Foxbury Avenue, Chislehurst
Kent Invicta League
Admission including Programme: £5.00
Attendance: 110
Match Rating: 3
At the conclusion of my morning game at Cowfold, there were no local games in that part of the world that I had not already visited, and so I decided to head north eastwards to south-east London in my quest for a new tick.
Foxbury Avenue is located to the east of Chislehurst, and in just about every respect, is a really pleasant and impressive venue. Somewhat surprisingly for a venue deep in London suburbia, once one enters the complex down quite a long road, one is confronted with a pleasantly rural scene, with the fenced off main pitch and training pitches bordered by trees. After a couple of seasons sharing Holmesdale's Oakley Road ground, Glebe have quickly developed this ground this year, and the progress has been quite remarkable. The clubhouse is situated outside and above the football pitch, and is spacious and pleasantly decorated with good facilities, even with it seemingly still not being quite finished. A spacious patio area with picnic tables outside makes for a pleasant place to loiter. Spectators pay their admission at a window at the clubhouse before showing their programme at the entrance to the football ground. Once inside, the ground isn't the finished article yet, but currently the ground is enclosed by attractive wooden panel fencing and has hard standing down one length and behind one goal, with just grass along the remaining sides. A small Atcost all-seater stand has been positioned straddling the half way line just a couple of days previously, and another is due to be positioned next to it imminently. Floodlights are also being installed soon. A 16 page programme was included with admission and was colourful, containing plenty of photos and contained some interesting reading and the basic background to the game.
Glebe have made a good start to their season, winning two and drawing the other of their three league games so far. Eltham Palace, who have entered into a groundsharing arrangement with Glebe this season, have had an interesting start to their season, having lost their first three games, all away and including a 13-0 defeat at Gravesham Borough, but won 0-1 away at Sutton Athletic on Saturday.
On an overcast afternoon, although happily the earlier rain had relented, after Glebe dominated the early exchanges, they deservedly took the lead on 13 minutes when a long ball from their own half fell at the feet of Ryan Golding, who took a touch before tapping the ball past the keeper. Glebe doubled their lead on 20 minutes when the ball was played in from a free kick to the far post and Carson Dennis headed home from a tight angle. Two minutes later and the visitors had a great chance to get back in the game but when through on goal, their striker's shot hit the keeper's legs. On 31 minutes, Jamie Williams evaded some half hearted challenges before drilling the ball low through the keeper and into the far corner, and within a minute, Glebe pretty much sealed the win when Danny Gannon drilled the ball into the net deflecting off the keeper. Somehow, the home side didn't add to their four goal lead by the time half time arrived, as the visitors looked in danger whenever the home team mounted an attack.
Into the second half and Eltham Palace looked a much more solid outfit without ever looking likely to reduce the arrears, and Glebe stretched their lead to five on 62 minutes when Jaie Nuttall curled a lovely shot from the edge of the area and inside the near post. After some more fortunate escapes for the visitors, they did concede a sixth on 74 minutes when Gannon lobbed the keeper, and Golding also scored his second of the game and Glebe's seventh when he tucked the ball home after the keeper parried the initial shot. They had a chance to make it eight a couple of minutes from time when they were awarded a penalty after the visiting keeper brought the striker down. The keeper redeemed himself by saving the penalty, and the score remained at seven as the final whistle blew.
So a thoroughly convincing win for Glebe, although they were certainly helped by some dreadful defending by the visitors, who far too easily seemed to let their heads drop. It looks likely to be a long season for them. Things certainly look promising for Glebe, with the team on the pitch appearing to match the club's impressive development off of it, although there will certainly be much tougher tests to come than they encountered from their tenants today.
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