Three Bridges 1 v 0 Rye United

Saturday 28th April 2012
Sussex County League Division One
Jubilee Field, Three Bridges
Admission including Programme: £6.00
Attendance: 688
Match rating: 2

Not normally one to like revisits with so many new grounds to explore, all the more so considering I have visited the home of Three Bridges several times in the past, it was purely the game which was of huge significance, a final day title decider, which led me to the outskirts of Gatwick Airport for today's action.

The Jubilee Field is conveniently about a five minute walk from Three Bridges rail station, and whilst the ground is nothing to write home about in terms of character or setting - bland would be a better way to describe both here, facilities are very good for the level of football. As one enters the ground behind one of the goals, on the touchline to the right is a small all-seater stand, with a few steps of terracing stretching out to both corner flags, whilst on the opposite side is a long brick building housing the clubhouse, changing rooms and tea bar. The tea bar would certainly win any award for the slowest service possible at any football ground, with just one person on duty and cooking all food to order, customer by customer, at a very gentle pace. This building also provides some shelter with an overhanging roof. A fairly recent addition to the ground is a further small all-seater stand next to the clubhouse building, and behind both goals is hard standing. The programme consisted of 16 black and white pages of information about today's game woven into a glossy advertising publication. Considering that it was free with admission, it would be harsh to criticise the programme too much.

There are not too many occasions when the league title is decided between the only two teams in contention on the final day of the season, but that is how it has panned out this season in the Sussex County League Division One, in what has certainly been the closest title race in many a year. Up until last Tuesday, a third team, Lancing, still had hopes of clinching the title, however Three Bridges' draw at home to Peacehaven meant that Lancing would now be out of the running. It also meant that today's visitors, Rye United, were handed the opportunity of playing for the title today, as if Three Bridges had won on Tuesday, the title would already be theirs. With Three Bridges leading the table by two points, Rye United had to win today - any other result and Three Bridges would claim the title and achieve promotion to the Ryman League. Today would be the fifth time the two teams have met this season. In the league encounter, Rye won 3-0 back in September, and Rye were also triumphant when the teams teams met on neutral territory in the Sussex RUR Cup Semi-Final - and Rye went onto lift that Cup. In the FA Vase, Three Bridges won 2-1 at Rye, after Rye had two players sent off, and in the John O'Hara (League) Cup Semi Final, Three Bridges won on neutral territory 1-0, and went on to win that competition. So, all the ingredients were in place for a fascinating final day shoot out between the best two teams in the league with plenty of history this season.

On a damp, chilly overcast afternoon, the first half was, perhaps unsurprisingly, a rather dour affair, with both sides looking nervous and there were very few chances at either end. Three Bridges always looked the better side, as Rye struggled to muster any efforts on goal, although it was the visitors who came closest to open the scoring, when a low cross cannoned off a defender towards goal just a few yards out, but to his good fortune the ball went straight into the keeper's arms..

With the weather becoming decidedly wintry in the second half, with bitterly cold driving rain intensifying as the half wore on, Three Bridges continued in the ascendancy and on 53 minutes, they took the lead when a powerful shot by Frenchman Wiliiams Peauroux took a deflection and the ball ended up in the net. That appeared to be that in terms of the destiny of the Championship, although Rye certtainly are not goal shy this season, having racked up 99 goals from their 37 league games this season. However, Three Bridges completely dominated the remainder of the game and they always looked the more likely scorers. The game turned rather ugly as the second half wore on as some Rye players appeared to be in danger of losing their composure, making rather reckless tackles and engaging in fisticuffs, and they had Paul Watson sent off for a second yellow card. Credit to the referee for keeping a lid on proceedings though as the Rye players calmed down, and although they did apply some more pressure in the closing ten minutes, they never really convinced that they could equalise, and so it was Three Bridges who, on the day at least, thoroughly deserved the victory to claim the three points, to provoke wild celebrations from the Three Bridges players on the final whistle, and at the presentation of the trophy soon afterwards. Disappointment for Rye missing out on the title would be compounded by Lancing winning 6-0 away at AFC Uckfield, meaning that Rye had to make do with a third placed finish.

Staplehurst Monarchs United 0 v 1 APM Contrast

Tuesday 24th April 2012

Kent County League Premier Division

Jubilee Sports Ground, Staplehurst

Admission: None

Programme: None

Attendance; 40 (estimate)

Match rating 3

The silly season continued for me this evening with an early evening 6.30 kick-off in south-west Kent, for a game which, in all honesty, had precious little reason in itself to pay a visit for. With heavy rain forecast all day, I doubted whether the game would even go ahead, however happily the rain stayed away all day and so it was game on.

The Jubilee Sports Ground is about a twenty minute walk from Staplehurst rail station, and whilst it is unsurprisingly basic, it is a spacious complex which is well maintained and moderately pleasing on the eye. After entering the ground through the car park, a path leads one to pitchside behind one of the goals. To the left of the path is a white pavilion constructed three years ago housing the tea bar – not open this evening – and changing rooms. To the right of the path is a much older guides centre. The changing rooms are located behind one corner of the ground, and hard standing stretches out from this corner to just past the dug outs. This hard standing area is also roped off from the pitch. The rest of the ground is open with no hard standing. Behind the other touchline are three other full-size pitches. Staplehurst have issued programmes in recent seasons, but none were produced for this evening's game.

There was little riding on this evening’s game, with Staplehurst one place above the relegation zone, but their safety was confirmed on Saturday without playing as the team below them, Snodland, lost their last game of the season. Tonight would be Staplehurst’s final game of the season, but they were seven points adrift of the next team above them. APM Contrast have had a reasonable season, and found themselves in seventh place in the fourteen team league, with four games left to play, more than any other team, although fifth is the highest they can hope to finish. When the two teams met in Aylesford back in October, APM Contrast were victorious by five goals to one.

With the very pleasant surprise of blue skies and bright sunshine throughout much of the first half, the home side started the game with ten men and with one of their strikers in goal, as their regular goalkeeper only arrived at the ground ten minutes into the game. Happily for Staplehurst, the visitors never managed to test the stand-in keeper. The opening half hour was fairly even, competitive but with precious few attacks on goal. On the half hour, APM Contrast took the lead, when a free kick was played low into the box and a defender got the last touch as the ball was judged to have just crept over the line before being cleared. The game remained much as it had before, perhaps with the away team gaining slight ascendancy.

Black clouds and occasional drizzle arrived for the second half, which continued in much the same vein of being reasonably entertaining but with very few goalscoring opportunities, although Staplehurst had two wonderful chances to claim a point. First, on 67 minutes, an APM Contrast defender played a weak short back pass to his keeper but the forward nipped in to poke the ball at the keeper who managed to keep the ball out, and a powerful follow up shot was also saved. On 77 minutes, they had two shots cleared off the line in quick succession, but it was not to be for the home side, and it was APM Contrast who held on for the three points, to lift them up to sixth in the table.

Bristol City 2 v 0 Barnsley

Saturday 21st April 2012
Football League Championship
Ashton Gate, Bristol
Admission: £10.00
Programme: £3.00
Attendance: 18,562
Match Rating: 3

When I booked my £2 return Megabus trip to Bristol months ago, it was with the intention of paying a visit to Bath City's Twerton Park ground. However, their miserable season which has seen them long since relegated made a visit there less attractive. I then turned my attention to one of the several Bristol based grounds in the Western League. However, in the last week I learnt that Bristol City were offering tickets for their crucial Championship game for just £10, and as Ashton Gate has long since been a ground I have wanted to visit, renowned as a good old-fashioned ground with a passionate support, my decision was made.

Ashton Gate is about a 45 minute walk south-west from the city centre, and the stadium, which is living on borrowed time with the club actively planning to relocate to a new stadium once all the legal hurdles have been overcome, is a pleasing combination of old and new. I selected a seat in the largest and most modern stand, the Dolman Stand, which is single tiered although with upper and lower sections. It has excellent unobstructed views throughout, although the lower tier is exposed to the elements as it is not really protected by the roof. Behind one of the goals is another modern, single tiered stand, which also houses the changing rooms and is where the players enter the field from. Along the other touchline is an old fashioned stand, with supporting pillars, and towards the corner on this side is a small area of uncovered seating, in front of the clubshop. Behind the remaining goal is another old-fashioned stand, which appeared to not offer the best of views, with supporting pillars and a low roof, although the latter ensures a good atmosphere is easily generated by those inside. The 84 programme was very readable, although it was disappointing to read the manager's notes were written for the previous midweek game against West Ham rather than today's match.

Realising that today could be a crucial day in determining whether the club stays in the Championship next season, full credit to the club for slashing ticket prices to ensure a packed house for the game to inspire the players. Having spent most of the season hovering dangerously in or just above the relegation zone, now survival is very much in their own hands, having carved out a six match unbeaten run going into today's game, although only two wins came from this sequence. Four points clear of the relegation zone with just two games remaining, they would ensure survival if they could win today. Barnsley spent much of the season in mid table, even with hopes of pushing for a play-off place around Christmas. However they have been on a shocking run of form since the turn of the year, picking up just one point from their last five games, and one win and two draws from their last twelve games, which threatened to suck them into a relegation dogfight. However, their safety was confirmed in midweek thanks to results elsewhere. When the two teams met in South Yorkshire back in October, Bristol City won 2-1.

The match started off with an ominous sign, with referee Darren Deadman feeling it necessary to brandish a yellow card to Barnsley's David Perkins with less than two minutes on the clock for taking a free kick too quickly. The game then settled with Barnsley playing the more controlled football, however, with eleven minutes played, it was Bristol City who took the lead with an excellent incisive move, culminating in the ball being played to Cole Skuse in acres of space just outside the box, who hit a low shot across the keeper and into the corner of the net. Surprisingly, this did not seem to inspire the home team to drive home their advantage, as they allowed Barnsley too much freedom to play football and too readily gave away possession. An equaliser always looked a possibility, but at half time Bristol City retained their narrow one goal lead.

Within six minutes of the restart, Bristol City were given the opportunity to give themselves real breathing space when they were awarded a penalty after Barnsley captain Jim McNulty pulled the shirt of Ryan McGivern. After quite a delay, Jon Stead powered the penalty into the bottom left corner just out of the reach of the keeper's hands. This goal certainly did settle Bristol City down, and they went on to control the game and really should have scored two or three more, as Barnsley struggled to play the decent football they managed in the first half and barely offered a threat on goal. In the end, Bristol City claimed the victory that ensured they remain in the Championship next season, although as it turned out, what happened today at Ashton Gate did not matter, as both Coventry and Portsmouth lost to consign themselves to the two remaining relegation spots. The game was not the best of spectacles, as was to be expected with much potentially riding on the outcome, although the relief of the home fans was obvious as they invaded the pitch in celebration on the final whistle.

Video highlights of this match can be viewed by clicking here

Chipstead 2 v 3 Hildenborough Athletic

Tuesday 17th April 2012
Kent County League Division One
Chipstead Recreation Ground, Chipstead
Admission: None
Programme: None
Attendance: 18 (h-c)
Match Rating: 3


For today’s early evening kick off, I headed to the outskirts of Sevenoaks for what was an intriguing looking encounter, a local derby between two of the top four teams in the Kent County League Division One.

The Chipstead Recreation Ground is located about a half hour walk from Sevenoaks rail station, a very pleasant walk indeed for the most part, particularly the small, peaceful and historic village of Chipstead itself. The ground is unsurprisingly very basic, with no spectator facilities, apart from a modern brick building behind one of the goals, which houses the changing rooms and a tea bar. The setting is a very neat and pleasant one with a typical rural village feel and is very well maintained. What lets the setting down considerably is its location right next to the busy A21 dual carriageway very close to where it meets the M25 and M26 motorways, producing constant loud traffic noise. No programmes or the like were issued.

Having ran away with the Division Two West Championship last season, Hildenborough Athletic look very well placed to achieve back to back promotions this season, as they lay in second position, seven points clear of the third placed team with five games left to play, although there appears little prospect of them catching unbeaten leaders Metrogas, who they trailed by seven points. Addressing a backlog of fixtures has not yet impacted on results recently, as they have won their last four games in the space of eight days. Chipstead are also having a very reasonable season, in fourth place but nine points behind Hildenborough, having played two games more. Their recent form has been reasonable, winning four and losing two of their last six games. When the two teams met earlier in the season, Hildenborough won 3-2.

On a strange evening weatherwise, when it rained hard during my walk to the ground, blue skies and bright sunshine accompanied the start of the game, but with a hailstorm during the middle of the first half and occasional showers throughout, the first half was an even affair, which Chipstead probably shaded and looked the more likely to score. Which they did eventually on 42 minutes, when a clever dink over the onrushing keeper hit the corner of the frame of the goal, and the rebound was hit home from about 12 yards out.

On 62 minutes, Hildenborough were back on level terms when a shot was turned home after the initial shot was saved, although parity only lasted for two minutes, when Chipstead went back into the lead with a delighful curling shot over the keeper from just outside the box. However, the game was turned on its head when Hildenborough scored twice in the next ten minutes, the second goal when the ball was passed into the corner of the net through a crowd of players after an initial shot was blocked. In the end, Hildenborough saw the game out fairly comfortably, although the result was harsh on Chipstead, who looked slightly the better side throughout

Hollington United OFF Old Town Athletic

Hollington United OFF Old Town Athletic
Old Town Athletic unable to raise a team
Saturday 14th April 2012
East Sussex League Premier Division
Gibbons Memorial Field

Today I chose to head to the outskirts of Hastings to see the all conquering Hollington United in their penultimate game of the season, at a rare ground in the East Sussex League which has some facilities.

The Gibbons Memorial Field is about a twenty minute bus ride away from Hastings rail station, and as one enters the ground behind one of the goals, there is a clubhouse clearly built to repel vandalism and intrusion first and foremost, with no windows and with reinforced metal doors and a patio between the clubhouse and the pitch. The pitch is fully railed off all around, with a gate. No hard standing is available anywhere apart from the patio area. There is quite an enclosed feel to the ground, with trees lining one touchline and one of the goals, a bank and then housing behind the other touchline, with the clubhouse and a bowling green behind the other goal.

Going into this game, Hollington United had the quite remarkable record of winning all eighteen of their league games so far, with just two games left of the season, both at home, with their last game coming against Punnetts Town, the whipping boys of the division, winning just one and drawing one of their 19 games, with a goal difference of minus 81. Old Town Athletic were in sixth place in the eleven team league, losing 2-6 at home to Wadhurst United last time out and were unable to raise a team in their previous away fixture.

Unfortunately that was to prove the case again today, as they were not able to raise a team to travel to Hollington. However, a game of sorts took place, with a friendly game between Hollington United's first and second teams. By the time I arrived midway through the first half, the score was 1-1, which it remained until the interval. Mild embarrassment for the all conquering Hollington United first team appeared to be on the cards, as the second team took a 2-1 lead, and then 4-2. It is true that the second string of Hollington are no mugs, as they lay in second place in Division One of the East Sussex League, but eventually the extra quality of the first team prevailed, as they went on to win 6-4 in the end. Obviously it was a very light-hearted affiar, summed up at the final whistle when the "referee" shouted out "right, that's that, let's go and get pissed", but it was actually a reasonably entertaining spectacle, and certainly better than nothing, which it could have been.

Maidenhead United 3 v 4 Farnborough

Monday 9th April 2012
Conference South
York Road, Maidenhead
Admission: £10.00
Programme: £2.00
Attendance: 349
Match Rating: 4

For my second match of the day, at the conclusion of the Holyport v Flackwell Heath game, I walked back into Maidenhead to visit a ground with a rather surprising claim to fame, being the oldest continuously used senior football ground in the world by the same club, having opened in 1871.

York Road certainly enjoys a very convenient location, less than a five minute walk from both the town centre and the town's railway station and indeed is located adjacent to and beneath the London - Reading train line. The ground is somewhat of a hotchpotch of facilities, exuding plenty of character and individuality. Straddling the halfway line on the touchline closest to the railway line is an old fashioned all-seater stand, the only seating available in the ground, although views are not ideal, being set rather low and with plenty of obstructing pillars. About eight terrace steps stretch out to each corner and across both ends of the ground. Two stands cover the terracing behind one goal, whilst a more modern stand covers the middle third of the end behind the other goal. Along the remaining touchline, from one corner, is a tear bar building, a bank of uncovered terracing, a large building housing the changing rooms and clubhouse, and a very small covered area which actually provided a good view of the action, perched above the pitch. There is also a shell of a very large building, an abandoned ambitious attempt to construct a new clubhouse a couple of decades ago, but is now used for contract parking. The 40 page programme was what I would expect at this level of football these days, overpriced at £2.00, printed in black and white, with enough information to inform the reader of the background to the match, but more than half of the pages are purely advertising.

Coming into this game, there appeared to be much more at stake for the hosts, with a real struggle to stay in the division in prospect. They found themselves fourth from bottom, and only above the relegation places on goal difference, having picked up just two points from their last six games. Farnborough were in fourteenth place, apparently stuck firmly in mid table. However, if they lose an appeal against a five point deduction for financial irregularities, they would be just three points clear of the relegation zone. They too have been in poor recent form, picking up just one point from their last six games. Maidenhead certainly had the upper hand in previous encounters between the two clubs this season. Maidenhead won 3-0 at Cherrywood Road back in August, and were victorious again in the FA Cup Second Qualifying Round in a replay.

With the weather remaining wet and windy, this proved to be very much a game of two halves. Farnborough should have opened the scoring in a move straight from the kick off, when Michael Charles fired wide 8 yards out when he really should have at least hit the target, and they had the better of the opening exchanges. However, it was Maidenhead who opened the scoring on 15 minutes, when Paul Semakula fired home at the far post. Three minutes later and Maidenhead doubled their advantage when Martel Powell fired home the rebound from a tight angle after the keeper had made a good save. Maidenhead seemed to be on their way to a vital three points already, and that feeling did not diminish throughout the rest of the first half, as they had all the chances and Farnborough already looked a beaten side.

In the early stages of the second half, Maidenhead continued to play on the front foot, although suddenly on 57 minutes, Farnborough were back in the game when Nic Ciardini fired in a low cross shot into the net. This proved to be the turning point, as suddenly it was Farnborough in the ascendancy, and it felt only a matter of time before they would get back on level terms. Maidenhead should have restored their lead though when a fast break ended with the ball being struck tamely at the keeper. On 67 minutes, Farnborough were back on level terms, when Phil Page fired in after an initial shot was blocked and fell at his feet. Disaster for the home side struck on 75 minutes, when a low shot across the goal was turned into his own net by Bobby Behzadi. Things got even worse for Maidenhead in the game they really needed to win seven minutes from time, when Page fired home a glorious free kick into the top left corner from 22 yards. As the game entered added on time, Maidenhead reduced the arrears to set up a grandstand finish, when Behzadi made up for his earlier own goal by slotting home a penalty low inside the right hand post just out of the reach of the keeper. In the little time that was left, they had a couple of chances to snatch a sensational equaliser, including having a goal bound shot blocked. The result meant that Maidenhead drop into the relegation zone for the first time this season and one fears that their chances of survival are slim with three games to come, including a visit from leaders Woking and a trip to play-off chasing Dover. As things stand, the result was probably neither here nor there for Farnborough apart from claiming local bragging rights, however if they are to lose their appeal against the points deduction, this could prove to be a very important three points.

Video highlights at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eI6rhTkMqls