Saturday 11th January 2014
Sussex County League Division One
The Salts, Rye
Admission: £5.00
Programme: £1.00
Attendance: 47
Match Rating: 5
Although I originally planned to travel down to Hampshire today to take
in a new ground at Sholing or Portchester, still feeling the effects from an
attack of gout earlier in the week, I decided to stay local With heavy rain
finally abating during the last couple of days, there was more choice today
than in recent weeks, although my favoured game in the East Sussex League at
Ninfield United was still called off due to waterlogging. So I decided to
revisit one of the more pleasant grounds in Sussex, with it being something of
a surprise that The Salts, usually more susceptible to most to waterlogging. It
certainly turned out to be the right decision as I was treated to one of the
most entertaining and drama filled games I have watched this season.
The Salts is located about a ten minute walk east from Rye train
station and just a couple of minutes from Landgate, the historic fortified
entrance to the town. Entering the ground in one corner, one passes by a modern
but attractively constructed pavilion housing the clubhouse and changing rooms,
built in the same position to replace the previous pavilion that was burnt down
in 2010. Along one length, a small green
tin stand has been relocated from its original position straddling the half way
line and is now close to the corner flag, and in its original place is now a
modern metallic Arena all-seater stand. It is not allowed to stand along the
other length, as white sheeting is placed there on matchdays, more permanent
fencing not being allowed as the facilities are shared with the cricket club.
Behind the remaining goal is hard standing and a slight grass bank with trees.
From this end, it is possible to watch the game for free from the public
footpath, and so it surprising that this is allowed at a senior football venue.
In fact, gaping holes in the fencing means that it is easy to walk into the ground
without paying. The ground does have a very pleasant, rural setting, with
plenty of trees around and the town of Rye closely visible perched above. The 52
page programme was very impressive indeed, the best I have encountered for a long
time at this level, with plenty of interest to read, more than enough facts and
stats to digest, some interesting quirky articles and not too much advertising –
all in all, really excellent value for money.
Today’s game would be between two teams in the bottom half of the table
separated by just one place and one point, with the visitors in 14th
place and one point better off having played a game more. Recent form wouldn’t necessarily
be much of a guide to either team today, this being the first game both have
played since 14th December due to the wet weather. However, Rye had
an excellent home win against high flying Littlehampton Town last time out, but
before that had picked up just two points from their previous five league
games. St Francis Rangers had lost their previous two league games, but before
those had won their previous two league games. Today’s teams met on the opening
day of the season, playing out a 2-2 draw, and they also met in Haywards Heath
in early September in the John O’Hara Cup, with St Francis winning on penalties
after a 1-1 draw.
On a beautiful day of bright sunshine and clear blue skies, but with the pitch very heavy and sticky, the visitors took the lead with four
minutes on the clock, when Charlie Pitcher pounced on a suicidal backpass, took
a touch before slotting low past the keeper. Rye were back on level terms on 13
minutes when a free kick from deep inside their own half was played high and
long to the left of the penalty area, and some dreadful defending allowed Ade
Olorunda all the time in the world to get the ball under control before firing
across the keeper into the net despite a desperate scramble by a defender to
clear the ball on the line. Rye took the lead on 17 minutes. The keeper came to the edge of his area to
foul Olorunda as he was about to take
his shot, and although he still got his shot in which went wide of the post,
the referee awarded a penalty, which Ben Billings converted high to the left of
the goal with the keeper diving the other way. Their lead was to last just five
minutes though, Pitcher scoring again having latched onto a forward pass and
fired powerfully into the net from an angle. Rye then went back into the lead
on 25 minutes, another long high free kick was pumped into the box and this
time a defender spectacularly hooked the ball into his own net. On 28 minutes,
the sixth goal of the game was scored, when St Francis Rangers got back on
level terms, Tom Barnes driving the ball high into the net after the ball was
played low across the edge of the area. And on the stroke of half time, the
visitors were awarded a penalty when one of their strikers was pulled back as
he drove into the box. Aaron Walsh drove the ball powerfully down the middle to
give a 3-4 scoreline at half-time.
Three minutes into the second half and the chances of such
an open, free scoring half were diminished when the visitors were reduced to
ten men just three minutes after the restart, Daniel O’Farrell being shown a
straight red card for a late and high challenge from behind. It would be a
backs-to-the-wall effort for the visitors to retain their lead, a man down on
the heavy pitch, and although Rye tried to play expansive football, it looked more
and more that they would not be able to get anything from this game, although
on 65 minutes, a flicked header from Olorunda – despite being wrestled by the
defenders – hit the crossbar. Finally, after countless occasions of Olorunda
being grappled and hugged by the St Francis defenders in the area during the
second half, the referee did award a penalty on 81 minutes when Olorunda was
almost rugby tackled to the ground as he tried to run towards goal. Liam Upton
hit the ball powerfully down the middle to make it 4-4. Two minutes later and
Rye took the lead, a penetrating run in from the left ended with a powerful
shot that was parried away by the keeper, and after several scrambled attempts
to shoot, Liam Upton applied the finishing touch. St Francis almost got yet
another equaliser four minutes from time when a lovely curling shot was saved
at full stretch by the keeper, but in the end Rye held on for the three points.
This was a thoroughly entertaining game of football, and credit to both teams
for that on a tricky pitch.
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