Match 19. Woodbridge Town v Stanway Rovers

Saturday 29th December 2012 @3pm Thurlow Nunn Eastern Counties Premier Division WOODBRIDGE TOWN 3-2 STANWAY ROVERS Notcutts Park, Fynn Road, Woodbridge Admission: £6.50 Programme: £1 (A5, 36p) Attendance: 113 Food: Bacon and Egg Roll, £2.25

Drink: Guinness, £3.40, Cup-a-soup: £1

Todays choice of game influenced by the weather forecast, the rain not expected to hit Ipswich until after kick off.  I arrived 10 minutes before the start and the pitch was in super condition considering the last fortnight weather.  Being open on three sides and the strong winds helped keep the pitch fairly dry.  The rain only came down for the last half hours play and although the grass became slippery, the bounce of the ball remained true.  The dugouts on the far touchline, the club building which incorporates the tea bar is next to the turnstile.  The selection and standard of food at Notcutts is excellent.  One to visit for the tea hut connoisseurs. The bench seated stand and covered standing accommodation are adjacent to each other on the same touchline next to the clubhouse.   Both sides played to a good standard on football and skill, much better than the Step 4 game I saw 3 days earlier. The first 20 minutes was played without much goalmouth incident, both sides struggling to cope with the strong left to right windy conditions.  On 25 minutes Ross Gilfedders 30 yard shot was turned over the bar by the Stanway keeper.  Stanway took the lead on the half hour when Rymers shot from the edge of the penalty area beat Dixon. Jonathan Fryatts cross after 43 minutes was deflected over by Gilfedder in an uneventful first half.

The second half played at a faster tempo, and on 50 minutes, Paul Berrys hit the crossbar from 30+ yards and the keeper was beaten. Stanway made it 2-0 after 58 minutes when a cross from the wing was despatched by Bentley.  The Woodpeckers didn’t give up and launched an amazing fight back when with 15 minutes left, the substitute rose to flick in a corner.  The equaliser came with ten minutes to go. A shot by Berry took a defection of the defenders knee wrong footing the keeper. After 80 minutes when Paul Berry's shot was deflected in by Kelsey Trotter to make it 2-2. With a minute plus stoppage time a mazy run from the wing by Gilfedder, going past 3 defenders before being brought down inside the area.  Scopes sent the keeper the wrong way to complete the comeback.

Match 18. Sittingbourne v Faversham Town

Saturday 26th December 2012 @3pm Ryman League Division One South SITTINGBOURNE 1-1 FAVERSHAM TOWN Bourne Park, Sittingbourne   Admission: £8 Programme: £1.50 (A5, b/w, 28pp) Attendance: 186 Food: Sausage Rolls & Mince pies (Homemade) Drink: Guinness, £3.30, Cup-a-soup, £1   Thanks to the efforts of the Sittingbourne Committee who spent the morning clearing the pitch of water allowing the referee to pass the game on. It has been a few seasons since I was last here but there are no changes and the ground has a tired look about it.  The rain returned for kick off and became heavier as the match wore on.  This was not helping either side as control and passing gave way to staying upright and thumping the ball around the pitch.  Sittingbourne had to bring off their robust forward after only 20 minutes making the task even more difficult.   Faversham gained the upper hand from this point but Sittingbourne took the lead against the run of play when Taylor scored from close range after his original shot was parried.  Faversham hit the bar from 30 yards moments later but as conditions worsened the teams went in at 1-0. The second half started with Faversham winning a free kick just outside the area. The shot rebounded of the wall and the shot was brilliantly saved by the home keeper. Ex-Carshalton striker Adrian Stone put the visitors’ level with 20 minutes left when Sittingbourne failed to clear their own lines and he gratefully stabbed the ball goal bound.  Both sides had chances in the last few minutes but the only winner was the rain, which by now was lashing down making puddles on the pitch.  The grateful supporters cheered when the final whistle blew.

Match 17. Three Bridges v Leatherhead

Saturday 15^th December 2012 @3pm

Ryman League Division One South

THREE BRIDGES 1-3 LEATHERHEAD

Jubilee Field, Jubilee Walk, Three Bridges

Attendance: 364

Admission: £8

Programme: £1 (A5, 68pp)

FOOD: Cheeseburger and Chips: £4

DRINK: Guinness £3.15

 

With the end of term PQA Showcase and the Mrs working meaning I was only available from 2pm, therefore I knew it was a Saturday for a revisit, meaning a trip to a ground I always enjoy visiting, Jubilee Field.  I think the clubhouse there is one of the best in the area although there was no TV on screen until the end of half time.  A change from my last visit was the additional small seated stand to the left of the club building.  I imagine this is for the necessary Ryman League ground grading.  I spent the first 30 minutes in the queue for hot food; with only about 10 customers in front of me beware of the slow service, with the 2 East European women only able to handle one customer order at a time.  At least it was freshly cooked although not really worth the wait.

The first 15 minutes was scrappy as both sides tried to adjust to the wet surface then the game got a shot in the arms when Leatherhead midfielder Terry had space 30 yards out and unleashed one of the hardest shots I’ve seen which bounced back of the shuddering crossbar.  This sparked the game into life as my wait for a burger and chips continued.  Three Bridges had started moving the ball around quicker and had 2 or 3 good chances saved by the goalkeeper and centre back.  Having finally purchased my food, and now settled by the half way line, Three Bridges took the lead when a cross cum shot was left by the keeper, it hit the bar and found Williams to easily convert with his head.  Leatherhead produced the perfect response.  After winning a free kick on the edge of the box, their captain no6 Symonds line up a curler past the wall and the ball nestled in the far corner beyond the reach of Bridges keeper.

The second half had the same start as the first, with nothing really to choose between the sides.  The match was decided within a space of 2 minutes midway through the 2^nd half.  Firstly a foul conceded by Bridges on the left hand side was crossed in for Bradbrook to head home without being marked.  Then just after the restart Bridges failed to clear their lines and the substitute picked up a loose pass and hammered past the keeper from the edge of the area.

I always enjoy visiting Jubilee Field and this match was no exception.

Match 16. Southwick v Newhaven

Saturday 8th December 2012 @3pm
Sussex League Division Two
SOUTHWICK 1-4 NEWHAVEN
Old Barn Way, Southwick
Admission: £4
Programme: £1 (A5, 44pp)
Attendance: 30
FOOD: Hot Dog, £2
DRINK: Soup: £1

A fairly straightforward drive via M25, M(A)23 and I found Old Barn Way without too much trouble.  There is only a small car park but I parked in the free Leisure Centre car park next door.  The facilities are crammed on the touchline as soon as you enter the turnstile.  Clubhouse, changing rooms, tea bar then a 3 deep seated stand although the seats are cushioned and comfortable.  The opposite touchline is where the dugouts are situated and there is a 3 step terrace behind one goal although in quite a state of disrepair.

The small crowd were treated to a decent game of football although apart from the early exchanges, was weighted towards the league leaders.  Southwick held out until halfway through the first half, when a cross from the left found no9 who headed straight at the keeper but converted the rebound himself from close range.  Less than 10 minutes later a corner from the right again found a free header for no8  who scored unchallenged. Southwick rallied and scored before the break when a freekick 30 yards out wasn't cleared and the home no8 scored from 10 yards via a post and defenders shin. An off the ball incident just before the break involving the Newhaven 10 and the Southwick 4 earned both a yellow but no4 Tidey, who had  connected with a right hook, should have been sent off and the manager immediately took him off to be subbed.  The centre back said that it wasn't the first time this had happened.
                     
Newhaven went further ahead before the hour when no7 Lee Robinson dribbled past both centre halves then slipped the ball beyond the keeper into the corner.  A delightful goal.  A final gloss from Newhaven arrived with 5 minutes left when Altendorf had a left foot volley on the turn into the opposite corner.

Newhaven look a good bet for a second promotion in succession.