After Saturday’s Wessex League double-feature there was a choice of five games in Boscombe’s King’s Park on Sunday morning. There were First, Second and Third Round ties in the "MA Hart Robbins Cup" going on simultaneously, plus one fixture in the Bournemouth Sunday League Division 8.

The one I plumped for, The Cup tie between Littledown and Shoulder of Mutton (yes, really), finished eight minutes early.

Poole Town play in the corner of a school playing field with no stand and no cover. It was hard to imagine that they once faced Everton at Goodison Park in The FA Cup, going down 3-1 in the Third Round pre-war.

I even saw them play at QPR in the First Round in 1966, the great Rodney Marsh scoring a hat-trick in Rangers’ 3-2 win. And I used to enjoy watching them turn out at "The Stadium", only five minutes’ walk from their present ground, in the ‘80s and early ‘90s.

Since then "The Dolphins" have been relegated from the Southern League and lost the use of their impressive old ground, which now thrives as a venue for speedway and greyhound racing. The massive stand still has "POOLE TOWN FOOTBALL CLUB" on the back, which is quite sad.

On Saturday the kick-off was brought forward to allow both teams to adjourn to the Poole Conservative Club opposite the Fire Station afterwards to watch Wales v England on the box. It was a very competitive game with plenty of chances but no goals. I noticed two Poole players near the bench with their right legs in plaster, emphasising the commitment of a club that is trying hard to recapture former glories. Now they need £70,000 for a decent stand.

After the game at Poole "The Barber" dashed back to the station for a train to Hamworthy, the next stop on the line towards Dorchester and Weymouth. I heard the announcement that the train was approaching when in the "Gents" on the opposite platform, so bounded over the bridge three steps at a time to leap through the closing doors. He who dares wins.

My afternoon at the County Ground, home of "The Hammers", started well with a world-class Cornish Pasty and soup from the refreshment bar but the game itself was more like a fight in the playground.

There seemed to be 23 referees on the pitch, with the actual ref finding virtually every decision disputed by one team or the other. There were mass confrontations and challenges that owed more to karate than football.

But at least there were a couple of goals (1-1) and there were another seven on Sunday morning, on a day when the temperature reached 30 centigrade in Bournemouth.

On Pitch 1, with the "Funderworld" funfair being noisily dismantled a few yards away, the Shoulder of Mutton ‘keeper produced a string of good saves but was still beaten seven times. I think the ref here made himself popular with the players by blowing for time eight minutes short. It was that hot.