Lewisham Borough 2 v 1 Merstham

Saturday 8th July 2023, Kick-off 12.00
Pre-Season Friendly
Princes Park Community Pitch, Dartford
Admission: £2.00
Programme: None
Attendance: 37 

As can happen with groundhopping, today turned out very differently to how I had loosely planned when I woke up this morning. I was planning to visit the traditional grounds of either Millbrook or Virginia Water today, but with trains being affected by an ASLEF overtime ban, resulting in reduced services and increased risk of cancellations, and then noticing that this game would be played on the same Princes Park complex where Charlton would be playing later in the day, I decided to hop in the car and make my way to Dartford. 

Lewisham Borough do not usually play here, they play their league fixtures at the Ladywell Arena in Catford, but Kent County League Premier Division outfit Halls Athletic do call this pitch home, and they did originally apply for promotion to Step 6, but were unsuccessful, not too surprisingly it has to be said, despite some decent facilities. The pitch is railed down both length, but it is impossible to get between them, with both ends out of bounds and each length being accessed by separate entrances. Opposite the dugouts, there is a modern metallic stand containing about 50 seats, and floodlights are present. The backdrop is quite pleasant, with a variety of trees around the ground, and the main Princes Park stadium behind one end. Unsurprisingly, no paperwork was produced for this fixture, although pin badges and scarves were available for sale at the entrance.

Lewisham Borough had a very average season in the Step 6 Southern Counties East Division One, finishing in twelth place in the 17 club division. Merstham came dangerously close to relegation from the Step 4 Isthmian League South Central Division, finishing in 18th place in the 20 club division, ensuring that they had to contest a play-off game against Egham Town to ensure their survival.

On a very muggy and mostly overcast early afternoon, with occasional showers passing through, this was quite an entertaining game to watch, and although Lewisham started by doing much of the attacking, Merstham emerged to create some good chances. On ten minutes, a corner was headed just wide of the far post, and on 16 minutes, a cross from the left was met with a powerful close range header, which was excellent saved as point blank range by the keeper. On 19 minutes, Merstham opened the scoring with a very good goal, following a dribble across the edge of the area before a shot was blasted into the top right corner. Lewisham then went close with a couple of efforts, and immediately after a drinks break, Merstham saw a powerful downward header go just wide.

After the inevitable mass changes at the break, it was Lewisham who mostly dominated the second half, and they had a great chance to equalise on 57 minutes, when the ball was chested down at the edge of the penalty area, and a powerful shot was blocked by the keeper. Merstham did have  great chance to extend their lead, with a tantalising diagonal ball across goal just evading a couple of tap ins. But on 72 minutes, Lewisham scored with a very good finish, Asiamah running in from the left before lashing the ball across the keeper and into the net.  And they scored their second on 75 minutes, when good passing towards the edge of the area, and then Ajose fired a low shot beyond the keeper's dive into the bottom left corner. 

. 

Penybont 1 v 0 Haverfordwest County

Tuesday 4th July 2023, Kick-off 19.45
Pre-Season Friendly
Brewery Field, Bridgend
Admission: £5.00
Programme: None
Attendance: 400 (estimate)

Being in South Wales on a business trip anyway, I originally favoured a visit to Ammanford AFC, which would be very close to where I would be ending my working day. But that would be their first pre-season fixture, against a team from the Carmarthernshire League, and when it was confirmed that Penybont would be playing this game at a venue not usually used for football, and both team playing were at an advanced stage in their preparations for their European Conference League fixtures next week, I decided to take in this game instead.

The Brewery Field, usual home of Bridgend Ravens Rugby Club, is located just to the north of Bridgend town centre, and with only one length of the ground officially open for this evening's game, access was gained through a turnstile next to a small ticket office building, where either tickets could be purchased or pre-purchased tickets were scanned. A fairly old-fashioned 1,100 capacity all-seater stand is located along this length. This evening, a lot of people stood at ground level behind the pitchside railing but presumably this will not be allowed for their Europa Conference game next Thursday. The other three sides were out of bounds tonight (as they will be next week), with a terrace covered by an old fashioned stand between corner flags, while the other length has an impressive structure, with quite a large bank of terracing, and a row of hospitality boxed above, with a high roof to the stand. The remaining end just has grass, apart from a tarmac lane passing some way behind. It is quite an impressive ground, mixing a traditional sports ground feel with some modern facilities, but it is a shame that UEFA rules dictate that only one side, the seated area, can be used in the European games. Surprisingly, no refreshments whatsoever were available to buy this evening.

This was quite an attractive game, with both sides finalising their preparations for their upcoming Europa Conference ties next week, when Penybont will be hosting Andorran side Saint Coloma in the first leg of their Europa Conference tie, while Haverfordwest will travel to Slovenia to face KF Shkëndija in their first leg. Penybont finished last season in third place in the Cymru Premier, thereby directly qualifying for the Europa Conference League 1st Qualifying Round, while Haverfordwest were certainly the outsiders in qualifying, having finished in seventh place in last season's Cymru Premier, as the top team in the bottom half following the mid season split, and then won the Europa Conference League Play-offs, beating Cardiff Metropolitan University, and then Newtown, both times in penalty shoot-outs.

On a mostly overcast but warm evening, with the sun occasionally breaking through the clouds. the game was originally supposed to kick off at 19.30, but without any announcements, the game actually started at 19.45. In all honesty, this was not a game that will live long in the memory, and although Haverfordwest probably shaded possession in the first half, it was Penybont who had the stand out chances. First, on 24 minutes, an inswinging cross to the back post was awkwardly headed just over his own bar by a Haverfordwest defender, and then on 43 minutes, a shot from the edge of the area came back off the left hand post, bounced off of the keeper, but at an awkward height, the Penybont forward could only scoop his shot over the bar with the goal at his mercy. 

The second half continued in a similar pattern, although it was Haverfordwest who had the best two chances to break the deadlock. First on 63 minutes, an inswining cross was headed powerfully towards goal from close range, but the keeper pulled off a stunning reflex save to keep the ball out. And then on 76 minutes, the ball was played to the edge of the area, and the shot was blazed over the bar. A goalless draw was looking a certainty, which would have reflected a pretty dull game, until Penybont broke the deadlock in the 89th minute when an inswining cross to the back post was met with a downward header from close range to see the bounce ball down and over the line. 

So, another good work out for both sides, although both will probably be concerned about their lack of cutting edge going into their European ties.

Penybont: Kelland Absalom (Alex Pennock 65), Kane Owen (Mark Little 72), Ashley Evans (Jack Carson 65), Dan Jefferies, Mael Davies (Lewis Taylor 63), Billy Borge (Keyon Reffill 63), Lewis Clutton (Ryan Reynolds 72), Kostya Georgievsky, Lewis Harling, Luke Sylvester, Teejay Vickery (Jack Shaw 72).

Haverfordwest County: Zac Jones, Kayden Williams-Lowe (Harri John 60), Iori Humphreys (Lucas Davis 70), Jazz Richards, Oscar Borg, Rhys Abbruzzese (Rio Dyer 60), Tyrese Owen (Jak Wilson 60), Kai Whitmore, Dan Hawkins, Ben Fawcett, Martell Taylor-Crossdale (Lucas Jenkins 76).

Video highlights of this match can be viewed by clicking here

Wisbech Town 3 v 1 Heacham

Saturday 1st July 2023, Kick-off 15.00

Pre-Season Friendly
Fenland Stadium, Wisbech
Admission: £4.00
Programme: None
Attendance: 175 (estimate)

After enjoying a break from groundhopping throughout June, save for the Wales v Armenia game as I was in Cardiff anyway, I felt refreshed and raring to go to embark on another season of football travels. And I decided to start with a fairly long distance trip, making the most of trains being fully available today, with strike action affecting services to varying degrees for three of the four remaining Saturdays in July.

Wisbech is a little off the beaten track for long distance visitors, not having a train station, and the most convenient way for me to get there was by taking the train to Peterborough, and then catch a bus for the one hour, 25 mile journey eastwards to the closest bus stop to the ground, about a five minute walk away. Located on the eastern extremity of the Cambridgeshire town of Wisbech, the ground is actually located in Norfolk, with the county border immediately adjacent to the stadium's grounds. Colourful road signs mark the entrance on the passing road, with a fair sized gravel car park available just inside. Entrance to the ground is gained through a seemingly freshly painted turnstile block, with spectators then finding themselves along one length, which is dominated by a large modern and neat brick clubhouse. Some overhang is provided, along with some seating along the exterior wall, while inside there is a spacious bar area, and a tea bar hatch serving a good range of hot and cold food and drinks. Very similar metal stands are located behind each end, with two rows of steps to stand on, although one end additionally has a small section of three rows of seating. A modern metallic all-seater stands straddles the half way line on the remaining length, with dugouts either side, and there is hard standing around the rest of the ground. Unsurprisingly for a ground on the Fens, the ground is rather exposed, and with a stiff breeze blowing across the ground today, one can  imagine that this would be a rather cold and bleak place to watch football at on a winter's day. No programmes were produced for today's fixture, and although the club usually does issue printed programmes during the regular season, they chose not to towards the end of last season due to apparently low sales.

For the coming season, today’s participating clubs will be in parallel Step 5 divisions, after five steps separated as recently as the 2018/19 season, when Wisbech were in the Northern Premier League Division One, and Heacham were in the fourth tier of the the Anglian Combination League. Indeed, Heacham’s progress has been absolutely remarkable, achieving promotion in every season since the 2016/17 season, from the Anglian Combination League Division Five North. And after being crowned champions of the Eastern Counties League Division One North last season, they will take their place in the Premier Division this season, and it will be interesting to see if the progress of this extremely friendly and progressive club from a small rural village on the Norfolk coast finally slows at Step 5 level. Following relegation from the Northern Premier League, Wisbech had a steady season back in the United Counties League Premier Division last season, finishing in eleventh place.

On a mostly cloudy and surprisingly chilly afternoon in the stiff breeze, this was a game that Heacham dominated during the first half, and they took the lead in the tenth minute with an excellent goal. Fletcher Toll ran onto ball over the top, flicked the ball over a defender before striking the ball first time into the top right corner, giving the keeper no chance. Although the game was open and quite entertaining to watch, there were no real goalscoring chances created during the remainder of the half, as Wisbech were looking the rustier of the two teams.

That changed after the break though, as Wisbech largely dominated the second half, and they scored three goals in three devastating minutes around the hour mark. First, on 59 minutes, Arun Jones received the ball from a throw in, took a touch before drilling a low shot from just outside the area, and a minute later, another throw in was launched into the box, evading a couple of Heacham defenders for Rob Conyard to run onto, dribble across goal before striking the ball home. And in the 62nd minute, a hat-trick of goals directly resulting from throw ins was completed when the ball was launched into the box and headed home at the near post by Dimitru. There was to be no further scoring following that quick burst of goals, but both clubs will no doubt be pleased with a decent workout in their first friendly some four weeks ahead of the start of the League season, with plenty of positives to take from their performances. Heacham looked excellent in the first half, before tiring and fielding a very young team towards the end of the second.

Video highlights of the Wisbech goals can be viewed by clicking here