Seaford Town 0 v 0 Worthing United

Tuesday 3rd December 2019
Southern Combination League Division One
The Crouch, Seaford
Admission including programme : £5.00
Attendance: 28

An unusually dry spell and me taking the next couple of days off work meant I decided to take in some midweek action this week, starting with this game on the East Sussex coast.

The Crouch is about a five minute walk from Seaford town centre, and the football ground is part of Crouch Gardens, an open space also containing a bowling green, a community garden, a children's play area and a youth centre. The main entrance to the football ground is down a path, which leads to one corner of the ground, and admission can be paid on the balcony in front of the clubhouse. The clubhouse is quite traditional and comfortable inside, with a big screen to show live televised sport. Team line-ups are also posted next to the clubhouse door, with a tea bar hatch to the other side, and overhang from the clubhouse, with paved flooring with attractive wooden fencing along the front, makes for a spacious and sociable area to watch the game from. An all-seater stand is located on the half way line, whose dark green finish blends in quite well with the surroundings. There is just hard standing around the rest of the pitch. The pitch has a noticeable slope from side to side, and although obviously not visible this evening, Seaford Head makes for an attractive backdrop to the ground in daylight hours. The Crouch is enclosed by brick walls and wooden panel fencing, although being an open community space, there are several entrances around the ground, with dog walkers regularly coming and going throughout the evening. A programme is included with the admission fee and has an eye-catching cover, and consists of a 24 page mostly advertising shell, and 8 pages inside previewing this game, containing the essential stats, expected line-ups and a welcome message.

Seaford have finished in mid table for the last three seasons and seem to be heading for a similar outcome this season, coming into this game in ninth place, following five wins and two draws from their opening 11 league games. Worthing United were reprieved in the close season from a second successive relegation from the Premier Division to intermediate football, but they are having a much better season this time, level on points with Seaford having also won five and drawn two, but have lost half of their 14 league games, They were a place lower than Seaford, due to a one goal inferior goal difference, but came into this game in great form, winning their last five league games. These two clubs have already met this season, back in August, with that game ending in a 2-2 draw.

On a chilly evening with mostly clear skies, the first half was lively without many clear goalscoring chances being created. Seaford had the first decent chance on 12 minutes, when a glancing header following a corner went just wide of the far post, whilst on 43 minutes, Worthing saw a beautifully struck free kick come back off the top left corner of the woodwork.

The second half certainly saw much more goalmouth action, mostly in Seaford's favour, and indeed they will be wondering how on earth they did not get on the scoresheet this evening. Just a minute after the break, the ball was curled to the back post, a glanced header helped the ball on, but it came back off the far post. On 55 minutes, Seaford thought they had scored when following a free kick from the right, the ball was stabbed home, but the referee ruled the goal out for a Seaford player blocking a defender as the ball came in. Worthing then had a great but difficult chance, when the ball was headed down and on the stretch, his team mate couldn't quite manage to poke the ball home from a central position. On 62 minutes, a Seaford ball forward over the defence found the run of a striker and after his initial shot from a fairly tight angle was blocked by the keeper, the ball fell to a team mate in a central position but his powerful goalbound shot was blocked by a defender. On 71 minutes, the visitors saw a first time shot from just outside the area fly just over the bar, but on 77 minutes, Seaford created another decent chance, a good dribble from midfield ended with a poked shot at goal which was save by the keeper's outstretched foot, and on 85 minutes, following a quick break, an initial shot was blocked and the rebound looped just over the bar. On 90 minutes, a shot on the run from the outer corner of the area went just over the bar, whilst four minutes into added on time, following an excellent run down the left, a drilled shot was blocked, and soon after the final whistle went. No doubt Worthing would have been much happier with the point away from home, whilst Seaford will rue failing to covert any of their several very presentable chances - it was just one of those nights for them.

Video highlights of this match can be viewed by clicking here.