Match 7. Frimley Green v Farleigh Rovers

Saturday 29^th September 2012 @3pm

Combined Counties League Division One

FRIMLEY GREEN 5-0 FARLEIGH ROVERS

Frimley Green Recreation Ground

Admission: £5

Programme: £1 (A5, 24pp)

Attendance: 42

FOOD: Corned Beef & Tomato, Cheese & Tomato Roll, £1 each

DRINK: Can of Guinness, £3.20!

The original plan was for the family to visit Witney and I watch the North Leigh v Sholing FA Trophy game.  Setting off at 1100 with a planned stop at Cobham Services (my eldest “ticks” them, what a weird idea ;-b) my plan was scuppered by an oil spill at Jct 10, resulting in a 2 hour wait between Junctions 8 & 9.  I decided to exit Jct 9 and progress to Frimley Green rather than stick it out.  This was a good choice as a suicide from Jct 11 bridge at about 2pm held up traffic for up to 3 hours.  I arrived at 2.55pm, in time to see the teams come out.  The Rec is fairly basic with a green six foot fenced surround offering little protection from the dozen freeloaders on the hill next to the pitch.  The only area of note is the club building on the near touchline after going through the turnstile.  Even the dugouts are so close to this that there is not through path around the perimeter railed pitch.  There was no obvious cover anywhere in the ground, which makes me wonder what the Step 6 ground grading police make of it.

Considering there was only 1 place in the league table between the sides, the chasm in the quality of the 2 teams was huge.  Frimley Green took the lead after 18 minutes when a cross from the left found no9 Mepham unmarked 10 yards out and half volleyed into the net.  It was all Green as the Farleigh keeper made a fantastic double save soon after, then on the half hour a rocket 30 yard free kick bounced off the crossbar.  The inevitable 2^nd came towards the break when a similar cross from the left found Mepham again inside the box who had time to control the ball before firing past the keeper from close range.

Mepham got his hat-trick early in the 2^nd half when the visiting no6 claimed he was held and Farleigh stopped as no9 stepped up and poked the ball into the empty net.  The skilful no10 then scored when no4 made an excellent dummy run, taking 2 defenders with him, and the space created for him to shoot into the corner.  The discipline began to wane from the obviously outclassed Rovers and a ruck with 15 minutes left took over 5 minutes for the ref to restore order and send off no11 for the original studs up challenge.  The home no2 was lucky to get away with a yellow, along with a few others.  A second goal from no10 didn’t flatter the home side who look a useful outfit this season.

Funniest moment in the game was when the referee, who was vocally loud throughout the game, earned his equity card by animatedly counting his ten yards at a free kick, to then stop at eight count to line up the wall.