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.

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.

Match 18. Sun Sports v London Colney

Saturday 29^th November 2014 @3pm

Spartan South Midlands League Premier Division

SUN SPORTS 0-2 LONDON COLNEY

Bellmountwood Avenue, Watford.

Admission: £6 including 12pp programme

Attendance: 37

Refreshments: Guinness, £3.10. Bovril, £1.

I didn’t want a long drive this weekend so chose a ground that is only 58 miles away. The M25 was behaving itself even on the Dartford Crossing, so I arrived 90 minutes before kick-off. I decided to visit the local pub, The Essex Arms and have lunch there for a fiver (Ham, Egg, Chips and Peas) then go back to the ground at 2.30. The car park was full but parked on a verge at the ground entrance.  There are multiple sports fields here. Rugby, Hockey, Bowls as well as 3 outside football pitches are under the Sun Sports footprint here.  A fairly new clubhouse building has been built as an extension to the original club building, with all the facilities and food hatch inside.  To get in you go through the clubhouse to the patio area in front of the decking, where entry is gained.

I was pleasantly surprised at the ground. The pitch has a post and rail surround is coloured in yellow and blue, the clubs colours and has a covered main stand on the far touchline at the halfway line point. There are several rows of seats with a standing area at the back of the stand. The dugouts are on the opposite touchline and the pitch has a paving slabs surrounding it.

A surprisingly mild 14 degrees C and hazy sunshine greeted the start of the match. The first half was rather disjointed with errors on both sides and not much between them. I was in conversation with home coach Chris Campbell for most of the first half and he agreed is was a bad showing from the home side in his strong Scottish accent. Colney came out stronger in the second half whereas Sun Sports game plan stayed unchanged. The visitors took the lead on 50 minutes when a deep cross from the right found no8 on the far post to head in from 6 yards. The second goal arrives 10 minutes before the end when a free kick from the right back was headed back on the edge of the box towards the D where no10 collected the ball and went round the keeper and slotted the ball between the 2 goal line defenders. A bad tackle near the end meant a 5 minute stoppage and the match finished at 16:58, so I got back to the car as R5 Sports report had just begun.

Another hassle free journey including a free passing at the Dartford Crossing as they were preparing for Dart-Charge which begins on Sunday 30^th November.  £2.50 for a car crossing and no cash payments anymore. Payments must be made by the following midnight by phone or online. Progress!

Match 17. North Leigh v Bashley

Saturday 22^nd November 2014 @3pm

Southern League Division South & West

NORTH LEIGH 11(Eleven)-0 BASHLEY

Eynsham Hall Park, Oxford Road (A4095), North Leigh

Admission: £8

Programme: £1

Attendance: 63

Refreshments: Thatcher’s Gold, £3. Chicken Cup-a-soup, 70p

A long standing promise to take the family to Bicester Village for Christmas shopping with a cousin also coming along. So they were dropped off at the Acorn pub by 1.30 so I had time to go to the furthest ground on my list for the day, a 20 mile trip along the (A4095) to Eynsham Hall Park and I was so glad that I did.

The hidden entrance is along a track to the cricket pitch where cars are allowed to park on the grass verges, and it was rather muddy under foot towards the turnstile adjacent to the cricket area. The whole area has line after line of trees and is in a remote location.  Once through the gate in the top corner of the ground, the main building is behind the top goal as well as shallow terracing with cover.  The changing rooms, club house and tea bar are also along this goal line as well as a few benches and a patio parasol.  The tea bar had a selection of hot pies, pasties as well as burgers.  The first ground this season that have had pies on offer. We southerners are certainly made to suffer on the pie front!  Along the right touchline is a standard covered seating area along the flat pack assembly design, which certainly shows the pitch slope from goal to goal.  Opposite the seated stand are the team dugouts.  In the distance to the bottom right corner flag I spotted Eynsham Hall, a rather elegant stately home.

Bashley are struggling towards the bottom of the league and I believe they reduced the team budget to expenses only this season. North Leigh are mid-table and odds on to win, but I didn’t expect what was to follow.  The only action in Bashleys favour is the one shot on target in each half, both easily saved by the home keeper.  North Leigh went ahead on 2 minutes when a low cross allowed Jamie Cook to chip the ball over the keeper from just inside the area.  On 11  minutes another low cross from Woodley found John Else who slid in to beat the centre back to the ball and divert the ball past Callum Maher. A hopeful through ball drew a defensive mistake for no10 Woodley to pounce and tap in from close range on 25 minutes after going round the keeper.  On the half hour a corner was headed in by Andy Gunn who claimed the goal, but I thought the Bash no5 headed into his own goal. A cross from the right back was hit 1^st time by no9 Cook which beat the keeper, hit the cross bar and was judged to bounce over the goal line, with no11 tapping in to make sure. A mazy run by Woodley beating 3 defenders before a pass to no9 Cook to get his hat trick from 6 yards on 42 minutes.

Being 6-0 down at the break, I’m sure Bashley would have heard a team talk along the lines of treat the 2^nd half as a 0-0 start, but within 5 minute of the restart, North Leigh had blown that notion away with 2 further goals.  A short corner was taken and crossed and the keeper dropped the catch for Else to pounce on the opportunity of getting on the score sheet. A minute later it was 8-0 when a great through ball allowed Ricketts to run on and slot the ball beyond the onrushing keeper. On the hour Woodley ran through from halfway line and his effort could only be parried for the substitute no15 Bowles to score after just coming on.  A period of 25 minute without a goal as both sides made all their changes and opportunities for a while were not finished off.  Normal service was resumed for the last 5+2 minutes stoppage time when a free kick was given for a handball. The left back Hopkins curled it nicely into the net from the left edge of the box. With almost the last kick of the game no14 scored under pressure from 10 yards.

With a batch of high scoring matches across the pyramid, I was glad to have chosen a Bashley bashing.

Match 16. Kent Football United v Seven Acre Sidcup

Saturday 15^th November 2014 @2pm

Kent Invicta League

KENT FOOTBALL UNITED 3-1 SEVEN ACRE SIDCUP

Glentworth Sports Club, Lowfield Street, Dartford

Admission: £5

Programme: none produced

Attendance: 23 my h/c, 25 bees h/c

Refreshments: Guinness £3.35

I wanted to get back to watch the England game so I thought I’d take an early look at the Glentworth ex-Services Sports Club. The ground is not far from Princes Road and I could hear cheering at Dartfords ground in the second half.  There is plenty of car parking and the entrance is through a gate with the gateman sitting on a bench. No programmes today and I don’t know if they issue at all.  The club use the second bar which is the one available for hire and has an entrance to the ground from the conservatory.  The bar is spacious but has no TV on.  There is a budget priced lunchtime menu on offer before 2pm but nothing but crisps and chocolate during the game.  Tea and coffee is also available behind the bar.

The pitch isn’t very level and there are only 2 sides of railing with a third side in progress.  The hard standing is also in progress, with pebbles, stones and glass making it rather unsteady underfoot.  The only structure inside the ground that is finished are the 2 dugouts.  A long way to go to get an acceptable grading by March 31^st unless there is some further leeway by the League committee.  I could return in April to see how far they get.

KFU have struggled this season, without much support as the spectators mainly consisted of ground hoppers and away support. KFU went into the lead on 19 minutes when no6 received the ball on the edge of the area following a half cleared corner and he hit it first time into the top corner.  Seven Acre levelled 10 minutes later when a penalty was awarded for the no8 and the home side complained because he didn’t drop to the floor.  The large No5 striker converted the spot kick, sending the keeper the wrong way. The rain shower started just before half time and the last action of the half a rare first half home attack resulted in no11 side footing into the far corner from 15 yards.

The second half had a further 2 rain showers and the final goal arrived on 70 minutes when a slip from the visiting left back allowed the right winger to get past before the defender recovered and passed it square to no10 who hit a low left footed shot from 20 yards beyond the keeper.  The second half especially had more than a few niggles and dissent from both clubs, resulting in at least half a dozen bookings.

Match 15. Wantage Town v Merthyr Town

Saturday 8^th November 2014 @3pm

Southern League Division One South & West

WANTAGE TOWN 0-3 MERTHYR TOWN

Alfredian Park, Manor Road (A338), Wantage.

Admission: £8

Programme: £1

Attendance: 124

Refreshments: Strongbow £3.50, Small Hot Dog, £1.50.

The day began with a drive up into London to view the ceramic poppy display around the Tower of London to mark the 100 year anniversary of the outbreak of WW1. The girls then stayed to watch the Lord Mayor show and I drove to Wantage via the diversions through London taking an hour to reach Junction 1 of the M4 but despite this delay and the torrential downpour between Reading and Newbury I arrived at the ground just after 2pm and directed to the car park behind the goal after driving down a narrow track to the ground entrance.  The away team and supporters coaches wisely stayed out on the main road.

After paying the entrance and parked up near the corner flag as the teams were walking to the adjacent field to warm up, probably to preserve the pitch although it held up very well during the match and looks like it drains well. The club building is also behind the goal and is a single storey affair with a flat roof.  The food hatch is incorporated to the left of the building entrance, the toilets are straight ahead and the clubhouse is to the right. Merthyr had brought a coach load of support to boost the crowd to over 100 as Wantage is in quite a remote location.  The substantial cover is along the right hand touchline with 3 step terracing in 2 areas, tip up green seating towards the upper end and 2 rows of bench seating all incorporate under the one roof.  The dugouts are opposite the covered stand.

The home side are in the bottom 3 and without a league win in 2 months whereas Merthyr are on the tailcoat of leaders Stratford Town. Inevitably the visitors applied most of the early pressure and as the second band of rain arrived on the half hour Merthyr took the lead soon after when Ian Traylor stabbed home inside the 6 yard box from a McLaggon cross. Wantage held on to half time but it was more of the same in the second half. Wantage went 2-0 down early in the half when a shot was only parried by the home keeper and Traylor was on hand to get his 2^nd.  Wantage players head were down but not surprising as they lost several players and their Chairman and Manager recently.  Things got worse as the home sides Sam Barder was sent off for his second bad challenge and Traylor got his hat trick 5 minutes before the end when a cross the area pass found him unmarked at the far post.

The away fans think they are in with a good chance of promotion to Step 3 and they looked good albeit against a struggling team. The home committee and volunteers do however make this visitor welcome but the away fans are nice company and like a good chat.