EFL Cup 25th August

 

Brentford put in a dominant performance to remove Birmingham from the Carabao Cup.

Plymouth came from 2 goals down to level the tie at 2-2, but then let in two more goals.

Teignmouth lost.

Results from 18th to 22nd August

 

The Premier League opened on Friday night with a convincing win by Arsenal over Coventry City. Brentford continued that convincing display by despatching Tottenham also by 3 goals to 0. The result of the weekend was Elmore's victory over Topsham Town 7-0.

Cardiff 1 Wrexham 1

 I watched a quality match on Monday night. Kieffer Moore scored an early goal with a screamer just inside the near post at the top corner.

That led to Wrexham controlling the match giving Cardiff little or no chance to equalise. At one point near the end of the game the screen showed the expected goals was 0.12 for Cardiff and 0.74 for Wrexham. A dominant performance.

The problem came in the 97th minute with 6 minutes showing on time added on. Dobby missed his tackle on the edge of the box giving Cardiff the chance to take a free kick to STEAL a draw. This is exactly what they did.

This was a special draw but the signs are good for the season ahead.

Weekend 15th & 16th August

 I watched Exeter on Sky Sports plus and Grimsby were worth the win although Jayden Wareham had two or three good chances to score.

So with one defeat on my list I checked on Plymouth in league one and they were also defeated.

Next thing I saw that Worthing had also lost and this was turning into a bad weekend.

Bovey Tracey and Teignmouth convinced me that this week was a total disaster and when I checked Exmouth that was worse. I worried but I found out that it was two Melksham players colliding into each other and going to hospital that caused the abandonment.

All that was forgotten on Sunday.

Roberto Calafiori received a clinical pass from Myles Lewis-Skelly to put Arsenal 1-0 up after 30 seconds. That confidence boost seemed to inspire the team and we went on to dominate the match. Kai Havertz headed us into a 2-0 lead following a brilliant header across goal by Christos Tzolis. At the start of the second half Martin Odegaard sat Gianluigi Donnarumma down before passing the ball into an empty net for the third of three good goals. That is a great end to the pre-season and we can add the Charity Shield to the Costa Brava Cup as two trophies before the season starts for real.

Midweek matches 11th & 12th August

 Here are the results for my selections:

Arsenal warmed up for the Charity Shield with a draw against Como managed by Cesc Fabregas.

Devon Derby = 0-0 after 90 minutes

 Plymouth should have had far too much for an Exeter team just learning how to play together. The Exeter boys held Plymouth for the full 90 minutes but then it all went wrong. Alex Hartridge (an ex-Exeter man) scored from a header in the 92nd minute and Plymouth added a second goal in the 94th minute.

As they said in commentary a lot of this first round was played in the manner of a pre-season friendly but this is the deadly rivalry between the two top teams in Devon and one young lad playing for Exeter managed to get himself sent off. He will do well as time goes on.

Weekend Results 7th-9th August

 A mixed bag of results at the weekend:

I attended the F.A.Cup match which did not inspire me to return particularly in the first half. It was a war of attrition. Exmouth started the second half with a quick goal and they followed that with a penalty and a nice passing move for the third which demonstrated their level aboveness.

I have no idea what is going on with Arsenal but the website directed me to You Tube so that is where I watched the match with Dortmund. We lost the match but we won the practice penalty shootout.

There is one match left. Tonight we can watch the Devon Derby on Sky Sports as Plymouth take on Exeter in the Carabao Cup.

Football : An early history

 For those who had no idea and maybe those who had some idea.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QHXco1MnsPE

I learned a few things.

The season gets going with the start of the F.A.Cup = 8th August

 All my selections are playing this weekend.

I hope to get to the F.A.Cup match between Bovey Tracey and Exmouth Town. I expect a larger crowd than normal as the match has that tag of being an "F.A.Cup Match". 

Brentford open their fixtures with a match against Rennes.

The Plymouth v. Exeter Devon Derby has to wait until Monday.

Wrexham take on Middlesbrough in the Carabao Cup.

Plenty to get my teeth into.

We have had a lot of preamble but now things start to get serious.

Midweek 4th & 5th August

 The midweek results:

Two wins followed by two losses.

August 1st and 2nd

 August begins and we are starting to see some real matches.

In the Carabao Cup Preliminary Round Crawley beat York by 2 goals to nil on Monday night. In the Saturday fixture Tranmere drew 2-2 with Rochdale and that led to the worst set of penalties I have ever seen as Rochdale won 2-1. 

The teams that I am following produced these results:

 I paid for the Arsenal coverage on Arsenal.com so I can watch all of the pre-season games.

The second half of the match against Girona saw a raft of youth team members coming on to represent the first team. I look forward to seeing who impressed Mikel Arteta enough to make a first team appearance in a more serious match. We are now holders of the Costa Brava Cup. So in our first match we win our first trophy. It is rather similar to the Emirates Cup but it is run by Girona.

Two of my teams in a friendly match

 One win and one loss.

The home team won this one.

Final Friendly before August begins

 Torquay United took on Exeter City at the end of July.

Devon Derby

Devon League = Elmore (Eagles)

 No friendlies easily found on the internet so straight into the season.

Two games a week every week at the start of the season.

Elmore is where I started my Football Pyramid adventure looking at Level 10 at the time. They are Level 11 now.

Teignmouth = South West Peninsula League East

I could not find any pre-season fixtures or results although they should have some.

 

The F.A.Vase starts on 15th August against Ivybridge Town.

The League starts one week earlier on August 8th.

The pictures of the ground look lovely so I hope to get to a few matches this season.

Bovey Tracey = My Western League Premier Division pick

 I dropped Buckland Athletic despite visiting them a couple of times in favour of Bovey Tracey who are my local team.

They made it into the Western League so they must have passed the ground grading that all clubs have to go through.

I am really looking forward to the debut of Bovey Tracey in the F.A.Cup.

The League Season started with a 4-2 win against Wellington. I notice that I have not checked the result against Buckland Athletic but my excuse is that the whole family were taken up with my grand daughter's 4th birthday. I can now get back to updating my spreadsheets.

Exmouth Town = My Southern League Division One South pick

 I have made several trips to watch Exmouth Town who are the team at the end of the railway line. As you watch the match you can see the trains come and go although there are not that many.

The results have been poor in the pre-season friendlies but that does not necessarily mean anything when it some to the main season.

I do want to attend the F.A.Cup match at Bovey Tracey as I am following both teams this season. Exmouth are the senior side being a level above but Bovey are still riding high on their promotion to the Western League.

The League season starts on 11th August and I expect some of those empty dates to be filled by fixtures scheduled for later in the season.

Wimborne Town = My Southern League Premier South pick

 Wimborne are a new team to me and when I saw the list of friendlies I realised they are just that bit too far as the Dorset and Wiltshire teams appear strongly.

A solid set of results with just one more match to go.

The league season starts on 8th August with a trip to Frome.

Torquay United = My National League South pick

 With the exception of the local derby against Exeter City the pre-season friendlies are complete.

The league season starts at home to Horsham.

I have been to watch Torquay United and I think they need a new ground to progress as their current ground is surrounded by housing. There is little room to expand.

Worthing = My National League pick

 Good luck George Dowell.

Worthing had a lot of bad luck in that they should have been promoted in the two season that there were no promotions due to Covid.

I went to see this club a few times when my mother lived in Worthing and they have a lovely ground with a friendly atmosphere. Sadly, the higher you go the more you have to conform to the larger and unfriendly grounds that league teams have adopted.

Here are the good crop of pre-season friendlies:

So far no defeats which is a good sign. One cancellation but I did wonder about that with a match the night before.

The league season starts with probably the longest journey Worthing have ever had to endure as they travel to Carlisle.

I hope I can get to watch the Wealdstone match with a 12:30 start but we will wait to see how the TV companies share out the coverage. I cannot easily get to Worthing so I need TV coverage or I have to meet a friendly helicopter owner.

Exeter City = My League Two pick

 From what I remember historically we have played far fewer friendly fixtures than normal.

Two more friendlies to be played before we hit the ground running on Monday night 10th August.

We begin the season away at Grimsby so I expect to be in the relegation zone after week one. It is long season though.

Plymouth Argyle = My League One pick

 A very successful pre-season so far still has a couple of matches to go.

The Carabao Cup first round fixture has been put back to the Monday night.

I wonder if the draw for the second round will take place during this fixture.

The League Fixtures start on 15th August. A home fixture is a good way to begin.

Wrexham = My Championship pick

 I have been following and watching the early pre-season friendlies and there is still one to go.

Real action starts on 8th August when we travel to Middlesbrough in the Carabao Cup.

The Championship starts with an evening kick-off just like Arsenal.

The season starts with a North South Welsh Derby and August ends with a match against long time rivals Birmingham.

Brentford = My Premier League Pick

 I think there may be two matches away against Rennes but I have seen this before and thing may change last minute.

The Premier League action starts against Spurs:

So far I have kept Brentford on since they were promoted as I always find this team entertaining.

ARSENAL = My long time favourite club

 

It all starts on Saturday with a trip to Girona. I know that there is a good webcam at Girona station so I may have to monitor that just to feel in touch with the fans travelling to the opening friendly fixture.

Borussia Dortmund are the opponents for the Emirates Cup on 9th August.

Then the Premier League gets going:

So we begin with an evening kick-off against Frank Lampard.

Last two days before August

 The start of the football season has always traditionally been August.

We are already well underway with pre-season friendlies. Also, the Western League started on 25th July.

I will detail August team by team following this post with information concluding July.

The Wrexham fixture took place in the United States overnight.

Exeter travel to Torquay united in a local derby on Friday night, 31st July.

Good results last night

 Worthing and Wimborne both won their matches on Tuesday evening.

August is fast approaching.

Weekend Results

 

The most notable result here is Wrexham from the Championship beating Leeds United from the Premier League.

Midweek results

 

Catch up with Bovey Tracey

 I am looking forward to the F.A.Cup Extra Preliminary Round when Bovey Tracey will take on Exmouth Town. That is on the 8th August.

In the meantime here are the Bovey Tracey results so far:

A very positive start.

A friendly full Saturday

 The weekend results:

I am very happy to see the Wrexham win over Manchester United regardless of the strength of the two teams.

Plymouth did the job against Bath City.

Exeter disappointed in their first friendly of the new season.

Worthing earned a creditable draw away at Frome Town.

Torquay beat Weston.

Wimborne had their first defeat at the hands of Salisbury.

Exmouth Town got their first win away at Cullompton Rangers.

The latest friendlies

 Tuesday night saw these results:

One excellent win and two losses.

I am most disappointed by the results Exmouth Town are producing as I have watched them live a few times in past seasons.

Friendlies continue

The next set of results:

 

Two wins, two draws and another defeat for Exmouth Town.

A few more friendlies

 Midweek results:

Two wins and a draw in the next tranche of fixtures.

Worthing travel to Bournemouth to take on the Under 21s tonight.

New Season - Friendlies Begin

 The first few friendlies of the new season have taken place.

So a field of green is a pleasant beginning.

Enjoyable season

 I have enjoyed this season more than most. This is partly due to the performances of Arsenal and Brentford but mostly because I just watched and celebrated rather than memorising and blogging. It is probably time to stop this blog or find another way to record information received.

I think Wrexham were lucky to miss out on promotion. Extra seasons in the Championship did Brentford no harm at all. I look forward to watching the “Welcome to Wrexham” documentary. Rob and Ryan are going to have to suck up the success of Tom Brady.

Exeter were relegated after starting the season well. League Two may be their level and I hope they fall no further.

Salford are in the playoffs and I look forward to the match against Grimsby today.

Tamworth finished mid table.

Worthing are promoted as Champions. I hope George Dowell is continuing to make the documentary that I so enjoyed last season.

Tiverton got well and truly relegated. I look forward to their future in Division One South.

Exmouth remain in Division one South so I think I drop Tiverton for next season.

Buckland remain in the Western League.

Bovey Tracey should be promoted from the South West Peninsula League but I worry about their ground grading. If it happens then they will replace Buckland in my book.

Almost everything this season has been positive, including the relegations. Roll on next season.