Match 18. Sun Sports v London Colney

Saturday 29^th November 2014 @3pm

Spartan South Midlands League Premier Division

SUN SPORTS 0-2 LONDON COLNEY

Bellmountwood Avenue, Watford.

Admission: £6 including 12pp programme

Attendance: 37

Refreshments: Guinness, £3.10. Bovril, £1.

I didn’t want a long drive this weekend so chose a ground that is only 58 miles away. The M25 was behaving itself even on the Dartford Crossing, so I arrived 90 minutes before kick-off. I decided to visit the local pub, The Essex Arms and have lunch there for a fiver (Ham, Egg, Chips and Peas) then go back to the ground at 2.30. The car park was full but parked on a verge at the ground entrance.  There are multiple sports fields here. Rugby, Hockey, Bowls as well as 3 outside football pitches are under the Sun Sports footprint here.  A fairly new clubhouse building has been built as an extension to the original club building, with all the facilities and food hatch inside.  To get in you go through the clubhouse to the patio area in front of the decking, where entry is gained.

I was pleasantly surprised at the ground. The pitch has a post and rail surround is coloured in yellow and blue, the clubs colours and has a covered main stand on the far touchline at the halfway line point. There are several rows of seats with a standing area at the back of the stand. The dugouts are on the opposite touchline and the pitch has a paving slabs surrounding it.

A surprisingly mild 14 degrees C and hazy sunshine greeted the start of the match. The first half was rather disjointed with errors on both sides and not much between them. I was in conversation with home coach Chris Campbell for most of the first half and he agreed is was a bad showing from the home side in his strong Scottish accent. Colney came out stronger in the second half whereas Sun Sports game plan stayed unchanged. The visitors took the lead on 50 minutes when a deep cross from the right found no8 on the far post to head in from 6 yards. The second goal arrives 10 minutes before the end when a free kick from the right back was headed back on the edge of the box towards the D where no10 collected the ball and went round the keeper and slotted the ball between the 2 goal line defenders. A bad tackle near the end meant a 5 minute stoppage and the match finished at 16:58, so I got back to the car as R5 Sports report had just begun.

Another hassle free journey including a free passing at the Dartford Crossing as they were preparing for Dart-Charge which begins on Sunday 30^th November.  £2.50 for a car crossing and no cash payments anymore. Payments must be made by the following midnight by phone or online. Progress!