Belper Town v Long Eaton United - 5th December

 Danny Roberts saves his second penalty - to win the game ...

... in the Derbyshire Senior Cup.

The home side - under the watchful eye of the new Management team - struggled a bit against a side a couple of levels below - but made it through in the end.  Pics at
 
Belper Town 1 Long Eaton United 1 (Belper won 4-3 on pens) 
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Stamford AFC v Belper Town - 2nd December

Alex Steadman evades ...

My "Birthday weekend" - so a jolly day out was called for - however after 22 minutes with Belper down to 10 men - and 0-3 down, the jolly had all but evaporated.  Credit to the 10 men for a valiant rearguard action for the final 68 minutes however ... some pics at

Stamford AFC 3 Belper Town 0

... and so it's farewell to interim Manager Wynne Garnett who did a good job - the new Belper Town Manager was unveiled on Sunday as former Burton Albion legend Aaron Webster and assistant Lee Williamson) - first game on Tuesday in the Derbyshire Senior Cup on Tuesday night against Long Eaton United (another team with a new Management Team incidentally).
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Christmas Tree Festival ...

... in St Mary's Church, Stafford.

Christmas Tree Festival
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Belper Town v Spalding United - 25th November

Alex Steadman ...

 Belper Town 2 Spalding United 1

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Holbrook Sports v Selston - 18th November

First chance of some "new local" football ...

Holbrook Sports 0 Selston 2
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15th November - The Big Move ...

 Looking down on Dove Stone and Yeoman Hey ressies ...

Two days earlier - a quick "farewell walk" around Dove Stone Reservoir (i.e. just up the road)

Farewell Local Walk 

 And then - after almost exactly 33 years ...

Morning - Mossley
Afternoon - Belper.
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Mossley v Goole - 11th November

 Danny McLaughlin challenges Goole 'keeper Sam Leigh ...

Two down after 20 minutes in front of the season's biggest crowd doesn't sound good - but few were panicking - all level at half-time - and 45 minutes later comfortable winners ...

Mossley 4 Goole AFC 2
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Mossley v Droylsden - 7th November

 Jack Tuohy goes close ...

... in the Manchester Premier Cup Quarter-Final.  Despite incessant pressure - and a late late equaliser for Mossley - it was third time unlucky for Mossley in yet another penalty shoot-out ...

Mossley 1 Droylsden 1 (Droylsden win 5-3 on penalties)
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Idle Hands

Fireworks at Mossley AFC - 4th November

A bit of a rush back from the football at Stalybridge to watch an excellent display at Seel Park - sadly I've not yet mastered the art of firework photography (didn't have the time to do the job properly - tripod, remote release, finding best location - maybe next year !!)

Mossley Firework Display
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Stalybridge Celtic v Mickleover Sports - 4th November

 Former Celtic 'keeper Lewis King keeps the home side at bay ...

Ouch ! 

Hard to describe this one - I arrived 25 minutes late which didn't help.  In short Mickleover took their chances - and Celtic didn't.  You could say the score flattered Mickleover - but there was only one team in it ...

Stalybridge Celtic 0 Mickleover Sports 5
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Mossley v Warrington Town - 1st November

... in the NPL Academy ...

 Keenan Ali ...

Disappointing game for the home team - not helped by a total lack of discipline following a controversial penalty - not a good advert for football at all sadly ...

Mossley 1 Warrington Town 4
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Ashton United v Matlock Town - 31st October

 Liam Tomsett on the ball ...

 Comfortable win for the Robins in the end ...

Ashton United 3 Matlock Town 0
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Mossley v Lancaster City - 28th October

 Getting heartily sick of wet Saturday afternoons ...

... in the FA Trophy

Mossley 0 Lancaster City 1
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Mossley v South Shields - 21st Ocober

It's grim up North ...

Almost ... but not quite ...

Mossley 2 South Shields 3
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Glossop North End v Mossley 17th October

Tom Dean's penalty - I had a target attached to the camera !!

... in the Integro Cup ...

A feisty local derby with Glossop looking a avenge their defeat by Mossley in the FA Cup a few weeks ago.  Ended up being decided on pens ... enter Mossley's 'keeper Ollie Martin - who's made a habit of saving penalties this season - one save and one miss saw Mossley through in the end ... pics at

GNE 1 Mossley 1 (Mossley win 4-3 on penalties)
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Walking on Sunday/Monday 15th/16th October

Another view of the "end of the world" ...

A quick "twenty four hours away" - a walk around Hayfield/Kinder on Sunday afternoon - a night at the caravan - and then a walk around Chee Dale on Monday morning before coming home to avoid sitting in a caravan surrounded by Ophelia !!

A Couple of Walks 15/16Oct17

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Bamber Bridge v Mossley - 14th October

 Danny McLaughlin does the "gusset test" on the Mossley away shorts ...

One of those railway away-days - and a visit to the league leaders no less.  After 45 minutes and 2-0 down I, like many, was looking for damage limitation ... 45 minutes later I, like many, was proved totally wrong as Mossley staged a superb comeback - and almost nicked a win at the end !  Some pics from a grand day out at

Bamber Bridge 2 Mossley 2
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Derwent Valley Walk - 12th October

 The rock formations that make up Back Tor ...

 A dry day between two wet ones - so off down the Snake Pass for a wander around and above Derwent Reservoir ... a few pics at

Thursday Walk
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Ashton United v Warrington Town - 10th October

Matt Chadwick on the ball ...

Up against the league leaders - but the home team came out on top, thanks to an excellent defensive display - and taking their chances up front.  A brief stoppage in the second half to allow a streaker to traverse the pitch (!) - but all in all a solid performance from the Robins.  Camera problems still showing up but thanks to luck (and Photoshop !) ...

Ashton United 2 Warrington Town 0
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Mossley v Skelmersdale United - FA Trophy 7th October

Adam Latham on the ball ...

A damp day up at Seel Park for this Preliminary Round tie - £3,000 up for grabs - and after an early scare, it was a comfortable second half performance from the home team.  Pics at

Mossley 3 Skelmersdale United 1

Drawn at home to Lancaster City in the next round on 28th October ... 
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Various Walks etc since 15th September ...

... all compacted into one neat album !!!

 A couple of oddballs in the lake (Mandarin Ducks ?)

Walks and Stuff
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Catching Up !!! 8 (Eight) Football Matches !!

Here we go ....

Elliot Harrison has just scored the second ...

16th Sep - Mossley 2 Ramsbottom United 0

 Callum Chippendale scoring the winner for Glossop

19th Sep - Droylsden 2 Glossop North End 3

Jack Tuohy makes it 2-0 to Mossley

23rd Sep - Mossley 2 Atherton Colls 0

Liam Dickinson after scoring the only goal

26th Sep - Stalybridge Celtic 1 Halesowen 0

Dominic Sylvester scores the only goal from the spot

27th Sep Mossley 1 Belper Town 0 (NPL Football Academy)

Matty Chadwick has a crack for Ashton

30th Sep - Ashton United 1 Hednesford Town 2

Some monochrome magic from Mossley's Adam Latham

3rd Oct - Mossley 1 Ashton United 1 (3-2 on pens) - Manchester Premier Cup

Under pressure

4th Oct - Matlock Town 0 Leek Town 0 (NPL Football Academy)

Phew !!  Next - the walking pics from same period ...
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Dovedale - 14th September

 Ilam Church - from the terrace at Ilam Hall ...

Grabbing a quick walk ... without the aid of walking boots, due to slight logistics problem (!) Pics at

Dovedale Walk 14Sep17

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Belper Town v Newcastle Town - 12th September

Eric Graves makes it 2-0 with a 25 yard screamer ...

Good result against the third-placed team in pretty grim conditions !! Pics at
 
Belper Town 2 Newcastle Town 1

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Mossley v Prescot Cables - 9th September

Liam Ellis scores his and Mossley's second ...

More pics at 

Mossley 2 Prescot Cables 0
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Reunion Walking Weekend 2/3 September

... at the old Tissington Railway Station ...

 
A bit of a walking weekend with some of the peeps we met on our walking holiday in Italy earlier this year ... walking, BBQs and alcohol !!  Pics at

Walking Weekend 2/3Sep17
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Droylsden v Mossley - 28th August

No way through for Caldon Henson ...

Not the best Bank Holiday Monday ... pics at

Droylsden 2 Mossley 0

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Mossley v Trafford - 26th August

Adam Latham scores for Mossley ...

Pics at

Mossley 1 Trafford 1

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Shugborough Hall - 22nd August

 Kitchen in the Farm House

A few more days down at Stafford - no football this time though !  A day out at Shugborough Hall instead.

Shugborough Hall - 22Aug17
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Matlock Town v Altrincham - 19th August

No-one would have stopped this !! Dwayne Wiley scores the only goal..

The summer tour continued with a trip to Causeway Lane (OK the DCJ Group Insurance Arena if you want to be pedantic !).  A close-fought encounter with the two teams separated by one bullet header by Dwayne Wiley and an outstanding last 10 minutes performance by Matlock 'keeper Phil Barnes.  Pics from the game at

Matlock Town 1 Altrincham 0
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Stafford Rangers v Sutton Coldfield Town - 15th August

Joe Thomas finds a gap ...

A few days staying down at my Mum's gave me a chance to catch a game at the Rangers - I could talk till the end of time about Stafford Rangers and the 1970s (I WAS THERE !!!) but viewings have been few and far between since the mid 80s.  

Hey ho - they'd got off to a flyer beating Alty on the Saturday - Sutton Coldfield had also won on the opening day so something had to give ... and it was the away team.  Stafford started slowly, but got the opening goal just before half-time - and following the cup of tea and slice of lemon it was easy street in the second 45.  

A crowd of 615 (OK a far cry from the 2,500+ gates of the "good old days") created an excellent atmosphere as well.  A comfortable win - with pics at

Stafford Rangers 4 Sutton Coldfield Town 1

Next stop ... Matlock Town (QED) ...
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Kendal Town v Mossley - 12th August

Get in !!!! Jack Tuohy makes it 2-2 ...

Let the season begin !!!

... and one of the joys of not now working on Saturday - awaydays are available - not forgetting the "Senior Citizens Railcard" which knocks a few bob off as well.  Good day out - good weather - good beer - good everything - and then the footy.  Mossley started like a house on fire, early lead etc ... only for Netherfield Kendal Town to go in 2-1 up at h/t.  Was I worried ?? No.

A second half blitz (downhill !) saw Mossley comfy winners at the end - a perfect start to the season ... pics from the game at

Kendal Town 2 Mossley 5

Next stop ... Marston Road, Stafford ...

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Here and There - early August

Derbyshire - Wolfscote Dale ...

 Herefordshire/Worcestershire - The Malvern Hills ...

A few days at the caravan - followed by a few days at friends in Herefordshire (which included a "booze cruise" round the Weston's Cider Mill !!) - naturally walks at both venues ...

Derbyshire/Herefordshire Aug 17

Westons Cider Mill Tour 06Aug17

Can recommend the Weston's Perry (always liked perry !!) and also a rhubarb cider called "Flat Tyre" (available in Tesco's Stalybridge !!).
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Droylsden v Stalybridge Celtic - 01Aug

"Part" of that free-kick from Oli Roberts - check out album for more ! 

Emphatic win for Celtic - beginning with a belting free-kick from Oli Roberts - and a good defensive performance to keep out what was a lively Droylsden fromt line.

Droylsden 0 Stalybridge Celtic 5
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Belper Town v Mickleover Sports - 29th July

Will Dennis on the chase ...

Family party down Belper way - so a chance to check out the Nailers pre-season ... well-deserved draw against higher-level (and rougher !!) opposition ...

Belper Town 1 Mickleover Sports 1
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Stalybridge Celtic v Huddersfield Town - 25th July

First view of Jake Charles (for me anyway) - John Charles' grandson

Fairly even game against a very good Terriers under 23 (?) team ...

Stalybridge Celtic 1 Huddersfield Town 1
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Monday Walk

Alport Castles - part of ...

A quick drive up to Ladybower Reservoir followed by a 9.5 mile walk "over the other side of the hill" to Alport Castles - somewhere new for us !  Pics at

Alport Castles Walk 24Jul17
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Mossley v 1874Northwich - 22nd July

 Peter Watling on the ball ...

Another friendly - more new faces and more goals.  A fairly comfortable win for the home side - and another "good weather day" ... pics at

Mossley 4 1874Northwich 0
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Ashton United v Stockport County - 18th July

 Fancy footwork from Florian da Silva ...

A tale of two penalties - one scored and one missed - a close-fought 1-0 win for the Robins ...

Ashton United 1 Stockport County 0
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Saturday - and Sunday

 Greg Wilkinson about to score Celtic's third goal ...

Saturday - football - Hyde United v Stalybridge Celtic - and a win for the Tigers ...

Hyde United 4 Stalybridge Celtic 3

Greenfield .. and the Pots'n'Pans Monument ...

Sunday - just a bit of a local walk ...

Sunday Walk - 16Jul17
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