KV Kortrijk 1 v 2 RAEC Mons

Saturday 22nd February 2014
Belgian Pro League
Guldensporenstadion, Kortrijk
Admission: 15 euro
Programme: Free
Attendance: 6,189
Match Rating: 2.5

After booking another bargain £10 return ticket to Gent with Megabus, after the timing of this weekend's fixtures had been determined, I was left with a choice between a visit to either KV Kortrijk or Cercle Brugge. Although a visit to one of Belgium's most famous stadia, the Jan Breydelstadion that was used in Euro 2000, was tempting, the low crowds that Cercle attract in 30,000 capacity stadium swayed me instead towards a relatively small and less well-known stadium, that has been highly recommended by fellow groundhoppers.

The Guldensporenstadion is about a 15 minute walk north from Kortrijk train station. Having purchased my ticket online, for a 1 euro surcharge, collected it at a booth adjacent to the main entrance. Once inside, there is a very pleasant, spacious area for fans to mingle, with numerous chalets scattered around offering refreshments and club merchandise, and a couple of indoor bars lined to one side. Although there is a covered terrace behind one of the goals, I chose to sit on wooden bench style seating behind the other goal to be sure of good views. Both ends were close to full for this game, have steep inclines and are located close to the pitch, ensuring excellent views (although the terrace has some obstructing pillars) as well as making for an intimate and loud atmosphere. The main stand along one side is the most modern structure of the building, single tiered all-seating, with a row of rather swanky looking executive boxes and bars along the top, whilst along the other length is a more old fashioned and much smaller all-seater stand with quite a few supporting pillars. Glossy full colour programmes were given out upon entering the ground and was a very pleasant surprise, containing season's results, league table, likely line-ups, as well as various articles in Dutch and a lot of advertising. It also says everything about how ridiculously overpriced watching football even at non-league level is in England that the cost of entry to this top-flight match in Belgium was less than I paid for a step two non-league game at Dover last week.

This game, between a Flemish team and a Wallonian one, certainly looked like a nailed-on home banker, considering that Mons have had a disastrous season so far, strangely after their best ever finish last season of seventh. They are ten points adrift at the bottom this season, losing their last five league games and have only picked up three wins from their 26 games so far this season and barring a mathematical miracle, will be contesting the relegation play-off series with the second bottom team in a few weeks time. Kortrijk went into this game in eighth place in the sixteen team league, still harbouring faint hopes of reaching the top six and a Championship play-off place, seven points adrift with four games left to play. They have only picked up two points from their last four league games though, and just one win from their last twelve games, not winning at home since 2nd November. When these two teams met in Mons back in late October, Kortrijk won 0-1.

Although weather conditions this evening were still and not too cold, the pitch has certainly taken a hit from the recent poor conditions, with plenty of bare and sandy patches, with plenty of bobbles in evidence. Surprisingly, right from the start, it was the struggling visitors who were on the front foot, as the pattern emerged of Kortrijk looking really laboured, sloppy and slow to react, with Mons looking bright and doing most of the attacking, but were let down in and around the attacking penalty area. However, on 36 minutes the visitors took a deserved lead. A free kind from deep was headed away, falling at the feet of Thomas Chatelle just outside the area. He took a few touches before curling a lovely cross into the box and Noe Dussenne reacted quicker than the defenders to head the ball past the keeper.

0-1 was how it remained at half-time, a surprising but completely deserved scoreline. As expected, the home side upped the tempo after the break and looked more threatening, and they got an equaliser on 55 minutes. A long ball from their own half was flicked on, taking two covering Mons defenders out of the equation, allowing Steyn de Smit - who had only been introduced to the action at half-time, ran onto the ball before firing low past the keeper into the corner of the net. Kortrijk were dominating proceedings now, however Mons had the best chances to score on the break, on 62 minutes seeing a header from a cross just going over the bar, and on 69 minutes, a powerful header from a defender forced a reaction save from his own keeper. With time ticking by, Kortrijk looked less and less likely to score a winner and Mons looked happy with their point as they engaged in time wasting tactics. However in the fourth minute of added on time, the ball was crossed on the run from the left by Pieterjan Monteyne, which evaded several defenders allowing Shlomi Arbeitman to head home from close range at the far post, to cue wild celebrations. It was to prove virtually the last touch of the game to secure a rather stunning victory for struggling Mons, but the result seemed to be on the cards throughout thanks to Kortrijk's lethargy. The three points will do little for Mons in terms of league position, as they are consigned to the relegation play-offs barring a mathematical miracle, but they will hope that confidence will be raised from this game to take forward. Kortrijk will surely now have to make do with a Europa play-off spot. Although this game was not the most entertaining, a visit to the Guldensporenstadion was an enjoyable experience, with a pleasant feeling amongst the plans and there is a feeling that the club is in tune with its supporters, illustrated best of all when the players later went to the bar underneath the seated stand after the game for a disco. Whilst the stadium did not make me drool, it still had a nice old-school feel to it, which made it a refreshing change from modern stadia.

Highlights of this match can be viewed here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8BF8-D8_R3Y

Dover Athletic 2 v 0 Bath City

Saturday 15th February 2014
Conference South
Crabble Athletic Ground, Dover
Admission: £13.00
Programme: £2.50
Attendance: 535
Match Rating: 4

With yet more torrential rain falling in the previous couple of days - in what has been recently noted as the wettest winter in England for some 250 years, the majority of non-league games in the south-east were postponed today, with a total wipe out of fixtures in the Southern Counties East and Combined Counties leagues, and just one game, at Storrington, surviving in the entire Sussex County League. I decided to head to Dover, whose recent acquisition of a "blotter" machine ensured that this game was never really in doubt. Dover Athletic is a club I followed closely back in the nineties, although this would be my first visit to the Crabble in almost nine years.

The Crabble is located a couple of miles north-west uphill from the town centre, and had not changed since my last visit, apart from a new brick clubhouse in one corner of the ground. The ground enjoys a very nice setting, perched on one side of a valley and closely lined with trees on a hill to one side with a view across the valley to the other. The facilities are not easy on the eye, though. As one enters the ground by the half way line, the clubhouse is situated to the right and a small all-seater stand to the left. Standing is only permitted in a very small area along this length. Along the opposite side is an all-seater stand with lots of supporting pillars to obstruct one's view, and behind both goals is covered terracing, again with lots of supporting pillars. These latter three stands are metallic, grey coloured - functional, but completely devoid of any charm or character, but they do each have a small electronic scoreboard which is a very nice touch at this level. There is a noticeable slope from side to side. Although the programme was rather expensive for this level, it is professionally designed and produced with plenty of interesting content.

This game would be between two teams in good form pushing hard for a play-off places. Dover went into this game in eighth place, three points off of the play-off places, and were unbeaten in their previous four games. Bath were in fourth place, five points ahead of Dover but having played three games more. Claiming through one automatic promotion place looks a tall order for Bath, with leaders Bromley 17 points ahead having played two games less. Bath were in very good recent form though, having won their last three games. Dover have already beaten Bath twice this season, winning 0-2 away in September, and 1-0 in the FA Trophy in November.

On a bright afternoon but with a very strong gusty wind and with an understandably heavy pitch containing patches of sand, this game was very much one of two halves, the first half was an entertaining affair with plenty of chances at both ends, but Bath had the clearer chances and will have kicked themselves at not opening up a lead at half time.

Into the second half and Dover increasingly dominated proceedings, aided by the strong wind behind them, and they took the lead on 53 minutes with a fairly scrappy goal. Tom Wynter fired two powerful shots on goal in quick succession, both parried by the keeper, before Barry Cogan tapped the ball home. Within a couple of minutes, Bath almost got back on level terms when a Dover defender deflected the ball onto his own post, but that was a very rare chance for Bath in the second half. Dover doubled their lead on 64 minuted when Ricky Modeste ran onto a flick-on and lifted the ball over the onrushing keeper and into the net. It turned out that that sealed the three points, as Dover completely dominated the last 20 minutes, having several fabulous chances to extend their lead, whilst Bath looked a beaten side, blown away by a very strong second half performance by the home side. The deserved three points lifted Dover into sixth place, two points behind Bath, now occupying the final play-off positions.

Maidstone United 3 v 0 Cray Wanderers

Tuesday 11th February 2014
Isthmian League Premier Division
James Whatman Way, Maidstone
Admission: £10.00
Programme: £2.00
Attendance: 1,292
Match Rating: 3

With the seemingly never-ending rain falling in southern England currently, with particularly heavy rain falling again this morning, it was no real surprise when my Crowborough’s home game, along with every other game in the Sussex League this evening, was called off. Fancying some football this evening, I made my way to Maidstone and a venue that would be unaffected by rainfall, thanks to the 3G surface at James Whatman Way.

If ever there was a home banker, this game would surely be it. Maidstone United went to the top of the division at the weekend, partly thanks to having played more games than most teams below them, and have taken 60 points from their 30 games played, with an unbeaten home record in the league, winning eight and drawing the rest of their 17 home games so far. It has been a disastrous season so far for Cray Wanderers, who sit rooted at the bottom of the table, with just 14 points from their 28 games, and are 12 points adrift of safety and have lost eight of their last nine league games – a win coming against Carshalton Athletic, with who Cray are currently level on points. When the two teams met back in September, Maidstone came away from Hayes Lane with a 0-5 victory.


On a cool but mercifully dry evening, the first half was open and surprisingly even, with Cray creating plenty of chances and could easily have opened the scoring. Maidstone had their chances too, and on 24 minutes they were awarded a penalty when Tom Mills was bundled over by former Charlton youngster Alex Stavrinou. However, Frannie Collin saw his shot come back off the post and was eventually cleared to safety. As the match passed the half hour mark, it was delayed for a quarter of an hour when the referee pulled up with a groin strain. An appeal over the tannoy for a qualified official was successful, with a person from the crowd taking over linesman's duties from and one of the linesman becoming the referee. When play finally resumed, both sides continued to create chances, but the game retained a surprising goalless scoreline at half time.

Into the second half and Maidstone finally took control of the game as they went on to dominate the half. They opened the scoring on 51 minutes. Kaiyne Woolery crossed the ball into the box, Collin and Zac Attwood couldn't get a shot on goal but the ball spilt across the goal to Alex Flisher who side footed into the net. The home side then had chance after chance after chance to put the game to bed, but the ball was repeatedly blazed high and/or wide of the goal when in very good positions. Cray still seemed to have a goal in them and one had the feeling that Maidstone might be made to pay for spurning so many chances. However, on 77 minutes, Maidstone created some breathing space with their second, when Collins did well to get a cross from the byline and Dan Parkinson tapped the ball home from a central position. In added on time at the end of the game, Maidstone were awarded their second penalty of the evening when Luke Rooney was brought down in the box by Jordan Bird. There then followed a somewhat unseemly debate between Rooney and Attwood about who would take the penalty. Attwood finally got his way, and he hit the penalty over the keeper's dive to his right. 3-0 was how it ended, and although it was a deserved scoreline for the homeside and in fact could have been more emphatic, Cray could take plenty of positives from this game. They have a mountain to climb to escape relegation, however with similar performances to tonight's in the games to come, they may have a chance of survival.

Dagenham and Redbridge 0 v 2 Hartlepool United

Saturday 8th February 2014
Football League Two
Victoria Road, Dagenham
Admission: £2.50
Programme: £3.00
Attendance: 3,357
Match Rating: 2

A revisit to Victoria Road has been on my radar for some time now, with my only previous visit way back in 1995, when league football was something of a pipe dream for a club only formed three years previously following a merger. I decided today would be the day, taking advantage of unbelievably cheap advance purchase tickets, on the club's annual 'Daggers Against Racism' day. I will almost always choose a terrace place when given the choice at a Football League ground, as I did today for the princely sum of £2.50, although even seating cost just £9.99 today. However, tickets bought on the day were full-price - £17.00 for standing and between £18 and £21 for seating.

Victoria Road is about a ten minute walk from Dagenham East tube station, and has quite a nice mix of old and new. Those holding a terrace ticket enter in one corner and then may choose whether to stand on an uncovered terrace consisting of about a dozen steps behind a goal, or along a length where the terrace is covered by an old-fashioned structure. Along the opposite length is the main, fairly modern all-seater stand taking up about two thirds of the length with about a dozen rows, whilst in the remaining third, in a corner, is a separate all-seater stand. Behind the remaining goal is a large modern all-seater stand.

This match would be between two mid-table teams. Dagenham went into this game in ninth place, two places but eight points adrift of a play-off positions having played a game more than all four teams currently in the play-offs. A good away win at Rochdale last week arrested a slide that saw them pick up just two points from their previous four games, and a win and three draws from nine games. Hartlepool were in 15th place in the 24 team division, six points clear of the relegation positions but have played a game more. They also haven't been in the best of form either, picking up just a win and a draw from their last six games.

Heavy rain fell as the teams strode onto the pitch, although happily that gave way to sunshine within a few minutes of kick-off. Dagenham and Redbridge had much the better of the first half, creating numerous chances but they just couldn't find the back of the net, although Luke Wilkinson saw his header from a free kick hit the crossbar.

The second half started quite slowly, although on 62 minutes, Dagenham had a goal disallowed after top scorer Rhys Murphy was adjudged to have fouled a defender before going onto slot the ball past the keeper. Hartlepool then took the lead on 69 minutes, even though they had barely threatened previously. Luke Williams hit a powerful shot from about 30 yards, which took a wicked deflection and the ball looped over the keeper and into the net. The visitors had their best spell of the game after scoring as Dagenham and Redbridge seemed to run out of ideas and never really looked like scoring. Hartlepool eventually secured the points when they scored their second. The ball was curled in from the right, was knocked down at the far post and Andy Monkhouse tapped the ball home through a defender's legs. In the end, it was a deserved victory for the away side for sale very solid second half performance, whilst Dagenham will surely be disappointed with a pretty ineffectual performance in front of their biggest crowd of the season.

Video highlights can be found at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y5paNOEoj5Y

Tunbridge Wells 2 v 4 Corinthian

Tuesday 4th February 2014
Southern Counties East Football League
Culverden Stadium, Tunbridge Wells
Admission: £6.00
Programme: £1.50
Attendance: 146
Match Rating: 3

After only seeing one midweek game so far in 2014, it came as a relief when the Culverden Stadium - notoriously susceptible to waterlogging at the best of times - passed a midday pitch inspection, thanks to a couple of dry days.

Tonight would be my first visit to the Culverden since mid November, when they edged a local derby with Crowborough Athletic in the FA Vase. As they were then, they continue to be amongst the leading pack in the Southern Counties East League, going into this game in fourth place, and they would go top tonight, as this would the only game in the division this evening and they trailed leaders Ashford United by two points, although Ashford would have played three less games. Tunbridge Wells are level on points with third placed Whyteleafe, but have played two games more. Corinthian occupy a comfortable mid-table position, in seventh place in the 17 team division, but with ten points less than Tunbridge Wells. However, recent history of encounters between the two sides actually favoured the visitors this evening, with Corinthian having won the last five matches, and Tunbridge Wells not triumphing since 2010.

On a bitterly cold night, with dry conditions at kick off, it was the visitors who adapted better to a heavy pitch, playing some very neat and incisive attacking football, whilst Tunbridge Wells looked rather sloppy and off the pace. Corinthian were awarded a penalty when Adam Marsh burst into the box before being brought down by the Tunbridge Wells keeper, Michele Czanner, earning him a yellow card. Ben Wilson drove the penalty down the middle to give Corinthian the lead. On 37 minutes, Tunbridge Wells were back on level terms. Awarded a free kick in a central position just outside the penalty area, Tom Davey curled the ball into the top right hand corner of the net. The visitors almost went back in front within a couple of minutes, first having a free kick from 30 yards tipped over the bar, then following a corner, a miss kick from a defender saw the ball fall at the feet of a striker about 10 yards out at a slight angle, but saw his powerful drive skim the top of the crossbar. On 41 minutes, the Wells took a lead they barely deserved when the ball was scrappily played forwards, before Ian Parsons poked the ball into the net.

Into the second half and with, by now, a strong wind behind them, Corinthian got a deserved equaliser. A free kick from deep was curled into the area, the keeper could only fumble the ball when he really should have done better, and Justin Asheri applied the finish. On 74 minutes the visitors went back into the lead when a quick counter attack saw some lovely quick passes forward ended with Derek Gayle shooting low across the keeper and into the net. Two minutes later and Corinthian sealed the three points when Adam Marsh saw his curled-in corner go through the keeper's hands and into the net. The game rather petered out after this, with all too familiar squally rain arriving for the last ten minutes and so it was Corinthian who continued to be Tunbridge Wells bogey side with a deserved win. In front of their lowest attendance by some distance this year, despite carving out some reasonable chances, this was a poor performance by the Wells, one they couldn't really afford if they hope to win the league this season, considering how consistent Ashford United and Whyteleafe are this year.

Wigan Athletic 2 v 1 Charlton Athletic

Saturday 1st February 2014
Football League Championship
DW Stadium, Wigan
Admission: £15.00
Programme: £3.00
Attendance: 14,341
Match Rating: 3

A first ever visit to the DW Stadium was on my shortlist for a Charlton awayday as soon as this season's fixtures were released, and was confirmed once I realised Wigan's refreshingly excellent pricing policy for this game - although no real surprise given that Dave Whelan is the chairman - and reasonably priced train tickets booked way back in November.

The DW Stadium is about a 20 minute walk westwards from Wigan North Western rail station, via a not particularly pleasant stroll through industrial estates, scrap yards and waste land. On arrival at the ground, it proved to be an unremarkable modern stadium, although it is very neat and tidy. All stands have similar designs, single-tiered with a curved roof, and a fairly steep incline between seating rows ensure perfect unobstructed views. The 84 page programme, with a glossy and hardened cover, was fairly standard fare for this level. Very professionally produced, it had plenty of articles but seemed to lack enough to retain one's interest.

It is fair to say the current situation for Charlton is uncertain and precarious. Having fallen into the relegation zone following a 3-0 defeat at Doncaster on Thuesday, Charlton sold their talisman, Yann Kermorgant, and their most creative midfielder, Dale Stephens as they neared the end of their contracts, replacing them with unknown quantities from abroad who have not played football in England before. Time will tell if these were shrewd or suicidal dealings come May. Charlton were in 22nd place with 24 points from 26 games, two points adrift of safety. Wigan haven't had a great season either following their relegation from the Premiership, having sacked Owen Coyle and replaced him with Uwe Rosler. They have gained 37 points from 26 games and are in eleventh place, seven points adrift from the play-off places. History didn't favour Charlton getting a result - they had not won at the DW Stadium in two previous visits. Earlier in the season, the two teams played out an entertaining goalless draw at the Valley.

On a cold afternoon with drizzle soon arriving after kick-off, the match had an explosive start, with Charlton taking the lead in the third minute. Johnnie Jackson threaded a ball through the defence for Marvin Sordell to run onto, before cooly slotting past the keeper. The home side pressed hard to get back on level terms, although Charlton had the clearest chance to score again, when Reza Ghoochannjhad, the Iranian making his debut today, saw his long range shot saved by the keeper, and soon after, he hit a fantastic volley from thea slight angle at the edge of the area that hit the crossbar. Sordell had a good chance to score again but in a similar situation to the one where he scored, this time he tried to take the ball around the keeper, who this time smothered the ball. Wigan hit the woodwork twice before half time, but it was the visitors who retained their slender lead.

Within a couple of minutes of the restart, it seemed that Wigan had got back on level terms, when Nicky Maynard poked the ball home via a deflection off a defender following a scramble in the penalty area, but the goal was eventually ruled out for offside after the referee consulted with his assistant. It appeared that Charlton "got away "with that one. That set the tone for the second half though, as Wigan launched countless attacks and almost all of the play was in Wigan's attacking half. Charlton defended well, although they also rode their luck at times with some desperate clearances and tackles. It seemed that the visitors would somehow hold out for a heroic away win, but eventually it was all three substitutes who turned the game on its head. With just a minute of normal time left, sub Josh McEachran sliced a pass through the defence and into the path of fellow sub Marc Antoine Fortune, who poked the ball gently into the corner of the net. Charlton would surely have taken a point before the game however it turned out they would not even get that. Another sub, Jordi Gomez, was brought down on the edge of the box, and from the resultant free-kick, Gomez curled a free kick low around the defensive wall to the opposite side the keeper was guarding and into the net. Although defeat under such circumstances was incredibly harsh on Charlton, it would have been even harsher on Wigan, who attacked relentlessly in the second half in particular.

Video highlights of this game can be found at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4HhvONawTEY