Match 3. Brimscombe & Thrupp v Highmoor Ibis

Saturday 10th August 2013 @3pm
Hellenic League Premier Division
BRIMSCOMBE & THRUPP 1-2 HIGHMOOR IBIS
The Meadow, London Road, Brimscombe
  
Admission: £5 inc programme
Attendance:  70
Food: small cheese & onion roll £1
Drink: Carlsberg £3
    
It took me 2 hours to get to the M4 exit on the M25 due to the continuing roadworks at Jct5-7 and the obligatory Saturday accident near Jct 10, what looked like a rubbish truck with a dozen immigrants hiding on board! Only 75 minutes from M4 to the picturesque Meadow at B&T.
    
After being directed to the parking area on banking behind the goal and paying entry etc from the car, the pitch is cut away from the surrounding hills and has some lovely views.  It really is a gem on a ground with the old stand still standing.  The Chairman says it looks like the work is being planned for late September now so a few games yet to view the stand before it is replaced.  The club has a very friendly and hardworking committee, the Chairman Clive and his Wife only flying back from holiday at 5am in the morning.  The clubhouse is adequate but with a limited choice of beverages on offer and no hot food available.  Luckily, I had brought a packed lunch with me.
      
The home side had plenty of the ball in the game but tended to get stuck passing through the midfield, whereas the pacier and more direct Highmoor created more of the chances.  The B&T defence was particularly shaky and a misplaced header from defence found the away No11 30 yards out who stepped forward and blasted a shot low into the net.  The second goal halfway through the first half was a calamity from the home keeper who attempted to take free kick high up the pitch, only to miscue it straight to the centre forward who lifted the ball over the keeper from the edge of the centre circle and it bounced into the empty net.
   
The home no6 seemed to shore up the midfield in the second half and Brimscombe got a consolation penalty for their endeavours.  The no10 was heading away from goal into the left corner of the penalty area when the right back needlessly tripped him. The centre forward drove the penalty into the corner.
  
A great day out in the summer sunshine at a lovely ground.  Groundhopping doesn't get much better than this.
  

Match 2. Fareham Town v Bemerton Heath Harlequins

Saturday 3^rd August 2013 @3pm

Wessex League Premier Division

FAREHAM TOWN 2-1 BEMERTON HEATH HARLEQUINS

Cams Alders, Palmerston Drive, Fareham

  

Admission: £6

Programme: £1

Attendance:

Food: Burger £2, Chips £1

Drink: Coors Light £3.50

The summer break from league football but the M25 still it’s unhelpful self.  Delays at Jct 5 & 9 meant it took nearly 3 hours to get to Fareham.   The outside or the ground is quite shabby, but once inside, a great deal of sprucing up including artificial turf, newly painted exterior fence and a new club portacabin building further down from the Main Stand is soon be the new clubhouse room.  Liquid refreshment was had in the V-Bar, a nightclub venue devoid of any homely character and an extension to the front of the main stand that looks like an infant design.  I think this is a separate business from the football club. However the Main stand itself with its raised seating is an excellence viewing point and the pitch has that nice beginning of season feel to it, even if a little bumpy..

     

This was an almost evenly matched game with the home side on slightly upper hand and the best chances, even though the defence were quite error prone. Fareham took the lead on 18 minutes when a shot from the edge of the area rebounded from the keeper and Knight No10 put in the rebound.  A second goal with a minute left in an almost identical fashion.  Another parried shot allowing the same scorer.  That should have been the end, apart from a penalty on 90 minutes converted by no4 and about 10 minutes of stoppage time where Bemerton tried but failed to create any meaningful chances.