Exeter City 1 v 1 Charlton Athletic

Saturday 23th April 2010
Coca Cola Football League 1
St James Park, Exeter
Admission: £16.00
Programme: £3.00
Attendance: 6,835
Match Rating: 3


















When the Charlton fixtures came out and I was cherry-picking which of their games to attend over the season, a trip to the county town of Devon had my name written all over it, not only because it was Charlton's first visit to St James Park in almost 30 years, but also because the fixture computer was kind enough to send Charlton there in late April, making the trip a far more attractive proposition than one in mid winter would have been.

I arranged to arrive in Exeter early to enjoy a few hours walking around the city, and it certainly did not disappoint, with historic streets to meander through, enjoying lunch beneath the attractive cathedral, and a pleasant stroll along the River Exe.

On arriving at St James Park, which is about a quarter of an hour walk from the city centre, the old-fashioned nature of the ground made for a pleasant change from most modern Football league stadia.  Away fans are housed behind one of the goals and, perhaps not unreasonably, is the worst part of the stadium, consisting of just a shallow terrace of around 8 steps without any cover. To the left of this uncovered St James Terrace, there is an old-fashioned all-seater grandstand, whilst the other two sides of the ground have been redeveloped in recent years. Opposite the away terrace is the "Big Bank Terrace", which does what it says on the tin, although the design is slightly unusual as one of the corners is "cut off" to accommodate the passing railway line, whilst the remaining length of the pitch has a single tiered all-seater stand running the length of the pitch. It's a stadium which pleasantly combines a hark back to how stadia used to be with modern facilities, and I must say it made a very pleasant change to be able to stand to watch Charlton. It must be said that the stadium also served as a reminder of how far Charlton have fallen - just three seasons ago, Charlton were visiting the likes of Old Trafford and Anfield, whilst just two seasons ago, Exeter were playing the likes of Forest Green and Droylsden in the Conference. All credit to Exeter for the rapid transformation in their fortunes.

Special mention must be made of the matchday programme which was a truly superb effort, one of the best I have encountered in terms of interesting and varied articles as well as number of pages. Not many times I say this about Football League programmes, but it was well worth the £3. It consists of 96 pages and with comprehensive information about all aspects of the home club and plenty of information on the visiting team too, it later helped fill much of the time of the long train journey back to central London.

Much was riding on this game for both teams. Although Charlton were almost certainly assured of their place in the end of season play-off lottery, a win would keep them very much in the hunt for automatic promotion, particularly as they would face the current holders of one of those places, Leeds United, at home next weekend, whom they were only three points behind. Exeter badly needed points too, with only one point separating them from the relegation zone, although it must be said that to survive in League One would be a magnificent achievement following back-to-back promotions from the Conference and considering how strong League One has become. This would be a difficult place for Charlton to gain the much-needed victory, as none of the top clubs in League One have taken three points away from Exeter.

The first half of this game was a pretty tepid affair, although both sides conjured up a couple of good chances, most notably when Deon Burton hit the crossbar for Charlton. A goalless scoreline at half time was a fair reflection of the game though. Exeter were a transformed side in the second half, obviously drawing inspriation from playing towards their "Big Bank" of fans, and it was probably deserved when they took the lead on 60 minutes when some sloppy Charlton play in their own box led to an Exeter corner, and Geroge Friend headed in a flicked-on cross past the despairing dive of Darren Randolph. Surprisingly, this didn't seem to spark much of a reaction from Charlton, however ten minutes they almost scored an equaliser when a free kick from the Spaniard, Miguel Angel Llera was curled low around the wall but hit the post and bounced clear. A couple of minutes later though and Charlton were level, when an excellent pull back from Nicky Forster found Kyel Reid in all manner of space inside the penalty area, and his shot wasn't the hardest and was cleared away by Scott Golbourne, but not before it had crossed the line as the linesman indicated and Charlton were back on level terms. This sparked by far the best and most exciting period of the game, which became end to end with both sides having wonderful chances to win the game, and particularly in injury time at the end of the game, Charlton could very easily have claimed all three points as they forced a succession of corners and peppered the Exeter goalkeeper with shots, however the game ended in a 1-1 draw, which overall was a fair result. Charlton had some wonderful opportunities to score in the final quarter, but Exeter deserved something from the game with a confident and display. It's a point which does little to help either side though, with Charlton now surely having to brace themselves for the play-offs, and Exeter's point taking them two points clear of the relegation zone, but with an always tough trip to Hartlepool and a home game against in-form Huddersfield rounding off their campaign.

A day out to Exeter certainly comes highly recommended - where one can combine spending time in a very pleasant city before the game, before enjoying League football at a traditional, friendly venue.

Ticehurst 4 v 2 Hastings Rangers

Monday 19th April 2010
East Sussex League Division 2
Bell Field, Ticehurst
Admission and Programme: N/A
Attendance: 15
Match Rating: 4

Tonight I took advantage again of the early evening kick-offs for local league football  and headed to Ticehurst. In truth, there wasn't much to tempt me to this game - from the third tier of the East Sussex league, and both teams stuck firmly in mid-table, however on a very pleasant, sunny evening, a scenic village setting such as this makes a football game there attractive no matter what the predicted fare would be on the field.

The Bell Field, which is situated close to the centre of the small village of Ticehurst, is quite a typical ground in the East Sussex League. There are no facilities here, apart from a fairly modern wooden building containing the changing rooms. The ground is lined with trees along three sides of the ground, and behind the trees along one length of the pitch is attractive farmland. Behind the other length, where the spectators congregates, is the village. On a warm, sunny evening, it made for a very pleasant and peaceful venue to watch football.

Ticehurst roared into a three goal lead in the first half, indeed it could have been more as they hardly gave Hastings Rangers a sniff. However, they pulled a goal back a few minutes before half time with a wonderful goal that would have graced any game, a curling shot from outside of the box right into the top corner, giving the goalkeeper no chance. That gave Hastings hope of getting something back from the game, and they almost were right back in the game right from the kick off, with an audacious shot straight from the kick-off, when the ball was touched from the kick off, and the Hastings shot hit a shot which the Ticehurst keeper only just scrambled away from the top corner.

Hastings were much improved in the second half, and finally managed to pull back another goal. However, any chances of a share of the spoils was removed about five minutes from time with a good breakaway goal by Casey Ham, which completed his hat-trick.

Orpington 0 v 2 Hollands and Blair

Orpington v Hollands and Blair
Saturday 17th April 2010
Kent County League Premier Division
Score 0-2
Green Court Sports Club, Crockenhill
Admission: N/A
Programme: £2.00
Attendance: 25
Match Rating: 3

This was a quite different day to what I had planned, as I had booked flights to Belfast for today for my first trip to the Solitude to watch Cliftonville (against Portadown), but these plans had to be cancelled at the last minute, as were all flights into and out of the United Kingdom since Thursday due to the volcanic ash drifting down from Iceland. And so a rummage around the local football fixtures took me on a much more relaxed afternoon outing to north-west Kent.

Green Court Sports Club is about a 15 minute walk from Swanley train station, via a footpath along the railway line. My thoughts about this ground could be summed up with the words....if only. As you enter the ground, there is a spacious, modern clubhouse, and between this and the pitch, there is a neat, convenient patio area with semi-permanent tables and chairs, which makes for a very pleasant place to enjoy a pre-match pint before the game on a warm and sunny day such as it was today.The ground is fully enclosed, has hard standing most of the way around the railed off pitch, and has a traditional small stand which house plastic bench seating. It's a ground that looks and feels more than fit for Kent League football - if only the ground had floodlights. Without them, there is no prospect of it hosting Kent League football, and as Alma Swanley and Danson Furness found when Green Court was their home ground in the Kent League, planning permission for floodlights here is stubbornly elusive, causing both of these clubs to resign from the Kent League in the 1990's.

The ground has trees lining two sides of the pitch, and views towards miles of countryside and also towards the landmarks of central London visible beyond the other two sides. If only the busy A20 dual carriageway did not run right alongside the ground, this would be a very pleasant, tranquil and rural ground, but instead, the constant roar of traffic is disappointing. Programmes are regularly produced at Orpington, and full credit to those clubs that do in this league where they do not have to. It's a decent 24 page effort printed in colour throughout with all of the essential information to inform the spectator about the club, opposition and league.

Today's game pitched the home club still not safe from relegation against the reigning champions of the Kent County League Premier Division and, having not lost since late November in the league, are very much hunt to retain their title this season. being only two and three points behind the two teams above them but with two games in hand on both.

In truth, this was not one of the most entertaining games I have witness by any stretch of the imagination, with Orpington overly reliant on long balls pumped forward at every opportunity, and with Hollands and Blair quite sluggish, and it was no surprise that the scoreline was goalless at half time. Both sides had better chances in the second half, but in the end Hollands and Blair won the game with a cool finish clipped over the keeper by Bryan Greenfield on followed by a sublime shot that gave the keeper no chance from fully 25 yards out following a free-kick that the keeper had no chance with. This was a deserved win for the visitors, although Orpington acquitted themselves well and for the most part there was little sign of the large gap between the teams in the table. And so Hollands and Blair remained firmly on course for the title, although promotion to the Kent League would apparently seem out of reach due to their limited facilities at their home ground, whilst Orpington will probably need a couple of points from their remaining two games to be sure of survival in the Premier League.

Robertsbridge United 2 v 1 Mountfield United

Wednesday 14th April 2010

East Sussex League Division 1

The Clappers, Robertsbridge

Admission and Programme: N/A

Attendance: 40

Match Rating: 3

Another evening taking advantage of an early evening, 6.30 kick-off took me to 1066 country for this very local derby in the East Sussex League, with the visitors, Mountfield United, based just a couple of miles from the village of Robertsbridge, located between Tunbridge Wells and Hastings.

The Clappers Recreation Ground is located about a 15 minute walk from the train station, via a walk through the very pleasant high street of Robertsbridge, which contains several very alluring, old-fashioned pubs. The football pitch is part of a small complex which includes a cricket pitch and a children's play area, both of which you walk past from the road to get to the football pitch. As is normal for the East Sussex League, there are no facilities at this playing field, and only changing rooms distant from the pitch. The setting is very pleasant, with trees closely bordering one length of the pitch, whilst behind the other length is a scenic countryside view of a cricket pavilion in the foreground and rolling hills in the background. One point of note was the excellent state of the pitch, which was almost completely flat with grass cut to a perfect length for football – such features are not always to be found of playing surfaces at this level! No programmes are produced, as is standard in this league – only Polegate I have heard produce programmes from the East Sussex League.

This evening’s game looked appealing, not just because it was a very local derby, but it also pitched together two teams in good form and with a top two finish firmly within their sights. Mountfield were sitting in second place but could not catch champions elect, Wadhurst United, whilst Robertsbridge were sitting in fifth place in the 11 team league, but with several games in hand against all the other teams in the division. Indeed, they are the only club with a mathematical chance of overhauling Wadhurst, but for that would need to win all of their remaining games and hope that Wadhurst gain no more than a point from their remaining three games. A second place would be much more within their sights and possibly promotion to the Premier League.

On a bright, sunny evening which became ever colder as the game wore on, this was very much a game of two halves. Robertsbridge dominated the first half, took the lead with just five minutes on the clock, which they double with a very well-taken penalty on the half hour. They took this two goal lead into half-time, which they thoroughly merited by being quicker into challenges and displaying plenty of incisive attacking play, whereas Mountfield looked strangely lethargic. However, Mountfield were certainly the better side in the second half, and halved the deficit with 50 minutes on the clock with a good finish chipped over the onrushing keeper from the corner of the penalty box. Although not as bright as in the first half, Robertsbridge still had good chances but the game ended with a 2-1 home victory, which was probably a fair reflection of the game.

This was a most enjoyable game of football, attended by a very decent number of supporters for this level, and it was played in a refreshingly competitive but fair spirit. In short, it was everything that is good about amateur village football.

Rusthall 0 v 1 Tonbridge Invicta

Tuesday 13th April 2010
Kent County League Premier Division
Jockey Farm, Rusthall
Admission and Programme: N/A
Attendance: 40 (estimate)
Match Rating: 3

One small positive aspect in footballing groundhopping terms of the worst winter the south-east of England has experienced for decades is that there is now a plethora of midweek fixtures to choose from at clubs who do not usually play midweek fixtures through lack of floodlights during the final few weeks of the season. For today's 6.30pm kick off, I headed to the outskirts of Tunbridge Wells, to a ground I have visited a few times already, but grounds such as Jockey Farm are always worth a return visit, particularly in the warmer, sunnier months of the season.

Jockey Farm is a brisk 40-minute walk from Tunbridge Wells train station via a pleasant walk through Tunbridge Wells Common for about half of the distance. There are also frequent buses available. It's a very pleasant, rural ground in a very peaceful setting which, as the name suggests, is located adjacent to a farm - indeed, you walk through a farmyard to enter the ground. As Kent County League grounds go, Rusthall is one of the best, with hard standing all around the railed off pitch, and a small covered standing area is provided between the welcoming clubhouse and the pitch. Rusthall have voiced ambition to install floodlights and to rise up to the Kent League in the past, however they have never really had a team that have threatened finish high enough in the league for promotion and quite considerable ground improvements would also have to be made. The pitch is very undulating, with a noticeable slope towards the end where the clubhouse is located. No admission and, more surprisingly, no programme was issued, surprising because they have been reliable issuers in the past and the local derby this evening was always going to attract one of the best attendances of the season.

Rusthall do not have too much left to play for this season, sitting in a respectable sixth place and with clear daylight above and below them in the table. There was still plenty left to play for for this evening's visitors however, as Tonbridge Invicta, in their first season in the Premier Division, were third from bottom, with only three points separating them from the relegation zone having played more games than those in currently in the relegation zone, and Invicta had only gleaned one point from their last six games.

The game was played in bright sunshine under clear skies, although with a strong wind making it feel deceptively cold. The game itself wasn't a particularly inspiring affair it has to be said, although throughout Tonbridge Invicta always looked the better and more threatening side, with Rusthall only very rarely threatening the Invicta goal. What turned out to be the winning goal came midway through the first half, when a free-kick was taken about 25 yards out which rocketed onto the crossbar, bounced down and hit the Rusthall keeper on the back to roll into the net, which I suppose would have to go down as an own goal. This was a thoroughly deserved win for Tonbridge Invicta, who were for the most part by far the better side, and now move six points clear of the relegation zone with two games to play. However, their destiny is not in their own hands however due to having played three games more than Milton and Fulston, who currently occupy one of the two relegation places.

Hassocks 2 v 0 Crowborough Athletic

Saturday 10th April 2010
Sussex County League Division 1
The Beacon, Hassocks
Admission: £5.00
Programme: £1.00
Attendance: 126
Match Rating: 2

With a warm and sunny day forecast, the first one on a non-working day of the year in the south-east, I decided against going to support my team, Charlton Athletic, at Southampton (a wise move as it turned out as they lost 0-1) and instead looked for a scenic ground to make the most of the first taste of summer, and Hassocks fitted the bill perfectly.It's a ground I've wanted to visit for some years now, located as it is with the South Downs in the background, but it has never worked out before now, partly because I have wanted to save my visit for a sunny day.

The Beacon is located about a 15 minute walk from the town's railway station, just off of the A273 between Haywards Heath and Brighton, and from the time I entered the ground through the turnstile, where I was met with a cheery welcome, my overall impression was one of a friendly, well-organised club. As you enter the ground, there is a smart, tastefuly constructed clubhouse, with toilet and refreshment facilities well above what would be expected at this level. Hard standing is available along the length of this side of the pitch. On the other side, there is an all-seater stand, again with hard standing for the rest of the length of the pitch. In the background to this stand there are the rolling South Downs, with a couple of windmills also visible, which helps make The Beacon a picturesque ground with a very pleasant rural feel to it. Behind one of the goals, there is a grass bank which offers an excellent view of the action. Behind the other goal, there is just hard standing. There are also around a dozen wooden benches sprinkled around the ground. The programme was a reasonable effort, giving all the information about the home team, away team and the league that spectators need to know.

Surprisingly, given the awful winter we have endured in the south-east which has caused an horrendous fixture backlog for most clubs at this level, this was Hassocks' last home game of the season, with their one remaining away game in a fortnight's time. Given that a couple of other clubs in this league still have eight games to play, Hassocks must have had a combination of good fortune and an excellently prepared and cared for pitch to be so far advanced with their schedule. As for the teams, Hassocks have little left to play for this season other than pride, sitting firmly in mid table. There was more riding on this game for Crowborough, who were only six points clear of the relegation zone. However, to be in this position now would have been quite unthinkable a few months ago. When I last watched Crowborough in November, they were in a truly desperate and seemingly hopeless position, having gained just eight points from their opening 14 games, lost the game I watched 1-4 at home against perennial strugglers East Grinstead, and didn't gain any points from their next five games, shipping 28 goals in the process and they looked destined for a second successive relegation. However, on replacing their manager with their long-serving player, Dave Adams, Crowborough had an immediate absolutely astonishing upturn in fortunes, as they secured eight wins and a draw from nine games to not only catch up the other teams but indeed put clear daylight between themselves and the relegation zone. Losing their last two games before today has ensured that they still have some work to do to ensure Division One survival on the pitch (although their excellent Ryman League standard Alderbrook ground will probably ensure that they will remain in the division no matter where they finish in the league due to several other clubs failing inspection visits and so in danger of relegation or missing out on promotion no matter where they finish in the league)

Unfortunately the game itself had a rather end of season feel to it, played in a reasonably competitive spirit, but with neither side managing to carve out clear chances, apart from when Hassocks hit the bar with a speculative lob. It was little surprise that the scoreline was goalless at half time. Whereas Crowborough possibly had the better of the first half, Hassocks came out looking the stronger team, and it wasn't a surprise that they went on to win the game, thanks, it has to be said, to two contentious goals. The first goal was via a penalty, given for a handball but it did appear that the forceful shove the Crowborough defender received when going up for a header played a large part in it. The second was scored in somewhat confusing circumstances, when a ball was lobbed towards goal and was hacked away by a defender. The Hassocks players celebrated a goal, but the linesman didn’t indicate a goal and the Crowborough players played on. After quite some time, the referee finally indicated a goal. For the rest of the game, Crowborough barely threatened as the game was played out mostly in the middle of the pitch.

So, Hassocks signed off their league campaign at home with a comfortable win, whilst Crowborough will look nervously over their shoulder and will probably need a couple of wins from their remaining four games to stay clear of the relegation zone. I would certainly recommend a visit to the Beacon on a sunny day, where you will be assured of a friendly atmosphere and enjoy a very scenic, rural backdrop to the football, although it is true to say that most Sussex League grounds in the Brighton area benefit from having the South Downs as a backdrop.

Ashford Town (Middlesex) 0 v 2 Horsham

Monday 5th April 2010
Ryman League Premier Division
Short Lane, Stanwell
Admission: £9.00
Programme: £1.50
Attendance: 113
Match Rating: 3

For the second game of my Easter Monday fare, I made the 25 minute journey from Chertsey to Ashford (Middlesex) for this Ryman League Premier Division match. Short Lane, located very close to the south side of Heathrow Airport, is about a half hour brisk walk from Ashford train station, for those less able or less keen on the long walk and negotiating the busy A30 dual carriageway en route, there are regular buses which stop close to the ground.

To give an honest assessment, everything about the set-up at Short Lane smacks of an average County League standard ground. As you enter the ground, there is quite a bizarre stand providing three rows of seating with barely any inclination between the rows. Along the same side is a similar sized stand providing cover for a standing area. On the opposite side, there is one seemingly newish small stand with seating, and apart from that, the rest of the ground just offers hard standing. It’s an arena that doesn’t really seem to fit in with Ryman Premier League football, but perhaps this is a reflection that the club is punching well above its weight by being as high as it is in the pyramid. The facilities are certainly well-maintained and probably perfectly adequate for a club that attracts a relatively low level of support. However, plans are apparently being worked upon to transform the ground over the next ten years.

An interesting feature of the ground is the very low level at which the floodlights are set, due to the very close proximity of Heathrow Airport, and a fairly unique feature of the ground is having large cylindrical fuel tanks behind one of the goals. If your two main passions in life are groundhopping and planespotting, you would be in paradise at Short Lane, watching planes rise into the air close up every couple of minutes from Heathrow airport.

The programme was a disappointment, it has to be said. An introductory message explained that this was a reduced effort due to printing deadlines and keeping out much information that would be out of date on the day of the match. Maybe I'm being harsh in saying that this doesn't really wash, not when just earlier the same day I found a Combined Counties club managing to produce a very interesting and informative programme under identical circumstances.

A glance at the league tables before the match (which was not possible from the programme) would have hinted at a standard mid-table encounter. However, Ashford are currently in truly alarming form, having lost seven of their last eight league games before this one. In most leagues there seems to be a team that drops like a stone as the season enters its final couple of months, and Ashford Town (Middlesex) certainly seem to fit the bill in the Ryman League Premier Division this season. Not so long ago they were challenging for a play-off berth. Only five points now separated them and the relegation places, so they will have to arrest the slide urgently if they are not to be sucked through the trap door. Things look altogether more comfortable for Horsham under the wily and vastly experienced management of John Maggs, comfortably in mid-table but with a play-off berth not completely out of the question.

On a dry, occasionally sunny but always very windy afternoon, the tone for this game was set in the very first minute, when the Ashford goalkeeper had to pull off an excellent save to deny Horsham's top scorer, Pat Harding. Horsham fashioned some excellent chances to take the lead, with Ashford barely looking a threat. On the half hour, Horsham finally took a deserved lead with a well taken shot by Hassan Nyang, who drove powerfully home from the edge of the penalty area. Horsham continued to dominate and have most of the chances, and it was only a surprise that it took until first half stoppage time for them to double their lead, with another excellently taken goal, driven low into the corner from 18 yards out.

In the second half, Ashford came much more into the game and spent more time venturing into the Horsham half, without ever really looking like they would score. As the second half wore on, Horsham regained more and more control, and the final twenty minutes, the game turned into something of a stalemate - Horsham happy with their two goal lead, Ashford not really seeming to have enough of a cutting edge to claw a goal back, apart from the odd decent half chance. In added on time at the end of the game, Ashford were reduced to ten men when Brett Cooper pulled back Steve Davies just outside the penalty area to deny a one-on-one with the goalkeeper. A silly sending off for the Ashford defender with the game lost, for which he will now serve a suspension, but I suppose such things are instinctive reactions to situations.

Chertsey Town 1 v 3 Egham Town

Monday 5th April 2010
Combined Counties League Premier Division
Alwyns Lane, Chertsey
Admission: £6.00
Programme: £1.50
Attendance: 200 (estimate)
Match Rating: 4

When comtemplating a Bank Holiday double-header, the Combined Counites League (as well as the Sussex League) is always a safe bet to provide morning kick-offs. and indeed, for this Easter Monday I headed off to the outermost fringes of south-west London for my first game of the day, with an 11.30 kick off. Alwyns Lane, the home ground of Chertsey Town, is located about a 15 minute walk away from the town's train station, via a walk through the moderately attractive town centre.

Alwyns Lane is certainly one of the better grounds in the Combined Counties League, some of which are quite woeful, particularly those clubs who have never been in a higher league. But this is testament to the 25 years that Chertsey played in the Isthmian League, but the ground is certainly showing signs of its age since those relative glory days. There is a main grandstand offering excellent views of the action, a long covered terrace along most of the opposite length of the pitch, and with covered terracing behind one of the goals, uncovered terracing behind the other. Trees lining the length of the pitch with the covered terracing ensures a pleasant, charmingly non-league feel to the ground, whilst retaining excellent facilities that would not look out of place at Ryman League level. The programme produced was of a good standard considering this was a Bank Holiday fixture (and again considering some of the abysmal, not even half-hearted efforts that I've encountered in the Combined Counties league. With informative welcome messages, recent match report and plenty of stats, there was more than enough to fully inform the neutral visitor about both teams and the league in general.

As well as being a Bank Holiday local derby, this was even more a must-win game for Chertsey were they to harbour realistic hopes of winning the league and getting promoted. They lay in second place in the table, four points behind North Greenford United and having played a game more, whilst Camberley Town were three points behind but having two games in hand on Chertsey. This would be a tough game for Chertsey though. Egham are a long way off the pace in terms of being in contention for the title, in seventh place, but were in excellent recent form. Having said all of that, of course league positioning and form tends to go out of the window in a local derby, particularly one like today which was well supported and with a strong and vocal contigent following the away team.

The match started off quite evenly, but it didn't take too long for the game to explode into life, sadly in a negative way. With just ten minutes on the clock, a goalmouth scramble almost of the goal line ended with a Chertsey forward stretching for the ball, but instead kicked the Egham keeper, which sparked a mass brawl involving just about everyone on the pitch, including the Chertsey goalkeeper who ran the length of the pitch to get involved. It should be stated here that the referee, Jim Patterson, did an excellent jon in the circumstances to diffuse the situation, taking his time before handing out five yellow cards and not seeing fit to send anybody off. This strategy worked well, as tempers barely flared up again and the remaining 80 minutes of the game was played with the full compliment of players.

Chertsey took the lead seven minutes later, when Dean Papali glanced a good cross past the keeper and into the net. It only took seven minutes for Egham to get back on level terms though, when Matt Graves took advantage of some uncertainty between the Chertsey keeper and defender to poke the ball home. For the rest of the half, Chertsey were very much in the ascendancy, but spurned some good chances that they managed to carve out.

Right at the start of the second half, Chertsey had a glorious chance to equalise, after which point Egham came much more into the game and it was difficult to see which way the game might go. Just as it was beginning to look like the spoils would be shared, Egham took the lead with a quite wonderful goal by Jamie Houghton, who powered an unstoppable shot into the top corner from outside the box. Egham then won the game with ten minutes remaining when Charlie McCarthy converted a low cross into the box.

As a result of this game, it looks like being another season of Combined Counties League football for Chertsey next season, particularly as both North Greenford and Camberley both won today. As for Egham, things are looking bright, and if they keep together the squad and make a couple of quality additions, they look well placed to make a stronger challenge at the top of the league next season.