There's an awful lot of football in Derbyshire, and perhaps a lot of awful football too. Looking through the teams and results has made me quite nostalgic.
Up there in the Championship Derby seem as concerned to keep their team out of police custody as Chesterfield are with maintaining a tenuous grasp on a National League place, with the FA Cup about to interrupt dreams of a winning run. One step down in National League North Alfreton are challenging for the play-offs fortified by Amari Morgan-Smith's goals - they grabbed a 0-1 win at Leamington on Saturday.
In the Northern Premier League Premier both Matlock and Mickleover Sports are sustaining a play-off challenge way behind leaders South Shields. The two Derbyshire teams met on Saturday with the Gladiators coming out on top 3-1, Sam Scrivens who was on trial at Chesterfield netted the third. Bottom of the division sit Buxton who crashed 7-0 at FC United on Saturday, but did grab a point in a 0-0 draw last night. In the South East Section Ilkeston are in fourth place but went out of the FA trophy on Saturday to Bedworth from Southern Div One Central. Belper Town lie eighth with games in hand over everyone, but were hammered 0-3 by Stamford from their own division in the FA Vase last Saturday. Glossop currently lie in 15th position.
Step Five finds South Normanton Athletic on the fringes of a promotion dogfight in the Midland League Premier, but Saturday's FA Vase saw them beaten 0-2 by Holbeach. A place above them rivals Long Eaton United progressed to the second round of the Vase 2-3 at Racing Club Warwick. Marooned at the bottom Gresley continued to struggle going down 0-1 to Rugby in the Vase. In the Northern Counties League Premier however there is much better news for Staveley MW who are leading the league and gained an expected victory 2-1 over strugglers Barton Town on Saturday.
In Step Six in the East Midland Counties. Heanor Town sit in prime position in fifth place with games in hand over their rivals and the FA Vase on Saturday gave them the chance to prove their worth with 3-0 win over Boldmere St Michael of Step Five. Below them Graham Street Prims from Derby lie safe in seventh, a 4-2 win over another Derby club, Borrowash Vic, kept Belper United in mid-table, whilst a 3-0 defeat at Radford did nothing for Shriebrook Twon's hopes of pulling clear of the relegation strugglers. Over in the second division of the North West Counties New Mills have managed only one win so far and sit above only Ellesmere Rangers. In the Northern Counties League One Dronfield Town remain in mid-table flowing Saturday's disappointing 2-1 defeat at Swallownest.
Step Seven sees several Derbyshire clubs competing in the Abacus Central Midlands League North and South. There's Hilton Harriers, Clay Cross, Swanwick Pentrich Road (who beat Teversal Reserves 2-1), Rowsley 86, Holbrook St Michael (who won 0-2 at Linby Colliery), Holbrook Sports, Bakewell Town, Renishaw Rangers (a Derbyshire team who play in South Yorkshire and drew at Crowle on Saturday), Ripley Town, Wirksworth Ivanhoe, Cromford and Wirksworth, and the fast-rising Chesterfield Town who have two adult teams, lots of Juniors and play at Poolsbrook. More about all these teams later (when I know more …..)
Up there in the Championship Derby seem as concerned to keep their team out of police custody as Chesterfield are with maintaining a tenuous grasp on a National League place, with the FA Cup about to interrupt dreams of a winning run. One step down in National League North Alfreton are challenging for the play-offs fortified by Amari Morgan-Smith's goals - they grabbed a 0-1 win at Leamington on Saturday.
In the Northern Premier League Premier both Matlock and Mickleover Sports are sustaining a play-off challenge way behind leaders South Shields. The two Derbyshire teams met on Saturday with the Gladiators coming out on top 3-1, Sam Scrivens who was on trial at Chesterfield netted the third. Bottom of the division sit Buxton who crashed 7-0 at FC United on Saturday, but did grab a point in a 0-0 draw last night. In the South East Section Ilkeston are in fourth place but went out of the FA trophy on Saturday to Bedworth from Southern Div One Central. Belper Town lie eighth with games in hand over everyone, but were hammered 0-3 by Stamford from their own division in the FA Vase last Saturday. Glossop currently lie in 15th position.
Step Five finds South Normanton Athletic on the fringes of a promotion dogfight in the Midland League Premier, but Saturday's FA Vase saw them beaten 0-2 by Holbeach. A place above them rivals Long Eaton United progressed to the second round of the Vase 2-3 at Racing Club Warwick. Marooned at the bottom Gresley continued to struggle going down 0-1 to Rugby in the Vase. In the Northern Counties League Premier however there is much better news for Staveley MW who are leading the league and gained an expected victory 2-1 over strugglers Barton Town on Saturday.
In Step Six in the East Midland Counties. Heanor Town sit in prime position in fifth place with games in hand over their rivals and the FA Vase on Saturday gave them the chance to prove their worth with 3-0 win over Boldmere St Michael of Step Five. Below them Graham Street Prims from Derby lie safe in seventh, a 4-2 win over another Derby club, Borrowash Vic, kept Belper United in mid-table, whilst a 3-0 defeat at Radford did nothing for Shriebrook Twon's hopes of pulling clear of the relegation strugglers. Over in the second division of the North West Counties New Mills have managed only one win so far and sit above only Ellesmere Rangers. In the Northern Counties League One Dronfield Town remain in mid-table flowing Saturday's disappointing 2-1 defeat at Swallownest.
Step Seven sees several Derbyshire clubs competing in the Abacus Central Midlands League North and South. There's Hilton Harriers, Clay Cross, Swanwick Pentrich Road (who beat Teversal Reserves 2-1), Rowsley 86, Holbrook St Michael (who won 0-2 at Linby Colliery), Holbrook Sports, Bakewell Town, Renishaw Rangers (a Derbyshire team who play in South Yorkshire and drew at Crowle on Saturday), Ripley Town, Wirksworth Ivanhoe, Cromford and Wirksworth, and the fast-rising Chesterfield Town who have two adult teams, lots of Juniors and play at Poolsbrook. More about all these teams later (when I know more …..)