Match 11. Ebbsfleet United v Basingstoke Town

Saturday 11th October 2014 @3pm

FA Cup 3^rd Qualifying Round

EBBSFLEET UNITED 1-2 BASINGSTOKE TOWN

The PHB Stadium, Stonebridge Road, Northfleet.

Admission: £10

Programme: £2

Attendance: 953

Refreshments: Guinness, £3.60.

I started the day driving down to Leeds Castle near Maidstone to meet up with other family members as 6 of us were taking part in a memory walk for my suffering Mother-in-law raising over £500 for the Alzheimer’s Society.  After finishing the 10K scenic walk, we went to The Old Rectory for lunch then I was dropped off with 20 minutes to spare at this fairly local FA Cup match. I last visited over the Christmas holidays and noticed the programme hut near the entrance is no more, with a shelter in the turnstiles now the place to purchase a programme, todays being a reduced 24 page publication for two quid.  As it was remarkably dry after the previous 48 hours wet windy weather and there was quite a few enjoying a drink in the afternoon sun on newly installed benches outside the clubhouse.

This was a match that Ebbsfleet had more possession, about a dozen good chances at goal, and ended up as victims of a smash and grab raid in the second half by Conference North leaders Basingstoke, to the delight of the 50 travelling voices.

The first half was almost one way traffic but the visiting keeper made 3 good saves and the visitors was saved by the woodwork.  After the restart the pattern of play remained the same and Ebbsfleet took the lead on 53 minutes when a cross from the left was headed in from close range by Charlie Sheringham on the second time of asking. Further chances went begging and inevitably, on the first recognisable attack from the visitors in the second half Flood fired past goalkeeper Hall for the equaliser. With a sniff of a winner, both teams surging forward for a winning goal, then with only 7 minutes left, a cross by Bird found Enver Marum to head the Stoke in front. The hosts and supporters were stunned and was a bit too much for Ebbsfleets Howe, who was shown a red card at the end for a crashing tackle on the Basingstoke forward.

I had to use South-eastern trains to get home but the ticket office was closed at Northfleet and the exit gates were open when I alighted, so got the trip home for free.

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.

Match 9. Folland Sports v Frome Town

Saturday 27^th September 2014 @3pm

FA Cup 2^nd Qualifying Round

FOLLAND SPORTS 1-1 FROME TOWN

Follands Park, Kings Avenue, Hamble-le-Rice.

Admission: £6

Programme: £1

Attendance: 93

Refreshments: Cheese and onion crusty roll £1.25. Tomato cup-a-soup £1. Topic 80p. Thatcher’s Gold, £2.95

The journey down to Southampton was trouble free but took 30 minutes from the M271 to drop off my wife and daughter no2 at IKEA then another 45 minutes to complete the 6 miles to Hamble, due to road works and the fact that Southampton’s St Marys Stadium in on the route and they were at home to QPR.  This meant I arrived at Follands Park 5 minutes before kick-off.  Luckily there is a spacious car park, but programmes had sold out and I had no time to visit the outside clubhouse before kick-off.  The players’ journey from the outside dressing room is lined out with temporary fencing and enter next to the spectator turnstile.

Inside the ground next to the turnstile in “Mugs Corner”. No polystyrene cups here.  All hot drinks are served in a proper mug. The committee room is behind the snack bar. There is a mixture of seats (for the match announcer and co) and standing under a DIY style cover. Then a long covered stand with 2 rows of wooden seating. In the corner is a replica jet plane, a nod to the Avionics Company on site.  The only other furniture is the dugout on the opposite touchline and a bus shelter cover behind the far goal.  The rest of the ground has hard standing and enclosed with fencing and tall trees, giving a rural feel to the location.

Frome unsurprisingly took the upper hand in the first half, sometimes easily showing the gulf between the 2 sides pyramid placing. The home side were forced into some last ditch defending, but in a rare venture forward on 28 minutes, got a slice of luck when a reckless challenge in the area gave Sports a penalty which was expertly tucked away by no10 R.Long.  The home side couldn’t keep ahead going into the break as an in swinging cross from the right by no7 R.Hulbert perfectly found the head of no10 B.Thomson to nod in 5 yards out 5 minutes before half time.

The second half consisted of long periods in the Folland half, but the home side counterattacked well and both sides could have scored the winner.  There was a flare up halfway through the 2^nd half when Follands Long kicked a Frome player who was laying on the ball.  The Frome centre-back Baggridge came rushing in and pushed the offending player in the face.  After the 20 man scuffle the ref gave a yellow card to each, when a red card for each should have been the fair reflection of the incident.  This was isolated though as there were no other malicious behaviour throughout the 90 minutes.

This was an entertaining Cup match and a valiant effort by the home underdogs to earn the right to have their name in the next FA Cup draw.  I expect Frome will go through in the replay on Wednesday.

I even got lucky when I asked the announcer if there were any spare copies of the match programme to purchase in the committee room.  He kindly gave me his copy, with the turnstile lady saying she sold all 60 at the gate by 2.45, with the paying attendance of 93.  Who says the demand for programmes is history?  

Match 8. Spelthorne Sports v Camberley Town

Saturday 20^th September 2014 @3pm

Combines Counties League Premier Division

SPELTHORNE SPORTS 0-0 CAMBERLEY TOWN

Sports Club, 296 Staines Road West, Ashford Common, Ashford Middx.

Admission: £7

Programme: £1

Attendance: 70

Refreshments: Guinness: £3.20. Cheeseburger £2.50.

After the storming season Spelthorne Sports had last year and their 7-0-0 start to this season, I was interested to see how good this team was. Apart from the usual 30 minute traffic delay at Cobham Services, it was an easy journey to drive with simple directions. The club has a large complex running alongside the main road for some distance, passing 2 full size pitches before reaching the turn off for the club house and car park.  The 2 teams were warming up between the clubhouse and the ground entrance on the junior size pitch outside. Through the turnstile and there is a large shed to the right which hosts hospitality for the committees. To the left is the only building which houses the changing rooms and the tea bar which sells hotdogs, burgers, hot and cold drinks and snacks.  The other side of the goal has a new seated covered stand with 2 rows of yellow seating and the structure made of wood with quite an unusual design.  The only other area of cover is a small structure for standing in between the 2 dugouts on the halfway line. The rest of the metal railed pitch surround has hard standing for spectators.  There is space to continue building on the opposite touchline subject to planning approval, in case the club wishes to enter Step 3-4 territory.

I was surprised that Camberley, although also in the top 5, played the better of the 2 teams throughout the first 70 minutes or so, before Spelthorne really upped their game enough to see why they have been successful recently. The Camberley right back was subbed after only 25 minutes and he sulked off to the dressing room saying he didn’t want to play anymore and didn’t re-join his teammates, choosing to stand alone watching the second half.  To be fair, he wasn’t playing well and the replacement was one of the best players on the pitch.  The best chance in the first half came on 35 minutes when, after a corner was half cleared the shot from 25 yards smacked against the cross bar and cleared.

The second half had greater intensity from the home side but it was only after their subs came on did they have any real chances.  They survived a scare when a goal was not allowed for an offside from a 6 yard melee. Apparently it was a Camberley attacker on the goal line although the keeper was off his line, causing the away dugout to have a different view of the incident.  Shortly after, Spelthorne had their best chance when a scrambled shot hit the bar, then the follow up cleared off the line by the defender who was behind the goal line but I thought only half the ball had crossed the line and the linesman was in a good position.

So my 2^nd game running with no goals. I had to watch the Football League show on Sunday morning to remember what a goal looks like!!

Match 7. APM Contrast v Metrogas

Saturday 13^th September 2014 @2.45pm (ko 2.50pm)

NRG Kent County League Premier Division

APM CONTRAST 0-0 METROGAS

Cobdown Sports & Social Club, Station Road, Ditton.

Admission: free

Programme: £1.50

Attendance: 41 h/c

Refreshments: Guinness: £3.30. Monster Munch 70p.

My original plan of using the London Midland Great Escape offer cancelled after falling ill during the week.  On Saturday morning I thought it would be a blank weekend, but I improved enough to stay in Kent and get some fresh air on a lovely late summer afternoon at Aylesford. I had actually played here on a Junior Cup finals day when I was about 11 years old and had seen another Junior game here 20 odd years ago supporting my friend who was refereeing.  On both these occasions, the marvellous wooden seated stand astride the halfway line was in full occupation by spectators.  Sadly the stand, which seats are raised above the dugouts in front is fenced off and not in use today.  The dugouts are still utilised and the pitch is mainly railed off with a small section of roping completing the surround.  The complex has 3 full size pitches, including the main pitch, a cricket square with pavilion and a bowling green in the distance beyond some trees.  There is plenty of car parking near the club building. The changing room building looks like a new addition and the social club and offices are still as they were, with a pool table, dart board and large projector featuring BT Sport.

The match was between 2 clubs expected to be challenging for the title this season. Both sides played a similar style, with lots of long searching balls forward, a midfield battle that was flustered and panicky and 2 defences that were solid and dealt with the attacks well enough to keep chances to shots from distance.  Chances on target were easily dealt with and numerous corners and crosses well handled by both keepers.

The referee was laid back from strolling out late for kick off and missed 2 blatant yellow cards earlier before a flurry of cards in the last 20 minutes of the game.  Both sides will no doubt end up in the top 4 as they are fit and strong, but this match wasn’t a good spectacle. It was good to see the new youngish 37 year old chairman taking photos during the game and the friendly programme seller circumnavigating the pitch selling his paper during the first half.  A range of halftime hot drinks are available in the clubhouse for £1.50, made from one of those modern coffee machines but are served in cup and saucer and must be drunk on the premises.

Match 6. Holland Sports v Fleetdown United

Saturday 6^th September 2014 @2.45pm

NRG Kent County League Premier Division

HOLLAND SPORTS 5-3 FLEETDOWN UNITED

The Pavilion, Mill Lane, Hurst Green.

Admission: free

Programme: none

Attendance: 25 h/c

Refreshments: Cheese & onion roll £1.

I had to use my daughters car today so couldn’t go very far.  The Pavilion, home of Holland Sports is just off the A25 midway between junction 5 & 6 parallel to the M25. The car park is next to the club building which has a clubhouse at the front and changing rooms at the back. A short path to the pitch, which has an unmarked bowl shaped track surrounding the playing area and a fence around the bowl, although the near touchline is roped off to give a closer view of the match. The club no longer produce a programme.

The home side play in yellow and black stripe shirts with black shorts and socks. The visitors played in orange shirts, black shorts and orange socks.  The first goal for Fleetdown arrived on 15 minutes when a header from a corner was saved at close range but no11 slotted in the rebound from 6 yards. 5 minutes later the visitors doubled the lead when, from another corner, the clearance was collected by no9 on the edge of the box who hit it first time into the top corner. On the half hour mark Holland reduce the arrears where again from a corner no8 headed in from the 6 yard box.  Holland then drew level on 38 minutes when the goalkeeper stormed out of his area for a sliding tackle on the no11 which made the foul easy for him to go down. The tackle, although 17 yards out, was 5 yards shy of the penalty box but what should have been a red card and free kick, the referee decided to issue a yellow card and a penalty.  The kick was converted by no9.

The goals continued after the break for the home side. From the first attack the ball fell to no9 who blasted low into the net from 25 yards. Fleetdown equalised on 53 minutes when a back header went straight to no10 who drilled across the keeper into the net.  The visiting no4 then fell awkwardly in a tackle and was in obvious distress holding his arm.  The ref just told him to go off if he needed treatment.  As he sat in front of me, I could see his arm/elbow was fractured as the swelling was occurring. I asked for someone to get ibuprofen for the swelling and the home trainer found a basic sling which I helped the away side administer. The home side were happy to call an ambulance but as the injured players wife was here I suggested they would be quicker driving back to Darenth A&E as the ambulance would take him to Redhill. While this was going on a definite foul in the area gave Holland another penalty.  No9 converted again in the same spot. A handball on 65 minutes gave Holland their 3^rd penalty. Inevitably, the keeper finally saved one as no9 chose to put is to his left for the 3^rd time. With Fleetdown chasing the game on 88 minutes no8 chipped the ball over the last defender and slipped the ball past the keeper inside the near post.

After the match I stopped off to get the results at picturesque Westerham pub The George & Dragon for a pint of Guinness costing £4.85!!

Match 5. AFC Portchester v Folland Sports

Saturday 30^th August 2014 @3pm

FA Cup Qualifying Preliminary Round

AFC PORTCHESTER 1-4 FOLLAND SPORTS

Wicor Recreation Ground, Cranleigh Road, Fareham.

Admission: £6

Programme: free (normally £1.50)

Attendance:?? My EST about 100

Refreshments: Stowford Press Cider, £1.50 (pint £3). Cheese and egg burger £2.90.

Having set off with this game being first choice and Fleet Spurs the back up, I thought I would be at the latter due to the increasingly regular Saturday M25 traffic standstill near both Clackett Lane and Cobham Services.  The A3 however was quiet and I made up the lost time, getting to Portsmouth by 2.15pm. On with the Sat Nav for the last 15 minutes driving and arriving at Wicor Rec Ground by half past.

I enjoyed the match day experience at AFC Portchester.  The club gives off a professional and community based set up, from the football of the first team (even though it was a heavy defeat, the score didn’t merit the 90 minutes) to the ball boys and families present from I gather a junior side, the friendly gateman, attentive barmaid on the small bar and the facilities that look fairly new and the continuing development of the ground.  There is plenty of parking spaces at the ground, probably due to the nearest bus stop being just under mile away and a further mile to the Railway station.  After going through the entrance gate, the snack bar is immediately on the right and the club building stretches 40-50 yards alongside the near touchline. As well as toilets and changing rooms the club has 2 function rooms with the large bar not open but the room was still used for seating and BT & Sky Sports.  The smaller open bar is kitted out with the clubs orange and black colours, even down to the orange pool table. The other half of the touchline has a standard type covered seating area, followed by an extended standing cover which is almost complete but only needs the steps and crush barriers in place for 50% of the terraced stand for completion. There is an older looking mobile building behind the near goal as well as one of those temporary seating like found in golf tournaments in the corner, with no cover.  Similar to the stand at Brightlingsea Regent.

Both sides played well in the match but the home sides keeper and back 4 had a rotten first half.  After 14 minutes a corner for Folland Sports flew over beyond the far post and was retrieved by no9 Michael Turvey and the defender let him go past him into the area and a low cross allowed Ash Jarvis to slide and tap in from the six yard box. Despite the home side having more possession the second visitor goal came on 41 minutes.  The cross was only half cleared to 30 yards where the captain no8 Jamie Baron looped the ball into the top far corner of the net despite frantic efforts by the below average height goalkeeper Hutchings.  Then right on half time, a throw in from the left back was allowed to be picked up with ease by Baron who again shot beyond the keeper into the bottom corner from the edge of the area without a challenge in sight.

Portchester had more purpose and commitment in their attacking half after the break but lacked a killer punch.  The winger substitute no18 Bartlett-Scott had shown some Cristiano skill in both halves and hopefully can develop his game to help his undoubted natural talent. The game was put beyond any doubt on 82 minutes when Jarvis also tried a looping shot from 30 yards and he too beat the outstretched arms of the keeper.  A goal just before the end was of little consolation for Portchester but the penalty was scored by Elliott Ward.

This club has plans to continue developing the ground and aim to climb up the pyramid in a few years.  Let’s see what happens?