Billericay Town 3 v 1 Hendon

Saturday 12th December 2015
New Lodge, Billericay
Isthmian League Premier Division
Admission: £10.00
Programme: £2.00
Attendance: 278
Match Rating: 3

With no FA Vase game easily accessible by public transport at a ground I hadn’t been to previously putting an end to my run of watching a game in every round this season, I decided to head into Essex to visit a ground that many times over the years I had planned to visit but failed to do so.

The New Lodge is about a 20 minute walk from Billericay train station, and spectators enter through a brick turnstile block in one corner of the ground. Once inside, one looks over a ground that is rather tired looking and in desperate need of some TLC and a lick of paint. On the plus side though, there are no modern identikit facilities here, and so has some individuality about the place. Straddling the halfway line is a small old fashioned all-seater stand, offering good elevated views. To the right of the stand is flat standing in front of the brick clubhouse and the changing rooms, with a wooden refreshments hut in the corner, whilst stretching to the other corner flag from the stand is a few steps of covered terracing. A similar structure lines virtually the whole of the opposite length, with about a third of it covering seats, the remainder terrace steps. Behind both goals there are black metallic stands covering steps. The programme, printed in black and white inside a colour cover, was a good effort, covering all of the important stats and facts and with some interesting reading material.

A glance at the league table suggested that Billericay would be favourites today, in sixth place with 38 points from 25 games, including ten wins and eight draws, and were only outside the play off positions on goal difference and were four points off the top. They came into this game in great league form, unbeaten in their last seven league games, winning four of those. After finishing last season as runners up and losing in the promotion play-off final, Hendon were in 20th place in the 24 team league, with six wins and six draws from their 25 games.

On dank, gloomy afternoon with a strong wind making conditions difficult on a damp pitch that cut up, the game started quite evenly, but it was the home side who had the first real sight of goal on 12 minutes, when the Hendon keeper tipped a powerful shot over the bar. From the resulting corner, Billericay took the lead in somewhat fortunate circumstances. A goal bound shot was cleared off the line, but straight into Billericay's Joe Ellul and the ball ricocheted off back into the net. Billericay went on to dominate the rest of the half, although forcing another fingertip save was the only time they really came close to doubling their lead.

Into the second half and Billericay doubled their lead on 53 minutes with a great goal. Teddy Nesbitt drove to the edge of the area stumbling through a foul tackle before placing his shot into the top left corner beyond the keeper’s dive. An excellently composed strike despite being under pressure. That seemed to have sealed the points as they forced some more smart saves from the visiting keeper. Out of nothing though, Hendon pulled a goal back with 5 minutes remaining when a long throw in resulted in the ball landing at the feet of substiute Tony Taggart, who turned and fired the ball into the roof of the net. Suddenly it was game on, as Hendon looked an invigorated outfit, so it was slightly disappointing that Billericay reopened their two goal lead four minutes later. Again fortune favoured them, as Onome Sodje drove the ball low into the box and a defender stuck a foot out to guide the ball into his own net inside his keeper’s near post. That killed the game and Billericay held out comfortably for the three points.

In truth, there was never really much doubt where the points were heading throughout this match, save for a couple of minutes after Hendon pulled a goal back. But Billericay rose into the play-offs following this result, into fourth place, just a point behind the top three level on points, while Hendon remain four point clear of the relegation zone, but have played at least four games more than the two clubs immediately below them and certainly have plenty of work to do to ensure they remain in the same division they have competed in for the last 53 seasons.

Brighton & Hove Albion Ladies 2 v 0 Charlton Athletic Ladies

Sunday 6th December 2015
American Express Community Stadium, Falmer
Women's Premier League Southern Division
Admission: £4.00
Programme: £2.00
Attendance: 3,256
Match Rating: 4

Today I decided to take in my first women's game of the season, one that was appealing to me for several reasons. It would be the first match that Brighton's Ladies team have ever played at the Amex, it would be an opportunity to watch a Charlton team, with my current reluctance to watch the men's team due to my total frustration at the way the club is being run currently, and the match itself would be a clash of the top two in the division.

Goal difference of 6 was all that separated today's teams going into the match. Both had won ten and drawn two of their games, with Charlton having a game in hand having lost one game as opposed to Brighton's two. Today's teams have already met this season in south-east London in late August, with the match finishing goalless. A glossy programme was produced, although this was rather inconveniently in a fold out format although with some interesting reading over 4 pages, as well as the predicted line-ups, league table and fixtures on the back page.

With misty rain blowing into the stadium virtually throughout the match, Brighton put in a really good performance on their big day playing at the Amex, blowing the league leaders with an excellent display of attacking football, always looking creative with their passing and playing at a high tempo to prevent Charlton from getting into the game. Brighton took the lead on 8 minutes following a corner when Jay Blackie met the ball with a looping header and the ball dropped over the keeper and into the net. Brighton dominated the rest of the half, as Charlton struggled to get out of their own half, let alone have a shot on goal, and Brighton deservedly opened up a two goal lead in first half stoppage time. Charlotte Gurr took a lovely touch of the ball to guide the ball past a defender, and she cooly placed the ball past the keeper. In the fifth minute of added on time, they come close to scoring again when a shot skimmed the top of the crossbar, but at half time, Charlton had it all to do to get back into the game.

Charlton did improve after the break, and started to create some reasonable chances although they never really convinced that they would pull a goal back. And it was Brighton who came the closest to scoring in the second half. On 61 minutes, Kate Natkiel was sent through on goal following a flick on, but after trying to jink her way into a better position to shoot, her eventual shot was saved by the keeper. On 82 minutes, Brighton's Sophie Perry had a shot blocked on the line, but their two goals already scored was already plenty sufficient to take them to the top of the table.

Based on today's performance, it is hard to comprehend how Charlton were top of the table going into this game, but perhaps that was more down to an excellent performance from Brighton blowing the visitors away.

Video highlights of this match can be viewed by clicking here

Catsfield 2 v 3 Wadhurst United

Saturday 5th December 2015
Catsfield Playing Field, Catsfield
Sussex Junior Cup Third Round
Admission and Programme: None
Attendance: 5 (head count)
Match Rating: 3

Needing to stay local this afternoon ahead of travelling to a birthday party in the evening, and with all senior clubs in 1066 country playing away from home today, I decided to make a rare visit to the home of an East Sussex League club - at least, rare outside of the groundhopping "silly season".

The Catsfield Playing Field is located close to the centre of the village, between Battle and Ninfield, with the nearest train station three miles away in Battle. The walk from Battle is pleasant, following the course of the 1066 Country Walk through the East Sussex countryside. One enters the playing field behind one of the goals, with a brick clubhouse to the left and a playground to the right. A hedge lines one length and the cricket field the other length, with trees around the border.. Behind the far goal there is a slight incline of fields. It's a pleasantly rural setting, one that would be infinitely more pleasant on a sunny afternoon than on a cold, dank winter's day like today.

Today would be a clash between two struggling teams in the East Sussex League, Catsfield are bottom of the third tier of the league, Division Two, having won one and drawn one of their eight league games so far. Former Sussex County League club Wadhurst United, who I last saw lift the Hastings FA Junior Cup in April, are second bottom in the division above Catsfield, in Division One, with one win and five defeats from their six league games. To reach this stage, Catsfield beat tbeat West Sussex League Division 2 South outfit Beaumont Park 5-0 at home, whilst Wadhurst received a walkover after West Sussex League Division Four South outfit Stedham United Reserves failed to field a team.

On a very overcast afternoon and with a strong wind that would certainly affect the game, the match started evenly, and Catsfield had the first real chance when a firm far post header from a corner went just wide. Wadhurst took the lead on 24 minutes though when, following a throw in, an outstretched foot by James Mitchell guided the ball past the keeper and into the far bottom corner. Both teams had good chances to score during the remainder of the half, but the visitors held the slender lead at half time, but Catsfield were still very much in the game.

Five minutes into the second half and Wadhurst doubled their lead. The ball was played across the penalty area before being driven low across the keeper and into the net by Dean Tincombe. Catsfield continued to battle hard and continued creating some good chances, before they pulled a goal back on 62 minutes. It was very much wind assisted, as a long punt downfield swirled beyond the defenders, and the striker Anthony Luke lifted the ball over the keeper and into the net. Very much game on at that stage, but Wadhurst restored their two goal lead just two minutes later. A cross into the box caused confusion amongst the Catsfield defenders and the ball was poked home by captain John Penny. Still Catsfield battled game fully, and after the Wadhurst keeper pulled off some more more good saves, Catsfield scored again, again a ball forward swirled in the wind, allowing Luke through on goal and he firmly placed the ball into the net for his second of the match. Wadhurst held on for the remaining minutes though, and they will have a home tie with West Sussex League Division Two South outfit East Dean in the last 16. Wadhurst just about deserved the victory today, as they looked to have a little more guile about them, but Catsfield put in a really good battling performance and could easily have taken the tie to extra time with a little more luck.

AFC Stoneham 0 v 2 Ringwood Town

Saturday 28st November 2015
Chestnut Avenue, Eastleigh
Wessex League Cup Second Round
Admission including Programme: £5.00
Attendance: 50 (estimate)
Match Rating: 3

Following my lunchtime game at Eastleigh, I embarked on the 20 minute walk north westwards to visit the other senior football club in the town.

Attractive club signage is placed on Chestnut Avenue, inviting spectators down an unlit track to reach the ground. They enter to the side of a brick building housing the changing rooms, and then there is a short walk along a paved path to the pitch. All of the facilities are along one length, with a hut housing the tea bar and a utility room, and then there is a wooden stand covering bench seating. It has the air of being unfinished, in plain wood, but it is infinitely more preferable to the modern identikit stands at this level these days. Behind both goals there are practice pitches, with hard standing only available along the touchline closest to the changing rooms. Along the remaining length there is no hard standing and is closely lined by tall netting offering protection from the golf driving range next door. It’s a pleasant, rural ground where it is pleasing to see much effort being made to make the ground fit for Wessex football. But special mention must be made of the excellent 16 page programme, which is superbly designed, very easy on the eye, contains some interesting articles and plenty of useful stats and facts.

Both of today’s teams play in the second tier of the Wessex League. In their first season back in the Wessex League, AFC Stoneham were in 14th place in the 18 team division, having won three and drawn two of their 12 league games. Ringwood are in the hunt for promotion, in fourth place, with six win and two draws from their 12 league games. Today’s teams had already met here in the league this season, with Ringwood winning 1-2 away in late August.

With the weather gloomy and a strong wind having developed, the visitors started the stronger, although it was Stoneham who came closest first, with a shot from the edge of the area tipped over by the keeper. The home side then went on to dominate much of the first half - on 11 minutes, a perfectly judged aerial ball from deep into the box was headed goalwards, forcing a good save by the keeper and the rebound was hacked away. On 36 minutes, Stoneham thought they had scored when the ball was headed in from a curling free kick, but the goal was ruled out for a push. Ringwood had their moments too, but the scores remained level at the break.

Ringwood were to assume the ascendancy in the second half and took the lead on 50 minutes when a good run to the byline ended with a low shot to the near post, and the ball was tucked home low from 8 yards. Six minutes later and they added a second. A long punt forward by the Ringwood keeper resulted in the Stoneham keeper racing to the edge of his box to claim the ball but the Ringwood forward got to the ball first to head the ball goalwards and it went in despite a defender desperately trying to race back to clear. Ringwood saw out the rest of the game fairly comfortably, as the home players seemed to grow increasingly frustrated and disillusioned, and so it was Ringwood who progressed to the next round where they will face Premier Division opposition away at either Whitchurch United or Newport Isle of Wight.