Anagram Records Trophy Quarter Final
Leyton Sports Ground, Leyton
Admission: Free
Programme: Free
Attendance: 12
This was very much an unexpected bonus game to take in ahead of my afternoon game at Charlton, with an unusual 11.30am kick off in east London allowing time to then make my way back south across the river to The Valley. A cup tie between two evenly matched clubs, at an unusual and historic venue, sealed the deal for me to set out early for a double of games today.
Sporting Hackney usually play their home fixtures at Barking FC’s Mayesbrook Park, but arranged for this fixture to be played at Leyton Sports Ground, which is about a half hour bus ride from Stratford train station, passing Leyton Orient's home ground Brisbane Road en route. It is a venue simply oozing with history, but more for cricket than football, as it was Essex County Cricket Club’s main home venue from 1886 until 1933, and continued hosting games up to 1977. Surprisingly perhaps, it still remains the ground where Essex have played the most first class games, 407 in total, compared with 391 at Essex’s current home ground in Chelmsford. The Victorian pavilion, built in 1886, still remains in tact and is an impressive and imposing sight overlooking the sports field, even if it is in need of a little TLC. Happily, Waltham Forest Council do recognise the importance of this Grade II listed building, with essential repairs recently carried out, and renovation work hopefully to follow in the not too distant future, subject to sufficient funding being secured. Even on a dank, cold day, you could just feel the history of the venue and picture the cricketers coming out of the pavilion for a day’s play a century ago. There are two football pitches situated either side of the cricket wicket, with this game played on the pitch furthest away from the pavilion. A tarmac lane runs along one side of the ground, providing limited parking, cricket nets are located at the opposite end from the pavilion, and housing beyond roads lines the perimeter fencing on either side, giving the ground an urban feel, although with less noise than might be expected. A very pleasant surprise was the availability of an eight page printed programme, including a welcome message, potted histories of both teams and predicted line-ups.
This cup tie was between two clubs in the Middlesex County League Premier Division, with both having applied for promotion into Step 6 football, although with three other clubs above them in the table having also applied, and two of those certain to pass ground inspections due to ground-sharing at clubs already within the National League System, both Hackney and Cricklewood have plenty of work to do to finish as the top club eligible for promotion. Sporting Hackney were in eighth place in the table, following five wins and five draws from their 15 league games, but have picked up just two points from their last three league games, which has probably ended their realistic hopes for promotion. Cricklewood Wanderers are in sixth place in the table following nine wins and two draws from their 15 league games, and in terms of promotion rivals, are two points behind Clapton Community having played two games less, and one point behind NW London, having played a game more. This was the first game between the two clubs this season, with both league fixtures waiting to be scheduled, and to reach this stage of the Anagram Records Trophy, both clubs won away against Hertfordshire Senior League opposition in the previous round in November, with Sporting Hackney beating Aldenham 2-3, and Cricklewood Wanderers winning on penalties against Cuffley.
On an overcast day with a very chilly breeze present, and with the game eventually kicking off 13 minutes late, this was an even game, mostly a midfield battle with few clear cut chances created by either side, and the quality of play was probably not helped by a very soft pitch. On 6 minutes, the visitors saw a shot from just outside the area go just past the right hand post, while on 22 minutes, an excellent cross from the right was met with a stabbed shot going just wide for the home side.
With light drizzle falling for a short period early in the second half, Cricklewood had a great chance to open the scoring within a minute of the restart when a ball forward sent their striker clear but with the keeper coming out into no man's land, the ball was lobbed and dropped just wide of the open goal. On 69 minutes, Hackney saw a weak shot heading towards goal cleared by a defender, but they did break the deadlock on 76 minutes when a flighted shot from close to the outer corner of the penalty area sailed over the keeper and dropped just inside the far post. Cricklewood's best chance to equalise came on 80 minutes when a corner was headed just wide, but in truth Hackney held on fairly comfortably to progress to the semi finals. The result ensures that both clubs have something left to play for this season, with Hackney now looking forward to a semi-final tie away to NW London in early April, while Cricklewood still have the promotion spot to chase down.
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