IT'S NOT ALWAYS A PERFECT PITCH

Over the weekend I saw Hepworth United beat Scholes FC in a Huddersfield and District League game 5-0. The win was remarkable in that the match, played at Scholes, was played on the side of a small mountain, on a pitch that could only be described as tricky. Both teams deserve credit for making a game of it.

Meanwhile, on Sunday, the Hepworth U11s played Yorkshire Lions on a better, flat pitch at Newsome High School and managed to turn round a 9-2 win from earlier in the season into a 4-9 defeat. One wag said "the Hepworth children looked like they had been out all night and fallen in love". 

In the south, on another even more perfect pitch, the Old Carthusians found themselves in another Arthur Dunn Cup final after beating the Old Etonians 2-0 in the semis on Saturday. They meet the Lancing Old Boys on April 18th. (see recent blog).

In the FA Vase semis first leg, Glossop North End took a step nearer the final winning 1-0 away in Cornwall at St Austell, whilst North Shields, at the opposite end of the country, held hosts Highworth 0-0 to set up two interesting second legs for next weekend. I suspect both pitches were half decent.

The  Scottish Breedon Aggregates Highland League Cup semis included Turriff (almost turf-do you get my drift?) losing to Cove 1-2 and Wick beating Nairn 2-1. I hope the crowds for these important games were greater than the 320 officially declared at bottom club Montrose, slumming it at the bottom of the Scottish League Two. Quality of playing surfaces dubious?

Sunday's Johnstone's Paint Trophy final, played on a top quality surface at Wembley, was watched by a crowd of over 73,000 which saw favourites Bristol City beat Walsall 2-0. This was Walsall's first visit to the home of football and this leaves three Football League teams never to have graced the sacred turf; Accrington Stanley, Hartlepool and Crawley Town. 

And at the top of the pile, El Clasico produced the largest crowd of the weekend with our old favourites Ronaldo and Suarez making their mark. Real Madrid have hit the woodwork more times that any La Liga club, 23. If only they had gone in? Barca won 2-1. Photo NOT Camp Nou!