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
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