East Sussex League Divisions 2 and 3 Supplementary Cup
Netherfield Recreation Ground, Netherfield
Admission and Programme: None
Attendance: 35 (approximate)
Despite not feeling too great with feeling the after effects of my Covid jab yesterday, this was a game I looked forward to taking in, ticking most of the boxes of what I enjoy about games towards the end of the season - an early evening kick off straight after work, a game between two decent sides at their level, and played at a rural village recreation ground.
The Netherfield Recreation Ground is located just to the east of the small village of Netherfield, a couple of miles north-west of Battle. A small car park, quickly filled, is located just inside the entrance, as is a white pavilion building, from which quite an impressive range of refreshments were available, including hot food. The pitch was roped off along one side, and the ground has a very attractive and peaceful setting, with tall trees close behind the end closest to the entrance and pavilion, a hedgerow behind the roped off length, fields behind the other end, whilst there are sweeping views across the wooded valley beyond the remaining length. On a warm, sunny day, the setting would be glorious, although unfortunately conditions this evening were overcast and chilly.
Both clubs have had very decent records this season - indeed, they would probably be disappointed that this season has been so fragmented. In the regular season in the third tier, Division Two, of the East Sussex League, Little Common II had a perfect record, winning all eight of their games, whilst SC Pass + Move Arrows won four of their five league games, losing the other, against this evening's opponents, also at the Netherfield Rec, 1-2 on the opening day of the season. In this Supplementary Cup competition, it is SC Pass + Move who are leading the way in the group, having won three and drawn the other of their four games so far, while Little Common II had won two and drawn one of their four games so far.
This game certainly lived up to expectations, played at a good pace and with chances aplenty at both ends. The home side had the first big chance on 8 minutes when a header from a corner was blocked, but within a minute, it was the visitors who took the lead when, following a diagonal ball forward, the ball was drilled low under the keeper from a slight angle by Nick Kavanagh. Pass + Move then had some great chances to get back on level terms. On 26 minutes, the goalkeeper sent a long punt downfield, a Little Common player failed to intercept the ball on the halfway line, and the Pass + Move player ran on and brushed past a covering defender to run through clear on goal before slotting the ball past the keeper, only to see the goal ruled out as the “brushed past” was deemed to be a foul - it looked a very, very soft decision. On 30 minutes, Pass + Move saw a header from a corner come back off the crossbar, on 33 minutes a lovely looped reverse cross drifted towards the back post and a header went just wide of the post, whilst on 39 minutes, another header from a corner went just over. But on 43 minutes, Little Common II were awarded a penalty following a trip in the box, but the Pass + Move keeper pulled off a terrific saved low to his right and although the ball squirmed away from him and was eventually bundled home, the referee blew his whistle for a foul.
Within a minute of the restart, the visitors doubled their lead. The ball was spread out to the right wing, with a large suspicion of handball in controlling the ball, before crossing beyond the far post, and Rhys Jones stabbed the ball home. Again it was Pass + Move who went on to create plenty of chances. On 49 minutes, a shot from the edge of the area was patted out by the keeper, on 54 minutes the ball was struck under the keeper and rolled towards goal but a defender got back in time to clear, on 64 minutes, a free kick came back off the post, and a minute later, a bullet header following a corner went just wide. But just as it was looking like it was going to be out of those nights for Pass + Move, they did pull a goal back on 75 minutes with a lovely goal by Jack Booth, fired into the top right hand corner from just outside the area. And on 82 minutes, they were awarded a penalty when the keeper fumbled the ball and tripped the striker as he tried to retrieve the ball. The penalty was duly converted, into the top left corner, and not only had the visitors surrendered a two goal lead, but they were also reduced to ten men after having a player sent to the sin bin (in effect, for the remainder of the game), and the keeper had to be carried off, and was replaced by an outfield player. As it turned out, the stand-in keeper was not tested in the remaining minutes, and it was Little Common II who had the only real chance, in added on time, when a long range low shot squirmed through the keepers grasp but fortunately for him, the ball crept just past the post for a corner.
So the points were shared in a very entertaining encounter, and a draw was probably the right result in the end.
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