Robertsbridge Junior Cup Semi Final
Recreation Ground, Northiam
Admission and Programme: None
Attendance: 39 (head count)
Match Rating:3
A return to the “silly season” for me this evening, with a
trip into rural East Sussex to watch some junior level football at a club whose
biggest claim to fame is probably being where Neil Ruddock finished his playing
days
The Northiam Recreation Ground is located close to the
centre of the village, and an interesting point to note as you enter the gates
is a sign indicating that they were erected by the parishioners of Northiam to
commemorate the visit of the British, Canadian, South African and South
Rhodesian prime ministers in 1944. Once inside the ground, one walks through
some a recreational area featuring a playground and outdoor fitness aids, until
one reaches the football pitch itself at the far end of the ground. A wooden
clubhouse is situated on one side straddling the halfway line, whilst around
three sides of the ground are a combination of hedges, trees, and fairly
attractive buildings in the distance, giving the ground a very pleasant rural
feel to it.
This evening’s match would be an interesting cup semi-final,
with the host team a division below the visitors in the East Sussex League. Northiam
are in fourth place in Division Three, with a good chance of earning promotion.
They have earned 31 points from their 17 games, seven points behind second
placed Punnetts Town but with four games in hand. Hawkhurst United are in fifth
place in Division Two, with 22 points from 13 games, and although they have
games in hand on all of the teams above them, a position in the top two to earn
promotion looks beyond them. To reach this stage of the cup, Northiam have
beaten Division Four outfit West Hill United of Division Five 2-0 and
Wittersham II 6-1, both games at home, whilst Hawkhurst United have beaten
Bexhill AAC, of Division One, 3-1 at home and Peasmarsh, of Division Four, 0-4
away.
On a gloriously sunny and warm evening, with a decent crowd
assembled, it was Northiam who had the first real chance of the game on three
minutes, a powerful shot from close range forcing a very good save from the
keeper. Apart from that, Hawkhurst dominated the half, hitting the post on 22
minutes with a header from a curling cross to the back post. A minute later
though and the visitors did take the lead, a low through ball beat the offside
trap and Daniel Mcgahan kept his cool to take his time before slotting the ball
through the keeper and into the net. Hawkhurst had a header from a corner
cleared off the line on 39 minutes, and they went into the interval with just a
one goal lead when they really should have had a more convincing lead.
After looking extremely limited in all areas of the pitch in the first half,
Northiam threatened much more after the break, and on 48 minutes saw a weak
shot hit the post and on 60 minutes they had a shot following a corner cleared
off the line. However, on 68 minutes, Hawkhurst scored their second to pretty
much deal the cup final date. An initial shot was well saved by the keeper and
after the ball wasn’t cleared, the ball was eventually fired into the net by Mcgahan for his second of the game. The
result never looked in any doubt after this, although Northiam did have a
couple of reasonable chances to reduce the arrears, and it was Hawkhurst who
advance to the final.
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