Larkfield & New Hythe Wanderers 2 v 4 Eastbourne Town

Saturday 29th August 2020, Kick-off 15.00
Pre-season Friendly
Larkfield and New Hythe Sports Club, Larkfield
Admission: Free
Programme: None
Attendance: 65 (estimate)

For the last Saturday before the competitive action starts in midweek, I was rather undecided on where to go today in search of a new ground. But this hastily arranged fixture, only finalised on Friday afternoon after both clubs’ original games had been cancelled, sufficiently attracted me, being not too far away to drive, and I decided to double up with a very pleasant 5 mile walk beforehand, starting at nearby East Malling and passing through woodland, orchards and with lovely views of the North Downs en route.

Larkfield Sports Club is located down a short lane through quite a wide expanse of playing fields, with the football ground located just before the lane becomes blocked to cars. For a club that has spent the last 18 seasons in the second tier of the Kent County League and below, the ground is remarkably well appointed, very smart, tidy and easy on the eye, thanks to major refurbishment earlier this year, and ambition to move up the footballing pyramid. At the entrance, visitors were asked to use handgel, and "check-in" via an app for track and trace purposes. The clubhouse is situated next to the entrance and behind one of the goals, with a bar and a flat screen TV inside, and plenty of room to linger on tarmac to the front. The pitch has plastic railing around all four sides, and neat perimeter wooden panel fencing along one length and behind most of the clubhouse end. There is newly laid hard standing behind the goal, and along both lengths, although only up to half way on one side, where smart dug-outs have been installed. There are two black and yellow stands, one with steps to stand on close to the corner flag on one length, and a 50 seater metallic all-seater stand close to the half way line on the other side. Along this length, grass banking offers a good, slightly elevated view, and from this side, the North Downs in the distance make for an attractive background, as do trees closely lining most of the ground. The ground would not be far away from meeting Step 6 ground grading regulations, although there are currently no floodlights in place. An enjoyable visit was augmented by a warm and friendly welcome, and it was good to sense a real community feel to the place.

Last season, Larkfield and New Hythe Wanderers were in the third tier of the Kent County League, and after the season was voided, it initially looked like they would remain at the notional Step 9 of the football pyramid. However, it was announced just over a fortnight ago that they would be promoted into the Division One Central & East for the coming season. Today's visitors would certainly be a tough test for them, playing in the Step 5 Southern Combination League Premier Division, and were in second place when last season was abandoned, and continue to have ambitions to return to Isthmian League football as soon as possible.

On a dull and surprisingly very chilly afternoon for August - with temperatures at just 15C but with a stiff cold breeze making it feel even colder, Larkfield certainly gave a good account of themselves and were competitive throughout, whilst Eastbourne were clinical with the chances that came their way. They opened the scoring on 12 minutes, when a ball forward tempted the keeper out, but it was knocked past him and rolled goalwards, before being tapped over the line. Larkfield were playing well, and had a great chance to equalise on 29 minutes following a well worked move around the box, and after an initial shot was parried, the follow-up shot was struck just high and wide. On 32 minutes, Eastbourne saw a near post header parried by the keeper and the loose ball diverted away for a corner, but from that, the visitors scored again with a glancing header. And on 41 minutes, Eastbourne scored their third, a looping cross from the left was headed home at the far post.

The second half continued in much the same vein, Larkfield still competing well and were just unable to put away a couple of good chances in quick succession on the hour mark, but Eastbourne scored their fourth on 65 minutes following a terrific run from deep, waltzing through Larkfield's midfield and defence before rolling the ball past the keeper. Seven minutes and it should have been 0-5 when a far post header saw the ball placed just wide of a gaping goal. But on 74 minutes, Larkfield scored a consolation goal which they deserved, a free kick close to the corner flag was headed home. And on 82 minutes, they were awarded a penalty for a trip in the area, which was duly converted into the bottom right corner.

Although this was an entertaining game and an enjoyable visit to the ground, it was with a little relief when the final whistle blew and I could make a hasty retreat to my car - rarely can I remember being so cold in August - but 2020 is a crazy year indeed...

Eastbourne United Association 2 v 6 Lewes

Tuesday 25th August 2020, Kick-off 19.45
The Oval, Eastbourne
Admission: £3.00
Programme: None
Attendance: 60 (approx)

The weather conditions today would probably have put me off going to a game this evening under normal circumstances, with heavy rain in the morning, followed by strong winds into the afternoon and evening. But with this being the first mid-week that senior clubs have been able to welcome supporters, I decided that a bit of wind was not going to put me off going to a game this evening.

The Oval has undergone a few minor changes since my last visit in March, some inevitably related to Covid-19. Admission was paid at a table, instead of paying somebody inside a wooden hut through a window, and visitors were invited to leave their names and contact numbers on a pad of paper. The tea bar was closed this evening, and instead quite a decent selection of snacks, sandwiches and pastries was available from a table inside a gazebo - probably not an ideal construction with this evening's high winds, although it did look secure enough throughout. In March, the dugouts were temporary constructions, after the roofs had been dislodged by a storm, but they have since been reconstructed.

When last season was abandoned, Eastbourne United were in sixth place in the Southern Combination League Premier Division, following 13 wins and three draws from 27 league games. Lewes, two steps above Eastbourne United in the pyramid, were in 16th place in the 22 club Isthmian League Premier Division, following eight wins and seven draws from their 34 league games.

Conditions were extremely difficult to play in this evening, and were not pleasant to watch in, with a constant very strong wind blowing across the pitch, with rain mixed in at times. After Eastbourne United had started well with the wind behind them,  Lewes scored first of four minutes after a low pass through the defence by Ronnie Conlon allowed Aaron Cosgrove to run through on goal, gently lifting the ball over the advancing keeper and into the net. But on 9 minutes, Eastbourne United equalised, Jack Murphy played in a teasing cross low from the left, and Panashe Makwiramiti forced the ball home at the far post. Both sides played some decent football despite the conditions, and Lewes' Conlon saw his curling shot come back off the far post, whilst a triallist had a fierce shot saved by the keeper at his near post. But the visitors did regain the lead on 23 minutes, when a cross that looped high across the goal was not properly claimed by the keeper, and the same triallist struck the ball home, and on 43 minutes, Lewes scored their third when Conlon crossed the ball from the left, and Ross Barclay headed home at the far post, to give the scoreline a reflection of Lewes asserting their superiority on the game.

Lewes continued to dominate after the break, and scored their fourth on 69 minutes when Luke Blewden dispossessed an Eastbourne defender out wide, before passing the ball to Cosgrove who rolled it past the keeper. Within 3 minutes Lewes made it 1-5, Cosgrove claiming his hat-trick when he struck the ball home after the ball spilled away from the keeper following a challenge from Blewden. And on 84 minutes, Lewes scored their sixth, a cross from the right was saved low at full stretch by the keeper, but into the path of a defender and the ball rolled over the line. On 86 minutes, Eastbourne United scored another, a consolation that a decent performance deserved, the Lewes keeper fumbled the ball Toby Guest turned the ball home.

Potton United 2 v 3 Barton Rovers

Saturday 22nd August 2020, Kick-off 13.00
Pre-season Friendly
The Hollow, Potton
Admission: £3.00
Programme: None
Attendance: 40 (estimate)

So finally, after 160 days , today was the day when senior clubs from Steps 3 to 6 were finally allowed to admit a limited number of fans into their grounds. And I decided to mark the occasion with a "champagne job" of completing visits to all grounds in the Spartan South Midlands League Premier Division with a trip to The Hollow.

Potton is not the easiest of places to get to without a car, with the nearest train station over three miles away, and although a bus service does serve the village, the last bus of the weekend departs from Potton at just after 1pm, and so walking would be required. Although Sandy station is closer, I chose to walk from Biggleswade station instead, just over 4 miles each way but a pleasant, straightforward and flat walk, with the majority being along footpaths across farmland, and via the small village of Sutton. Located just to the south of the village of Potton, spectators enter the ground in one corner, paying admission through a window in a wooden hut, and were then invited to use handgel and write their name and contact number for track and trace purposes. A separate wooden hut is located just beyond the entrance from which refreshments are usually served, but not today. Behind the goal is a brick clubhouse,  with a bar area which has a pleasantly bright and modern decor inside. Between the clubhouse and the goal, there is a fenced grass area with picnic tables on. Towards the corner there is a small black modern metallic stand with steps to stand on. Along the length closest to the entrance there is a fair sized stand with a brick base containing three rows of seating - conveniently, in these socially distanced times, with plenty of space between rows. There is just hard standing along the remaining length and end. There is a cricket field immediately behind that end, and behind the length, there are tennis courts, a disused basketball court, and a water treatment works, which does provide "interesting" smells along that length. The Hollow is a very pleasant and peaceful ground, with a very friendly welcome and atmosphere.

After 27 years in the United Counties League, Potton United are about to embark on their third season in the Spartan South Midland League Premier Division, and last season, they were in 13th place in the 21 club division, following ten wins and five draws from their 28 League games, when the season was abandoned. Barton Rovers play a step above, in the Southern League Division One Central, and were in seventh place when last season was abandoned.

On a sunny afternoon, Potton almost scored inside the first minute, when a cross/shot was fumbled by the keeper, and the ball came back off the post. But that was a false dawn for the hosts as the visitors went on to dominate the first half, and opened the scoring on 5 minutes with a very good goal, a run through midfield ended with a perfectly placed shot into the top right hand corner gave the keeper no chance. On 8 minutes, Barton saw the ball bounce twice on the crossbar following a corner, before the game settled down, and the scoreline remained 0-1 at the break.

But two minutes into the second half, Barton scored their second, after an initial shot was parried by the keeper, the rebound was tucked home. And they scored their third on 57 minutes, the ball was worked across from the left, ending with a clipped shot just inside the post. Potton scored on 74 minutes, with a perfectly judged cross from the right was met at the far post by Niall Jones, who just beat the keeper to head the ball into the net. And they scored again on 78 minutes, following a clever dinked ball over the defence to find a team mate, who slotted the ball home. And Potton came close on a couple of occasions to score a third to level the scoreline, but it wasn't to be.