Dorking Wanderers 8 v 0 Lowestoft Town

Saturday 28th April 2018
Isthmian League Premier Division
Westhumble Playing Fields, Dorking
Admission: Free
Programme: £2.00
Attendance: 343

Although this match would represent a revisit for me, my only previous visit was nine years ago, when the ground was much more basic that it has become in recent years, and this would represent the last opportunity to visit one of the more unique and picturesque senior football venues in this part of the world, before the club moves into the newly refurbished Meadowbank in the centre of town. It was also a bonus that the club offered free admission to mark the last ever senior match to be played at the Westhumble Playing Fields.

Although Boxhill & Westhumble, Dorking and Dorking Deepdene train stations are the closest stations to the Westhumble Playing Fields, I decided to alight at Betchworth station and take on the three and a half mile walk mostly along the North Downs Way past Box Hill, which was not an easy walk, with steep ascents and descents on an often slippery path following recent rain, but which offered fabulous panoramic views of the Surrey countryside and the town of Dorking along the way. After crossing the busy A25 dual carriageway, the metallic turnstile block is a short distance along a path, between a small area for parking and secondary football pitches. Spectators enter the ground in one corner, and the length closest to the entrance is inaccessible to spectators, with dark green sheet fencing along the length. A small modern stand covers a few steps to stand on just before the goal, and beyond the goal is the players’ path from the wooden changing rooms set some way back from the pitch, underneath tall trees. Along the far length, there is an all-seater stand straddling the half way line, a further wooden seated stand, and then a wooden building housing the clubhouse and a refreshments window. Trains pass by occasionally along the line just behind this length, and one can also appreciate the spectacular back drop of Box Hill behind the opposite side. Behind the remaining goal, a temporary looking all-seater stand has been erected, with tarpaulin style roof, which stretches from close to the corner flag to behind the goal. Wooden pitchside railings complete the wooden appearance of the ground, which lends itself very well to the rural location, and presumably the facilities have been installed sympathetically in this area of outstanding natural beauty. There has certainly been a remarkable transformation of the ground since my last visit, mirroring the club’s remarkable progression on the pitch from intermediate football in the Sussex County League Division Three when I last visited in 2009, to step 3 of non league football this season, and although moving to the completely refurbished Meadowbank ground – formerly home of Dorking FC – will certainly represent an upgrade in facilities with the considerable added bonus of having a town centre location, it does seem quite sad that a venue that has had so much hard work put into it, not to mention its lovely setting, will be consigned to history. Although the ground will still be used by the club mainly as a training facility, it will mostly be dismantled over the summer. The programme was a very good effort, perhaps a bumper edition to mark the last game at Westhumble. The 60 pages contained plenty of memories about the ground and the club’s history, as well as an update on the new ground they'll be moving into, as well as plenty of information about today’s fixture and the league stats and facts.

Dorking Wanderers have had a solid debut season at this level, promoted via the Play-Offs last season, coming into this game in 17th place in the 24 team division, following 15 wins and ten draws from their 45 league games. A fixture pile-up, which has already seen them play 10 games (and a cup game) in April, has seemingly taken its toll on Dorking's form, picking up only eight games. Lowestoft have had a turbulent end to their season when their very existence has been in considerable doubt thanks to severe financial problems, and so it is no surprise that they have tumbled down the division, although after an awful March, when the extent of their woes was revealed, they lost all four league games during that month, April has been better, picking up two wins and a draw from their six league games. They came into this game third bottom in the division, following twelve wins and seven draws from their 45 league games, and they are certain to finish there, irrespective of today’s results, and can prepare for another season on Isthmian League Premier Division football next season. When the two teams met in January, the matched ended goalless.

To fully enjoy the countryside surroundings here, I was very much hoping for a sunny day with clear skies – but I was to be disappointed, as grey and dank conditions prevailed. After Dorking's manager and chairman Marc White gave a speech on the pitch outlining Westhumble's and the club’s history as well as the excitement for the future at Meadowbank, Lowestoft actually looked the better side in the opening ten minutes or so, but it soon became clear that Dorking would cause problems with their quick attacks and crosses into the box. A minute after they saw a goalbound header headed off the line, Dorking took the lead on 16 minutes, when a lovely cross from the left was headed home by Dan Pearse. They doubled their lead six minutes later with a wonderful goal, Pearse setting himself about 25 yards out before shooting the ball into the top right corner with the keeper motionless. They scored a third and what felt like the decisive goal on the stroke of half time, following a lovely aerial ball over the defence for a forward to run into down the right, and after a couple of smart passed, Tom Tolfrey received the ball in a central position eight yards out, turned and struck the ball past the keeper.

Dorking really went up through the gears in the second half, barely easing off as the team appeared determined to put in a performance to remember on the club’s final match at Westhumble. Within a minute of the restart, Daniel Walker ran in from the right before firing in a shot across the keeper and into the net. They made it five on 56 minutes, Lewis Taylor slotting the ball home, and Gareth Chendlik made it six on 76 minutes following a quick break, and Guiseppe Sole made it seven on 81 minutes with a curled shot inside the far post. Chendlik made it right on 83 minutes following a high cross to the back post, taking a touch before slotting the ball across the keeper into the net. Double figures looked a distinct possibility, and certainly should have been with other chances spurned throughout the game, but the visitors saw the game out without any further damage.

So Dorking Wanderers certainly gave Westhumble a terrific send-off, playing some excellent attacking football which was lovely to watch at times. One sensed a bitter-sweet feeling around the club today – some sadness at saying farewell to a lovely ground which has followed the club on its meteoric rise up the pyramid, but excitement at the new chapter opening at their new ground next season. As for Lowestoft, it was probably an achievement for them just to put a team out following their financial difficulties, and after confirming that they will be able to retain their place at this level of the pyramid next season, they’ll no doubt be hoping to be able to rebuild a more competitive team for next season.

Rye Town 2 v 0 Northiam 75

Monday 23rd April 2018
East Sussex League Premier Division and Division One Cup Final
Pilot Field, Hastings
Admission including Programme: £3.00
Attendance: 150 (estimate)
Match Rating: 3

 

This evening I decided to take in my second cup final in the East Sussex League this season, for what is arguably the showpiece event of the East Sussex League season, held at the Pilot Field, home of Hastings United.

The two finalists for this seasons Premier Division and Division One Cup Final had two refreshingly unfamiliar teams, at least in terms of success in the East Sussex League, and indeed there would be a new name on the cup by the end of the evening, as neither club had previously won this competition. Rye Town were formed in 2016, out of the ashes of Rye United who abruptly quit what was then the Sussex County League Premier Division in spring 2014. After being promoted from Division One of the East Sussex League in their first season last season, they have held their own in the top flight and came into this game in fourth place in the Premier Division, following eight wins and five draws from their 16 league games. Northiam have had a great season, not only reaching this evening’s final as a second tier, Division One, club, but they are also assured of at least a second placed finish. They currently lead the table by nine points with one game left to play, following 11 wins and four draws from their 17 league games, but they only have one game left, whereas second placed Bexhill AAC have 6 games left. To reach this evening’s final, Rye had beaten The J.C. Tackleway 3-5 away, Hastings Rangers 10-0 at home, Bexhill AAC 3-1 at home, and perennial favourites in the East Sussex League, Hollington United 2-1 at home. Northiam have won 3-4 at Westfield II, Mountfield United 3-1 at home,and  Sidley United 0-3 away.

On a bright, sunny but somewhat chilly evening, and with a good crowd in attendance, this was an entertaining game to watch, and one that was simply won by the team who managed to put their chances away. Northiam looked the most threatening team, doing most of the attacking, but they just could not put any of their chances away. Rye opened the scoring on the half hour. The ball was lumped forward high for the striker to chase, and in a tussle with a defender, Richard Weller managed to wriggle free into space before firing home a low diagonal shot across the keeper and into the net. Northiam had a couple of chances in quick succession on 37 minutes following a long throw in, but it was Rye who retained their slender lead at the interval.

Northiam had several decent chances to level the scores- on 56 minutes, a shot from the edge of the area came back off the top corner of the woodwork, and on 68 minutes, had an even better chance, after a couple of Rye defenders got in each other’s way, the Northiam forward dribbled free before passing low to a team mate in a more central position 8 yards out, but the keeper kept out the resultant show with a great reflex block. Rye then won the game with their second goal on 78 minutes. The keeper came out to claim a high ball crossed from wide but fumbled the ball, which in the end broke to Sam Richardson, who fired a lovely shot from the edge of the area into the far side of the net. Northiam continued to press, but it was just to be their night, as Rye lifted the trophy on the pitch shortly after the final whistle. Whilst this evening was disappointing to Northiam, this should still prove to be a very successful season for the club, achieving promotion and with two cup finals yet to contest, in which they probably would be considered favourites.

Sunderland 1 v 2 Burton Albion

Saturday 21st April 2018
English Football League Championship
Stadium of Light, Sunderland
Admission: £25.00 (South Stand)
Programme: £3.00
Attendance: 25,475
Match Rating: 3

Not only did I take advantage of a Virgin East Coast rail sale to reduce the cost of a return journey from London to Newcastle ticket to £41.00, but using Nectar points meant all I actually paid was just the princely sum of £1.00. It would be a relief to finally get to tick off the Stadium of Light, which was always likely to be tricky and expensive from the south east corner of England. It looked like it might not have happened today either, when Sunderland AFC announced in the lead up to the match that tickets for this fixture would only be available to those with a previous purchasing history, to try to prevent Newcastle fans floating in the demise of their fierce rivals. But I tried my luck on the club’s ticket portal and was successful, and it was a big relief when the tickets arrived in yesterday's post.

After arriving in Newcastle, I immediately made my way to the metro for a 25 minute journey to the Stadium of Light station, which is smartly decorated in the football club’s colours, and then embarked on a further ten minute walk to the stadium itself. Whilst it is another modern bowl stadium, there are some interesting nods to the club's and site's history around the outside. A standalone tall brick building a little distance away from the stadium houses the ticket office, and in front of it is there is large miner's lamp which was “burning” bright inside. A statue of Bob Stokoe is positioned close to one corner of the stadium. The side with the main entrance is by far the most attractive side, with gates featuring the club’s logo, and to one side a large wheel is positioned, in tribute to the colliery that was previously on the site. Once inside, the stadium has wraparound seating, with three tiers along one length and behind one goal - with away fans given a small section in one corner of the top tier – whilst the other two tiers are two tiered. As would be expected, views are excellent and unobstructed, with good incline between rows and sufficient legroom. The programme was fairly standard Football League fare, consisting of 68 pages and was interesting to read and was well presented.

This match was most likely to be the battle of the wooden spoon, with the loser virtually consigned to relegation and even any winner today would most likely join them. No great surprise to see Burton Albion, who are doing astonishingly well just to be in the Championship for their second season, second bottom and five points adrift of safety with three league games left to play. They surprisingly beat Derby 3-1 at home last Saturday, but previously had picked up just three points from three draws from their previous nine games. Arguably more of a surprise is to see Sunderland rock bottom, a point adrift of Burton, so six points adrift of safety. Appointing the successful Wales manager Chris Coleman certainly hasn’t reinvigorated the club, picking up just 12 points from 18 games since the turn of the year. When the two teams met in late November, Sunderland won 0-2 thanks to two late goals.

On a warm afternoon under clear blue skies, this match followed a fairly predictable pattern of being low on quality, with both teams far too readily giving away possession, although Sunderland were always in the slight ascendancy. They managed to score the crucial opening goal on 34 minutes after Ashley Fletcher ran at a couple of defenders into the box before laying the ball off to Paddy McNair just outside the area and he struck a low, first-time shot which went past the keeper. Shortly after, the visitors had a great chance to equalise when the ball fell to an unmarked Joe Sbarra at the back post, but he scuffed his first time shot wide. But generally, it was surprising a rather lethargic performance from the visitors in the first half, and Sunderland deserved their narrow lead at the break.

Burton certainly upper their game after the break, but rarely carried much of a threat nor looked likely to get back on level terms, although they did make the home keeper work more. On 73 minutes they brought on Darren Bent. As a Charlton fan, I have great memories of his goalscoring record, and of him being a general nice guy who left on positive terms when we were relegated from the Premiership. Sunderland fans certainly do not hold those same feelings following his spell at their club as he was loudly booed and abused before and after he came on. So little surprise that he was the one who got Burton back on level terms on 86 minutes. After a little scramble in the box, the ball was cleared out only as far as Hope Akpan just outside the area, and he took a touch before firing in a shot from the edge of the area which the home keeper Luke Steele could only party into the air, allowing Bent to nod the ball just out of the keeper’s reach and into the net. Sunderland then came close to retaking the lead when a free kick from the left was headed on by John O'Shea, but the ball came back off the crossbar. But it was Burton who took the lead in the second minute of added on time. Ben Turner swung in a cross from the left wing and club record signing Liam Boyce, making only his second appearance after being injured soon after his arrival last summer, headed the ball just past the keeper’s clutches and inside the far post. But the drama certainty didn’t end there, as Sunderland bundled the ball into the net six minutes into added on time. The Burton defenders rushed over to the linesman claiming handball by Fletcher, and when the linesman called the referee over, the goal was disallowed. Video replays showed this to be the correct decision, and the final whistle blew shortly afterwards.

So, a crucial result that gives Burton real hope of staying up – next Saturday, they play Bolton, the team immediately above the relegation zone and whom they now trail by just two points, although Barnsley, between the two clubs and on the same points tally as Burton, have a game in hand on both. As for Sunderland, this result confirmed back to back relegations, from the Premier League last season to League One next, and one wonders whether Chris Coleman must be ruing giving up the Wales national team job last autumn for the poisoned chalice at a club that has appeared in terminal decline for some time now. But with a change of ownership to come, their time will come again no doubt.