Match 7. APM Contrast v Metrogas

Saturday 13^th September 2014 @2.45pm (ko 2.50pm)

NRG Kent County League Premier Division

APM CONTRAST 0-0 METROGAS

Cobdown Sports & Social Club, Station Road, Ditton.

Admission: free

Programme: £1.50

Attendance: 41 h/c

Refreshments: Guinness: £3.30. Monster Munch 70p.

My original plan of using the London Midland Great Escape offer cancelled after falling ill during the week.  On Saturday morning I thought it would be a blank weekend, but I improved enough to stay in Kent and get some fresh air on a lovely late summer afternoon at Aylesford. I had actually played here on a Junior Cup finals day when I was about 11 years old and had seen another Junior game here 20 odd years ago supporting my friend who was refereeing.  On both these occasions, the marvellous wooden seated stand astride the halfway line was in full occupation by spectators.  Sadly the stand, which seats are raised above the dugouts in front is fenced off and not in use today.  The dugouts are still utilised and the pitch is mainly railed off with a small section of roping completing the surround.  The complex has 3 full size pitches, including the main pitch, a cricket square with pavilion and a bowling green in the distance beyond some trees.  There is plenty of car parking near the club building. The changing room building looks like a new addition and the social club and offices are still as they were, with a pool table, dart board and large projector featuring BT Sport.

The match was between 2 clubs expected to be challenging for the title this season. Both sides played a similar style, with lots of long searching balls forward, a midfield battle that was flustered and panicky and 2 defences that were solid and dealt with the attacks well enough to keep chances to shots from distance.  Chances on target were easily dealt with and numerous corners and crosses well handled by both keepers.

The referee was laid back from strolling out late for kick off and missed 2 blatant yellow cards earlier before a flurry of cards in the last 20 minutes of the game.  Both sides will no doubt end up in the top 4 as they are fit and strong, but this match wasn’t a good spectacle. It was good to see the new youngish 37 year old chairman taking photos during the game and the friendly programme seller circumnavigating the pitch selling his paper during the first half.  A range of halftime hot drinks are available in the clubhouse for £1.50, made from one of those modern coffee machines but are served in cup and saucer and must be drunk on the premises.

Match 6. Holland Sports v Fleetdown United

Saturday 6^th September 2014 @2.45pm

NRG Kent County League Premier Division

HOLLAND SPORTS 5-3 FLEETDOWN UNITED

The Pavilion, Mill Lane, Hurst Green.

Admission: free

Programme: none

Attendance: 25 h/c

Refreshments: Cheese & onion roll £1.

I had to use my daughters car today so couldn’t go very far.  The Pavilion, home of Holland Sports is just off the A25 midway between junction 5 & 6 parallel to the M25. The car park is next to the club building which has a clubhouse at the front and changing rooms at the back. A short path to the pitch, which has an unmarked bowl shaped track surrounding the playing area and a fence around the bowl, although the near touchline is roped off to give a closer view of the match. The club no longer produce a programme.

The home side play in yellow and black stripe shirts with black shorts and socks. The visitors played in orange shirts, black shorts and orange socks.  The first goal for Fleetdown arrived on 15 minutes when a header from a corner was saved at close range but no11 slotted in the rebound from 6 yards. 5 minutes later the visitors doubled the lead when, from another corner, the clearance was collected by no9 on the edge of the box who hit it first time into the top corner. On the half hour mark Holland reduce the arrears where again from a corner no8 headed in from the 6 yard box.  Holland then drew level on 38 minutes when the goalkeeper stormed out of his area for a sliding tackle on the no11 which made the foul easy for him to go down. The tackle, although 17 yards out, was 5 yards shy of the penalty box but what should have been a red card and free kick, the referee decided to issue a yellow card and a penalty.  The kick was converted by no9.

The goals continued after the break for the home side. From the first attack the ball fell to no9 who blasted low into the net from 25 yards. Fleetdown equalised on 53 minutes when a back header went straight to no10 who drilled across the keeper into the net.  The visiting no4 then fell awkwardly in a tackle and was in obvious distress holding his arm.  The ref just told him to go off if he needed treatment.  As he sat in front of me, I could see his arm/elbow was fractured as the swelling was occurring. I asked for someone to get ibuprofen for the swelling and the home trainer found a basic sling which I helped the away side administer. The home side were happy to call an ambulance but as the injured players wife was here I suggested they would be quicker driving back to Darenth A&E as the ambulance would take him to Redhill. While this was going on a definite foul in the area gave Holland another penalty.  No9 converted again in the same spot. A handball on 65 minutes gave Holland their 3^rd penalty. Inevitably, the keeper finally saved one as no9 chose to put is to his left for the 3^rd time. With Fleetdown chasing the game on 88 minutes no8 chipped the ball over the last defender and slipped the ball past the keeper inside the near post.

After the match I stopped off to get the results at picturesque Westerham pub The George & Dragon for a pint of Guinness costing £4.85!!

Match 5. AFC Portchester v Folland Sports

Saturday 30^th August 2014 @3pm

FA Cup Qualifying Preliminary Round

AFC PORTCHESTER 1-4 FOLLAND SPORTS

Wicor Recreation Ground, Cranleigh Road, Fareham.

Admission: £6

Programme: free (normally £1.50)

Attendance:?? My EST about 100

Refreshments: Stowford Press Cider, £1.50 (pint £3). Cheese and egg burger £2.90.

Having set off with this game being first choice and Fleet Spurs the back up, I thought I would be at the latter due to the increasingly regular Saturday M25 traffic standstill near both Clackett Lane and Cobham Services.  The A3 however was quiet and I made up the lost time, getting to Portsmouth by 2.15pm. On with the Sat Nav for the last 15 minutes driving and arriving at Wicor Rec Ground by half past.

I enjoyed the match day experience at AFC Portchester.  The club gives off a professional and community based set up, from the football of the first team (even though it was a heavy defeat, the score didn’t merit the 90 minutes) to the ball boys and families present from I gather a junior side, the friendly gateman, attentive barmaid on the small bar and the facilities that look fairly new and the continuing development of the ground.  There is plenty of parking spaces at the ground, probably due to the nearest bus stop being just under mile away and a further mile to the Railway station.  After going through the entrance gate, the snack bar is immediately on the right and the club building stretches 40-50 yards alongside the near touchline. As well as toilets and changing rooms the club has 2 function rooms with the large bar not open but the room was still used for seating and BT & Sky Sports.  The smaller open bar is kitted out with the clubs orange and black colours, even down to the orange pool table. The other half of the touchline has a standard type covered seating area, followed by an extended standing cover which is almost complete but only needs the steps and crush barriers in place for 50% of the terraced stand for completion. There is an older looking mobile building behind the near goal as well as one of those temporary seating like found in golf tournaments in the corner, with no cover.  Similar to the stand at Brightlingsea Regent.

Both sides played well in the match but the home sides keeper and back 4 had a rotten first half.  After 14 minutes a corner for Folland Sports flew over beyond the far post and was retrieved by no9 Michael Turvey and the defender let him go past him into the area and a low cross allowed Ash Jarvis to slide and tap in from the six yard box. Despite the home side having more possession the second visitor goal came on 41 minutes.  The cross was only half cleared to 30 yards where the captain no8 Jamie Baron looped the ball into the top far corner of the net despite frantic efforts by the below average height goalkeeper Hutchings.  Then right on half time, a throw in from the left back was allowed to be picked up with ease by Baron who again shot beyond the keeper into the bottom corner from the edge of the area without a challenge in sight.

Portchester had more purpose and commitment in their attacking half after the break but lacked a killer punch.  The winger substitute no18 Bartlett-Scott had shown some Cristiano skill in both halves and hopefully can develop his game to help his undoubted natural talent. The game was put beyond any doubt on 82 minutes when Jarvis also tried a looping shot from 30 yards and he too beat the outstretched arms of the keeper.  A goal just before the end was of little consolation for Portchester but the penalty was scored by Elliott Ward.

This club has plans to continue developing the ground and aim to climb up the pyramid in a few years.  Let’s see what happens?

Match 4. Hailsham Town v Pagham

Saturday 23^rd August 2014 @3pm

Sussex County League Division 1

HAILSHAM TOWN 1-4 PAGHAM

The Beaconfield, Weston Road, Hailsham

Admission:£6

Programme: 50p + Sussex Football Monthly £2

Attendance: 66

Refreshments: Magners Bottle, £3.20. Sausage and bacon roll, £2.60.

The journey took 2 hours to complete the 50 miles to Hailsham, mainly due to the half hour to get through Tunbridge Wells traffic. I still arrived in plenty of time and was able to watch a few overs of the local cricket match at Hailsham CC next door to the football ground. The 1^st XI were playing Willingdon CC and batting when I was watching. I understand they won the match.

After paying my entrance fee and buying reading content, I had a pre-match drink in the clubhouse to peruse the Sussex magazine that features all non-league clubs in the county and a feature on Brighton Chairman Dick Knight picking his best ever Brighton XI. The bar was empty apart from one injured player and a few committee members, although they were welcoming and happy to chat.

The ground is accessed around the back of the cricket club pavilion and parking is limited to the surrounding streets.  After entering through the turnstiles, emerging halfway alongside the near touchline, there is a small Atcost style stand seating 50 to the immediate right.  There is an area of covered standing to the left of the entrance which has 2 hatches where one hatch sells hot drinks and the other sells hot food. There is a boarded up building next to the covered standing which I imagine must be the old changing rooms.  Behind the left hand goal is the fairly new looking brick built club building which has the bar, changing rooms and toilets inside.  The opposite touchline has the dugouts and a couple of trees located right on the perimeter rail.  Not sure where that would affect any move up the ladder, but is no problem with Step 5 attendances.  The other goal line is open standing with the tennis club courts immediately behind the goal.

I had watched Pagham last weekend progress in the FA Cup and today got a good idea of their good form this season. After 3 minutes the visitors took the lead when a corner was headed in by the no5, J. Corker from the six yard box.  The home defence was in disarray when after 11 minutes a through ball by no9, R.Wimble found no7, J. Clack through the centre and he controlled the ball, took it around the keeper and slotted into the empty net. The match was interrupted on 20 minutes when the visiting no11, Carmen-Cola fell on his shoulder and had to be subbed for what looked like a dislocation.  It didn’t stop the Pagham dominance as after half hour the no10, S.Martin was fouled inside the penalty area.  He picked himself up to fire the penalty into the corner.  Hailsham scored a 1^st half consolation on 39 minute when on a counter attack, a quick ball found no11, J. Adlam on the left and he cut into the area, drew the keeper towards him and squared it to no9, D. Greenall for a simple tap in.

Hailsham came out in the second half with more purpose and made the game a more equal contest but couldn’t find a second goal.  Pagham killed the game off with a 4^th goal 10 minutes from time when no12, M. Asewre used a nice 1-2 on the left hand side of the box then chipped keeper Levitt with the ball dropping into the far corner of the goal.

I stopped off for 20 minutes at Maresfield Village where I visited The Chequers Inn, a pub formerly owned by Marco Pierre White with a historic 400+ year old building and a nice large beer garden showing off the late afternoon sun.

Match 3. Pagham v Woodstock Sports

Saturday 16^th August 2014 @3pm

FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round

PAGHAM 2-0 WOODSTOCK SPORTS

Nyetimber Lane, Pagham

Admission: £6

Programme: £1

Attendance: 85

Refreshments: Amstel, £3.20. Bacon Roll, £2.50

I always look forward to the beginning of the FA Cup competitions and have had Pagham on my visit list for a few seasons now. With a dry forecast, I drove the 99 miles to West Sussex with only stoppages on the usual jct 5, M25 and the Arundel bottleneck on the A27.

The ground has covered accommodation on 3 sides of the ground with the entrance goal line the only one that is open, with a net behind the catch the stray shots. The clubhouse is on the far touchline and is close to the field of play, meaning there is no rail in front of the clubhouse.  Next to the clubhouse is an area of standing cover, with another area behind the far goal.  The near touchline has the seated stand which has large seats and is made from breeze blocks, steel and wood. The whole ground has that DIY feel and has been added to by hook or by crook.  Better in my opinion than the dull flat pack stands popping up everywhere.

The clubhouse has the basic fizzy alcohol on tap and the food hut has the usual fare (no pies) but the quality of bacon and the slightly toasted bun were above average.

Woodstock should have taken the lead in the first minute when a cross found no11, G Bake 6 yards out but he miskicked when the goal beckoned. Pagham had the upper hand of the first half but there was a fracas on the half hour as after an innocuous challenge on Bake, the left back kicked the ball into the lying wingers back while on the ground.  A bundle ended up with a 2-1 result in bookings.

The second half started with Pagham having a shot thump against the post.  The home side took the lead after 70 minutes when a cross from no2, Scott Dormer reached the tall substitute no15, Rob Brown to head in from 8 yards.  The game was put to bed 2 minutes later when no7, Josh Clack eyed up a shot from the edge of the box and rifled past the visiting keeper Dewey.

Some nice looking pubs driving from the A27 to the ground but no stop offs today.

Match 2. Stratford Town v Bishop Cleeve

Saturday 9^th August 2014 @3pm

Southern League Division South & West

STRATFORD TOWN 2-0 BISHOP CLEEVE

DCS Stadium, Knights Lane, Tiddington, Stratford-Upon-Avon

 

Admission: £8

Programme: £1

Attendance: 163

Refreshments: Thatcher’s Cider, £3.30. Hot Dog, £2.20

 

A family trip in the morning to Leicester to see the Richard III exhibition until lunchtime, then an hours drive via M69 & A46 so the girls can walk around the lovely Stratford-Upon Avon and I can visit the fairly new DCS Stadium, 2 miles away on the outskirts of the nearby village of Tiddington. On arrival 45 minutes before kick-off, the car park was fairly full, but officials directed me to a space near the clubhouse. I arrived in the clubhouse to catch the last part of the Bristol Rovers v Grimsby match on BT Sport.  The rumours of top eye candy bar staff on the NLM Forum are non-founded but good service is provided by a couple in their 40s. I had also imagined the clubhouse to be larger than I found, although provided ample room for today’s match.

The facilities are all on one side of the ground.  The turnstile entrance is at the near side, then to the right is the club hut, where merchandise and todays programme is available.  Then there is the main stand only containing half a dozen rows of seating split by a tunnel entrance to the changing rooms behind and a roof covering over the top extending a way past the seats. It left me with a feeling of lost opportunity to fill in more seats in the space given.  There is an attached white painted and glass fronted building for hospitality and board room.  The tea hut is next to this building, selling the usual burger/hotdog/bacon and hot drinks. The rest of the railed pitch is hard standing but does have a covered step terrace half the length behind the right hand side goal.  I presume they can expand the facilities if they rise up through the pyramid.

Stratford started with almost the same squad as last season whereas Cleeve had assembled a completed new team and management. The home team employed a 4-2-3-1 system which seemed to suit their style, with no9 and 10 interchanging the target role and 2 wingers with no11 especially nippy and no7 more of a James Milner type.  Town were ahead after 11 minutes when no10 Sterling ran inside the penalty area and was tripped to concede the penalty with no complaints.  Gregory sent the keeper the wrong way.  A second penalty 10 minutes later when another run by Sterling and was sandwiched by 2 defenders in the penalty area and the ref again called it a penalty but this was not as clear cut.  The same penalty taker in Gregory but this time the keeper guessed right to palm it away.  Gregory made amends on the next attack which produced a corner.  He headed in the corner from 8 yards.  Stratford should have added to their total before half time but for 2 fine saves from the visiting keeper and 2 shots just wide. 

The second half started after the linesman delayed by forgetting something from the dressing room, and the half had a more subdued feel to it without a great amount of clear chances at either end.  However, no10 Sterling had 3 good chances in the second half, all of which ended up firing over the crossbar.

 
After meeting the family back at the White Swan, we stopped off at the Weatherspoon at the Beaconsfield service station which is a new and odd experience for me!

Match 1. Hartley Wintney v Colliers Wood United

Saturday 2nd August 2014 @3pm
Combined Counties League Premier Division
HARTLEY WINTNEY 1-0 COLLIERS WOOD UNITED
Memorial Ground, Green Lane, Hartley Wintley


Admission: £6
Programme: £1
Attendance: 65
Refreshments: Guinness, £3.95. Bacon Roll, £2.50. Cheeseburger: £3.

There was numerous holdups on the M25 and onto the M3, then saw a horrific tailback on the M3 London bound due to a nasty 4 car pileup blocking the whole carriageway. Thankfully it was cleared for the return journey after the match.  Unfortunately this left no time for me to explore the area before kick off.

The ground has a large carpark and the changing rooms have a temporary look to them.  The clubhouse is a brick building with raised vantage points outside with a large overhang and also hanging baskets from the roof. As well as the bar, there is a projector screen for the football and a snack hatch serving the usual hot food, snacks and hot drinks. The 3 sides railed pitch has an enclosed look due to high hedges on 2 sides with the non railed sided out of bounds with a mesh fence to catch stray shots. A standard seated Atcost type stand is on the opposite touchline to the club building and dugouts.

In the first half, the visitors were marginally the better side. There was a lack of threat in attack and looked weak in centre midfield. The home side looked composed on the ball but a little off the pace apart from the nippy number 7 and 11.  The second half was a more exciting contest as Colliers Wood should have scored when no10 was put through by a short back pass from no2, but after rounding the keeper, then shot from 6 yards onto the outside of the post and behind when an open goal beckoned. The only goal of the game was a fantastic shot from 30 yards on 75 minutes. Carl Saunders hit it first time which arched into the top corner flicking the crossbar on the way in.