Charlton Athletic 0 v 0 Hull City

Saturday 25^th August 2012

Football League Championship

The Valley, Charlton

Admission: Season Ticket

Programme: £3.00

Attendance: 16,202

Match Rating: 2

After three seasons away from The Valley – bar a handful of matches – today would be my second visit to The Valley in four days, for what would be almost as difficult a game for Charlton as Tuesday’s was against Leicester. I was looking forward to this game in particular though, having spent a considerable amount of time in Hull with an ex girlfriend and visiting Boothferry Park on several occasions.

Charlton have opened their season with four points from their first two games, whilst Hull opened their season with a 1-0 victory at home to Brighton, before losing by the same scoreline away at Blackburn. Last season they finished in eigth place, seven points shy of a play-off position. They have certainly shown their intent to return to the Premiership as soon as possible, having appointed Steve Bruce over the summer, and signing the joint top scorer in the 2. Bundesliga last season, Nick Proschwitz, for £2.6 million from SC Paderborn.

The game would start off in clear, sunny conditions, although rain would arrive midway through the first half. The first half was an even affair, both sides having chances without ever really convincing they would score the opening goal.

Half time heralded a dramatic worsening of conditions with a thunderstorm of heavy rain, loud thunder and bright lightening. The heavy rain persisted, and made the pitch conditions increasingly treacherous. No standing water was ever evident, but the ball did not run truly along it, and players going to ground to make tackles slid much further than usual. Unsurprisingly this made playing football difficult for both teams, and one feared that the game could be decided by an error caused by the conditions. Charlton had a goal ruled out for offside, after an initial shot from Bradley Wright-Phillips was saved and Yann Kermorgant shot into the net through a crowd of players. As the second half wore on, it then looked increasingly inevitable that Hull would snatch a winner, most notably in injury time when Ben Hamer made a fabulous double save. But in the end, a goalless draw was the final outcome of an uninspiring game, as Charlton retained their unbeaten record whilst Hull will probably be disappointed to return to Humberside with just a point.



A match report of this game can be found here

Charlton Athletic 2 v 1 Leicester City

Tuesday 21^st August 2012

Football League Championship

The Valley, Charlton

Admission: Season Ticket

Programme: £5.00

Attendance: 16,658

Match Rating: 4

After three seasons away from having a season ticket at my beloved Charlton Athletic, during their days in League One to enable some more extensive groundhopping, the club’s promotion back to the Championship, together with a bargain season ticket price of £240.00, persuaded me to hop aboard the rollercoaster that is taking my seat at The Valley throughout the season.

Previous descriptions of the ground can be found here, and I found my seat this season to be towards the back of the lower tier of the North Stand, pretty much right behind the goal. An excellent position, although the slight incline in rows means that there is a fair amount of head swerving is required to see the goal action.

Tonight would be a tough game for Charlton to start their home campaign, against big spending Leicester City, one of the favourites for promotion to the Premiership. Having won League One at a canter last season, Charlton opened their season with a draw at Birmingham City, only being denied by a scrambled equaliser four minutes into added on time at the end of the game. Leicester won 2-0 at home to Peterborough. There would be a couple of subplots to the game. The Charlton manager, Chris Powell, was the first team coach at Leicester before moving to Charlton, and was given his first coaching role at Leicester by current Leicester manager, Nigel Pearson. The Charlton striker and cult-hero Yann Kermorgant also played for Leicester, with unhappy memories, with his last touch as a Leicester player consigning them to a penalty shoot-out defeat to Cardiff in the play-off semi final the season before last when his tame chipped shot was comfortably saved. Loud boos greeted his name when announced, although Charlton fans cheers greeted former Charlton player Paul Konchesky.

On a fairly  warm summer’s evening, the opening stages saw Charlton doing much of the attacking, but Leicester always looked dangerous on the break. On 18 minutes, it was the home side who took the lead after some patient build-up play, when Bradley Pritchard played the ball to the edge of the penalty area, into the path of Bradley Wright-Phillips, who strode forward and smashed a ferocious low drive into the net past Kasper Schmeichel. On 32 minutes, Charlton doubled their lead when the ball was played across the 18 yard line to Yann Kermorgant, he drove powerfully into the net, for a goal that must have meant a lot to him personally against  Leicester. For the rest of the half, Leicester were in the ascendancy, and they were slightly unfortunate to go into the break two goals down.

The second half saw Leicester dominate, as the Charlton players struggled to retain possession and did not close the Leicester players down enough, inviting pressure. Leicester got back into the game on 54 minutes, when the ball was whipped in from the byline and Andy King finished powerfully from close range. As the second half wore on, it seemed only a matter of time before Leicester scored an equaliser, but some poor finishing, combined with goalkeeping by Ben Hamer and some heroic defending ensured that Leicester just couldn’t score a second goal, as Charlton held on for a hard earned three points. A very entertaining game of football to start the season at the Valley.

A match report of this game can be found at here

Video highlights can be viewed by clicking here

Little Common 2 v 2 Midhurst and Easebourne

Saturday 18^th August 2012

Sussex County League Division Two

Recreation Ground, Little Common

Admission and programme: £4.00

Attendance: 97

Match Rating: 4

Having spent most of the week beforehand planning to take in the first competitive game at Maidstone United’s new stadium or to pay a visit to Tunbridge Wells to take advantage of their offer of free admission to mark the 50^th anniversary of the opening of their Culverden Stadium, right at the last minute I decided on a visit to the south coast which fitted in best with my plans that evening. A visit to Little Common would be a revisit for me, although the only time I previously visited was over six years ago during their days in intermediate football

.

The Recreation Ground is about a twenty minute walk from Cooden Beach rail station, and has seen some modest improvements since I last visited, in order to retain their status in senior football. The ground is part of a large recreation area, with a modern brick clubhouse separating a cricket pitch that one passes on entering the complex after the car park and the football pitch further on. To the left of the pitches are housing, whilst to the right of and beyond the pitches is quite a large expanse of playing fields, with trees lining the top of a slight incline. On my last visit to the ground, there was a small prefab metallic stand for standing room only behind the goal where the clubhouse is situated. This has now been joined by an almost identical structure but housing 50 seats alongside it, placed immediately adjacent to the goal. This stand as well as floodlights have been installed in the last few months. The pitch is “enclosed” by green see-through sheeting, and as this is fairly loosely attached to the railings, means that the areas along one length and behind one of the goals is inaccessible. The programme, included with admission, was a good effort although not as good as I remember it being on my last visit. It contained six pages of articles inside a six page advertising shell.

It was only confirmed that Little Common would play this season in senior football in June, after some fairly farcical decisions and appeals regarding the constitution of the Sussex League, and they only narrowly avoided being in a relegation place on playing merit last season, finishing third bottom. They have certainly started this season well though, winning their opening game of the season 0-4 at Wick. Midhurst and Easebourne, also seemingly eternally threatened with relegation to intermediate football by both league placings and their very basic facilities which lack floodlights in recent seasons, opened their season with a 1-1 draw at Saltdean United. Last season they finished one place above Little Common, having conceded a whopping 102 goals from 34 games.

On a blisteringly hot afternoon, with blue skies and temperatures nudging 30c, the game certainly had a blistering start, when the visitors opened the scoring with barely a minute on the clock, when some tentative defending allowed Oliver Pearce to stride forward before placing a rocket of a shot past the keeper. On 18 minutes the game was delayed for around five minutes when the referee ordered that some dog mess was removed from the pitch, before Midhurst doubled their advantage on 28 minutes, when the keeper seemed to be favourite to claim a cross into the box from wide, but somehow Pearce headed home for his second of the match. By the time half time arrived, Midhurst will have wondered how they hadn’t scored four or give to put this game to bed, so dominant they were, so limited Little Common were, and it really was a wonder, on the evidence so far, how Little Common had won so convincingly at Wick last week.

In the second half, Little Common played much better although they rarely looked capable of getting back into the game, and ten minutes from time, Midhurst had yet another chance to seal the three points when a shot was screwed horribly wide from close range. They were made to pay for their profligacy when seven minutes from time, Jared Lusted hit a beautiful shot on the turn from just outside the area which went over the keeper and into the net. On 89 minutes, the home side equalised, when a perfectly judged whipped in cross was nodded home just before it reached the keeper. This was devastating blow to the visitors, who seemed to lose their discipline slightly after the equaliser, and they could easily have ended up losing the game, when deep into injury time, Little Common hit the post and then had a shot deflected wide, although the passage in play was separated by a wonderful last ditch tackle denying a Midhurst goal. But in the end, honours were even after a very entertaining game of football, and credit to both teams for that playing in such hot conditions.

Sporting Bengal United 1 v 3 Cockfosters

Saturday 11th August 2012
FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round
Chalk Lane, Cockfosters
Admission: £4.00
Programme: £1.00
Attendance: 78
Match rating: 4

For my first competitive domestic game of the season, I headed to north London today for the opening day of this season's FA Cup competition. When the draw was made, Sporting Bengal United were drawn as the home team for this tie, however with their ground, the Mile End Stadium, being unavailable due to the Olympics, the fixture was played at Cockfosters, although technically it remained a home game for Sporting Bengal United.

Chalk Lane is very conveniently located a couple of minutes walk from Cockfosters underground station, which is the last stop northbound on the Piccadilly Line. As may be expected of a club in the Spartan South Midland League Division One, facilities are rather basic, but the ground is neat, very well maintained, and has a surprisingly rural feel to it - at least visually, unfortunately a busy road adjacent to the ground provides constant loud traffic noise. The clubhouse is between the entrance to the ground and the corner flag, and a little overhang is provided for some standing room cover. To the other side of the entrance more cover is provided above some fairly randomly placed rows of seats. Hard standing is available along this length and behind one of the goals, along the other length is just grass to stand on, whilst the area behind the other goal is inaccessible.Trees or hedges line the entire ground, with cricket pitched behind both goals and a bowling green behind one of the lengths. The 22 page programme was excellent considering the level of football the club plays at, with interesting articles to read and more than enough stats and facts to digest about both teams and their histories in the FA Cup.

Today's tie would have the potential for a minor upset, with Cockfosters from the Spartan South Midland League Division One, a tier below the Essex Senior League Premier Division, in which Sporting Bengal ply their trade. Today would also be the first competitive game of the season for both teams. Last season, Cockfosters finished in ninth place. After struggling (and often failing) to achieve a respectable league placing during their time in the Kent League, the switch to the Essex Senior League last season prompted an upturn in their fortunes, finishing in tenth place in the 18 team division.

On a warm summer's day, it was Sporting Bengal who drew first blood with eight minutes on the clock wth a very good goal, when Shaheed Ahmed twisted and turned, making space for himself before firing in a powerful low shot just inside the far post. In an entertaining half of football, it was Cockfosters who then had the best chances to score, although it was in the final five minutes of the first half when the game completely changed on its head. Firstly on 41 minutes, Cockfosters equalised with a well taken free-kick by Dean Barker which was bent around the wall and although the keeper got his hand to the ball, he could only palm the ball into the net. A couple of minutes later and Cockfosters took the lead when a Bengal defender tried to shepherd the ball out for a goal kick, a Cockfosters forward stole possession, crossed into the box, and after a couple of blocked shots, the ball was drilled low into the net by Lorenzo Ferrari. On the stroke of half time, Sporting Bengal were reduced to ten men, when they had a player sent off for contesting the award of a throw-in rather too vigourously with the female assistant referee.

For most of the second half, there was little sign of Sporting Bengal getting an equaliser, apart from when one of their forwards unbelievably headed wide of an open goal on 57 minutes. On 78 minutes, Cockfosters made the game safe by scoring a third when the ball was played into the box, before being struck home via the post on the turn by Emond Protain. That really was game over, as Cockfosters always looked the more likely to score for the reminder of the game, but they claimed the minor giantkilling and progress to the next round where they will travel to AFC Kempston Rovers of the United Counties League Premier Division.

USA Ladies 2 v 1 Japan Ladies

Thursday 9^th August 2012

London 2012 Olympics Women’s Football Final

Wembley Stadium, London

Admission: £30.00

Tournament Programme : £5.00

Attendance: 80,203

Match Rating: 4

My final taste of the London 2012 Olympics (having already taken in Beach Volleyball, Hockey and Indoor Volleyball) was something closer to what I’m used to, with a ticket for arguably the most prestigious match in the Women’s football game, the Olympic Final. The women’s tournament in the Olympic Games has been of much more interest to me than the men’s game, as the very best players take part in this tournament without any restrictions, unlike the men’s tournament, which feels somewhat contrived with its under 23 rule except for three overage players.

Heading up to Wembley Stadium via the Metropolitan tube line, the walk from Wembley Park station to the stadium is perhaps one of my favourite walks to a football ground, with the stadium and arch closely visible at the end of the short straight pedestrian only road filled with people making their way to the stadium. Programmes were available outside the stadium, although neither on offer were specific for this evening’s game, which was slightly disappointing given the prestigious nature of the match. What was on offer were impressive enough in themselves considering they were generic programmes produced before the Olympic Games – a programme for the whole of the Olympic Games, and a separate programme for both the men’s and women’s football tournament.

This evening match would be between the two highest ranked teams in the tournament, with top ranked USA against third ranked Japan (second ranked Germany almost unbelievably failed to qualify for this tournament). The United States have an almost perfect record in the Olympics since a women’s tournament was introduced in 1996, winning three of the four tournaments to date, and claiming the silver medal on the other occasion. Japan’s record in the Olympic Games has been rather underwhelming, with a best quarter-final finish in the three tournaments they have qualified for. However, they have had a dramatic upturn in fortunes in the last couple of years, lifting the World Cup, beating the United States in the final on penalties. To reach this stage, the United States beat France, North Korea and Colombia in the group stage, New Zealand in the Quarter-Finals, before almost being on the wrong end of a major shock in the semi-final, falling behind three times to neighbours Canada, before winning the match 4-3 in added on time at the end of extra time. Japan were slightly less convincing in reaching the final, beating Canada before being held to goalless draws against Sweden and South Africa in the group stage, before beating Brazil and France in the Quarter and Semi Finals.

On a very warm and humid evening, the match would prove to be a wonderful advertisement for the women’s game, full of attacking endeavour and no little skill. It was the USA who dominated the early exchanges and on seven minutes they took the lead when the ball was crossed high from the byline by Alex Morgan and Carli Lloyd headed home. As might be expected, Japan did not let their heads drop and proceeded to play some excellent football in seeking a way back into the match. They had two glorious chances to equalise when Hope Solo tipped a powerful header from Yuki Ogimi onto the crossbar before Aya Miyama saw her shot come off the post before bouncing clear. Shinobu Ohno then curled a glorious shot just past the post, before being denied what looked like a clear penalty for handball. The United States were almost gifted a more comfortable lead though when defender Azusa Iwashimizu awkwardly headed the ball onto her own post.

So Japan were unfortunate to be trailing at the break, and they were to rue missing all of their earlier chances in the 53^rd minute when Carli Lloyd hit a powerful low shot from 20 yards beyond the keeper’s dive and just inside the post. On 63 minutes, Japan did finally get on the scoreboard when, following couple of blocked shots and a goalmouth scramble, Ogimi tapped the ball home. Japan continued to dominate proceedings and yet more glorious chances to snatch an equaliser, when a shot was cleared off the line and Solo made a fantatic save with eight minutes remaining. But the United States held on to claim the gold medal, with the Japanese players left in tears to rue their inability to convert their performance and chances into a victory. After the match, eventually the medal ceremony saw Canada, who had earlier dramatically beaten France with an injury time goal in Coventry, awarded their bronze medals followed by Japan receiving their silver medals and the USA their gold medals.

Video highlights of this game can be found here