My August 2026 football round up

I decided I went to enough games in August for them to merit their own post. I saw three Cardiff Dracs games, Shrewsbury's first game of the new season, Barry maintain their table-topping winning streak, and my first Grange Albion game in a couple of years. I finished the month at a random game in Brecon. Because why not?

On the very first day of August I watched the Dracs lose 1-0 to a 97th minute goal away at Ynyshir Albions. I'd been to Ynyshir before but this time most of the pitch was parched due to the heatwaves.

The next weekend I was up on the Friday night at the multi-use pitch in Ystrad Mynach where Caerphilly Athletic play their "home" games. I've been there four times and seen three different teams at "home" plus a neutral play-off. 

There was some history on the wall on the way in. I love a good footie plaque.

A handy poster confirmed we were in the right place. All the details you need, except the date.

It's not a great place to watch football, but it's not the worst and at least the stand has some height to it.

The Dracs had a player sent off after about half an hour, defended like heroes and earned a point with a 0-0 draw that felt more like a win. It was my first 0-0 game in 370 days!

The next day I walked round to watch Grange Albion v Sully Sports. It was the first game I'd seen at Coronation Park for a couple of years. The grass was dangerously dry and players got grazed and bled if they fell over when tackled. 

This time the team I was supporting had a man advantage after a visiting player was red carded. Albion were 1-0 up soon after but couldn't add to their single goal. They even had a penalty but the kick bounced off the crossbar with a loud 'Booooiiinnnggg!!' and looped up and over the very high fence into the bus depot.

So far in August I'd been to three games and only seen two goals. I hoped my luck would change on the middle weekend when I went with my Mum on the Shrewsbury Town supporters coach to Tranmere.

It was a new ground for both of us. I quite liked the mismatched stands and old fashioned feel of the stadium. The stewards were friendly. We found a fabulous chip shop with wonderful potato scallops. The only thing that wasn't great was the result: a 2-0 defeat for Salop!

Still, I'd doubled my goal tally for the month and if I start to let the results determine my enjoyment of the football, I'm doomed, really.

Goal-wise, things picked up after that. The Dracs hit form, despite another first half sending off and beat Llanelli Town 4-2 back at Lydstep Park. A cracking win in their first ever competitive meeting with Llanelli.

There are some changes at the ground so I had to trog all the way round three sides of the pitch to get to where we miscreants prefer to stand.

It was another dry, dry pitch.

My next game also finished 4-2, with Barry Town comfortably beating Airbus UK Broughton in the Cymru Premier. It was Barry's fifth consecutive win since the start of the season and we sang 'We are top of the league' at the end of the game. Having said that, the two Airbus goals were absolute crackers and I can't see them having any problems staying up.

You get a handstamp on the way in these days.

Towards the end of the game we saw a spectacular moon, wreathed in cirrus wisps. My photo doesn't do it any justice.

And then my last game of the season surpassed even that goal tally. I had a discussion with my match-going buddy Paul (who I'd sat next to at Ynyshir, Ystrad, Tranmere, and Barry) about where we could go for a random open Saturday.

We settled on Brecon Corries - a new ground for both of us - and an Ardal Cup game against Morriston Town. I was very impressed by being served tea in a club branded mug and enjoyed a decent brew in the quality crockery 

I went for a wander to take some pics in the first half and ended up behind the goalposts for the first two goals - even though they were opposite ends of the pitch. 

Morriston were the stronger team and won 5-2. They could have scored more, but asking for more than seven goals feels greedy!

And that was the month - seven games and 23 goals, two new grounds and plenty of good football memories.

My August 2026 monthly round up

I did a fair bit of travelling in August. The month started with Cathy and I making a last minute overnight trip to Kent (via Oxford). We stayed near Whitstable, had an evening in Herne Bay, before briefly popping into Canterbury to pick up some new art we had bought online. 

Herne Bay sunset

Canterbury museum

We really liked the places we visited, and would like to return to that bit of the world for a proper holiday sometime. (And to go back to the museum when the Smallfilms gallery is open!)

I also spent a weekend in Shrewsbury, which included a trip with my mum on the Shrewsbury Town supporter's coach to Birkenhead to see Tranmere v Shrewsbury. I'm going to post a separate football review of the month, so you can read more about it there. But on the Sunday I went feeding ducks before church with my sister-in-law and an assortment of niblings.

Cathy and I had another road trip and just about stayed in Cymru this time when we met up with Cathy's aunt and uncle in Monmouth one weekend.

At the top of the Cynon valley, I went on the Tower Zipwire with Sara - my ride down was a birthday gift. I've already blogged about it, complete with video. 

There was another delayed birthday gift this month because I spent my Lego Store gift voucher that Connor gave me for my birthday. I bought the new set of Derpy the tiger from K-Pop Demon Hunters on the day it was released and built the set the same evening! He's fab. (Thanks Sara and Connor for being so generous!)

In the evening of the solar eclipse, Cathy and I went out onto The Marl (the big park near us) to experience it. You can't tell much was happening in this selfie with the sun.

In politics, our local Plaid Cymru branch is looking ahead to the council elections next year. We have started going out on some fact-finding canvassing, with sessions on the eastern and northern edges of the "South Cardiff" area. It's been fun knocking doors in the sunshine, and I hope we get good weather into September as well!

I went to seven football matches in August, but I think that's enough games to merit their own post! Check back tomorrow (or the day after).

And in case you missed it:

• My book of the month was Fundamentally by Nussaibah Younis
• My album of the month was Sanguivore by Creeper
• This month's Blood Bowl game saw my first ever win for the Norse Team (and some fierce snacks!)
• Our street got resurfaced - but there was a twist!
• I acquired another philatelic passport (this time from Japan) for my collection 
• I also bought some new action figures that were a homage to Action Force 

Bank holiday Blood Bowl bashfest

My monthly Blood Bowl showdown with Bryan was a battle of two "bash" teams. I was playing Norse for the fourth time, in search of my first win with them. Bryan was fielding his trusty dwarves again.

Previously my encounters with the dwarves have been while playing low-strength, low armoured, agile teams. However, the Norse line up had players who could go toe for toe with the dwarves and had a couple who were stronger. That led to two dwarf serious casualties, depleting their line up. Having a trollslayer sent off also didn't help them much.

Injuries and naughty trollslayer

Star player Thorsson Stoutmead had a decent game, using his special move 4 times to take out an opponent by lobbing a keg of beer at them. It's a useful way to open a hole in a defensive line. 

It was a breakthrough like that which led to the first Norse score. The dwarf ball carrier got sacked and four Norse players showboated to party in the end zone. 

In the second half, the Norse were receiving from the kick-off. The ball was collected by one of the valkyries, while her team-mates bashed a clear pathway through the reduced dwarf defence. She was then able to run the length of the pitch to score, fending off an attempted blitz on the way. 

But the play of the game led to the third and final score and saw Bryan overcoming his usual incredible terrible dice-rolling luck. With the Norse streaming forwards towards the dwarf ball carrier, Bryan rolled the required 6 to ensure a successful long pass and then successfully rolled to receive the pass. 

With three dwarves free and bearing down on the end zone, a Norse berserker tried to stop them but failed and ended up injured. 

There were a few turns left for fun bashy aggro, but no real chance of scoring as we ran the game out. The final score meant the Norse have finally won a game - it finished 2-1 to them.

Snacks: spicy crisps and mango jaffa cakes, washed down with Tango "Thirst Trap".

My first philatelic passport from Japan

My fifth addition to my collection of philatelic passports this year arrived in the post today.  It's the first one in my collection from Japan. It's in absolutely pristine condition, considering it's 35 years old. I love the bright red cover.

The opening pages show you how to use the passport and the original owner followed the instructions!

Inside there is a unique collection of stamps from around the world. Here are some that caught my eye, including this graphic depiction of an atrocity commemorated on a stamp by Iran.

Mauritius paid tribute to the tragic dodo with a whimsical cartoon stamp and a commemorative cancellation postmark. 

Meanwhile, the USA post office was already in the Christmas spirit (in November!) and Santa Claus was in their special postmark.

I really enjoy collecting these passports. They are quirky and I never know exactly what I will find inside. 

Zipwire half century

A handy day off on Friday just gone, and I cashed in my birthday promise from Sara - a zipwire at Tower Zipworld up by Hirwaun.

It's a great set up, with a long zipwire over a lake followed by the "fastest seated zipwire in the UK" to get you back down to the main complex. 

You can also get a video of the zip too - of course, this is my point of view so you only really get the evidence that Sara did the zips!

We also did the Tower Coaster in the main site. It's a high speed ride through trees and tunnels. It's also great value, as you get three goes round for the ticket price. That was handy as Sara's twins both wanted to go round with 'Uncle' Jon - so they were both able to get a turn screaming next to me.

Diolch yn fawr, Sara, for a memorable half century birthday present!