The Gate, Dunstable

As the Cuckoos game was officially an away game, we decided to go to our usual watering hole for home games. We started using The Gate for pre-match drinks for home games before Christmas because it is run by former Dunstable Town goalkeeper and county darts legend, Paul Orchard and his wife, Mandy.

The club is a former CIU club and has a very comfortable lounge where they have regular bingo on a Saturday afternoon, which is very handy when games are called off. In the games room they have a pool table, a number of dart boards and an ancient indoor skittles game.

The game's room has sporting memorabilia on the walls, mainly darts and boxing related, but since adopting The Regiment, we will be adorning the remaining spaces with Dunstable Town mementos.

Drinks are very reasonably priced and the place has a friendly atmosphere. It is the type of place where everyone knows everyone else and they make less frequent visitors most welcome.

Rating 4/5

The Crooked Billet, Colney Heath

We had already been given the heads up on the Crooked Billet and knew what to expect here, but it still managed to exceed what we had been told.

The place was packed but we were served with both ale and food with speed and a smile. Beers included a couple from the Tring Brewery as well as a decent pint of Stowford Press cider. The Side Pocket was excellent.

Liver & bacon was heavenly. Also the landlord is obviously an Arsenal fan judging by the pictures on the wall.

Rating 4/5

The Wonder, Enfield

Another, but unfortunately our last, FA Vase away day took us to sunny Enfield. A quick look in TGBG came up with The Wonder on Bately Road.

A traditional pub with two bars, without a TV, but with a real fire, dartboard and a full on cribbage game in progress is always a good sign.

Entertainment is available on Saturday nights and we were oh so tempted to come back after football to see Honky Tonk Dave with Mick on the spoons!

Beers on view that day were all McMullens. Cask, Country and AK all which were superb.

Rating 4.5/5

Old Cross Tavern, Hertford

There were seven or eight ales on offer here in Hertford, including their own beer from their micro-brewery. No TVs or music is always a good sign as well as a real fire.

Having been in the Hand & Heart a couple of weeks previously, it was a hard act to follow, but the Old Cross Tavern gave it a run for its money.

With home made pies also available it was only the fact that the kids had to sit outside that meant that it didn't get full marks.

The festive Yellow Snow was good, as was Timothy Taylor's Landlord.

Rating 4.5/5

Hand & Heart, Peterborough

Without doubt our best visit so far this season. A proper pub.

In Peterborough for a FA Vase match, we referred to the Good Beer Guide. The Hand & Heart is a small public house dating from 1938. Built for Warwick & Richardson’s Brewery of Newark it is essentially intact and unaltered from that date.

We visited just after Remembrance Day and were impressed by a small plaque erected in the bar to honour past customers of the pub. A lovely touch.

With their own Facebook page, which lets you know what beers are on, we knew that they had Woodfordes Wherry, Ringwood Boondoggle and Exmoor Gold on tap. The Gold was excellent and got us in the mood for a game of darts and a good day out at football.

If you're in this neck of the woods, please visit the Hand & Heart.

Rating 5/5

The Old Manor, Potters Bar

On our way to play Hadley, who ground share with Potters Bar Town we popped into the Old Manor on Darkes Lane. The building itself is the surviving part of the Manor House of the Manor of Wyllyotts, which covered 2000 acres and dates back to the 13th century.

It opened as a bar and restaurant in 2000 and was packed out when we visited  The range of beer was poor and the food that was ordered took ages.

If we are in this area again we will refer to the Good Beer Guide and visit The Crooked Billet in Colney Heath or The Bull in London Colney on the way.

Rating 3/5

The Green Man, Sandridge

In the center of Sandridge, this family run pub of some 25 years extends a warm welcome to real ale and cider drinkers. They had Bateman’s XXXB on as a fine guest ale which went down nicely.

We also had a nice pint of Abbott from their regular selection of Green King Abbott Ale and Deuchars IPA. The food was very good if a little expensive. Bacon and brie salad was awesome but a little steep at £6.00.

Rating 3.5/5