Hart Failure - But I Do Like To Be The Side That's The Seasiders !!

And so to Maesdu Park, or The Giant Hospitality Stadium, in Llandudno as the Seasiders take on Connah's Quay Nomads in the Welsh Premier League - second playing first at this early stage of the season.

Football dates back to 1878 in Llandudno, with the club originally known as Gloddaeth Rovers and formed for the purpose of providing activity for cricketers in the close season. The club was a founder member of the Welsh National League (North) in 1921 and were crowned champions in 1923.

Controversy struck in 1931 when the FAW instructed them to play in East Wales - the club refused and were suspended. In 1935 Llandudno FC became founder members of the Welsh League (North) where they stayed until 1974, winning the league in its first two seasons.

The Seasiders were reformed in 1988, and moved to Maesdu Park in 1991. Chris Coleman officially opened the new 3G pitch on 31 July 2014 ahead of a successful Cymru Alliance campaign that saw promotion to the Welsh Premier League.

Llandudno finished third in their first season in the top flight, earning a Europa League tie against IFK Goteborg, with the Swedes winning 7-1 on aggregate. Last term the Seasiders finished a disappointing ninth, and their strategic partnership with MBi Consulting, with the team rebranded MBi Llandudno FC, came to an end.

Before the Nomads, Connah's Quay FC was founded in 1890 and disbanded after a second Welsh Cup final loss in 1911. Connah's Quay & Shotton FC was then formed in 1920 and beat Cardiff, featuring several players from the team that beat Arsenal in the 1927 FA Cup Final, in the 1929 Welsh Cup Final. Six months later the club went bust....

The existing club was formed in July 1946 as Connah's Quay Juniors, and a senior team was formed and joined the Flintshire League in 1948. Prior to the 1952/53 season the club's suffix changed to Nomads; the Nomads joined the Welsh League (North) and, despite returning to local leagues for 7 years, rejoined it in 1966. In 1974 the club joined the newly formed Clwyd League and, following 3 successful seasons in the Welsh Alliance, became founder members of the Cymru Alliance in 1990 then the League of Wales two seasons later.

The Nomads, an odd name for a club that had spent 51 seasons at the Halfway Ground, moved after a season of groundsharing at Rhyl to its current home, the Deeside Stadium in 1998. After bereavements and retirements the club was taken over by gap personnel in June 2008 to become gap Connah's Quay Nomads.

2010 saw the club narrowly miss out on the cut off for the Super 12 League - thus the club began the 2010/11 season in the Cymru Alliance which they won the following season but were deprived of promotion after failing to gain a domestic license. Notwithstanding this setback the Nomads were again crowned Cymru Alliance champions in 2013 and this time the ascent to the Welsh Premier League was granted.

2015/16 saw the Nomads qualify for the Europa League - and a giantkilling as the club beat Norwegian team Stabaek over two legs before bowing out to Vojvodina from Serbia. A second place finish last term, a mere 27 points adrift of The New Saints, brought about another Europa League adventure. A surprise 1-0 'home' win over HJK Helsinki in Bangor was overturned 3-0 in Finland. The club also removed gap from its name in the close season.

And so on a glorious Saturday, a prelude hopefully to the forthcoming Bank Holiday, it's a detour to Warrington then back to the M56, passing Revolution Scooters and joining at the Stretton Fox. Creamfields traffic is light and Stanlow is hardly belching, although the wind turbines are at full throttle.

Then, after Queensferry, onto the A55, past a van decorated as Scooby Doo's Mystery Machine, and beyond Bodelwyddan to Colwyn Bay and its condemned pier. A quick walk past The Picture House brings us to the town's well kept railway station - colourful flower boxes and vibrant paintings providing an attractive backdrop.

Change at Llandudno Junction, Gateway to the Conwy Valley and Snowdonia National Park (Parc Cenedlaethol Eryri), and then the pretty marina at Deganwy on one side of the water, Conwy Castle on t'other. Into Llandudno and, passing the Stag & Dagger tattoo studio, down to the West Shore with its miniature railway. Back into town and lunch is at the Palladium, the Wetherspoons offering in Llandudno.

Llandudno, the resort, exudes quality with the busy town centre merging seamlessly into the seafront area. A long pier stretches out to sea whilst inland the two Ormes tower over, high headlands at the tips of the horseshoe coast.

Maesdu Park is hidden in the middle of an industrial estate next to a big coach depot. Inside the Big Hospitality Stadium, the near end is open terrace with the Celtic Pie Co doing good business. The far side hosts three separate covered seating areas - a hospitality area, the main stand named after the ground sponsor and next to it a smaller version. The other two sides have covered stands too, one with a tea bar, and there's the ubiquitous TV gantry and rather pleasant views of the Welsh hills.

The Seasiders are in black and white stripes, the Nomads in red. A rather turgid first half produces only one major incident and talking point. On 21 minutes the pacy Toby Jones latches onto a through ball and gets just ahead of Nomads' Mike Pearson, who trips him inside the box. Red card and penalty - but Seasiders' Sam Hart rolls the ball wide, and the rest of the half sees Llandudno fail to break down a well drilled Nomads defence.

It takes just over an hour before we see a well constructed chance; great work from Danny Hughes plays in Jones who sets up Marc Williams, and his shot is saved at point blank range by Nomads keeper John Danby. Nomads come very close soon after as Michael Wilde thrashes the ball against the crossbar from a cutback.

Sixty seconds later Mike Williams' prodigious headed clearance is hunted down by Jones as George Horan and Danby get themselves in a mess. Danby misses the ball and Jones takes it around him and sidefoots home. He has a second opportunity within minutes but this time it's straight at Danby.

Nomads throw men forward in the final few moments but the Seasiders' defence stands firm. Short at the back, Llandudno sub Sam Ilesanmi muscles through and draws another great save from Danby, but it matters little as the game finishes 1-0 and the Seasiders go top, maintaining their 100% win and clean sheet records.

From Eye In A Storm To Costa Ricay

And so to Champion Hill and the eagerly awaited Bostik League clash between Dulwich Hamlet, in their famous pink and navy blue shirts, and Billericay Town, who have attracted much press coverage of late.

The Dulwich Hamlet story began in the summer of 1893 when Lorraine `Pa` Wilson was handed the princely sum of one shilling and eight pence by a couple of keen young footballers to start a Dulwich Hamlet Football Club.

Hamlet joined the Camberwell League initially, before moving to the Isthmian League in 1907 where they have stayed ever since. The club have won 4 FA Amateur Cups and 5 Isthmian League titles, the most recent being in the 1977/78 season.

During World War I the legendary Edgar Kail joined Dulwich, scoring 427 goals in 14 seasons and winning 3 full England caps in an international career that lasted 6 days !! The approach to Champion Hill is now named Edgar Kail Way, with a blue plaque, in his memory. Goalkeeper Bert Coleman also won a full England cap.

The 1948/49 title came in the middle of popular flying winger Tommy Jover's career. The main stand is named after him in honour of 70 years of magnificent service as a player, official and club President.

The Hamlet returned to the Isthmian Premier Division at the end of the 2012/13 season, after two unsuccessful play off campaigns. There have been three consecutive play off defeats in the last three seasons, as promotion to the National League South proves elusive.

Long since known for their work in the community, and anti homophobia and anti discrimination crusades, Dulwich were awarded the Football Foundation Community Club of the Year in 2016.

The visitors were established as Billericay FC in 1880 playing at Archers Field in the Romford & District League up to the First World War. Local competition was provided by Billericay Albion and Billericay Thursdays.

Ricay then moved to the Mid Essex League until World War II before changing the club's name to Billericay Town, not popular at the time, and joining the South Essex Combination League. The Blues became founder members of the Essex Olympian League in 1966, and were crowned champions in 1970 and 1971.

In fact 1971 was a significant year for the club, moving to New Lodge, named after the adjacent hospital, and becoming founder members of the Essex Senior League. Around this time Ricay also redesigned the club badge to feature an image of the Mayflower which set sail for North America in 1620 - some of the passengers were from Billericay. Tenuous at best, although the club's strapline remains We Sail As One.

The 1970s saw 3 Essex Senior League championships, 2 Athenian League titles and 3 FA Vase successes - 1976 (1-0 v Hoddesdon), 1977 (2-1 after a replay v Sheffield 'The Club') and 1979 (4-1 v Almondsbury Greenway). Dougie Young scored a hat trick in the latter, the first in a Wembley final since a certain Geoff Hurst in 1966.

The following season Ricay moved up to the Isthmian, yoyoing between the 3 divisions and moving to the Premier in 1998. The title was won in 2011/12 but this led to a solitary season in the Conference South before demotion.

In December 2016, after his overtures were rejected by Dagenham & Redbridge, the club was bought by multi millionaire Glenn Tamplin, who appointed himself manager in March - the Blues just missing out on the play offs.

But the circus has really been in town this summer with Tamplin sacking the club's cheerleaders, for distracting the players, then reinstating them. The club's wage bill has rocketed to over £30,000 a week as he brought in the likes of Paul Konchesky, Jamie O'Hara and Jermaine Pennant, expecting to 'smash the league'.

Add in the home dressing room being repainted as a mural of lions ('My players are lions'), and a (now deleted) tweet from Tamplin telling a rival fan to commit suicide, and you get the feeling it could be an interesting afternoon....

After a disastrous start, with an expansion joint 'failing' on Thelwall viaduct, leading to the M6 being closed for 9 hours and causing gridlock in Cheshire, it's finally into Euston and a whistle stop tour of the sights.

First the sauna that is the Tube to Marble Arch, then the Serpentine, Kensington Palace, the Albert Memorial and a sadly bescaffolded Royal Albert Hall. Onto Buckingham and St James's Palaces before reaching Westminster Abbey, and then Big Ben and its bongs, but not for much longer !!

The Houses of Parliament, 10 Downing Street, Westminster Bridge, Nelson's Column and a trip on the London Eye - where the neighbouring pod hosts a Japanese wedding party, and our half hour revolution is greeted by a thunderstorm (Thunderbolt and Lightning, very very frightening - the Eye in a storm J) Finally the Tower of London and Tower Bridge completes the sightseeing.

The journey to Dulwich Hamlet involves three hills, firstly an overground to Denmark Hill where the station lamp standards are painted in pink and navy blue, a nearby roof is covered in graffiti 'Feed The Pigeons' and the air ambulance at adjoining Kings College Hospital chops into action. A walk round Ruskin Park, up Champion Hill, a pint of Spitfire at The Fox On The Hill and then down Dog Kennel Hill and through Sainsburys car park to the ground.

Hamlet have played at Champion Hill since 1902 on 3 separate grounds. The last of these was constructed in 1992 after the sale of the adjoining training pitch to Sainsburys and a season of groundsharing at Tooting & Mitcham.

Inside the stadium immediately to the left is a shipping 'mega' container which houses Dulwich Hamlet Supporters Trust. Three sides sport set back three step partial terraces, with the popular side partly covered. The ground is dominated by the Tommy Jover Stand and clubhouse on the near side, with an abundance of stickers and approved graffito images on all sides.

There's also a tea bar to one side of the Tommy Jover Stand and a Thai food outlet to the other, next to a bar in a prefabricated garage. The far end shouts 'Up The Hamlet', and this is where the Rabble, Dulwich's 'ultras' congregate for the second half. The toilets continue the stickers and graffiti theme - 'Refugees Welcome', 'No to Fascism', 'No to Homophobia', and various associations with other foreign clubs including Altona 93 and St Pauli plus.

Hamlet are in pink and navy blue, Ricay in change red and white - and both sets of supporters are in fine voice with a significant away following in the crowd of 1,688. The Rabble raise flags declaring 'No One Knows Us We Don't Care' and 'Ordinary Morality Is For Ordinary Football Clubs'.

Within a minute Hamlet's Dumebi Dumaka has fired just wide and then Sierra Leone international Ibrahim Kargbo shoots marginally over the Ricay bar. At the other end Ricay's Louie Theophanous is put through on goal but scuffs his shot horribly, and Preston Edwards saves well from Rob Swaine from a corner to preserve Hamlet's clean sheet. Kargbo's deflected drive is then tipped onto the top of the bar by Ricay's keeper Alan Julian.

Just before the break a lofted ball forward catches on the wind, allowing Billy Bricknell to control with one touch and then rifle the ball past Edwards, and Ricay lead. But there's still time for one more Hamlet attack which sees Leo Chambers handle the ball on the floor to concede a penalty. Ashley Carew sends Julian the wrong way, and it's 1-1 at the interval in a first half that certainly lived up to expectations.

The second period continues in similar vein, although despite Dumaka's splendid control and trickery Hamlet fail to create real opportunities. Bricknell's shot is hooked off the line, and from the resulting corner Carew also clears off the line. Pennant, booked earlier, makes way for the heavily braided Ricky Modeste.

Shortly after substitute Nana Boakye-Yiadom gets in a tangle, the ball hits him on the arm and Ricay have a penalty. Bricknell dispatches it nonchalantly. Hamlet fight back and Nyren Clunis's slaloming run is brought to a cynical end by Konchesky, who receives a yellow card that could easily have been red.

With three minutes to go Hamlet win another free kick just outside the area, but lose possession and the ball breaks to Jake Robinson, a £24,000 capture from Hemel Hempstead in March. He takes one touch before chipping the ball home past the flailing Edwards from 50 yards - a quite stunning and audacious goal. Edwards makes a wonder save from Bricknell's free kick in injury time to deny him his hat truck.

Ricay win 3-1 and their expensively assembled side justify the bookies favourites tag in the second half. The teams leave to Hamlet chants of 'What a waste of money' directed at the ever animated Tamplin.....

All's Not Well For Wells As Linnets On Song

And so to the first Saturday in August and the return of football J The season's opener this time brings the magic of the FA Cup to the Millbank Linnets Stadium, with Runcorn Linnets facing Hemsworth Miners Welfare in the Extra Preliminary Round. The clubs met at the same stage last year with Hemsworth 2-1 victors at home, both sides having a man sent off.

The home club started as Highfield and Camden Tanneries Recreation Club in 1918. Renamed as Runcorn FC the Linnets won the Cheshire County League in its first season, and enjoyed a League and Cup double in 1937. In 1968 the club became founder members of the Northern Premier League, winning it twice, and the pinnacle was the Alliance Premier League title in 1982.

During the 1993/94 season the Linnets' stadium at Canal Street nearly fell apart. A perimeter wall collapsed during a cup game with Hull City, the roof blew off one stand and the main stand was destroyed by fire. This crippled the club and relegation, for the first time ever, followed.

In 2000 Canal Street was sold, with the club moving to the Halton Stadium at Widnes, and rebranding as Runcorn FC Halton. However the Linnets' precarious financial position forced a move out of the Halton Stadium, first to Southport's Haig Avenue and then to Prescot Cables' Valerie Park. Unable to pay players' wages the club finished bottom, suffered a second successive relegation and in 2006 resigned from the league and ceased activity.

Runcorn Linnets FC was formed on 28 April 2006 at the spiritual home of Canal Street in the Quayside function rooms next to the Linnets Park housing estate. The new club joined Division 2 of the North West Counties Football League and ground shared at Witton Albion's Wincham Park. The Linnets were promoted as runners up in their first season to Division 1 (now Premier Division), missing out on the title on goal difference.

The club moved to its new stadium on Murdishaw Avenue in 2010 at the end of its R2R (Return 2 Runcorn) project. The last six seasons have all seen top six finishes, including three consecutive second places - but the NWCFL Challenge Cup was won in 2013.

The visitors, Hemsworth Miners Welfare FC from the Yorkshire NuBuilds Stadium in Fitzwilliam, began life in 1981 following the demise of Hemsworth Colliery FC the year before. The club joined the Doncaster & District Senior League Division 3, and three successive promotions took the Wells to the Premier Division in 1988.

Hemsworth won the Premier Division Cup in 1995 and then moved to the West Riding County League. Division 1 was won in the 1996/97 season, and in 2007/08 a fourth place finish in the Premier Division was enough to earn promotion to Division 1 of the Northern Counties East League. The Wells were crowned champions in 2015/16 to rise to the NCEL Premier Division.

So on a blustery, sunny afternoon it's past the carved wooden eagle on Manchester Road, the closed Wheatsheaf pub, the shut Altrincham Shaver & Repair Centre and beyond the recently opened Da Noi restaurant, a welcome replacement for the execrable Champz (Chumpz ?) bar. A glorious floral display at Denzell Gardens takes me to the M56 where a pile up on the opposite carriageway sees tailbacks as far as the Stretton Fox.

Off at Daresbury, through Preston Brook and into Murdishaw where the Millbank Linnets Stadium is behind the defunct Halton Arms pub. Overflow car parking on the building site heralds an attendance of 324.

Past the existing clubhouse and into the ground where there is a small covered terrace behind the goal, the back wall completely covered by the two Hemsworth flags. One proclaims 'Poey is Innocent', a reference to an 'innocent' miner jailed during the Miners' Strike after an incident in Fitzwilliam, the birthplace of Geoff Boycott.

Next to it is the reason for all the building work - a brand new clubhouse being constructed in the corner. Along the popular side is a modest all seater covered stand, with the message on the roof stating 'By the fans, for the fans'. The rest of the ground comprises a fenced in walkway, surrounded on three sides by open fields and trees.

The Linnets are in yellow and green hoops, the Wells all blue with black trim. Linnets are first to threaten but Freddie Potter's chip barely troubles Jacob Collier (most appropriate !!) in the away goal. At the other end a hopeful ball puts Lloyd Henderson through but he shoots with the wrong foot and the ball curls away from goal.

Play is somewhat disjointed and niggly, not helped by the gusting wind. Stu Wellstead's forces a splendid save from Collier before on 25 minutes Kris Holt's cross sees an absent Wells back line and captain Kyle Hamid heads the ball beyond Collier to give the Linnets the lead.

Seven minutes before half time brings the game's flashpoint. Wells' David Briggs launches a dreadful studs up challenge on Holt and all last season's animosity flares up again in the ensuing scuffle. Eventually, after much pushing and shoving, Briggs receives a straight red card.

The second half sees Wells struggle to create much in the way of attacking opportunities as the man disadvantage tells. The Linnets find the Hemsworth rearguard well organised and obdurate. Harry Viggars' mistake, dispossessed by Potter who has a clear run on game that results in a lame finish beyond the post, the only clear cut chance.

The final quarter brings another excellent save from Collier, tipping Holt’s header from a corner on to the bar, and Paul Shanley's measured strike is just off target. With six minutes to go a cross from the right finds Shanley at the back post and he tees it up, just outside the six yard box, for the onrushing Michael Simpson to steer into the bottom corner. 2-0 and the tie is over, with Wells coming up dry J