Southern Combination League Division One
Mile Oak Recreational Grounds, Portslade
Admission: £6.00
Programme: £1.00
Attendance: 60 (approximate)
With my partner out with her work colleagues this evening, I decided it would be the perfect opportunity to take in some Friday night football this evening. Whilst a visit to Selhurst Park to watch Crystal Palace Under 23's was very tempting, I decided a Step 6 club needed and was deserving of my money far more, and so I chose to revisit a ground that I had not been to since 2008.
The Mile Oak Recreation Ground is about two miles away from Portslade Station, with buses very regularly plying the route from there, or from central Brighton, which is about five miles away. I drove this evening, with ample parking available in the leisure centre/college car park across the road. Coming straight from work, I fancied a proper meal, and having been recommended to visit the Jolly Eaters Cafe, it certainly did not disappoint. About a ten minute walk from the ground, it serves a good selection of greasy spoon or Asian street food, and my Mauritian Chicken Chow Mein was absolutely superb, with the staff really friendly and attentive, and at just £6 for this and a can of coke, was excellent value. I would not hesitate to recommend a pre-match meal there to others! Back to the ground, and a path leads visitors from the main road past a playground an open space, into a narrow footpath, and after it bends round, the changing rooms are located to the left, whilst spectators go up a flight of steps to reach the ground behind one end (players and officials use a separate flight of steps). Admission is paid for at a hut just inside the gate, with another hut adjacent serves as a tea bar. An all-seater stand is situated behind the goal, and just beyond the goal, where the players come out onto the pitch, a memorial stone has been laid for Matthew Grimstone, their former goalkeeper who was tragically killed in 2015 at the age of just 23 when a Hawker Hunter jet participating in the 2015 Shoreham Air Show crashed onto the passing A27 dual carriageway, claiming the lives of Grimstone and team mate Jacob Schilt as they were making their way to play for their club at the time, Worthing United, along with nine other fatalities. A stand covering the three steps to stand on straddles the half way line, attractively decorated in club colours, and a ledge running along this length makes for convenient improvised seating. Hard standing is available along three sides, with the length opposite the stand not intended for spectators to access. The ground has a really pleasant setting, with a tall grass bank behind the length with the stand, and the rolling hills of the South Downs visible behind the other length. Mention should also be made of a really friendly and cheery welcome given by club officials around the ground, and there is a lot to like about a visit to Mile Oak. The only downside was the lack of a programme this evening, apparently due to the printers, a shame particularly in view of an increased attendance resulting from a Friday night game, but I understand the club does usually issue.
It has been a difficult start to the season for Mile Oak, who came into this game pointless, having lost all four league games they have played so far, as well as bowing out of the FA Cup in the Extra Preliminary Round. On the face of it, this is rather surprising, as they were in the top four in each of the last two abandoned seasons, and were always comfortably in the top half of the final standings in each of the previous eight seasons. Wick have had a better start, winning two and losing three of their opening five league games.
On a gloriously sunny evening, Mile Oak certainly started the stronger, creating a few decent chances, and they were awarded a penalty on 28 minutes when Harry Furnell was brought down in the box. Zak Haukham coverted, striking low inside the left hand post, just beyond the keeper's dive. But their lead was to last barely a couple of minutes, as Wick equalised in the 30th minute, Conor Bull showed good feet before slotting the ball across the keeper and into the net. Mile Oak were still in the ascendancy though, and they went back into the lead on 40 minutes when Jack Stenning drilled the ball from the edge of the area low inside the left hand post. But again Mile Oak couldn't hold onto their lead as the visitors were gifted an equaliser when Bull took advantage of a defender giving away possession just outside his own area, and with the keeper out of position, Bull had the simple task of firing into an unguarded net.
So 2-2 at the break, and five minutes after the restart, Mile Oak went in front for a third time, when Chris Whittington's cross glanced off team mate's Alex Masters' head, landing at the feet of Furnell, who drilled the ball into the top left corner. The Wick keeper then received lengthy treatment, and did not look comfortable for the rest of the game as he hobbled around. Just like the previous two times Mile Oak scored, another goal soon followed, but this time it was Mile Oak who scored it, giving themselves a cushion with an excellent goal by Ross Smith, drilling the ball low first time from well outside the area inside the left hand post. Yet that certainly did not put the game to bed, as Wick pulled a goal back on 65 minutes when the ball was floated into the penalty area, and after the Mile Oak keeper unconvincingly patted the ball away towards the edge of his area, Ben Gray hooked the ball into an empty net. There was still plenty of time for further scoring, and they really should have equalised on 70 minutes when a Mile Oak defender misjudged the bounce of the ball and the ball fell to a Wick player, but with the goal at his mercy, the ball was struck wide. The game was then briefly halted when a cat decided it wanted to get in on the action, strolling across the pitch before being picked up by a player and escorted off the pitch. Mile Oak then had a great chance to equalise themselves on 83 minutes when a perfectly judged flick on sent Stenning through on goal, but he eventually sent his shot wide of the left hand post. Mile Oak were reduced to ten men when Haukham was shown a second yellow card and then a red, but there was not enough time for Wick to capatilise on the man advantage, as they held onto the three points which their play certainly deserved, as they finally got points on the board at the fifth time of asking.
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