East Sussex League Premier Division
Washwell Lane, Wadhurst
Admission and Programme: None
Attendance: 28 (head count)
Match Rating: 4
After only returning home from holiday in the early hours, what I felt like most was a football match in a peaceful and rural location, and a visit to Wadhurst in the East Sussex countryside fitted the bill perfectly. The last time I had watched Wadhurst was when they played in the Sussex County League for three seasons between 2003 and 2006. After two successful opening seasons in Division 3, the club then struggled to avoid relegation in terms of league placing, but resigned from the league anyway, and suffered a three division drop into the East Sussex League Division 2. After two seasons of consolidation, they have earned back to promotions as champions to reach the Premier League once more.
During their brief stay in the Sussex League, Wadhurst played at Sparrows Green Recreation Ground, however since their resignation they now play back at their spiritual home of Washwell Lane right in the centre of the village, about a half hour walk from Wadhurst train station, which includes a steep hill for about half the distance. Washwell Lane is a very pleasant, typically central village location for a football ground, completely peaceful and with sweeping views of the Sussex Downs in the distance behind one goal, a church and oast house behind the other, trees closely lining one length of the pitch with an old-fashioned (but recently given a paint facelift) building housing the changing rooms and covered standing on the other side. The pitch also has quite a major slope from one goal to the other.
Wadhurst have started the season well, winning three and drawing the other of their opening four games in all competitions so far. Hospital Social, a new club this season in the East Sussex League based in Eastbourne, opened their season with a 5-2 win, drawing their next game, but then losing their latest two games, including a 0-6 home defeat against Rock-A-Nore.
On an afternoon alternating frequently between bright sunshine and dark clouds, the game started evenly, with Wadhurst taking the lead, although within a couple of minutes Hospital Social equalised. Wadhurst went back in front and shortly before half time, extended their lead to 3-1 with a penalty. The game was seemingly as good as won within a minute of the restart when Wadhurst went 4-1 ahead, and indeed, Hospital Sports completely capitulated in the second half. Having already been reduced to ten men in the first half when an injured player could not be replaced due to no substitutes being named, Hospital Sports were reduced to eight men with an hour on the clock when another player had to go off injured as well as having a player sent off for a deserved second yellow card. With half an hour left to play and the visitors having completely thrown in the towel, Wadhurst could easily have notched up double figures had they had the appetite, however the game being too easy seemed to completely dampen Wadhurst's appetite and they only notched a further two goals despite wave after wave of attack against a completely dispirited defence.
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