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.
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