Match 37. Rustington v Oakwood

Saturday 29^th March 2014 @2pm

Sussex League Division Two

RUSTINGTON 0-3 OAKWOOD

Recreation Ground, Jubilee Avenue, Rustington

 

Admission: None taken

Programme: £1

Attendance: 31 h/c, 2^nd half

Refreshments: Carlsberg shandy £2.85, Cheeseburger, £2.10, Mars, 65p

 

I arrived at 2.07 to find the game had already kicked off and there were no spare parking spaces by the clubhouse or Jubilee Avenue.  There is more space round the other side of the recreation ground by the swings and climbing frames. It was 2.12 by the time I parked up in the next road and gone through the entrance gate (I’m counting the ground though).  No admission is taken and there was no obvious sign of a programme.   From the entrance gate, the clubhouse, which doubled up as a cricket pavilion in the summer, is on the right.  The football pitch is just railed with dugouts on the playground side, and there are no floodlights.  The cricket square is to the right side of the Recreation Ground.

 

The match was played on a bumpy pitch and with the swirling wind made it difficult to create any kind of skilful encounter.  The first half just had lots of effort and more than one missed kick, especially the home centre forward completely missing the ball as it was crossed to him 15 yards out.  At half time I wandered into the clubhouse and ordered a cheeseburger from the food hatch next to the bar.  Inside there was a projector screen just finished showing the early Premier League kick off.  The food was quite nice and hot drinks were a pricey £1.20 for this level.

 

Several spectators turned up at half time, expecting a 3pm kick off.  The treasurer had to apologise for not updating the club website as it was a late change as the reserves were playing on the same pitch at 4.15. He did however, go and get the programmes from the Chairman’s car for the 4 of us who asked for one.  Maybe they were in evidence earlier then put away at kick off? It was a 16 pager including a 4 page insert for the game today.

 

All the goals came in the second half.  The first goal on 48 minutes was an attack which seemed to fizzle in the centre then Elliot Benson drove a 10 yarder into the corner. A skied clearance from the goalkeeper, whose kicking was questionable all game, was deftly controlled by the Robin Van Persie lookalike at no9, who half volleyed the ball into the net from 20 yards. His name was Darren Tidey. He set up the third goal on 80minutes when a long cross looked like going out of play but he chased it and hooked the ball back over his shoulder where the whole home defence froze as Ben Jenner simply swung his foot to the ball and hammered it into the net while the defence started protesting for either offside or ball out of play.  Rustington had their best chance of the game earlier on 51 minutes, when in the Oakwood penalty area, the right midfielder and the home no10 went shoulder to shoulder and the ref dubiously gave a penalty. Bennett picked himself up and took the penalty, which was saved to the right by the keeper. Justice! 

 

Not a ground to come rushing back to, with obvious restrictions in upgrading much further to achieve Step 5, but a nice afternoon stroll afterwards in Worthing by the sea nonetheless.