Match 10. Loxwood v Steyning Town

Saturday 4^th October 2014 @3pm

FA Vase 2^nd Qualifying Round

LOXWOOD 5-2 STEYNING TOWN

Plaistow Road, Loxwood.

Admission: £7 including programme

Attendance:

Refreshments: Hot dog, £2

The journey down to Sussex took longer than usual due to roadwork on the M23 causing a 30 minute delay from the M25 slip road down to Gatwick. These roadwork are to last for 6 weeks.  I managed to arrive as the teams were coming out of the dressing rooms which is in the pavilion, overlooking the cricket pitch.  The 2 football pitches and the ground entrance is beyond the cricket pitch. The main pitch is railed and has wooden board infill. The main seated stand is an atcost affair with white and black seats. The dugouts are on the opposite touchline which is out of bounds to spectators. The only other furniture is a large garage storing the ground equipment.

The match started at a surprising sedate pace and didn’t really get going until the 22^nd minute when Loxwoods no9 Dean Wright beat the offside trap on the edge of the box and slotted the ball across the visiting keeper Aaron Jeal into the bottom corner. On the half hour, Steyning equalised when a cross to the far post was cut out by the defender but the clearance was scuffed straight into the middle where no9 Lewis Levoi was unmarked and he stroked into the net.

At half time there is a small kitchen area next to the closed bar, which sold hot dog and bacon rolls, together with hot drinks and Lucozade. I’m not sure is the bar closure is a regular occurrence or if the hosts was short on volunteers.

The teams returned onto the pitch with a low sun shining in the spectators’ eyes.  The match brightened up instantly, as on 48 minutes the no11Shaun Findlay crossed from the left and the ball was hit first time by no7 Michael Wood, standing 10 yards out into the goal to the keepers right.  The game was put beyond the visitors reach 2 minutes later. Wright was clean through and was pulled down by the goalkeeper in the area.  The ref had no choice but to give Jeal a straight red.  An outfield player pulled on the keepers jersey but could do nothing about the well taken penalty from no10 Oliver Gill.  Loxwood had several chances before their 4^th goal arrived on 65 minutes.  An attack down the right by Wood then a short pass inside to the right back Joe Holvey who ran into the area and blasted into the top of the goal.  On 77 minutes the no16 substitute Casselman, looking a bit like Paul Scholes, cut in from the left wing and then hit the ball right footed just over the keeper’s outstretched fingers into the net from 20 yards.  A consolation strike from Steyning arrived in the last minute when a free kick on the edge of the penalty area was delicately chipped over the wall to no8 Jack Boyall who chested the ball down a hit first time beyond the keeper. 

Steyning Town had ex Worthing captain Paul Kennett in their ranks after retiring last season, playing centre back for the first hour, before moving into the more familiar central midfield.