Waltham Abbey 3 v 3 Cheshunt

Monday 29th August 2016
Isthmian League Division One North
Capershotts, Waltham Abbey
Admission: £8.00
Programme: £2.00
Attendance: 252
Match Rating: 4

Unfortunately the usual bank holiday double for me was not really possible today, with two games at new grounds that I had not previously visited not do-able by public transport and driving through bank holiday traffic was an unpalatable option. And so I chose a more relaxing Bank Holiday than usual, for a very local derby, with just two and a half miles separating the two clubs, yet they are separated by the Hertfordshire/Essex county border.

Capershotts is about a half hour walk from Waltham Cross station, although on a warm sunny afternoon, I instead decided to walk from Cheshunt station, about a 45 minute walk, about half of which is through the Lea Valley Country Park, passing by the White Water Centre which was used in the London 2012 Olympics. On arriving at the ground, which is virtually adjacent to the M25, spectators walk through a car park, passing by the clubhouse, and then also the signposted main entrance, to reach a turnstile beyond the corner of the ground. In the modern era of sterile grounds with identikit stands, Capershotts is an absolute delight in being a hotchpotch of individual stands. In the entrance corner, the tea bar is housed in a portakabin, whilst along the length is an all-seater stand with a high roof and the back is attractively painted in club colours and initials. Beyond that stand is a standing area covered by corrugated iron held up with scaffolding. Behind the goal closest to the entrance is a brick stand covering a few terrace steps located in from of the changing rooms building, whilst around the rest of the ground there is just hard standing, and along the remaining length his makes a good vantage point as the path is slightly elevated. The character of the ground is enhanced with a sprinkling of trees around the perimeter, as well as allotments and a graveyard. The programme was reasonable, covering all the basics and impressively updated to include the score and reflection on Saturday’s game. Also worthy of note is the club's excellently priced admission fee, one of the lowest in the division and the same as some clubs in the step below in the pyramid are charging, It is a shame that such reasonable prices are not rewarded with higher attendances, usually struggling to break into three figures.

Waltham Abbey had a nervous end to last season, finishing fourth bottom and only 1 point clear of third bottom Wroxham, who were supposed to be relegated but were eventually reprieved. They have started this season in a similar vein, winning one and losing the other two of their opening three league games. Cheshunt, who have lofty ambitions these days and are in the progress of upgrading their home ground to host National League football, finished one position and six points adrift of the play-offs last season, have won two and drawn the other of their opening three league games this season.

This match certainly had an explosive start, with four goals coming in the opening 18 minutes. The visitors were awarded a penalty on 3 minutes for a trip in the box, and Jason Gallery sent the keeper the wrong way to give Cheshunt the lead. The home side got back on level terms when, following a corner played short, eventually the ball was played low forward into the feet of Ryan Blackman, who turned and shot the ball into the net. They went into the lead on 16 minutes when Ryan Flack got on the end of a low ball forward, knocked the ball to the side of the keeper and although he was some distance out wide, he struck the ball excellently into the far corner. But within a minute, Cheshunt were back on level terms. The keeper weakly and unnecessarily punched the ball away, only for Billy Jones to guide the ball over the defence and into the net. They went back into the lead on the half hour, when Jones sent a header across the keeper and into the net, with a defender on the line failing to keep the ball out with his hands. A breathless opening half hour gave way to a steadier remainder of the half, although one felt that there would be plenty more twists and turns in this game after the break.

That did not really prove to be the case though, as the game became more of a physical battle, with some increasingly aggressive tackles being put in. But Waltham Abbey did score an equaliser on 58 minutes. The ball was played back in the penalty area to Jack Daveney on the edge of the area, and he drilled a low shot just inside the post. Surprisingly, neither team looked likely to score a winner and the high scoring draw was a fair reflection of an even match with both defences looking more than a little suspect.

Andover New Street 0 v 2 United Services Portsmouth

Saturday 27th August 2016
Wessex League Division One
Foxcotte Park, Andover
Admission: £6.00
Programme: £1.00
Attendance: 45
Match Rating: 3

With engineering works again making a trip to north east Hampshire by train much more convenient than usual, I was eventually swayed to pay a visit to Foxcetts Park by a fellow groundhopper who gave the impression that this would be a very pleasant ground to visit in the summer months. I was not to be disappointed.

Foxcotte Park is about a half hour walk northwards from Andover rail station, through Charlton village and into the countryside, and the football ground is the first part of a sporting complex that one encounters from the main road. Spectators enter via a gap in the wooden perimeter fence and paying at a wooden hut, entering the ground along the length where all of the ground’s facilities are located. Straddling the half way line is the large brick clubhouse, which is spacious, attractive and welcoming inside, and with a covered terrace area outside. The tea bar is also located within this building. Towards the corner flag is an unusual looking stand, offering good elevated views from wooden bench seating inside this converted lorry. Whilst it is not especially beautiful, it is refreshing to come across a neat, unusual, home-made stand constructed to co ply with ground grading rather than just install the stand out of a catalogue. Around the rest of the ground there is just hard standing, and trees tightly line most of the ground, giving the ground a pleasantly green, rural and peaceful feel to it. After encountering two really dismal programmes at my last two games at this level, today’s 20 page programme was a big improvement, with a fairly attractive card cover, welcome messages from the chairman and manager, potted histories of both clubs and league table, amongst other relevant stats.

Neither of today’s sides have made great starts to their league campaigns, with Andover New Street winning one and losing the other three of their opening four league games, conceding 20 goals in the process. US Portsmouth have only played two games, drawing one and losing the other.

On a mainly overcast afternoon, with an oppressively muggy feel and claps of thunder in the build up to the match, this match got off to an explosive start, with the visitors taking the lead within a minute. Frankie Paige crossed to the back post and Connor Duffin headed the ball across the keeper and although he got a good touch on the ball, it found its way over the line. The game settled down into a midfield battle after that, with Andover struggling to create chances and US Portsmouth looking dangerous on the break, and on 37 minutes they broke quickly and Duffin saw his low shot saved by the keeper, and the rebound was headed tamely by Callum Coker. The hosts did come close to an equaliser on 39 minutes, when the keeper saved the ball curled low from a free kick.

Two minutes after the break, the visitors came close to doubling their lead when Duffin struck a powerful low shot when the ball came to him following a corner, but the shot was straight at the keeper. They did score their second on 55 minutes though, when Duffin floated the ball into the area from a free kick on the left wing, and Sean Snelling guided the ball into the net with a faint glancing header. One felt that that probably clinched the three points, as the hosts had looked impotent in attack thus far, and the next goal nearly came from the visitors when Tom Grice struck the ball fiercely from a free kick, forcing a finger tip save. Finally the hosts actually started to look threatening in the last ten minutes, as they created several decent chances and spent much of the time attacking the Portsmouth goal, but it was too little too late as US Portsmouth claimed a well deserved win.

Fleet Spurs 2 v 1 Alton

Saturday 20th August 2016
Wessex League Division One
Kennels Lane, Farnborough
Admission: £5.00
Programme: £1.00
Attendance: 33
Match Rating: 3

After none of the FA Cup matches on offer today were sufficiently tempting, rail engineering works actually made a trip to north east Hampshire more straightforward than usual for me. A local derby was on offer, as was a visit to a ground that is worth visiting during the brighter, longer days of summer.

Kennels Lane is about a half hour walk eastwards from Fleet train station, through the pleasant Fleet Pond Nature Reserve, and is situated in a rural location, apart from large BMW office buildings located behind one goal. Although the ground is fully enclosed, it is only by see through wire fencing, so that it would be easy to watch matches for free from outside if one is so inclined. Spectators enter the ground via a turnstile next to a fairly attractive brick building which houses all of the facilities available here. The clubhouse is small but bright, which is basically a tea bar which also serves cans of alcohol. In one corner there is a neat and tidy “gift shop” area. Built into the front of the building are two separate areas of covered seating, but this is set some way back from the pitch. Around the rest of the ground there is just hard standing, which is becoming rather overgrown with grass along the far length in particular. With trees all around the ground, a peaceful setting and some neat and attractive signage around the ground, it’s generally an attractive and well cared-for, if very modest, venue. The programme looked very impressive on the outside, but delivered very little – just a page each devoted to the history of both clubs, predicted team line-ups, but no fixture or time specific welcome message nor any fixture information.

Fleet Spurs have opened their league season with two away defeats, scoring five and conceding seven in the process. Alton have played four games so far, picking up a win and two draws from their three home games, losing their only away game so far. Last season, Alton Town finished in seventh place and Fleet Spurs in twelfth, but in April, Alton won last season’s fixture 3-7 at Kennels Lane, with Fleet winning 0-2 at Alton last November.

On what was anything but a typical August afternoon, with mainly dark skies, strong winds and squally showers, the visitors got off to a great start, taking the lead with just three minutes on the clock. After some good feet to create space in the outer corner of the area, the ball was passed low across to Declan Shuttleworth in a more central position, and he slotted the ball home with a simple finish. They almost doubled their lead on 11 minutes when a ball over the defence sent two Alton forwards through in goal, and one of them lobbed the keeper but saw the ball drop wide of the goal. That was to prove a costly miss as within a minute Fleet Spurs drew level. A lovely first time touch of the ball sent the forward clear of a defender, and he then shot the ball past the keeper. The home side then took the lead on 39 minutes when the ball from a corner fell at the back post and was headed home. On 42 minutes, Alton had a shot blocked, and they went into half time a goal down.

Into the second half and despite plenty of huff and puff, Alton rarely looked likely to get back on level terms, perhaps their best chance coming on 80 minutes when a diagonal cross into the box was met with a glancing header, forcing a flying catch by the keeper. Three minutes later and Fleet had their best chance of the half when the ball was hacked away from the goal line. But the two goals they had already scored proved enough to claim the win.

Despite a strong start to the match by the visitors - 10 minutes in, they looked most likely to go on to claim a convincing victory - Fleet came back strongly and once they took the lead, they always looked like they would comfortably hang on to their slender lead to claim their first win of the season.