Newbury Forest 0 v 4 May & Baker

Wednesday 4th November 2020, Kick-off 20.00
FA Vase 1st Round

Mayesbrook Park, Becontree

Admission: £5.00

Programme: Online 

Attendance: TBC

So, tonight was the last evening before "lockdown 2", and in my desire to get in as much as football before the at least month-long drought, there was no doubt I was going to take in my fifth game in five days tonight. I originally planned to visit Welling Town, but after that was postponed due to Covid, my attention turned to this game in the FA Vase. Originally scheduled for last Saturday at Newbury Forest's usual home ground at Redbridge's Oakside Stadium, that fixture was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch, as was the rearranged fixture on Tuesday, and in the desire to get the game played before Lockdown, it was switched again to this evening, with the apparent certainty that the plastic pitch at Mayesbrook Park, home of Isthmian League outfit Barking, would provide. There would still be some uncertainty as to exactly when the game would kick-off, due to a prior booking of the pitch for a training session, but eventually an 8pm kick-off was confirmed for this game. 

Mayesbrook Park is quite easily accessed by car, via the A13 and then following the straight Lodge Road northbounds to the ground. Although there is a car park between the road and the ground, a Covid testing unit is currently in place there. Entrance to the ground is gained behind one end, with the turnstile located at the start of a covered walkway, with astroturf to walk on, and the small clubhouse to one side, with the changing rooms inside portakabins to the other, behind a mesh fence. Behind this end, there are three steps of mostly uncovered terracing, with a section behind the goal covered by a spacious stand. Along one length, a stand stretches for about two thirds of the distance from one corner flag, half of which has individual plastic seats inside, the other half covering flat standing area. The remainder of the ground is just hard standing, behind one goal there is recently installed smart grey coloured fencing, whilst the remaining length is spacious and lined with trees. The 14 page programme was available for download online, and it is decent enough, with a welcome message from the captain, club history, some brain teasers, questions and answers with a player, fixtures and results list, league table, squad stats, and a squad list for the home side.

This game, very much a local derby, with May & Baker's spiritual home being in Dagenham although they currently play their home fixtures at Aveley's home ground Parkside, would be between two clubs plying their trade in the Eastern Senior League. Newbury Forest have had a very decent start to their season, winning five and drawing one of their seven league games so far, and were only three points behind the top two, and with games on hand on all clubs above them. May & Baker were bottom of the table, but that may be something of a false position, with their season disrupted due to Covid related postponements. They have only played four games so far, winning one and drawing one, and have at least three games in hand on all teams above them. To reach this stage of the FA Vase, Newbury Forest had beaten Frenford 2-4 away and then Burnham Ramblers on penalties at home after a 2-2 draw. while May & Baker won 1-3 at Redbridge, and then Little Oakley on penalties at home after a 2-2 draw.

On another clear, moonlit evening, this was a very entertaining game to watch, particularly the first half, and in a fast start, the visitors had an early shot blocked for a corner, but after that, Newbury Forest looked very dangerous, doing plenty of attacking and getting in a few shots on goal, but were unable to find the opening goal. On 24 minutes, May & Baker had a decent chance, with the ball being played to the outer corner of the penalty area, with the forward just beating the keeper to the ball, and the ball was struck goalwards, but was cleared by a defender. But within a minute, the visitors were awarded a penalty for a trip, and Carl Patten struck the ball into the bottom left of the goal, sending the keeper the wrong way. The game continued with a good intensity, and on 43 minutes, May & Baker doubled their lead, after an initial shot was blocked, Patten curled a terrific shot from outside the area beyond the keeper's dive. 

So, a decent lead for the visitors at the break, but the tie looked far from over with Newbury Forest always looking lively going forward. But in truth, the hosts struggled to create much during the second half and May & Baker looked pretty comfortable with their lead, and looked even more so on 81 minutes when they were awarded another penalty, again for a trip in the box, and again Patten stepped up, this time shooting into the top right to seal his hat-trick, and May & Baker's progress to the next round. But they added some extra gloss to the scoreline with their fourth on 84 minutes, the ball was played to the left of goal for Eddie Cooper to run onto, drawing the keeper out by the byline, but Cooper showed excellent composure and footwork to take the ball to a better position before rifling the ball inside the near post. It was a rather harsh final scoreline on Newbury Forest, but May & Baker deserved to progress to the next round, where they will visit Norwich CBS, of the Eastern Counties League Division One North in the next round, on a date to be confirmed.

And so, this would be my final action for at least four weeks, thanks to the rather half-hearted "Lockdown 2", but at least my last action was entertaining, indeed as have all of the games I have watched during the last five days have been. In these depressing times, it is a shame on so many levels that non-league football, a source of such enjoyment and fulfilment for so many, must once again be paused. But I, like many others I am sure, just look forward to making up for lost time as soon as I am able to!

Crawley Down Gatwick 1 v 4 Newhaven

Tuesday 3rd November 2020, Kick-off 19:30

Sussex Senior Cup Second Round

The Haven, Crawley Down

Admission: £6.00

Programme: Online

Attendance: 81

For my last Tuesday evening action before “Lockdown 2” kicks in on Thursday, I decided to stay within Sussex for some Sussex Senior Cup action. As I am not at work this week, I did not feel the need to stay local this evening, and I shortlisted revisits to Midhurst & Easebourne, or Crawley Down. In consideration that I will probably have a long drive for my last football fix tomorrow evening, I settled for the easier to get to ground of the two for me.

I last visited The Haven in March 2014 for an Isthmian League game, and there have been hardly noticeable changes to the ground since then, not that any have been required.  A large car park onsite provides plenty of parking next to the path leading to the ground, passing past the clubhouse building en route, before walking down a partially enclosed path to the turnstile block, located by the halfway line. Visitors were invited to log their visit via the NHS Track and Trace QR code, or on paper on arrival at the turnstile. Once inside, a long metallic all-seater stand sits adjacent to the entrance, straddling the half way line, whilst behind one end, close to the corner flag, is a small metal stand for standing. On the other side of the corner flag a tea bar on wheels was installed, but with no hot food available this evening. There is just hard standing around the rest of the ground, a length and end of which is lined with a tall hedge, one goal with tall trees, and the remaining length has The Haven Centre building, which houses the clubhouse as well as being a community centre, in the background. The 24 page programme was only available online, but a very decent publication it is with plenty of interesting reading material and comprehensive league stats and facts to digest.

This tie would be between two clubs from the Southern Combination League Premier Division. Newhaven have had a good start to their season, winning six and drawing two of their nine league games so far, and have progressed to the second round of the FA Vase. They received a bye in the previous round of the Sussex Senior Cup. Crawley Down Gatwick have had a reasonable start to their season, winning five and drawing one of their nine league games. Remarkably, this evening's game would be the club's eighth home game in a row since late September, a run which included a 2-1 win against Steyning Town in the previous round of the Sussex Senior Cup.

On a clear, moonlit evening which became decidedly chilly as the game wore on, Newhaven got a dream start, opening the scoring on four minutes following a good passing move into the box, which Alfie Rogers finished off by slotting past the keeper. And Newhaven went on to dominate the first half, with a big chance coming on 27 minutes when a Newhaven diagonal ball forward could only be deflected into the path of the Newhaven forward running through on goal, but ending up heading to a tighter angle, the eventual shot hit the side netting. But on 32 minutes, Newhaven did score their second, following a throw in by the half way line which the Crawley Down players were not alert to and Lee Robinson ran through down the left before firing the ball across the keeper and into the net. The closest Crawley Down came in the first half was on 38 minutes, when a cross was met with a glancing header, and the Newhaven keeper had a little juggle of the ball but regained control just before a Crawley Down player arrived. But within a minute, Newhaven opened up a commanding lead with their third. The ball was played forward and it seemed the keeper had enough time to get out of his area and clear the ball, but he delayed too long before finally coming out, and Robinson won the race to the ball, knocked it to one side of the keeper before striking the ball in off the far post from a tight angle.

And so Crawley Down had it all to do in the second half, and although Newhaven came closest first to scoring again on 52 minutes when a cross from the left was sliced by a defender and the ball looped just over his own bar, Crawley Down did have a decent spell but lacked a cutting edge. They did pull a goal back on 64 minutes, when Michael Wood drilled a free kick into the bottom right corner. That gave the hosts real hope, and on 71 minutes, another fiercely struck free kick was this time heading for the top left corner but forced an excellent save. But slowly the hosts seemed to run out of gas somewhat, and on 81 minutes, Newhaven restored their three goal lead and progression to the next round when the ball was played low through the middle, Robinson ran onto it and struck the ball past the keeper despite getting a hand to the ball, to seal Robinson's hat-trick. The game was up, but credit to Crawley Down for continuing to push for another consolation, but it didn't come, and so it was Newhaven who progressed to the next round.

AFC Varndeanians 0 v 0 Langney Wanderers

Langney Wanderers won 4-3 on penalties

Monday 2nd November 2020, Kick-off 19:30
Sussex Senior Cup Second Round

Withdean Stadium, Brighton

Admission including Programme: £5.00

Attendance: 55

This evening would be the last midweek action before the country is forced into a four week "lockdown" starting on Thursday, a lockdown that only seems targeted at sectors to crush people's mental heath rather than what are seemingly the very causes of the spread of Covid-19. Options were unsurprisingly very limited for a Monday evening, but this was an appealing fixture anyway, offering the chance for a revisit to the Withdean Stadium - with my previous two visits for a Brighton & Hove Albion game, and a women's game.

Whilst the Withdean Stadium was completely inappropriate as a Football League venue, it is rather charming as a non-league venue, putting the irritation of a running track between spectators and the pitch to one side. Football visitors have use of a car park to the east side of the ground, behind one of the goals, with entrance gained in one corner, and spectators are intended to make use of the stand along this side, containing six rows and stretching virtually the entire length of the pitch. Teas and coffees were available for a donation behind the stand. There is a walkway along the opposite length, which a handful of persons made use of, and this does provide a good and elevated view of the action. On my last visit in 2015, there were some uncovered seating way back behind one goal, the last of the temporary seating installed during the era when the Withdean hosted Brighton & Hove Albion games,  but this is no longer in place. The ground has a pleasant, almost alpine feel to it, with tall trees on top of the steep hill behind one length, and some houses built into the hill behind one corner. An 8 page programme was provided free with admission, with an attractive colour front page and was perfectly adequate, providing a welcome message, predicted line-ups, league tables, an introduction of the visitors and a history of the Sussex Senior Cup competition.

This evening's cup encounter promised to be an interesting encounter, with the host club doing well in the division below the hosts, who have not made a great start to their season. AFC Vardeanians were unbeaten in their opening nine league games in the Southern Combination League Division One, winning seven and drawing two, and to reach this stage, they beat Storrington 4-0 - officially at home, but the tie was switched. Langney Wanderers had won one and drawn one of their nine Premier Division games so far, but they will hope that the recent return of manager Simon Colbran, making a very quick return to the club after only leaving in the summer, will bring about an upturn in fortunes. They beat Worthing United 5-1 in the previous round to set up this tie.

On a dry evening which started quite mild but became cool towards the end thanks to a chilly breeze, this was an entertaining game, very even for the most part, but with the hosts having the better chances to score during the first half, the visitors after the break. The hosts came close on 5 minutes, when a cross from the right was headed onto the post, whilst midway through the half, a long throw in was flicked on and forced a scrambling parry by the visiting keeper. There was rather an amusing passage of play just before half time when a forceful looking challenge resulted in Langney's Harry Ducatel apparently writhing around in agony. Those around thought he had made rather too much of it, some good-natured banter ensued between player and spectators - and then Ducatel was booked, for coming back onto the pitch without permission after receiving treatment. And right on the stroke of half time, a Langney cross from the right by Tim Bennett was met with a glancing header by Peter Cooper, but the keeper made the save.

A lively second half was short on real goalscoring chances until a real "how did they not score?" moment came on 77 minutes. A Langney diagonal ball forward from deep found Peter Featherstone at the back post and hit shot was acrobatically cleared close to the line by a Varndeanians defender, the ball looped up and brushed the crossbar as it came down, and the ball eventually spilled out to Cooper, whose powerful shot was parried behind by the keeper. On 87 minutes, the visitors hit the woodwork, another long throw in was headed on inadvertently by a defender, before brushing off a team-mate's head, with the ball coming hitting the top of the bar. And on 89 minutes, Langney substitute Delight Akerejola struck the ball from the left wing, and although it looked to be intended as a cross but was mishit, it was heading for the top left corner, forcing the keeper into a good save. 

And so somehow the scoreline remained goalless at full-time, and in keeping with most cup competitions this season, the tie went straight to penalties. It was Langney Wanderers who took the first one, but that was saved. The next six penalties were successfully converted, but AFC Varndeanians' fourth penalty was struck against the left post before bouncing away. Rather surprisingly (to an outsider), the Langney goalkeeper stepped up to take their fifth penalty, converting into the bottom left corner and sending the keeper the wrong way. And AFC Varndeanians' fifth was struck over the bar, to seal Langney Wanderers' progression to the next round - whenever thay may be...

Match highlights can be viewed by clicking here.