Worsbrough Bridge Athletic 3-0 Leeds UFCA, Saturday 18th April 2026

Worsbrough Bridge 3-0 Leeds UFCA, Northern Counties East League Division 1 semi-final play-off, The Totally Training Stadium (Park Road), att. 460

Sometimes I’m actually quite grateful that Sky like messing around with the 3rd division (League 1) fixture schedule. Today is one of those days. Barnsley v Bradford City (approximate number of empty seats: 9,000) is on telly at 12:30, for those folk too lazy to actually attend themselves. This means that, as long as I park cleverly, I can get away from Oakwell, jump in the car and head down Sheffield Road for a 3pm KO at The Totally Training Stadium. The plan works to perfection.

I am parked up and outside the ground with 10 minutes to kick-off. It’s a Northern Counties East League Division 1 play-off semi, 2nd placed Worsbrough Bridge Athletic against 5th placed Leeds UFCA. Who they? Students? Does the ‘U’ stand for ‘University’? (Yes it does. Leeds University Football Club Association.) No wonder all their players look like teenagers. There are no programmes. Disappointing.

Other escapees from Oakwell enter through the turnstiles, inc Waddington, and Waddington junior. Junior points out how we could watch the game for free from Sheffield Road. Yes, we COULD, but that’s not the point. Anyway, we have a great view, just to the right of the goal. We’re behind a small grassy bank, looking down on the goal.

To our right is a...mezzanine patio, with a few picnic tables. They’re busy today, the sun beaming. Grass banking continues around the corner. Fans stood shoulder-to-shoulder on the flat standing above, while a few laze around on the bank itself. A hamburger van behind was doing brisk trade. It MUST be a big game. This wasn’t here last time I came.

A traditional old main stand with a lovely fascia stands astride the halfway line, and it looked pretty full today. It was also packed outside the adjacent social club. Of course, one area where it WASN’T packed was behind the far goal, the cricket pitch. No-one’s allowed on here. A reminder of the old days, when the likes of Bramall Lane, Northampton’s County Ground and Bishop Auckland’s Kingsway all had 3 sided grounds to house both sports.

Mind, it’s arguably two and a half sides here. There is a small standing enclosure on the 4th side, on the halfway line and no-one stood beyond this stand. The stand itself is surprisingly empty. Or not. Nobody wants to stand with the youth, who’re allowed space to chant about going up the league while unleashing the occasional smoke bomb.

The youth have good reason to celebrate though. The Briggers win comfortably, 3-0, and it could have been a lot more, but for the students’ goalkeeper, who is their MOTM. Next Satdy is the final, 2nd placed Worsbrough having home advantage v 3rd placed Wakefield, who’ve crept thru on pens after coming from 2 down to draw against Harrogate Town. It promises to be a corker. Hopefully there’ll be an even bigger crowd as Barnsley play away at Luton. Come on you Briggers!

The Damage:
£5 ent
= £5