Five games beat the storm in the Hope Valley Football League

After two days of strong winds and heavy rain, it was a miracle that any football went ahead this weekend, let alone 5 games in one league at grassroots level! This is a true testament to all the hard work that magnificent volunteers conduct at clubs across the county regarding pitches and ensuring that football is played no matter how bad the weather has been.

The Premier Division saw just one game played, with 2 county cup fixtures unable to go ahead. Buxworth managed to get the ever-reliant Western Lane fit for use as they welcomed Dove Holes in what was anticipated to be a blockbuster clash in the top division. Dove were within touching distance of the title last season and knew that if they wanted to succeed this year then it’s games like this they needed to win. A win is exactly what they got, as they produced a 5-star performance to beat Buggy 6-1, claiming all 3 points and the top spot in the Premier Division. Tom Forder, Dan Gilbride and Ben Higgins all chipped in with a goal, but Ben Bagshaw yet again stole the headlines as he scored a second consecutive hat-trick to take his total goal tally to 6 scored in just 2 games.

The A Division saw 4 of the 5 scheduled games played and provided neutrals with ample opportunity to watch some local football despite the bad weather. Blazing Rag hosted Buxworth Reserves in their fixture and were looking to build off of a good start to their season. Battling with the conditions, the teams could not be separated on the day as the game finished 2-2 and allowed both teams to leave with something to build off going forward. Benjamin Stanton is the only recorded Buxworth scorer, whilst Adam Leafe and Nathan Rowe secured the point for Rag who have seemingly turned a good corner following on from a poor campaign last season.

Calver started the season with a bang by scoring 16 goals in two games, before a draw and a loss slowed their scoring speed down massively. They welcomed Youlgrave this weekend who arrived off the back of a fantastic win over Chapel Town Reserves last weekend. Calver started the game hesitantly and found themselves 2-1 down at the break as Ayr Barkers goal on the half-hour mark kept them in contention to take all 3 points. A second half masterclass was needed and that is exactly what was delivered as Ayr Barker scored his second to level the game in the 55th minute, before an Oscar Dobson brace sealed the victory and put Calver back on track with their title ambitions this season as they now sit 2nd in the table following on from the win.

Dove Holes Reserves will be hoping to defend their A Division title this season, but faced a huge challenge against Tideswell United this weekend. Tideswell have dropped from the Premier Division for this season and whilst their start hasn’t been as good as some may have anticipated, they still remain a huge threat to any team in the division they play. Jack Tomlinson opened the scoring for Tideswell, but Dove’s Luke Evans drew the game level again before veteran Rob Waine dispatched Tideswell’s second to see the visitors head into the break with a 1 goal lead. With the second half displaying a very tense atmosphere on the pitch, the 4th goal would prove crucial as Luke Evans completed his brace and saw the game finish 2-2. A justified point for both sides on the day.

The last game of the weekend allowed Fairfield a chance to get their first win of the season against Hathersage. Both teams have struggled since the season began and will have been desperate to get some more points onto the board. Fairfield should be commended for pushing through their period of bad form, as when you are a new side to a division and are struggling to get results, it is all to easy to lose the interest of players before evidently folding, something that happens all over the country with clubs at grassroots level. Fairfield’s persistence has paid off, as they left with their first 3 points of the year and a massive confidence boost following on from their 3-2 victory. Kane Cheese and Jason Mellor were amongst the scorers for the men from Buxton, who now have a trip to Calver in the County Cup to look forward to next weekend.