Horsham YMCA 1 v 1 Roffey

Bank Holiday Tuesday 27th December 2022, Kick-off 19.30
Southern Combination League Premier Division
Gorings Mead, Horsham
Admission: £7.00
Programme: Online only
Attendance: 249

At the conclusion of my afternoon game at Crowborough Athletic, I then embarked on a 28 mile journey westwards, taking about 50 minutes, for my final game of the day. I had visited Gorings Mead three times previously, although not since 2015, and this would be the first time that I would see Horsham YMCA as the home club, as two previous visits were to watch Sussex League Cup Finals, and the other when former tenant club Horsham played there.

Horsham YMCA have had an average start to their season, coming into this game in twelfth place in the table, following eight wins and two draws from their 19 league games. Unfortunately, Roffey are having a wretched season, their first ever at Step 5, but their hopes for this season were seemingly fatally undermined when their manager left on the eve of this season, along with most of the squad. A return to Division One is looking a certainty, as they are rooted to the bottom of the table, having picked up just two points from their 20 league games played, although one of those points came in their penultimate game. I did see Roffey play at Peacehaven & Telscombe, but they lost 7-0, and in all honesty, it could have been considerably worse than that.

Rain started to fall on my drive over, and about an hour before kick off it had been quite torrential, putting the game in some doubt. The club remained very positive in their social media postings, and indeed this was accurate as the pitch, while it had become quite soft and cut up during the game, was perfectly playable. The rain of varying intensity persisted throughout the game, making the two stands very welcome places to shelter in. It soon became apparent that this was a very different Roffey side to the one I saw at Peacehaven as they more than held their own in a lively opening to the game, and after a free kick was fired just over the bar on 12 minutes, the visitors took the lead on 43 minutes when a corner was delivered into the box and George Cousins drilled the loose ball through a crowd of players from the edge of the box just inside the left hand post. it was no more than they deserved, a lead they held onto at half time.

A little more urgency entered Horsham YMCA's play after the break, and they got back on level terms on 58 minutes. The ball was flicked on for Archie Goddard to run onto, and although his initial shot came back off the post, the ball bounced back to Goddard to sweep the ball home. And it looked like the home side had taken the lead three minutes later when a free kick from deep was delivered into the box, and Ashley Dugdale stretched to poke the ball home, but the goal was disallowed for offside. Both sides pushed hard for a winner for the remainder of the game, but none was forthcoming. Roffey will be pleased to pick up just their third point of the season, but with a little more luck, it could have been their first win of the season - but surely that wll not take too long to come for this new-look squad. 

Video highlights of this game can be viewed by clicking here

Crowborough Athletic 2 v 0 AFC Uckfield Town

Bank Holiday Tuesday 27th December 2022, Kick-off 15.00
Southern Combination League Premier Division
Crowborough Community Stadium, Crowborough
Admission: £8.00
Programme: £2.00
Attendance: 678

At the conclusion of my morning game at Jarvis Brook, I then headed into Crowborough town centre for lunch at the Crowborough Cross Wetherspoons, before heading to where is traditioanlly known as The Alderbrook, to revisit a ground that I have been to many times over the years, however not so frequently in recent years after moving away from the area.

After eight seasons in the predominantly Kent based Southern Counties East League Premier Division, Crowborough were laterally transferred back into the more Sussex based Southern Combination League Premier Division in the summer. They are firmly stuck in mid table in their new surroundings, in eleventh place in the 20 club division, following seven wins and six draws from their 18 league games. AFC Uckfield Town came into this game in 15th place in the table, following six wins and two draws from their 17 league games. Today's game would be a local derby, with ten miles separating the two clubs, but technically it would be the first ever game between the two clubs, since AFC Uckfield and Uckfield Town merged in 2014. And it was clearly a game that whetted the appetite for plenty in the Wealden area (and beyond), with the highest ever attendance present at the Alderbrook today.

On an overcast and slightly chilly afternoon, the first half was certainly very competitive, played at a high tempo and plenty of strong tackles flying in. For the most part even, it was Crowborough who opened the scoring on 35 minutes, when a corner was played in and Ollie Hyland struck the loose ball from the edge of the area, not particularly strongly, but a deflection seemed to be enough to send it gently squirming past the keeper, who did appear to have plenty behind the ball..

Crowborough held on to a slender one goal lead at the break, but within a minute of the restart, they doubled their advantage. Tom Pearson sprinted down the left wing, beating a man, before crossing the ball low for an unmarked Lucas Murrain to tap in from the six yard box. The game rather settled down then, whcih certainly suited the home side, with Uckfield not carrying as much of a threat as they had before the break, and not even being reduced to ten men, John Sinclair being shown a second yellow card and then a red in the 81st minute, could inspire the visitors to pull a goal back. Indeed, it was Crowborough who came closest to scoring again, when a rasping shot from outside the area bt Charlie Watkins forced an excellent flying save by the  visiting keeper, who was making his debut today. But in what turned into a rather attritional derby game, it was Crowborough who sealed the three points, to rise a place to tenth in the table, while Uckfield remain in 15th.

Video highlights of this game can be viewed by clicking here

Jarvis Brook 5 v 0 St Francis Rangers

Bank Holiday Tuesday 27th December 2022, Kick-off 11.00
Southern Combination League Division Two
Limekiln, Crowborough
Admission: Free
Programme: Free
Attendance: 126

With trains not starting until after midday in my area due, yet again, to industrial action, and not fancying a round-trip of at least 170 miles to visit a new ground for me, I opted to stay within Sussex today and revisit three grounds within Sussex, starting with two clubs I am quite fond of, having lived in that area for half of my life.

Jarvis Brook have always been an impressive club from a community point of view, having always provided excellent opportunities for youth teams, but now appear to be ambitious for their first team. They are having a great season on the pitch, leading the table by ten points, having won 13 and lost the other of their fourteen league games. As things stand, facilities at their ground would prevent promotion into the National League System, with the ground only being railed off, and no hard standing. But pond have been submitted to the local council for floodlights and stands, and a positive outcome there would surely lead to Jarvis Brook playing at Step 6 next season. They already have an excellent modern clubhouse, serving s good range of hot and cold food and drinks. Former Step 5 outfit St Francis Rangers sit in seventh place in the 14 club Division, following five wins and four draws from their 14 league games. Rustiness may be an issue for both clubs today though, as weather related postponements have dictated that St Francis have not played since 10th December, and Jarvis Brook since the 3rd.

I drove through a torrential downpour en route to the game, but fortunately conditions remained dry throughout my visit to the Limekiln - mostly overcast, but with the sun occasionally breaking through, on a chilly morning at this exposed location. Although the visitors started fairly well, there was only going to be one winner of this game, once Jarvis Brook were rather gifted the opening goal on 20 minutes. Victor Penfold strode through midfield before laying the ball off to Steve Smith, who struck a low powerful shot from just outside the area which the keeper seemed to get behind, but somehow the ball squeezed past him and over the line. They doubled their lead on 24 minutes after winning possession in midfield, and a quick one two by the edge of the area resulted in Finn Chapman slotting the ball past the keeper. A bullet header from a corner sent the ball whistling just over the bar on 26 minutes, before the home side scored their third on 40 minutes. A fortunate deflection sent the Jarvis Brook player running forward and eventually Paul Gardner slotted the ball past the keeper. And Jarvis Brook all but sealed the three points a minute before the break when Steve Smith struck the ball home at the second attempt after initially missing the ball.

Perhaps predictably, the second half was rather more subdued, with St Francis looking more organised and putting together the occasional attacking threat, but Jarvis Brook still created more clear chances, denied by some good stops by the keeper, but they did score a fifth on 65 minutes when Smith dribbled from the left wing across the outer line of the penalty area, before thumping a wonderful shot into the top left corner, giving the keeper no chance.5-0 was how it remained, a fair reflection of a game which Jarvis Brook dominated, with some lovely incisive football player on what looked quite a tricky pitch to play on. They look in good shape to be crowned champions on the pitch, having opened an eleven point lead today, but they will have to hope for positive results from the relevant authorities if they be allowed promotion into step 5 next season.