Langney Wanderers 3 v 0 Roffey

Saturday 28th September 2013
Sussex County League Division Three
Shinewater Lane, Eastbourne
Admission: Nil
Programme: £2.00
Attendance: 50
Match Rating: 3

Having only returned from my holiday on the Isle of Wight yesterday, I fancied a local and quiet game today, and an opportunity to tick off one of my last three clubs in the Sussex County League - all in Division Three - inspired me to head to Eastbourne for this top of the table clash.

Shinewater Lane is located about a half hour walk from either Pevensey and Westham or Hampden Park train stations and used to be the venue for Shinewater Association when they played in the Sussex League Division for eleven seasons up to 2003 before they merged with Eastbourne United. Facilities are extremely basic - the pitch is railed off and has permanent dugouts, but only has hard standing along one length. There is no cover these days - the small stand present in the Shinewater Association days has long since been removed. A white building houses the changing rooms and tea bar some distance away from the pitch. The ground has a surprisingly pleasant peaceful and cosy feel to it, with trees lining one goal line and a more open expanse over another field to more trees behind the other, and with more sporadic trees down either length in front of housing and a school. Programmes were available either from the tea bar or from a man wondering around the spectators shortly after kick offs. Consisting of twelve pages, it is a good effort for a club at this level, with all the basic information spectators would look for although about half of it was advertising.

This game would be between the top two in the division. After strolling to the East Sussex League Premier Division title having only been formed in 2010, they have had a 100% record from their four league games so far this season, scoring 15 and conceding just two in the process. Roffey have also started their season well, winning three after drawing their opening fixture to remain unbeaten going into this game.

On a bright and sunny afternoon, the first half was a very even affair, with chances at a premium and little decent football being played, although Roffey were not helped by having to substitute two players because of injury in the opening 15 minutes. A goalless half time scoreline was no surprise, although the home side certainly finished the half the stronger.

Nine minutes after the restart and the home side took the lead with a goal of real quality. The ball richoted into the path of Paul Rogers who took a touch before flighting a delightful deft chip over the onrushing keeper and into the net. Roffey had a good chance to get back on level terms just three minutes later, but their striker hit the post. They were made to pay for that on 62 minutes thanks to some dreadful defending, failing to deal with a surge down the right wing and allowing the ball to be crossed into the box despite plenty of defenders covering but all leaving it to each other to deal with the situation and Shane Saunders turned the ball into an empty net from 8 yards after the keeper was drawn away from his goal. That killed the game as Roffey barely threatened again. Langney Wanderers always looked the more likely to score again, which they duly did with just about the last kick of the game.The ball was looped across the penalty area from the right, headed on and Kyle Feneron struck a powerful shot on the volley into the net. A deserved win for the home side then, and whilst they did not play particularly well today, they still would seem to be the team to beat this season - strong in defence, and with a touch of class and guile in the locker up front.

St Helens Blue Star 2 v 3 Seaview

Thursday 26th September 2013
Ryde and District Cup Final
Vicarage Lane, Brading
Admission by Programme: £4.00
Attendance: 50 (estimate)
Match Rating: 3

Holidaying on the Isle of Wight this week, I had pretty much written off any chance of catching a game, with none of the Wessex League sides playing at home. However, the excellent Island Football Focus website alerted me to a cup final this evening which would mean I would indeed catch some football action, even if it would mean a ground revisit.

Vicarage Lane, home of Brading Town, is situated a few minutes walk from Brading town centre and about 15 minutes from the town's train station. Brading's recent participation in the Wessex League until their voluntary demotion two seasons ago means that facilities here are far better than one usually encounters in the Isle of Wight Saturday League, a league in which venues are generally recreation grounds with few or no spectator facilities. As one enters the ground, brick buildings housing a tea bar and clubhouse are situated uphill behind one goal, with a further modern brick building housing the changing rooms next to the pitch in a corner. Straddling the half way line in a small modern metallic all seater stand on one side, whilst on the other side is a narrower, more individual looking stand with wooden bench seating situated between the dugouts. There is quite a pronounced slope to the pitch, and by daytime I recall this is a really pleasant peaceful and rural venue, with trees around three sides of the ground, grass banks and clubhouse perched above the pitch behind one goal, whilst behind the other goal the view extends over countryside towards rolling hills in the distance. A four page programme was handed out with admission, rather basic with squad lists and a page providing some background to this evening's game.

This evening's game would be the cup final would be between two clubs from the Isle of Wight Saturday League Division Two. Seaview have started their season strongly, winning three and drawing the other of their four games so far and are in third place in the table. St Helens Blue Star have had a less successful start to their season, winning just one and losing the other three of their four games so far and are in tenth place in the twelve team division. Seaview have had quite a comfortable passage to the final, beating Binstead & COB 1-3 away, before two 4-0 home victories against Bembridge and Oakfield. St Helens Blue Star won 1-2 at Kings Towne and then 4-2 against High Park. The two teams have already met in the league this season, Seaview winning 5-0 at home less than two weeks ago.

On a chilly but dry evening, although the signs pointed towards a comfortable victory for Seaview, the match was actually extremely even, with St Helens playing the better football and the result really could have swung either way. As one might expect of a cup final between two very local clubs, the match was feisty and competitive, and at times rather fractious. After St Helens started the stronger and created some half chances, it was Seaview who took the lead on six minutes when Danny New latched onto a low ball forward and slotted the ball across the keeper and into the net. Quite surprisingly considering they were kicking down the slope, Seaview did not kick on from here as St Helens continued to look the better team, and they deservedly drew level with virtually the last kick of the first half when Keith Rust scored a very similar goal to Seaview's.

Into the second half and the pattern of play remained in St Helens favour but they found themselves behind again on 73 minutes when a corner was headed into the net by Ben Parker. St Helens were awarded a penalty on 81 minutes when their onrushing player was brought down just inside the box. The penalty by Rust wasn't the best, struck gently low to the right but the keeper dived the other way and so the scores were level and extra time looked likely. However, just four minutes later and Seaview took the lead for the third time in the game when Mark Watson broke clear of the defence and after he tried to float the ball over the keeper, who managed to pat the ball away but only back into Watson's path, and Watson placed the ball low into the net. St Helens couldn't find a third equaliser, and also had a player sent off for two yellow cards in quick succession in the dying minutes. Seaview lifted the trophy after the game, and although this may have been expected before the game, St Helens could feel disappointed to have lost having outplayed the opposition for long spells.

Oxford United 0 v 1 Chesterfield

Saturday 21st September 2013
Football League Two
Kassam Stadium, Oxford
Admission: £17.00
Programme: £3.00
Attendance: 7187
Match Rating: 2

When I booked travel and match tickets for this game about a month ago, there was nothing particularly appealing about this fixture, save that it would tick off another of the '92', with few easy ticks left for me these days. However, seven games into the season and the game would be a top of the table clash between the only two unbeaten teams in the division.

The Kassam Stadium is situated about four miles south of Oxford City Centre, taking just over half an hour on the bus. It is quite an odd stadium, part of it fairly impressive by modern football criteria, the other half not. The outside of the main stand is very professional and modern looking which would not look out if place alongside stadia much higher up the football pyramid, yet around the rest of the ground are bland, graffitied walls with a chronic shortage of signage. Inside the stadium, there are three similar looking stands, two of them single tiered and the remaining one, the main stand, two tiered with a row of corporate boxes between the two. Views are excellent with nothing to obstruct one's view. Behind the remaining goal is just a wooden fence, and presumably a stand could easily be built there, with a car park behind the wall, should the club climb the pyramid and attract thousands more fans. Perhaps the one endearing quality of the stadium is the statue of an ox outside of the ground. The 84 page programme was excellent, packed full of interesting articles and an acceptable level of advertising.

This afternoon's match would see the leaders of the division play the second placed team. Chesterfield have had a fabulous start to their season, dropping just two points out of a possible 21, whilst Oxford have dropped just six from theirs, although they have drawn three of their last four games.

On a very overcast afternoon, the fans from both clubs certainly rose to the occasion, creating a good atmosphere and plenty of noise, with over a thousand fans in the away section. A pattern quickly developed of Chesterfield looking every bit the table topping side that they are, dominating possession, making penetrating attacks and playing some good flowing football. The home team certainly looked useful and threatened to create some goalscoring chances, but it was no surprise when Chesterfield took the lead on 29 minutes. Eoin Doyle crossed from the left and Ritchie Humphrey, who had passed the ball out to Doyle to set the move up, volleyed deftly past the keeper from 12 yards. That took the sting out of Oxford, as Chesterfield had several chances to extend their lead, but Oxford were very much still in the game at half time with just a one goal deficit to overturn.

Oxford had a good spell after half time, and with Chesterfield continuing to be a constant threat, the game became ever more intriguing, however when Trevor Kettle is refereeing a match, one knows that controversy will follow with his erratic, seeking the limelight style. After some increasingly baffling decisions, he couldn't get his red card out of his pocket quickly enough when Andy Whing slid in for a challenge which was at high speed but was not high or dangerous. Chesterfield were dominating possession before the red card, so unsurprisingly they continued to dominate but just couldn't kill the game off. They were nearly made to pay dearly for that when Deane Smalley saw his header hit a post and bounced clear. Chesterfield deserved their win though and certainly do look the team to beat this season, whilst Oxford's lofty league placing going into this game would seem, on the evidence of today, a little flattering.

Video highlights of the game can be found here

Fareham Town 0 v 1 Weymouth

Saturday 14th September 2013
FA Cup 1st Qualifying Round
Cams Alders, Fareham
Admission: £6.00
Programme: £1.00
Attendance: 323
Match Rating: 3

For the third consecutive FA Cup Saturday this season, I headed to a Wessex League venue today, although on this occasion the home club had a much tougher assignment to negotiate, with a giantkilling opportunity against one of the historically big names of non league football.

The Cams Alders is about a 15 minute walk south from Fareham train station and is part of a large recreation ground, with a rugby club adjacent. The ground is an interesting one. Much of it has had a recent lick of paint, and full credit for that, yet there also seems to be a lot of work in progress around the ground, with quite a lot of ground dug up and materials scattered messily around. There are a couple of attractive brick buildings either side of the entrance, one housing the changing rooms and the other with plenty of overhang for covered standing, although it is set a long way back from the pitch. Also along this length, an all-seater stand straddles the half way line. It has seen better days and is not particularly pleasing on the eye, but it does offer very good elevated views of the action, albeit with a floodlight pylon slightly obstructing one's view. A bar is located on the ground floor of this stand. Around the rest of the ground is just hard standing. Despite a scattering of trees around the ground and a peaceful location, for me, it is one of those grounds that would always seem to be bleak no matter what the weather conditions on any given day. The programme wouldn't win any awards for design or style, but no matter when the content is comprehensive, giving more than enough information about the background to today's game, a good effort.

Fareham came into this game in good early season form having secured three wins and two draws from their opening six games in the Wessex League Premier Division, and won impressively at Bemerton Heath Harlequins and Newport (Isle of Wight), the two clubs currently second and third respectively in the Wessex Premier, in the previous two rounds to set up today's game. Weymouth are two steps up the pyramid and 50 league places above Fareham, in eighth place in the Southern League Premier Division, although they were without a win in their previous four games, after winning their opening three games. Today was their debut in this season's FA Cup competition.

On a cool and very overcast afternoon, this game followed the expected pattern of the higher ranked side dominating possession and doing much of the attacking, although Fareham battled well and more than held their own, creating the odd chance themselves, and they deserved to go into the interval on level terms.

Fareham started the second half with plenty of intent, however on 49 minutes, Weymouth scored the crucial opening goal of the game, when a cross was dinked in from the left and Stewart Yetton headed across the keeper and into the net. Three minutes later and Weymouth saw a fizzing drive across goal hit the woodwork. They squandered several other golden chances to score, a couple of times when it looked easier to score, although that is not to say Fareham were overwhelmed. Far from it, they still had a fair share of possession and managed to create some good chances themselves. They applied a lot of pressure on the Weymouth goain the last ten minutes with a number of corners and close range free kicks, but they couldn't quite find the goal to force a replay and so it was Weymouth who narrowly progressed to the next round.

Crowborough Athletic 1 v 1 Shoreham

Tuesday 10th September 2013
Sussex County League Division One
Alderbrook Recreation Ground, Crowborough
Admission including Programme: £6.00
Attendance: 69
Match Rating: 3

(This game really did take place on Tuesday 10th September - not sure why the programme stated Saturday 31st August!)

Even though England were involved in a crucial World Cup clash away in Ukraine this evening, a tie that they could not afford to lose, the temptation to catch my third game of the season at the Alderbrook, to watch again the young and improving Crowborough team, dragged me away from the television set.

Both sides have had reasonable starts to their seasons, Crowborough having won two and lost once of their opening three games, and Shoreham winning one and losing the other of their two games. They have also progressed in two rounds of the FA Cup, beating Isthmian League club Walton Casuals last time, as well as progressing in their first game in the FA Vase this season.

After enjoying warm early evening sunshine on my previous two visits to the Alderbrook this season, this evening was chilly with continual drizzle. The game was very competitive, Shoreham probably always looking the more threatening, playing the better football with their players working well at making space for themselves, whilst Crowborough battled hard and generally relied more of long balls forward. Crowborough took the lead on 32 minutes when top scorer Sam Carrington dribbled towards the edge of the penalty area before hitting a fabulous shot which looked goalbound but the keeper did well to palm the ball away, only for Scott Treleaven to hit the ball home from a fairly tight angle. 

Their lead was to only last four minutes though, with a very avoidable goal from Crowborough’s point of view.  Michael Demario crossed the ball low from the right wing and a couple of defenders hesitated when they looked favourite to clear the ball, which eventually fell  to the feet of Robert O’Toole, who controlled the ball before firing low across the keeper and into the net.

The pace of the game upped a notch in the second half, becoming end to end although with not too many glaring chances to score for either side. Those that were fell to Crowborough, in particular Callum Ridley striking the ball straight at the keeper, who also pulled off a terrific save to keep out a Jack Turner header from a free-kick.  On the balance of play though, a point apiece was the right result.

Hooe Sports 1 v 10 Ninfield United

Saturday 7th September 2013
East Sussex League Premier Division
Hooe Recreation Ground, Hooe
Admission and Programme: Nil
Attendance: 28 (headcount)
Match Rating: 4

After returning home late from Wembley Stadium last night having watched England's 4 -0 win against Moldova, I fancied a rural and peaceful experience today, taking in a local derby at intermediate level in the East Sussex League, with the two villages separated by less than two miles.

The Hooe Recreation Ground is situated just north of Hooe village, which is four miles north west from Bexhill. There are no facilities here apart from a small wooden pavilion building set behind one corner of the pitch housing the changing rooms, and the ground is lined with trees apart from along one length, which has a handful of small trees along it. Whilst the setting is not spectacular, it does have a very tranquil, naturally enclosed and rural feel to the place, a typical village football venue.

When setting off for this game, I did not have a huge amount of optimism that the game would even take place given that Hooe had not managed to field a team since 16th March, forfeiting their last four games of last season and last week's season opener was also postponed having been unable to raise a side yet again. Indeed, it really is a wonder why Hooe were allowed to remain in the Premier Division this season, with no sign of being able to field a competitive side. After a reasonable start to last season, Ninfield finished a distant seventh in the nine team division, and they had a poor start to this season, losing 0-6 at newly promoted Ore Athletic.

On a bright and sunny afternoon, a pattern developed of Ninfield dominating possession without really threatening, whilst Hooe battled gamely but frequently chose the wrong option, were slow to react to situations and gave the ball away too readily. Ninfield hit the woodwork on 21 minutes before they took the lead on 32 minutes when the ball was played across the keeper and into the from six yards out. Six minutes later and Ninfield doubled their lead, when the ball was drilled in at the near post despite the keeper getting fingertips to it.

0-2 was how it remained at half time, a deserved lead for the visitors. Hooe still appeared to be in the game, although it was hard to see where a goal would come from for them. On 49 minutes Ninfield extended their lead to three when a player sprinted to the byline before crossing the ball low across the box and was turned into the top corner of the net. Almost immediately they should have scored a fourth when the ball was blazed over from close range. Ninfield did score their fourth on 59 minutes when the ball was hit over the keeper and into the net from a slight angle. Nine minutes later and it was 0-5. The ball was sprayed to the right and the onrushing player drove towards goal and although his initial shot was parried by the keeper, he got to the loose ball first to poke it home. On 70 minutes Ninfield made it six when a one on one was converted. Unfortunately Hooe really had thrown in the towel by now, making very little effort to close players down or track back, standing by as Ninfield players attacked at will with almost total freedom. Ninfield were awarded a penalty in the 78th minute for a trip, which was converted into the top right corner with the keeper diving the other way. Out of nothing, Hooe did score a consolation with a good goal on 83 minutes, their striker running onto a through ball before driving the ball low across the keeper and into the net. Two minutes later, Ninfield restored their seven goal lead when the ball was played low across the box from the left and was fired home via a deflection. A minute later and Ninfield made it 9-1, their player driving down from the right wing before firing inside the keeper's near post. A minute from time and Ninfield reached double figures with a goal which encaptured perfectly what the game had become. The ball was played short between four Ninfield players around the six yard box, having all the time in the world before the ball was hit home from the centre of the goal. 1-10 was how it finished - and Ninfield did not appear to be that good a team, but took advantage when Hooe just completely gave up. Unfortunately just fulfilling a fixture would seem to be cause for celebration for Hooe these days, and one fears that they could suffer plenty more hidings at least as bad as today's against better teams in the league such as Hollington United.

Note: Sadly, a week later and Hooe Sports lost 0-22 at home to Rock-a-Nore, and then being unable to fulfil their next two fixtures, had to resign from the league.