Brentford U18 2 v 1 Ipswich Town U18

Saturday 22nd November 2014
Professional U18 Development League 2
Jersey Road Training Ground, Osterley
Admission: Free
Programme: None
Attendance: 36 (head count)
Match Rating: 3

With arguably Charlton's biggest home league match of the season to come in the afternoon, I decided to double up today with a morning youth team game, having been encouraged by a message on Brentford's website that spectators were welcome to attend - not always the case for youth team matches of professional clubs.

The Jersey Road training complex is about a five minute walk from Osterley tube station, which is on the Piccadilly line and about a half hour's ride westwards from central London in the direction of Heathrow Airport. It is a fairly typical training ground complex, with a dozen immaculately maintained pitches in close proximity of each other, with a clubhouse just inside the entrance. There is little to be savoured here, although in fairness it was one of those days, overcast with frequent spells of drizzle, that would make places seem more unattractive than they otherwise might. This game took place on pitch 7, at the far side of the complex from the entrance, with an Under 16 game on the adjacent pitch 6, with the goals backing onto each other. One length of the pitch was roped off, and was the only area that spectators were permitted to watch from. No team sheets were prepared for this game.

Brentford came into this game top of the table, with six wins and three draws from their twelve games played, whilst Ipswich were in fifth place, having won five and drawn one of their eleven games.

The first half of this match was dominated by Brentford, and they deservedly took the lead on 35 minutes. Ellis Bellamy, son of Craig Bellamy, received the ball on the right edge of the penalty area, and pulled the goal back from the byline, and Bradley Clayton kept his cool to drive the ball low into the net. The goal sparked the game into life, as Ipswich started to look a little more threatening, forcing an excellent flying save from the Brentford keeper, although Brentford also created some good chances to extend their lead, most notably when Bellamy showed some excellent skill to jink his way through the defence into the area, only to blaze his eventual shot over the bar.

Brentford continued where they left off after the interval, continuing to dominate, although a triple substitution on 55 minutes by the visitors gave them fresh impetus. It looked a matter of time before Ipswich would equalise, which they did on 77 minutes. Sub Ronaldo Jones sent in a perfectly flighted cross from the right wing, and fellow sub Connor McLaughlin headed home at the far post from about 8 yards. The game could have gone either way in the remaining quarter of an hour, but just as it looked like the game would finish all square, Brentford keeper Nik Tzanev launched a free kick down the middle, and as the Ipswich defence hesitated and let the ball bounce, Seita Jatta stole possession, knocked the ball around the oncoming keeper, before slotting the ball into the empty net on the slide. There was little doubt Brentford deserved the lead, with the strikers looking strong and powerful throughout, and they certainly look a good bet to make the end of season play-offs.

Maldon and Tiptree 4 v 2 Waltham Abbey

Saturday 15th November 2014
Isthmian League Division One North
Park Drive, Maldon
Admission: £8.00
Programme: £1.00
Attendance: 54
Match Rating: 4

With my car being being serviced the morning, I decided today would be a good day to drive somewhere, to a destination that is not easily reached by public transport. And so I headed through the Dartford Tunnel towards a very pleasant part of eastern Essex, for my second footballing visit to the county in less than a week.

Park Drive is over six miles from the nearest rail station at Hatfield Peveral, and on a pleasant day, it is well worth arriving in town some time ahead of kick off, to explore the historic town centre and the Promenade Park a couple of minutes walk from the ground, where one can enjoy walks along a river estuary and with pleasant views to the town and Hythe Quay, with its many and varied boats moored up. On entering the ground in one corner, I was impressed by a very friendly welcome from the gateman, young programme sellers, and this friendly feeling remained throughout my stay. Along the length is a large brick building containing the changing rooms, club house and various function rooms, set some way back from the pitch, with a patio area with tables and benches spread around, giving a spacious and relaxed feel to the area. From the changing rooms, there is a covered walkway towards the pitch for the players, which connects to another brick installation containing toilets, and small covered standing areas either side of the dugouts. Straddling the halfway line on the other side is an all-seater stand, with its sign still welcoming visitors to Maldon Town FC, four years after the club reformed as Maldon and Tiptree. A large grass bank along this length makes a nice backdrop. Behind one of the goals is a further all-seater stand, whilst just hard standing is available behind the other goal - although this area was flooded today. Trees behind this goal gives another pleasant backdrop to the ground. All in all, its a neat and welcoming venue. The programme was a very pleasant surprise, priced at just £1, and was of very good quality. 32 pages in all colour, an acceptable amount of advertising, and with all of the stats, facts and comment that one could reasonably hope for at this level.

Maldon and Tiptree have had quite a difficult start to their season, coming into this game third from bottom in the table, having lost 12 of their 19 games, winning four of them, and they went through a run of losing ten straight league and cup games in September/October. In the middle of that run, they appointed former Wimbledon player Alan Kimble as boss, which has brought about a slight upturn in fortunes, winning one and drawing one against teams in the top half, although they lost 1-3 at Dereham in their last game. Waltham Abbey were in eleventh place, winning eight and drawing five of their 19 league games, and came into this game in good form, beaten only once in their last six league games.

After recent prolonged heavy rain, the pitch here was in remarkably good condition, looking firm and did not cut up as the game progressed. On a dull, dank afternoon with intermittent rain during the first half, this was a very entertaining game, which the home side surprisingly dominated throughout - even if the scoreline did not always reflect this. With just two minutes on the clock, the home side should have taken the lead, when Nathan Korangteng saw his shot from an angle parried and Cliff Akurang saw his shot somehow parried wide although the keeper really should not have been given the chance. It was against the run of play when the visitors took the lead, Harry Elmes cutting in from the left wing and pulled the ball back from the byline, allowing Jason Hallett an easy tap home from a central position. Their lead was to last barely a minute though. Korangteng dribbled around the edge of the area but then suddenly fired in a fabulous shot into the top corner, giving the keeper no chance. They went into the lead on 25 minutes, when Tunde Andewumni gained possession of the ball after a mix up between visiting defenders, and he strode forward before placing a lovely low curling shot just inside the far post. It was a deserved lead, but Waltham Abbey levelled the scores four minutes before half time. Elmes crossed the ball from the right and Jon Docker hit a shot on the turn at the edge of the area that, although was not cleanly struck, still found its way inside the near post.

So after an entertaining first half which saw Maldon and Tiptree surprisingly dominant, but one would imagine that Waltham Abbey would improve in the second half. That certainly did not happen though, as the home side deservedly went back into the lead on 55 minutes. Adewunmi got on the end of the low long ball forward, and after trying to dribble around the keeper, who had come out of his area to meet the ball, Adewunmi passed the ball to Cliff Akurang, who lobbed the ball into the net via the underside of the bar. Maldon and Tiptree sealed the three points on 70 minutes when Koranteng chased a long ball towards the corner flag, just beating the keeper who yet again was too easily tempted away from his goal, before passing into the centre and Adewunmi just managed to beat a defender to apply the finishing touch into the unguarded net. That pretty much killed the game, as Maldon and Tiptree looked comfortable holding onto their lead and Waltham Abbey never looking likely to threaten to pull a goal back. This was a very entertaining game of football though, and it was a shame that so few people were there to witness it.  On the evidence of today, with their pace and guile up front, it would appear that Maldon and Tiptree are in something of a false position in the table, and should climb the table in the coming weeks, whilst presumably this was just something of a bad day at the office for Waltham Abbey.

Little Common 2 v 0 Bexhill United

Tuesday 11th November 2014

Sussex Senior Cup Second Round

Recreation Ground, Little Common

Admission including programme: £4.00

Attendance: 143

Match Rating: 2

For this week's midweek action, I decided on another visit to Little Common, for a tasty looking fixture in the Sussex Senior Cup, a crosstown derby, with the possible reward of a tie against the likes of the Brighton and Hove Albion Development Squad, Crawley Town, Eastbourne Borough and other in the next round.

Both teams have had reasonable campaigns so far in the Sussex County League Division Two, with Little Common in sixth place, with 20 points from 13 games, and Bexhill United five points and two places better off, having played the same number of games. Bexhill came into this game off the back of three straight league wins, all at home, and unbeaten in their last five league games. Little Common have had a strange season, winning six of their seven games in September, before losing five of their six games in October. In their last game on Saturday, they impressively dispatched second placed Wick and Barnham United 4-0 at home. This evening's team have not yet met in the league this season, but in the League Cup tie in August, Little Common was 4-3 at home. To reach this stage of the competition, Little Common emphatically won 0-7 at fellow Sussex League Division Two outfit Seaford, whilst Bexhill caused a minor shock in beating Division One outfit Hassocks 2-1 at home.

After heavy rain had fallen in recent days, the pitch appeared in surprisingly good condition at kick-off, with the game never in doubt, although the pitch unsurprisingly was very heavy and slippery, and was cutting up badly as the game progressed. Frequent rain showers and a very strong gusty wind made conditions rather difficult for spectators too, and perhaps all of these factors led to a disappointingly low-key match that never really caught fire as local derbies usually do. Few chances were created, although Bexhill probably had the better of the opening half hour, and were awarded a penalty on 32 minutes when Paul Feakins brought down Kevin Barden. Scott McDonald fired the penalty high over the left hand side of the goal to keep the scores level, and they were made to pay for that miss on 41 minutes. A low diagonal ball into the left corner of the six yard box by Feakins found Lewis Hole, who showed good footwork in getting to a more central position before firing the ball home.

The second half was similar to the first, another even affair, if anything even duller, as Bexhill looked less threatening seemingly rather deflated by the penalty miss, falling behind and the tricky playing conditions. On 81 minutes, Martin Denny almost doubled the home side's advantage with his vicious shot from 25 yards crashed against the underside of the bar, but they did make the game safe three minutes from time. Nothing unusual that it was player-manager Russell Eldridge who scored with a free-kick, however this one was rather strange. He took a free kick close to the right wing, and the goalkeeper and defence completely misjudged the flight of the ball, diverted by a strong gust of wind, and the ball gently took a bounce before went into the unguarded net. Little Common comfortably saw out the remaining minutes, and they claimed the local bragging rights for the second time this season, and will hope for that big tie in the next round - although Brighton and Hove Albion were removed from the equation, after they were dumped out of the competition at Lewes the following evening. 

Braintree Town 0 v 6 Chesterfield

Sunday 9th November 2014

FA Cup 1st Round

Cressing Road, Braintree

Admission: £15.00

Programme: £3.00

Attendance: 1,206
Match Rating: 4

With this game being moved to the Sunday for television coverage, I had the opportunity to make the long journey up to northern Essex to take in some FA Cup 1^st Round Action, for a tie that had all the makings for a major giantkilling.

Cressing Road is about a 15 minute walk from either Braintree or Braintree Freeport railway stations – the latter providing the opportunity to walk around the Designer Outlet village en route. The ground is rather unremarkable in truth, not having a great deal whilst its facilities are far inferior to what is often found elsewhere in the Conference National. However, it is also worth pointing out that it is a great achievement for a club like Braintree to find itself in such an elevated position in the football pyramid. One enters the ground behind one of the goals, where there are a collection of buildings of varying sizes and shapes housing the clubhouse, clubshop and tea bars. There is also an uncovered terrace behind the goal, with a separate smaller terrace stretching towards the corner flag. Behind the opposite goal, where visiting fans were housed today, is another uncovered terrace. Straddling the half way line on one side is an all-seater stand, with uncovered terraces either side, whilst on the opposite side, a terrace stretches along the length, with the middle section covered by a stand with a fairly low roof – which was ideal today with the low sun shining into the eyes of people along this length. Credit to the club for keeping ticket prices in the lowest band of £15 for standing for this high-profile match, £1 more for a seat, thanks to the local district council sponsoring the game. The 36 page programme was reasonable, a colourful and glossy effort which was quite informative and contained some interesting FA Cup history stats and articles.

Two divisions separated the two clubs, with Braintree Town in 15th place in the Conference National against Chesterfield, reigning League Two champions and currently in eleventh place in League One. Both clubs came into this game not in the best of form, with Chesterfield having picked up just two points from their last six league games, whilst Braintree were winless in their previous nine league games, and had failed to score in eight of their last eleven league and cup games. They did buck this trend to reach this round of the FA Cup, winning 5-3 in a replay against Southern League outfit Weymouth after a goalless draw in Dorset.

Following recent prolonged heavy rain, including overnight, the pitch was heavy and slippery, but otherwise in surprisingly good condition.  On a bright and sunny afternoon, following an immaculately observed period of silence and rendition of the Last Post on Remembrance Sunday ahead of kick-off, if Braintree were to have a hope of causing a shock, they would need to start on the front foot, and that they did, taking the initiative in the opening minutes, having the first shot on goal on 5 minutes and forcing a good save from the visiting keeper. Unfortunately, that was as good as it got for the home side, as Chesterfield soon stamped their authority on the game, playing good incisive, passing football, and they eventually took the lead on 20 minutes. Sam Clucas ran onto a ball from the right wing, and his shot from a tight angle took a deflection into the path of Eoin Doyle, who guided the ball into the net from a couple of yards. Chesterfield doubled their lead on the half hour. Jay O'Shea took a pass towards the edge of the box with his back to goal, before spinning round and curling a lovely shot into the top corner. The visitors were completely dominant now, and they pretty much put the game to bed in the third minute of added on time. Some slick passing into the penalty area ended with Tendayi Darikwa sending in a cross which took a deflection off the keeper into the path of Clucas, who tapped the ball home from close range.

Braintree came out in the second half with renewed impetus, and looked like they might be able to get a goal back with a couple of sights of goal, but Chesterfield soon extinguished that impetus with their fourth goal on 53 minutes. Tandiya Darikwa ran at the Braintree defence, and his cross took a sizeable deflection and looped up and to the feet of Gary Roberts, who let the ball bounce before thumping a half volley into the net. After having a goal ruled out for offside, Chesterfield added a fifth on 74 minutes. Roberts sent in a powerful low cross from the left, and defender Remy Clerima deflected the ball into his own net. Braintree then managed to create their best chances of the game, forcing an excellent save from the keeper and having a shot headed off the line, but it was Chesterfield who scored the final goal of the game and their sixth. Dan Gardiner played a perfect ball low forward into the path of Doyle, who took the ball forward before slotting the ball low just inside the post from just outside the area.

So, a convincing scoreline and one that fairly reflected proceedings. This was a much more entertaining game than the one-sided scoreline might suggest, and full credit to Chesterfield for that, as they kept up their intensity throughout and delivered a very professional performance. Braintree will surely be disappointed with a poor performance on their big day, with particularly their defence too often slow to react and soft in the challenge, although at least they did not completely throw in the towel in the second half and battle gamely to try and at least get a consolation goal - they were just completely outclassed.

Video highlights of this game can be found here or here

Westfield 4 v 2 Steyning Town

Saturday 8th September 2014
Sussex County League Division Two
Parish Field, Westfield
Admission including Programme: £3.00
Attendance: 61
Match Rating: 4

This was another game chosen at the very last minute, having originally set out from home head for a game in the East Sussex League Division One, at Bexhill AAC. However, on arriving about half an hour before kick off at Buxton Drive, it became immediately apparent that the recent heavy rain had taken its toll on the pitch, with the goalmouth and corner flag looking very boggy and no-one in sight. And so, after a quick scan of local clubs in action, I headed off eight miles north-eastwards for this game in the Sussex League Division Two.

The Parish Field has seen no alterations or improvements since my last visit in May 2013, and so it remains, for all its rustic and rural charm, woefully inadequate to host senior football, with no floodlights nor seating present, and a cramped and rather uninviting clubhouse housed in portakabins. The club does indeed plan to move to a site close to the present one, where they could install floodlights and suitably develop into a senior football venue, although there is no fixed time for when this will take place, indeed it has been talked about for several years, with little progress evident. The programme produced was extremely poor, with only one page showing possible team line-ups being of any relevance to today's game, although it did have quite an attractive glossy and hardened cover and it would be remiss not to mention that it is included with a very cheap admission fee of £3.00 - with the club seeming to be very laid-back as to whether spectators pay or not anyway.

This game would be between two clubs stuck in mid-table, although with today's visitors, Steyning, four places higher. Westfield went into this game in eleventh place in the fifteen team division, having won two and drawn five of their eleven games, and had not won in the league since mid September, six games ago, although they had a fabulous 1-2 away win at Division One reigning champions East Preston in the RUR Cup, all the more impressive after coming from behind. Steyning had won six and lost five of their eleven games, and they lost their last game at Bexhill United, but won their three previous games.

With heavily overcast skies and a very strong gusty wind - but thankfully with rain staying away - Westfield started this game very much on the front foot, forcing the Steyning into three excellent saves in the first twenty minutes. It was completely against the run of play and with virtually their first shot on goal when Steyning took the lead on 36 minutes. The ball was moved quickly down the left, and the eventual low cross into the box was tucked home from a central position by Chad Milner. The more the first half progressed, the less threatening on goal Westfield became, however it was still harsh on them to find themselves a goal behind at half time.

They put that right within a couple of minutes of the restart though, when Sam Willett tucked the ball home from fairly close range. They almost took the lead three minutes later when a shot from a very tight angle went across the goal line, just evading a couple of forwards as the ball went wide. They did take a deserved lead on 55 minutes though, when Dave Pugh received the ball towards the edge of the area and he hit his shot past the keeper. On 61 minutes, Westfield scored their third, Pugh running onto a lovely ball dinked over the defence, before lobbing the ball over the keeper and into the net. After Westfield saw an effort cleared off the line, Pugh completed his hat-trick on 75 minutes, again getting on the end of a dinked ball over the defence and his shot on goal went into the net despite taking a deflection off a desperate diving attempted block from a defender. Steyning were very much a beaten team by now, but they did pull a goal back two minutes from time, when a long ball forward was controlled by Rob Clark, before he fired a shot across the keeper and into the net. They might even have scored a third in the closing minutes, but there was no doubt Westfield thoroughly deserved the three points from this game.

Charlton Athletic 1 v 1 Sheffield Wednesday

Saturday 1st November 2014
Football League Championship
The Valley, Charlton
Admission: Season Ticket
Programme: £4.00
Attendance: 16,850
Match Rating: 2

After three Saturdays without Charlton having a home game, and my deciding not to go to their midweek home match against Bolton two Tuesdays ago, it seemed like a rare treat to be heading up to The Valley today.

Since the home draw against Birmingham on 4th October, Charlton have lost their unbeaten record, losing both of their away games against AFC Bournemouth 0-1 and then against Fulham 0-3, although they did win the home game against Bolton 2-1. Undoubtedly the effects of a somewhat paper-thin squad have been exposed, with injuries being suffered by midfielders Johann Gudmundsson and Frederic Bulot, defender Rhoys Wiggins and most painful of all, star striker Igor Vetokele, upon whom Charlton seems to be extremely reliant on for their goal scoring threat this season. Yoni Buyens also missed the Fulham game with a one-game suspension for totting up five yellow cards. Charlton still went into this game in ninth place with 22 points from 14 games, just four points adrift of the top six. Sheffield Wednesday were in 12th place, three points fewer than Charlton, having won four, seven draws and three defeats. An interesting point to note though is that they have fared much better on their travels so far this season, only one of their four wins coming at home, and only one of their three defeats away from home. As today would be the last home game before Remembrance Sunday, and to make the 100th year anniversary of the beginning of the First World War, a number of poignant events took place, which included the unveiling of a commemorative plaque outside the West Stand, a period of silence, which was impeccably observed and which was immediately followed by a rendition of The Last Post. Today's programme also featured several articles relating to the club and its players during the First World War, and this edition enlarged by 16 pages cost an extra pound compared to normal editions.

On a murky but mild afternoon, the first half was a rather disappointing affair, with the game being played at a steady tempo and the home crowd being rather subdued, with not even the usual sizeable travelling support generating much noise. So it was rather out of keeping when the visitors took the lead with a fabulous solo goal by Dutchman Roysten Drenthe, formerly of Real Madrid and Feyenoord and currently on-loan from Reading on his first start for the club. Picking up the ball from just inside the Charlton half, he went on a mazy run towards goal, evading several defenders as they backed off, before finally slotting low into the bottom right hand corner of the net. Referee Andy D'Urso was having usual erratic performance, "highlights" of which in the first half included failing to give Charlton a penalty for handball in the area, and then deep into added on time, failing to award a free kick for a clear foul tackle on the edge of the area, after which the visitors went straight up the other end and came within a whisker of scoring their second.

Sheffield Wednesday probably just about deserved their slender lead at half time, and Charlton would certainly need a dramatic improvement in performance to get something out of this game. Gudmundsson was brought on to replace 17 year old Karlan Aherne-Grant, who had a poor first half although on just his second start, is a very raw talent indeed to be leading the line. The home side went on to create more goalscoring chances in the second half, and the introduction of Vetokele on 65 minutes certainly lifted the crowd when he was introduced. And it only took him five minutes to make his impact when he scored the equaliser. Left back Rhoys Wiggins made an excellent surge from the half way line on the left wing, squeezing through two covering defenders before playing a low cross which Vetokele tucked away from just outside the six yard box from a central position. Charlton certainly had the initiative and now looked the more likely to snatch a winner, although it was Sheffield Wednesday's turn to be denied a penalty when Andre Bikey fell Atdhe Nuhiu. It wouldn't have too much of a surprise had it been awarded, but perhaps Nuhiu's readiness to take a tumble went against him. It seemed that Charlton had won the game as it entered stoppage time, when substitute Lawrie Wilson turned George Tucudean's cross into the net, but the linesman's flag was raised for offside (apparently correctly so) and the score remained level, as it did at the final whistle.

A fair result overall, with Sheffield Wednesday the better team before the break and Charlton the better afterwards, and although this was a solid performance by Charlton, there was a real lack of creativity and momentum in their play. All of which probably reminds us Charlton fans that a mid table finish is about as good as can realistically be expected of this season, which would have been very welcome before the season started although hopes and expectations were raised considerably following the club's excellent start to the season.

Video highlights of this match can be found here