Hadley 2 v 1 Crawley Green

Saturday 30th March 2019
Spartan South Midlands League Premier Division
Brickfield Lane, Arkley
Admission: Pay What You Want (standard admission £6.00)
Programme: Online Only
Attendance: 118

With a long day out planned next Saturday, I decided to stay relatively local today to tick off one of my nearest senior grounds that I had not yet visited. Another reason for choosing this game was to support an innovative promotion that the home club had devised to attract a higher attendance today (and for their other remaining home game next month). Spectators would be invited to "Pay What You Want", but with a twist - money would be collected as visitors left the ground, instead of when they enter.

Brickfield Lane is about a 40 minute walk from Elstree & Borehamwood train station, although buses regularly ply the route, and the ground is accessed by passing down a short private lane and then around the clubhouse, tastefully and attractively designed on the outside, modern and bright on the inside, with a large flat screen showing Premier League football. A small car park separates the clubhouse and the entrance to the ground, which is immediately behind one of the goals. A turnstile is located in the middle of wooden perimeter fencing, with club signage above and to the side. Facilities here are modest but perfectly adequate, and a lot of work has been undertaken to get the ground suitable for senior football - this is the third season that Brickfield Lane has hosted Spartan South Midlands League football, after having to groundshare at Potters Bar Town for eight long years. Straddling the half way line on one side is a modern metallic all-seater stand, whilst on the opposite side there is wooden cover for a flat standing area, with a step to the rear. There is just hard standing around the rest of the ground. The top of the clubhouse and a windmill are visible behind the wooden panel fencing along the entrance end, hedgerows line one length, behind the other goal there are trees, and there is a practice area behind the remaining length. Indeed, there is a lot to really like about the club. As well as being a leafy, neat and peaceful venue, and the "Pay What You Want When You Leave" promotion that was in place today, there was a really friendly and welcoming feel about the place, the club's supporters provide colourful and vocal support for their team, and another nice touch is the 50-50 competition, which is entered by throwing numbered tennis balls onto the pitch at half time - the closest numbered ball to the centre spot wins the thrower the cash prize. It's a very good idea which adds a bit of fun to the chance of winning some money, and it is really refreshing to see a club come up with novel ways of creating a welcoming, fun and enjoyable environment to raise money and attract supporters. Perhaps the only downside is that the club is one of a rapidly increasing number that no longer produces printed programmes, with a 16 page pdf version available for on the website, containing all of the essential info and stats.

An unintentional coincidence for me watching this game is that I watched the reverse fixture back in early December, which Crawley Green won 2-1. It was a rather surprising result given the respective league positions but, on the day, it was a deserved  win for the Luton based outfit. But now reaching the business end of the season, Hadley are chasing down the league title and with it promotion to the Isthmian League. They were in second place, three points behind Tring Athletic having played the same number of games. They had won 22 and drawn four of their 32 league games, with six games left to play, and are in good form, winning their last four league games and unbeaten in their last 11 league games. Crawley Green were in 11th place, having won 12 and drawn seven of their 33 league games, and they came into this game in not the best of form, having picked up just two points from their last six league games, and one win in their last eleven, with a change in management occuring during that spell.

On a warm, sunny afternoon, the opening exchanges were quite even, but Hadley took the lead on 9 minutes. A long diagonal low ball into the box set the striker in a race to the ball with the keeper, and the keeper just managed to get a touch on the ball to avoid conceding a penalty, but the loose ball was retrieved by Alfie Bartram and he steered the ball excellently from the outer corner of the penalty area and inside the far post. The game remained quite even though, and the visitors equalised on 29 minutes with another very good goal, Oluwanimilo Ajigbolamu striding forward into the right side of the penalty area before drilling a shot across the keeper, off the far post and into the net. And the scoreline remained level at the break, with no further clear goalscoring chances.

Into the second half and Hadley imposed themselves more on the game, and on the hour mark a ball forward led to a race between their striker and the Crawley Green keeper, the ball spilled away and eventually a goalbound shot was quite comfortably blocked by a defender. But Hadley did take the lead three minutes later when Manny Hammond crossed the ball across goal and Rob Laney powered a downward header past the keeper and into the corner of the net. Although Crawley Green did threaten a couple of times during the remainder of the match, Hadley saw the game out quite comfortably for a win they just about deserved, with the narrow margin a fair reflection of proceedings. A good afternoon for Hadley became even better when news came in that Tring Athletic had lost their game at Colney Heath today, meaning Hadley are now level on points with Tring, with five games left to play, although Biggleswade FC are still very much contenders to pip both for the title, five points behind but with three games in hand. Considering their recent form, Crawley Green gave a good account of themselves today which offers hope for a better end to the season against teams not as strong as Hadley.

Victoria Baptists 1 v 3 South Coast Athletico (aet)

Tuesday 26th March 2019
East Sussex League Divisions Two/Three Cup Final
The Pilot Field, Hastings
Admission including Programme: £3.00
Attendance: 100 (estimate)
Match Rating: 4

This evening was the first of this season's East Sussex League cup finals, occasions I always look forward to and enjoy supporting, watching clubs from levels I do not often encounter, on their big night out at a showpiece event.

As usual, all of this season's East Sussex League Cup Finals are being staged at the Pilot Field, home of Isthmian League club Hastings United. It is always an enjoyable ground to visit, and one that sadly may not be around for much longer, as the club plans to relocate in the coming years. As always, the pitch was immaculate and worthy of hosting any cup final - flat and very well maintained. An 8 page programme was available free of charge, containing brief introductions to both clubs, "roads to the final", league table, competition winners over the years, and predicted line-ups.

It could be considered a good achievement that both of these clubs had reached this evening's final, considering that this competition is open to clubs in Divisions Two and Three - both finalists ply their trade in the lower division. Both clubs have already completed their League fixtures for the season, with South Coast Athletico finishing in second place, following 11 wins and two draws from their 16 league games, and so will be promoted to Division Two for next season. Victoria Baptists finished in third place, following eight wins and three draws from their 16 league games, outside of the official promotion berths. When the two teams met in the league. South Coast Athletico won 4-6 away in September, whilst the return fixture in February ended in a 2-2 draw.

On a dry, clear evening which became very chilly towards the end, this was a game of two halves, with Victoria Baptists having the upper hand during the first half, before South Coast Athletico were the stronger after the break. With 3 minutes on the clock, Victoria Baptists saw a shot following a corner blocked on the line, but they took the lead on 14 minutes, when a free kick was headed on, and Gary Walker headed the ball back across the keeper and inside the far post. Both sides had presentable chances during the remainder of the half, but the scoreline remained 1-0 at the break.

South Coast Athletico slowly imposed themselves on the game after the break, without managing to create real chances until the 70th minute, when they equalised. After the Baptists keeper did excellently to parry a close range shot, the loose ball was eventually smashed home by Dayle McGurk. South Coast looked much the likelier to grab a winner, although Victoria Baptists also had a chance. But neither side could find a way through within 90 minutes, and so the game went to extra time.

Despite a couple of good chances during the first half of extra time, there were no further goals until the second minute of the second half, when the ball was lumped through the middle for Connor Easton to bundle his way through midfield before striking the ball home. And South Coast Athletico all but secured the win on 112 minutes when a diagonal ball forward sent Easton clear down the middle, and although he seemed to overrun the ball slightly as he approached the keeper, the ball spilled and Easton struck the ball from quite a tight angle, hitting the far post and Ryan Penny tapped the ball home. Victoria Baptists battled hard to try and get back into the game, but that didn't look likely, and it was South Coast Athletico who lifted the cup on the pitch shortly after the final whistle.

Ryde Saints 2 v 3 Bembridge

Saturday 23rd March 2019
Isle of Wight Saturday League Division Two
Pell Lane, Ryde
Admission: Free
Programme: None
Attendance: 17 (head count)

As I was not really feeling inspired to tick off a new ground in senior football from the choice available today, I instead decided to pay my first visit to the Isle of Wight since 2015. That always makes for a most enjoyable day in itself, although I have already long since visited all of the senior football grounds (and those that are more than just a rec) on the island. I originally chose this game mainly as I thought that Ryde Saints were now playing all of their home games at the Smallbrook Stadium, which hosted Wessex League football in the 1990's as home ground of Ryde Sports, and the league's fixture list showed this game as being played there. However, it turned out that this game would take place at their other home venue, Pell Lane. It would still be quite an attractive game to watch in itself though, being a showdown between the top two in the division.

Crossing the Solent by hovercraft, I first walked to the Smallbrook Stadium, about two miles from the Hoverport just into the countryside beyond the town's extremities, to have a look around the stadium, which is principally used for speedway these days. There is an all-seater stand stretching most of the way along one length, and the rest of the perimeter is accessible, but views would be distant considering that there is the speedway track between the spectator areas and the football pitch. I then walked back into the west side of Ryde for this game. Pell Lane is a basic recreation ground, with no facilities whatsoever, no dugouts nor railing, and a noticeable feature of the ground is quite a steep slope from end to end. The football pitch is quite neatly nestled next to a hedgerow along one length and behind one end, with academy school buildings behind that length. A further football pitch is located behind the other, whilst in the distance behind one corner the Solent is visible. The ground has a peaceful location, without having much in the way of charm.

Bembridge have already sealed their promotion to the top flight of the Isle of Wight Saturday League following a walkover last Saturday, having chalked up 19 wins and a draw from their 21 league games, and with a goal difference of +83. The only club who can pop them for the title are today's hosts Ryde Saints. That looks unlikely, with a 12 point cushion between the two clubs, although Ryde do have two games in hand. Ryde probably lost their realistic hopes of the title with a surprising 4-1 defeat at Niton Community last Saturday. Ryde had won 15 and drawn one of their 19 league games, and in the race for the second promotion spot, they are two points ahead of Carisbrooke United with a game in hand.

On a very overcast but mild afternoon, Bembridge opened up a two goal lead inside the first half, opening the scoring on 15 minutes, before doubling their lead on 28 minutes, after the ball was punted diagonally downfield before the player knocked the ball past the keeper, rolling gently into the net. On 31 minutes, things got even worse for Ryde when they were reduced to ten men. After the Ryde player was warned about taking a throw in from the wrong place, he did it again, and with the throw in then given to Bembridge, he protested too much and was shown a second yellow card and then a red. Seven minutes later and Ryde were almost gifted a goal back, when a Bembridge defender headed the ball back goalwards but out of position, the keeper only just scurried back in time to claim the ball close to his line. A couple of minutes before the break, the visitors almost made the game safe, after the keeper sent a long punt downfield, a Ryde defender couldn't deal with the ball, and the Bembridge striker ran clear, but he struck the ball just wide of the post from the edge of the area.

At the break, it was looking a tall order for Ryde to get anything from this game, but in their favour was that they would be kicking down the considerable slope in the second half. And they came close two minutes after the break, when the ball was drilled low just wide from the edge of the area, but it was Bembridge who would score what seemed the all-important next goal on 61 minutes. A throw in caught the Ryde defenders napping, and after the Bembridge player twisted and turned his way past the defenders and to find some space, he swivelled and struck the ball low past the keeper. They came very close to scoring a fourth two minutes later with a waist-height shot with the outside of the boot from the edge of the area going just wide of the top corner with the keeper beaten. But then Ryde came back into the game, and after forcing a very good low save from the keeper on 69 minutes, they pulled a goal back on 72 minutes, with a wonderfully flighted diagonal shot from the edge of the area which went over the keeper, under the bar and into the net. But three minutes later and Ryde were down to nine men, when one of their players was shown a second yellow card and then a red for pushing in the chest the player who had just fouled him. From the resultant Ryde free kick close to the half way line, as the ball was floated into the area, a Ryde player was bundled to the floor, and the referee awarding the hosts a penalty, which was struck into the bottom left corner past the keeper's dive. Suddenly, and quite unfathomably under the circumstances, Ryde sensed they could yet snatch a point. They did try to mount a couple of attacks, but it was a very tall order being down to nine men and it was the visitors who had the best two chances to score again in the remaining minutes.

With this win, Bembridge secured the league title, while Ryde will have a real fight on to claim the runners up spot and achieve promotion along with Bembridge back to the top flight of Isle of Wight football, as they look to defend their two point lead over Carisbrooke United with four games left to play for both clubs. Although this game wasn't at the venue I had hoped for, at least it was an entertaining and quite dramatic game of football, and I managed to pick up some bottles of ales from breweries on the island en route back to Ryde Hoverport for the flight back to the mainland, making for the usual enjoyable trip out to the Isle of Wight.