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Tag: Ant and Dec of the Hellenic League

  • 🌧️ SATURDAY 7 FEBRUARY 2026 – MATCHDAY ROUND-UP

    🌧️ SATURDAY 7 FEBRUARY 2026 – MATCHDAY ROUND-UP

    Football: 4 games. Rain: absolutely rampant.

    If you turned up expecting a full programme of football, you were wildly optimistic.

    If you brought wellies, a snorkel, and low expectations — you were spot on.

    This was not a football Saturday.

    This was a hydrology conference.

    🏆 ISUZU FA VASE

    Hallen vs Gornal Athletic – P-P

    The Vase will have to wait. Hallen’s pitch joined the witness protection programme.

    ⚽ HELLENIC PREMIER DIVISION

    Inspectors arrived. Inspectors laughed nervously. Inspectors postponed everything.

    Highworth Town vs Worcester Raiders – P-P Cinderford Town vs Royal Wootton Bassett Town – P-P Corsham Town vs Cirencester Town – P-P Cribbs vs Westfields – P-P Droitwich Spa vs Lydney Town – P-P Longlevens AFC vs Mangotsfield United – P-P Thornbury Town vs Hereford Pegasus – P-P

    At this point, clubs were just sending “P-P” messages pre-emptively.

    🌟 THE TWO THAT SURVIVED (SOMEHOW)

    Pershore Town 2–3 Slimbridge

    One of the few pitches brave (or foolish) enough to host football.

    Pershore led 2–0, Slimbridge responded with three goals and zero mercy.

    Football happened. Everyone immediately went home to dry out.

    Roman Glass St George 0–4 Fairford Town

    Yes. This one was real.

    Yes. Fairford absolutely turned up.

    Fairford made light work of conditions that looked borderline inflatable, storming into a 2–0 half-time lead before pulling away after the break.

    Goals from:

    Charles Holliday (17) Harrison Edwards (37) Sol Pryce (48) Elliott Haffenden (70)

    Attendance: 105

    All heroes. All soaked. All questioning their life choices.

    ⚽ HELLENIC DIVISION ONE

    More water. Less football.

    Alcester Town vs Clanfield 85 – P-P Cheltenham Saracens vs Redditch Borough – P-P Ludlow Town vs Chipping Sodbury Town – P-P Newent Town vs Bewdley Town – P-P Shortwood United vs Carterton – P-P Thame United Reserves vs Brimscombe & Thrupp – P-P Woodford United vs Stonehouse Town – P-P

    One lonely survivor:

    Malmesbury Victoria 2–2 Wantage Town

    Football played. Goals scored. Conditions described as “character building”.

    🟡 ALLIANCE EAST

    Hambleden 1–6 Ardley United Res Goals flowed freely. Hambleden… less so. Kidlington Dev vs Easington Sports Dev – P-P Banbury United Dev vs Hungerford Town Res – P-P

    🔵 ALLIANCE WEST

    University of Bristol vs Highworth Town Res – P-P Bourton Rovers Dev vs Carterton Dev – P-P

    🏆 CUPS

    Bateman Sports Alliance (Chairman’s) Challenge Cup: UDA Glos Dev vs Newent Town Dev – P-P Oxon FA Intermediate Cup: Clanfield 85 Res vs Headington Amateurs – P-P

    ☔ FULL-TIME SUMMARY

    Football tried.

    Football lost.

    The rain remains unbeaten, ducks top the fair play league, and fixture secretaries are now legally entitled to cry.

    Seriously — when will this weather stop?

    We want our football back. ⚽🌧️🦆

    Photo Credit: Pete Kinsella

    Written By – AI

  • Weekly update – 6/02/26

    Weekly update – 6/02/26

    The rain is starting to get a tad boring now! We have already lost games this upcoming weekend!

    Weather dependent, there is a massive game in the 5thround of the Isuzu FA Vase seeing our remaining survivors in the competition, Hallen, hosting Gornal Athletic who sit 2nd in Division One of the Midland Football League. All the very best to Hallen to keep the UHL flag flying into the next round. 

    In the UHL Premier Division last Saturday, previous leaders Roman Glass St George had no game, so 2ndplaced Droitwich Spa took full advantage in their home 4-0-win v Cribbs and duly moved into top spot. 3rd Placed Slimbridge travelled to bottom club at the time Hallen and were soundly beaten 4-0 with Harrison Fairman scoring a hat trick. Hallen moved off the bottom as a result and Slimbridge dropped to 4th place as Worcester Raidershosted Westfields and two 2nd half goals saw them leapfrog Slimbridge into 3rd.  Corsham Town travelled to Tuffley Rovers and suffered a 3-2 defeat, Cirencester Town hosted Pershore Town and two 2nd half goals saw Pershore Town travel home with 3 points in the bag.  Mangotsfield United hosted a resurgent Cinderford Townand lost 3-2, Fairford Town v Hereford Pegasus was postponed due to a heavy downpour just before kick-off resulting in the pitch becoming un-playable. Highworth Town hosted Thornbury Town and with the game poised at 1-1, Thornbury popped up with an 87th minute winner to take the 3 points. Lydney Town travelled to Royal Wootton Bassett Town and travelled home on the wrong end of a 3-0 defeat. A few twists and turns this week and no doubt many more to come over the next few weeks. 

    On Tuesday evening we had Wiseman Lighting Floodlit Cup action which saw Malmesbury Victoria travel toWantage Town and win 5-3 and Worcester Raiders v Hereford Pegasus end 1-1 in normal time with Worcester Raiders winning 5-3 on penalties. 

    In UHL Division One on Saturday, Leaders FC Stratfordhosted Chipping Sodbury Town and kept top spot with a 3-1 win. Bewdley Town travelled to Shortwood United and won 2-1, Wantage Town were held to a 2-2 draw at home by Ludlow Town, Stonehouse Town v Cheltenham Saracens was also a draw, but this one finished 1-1. Alcester Town v Wellington ended in a 2-0 home win. Woodford United v Carterton ended 2-2. Redditch Borough v Malmesbury Victoria and Clanfield 85 v Brimscombe & Thrupp were both postponed.

    One game in Alliance East saw Headington Amateurs v Banbury United Dev end 2-1. 

    Two games in Alliance West saw Bourton Rovers Dev v UDA Glos Dev finish 3-0 and Evesham United Res v Highworth Town Res finish 2-1. 

    In the Batemans Sports Alliance (Chairmans) Challenge Cup, we had wins for Ardley United Res v Easington Sports Dev and Marlow Res v Hambleden.

    We had 3 Vets games survive the weather on Wednesday in Division One with wins for Goring United Vets away at Bicester Town Vets and Chinnor Vets at home v Marcham Vets.  

    Golden Glove Awards for January saw Harry Pickering of Malmesbury Victoria in Division One and Joe Stocktonof Droitwich Spa in the Premier Division pick up the UHLSPORT Gloves. Congratulations to both goal-keepers.

    Great news received from Highworth Town in regards to the new stadia and 3G pitch. It looks like work will start at the end of March and be ready for pre-season friendlies in time for season 2026-2027 to start. It has been a long wait with some hard work by the Highworth Stalwarts, but hopefully they will get their rewards with the new development. 

    Yours in sport, 

    Ian

  • 👏 LEGENDARY MILESTONE ALERT 👏

    👏 LEGENDARY MILESTONE ALERT 👏

    Today, the Hellenic League celebrates an incredible achievement as Darren McMillan and Graham Pugh marked their 50th game officiating together – a true milestone for one of the league’s most iconic partnerships.

    Now, does the league officially know if this is some kind of record? Probably not. Records for this sort of thing simply aren’t kept. But let’s be honest — as assistant referees, virtually every club in the league knows exactly who this pair are. When “McMillan & Pugh” appear on the team sheet, it’s instantly recognisable. And for that reason alone, we felt it only right to stop, take notice, and show our appreciation for the invaluable and often unseen work they do week in, week out.

    Affectionately known as the “Ant and Dec” of the Hellenic League, this legendary duo first teamed up back in September 2020 at Brimscombe. What started as a single appointment has grown into something truly special. Between them, Darren and Graham have now officially officiated over 200 games for the league, with the last two seasons seeing them operate almost exclusively as a pair – building chemistry, trust, and a reputation that precedes them wherever they go.

    Their 50th game together, fittingly completed today at Mangotsfield vs Fairford, is a testament not only to their commitment, but to the standard, consistency, and reliability they bring every single matchday. Graham said “it’s a magic day, it’s great to not only have the game but also be with my mate and of course my favourite referee!”

    Of course, no appreciation post would be complete without mentioning Graham Pugh’s permanently smiling face – a smile so constant it’s widely believed he sleeps with it on 😄. Win, lose, rain, hail or sideways wind… the smile never leaves. Meanwhile, Darren balances things out perfectly, creating a partnership built on mutual respect, unwavering support, and a not-so-secret love for each other that would make even the strongest bromance proud.

    They’re also well known (and occasionally feared) for the harmless tricks they play on referees they work with — always pre- or post-match, never during (professionalism first… mischief later). If you’ve worked with them and haven’t been caught out at least once, you’re probably still waiting for it.

    Darren and Graham embody everything that’s great about officiating in the Hellenic League: teamwork, humour, dedication, and selfless commitment. Their contribution may not sit in a record book, but it certainly sits firmly in the respect of clubs, referees, and administrators alike.

    Here’s to 50 games together, countless smiles, and many more touchlines shared.

    Congratulations, Ant & Dec — and thank you for everything you do for the league 👏⚽

    All Images Credit of Pete Kinsella