Little Common 2 v 1 Peacehaven & Telscombe

Tuesday 27th September 2022, Kick-off 19.30
Southern Combination League Premier Division
Little Common Recreation Ground, Bexhill-on-Sea
Admission: £6.00
Programme: £1.00
Attendance: 89

For this week's midweek action, I took in my third visit to the Little Common Recreation Ground, for what looked like being a tough test against a club flying high this season.

Little Common have settled into mid table following their opening eight league games, in 14th place, having won two and drawn three so far, but on Saturday progressed in the FA Vase with a 3-0 home win against Molesey. Tonight's opponents looked like representing a very stern test though, as Peacehaven have made an excellent start to their season, losing just one of their opening seven league games, winning five, and came into this game in third place. They too progressed in the FA Vase with a 3-1 home win against Welling Town, and progressed to the 1st Qualifying Round of the FA Cup.

On a fairly mild evening, with rain arriving just in time for kick off, lingering for much of the first half, Peacehaven soon gained the upper hand in this game, and on six minutes a clipped shot came back off the bar, yet on 12 minutes, it was the home side who took the lead, although they were certainly given a helping hand. As Peacehaven tried to play out from the back, Kilula was dispossessed, allowing Jamie Bunn to take possession of the ball, and with the keeper out of position, struck the ball from an angle into an unguarded net. Peacehaven continued to push forward, only to fall two goals behind on 24 minutes when a long throw in was flicked on, and Lewis Parsons hit a lovely waist high shot on the turn to send the ball beyond the keeper's dive and inside the right hand post. Still Peacehaven continued playing on the front foot but they just couldn't find a way through and Little Common held a fairly comfortable lead at half time

The second half followed a similar pattern, still the visitors having more of the possession and attacking threat, and they finally pulled a goal back on 70 minutes, albeit with an element of good fortune as Harry Docherty sent in an inswinging cross from the left wing, and the ball evaded everyone on its way inside the far post. Peacehaven piled the pressure on throughout the remainder of the game, but some good defending and good fortune ensured that they couldn't find a second goal to force a draw, and Little Common held on for the three points which they certainly fought hard for, which lifted them up to twelfth place in the table, while Peacehaven dropped to fifth.

Sherborne Town 1 v 2 Buckland Athletic

Saturday 24th September 2022, Kick-off 15.00
Western League Premier Division
Raleigh Grove, Sherborne
Admission: £7.00
Programme: Online only
Attendance: 134

A poor weather forecast in the south east corner (which actually turned out to be incorrect) meant that I chose to look west for my game today, and in the end, I chose a visit to Raleigh Grove, as the various train connections would work out well, and I had noticed the ground was set in a scenic location, which should look at its best on the sunny autumnal day which was forecast for Dorset this afternoon. 

Raleigh Grove is about a five minute walk from Sherborne train station, albeit including a steep climb en route. The football ground is nestled between the town's rugby and cricket grounds, with access gained through a modern metallic turnstile block behind one end. Sherborne's excellent programme is only available online, but a QR code is available to scan at the turnstile for instant access to the pdf document on a mobile device. A large pitched roofed brick building is located to the right of the entrance, and between the goal and corner flag, and has a bright, roomy and modern bar inside, a covered area pitchside, with a tea bar window towards one side, from which quite an impressive selection of hot and cold food and drinks available. To the other side of the goal, there is a narrow wooden covered area for standing. The hard standing path along one length is raised, thereby offering good views of the action, with a very pleasant backdrop of a steep hill mostly filled with trees continuing well into the distance behind the clubhouse end. A modern metallic all-seater stand straddles the half way line. There is just hard standing along the remaining length and end (which is naturally enclosed with tall trees), and all in all, Raleigh Grove is a ground to enjoy, in a picturesque and peaceful setting.

After Sherborne were promoted as champions from Division One, by ten clear points, the club was rocked in the summer when their manager surprisingly decided to step down. They kicked off this season with a win and a draw though, but had lost their last three games before today, to leave them in ninth place in the table, following three wins and a draw from 9 league games. Buckland Athletic have had a similar start to their season, winning five and losing the other five of their ten league games so far, and they started their season with three straight wins, but going into this game, lost three of their last four.

On a mostly cloudy afternoon, but with bright sunshine breaking through regularly, Sherborne were almost gifted a dream start in the second minute when the ball was launched downfield, the Buckland defender completely missed the ball allowing the Sherborne player to run through on goal, but his eventual shot was well blocked by the keeper. But somewhat against the run of play, they did take the lead on 25 minutes when the ball was played down the left, and was then passed powerfully across goal for an unmarked Ashley Guppy to drive the ball into the top of the net. Buckland had a great chance to equalise on the stroke of half time when the home keeper did well to block a close range shot with his feet, meaning that they would trail at the break, but with everything to play for in the second half.

The second half continued in a similar vein to the first, with the visitors slightly on top but with the home side still looking dangerous on occasions. But on 58 minutes, Buckland levelled the scores when Cieran Bridger delivered a corner which an unmarked Rob Farkins met with a firm header to send the ball into the net. The game then seemed to be drifting towards a share of the spoils, but in the 89th minute, it was the visitors who snatched a dramatic late winner, again following a corner swung in by Bridger and a header seemed to take a couple of deflections on its way towards goal, before being hacked away, but not before the ball had crossed the line, according to the linesman, with the goal being credited to Scott Croker. Their lead wasn't really threatened in the remaining minutes, and although the final result was perhaps a little harsh on Sherborne, who led the game before succumbing to a very late goal, Buckland did look the more threatening side and overall, probably just about deserved the three points.

An eventful journey home included the bizarre sight and sound of a swan coming into land before seeminngly waiting at the edge of a platform at Salisbury train station, and with another sad fatality on the train lines through Three Bridges causing severe delays and unexpected changes on my way home, it would be shortly before midnight when I would finally put the key in my front door.

Bexhill United 3 v 1 Eastbourne Town

Wednesday 21st September 2022, Kick-off 19.30
Southern Combination League Premier Division
The Polegrove, Bexhill-on-Sea
Admission: £6.00
Programme: Sold out
Attendance: 301

With the cricket season having drawn to a close, Bexhill United can now host games at their home ground. And their first game back home would be a local derby against the always well supported team from a few miles along the coast.

Similar to last season. Bexhill have made a fairly slow start to their season away from the Polegrove, and came into this game in eleventh place in the table, following three wins and a draw from their opening six league games. Having had a change of manager and quite a turnover of players over the summer, Eastbourne Town have had a quiet start to their season too, and were in 13th place, following two wins and three draws from their seven league games.

On a fairly mild and dry evening, with a very decent crowd present, this game wasn't a great watch for long periods, with both sides resorting to long punts up field too readily, particularly the home side. Bexhill opened the scoring on 29 minutes when after an initial shot from close to the outer corner of the penalty area was blocked, debutant James Stone arrowed the ball across the keeper and into the top right corner of the net.

The game remained an even battle into the second half, but Bexhill doubled their lead on 69 minutes when an Eastbourne player was dispossessed at the edge of his own area, the ball was then passed to Evan Archibald, who slotted past the keeper. As it looked like Bexhill were crusing to victory, they conceded a penalty on 85 minutes for a blatant and unnecessary push in the area, which Anesy Sisimayi converted into the bottom left corner beyond the keeper's dive. But just a couple of minutes, Bexhill were awarded a penalty of their own when their player was tripped heading for the byline. Jack Shonk converted into the top right corner, sending the keeper the wrong way, to secure the three points for Bexhill which lifted them to eighth in the table.