Eastbourne Town A v A Lancing

Abandoned in 60th minute due to serious injury, score at time 2-2
Tuessday 28th January 2020
Sussex RUR Cup Semi Final
The Saffrons, Eastbourne
Admission: £6.00
Programme: £1.50

For this midweek's action, again wet weather reduced the options available. However, fortunately arguably the most attractive looking fixture, between two of the leading clubs in the Southern Combination League Premier Division in a cup semi-final was not in any danger, and so I planned my second visit to The Saffrons this season.

Coming into this game, Lancing were top of the Southern Combination League Premier Division by three points, following 16 wins and four draws from 23 league games, although they had lost their last two league games, both away, to top 5 opposition, and before that had won their previous nine league games. Eastbourne Town were in fourth place, following 14 wins and three draws from their 21 league games, and so we're seven points adrift of Lancing but with two games in hand. When the two teams met in the league at Culver Road in November, Lancing won 3-1 - to end the then league leaders Eastbourne Town's unbeaten start to the season.

On a very chilly evening under clear skies, it was the hosts who did most of the attacking in the early stages, but soon found themselves two goals down due to some incisive attacking by the visitors. With just two minutes on the clock, Eastbourne Town were awarded a free kick on the right following a bad tackle which earnt a very early yellow card, which was curled into the area and headed just over the bar. But on 6 minutes, Lancing took the lead. The ball was flicked excellently from the left wing into the path of Lewis Finney, who ran into a more central position before curling the ball into the top right corner of the net, a very good finish. On 10 minutes, Eastbourne had another free kick in a similar position to the earlier one, but this time was headed powerfully into the keepers midriff. Lancing then doubled their lead on 17 minutes with another high quality goal, this time Santos dribbling from the half way line past several Eastbourne defenders backing off, before rolling the ball through to Rhodes, who stroked the ball across the keeper and into the net. It was a harsh scoreline on the hosts, but they pulled shoal back on 27 minutes, after the ball was passed down the left channel, and the crossed to the back post for Capon to tap into an empty net. Eastbourne had a couple of good chances to equalise before the break, but we're still very much in the game despite a one goal deficit.

Eastbourne continued in the ascendancy after the break, and got back on level terms on 52 minutes, Sam Cole heading the powerfully goalwards following a corner, and despite the keeper getting a hand to the ball, it deflected just over the line. It was very much game on now, and Eastbourne saw a header from a corner flash just wide on 55 minutes. But on 60 minutes, a fairly innocuous looking coming together by opposition players was to bring an exciting and enjoyable game to a halt, when Liam Hendy stayed down and barely moved, and as more and more people surrounded him, bringing on items to keep him warm, it soon became apparent that Hendy had suffered a bad injury, confirmed when it was announced that an ambulance had been called for. About 20 minutes later came the news that the match had been abandoned, with no ambulance in sight, and would be replayed at a later date. It was later revealed that Hendy had suffered a dislocated elbow.

Chippenham Town 0 v 0 Havant & Waterlooville

Saturday 25th January 2020
National League South
Hardenhuish Park, Chippenham
Admission: £13.00
Programme: £2.50
Attendance: 527

Although Charlton were originally scheduled to play Fulham today, that fixture was brought forward to Wednesday due to Fulham's involvement in the FA Cup 4th Round, opening up the possibility of a bonus groundhop for me today. And I took advantage by booking a National Express coach trip to Chippenham, to complete my visits of grounds in the National League South.

Hardenhuish Park is about a 15 minute walk from Chippenham town centre, with a fixture board located on the passing main road, from where a short lane takes visitors past a cricket field, which is part of Chippenham Sports Club, whose cricket, tennis, bowls, hockey and AirDome  facilities surround the football ground, to the entrance turnstiles. Just before the turnstiles, a decent array of club merchandise can be purchased from a rather charming blue "hut on wheels", with programmes available from an adjacent table. Inside the ground, there is a real mixture of stands, which adds to its character. Just inside the entrance, moving along the length, there is the main tea bar in the corner, with a control tower next to it, and then a small uncovered terrace. An old fashioned stand straddles the half way line, with four rows of seating which stretch out beyond the original stand, with newer prefab structures providing the additional cover. The clubhouse is located on the first floor of the stand, up a flight of steps to the rear, with windows along the front offering views of the pitch. Beyond the main stand there is a blue portakabin stacked on top of a white one, providing hospitality for club officials, with some uncovered terracing up to the far corner flag, and behind it a further portakabin which used to house the club shop. A few steps of uncovered terracing is located behind one of the ends, with an additional tea bar in the far corner, whilst behind the other end, closest to the entrance, a modern metallic stand provides cover for standing, with VIPs and sponsors  catered for in a wooden building just inside the entrance. There is cover of flat standing along the entire remaining length, and the pitch has a noticeable slope from end to end. Hardenhuish Park is a nice ground offering plenty of character, with facilities sensibly added to over time as and when required, and there was also a friendly atmosphere around the place. The 62 page programme was a really good read, with plenty of interesting reading material and a plethora of stats and facts.

This match would be between clubs from opposite ends of the league table. In their third season in the division, Chippenham were in the relegation zone, second bottom in the 22 club division, following five wins and ten draws from their 26 league games, and in an attempt to change their fortunes, replaced their manager earlier this month. They were just a point adrift of safety, with four points covering the seven teams above them, but their form has been poor, picking up just two points from their last six league games, and one win, or 9 points, from their last 16 league games. Following relegation from the National League top flight, Havant and Waterlooville are very much in the hunt to bounce straight back, coming into this game in third place, following 14 wins and six draws from their 24 league games, eight points adrift of leaders Wealdstone but with two games in hand. When the two clubs met in the reverse fixture in early December, Havant & Waterlooville won 2-1.

On a very grey, dreary and chilly afternoon, and following a minute's silence in remembrance of the late Derek Fowlds, the actor who starred in Yes, Minister among others TV shows and who was a vice president of the club and a regular visitor to Hardenhuish Park, the opening half hour was an even affair, with both teams creating the odd half chance. On 36 minutes, the visitors had a great chance when the ball deflected out to Alfie Rutherford all on his own in the penalty area, but his eventual shot was well saved low down by the keeper. Chippenham then saw a shot from just outside the area go just wide, whilst in the closing minute of the half, Havant's Josh Taylor struck a shot which took a deflection before hitting the crossbar, with the rebound headed away under pressure by a defender.

The second half saw much more goalmouth action, with the visitors applying more of the pressure but momentum seesawed between the two teams. On 47 minutes, Havant hit the woodwork again, this time Danny Kedwell seeing his header come back off the crossbar, whilst on 51 minutes it was Chippenham's turn to be denied by the woodwork, Jay Foulston's free kick hitting the top left corner of the woodwork. On 68 minutes, Havant hit the woodwork again, Simon Walton striking a powerful shot which hit the bar, and from the rebound, another shot was deflected over. Shortly after that, a Havant forward chipped the advancing keeper by the edge of the area, but the keeper just managed to get enough on the ball as he stretched high above to divert the ball agonisingly wide of the goal, and then a fierce shot was well saved by the Chippenham keeper at his near post. It was then Chippenham's turn to have a couple of fantastic chances, firstly a shot from the edge of the area went just wide with the keeper rooted, and they then had a really golden chance to open the scoring on 81 minutes, when the ball was deflected forwards into the path of Luke Hopper and he sprinted clear from virtually the half way line unopposed, but as he approached the keeper, he struck the ball over the bar. The momentum then swung back towards the visitors. On 83 minutes, a thrown on was headed on to the back post, and the goalbound header by Sam Magri was cleared on the line, whilst in the final minute of normal time, the ball was curled beyond the back post and Andy Drury struck the ball against the post. But then in added on time, Chippenham had a couple of dangerous free kicks from the edge of the penalty area, but shortly after the final whistle and, somehow the match ended goalless with the points shared.

So, a second nil nil for me in four days, however this was an entertaining game to watch, which both sides could have won, and will both rue the woodwork denying them, particularly Havant & Waterlooville. Ultimately, both clubs would be happy enough with a point, which is probably more than Chippenham would have expected against such highly ranked opposition, whilst the point was sufficient for Havant & Waterlooville to climb to second place in the table, leapfrogging previously second placed Bath City, who had surprisingly lost 7-0 at leaders Wealdstone, much to the amusement of the Chippenham fans on leaving the ground.

Video highlights of this match can be viewed by clicking here

Charlton Athletic 0 v 0 Fulham

Wednesday 22nd January 2020
EFL Championship
The Valley, Charlton
Admission: Season Ticket
Programme: £3.00
Attendance: 16,424

This game was originally scheduled to be played on Saturday, but Fulham's progression to the FA Cup Fourth Round meant that this fixture had to be rescheduled, eventually being brough forward by three days.

Midweek fixtures at The Valley are never ideal for me these days, having to leave work half an hour early, travel for over two hours and take my seat minutes before kick-off. And it is fair to say I made the journey with some degree of trepidation, given Charlton's poor run of form, and the visitors up in third place. But the mood in SE7 certainly lifted today when it was announced that manager Lee Bowyer had finally signed a long term, 3 year contract, although the wait for badly needed squad reinforcements was still ongoing, with the need compounded by one of the star performers during the first half of the season, Conor Gallagher, being recalled by Chelsea to be sent straight back out to Swansea City. Since Charlton's last home game, they lost 2-1 at Preston North End, despite taking an early lead, with scorer of Charlton's winner in the League One Play-Off Final last May, Patrick Bauer, scoring the winner for Preston. And so it meant that Charlton had picked up just two points from their last five league games, and one win from 17 league games. Yet thanks to a fantastic start to the season, Charlton remained five points clear of the relegation zone, following seven wins and eight draws from 28 league games. Following relegation from the Premier League, Fulham went into this game in third place, following 14 wins and six draws from their 28 games, and had won their last two league games, and a FA Cup 3rd Round tie at Premier League outfit Aston Villa. So, a tough game in store for Charlton, although hope could be found in Fulham's two star attacking performers, 18 goal Aleksandar Mitrovic, and Anthony Knockaert, would both not play due to injury. Also, a few more players would be returning from injury, Josh Cullen, Tomer Hemed and Erhin Oztumer named in the starting line up, with star turns Lyle Taylor and Johnny Williams on the bench. As well as being a London derby, this match would have an extra edge with former Charlton favourite Scott Parker returning to The Valley as manager of the visiting team. When the two clubs met at Craven Cottage in October, the game ended in w 2-2 draw.

A match report of this game can be found by clicking here, and video highlights by clicking here.

AFC Stoneham 2 v 0 Baffins Milton Rovers

Saturday 18th January 2020

Wessex League Premier Division

Stoneham Lane Football Complex, Eastleigh

Admission including Programme: £6.00

Attendance: 75

Yet again I tried to tick off a visit to Totton & Eling today, and yet again I was thwarted, this time due to a waterlogged pitch. Which in some ways seemed rather strange on a beautiful day of wall to wall blue skies and bright sunshine, but heavy rain falling throughout the week on saturated ground had taken its toll. I made my way to the Southampton  area with a visit to the Stoneham Lane Football Complex in as a back up, and it would be no hardship to divert to there instead take in AFC Stoneham's first league game at their brand new venue, enabling me to recomplete the Wessex League Premier Division as soon as practicably possible.

The Stoneham Lane Football Complex is about a 15 minute walk from Swaythling rail station, and a peaceful haven of rural tranquility this location is not, with the M27 motorway passing close behind and above one of the lengths. Operated by the Hampshire FA, to enter the complex, it is necessary to register in advance on the Hampshire FA website, provide plenty of personal data, which generates a personal QR code to be scanned from a mobile device on a reader at the automatic turnstiles. That allows access to the main complex building which includes a large café area, and spectators then proceed outside to the turnstile block to enter the main "stadium pitch" (there are two other plastic pitches adjacent to the main one). The "stadium pitch" is enclosed by see-through cage fencing, with a long metallic all-seater stand straddling the half way line on one side, and hard standing is available around the rest of the pitch. As customary in the Wessex League, team line-ups were written up on a whiteboard, located just inside the entrance. It is a very neat, tidy and smart facility, and there was a friendly, welcoming atmosphere about the place. A 24 page programme was included with admission and was a good read, with an eye catching front cover in colour, a couple of welcome messages and good information about both clubs and the league season.

These are exciting times for AFC Stoneham, moving into their new home ground, and things are proving just as exciting on the pitch this season. Now in their fifth season in senior football since their promotion from the Hampshire League, and promoted as champions of Division One last season, they are second  in the table, following  14 wins and two draws from their opening 20 league games, three points behind leaders Alresford Town but with two games in hand. Baffins Milton Rovers were having a great season but have been hampered badly by postponements, having not played just one league game in December, and one before today in January. They came into this game in twelfth place, following ten wins and seven defeats from their opening 17 league games, but with league games in hand on all teams above them, a top six finish looks very achievable. Today would be the first meeting between the clubs this season.

On a very chilly afternoon, particularly as the sun set, the first half was an even affair, with plenty of hustle without much end product. Although Stoneham came closest to scoring, the visitors also looked dangerous on the attack, particularly down the wings, but the final ball was lacking.

Stoneham burst out of the traps after the interval, and they went on to dominate the rest of the match. Barely a minute after the restart, a poked shot hit the outside of the post, although on 49 minutes, a low ball across the goal by the visitors just evaded a tap in. On 58 minutes, a Stoneham player surged forward clear of the defence, and was eventually brought down by a defender inside the penalty area, and a penalty was duly awarded. Hills converted into the top right from the spot, just evading the keeper's outstretched fingers. Stoneham doubled their lead on 64 minutes with a super goal, Wiseman  curling the ball perfectly from the edge of the penalty area into the top right hand corner, giving the keeper no chance. They hit the woodwork again on 82 minutes, this time a shot hit the inside of the post, with the ball then bundled away from the danger area for a corner. Stoneham saw out the game quite comfortably in the end, to maintain their second place in the table.