, so it made sense to get it done. From there, the Superloop to Harrow, the Metropolitan to Amersham and a bus home with me getting in at 8.10. I typed this blog whilst watching the AFC Wimbledon v Dagenham & Redbridge game.

THE GROUND

HARROW WEALD RECREATION GROUND is a very basic setup with the pitch area consisting of two goals and a rope along one side. There are a few bits to make it more homely, a club room looks great and toilets are provided. Plenty of food and drink choices are under ten minutes walk away and it was a nice place to spend a mild afternoon. Not much is parking is available but it's served by a number of bus routes and is not too far from Harrow and Wealdstone Station. 

AFC Cubo - Quintin Hogg Riverside Pitch

AFC Cubo

Quintin Hogg Riverside Pitch

Hartington Road

Chiswick

London 

W4 3TL

Official Website

Twitter

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Ground Number: 1375
Saturday 23rd November 2024

AFC Cubo 2-1 Bagshot
Surrey County Premier CFL

AFC CUBO - A BRIEF HISTORY

The club was formed in 1999 by a group of former Newcastle University students who moved to London. Back in the very first days of the club, some ringers were roped in to make up the numbers and one of these offered to arrange a kit through his girlfriend’s father who ran a textiles business. Being a Man City fan he went ahead and chose Baby Blue as the official colour of AFC Cubo. One of the founding members working for The Cubo Group (a marketing company specialising in “pleasure” brands) approached his boss for some sponsorship and he agreed to donate £100 in exchange for the club taking on the name of the company. As such, AFC Cubo came into existence and joined the Wimbledon and District League. They have led a nomadic existence over the years and after starting out at the Barnes Elms Sports Trust, they moved to the Aspire Southfields Academy before settling at their current home.

Promotion was earned from Division 3 to the Premier Division of the Wimbledon & District Premier League. They survived though and improved season on season. Following two third-place finishes they won the title in 2009, remaining unbeaten through the league season. This earned them promotion to the Surrey South Eastern Combination where they were runners-up to RH123 Athletic in 2010. Promotion was earned to Division 1 though and the following year AFC Cubo took the title. Promotion to the Surrey Elite Intermediate Football League followed and after a series of variable finishes, they won the title in 2019. This is their highest finish to date, sitting as it does at step 7 of the non-league pyramid. Following two abandoned seasons due to the pandemic, the league changed its name to the Surrey Premier County League. AFC Cubo were runners-up to Wimbledon Casuals in 2023.

MY VISIT

This was a free Saturday for me as I wasn't fussed about going to Lincoln City v Wycombe Wanderers, a ground I have visited many times. I had not paid a visit to Borough Market in ages and with Christmas approaching, I wanted to do so. Even so, options were limited with most of the step 7 I needed outside of the TFL area. My first choice would have been Hackney Marshes but neither Camden & Islington United or Hilltop Reserves had a reliable Twitter account. This was a shame as I'd long wanted to take a deep dive into the early 1990s TV series by Danny Baker called 'The Game' which was based around Hackney Marshes. In the end, after much searching, I went for AFC Cubo. The 15:15 kickoff was a strange time but it did at least allow me more time pre-match although I'd have preferred a 2 PM so I could watch the second half of the Wycombe game online.

From my game at Avonmouth last night, Colin and I headed home with far less faff then on Tuesday. A long stretch of 50MPH restrictions aside, it was a good journey and I dropped Colin off at 11.40. I was back home ten minutes later, having a pint whilst typing my blog before going to bed just after 1 Am. I woke up a couple of times in the night, the second a few minutes before my 8 AM alarm. It takes me a while to get going, so after breakfast and getting ready, I walk to the local bus stop and get the slightly late 9.25 to Amersham station. The bus took 25 minutes, by the time I walked to the station I had a ten minute wait for the 10.08 train to London. I unexpectedly met Colin on the platform, he had abandoned his trip to Harborough Town due to the exhorbitant train fare being around £50, even with his disabled railcard. With nothing else jumping out, he decided to join me. Lots of matches were being called off out West and up north but aside from it pissing down all day, I was hopeful of my game going ahead.

 

We got the train as scheduled and headed to Marylebone station. It was then a walk to Baker Street and the Jubilee line to London Bridge. It was then a few minutes walk to Borough Market. We had a wander around before I found the Cider Stall I needed. I had a pint of Little Pomona Table cider, a bottle of something to take away and a brilliant dark chocolate brownie. Indulgent and pricey but worth it for the enjoyment I got out of it. It was then ten minutes walk to Monument Station and the District Line to Hammersmith. The William Morris, Wetherspoons 375 was so busy, we couldn't get a table. But with a second one around the corner and a pint of Stowford Press £2.49, I was happy. Colin's large apple juice cost for a bit more, so good was the offer. Seven minutes walk and we were at the Plough and Harrow Wetherspoons where I had 11" chicken, stuffing, bacon & brie pizza with a bottle of Kopparberg Sweet Vintage Pear for £12.55. The pizza took 35 minutes, delicious as it was, I procured a bottle of unopened chilli garlic sauce as compensation. It was a ten minute walk to the bus stop bed the 533 to the ground. Miserable conditions awaited us but the venue was excellent with scoreboard and stands. The 15:15 kickoff explained by a previous game on the pitch, Polytechnic 0-1 Merton. We picked a spot and watched the start of the Lincoln v Wycombe game. Gareth Ainsworth had already done us a favour, I his first game for Shrewsbury, they had beaten Birmingham 3-2. Sadly for us, shortly before kickoff, Lincoln took the lead, though we would go on to win. 

AFC Cubo were sitting 7th in the table although they had some games in hand on a lot of the sides around them. Last time out, they won 3-2 at Banstead Rovers, one of five wins in a row. Bagshot were 12th following their relegation from the Combined Counties D1 last season. Their last game saw them lose 3-0 to Addlestone. The scoreboard was still displaying the old game but nine minutes in, Cubo took the lead, a neat shot into the top right corner. Just before half time, it was 2-0 to Cubo, a good through ball finding a forward who had a simple finish. Bagshot pulled a scrappy goal back in the last minute as the rain got heavier.

 

We had been kept company by a referee /official who had played a part in Wycombe games in the past. I started watching towards the tail end of his career when he was linesman for Wycombe Wanderers 1-1 Gillingham in 1993. Then later that season, he was linesman as Steve Guppy scored off his arse to beat Colchester United 1-0 in the Autoglass Trophy. It had been a decent afternoon. Happily, Wycombe had won 3-2 at Lincoln City to remain top of the league whilst Holmer Green had drawn 1-1 at Deportivo Galacia. Chelmsford-born hopper Dan had less of an enjoyable day, seeing his side Braintree capitulate 3-1 at Boston United. It was a rainy walk back to the station where we saw the linesman from our game whilst we waited for our delayed train to Putney. Putney was our last port of call as the gorilla was itching to get home. Anyone would think he was the one who had the 4 am alarm rather than the one who had four day weekends. I was still in a belting mood though as they had a box of Black Dragon on which a pint of made me feel a lot better. It was downhill from there as I had to head home but I knew it was the sensible option. The Chiltern was a mess as usual, so I had to rely on London Underground which was also as incomptent as Man City losing 4-0 at home to Spurs of all teams.

THE GROUND

QUINTON HOGG RIVERSIDE PITCH is a decent venue. Although one-sided, it has two seated stands although they are uncovered. Good toilet facilities are provided although no bar. Snacks and drinks are provided by a can, though he disappears around 4. 

Avonmouth - King George V Recreation Ground

Avonmouth FC

King George V Recreation Ground

Avonmouth Road

Bristol

Gloucestershire 

BS11 9ND

Official Website

Twitter

Ground Number: 1374

Friday 22nd November 2024
Avonmouth 1-2 Hallen

Western D1

AVONMOUTH FC - A BRIEF HISTORY

There is not very much information about the club and for the most part of their history, they played local parks football, latterly in the Bristol & Surburban League whose Premier Division they won in 2007 & 2023. Their reserves and 'A' team remain there in the present day but after the 2023 win, they moved up to the step 7 Gloucestershire County League. They won that at the first attempt last season and were promoted to the Western League Division 1. They opened their campaign with a thumping 8-2 win at Longwell Green Sports but currently sit in mid-table.

Avonmouth is a port and outer suburb of Bristol on the north bank the River Avon and the eastern shore of the Severn Estuary. Part of the Port of Bristol, Avonmouth Docks is important to the region's maritime economy, hosting large vessels for the unloading and exporting of heavier goods. Much of the land use is industrial, including warehousing, light industry, electrical power and sanitation. The M5 motorway bisects the neighbourhood, with junctions onto the A4 road and M49 motorway, and it has stations on the Severn Beach Line railway. The population of the area is just under 3,500. Famous people from Avounmouth include the comedian Lee Evans.

MY VISIT

Friday night football had long been a favourite of mine. There were a couple of options on this night, a game at Avonmouth which was on grass but would get me a step 6. As a backup there was Park United in the Wiltshire League, this on 3G in the Wiltshire League which I was also looking to complete. Colin was very keen but I was playing it by ear as the temperatures were borderline. On one hand, I'd had games called off at over five degrees. On the other, both Penn & Tylers Green and Hartpury University played on Tuesday with the mercury displaying zero so I decided to leave it until the day before to decide.

From our game at Moneyfields on Tuesday, I drove Colin home. It went smoothly at first and a 23.20 arrival time was great, a small delay due to a closure on the A3. However, it turned out to be far worse, the diversion was far larger than expected and then I was sent the wrong way down the M25 as the roundabout was closed. All in all, 15 miles was added to the journey as well as half an hour. It was also frozen and having the heating on to clear the windscreen did the fuel economy no favours. Getting home at midnight was not what I wanted. It also took me ages to get to sleep and I was knackered the next day with only a few hours sleep. However, a high night's sleep on Monday helped and I had an early night on Wednesday. I decided to go on Thursday, seeing that the forecast was slightly more optimistic.

It was a hectic Friday as usual at work, very busy but I was out by 1. I came home put a wash on and grabbed something to eat. The Pepper X Chilli Mac & Cheese has a fair kick to it and had warnings on the label about it.  It was just about manageable for me, a decent challenge in fact. After an afternoon of resting, I left just before 4 to meet Colin. Surprisingly, it was a decent journey down with us getting to The Staple Hill Oak at 6.10. I'd chosen to detour to this Spoons, my 374th in the chain as it was warmer and cheaper than getting a takeaway. Brie and Cranberry Panini, chips and a Thatcher's Zero were £7.23. It was a shame to miss out on the cider selection due to driving though. It was 25 minutes to the ground with us getting there at 7.10. It was £6 in and then I went to the bar, getting a new cider, Black Rat Non Traditional and a programme for £5. The cider was very nice and at a sensible strength would be completely worn off by full-time. It was a decent crowd in attendance, 190 including several hoppers and local fans.

Avonmouth were 13th in the table and their last game was a couple of weeks ago when they beat Cheddar 3-1. Hallen were top of the table, last week they beat bottom side Gillingham Town 2-0. Avonmouth were shading the game and they took the lead on 24 minutes, Ben Allison scoring from a low shot after several attempts were blocked. A late tackle on a Hallen player saw a player require treatment and Avonmouth had to weather a storm to stay ahead at the break. Hallen dominated the start of the second half but Avonmouth had a flurry of chances just after the hour but somehow the ball stayed out. The equaliser came about in controversial circumstances. The Hallen #17 dived and should have been booked. However, the referee fell hook line and sinker and a free kick was awarded. A ball was flighted in and Jack Askins bundled home. In the aftermath, Mitch Wise hit out and was sent off. On the balance of play, the equaliser was justified but the way it came about was an error on the ref's part. Deep into injury time, Hallen got the winner, the ball headed against the bar and then in by Scott Cousins to see the visitors celebrate wildly in front of the home dugout. It was probably deserved but harsh on Avonmouth.

 

THE GROUND 

THE KING GEORGE V RECREATION GROUND is rather basic at present. The only seating is open benches in front of the clubhouse and the only cover is a couple of areas of cover on the same side. There are also only three sides with the near end closed off It does however have lots of character. The M5 motorway provides an imposing backdrop behind one goal at night and the place has a homemade feel. Parking is limited to players. The catering is restricted to pasties but the bar is excellent with a good range of ciders including local exclusives Natch and Black Rat. Overall, a nice friendly welcoming club that's worth a visit.