Match 4. Hailsham Town v Pagham

Saturday 23^rd August 2014 @3pm

Sussex County League Division 1

HAILSHAM TOWN 1-4 PAGHAM

The Beaconfield, Weston Road, Hailsham

Admission:£6

Programme: 50p + Sussex Football Monthly £2

Attendance: 66

Refreshments: Magners Bottle, £3.20. Sausage and bacon roll, £2.60.

The journey took 2 hours to complete the 50 miles to Hailsham, mainly due to the half hour to get through Tunbridge Wells traffic. I still arrived in plenty of time and was able to watch a few overs of the local cricket match at Hailsham CC next door to the football ground. The 1^st XI were playing Willingdon CC and batting when I was watching. I understand they won the match.

After paying my entrance fee and buying reading content, I had a pre-match drink in the clubhouse to peruse the Sussex magazine that features all non-league clubs in the county and a feature on Brighton Chairman Dick Knight picking his best ever Brighton XI. The bar was empty apart from one injured player and a few committee members, although they were welcoming and happy to chat.

The ground is accessed around the back of the cricket club pavilion and parking is limited to the surrounding streets.  After entering through the turnstiles, emerging halfway alongside the near touchline, there is a small Atcost style stand seating 50 to the immediate right.  There is an area of covered standing to the left of the entrance which has 2 hatches where one hatch sells hot drinks and the other sells hot food. There is a boarded up building next to the covered standing which I imagine must be the old changing rooms.  Behind the left hand goal is the fairly new looking brick built club building which has the bar, changing rooms and toilets inside.  The opposite touchline has the dugouts and a couple of trees located right on the perimeter rail.  Not sure where that would affect any move up the ladder, but is no problem with Step 5 attendances.  The other goal line is open standing with the tennis club courts immediately behind the goal.

I had watched Pagham last weekend progress in the FA Cup and today got a good idea of their good form this season. After 3 minutes the visitors took the lead when a corner was headed in by the no5, J. Corker from the six yard box.  The home defence was in disarray when after 11 minutes a through ball by no9, R.Wimble found no7, J. Clack through the centre and he controlled the ball, took it around the keeper and slotted into the empty net. The match was interrupted on 20 minutes when the visiting no11, Carmen-Cola fell on his shoulder and had to be subbed for what looked like a dislocation.  It didn’t stop the Pagham dominance as after half hour the no10, S.Martin was fouled inside the penalty area.  He picked himself up to fire the penalty into the corner.  Hailsham scored a 1^st half consolation on 39 minute when on a counter attack, a quick ball found no11, J. Adlam on the left and he cut into the area, drew the keeper towards him and squared it to no9, D. Greenall for a simple tap in.

Hailsham came out in the second half with more purpose and made the game a more equal contest but couldn’t find a second goal.  Pagham killed the game off with a 4^th goal 10 minutes from time when no12, M. Asewre used a nice 1-2 on the left hand side of the box then chipped keeper Levitt with the ball dropping into the far corner of the goal.

I stopped off for 20 minutes at Maresfield Village where I visited The Chequers Inn, a pub formerly owned by Marco Pierre White with a historic 400+ year old building and a nice large beer garden showing off the late afternoon sun.

Match 3. Pagham v Woodstock Sports

Saturday 16^th August 2014 @3pm

FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round

PAGHAM 2-0 WOODSTOCK SPORTS

Nyetimber Lane, Pagham

Admission: £6

Programme: £1

Attendance: 85

Refreshments: Amstel, £3.20. Bacon Roll, £2.50

I always look forward to the beginning of the FA Cup competitions and have had Pagham on my visit list for a few seasons now. With a dry forecast, I drove the 99 miles to West Sussex with only stoppages on the usual jct 5, M25 and the Arundel bottleneck on the A27.

The ground has covered accommodation on 3 sides of the ground with the entrance goal line the only one that is open, with a net behind the catch the stray shots. The clubhouse is on the far touchline and is close to the field of play, meaning there is no rail in front of the clubhouse.  Next to the clubhouse is an area of standing cover, with another area behind the far goal.  The near touchline has the seated stand which has large seats and is made from breeze blocks, steel and wood. The whole ground has that DIY feel and has been added to by hook or by crook.  Better in my opinion than the dull flat pack stands popping up everywhere.

The clubhouse has the basic fizzy alcohol on tap and the food hut has the usual fare (no pies) but the quality of bacon and the slightly toasted bun were above average.

Woodstock should have taken the lead in the first minute when a cross found no11, G Bake 6 yards out but he miskicked when the goal beckoned. Pagham had the upper hand of the first half but there was a fracas on the half hour as after an innocuous challenge on Bake, the left back kicked the ball into the lying wingers back while on the ground.  A bundle ended up with a 2-1 result in bookings.

The second half started with Pagham having a shot thump against the post.  The home side took the lead after 70 minutes when a cross from no2, Scott Dormer reached the tall substitute no15, Rob Brown to head in from 8 yards.  The game was put to bed 2 minutes later when no7, Josh Clack eyed up a shot from the edge of the box and rifled past the visiting keeper Dewey.

Some nice looking pubs driving from the A27 to the ground but no stop offs today.

Match 2. Stratford Town v Bishop Cleeve

Saturday 9^th August 2014 @3pm

Southern League Division South & West

STRATFORD TOWN 2-0 BISHOP CLEEVE

DCS Stadium, Knights Lane, Tiddington, Stratford-Upon-Avon

 

Admission: £8

Programme: £1

Attendance: 163

Refreshments: Thatcher’s Cider, £3.30. Hot Dog, £2.20

 

A family trip in the morning to Leicester to see the Richard III exhibition until lunchtime, then an hours drive via M69 & A46 so the girls can walk around the lovely Stratford-Upon Avon and I can visit the fairly new DCS Stadium, 2 miles away on the outskirts of the nearby village of Tiddington. On arrival 45 minutes before kick-off, the car park was fairly full, but officials directed me to a space near the clubhouse. I arrived in the clubhouse to catch the last part of the Bristol Rovers v Grimsby match on BT Sport.  The rumours of top eye candy bar staff on the NLM Forum are non-founded but good service is provided by a couple in their 40s. I had also imagined the clubhouse to be larger than I found, although provided ample room for today’s match.

The facilities are all on one side of the ground.  The turnstile entrance is at the near side, then to the right is the club hut, where merchandise and todays programme is available.  Then there is the main stand only containing half a dozen rows of seating split by a tunnel entrance to the changing rooms behind and a roof covering over the top extending a way past the seats. It left me with a feeling of lost opportunity to fill in more seats in the space given.  There is an attached white painted and glass fronted building for hospitality and board room.  The tea hut is next to this building, selling the usual burger/hotdog/bacon and hot drinks. The rest of the railed pitch is hard standing but does have a covered step terrace half the length behind the right hand side goal.  I presume they can expand the facilities if they rise up through the pyramid.

Stratford started with almost the same squad as last season whereas Cleeve had assembled a completed new team and management. The home team employed a 4-2-3-1 system which seemed to suit their style, with no9 and 10 interchanging the target role and 2 wingers with no11 especially nippy and no7 more of a James Milner type.  Town were ahead after 11 minutes when no10 Sterling ran inside the penalty area and was tripped to concede the penalty with no complaints.  Gregory sent the keeper the wrong way.  A second penalty 10 minutes later when another run by Sterling and was sandwiched by 2 defenders in the penalty area and the ref again called it a penalty but this was not as clear cut.  The same penalty taker in Gregory but this time the keeper guessed right to palm it away.  Gregory made amends on the next attack which produced a corner.  He headed in the corner from 8 yards.  Stratford should have added to their total before half time but for 2 fine saves from the visiting keeper and 2 shots just wide. 

The second half started after the linesman delayed by forgetting something from the dressing room, and the half had a more subdued feel to it without a great amount of clear chances at either end.  However, no10 Sterling had 3 good chances in the second half, all of which ended up firing over the crossbar.

 
After meeting the family back at the White Swan, we stopped off at the Weatherspoon at the Beaconsfield service station which is a new and odd experience for me!

Match 1. Hartley Wintney v Colliers Wood United

Saturday 2nd August 2014 @3pm
Combined Counties League Premier Division
HARTLEY WINTNEY 1-0 COLLIERS WOOD UNITED
Memorial Ground, Green Lane, Hartley Wintley


Admission: £6
Programme: £1
Attendance: 65
Refreshments: Guinness, £3.95. Bacon Roll, £2.50. Cheeseburger: £3.

There was numerous holdups on the M25 and onto the M3, then saw a horrific tailback on the M3 London bound due to a nasty 4 car pileup blocking the whole carriageway. Thankfully it was cleared for the return journey after the match.  Unfortunately this left no time for me to explore the area before kick off.

The ground has a large carpark and the changing rooms have a temporary look to them.  The clubhouse is a brick building with raised vantage points outside with a large overhang and also hanging baskets from the roof. As well as the bar, there is a projector screen for the football and a snack hatch serving the usual hot food, snacks and hot drinks. The 3 sides railed pitch has an enclosed look due to high hedges on 2 sides with the non railed sided out of bounds with a mesh fence to catch stray shots. A standard seated Atcost type stand is on the opposite touchline to the club building and dugouts.

In the first half, the visitors were marginally the better side. There was a lack of threat in attack and looked weak in centre midfield. The home side looked composed on the ball but a little off the pace apart from the nippy number 7 and 11.  The second half was a more exciting contest as Colliers Wood should have scored when no10 was put through by a short back pass from no2, but after rounding the keeper, then shot from 6 yards onto the outside of the post and behind when an open goal beckoned. The only goal of the game was a fantastic shot from 30 yards on 75 minutes. Carl Saunders hit it first time which arched into the top corner flicking the crossbar on the way in.

Match 46. Harold Hill v Buckhurst Hill

Saturday 31st May 2014 @2.30pm
Essex Olympian League Premier Division
HAROLD HILL 0-2 BUCKHURST HILL
Hendersons Sport @ Social Club, Kenilworth Avenue, Harold Wood

Admission: nil
Programme: No
Attendance: 40 ish
Refreshments: None taken at ground

Met DQ in the well presented King Harold pub. Nice touch with the open bar in the beer garden. 
After Messrs Arthur and Grigio were consumed and I was presented with the forthcoming Sunday League Programme of the Year, we arrived at Hendersons just in time for kick off. With DQ dealing in play off contraband and tapping up players for next season, I enjoyed the game with BH centre back 4 and midfielder 11 the stand out players. The clubhouse is busy and spacious, organising themselves for a presentation evening for a youth team. Plenty of hoppers in attendance for the match and hopefully, moonlighting as a 70s rock tribute band to scare the children later. 

This was a competitive game with Hill lacking penetration up front, which is probably the reason 
behind their relegation and they went behind midway through the first period following 
a lapse at the back. The home side were reduced to ten following a sending off for a late but non-malicious tackle which I and others perceived to be worth only a yellow. The visitors sealed the win soon after. 

After evicting DQ from the hop mobile it was a 5 mile tailback from Dartford Bridge taking an hour to pass. I arrived late home without the promise of any fresh venison or giggly sausages for the family of Carnivors to consume. DQ is such a tease!!

Match 45. Cuffley v Letchworth Garden City Eagles

Saturday 24^th May 2014 @3pm

Herts Senior County League Premier Division

CUFFLEY 4-2 LETCHWORTH GARDEN CITY EAGLES

King George V Playing Fields (Cuffley), Northaw Road East, Cuffley.

Admission: free

Programme: free (4 page folded A4 sheet)

Attendance: 50 h/c

Refreshments: Guinness: £3.50. Crisps 50p, Mars bar 70p

Cuffleys ground is 10 minutes’ drive from the A10 junction at the M25, passing Broxbourne Borough and Goffs Oak football grounds en route. I parked in error at the Tennis Club car park (sat navs fault) but walked through to the football club, which has its own ample sized car park.  The pitch is railed on all 4 sides apart from a gap on each halfway line supposedly for dugouts, and in front of the changing room/club building behind the top goal. The pitch slopes from top to bottom but is well grassed. The club building has all the facilities including a small bar. Hot and cold drinks and snacks were available but no hot food or rolls. The programme was available behind the bar.

Considering this was a game with nothing riding on it, the entertainment and commitment was commendable.  Letchworth played a lot better than the previous Saturday thumping by the League champions. However there was a bizarre nature of how both sides notched up goals in the first 48 minutes. I was getting warmed up as a ball boy for the first 15 minutes before the rain settled in for the next hour, as I watched the rest of the first half in the dry of the clubhouse executive window.

The first goal for Cuffley arrived after 3 minutes.  A cross was caught by the keeper 3 yards out but he preceded to drop the ball into his own net, almost in slow motion.  Letchworth equalised on 9 minutes when the yellow booted no3 crossed from the right for no10 to slide in and direct the ball in from 6 yds. The hosts went back in front 2 minutes later when no14 thumped a back pass under no pressure to the advancing keepers left and into the net.

After the break it took just 3 minutes for the comedy of errors to continue. A cross from the right was intercepted by the half time substitute no14 who slid in and diverted the ball over the defence into the far corner to make the score 2-2.  He was then fortunate a few moments later to stat on the field after some handbags with the Letchworth no10, both escaping with a booking.  On 65 minutes a shot just inside the penalty box beat the keeper to regain home advantage. The final goal arrived when a corner was connected by no10 without any decent pace, but the keeper proceeded to bend down and let the ball through his hands and then legs into the net.  This was a moment after he produced an outstanding save over the crossbar from a belting shot from 25 yards!

As I chatted alongside some non-playing first team members, the home no4 had bet his teammates that he would score today or face having #utf (up the Cuffs) tattooed on him, he then fell to the ground hiding his face at the final whistle as his excited team mates prepared the strategy of getting him to the tattoo shop before 5.30!!     

Match 44. Bedmond Sports & Social FC v Letchworth Garden City Eagles

Saturday 17^th May 2014 @3pm

Herts Senior County League Premier Division

BEDMOND SPORTS & SOCIAL FC 10-1 LETCHWORTH GARDEN CITY EAGLES

Toms Lane Recreation Ground, Bedmond

Admission: free

Programme: £1

Attendance: 65 (h/c)

Refreshments: Guinness £3.10. Starbar 70p. Cheeseburger £1.50

The small car park at the ground was full on my arrival 30 minutes before kick-off so I parked in a side road behind the top goal. The pitch is shared with cricket and is railed on 3 sides but can be removed for the cricket season. One touchline has hard standing and there is an area of cover attached to the clubhouse. Inside the clubhouse is a good size with a bar selling alcohol and soft drinks as well as snacks.  Inside there was also a small kitchen which sold burgers, hot dogs and chips as well as hot drinks. Programmes are available from the hardworking secretary, Ged Deacon.

The match was dominated by Bedmond from the start. The no9 & 10 strike force Arron Lewis and ‘Sipo’ Sippetts were dominant. Both had scored in the first 3 minutes. A period of domination without adding to their score for half an hour, then from a free kick from the left was headed in by ‘Sipo’ after a well-timed run. 5 minutes before the break no9 got his hat trick with another header in the 6 yard box.

The second half produced a barrage of goals, with no10 Lewis adding 3 to his first half effort and Bedmond reached 8 before the consolation away goal from Letchworth. I missed 2 goals just collecting my cheeseburger and came back to see the attacking double act being subbed.  It didn’t stop the home side adding 2 further goals before taking the foot of the accelerator for the last 5 mins.

Bedmond are a quality Step 7 side on this performance and together with Standon & Puckeridge and Belstone are a class above the rest of the division.