Match 19. Cray Valley PM v Beckenham Town

Saturday 6^th December 2014 @3pm

Southern Counties East Football League

CRAY VALLEY PM 3-0 BECKENHAM TOWN

Badgers Sports Ground, Middle Park Avenue, Eltham.

Admission: £7

Programme: £1

Team sheet: free

Attendance: 35

Refreshments: Guinness, £3.30. Coffee, £1.

Not my original choice of ground as I arrived in Basildon just after 1pm and stopped in KFC for lunch. With dry roads and a glaring sun I didn’t think my chosen match at the Selex Ground (Basildon Town FC) would have any problems so when I parked up at 1.40 the ominous lack of cars and players told the story. Game off.  A quick check of the pitch followed. No standing water, soft pitch but not muddy. Who knows why, maybe a bit frosty at 9am?  Anyway, I had to be back home at 5pm so it was back along the A127 and M25 to the Badgers ground, which was confirmed match on, on their twitter at 2.25 and I arrived at 2.45pm.

This was my 2^nd visit to Badgers, the first being in 2006 when they were in the KCL.  There has been much improvement to the ground since then, allowing them to play at Step 5. The clubhouse has been re constructed, with 2 bars and a kitchen with a hatch outside, replacing the old small bar and changing rooms.  Two plasma screens show BT Sport and Sky sports in the main bar.  New changing rooms are situated in the adjacent new build. A marquee is being constructed further down outside the car park, which needs resurfacing due to some huge pot holes near the entrance. The club are definitely geared up for the hiring out of facilities.

Inside the ground, the pitch has quite a bit of sand in both penalty areas and centre circle. The pitch is now fully railed off and has moved 15-20 yards down the slope to allow for a small floodlit training area. There is covered Atcost standing for 50 just before the dugouts.  The opposite touchline has a 50 seat covered seated Atcost. The surround is hard standing on 3 sides and is enclosed by a new 6ft wooden fence with the reserves pitch behind the seated stand end.

I stood with the low hazy sun on my back for the first half, then into the covered standing area for the 2^nd half with Becks secretary (Peter) in situ, bellowing his disappointed at his sides’ lacklustre 2^nd half performance.  The Millers attacked in their Green shirts & Black shorts down the slope in the first half against the all Blue kit of Beckenham Town.  The first goal arrived on 14 minutes. A cross from the right found no10 Alex Chambers unmarked in the middle of the area, so he easily headed in from about 6 yards out clipping the keepers outstretched fingers on the way into the net. On the half hour a through ball by Cray Valley was chased by the visiting keeper and the home striker Ben Healy. Both clashed and were injured, unfortunately the keeper Stevie Sutton couldn’t continue and was carried off with sub keeper Rilwan Anibaba taking 5 minutes to get changed and ready.

The second half was mainly controlled by Cray Valley as Becks passing and movement was below par to say the least. On 75 minutes a counter attack at pace by Healy and Chambers allowed Healy to shoot which was parried by Anibaba only for Chambers to slot home the rebound from 10 yards. Then 3 minutes from the end a goal kick down the right channel found the defence slow to turn as the right winger ran onto the ball and shot which was parried when the keeper should have held it as it went straight to Chambers to add his 3^rd of the game from 8 yards.

So the Beckenham Secretary and committee friend were disappointed with the performance but happy with their new insulated club rain jackets keeping them warm from the 2-3 degree chill.