Match 35. Storrington v Oakwood

Tuesday 23rd April 2013 @ 3pm
Sussex League Division 2
STORRINGTON 2-1 OAKWOOD
The Rec Ground, Pulborough Road, Storrington

Admission: £4
Programme: None issued
Attendance: 36
Drink: London Pride £3

With a wedding to go to on Saturday, I had an evening out in Sussex free to take in this game about an hours drive away.  I rarely go to evening games these days due to family and work commitments and this must be my first for 18 months. The ground is situated behind the cricket pavilion and leisure centre if heading west along Pulborough Road, not far from the A24.  The car park is alongside the cricket pitch and entrance is through the gate next to the cricket pavilion.  I wandered into the ground 20 mins before kick off and was identified as someone who came to watch the football from the gateman and I parted with my £4. I ventured into the club building, with the clubhouse in the first floor of the 2 storey complex.  The changing and toilets are on the ground floor.  A great view of the pitch is available from the elevated position of the clubhouse. This is an open ground with no seating around the railed pitch with an overhang built into the club building, some 10 yards away from pitch side.

Inside the clubhouse, I enquired about a programme and although none of today's match were printed, the kind gentleman found a couple of spare programmes from the last home matches against Wick and the abandoned game v Westfield.  The bar staff were all friendly and didn't mind me saving half my bottle of London Pride in the fridge until half time.  Although no food was available, I was welcome to have anything left from the pastry selection at half time after the committee of course.

The first half was instantly forgettable.  It seemed like a continuation of the whining from Saturday, duties taken over from Oakwoods Smith and Bidgood, supported by a few others.  The pitch didn't help, being hard and bumpy making any control difficult.  This meant a lot of kick and rush from both sides, so 30 minutes in, I vacated to the view from the clubhouse.  At least I had Munich's demolition of Barcelona to keep one eye on.

Both sides continued to kick the ball in hope more than judgement in the second half but luckily Humphries stabbed a loose ball home early in the half after rounding the keeper.  A misunderstanding between keeper and defender from a corner resulted in an own goal with 15 minutes left.  Oakwood got a goal back in the last 10 minutes but I admit by this time, I had been distracted by the game at the Allianz.

A basic venue even for Step 6, but the lack of facilities were compensated by the friendliness of the club staff.

Match 34. Felixstowe & Walton United v Norwich United

Saturday 20th April 2013 @ 3pm
Eastern Counties League Premier Division
FELIXSTOWE & WALTON UNITED 0-2 NORWICH UNITED
Goldstar Ground, Dellwood Avenue, Felixstowe
 
Admission: £6
Programme: £1 (A5, 36pp)
Attendance: 69
Drink: Guinness "Surger" £3.50
Food: Egg, Sausage, Bacon Bap £3.50

I had to hope the traffic on M25, A12/14 was OK for this trip to Felixstowe as I couldn't have the hopmobile until 1pm, however all was quiet on the roads and I arrived at 2.40pm.  After parking in Dellwood Avenue, I stopped off at the clubhouse pavilion, which is located outside the enclosed ground, as it overlooks the cricket pitch and 2 other football pitches.  The changing rooms are also in the pavilion and the players have a 50 yard walk on a roped off path to enter the ground.  I had ordered a breakfast bap, which was ready as the teams entered the field.  The food bar has a wide range of food and sweets available.  The admission shed had programmes on sale as I paid my entrance fee.
 
The ground has floodlights which were being dismantled, I presume for the summer months unless there is a local rule regarding the permanent erection.  The tree lined ground has dugouts on the far touchline and 2 stands on the near touchline.  One seated and a 2 step standing one.  A tea hut building is located by the corner flag and the rest of the railed pitch is open.
  
I was told that the home side were weakened by the loss of both regular centre backs, including one on trial at Newcastle United!  This was one of those games that seemed to be stopping every 30 seconds.  The referee seemed to be insistent that any challenge for the ball would be punished by a free kick, and was meticulous in the positioning of every freekick and throw in, not to mention a protracted chat to a Norwich midfielder that lasted about 2 minutes.  There was a highlight to this match though.  The away forward Jordan Rocastle, who possesses good control, fast pace and touch which should see the youngster climb the pyramid before long.  Rocastle opened the scoring with 10 minutes of the first half remaining, although it was a tap in after a lob beat the home goalkeeper but bounced off the underside of the bar for Rocastle to rush in.
 
His second goal was also a gift from the home defence as several attempts to clear only found Rocastle inside the area who shot low into the net just 5 minutes into the second half.  Both sides seemed to settle for this scoreline and spent most of the second half whining at the ref rather than playing football.  It was a relief when the ref only added a couple of minutes stoppage time at the end.

Not a good game but a nice set up with the usual East Anglia friendliness.
 

Match 33. Belstone v Hinton

Saturday 13th April 2013 @3pm
Herts Senior League Premier Division
BELSTONE 2-1 HINTON
The Medburn Ground, Watling Street, Radlett
 
Admission & Programme: N/A
Attendance: 15 h/c
Drink: Fosters £3.40 (Guinness pump not in use)
Food: Mars bar 75p
 
This match wasn't on my list until lunchtime as my original choice of Hullbridge Sports was called off and my family wanted to be dropped off at Lakeside.  The Friday rain had put this fixture in doubt but the club secretary had told me that there were standing puddles everywhere but they forked for four hours and hoped for the best when arriving Saturday. Luckily the pitch had dried out sufficiently and is actually a good playing surface which held up well considering it rained for all but the first 5 minutes of the match.


There is hardstanding around the railed pitch with the dugouts on the open side of the ground and a small area of cover on the opposite touchline. The pitch is closed in by 2 1/2 sides of tall trees and the car park  is situated inside the entrance behind the near goal and the club building is tucked away near the corner flag.  In front of the club building is a patio and table area which would be nice in dry warm weather. There was no programme as the game was in doubt on the Friday.

The match was an even contest with superiority changing hands throughout the match.  All the goals came in the first half.  Nine minutes in a cross from the right enabled the home no10 to reach and stab in from 6 yards.  No10s second goal was a delightful run and chip over the visiting goalkeeper
 after 17 minutes.  The Hinton goal was a shot from the edge of the penalty area which went through the goalies hands on 24 minutes.  In fact, I was told the goalkeeper was a replacement as the regular was away for 2 weeks.  He was unconventional but somehow stopped Hinton from equalising despite allowing a second effort through his fingers and from a shot he actually dived over the ball and it went just wide.

Thanks to the handful of friendly supporters happy to chat and especially the club official Glynn who was bar man/tea man/hospitality and who knows what else.  A friendly club well worth a visit.

Match 32. Bournemouth Poppies v Newport (IoW)

Saturday 6th April 2013 @ 3pm
Wessex League Premier Division
BOURNEMOUTH 1-4 NEWPORT (IoW)
Victoria Park, Namu Road, Winton

Admission: £6
Programme: £1 (A5, 56pp) excellent!
Attendance: 31

Food: Cheese Salad roll £1.20; Soup, 80p
Drink: Guinness: £2.30


This game was a 50/50 choice with Brimscombe & Thrupp, depending where the family wanted to spend the day.  Southampton won the vote so I set off in good time and arrived just 5 minutes before kick off thanks to traffic jams on the M25 (Cobham Services yet again) and M3.  All facilities are down one touchline with hard standing around the railed pitch. A quirky Main stand with wooden bench seating has the changing rooms behind it and the window fronted clubhouse adjacent.  This was more than ample for the 30+ crowd in the bright cold afternoon.  At least the sun showed another rare 2013 appearance.
  
Most of the match was controlled by the away side apart from a brief spell in the second half by the Poppies. It wasn't much of a spectacle as both sides are mid-table and with NO club applying for Step 4, this was already one of those end of season games with nothing but pride attached to it.

Despite the general malaise there were some snippets of individual good play.  Newports Przespolewski was as difficult to mark as to pronounce as his 2 goals testifies.  IOW were one up after 12 minutes when a driven cross along the 18 yard box found midfielder no8 Gregory who dispatched past the keeper.  Just before half time it was 0-2 as No 9 Alex P" finally got on the score sheet as he lobbed the advancing keeper.

The second half dragged on although Bournemouth began to put sustained pressure against the visitors and the Poppies got a goal back with 15 minutes left.  Any hopes of a late comeback were dashed 5 minutes later when star man Alex P volleys beautifully into the top of the net. A great 1-2 with Alex P  enables McInnes to get on the score sheet just before the end.

I enjoyed the visit more than the game here.  It's a nice Step 5 venue.

Match 31. Wroxham v Soham Town Rangers

Monday 1st April 2013 @3pm
Ryman League Division One North
WROXHAM 0-3 SOHAM TOWN RANGERS
Trafford Park, Skinners Lane, Wroxham


Admission: £7
Programme: £1
Attendance: 140

Food: Minestrone Soup £1.20
Drink: Guinness £3.10
  

I moved house on the Saturday and forgot how much work was involved in the 9 years since my last house move. From the 2 weeks leading up to the move, the thankfully short 1 mile journey from A-B but a DIY effort with my nephews Van and brawn provided by another nephew, my brother-in-law and my eldest nearly 17 year old daughter who wants to be the next Barry Bucknell.  By Bank Holiday Monday, respite was found in a day out to Norwich to ease the aching limbs and relax by watching my only match over the Easter holiday period.
  

Trafford Park  still has that village rec feel to it even though it has needed recent improvements to play in Step 4.  The focus is the clubhouse, where all food and drink is available inside.  There is not much available at the food stall but the large saucepans of what looked and tasted like homemade minestrone or chicken soup, together with sliced bread from an uncut loaf to dip in is a joy at £1.20 for a bowl or mug.  There is a good size main seated stand opposite and a new standing covered accommodation behind one goal.  A standard MK Publications programme was available with an unusual pick me up advert inside the back cover.


The early play was dominated by Soham and it came as no surprise when they took the lead after 8 minutes. A long through pass beat the slow moving centre halves and no9 Rob Mason picked it up and drove past the home keeper as he advanced from his area. Soham kept the advantage through possession and doubled their lead on the half hour.  Another through ball over the defence was controlled by Mason and he lobbed the keeper to make it 0-2. Mason failed to get his hat trick before half time, a late shot well saved at the end of the half.
  

A reshuffle at the back by the home side and new impetus gave Wroxham their best stage of the game although the best chance came with a deflection over the bar. Further changes ensued and in the last quarter, Soham sealed the victory from a corner.when the cross was headed back to Andrews to shoot into the top corner.