Match 21. Sheerwater v Chessington & Hook

Saturday 17^th January 2015 @2pm

Combined Counties League Division One

SHEERWATER 0-8 CHESSINGTON & HOOK

Recreation Ground, Blackmore Crescent, Sheerwater

Admission: £4 (free for me!)

Programme: £1

Attendance: 35 h/c

Refreshments: Can of Strongbow, £2.50. Cheeseburger, £3.

The M25 behaved itself on both journeys today for my first new tick since 6^th December due to illness.  The eldest daughter now works at the weekend to supplement her University costs so my wife and youngest daughter went to Woking to shop and I took 25 minutes to get out of the town traffic hence arriving 10 minutes late at Sheerwater Recreation ground.  This club has an uncertain future at this ground with the council looking at developing this area and building a new sports centre elsewhere in the borough. Sheerwaters days at Step6 look numbered and I wouldn’t be surprised if they move to the Surrey Elite league next season on the outside pitch.

The ground is situated off Blackmore Crescent and there was no-one on the gate when I arrived so I turned left behind the main stand where the club building is situated and purchased a cheeseburger in the clubhouse which has a serving hatch, a few tables and a TV. The pitch has an athletics track around the outside of it but isn’t the worst view I’ve experienced. There are a random few uncovered seats beyond the player’s entrance and a disused changing room and toilet block up a grass bank in the corner of the ground.  I sat in the main stand for the first half just a few seats away from sjj2112 on our forum but as he is now bearded the disguise fooled me. I then got chatting to the home goalkeeper’s father next to the stand for most of the second half.

The visitors went ahead on around the 15 minute mark then the game got turned on its head a quarter of the way through the match when a 50/50 challenge between the home no8 and the keeper ended up with a punch thrown and the keeper holding the player up by his throat as a 15 man bundle ensued.  The ref sent off the offending no8 and another home player then inexplicably only cautioned the visiting goalkeeper. A referee’s assessor was present and alluded at half time that the keeper should have been dismissed. With only nine versus eleven the game became a non-event.  Sheerwater managed to keep the score at 0-2 by half time but when the visitors rearranged their line up for the second half with four in attack, it was inevitable that the goals flowed in the second half.  The home keeper, celebrating his 20^th birthday, did make some good saves and even saved a penalty but his 3 man defence were not having a good day and were easily penetrated.  On top of a heavy defeat, the automatic report to the County FA for picking up over 5 bookings, meant it was a bad day at the Sheerwater office.

Match 20. Bromley v Concord Rangers

Thursday 1^st January 2015 @3pm

Vanarama Conference South

BROMLEY 1-2 CONCORD RANGERS

Fortress Stadium, Hayes Lane, Bromley.

Admission: £12

Programme: £2.50 double festive issue

Attendance: 1029

Refreshments: Guinness, £3.60 @venue bar upstairs. £3.90 @Ravens Bar downstairs.

Cheeseburger, £3. Chips, £1.

I had hoped to revisit Redhill FC but as I arrived in Redhill town centre, I had the tweet at 1.50 that the game had been postponed by the referee. So still no home game for Redhill since October 29^th. Bad drainage apparently. Anyhow I did an about-turn to Bromley and arrived before kick-off. Bromley Stadium is now rebadged as part of the entertainment and football complex known as Bromley Arena The actual changes to the match day experience are different priced beer depending if you can venture to the upstairs bar or not. The old club shop is now a pizza and chips hatch and a marquee is where the old Cray Wanderers offices were.  Where the club shop and Cray offices are now I have no idea.

Concord had a great chance to go ahead after 15 minutes when Taafes low shot was tipped round the post for a corner. The visitors did go into the lead shortly after when Taafe headed into the net despite the efforts of keeper Brown.  Bromley drew level within 5 minutes when Dennis was fouled in the area and the penalty was converted by Dennis. The visitors had more of the first half possession and almost went in front before half time through the man of the match Taafe, but Bromley keeper kept the tie level at half time.

Concord went ahead just before the hour when a cross was not cleared by the Bromley defence and allowed Cawley to head across the keeper into the far corner. Bromley rallied but couldn’t create clear chances and in the last minutes of the game a penalty was awarded to Concord for a foul in the area resulting in a red card for the last ditch tackle by Holland.  The penalty was saved well by Brown but the visitors still earned a deserved 3 points.