Match 17. AFC Stoneham v Fleet Spurs

Saturday 19^th December 2015 @3pm

Wessex League Division 1

AFC STONEHAM 2-2 FLEET SPURS

The Elliots Arena, Chestnut Avenue, Chandlers Ford, Eastleigh SO50 9PF

Admission: £5

Programme: Included with admission. Extra copies £1.50 (16pp)

Attendance: 28 (Grumpy headcount)

Refreshments: Bacon Roll, Coffee, Bovril, all £1 each. Flapjack 50p.

My original destination was Horndean and the game was still on when I left home at 12.15. On arriving just after 2pm, I bumped into the groundsman who told me the game was called off just after 1pm by the local referee, who had deemed one corner of the pitch too soft.  So after checking, it was another 30 minutes driving to AFC Stoneham passing Eastleigh’s ground after exiting the M27.  The ground is located down a dark long driveway off of Chestnut Avenue. There is a decent sized car park which is shared with the golf driving range next door. The ground entrance is next to the changing rooms, then there is a short walk to the pitch. With a tea bar and committee room on one touchline and a quaint wooden stand with 100+ bench seating further along. The dugouts on the opposite touchline completes the set up and there is no clubhouse at the ground.  There is hard standing along 2 sides with out of bounds behind the far goal with the second pitch behind it.

Despite the uneven playing surface and long grass it was a decent match played in good spirit by both sides with a draw being the fair result. The first goal went to the visitors when a low shot was allowed to squirm under the goalkeepers body into the net.  The keeper made amends when he saved a penalty a little later on, diving to his right and palming the ball to safety. Stoneham equalised when following a half cleared corner, the attacker managed to steer the ball between the two defenders.  Stoneham took the lead when a penalty was awarded for handball and the strike went straight down the middle of the goal.  A deserved equaliser and the best of the game when a loose ball was hit from the penalty ‘D’ with a wrapped left foot by no9 into the top of the net with 20 minutes left.  Was nice to watch football at this time of year in unusually warm weather, the gloves, hat and scarf stayed in the car. 

Match 16. Lordswood v Ashford United

Saturday 12^th December 2015 @3pm

FA Vase 3^rd Round

LORDSWOOD 1-5 ASHFORD UNITED

Martyn Grove, North Dane Way, Lordswood, Chatham ME5 8YE

Admission: £7

Programme: £1 (24pp)

Attendance: 90

Refreshments: Bovril, £1.

With working in the evening and domestic duties running into the afternoon, I decided at 2pm to re-visit Lordswood, a club I last saw in their first season at Step 5 in 1996-7.  I couldn't remember too much about the ground but I don’t think there are any changes in the 18 years since my last visit.  Martyn Grove is part of a large sports centre including Rugby, Cricket and unusually, Pentaque.  The ground entrance is next to the changing room building and also has a tea bar just inside the turnstile. The teams enter from behind the near goal, with the dugouts on the left (green mesh) touchline and small areas of cover, for seating and standing area on a raised step on the right touchline. The area behind the far goal is out of bounds. The clubhouse is the social club which is outside the ground, between the 2 car parks.

This was definitely a game of two halves. Ashford just couldn’t seem to do anything right in the first half, allowing the limited skill in the Lordswood side to take a first half lead. The home side had a couple of half chances before the 20^th minute when a flick on found the path of Ben Francis to ran on and slotted the ball past the onrushing keeper. Ashford had more possession after the goal but the passing let them down and neither side troubled the keepers for the rest of the half. 

The half time break did the trick for Ashford, who drew level 10 minutes into the second half when from a corner the ball ran loose for Palmer to score from the 6 yard area.  A few minutes later Ashford took the lead when a shot from the edge of the penalty area flew into the net. It was soon 4-1 to the visitors when they were awarded 2 penalties, each for handball, which were equally clumsy.  The second half rout was completed in stoppage time when an attack on the left by Palmer gained momentum going into the area where he shot passed the home keeper. 

Match 15. Chatham Town v Whyteleafe

Saturday 5^th December 2015 @3pm

Isthmian League Division One South

CHATHAM TOWN 1-2 WHYTELEAFE

Maidstone Road Sports Ground, Chatham ME4 6LR

Admission: £9

Programme: £2 (40pp)

Attendance: 127

Refreshments: Bacon in French Stick, £2.70. Crisps, 90p. Bovril, £1.30

With my family opting to visit Dickensian Rochester Christmas Festival, I went for a revisit to my first ever ground in Maidstone Road, some 38 years ago although I’ve gone dozens of times since. The club was called Medway when I first visited, and I used to get in through a gap in the mesh fence behind the trees, emerging just before kick-off. I could then spend my pocket money on a programme which was 10-20p I think, with a 50p hot dog.   

Now the fence is in front of all but one of the trees and much more substantial.  The Sports Ground has seated cover on both sides including a great bench seated stand and standing cover is behind the entrance goal, where all the facilities are located. Additions since my last visit a few seasons ago is a clubhouse extension near the turnstile with a 1^st floor committee room incorporating a viewing balcony. The club shop looks fairly new and is plentifully stocked and there are 2 building shells which are either in process of demolition or construction.

The pitch was in good condition following the wet weather but the blustery wind played its part in the match, with the side from right to left having a distinct advantage.  Whyteleafe took the lead on 5 minutes when a free kick on the right was headed onto the far post then hit the opposite upright before Francis was first to head in the rebound. Whyteleafe were in total control for the first half hour, with the Chats only just getting into the match towards the end of the half.  Chatham, playing in a blue kit, put more pressure on the visitors in the second half, with the wind on their backs and drew level when on 65 minutes Ofunsi-Hene ran at the defence and despite 2 attempted tackles managed to slide the ball beyond the onrushing keeper into the net.  Whyteleafe went ahead again only 5 minutes later against the run of play when a pass into the left of the area was hit well by Dsane into the corner of the goal.  Whyteleafe hung on to steal the 3 points.  Chatham should get out of trouble on that performance.