Bexhill United 4 v 1 AFC Varndeanians

Tuesday 24th August 2021, Kick-off 19.30

Southern Combination League Premier Division 

The Beaconsfield, Hailsham

Admission including Programme: £6.00

Attendance: 60 (estimate)

This evening I decided to pay my third visit of the season (already) to The Beaconsfield, as Bexhill United continue having to play their home fixtures in Hailsham, due to cricket continuing to take priority for use of their usual home ground at The Polegrove throughout August.

This match would be a battle of the promoted sides, although neither club have started well this season. Bexhill did win their opening game away at Alfold, lost their next two League games, and were well on their way to losing another, at home to Lingfield, but when losing 0-3, one of the floodlights went out, causing the game to be abandoned. AFC Varndeanians have lost all five their opening league games, and so are rooted to the bottom of the table. Clearly, this gave Bexhill hope for a positive result to kick start their season, but they glaces previously pointless Eastbourne United last Tuesday, but lost 1-3. They were without a game on Saturday. I watched the last League encounter between these sides, last December, and witnessed one of the best games I have watched for a long, long time, which Bexhill won 5-3.

On a pleasantly sunny evening, this game certainly had an explosive start, with two goals scored in the opening two minutes. AFC Varndeanians opened the scoring when the ball was crossed low to the far post, where Gabriel Robinson tapped in from close range. But within a minute, Bexhill equalised, when Evan Archibald got on the end of a ball over the top, sidestepped the keeper, before tapping into an empty net. That certainly seemed to wake Bexhill up, who went on to dominate possession and creating a string of  good chances to score. They went into the lead on 11 minutes with a very good goal by Jack Shonk, letting the ball drop over his shoulder and volleying it past the keeper. Varndeanians came close a couple of times around the half hour mark, before Bexhill scored their third on 36 minutes following a diagonal ball forward, which Shonk guided into his path towards goal before drilling low inside the left hand post. 

So after falling behind, Bexhill held a fairly comfortable lead by the break, which they fully merited on the balance of play. AFC Varndeanians started the second half well though, with the game being much more even, until the result was put beyond any real doubt on 61 minutes when Bexhill scored their fourth from the penalty spot, Shonk completing his hat-trick with a shot into the bottom left corner after a trip brought a surging run into the box to an end. Bexhill really should have scored plenty more, passing up numerous clear cut chances to score, but in the end it mattered little as they claimed a comfortable win which may well inject some new life in their embryonic season. As for AFC Varndeanians, they did actually quite impress with the quality of their passing football. But they are a young squad of players and were cut open far too easily throughout, meaning that it is already looking like it will be a long old season battling against relegation for them, unless they make some changes to add some experience to their squad.

Charlton Athletic 0 v 2 Wigan Athletic

Saturday 21st August 2021, Kick-off 15.00

EFL League One

The Valley, Charlton

Admission: Season Ticket

Programme: £3.00

Attendance: 13,839 (711 away)

Today would be Charlton's second home game of the season, and after plenty of pre-season optimism with the infectious positive mental energy from owner Thomas Sandgaard and manager Nigel Adkins, it hasn't taken long for doom and gloom to come back in abundance. 

Since the hard watch which was the goalless draw at home to Sheffield Wednesday, a home defeat to AFC Wimbledon in the League Cup, followed by two 1-2 away defeats, at Oxford United and MK Dons, had ensured that the early optimism amongst fans has already taken a big hit, and with a worrying lack of squad depth, an uninspiring midfield, and a recurring desperate tactic of hoofing it up to Stockley and hope for the best, a positive result is required quickly to stop the situation becoming ugly again - we had dearly hoped that those days were behind us now, with the departures of Roland Duchatelet and East Street Investments. Wigan opened their season with 2-1 defeat at Sunderland, before beating Champtionship club Hull City on penalties in the League Cup, and then beating Rotherham United at home 1-0, and most recently drawing at home to Wycombe Wanderers 1-1. An added dimension was added to this game with the close season transfer of Addicks keeper Ben Amos to Wigan, being replaced by Craig MacGillivray - who may have been Portsmouth's player of the season last season, but has looked rather shaky and erratic in Charlton's colours so far. After their very existence had looked in as much danger as Charlton's in the recent past, Wigan have managed to add some real quality to their squad, signing up last season's top scorer in league, Charlie Wyke, from Sunderland, and James McLean and ex Charlton player Jordan Cousins, who have both spent most of their careers at Championship level and above, as well as several other very decent players.

Unfortunately for the Addicks, this game followed an all-too-familiar pattern of their previous games this season. Not playing too badly, looking fairly solid defensively for the most part, and having plenty of possession in midfield, but with precious little threat going forward, no end product, not really looking like scoring for the most part, with Stockley isolated and Albie Morgan woefully lacking in his ability to perform the number 10 role, both in terms of supporting Stockley and his taking of set-pieces. In truth, Wigan should have led by half-time, when a Jordan Jones hit the crossbar with a header, and MacGillivray pulled off a couple of very good and important saves. Somehow, the scoreline remained goalless at the break.

Charlton started the second half strongly, but still for the most part barely threatened the Wigan goal. New signing Charlie Kirk came close a couple of times, but saw his shots go beyond the far post, but as it was looking like the game was heading fast for a goalless draw, Wigan scored on 88 minutes when Max Power sent in an inviting cross from the right, and Tendayi Darikwa headed home at the far post. And the visitors made absolutely sure of the three points in the sixth minute of added on time when the ball was intercepted deep in Charlton's half, Stephen Humphries strode forward with the ball to the half way line, before threading a perfect low ball through the Charlton defence to find the well timed run of James McLean, who rounded MacGillivray, who had come out out close the angle, before slotting home into an empty net. That was too much for some Charlton fans, with a chorus of boos, chants of "you're not fit to wear the shirt" and "We're fu**ing sh*t". The frustration is understandable, after hopes were raised by owner Thomas Sandgaard for a successful season pushing for promotion, but currently the squad just looks very weak and thin, and with game after game of no real attacking threat being posed. The booing and chants are probably the last thing this young group of players need. The effort and desire seemed to be there, for the majority of the players at least - but the quality individually and collectively simply is not for the most part. With just over a week of the August transfer window remaining, some decent signings do need to be made to avoid this being a season stuck in mid-table mediocrity....at best. One of the few positives was MacGillivray demonstrating that he is indeed a very solid keeper, and indeed it was he who prevented a heavier defeat.

Video highlights of this match can be viewed by clicking here :- 

Eastbourne United 2 v 1 Bexhill United

Tuesday 17th August 2021, Kick-off 19.45

Southern Combination League Premier Division

The Oval, Eastbourne

Admission: £7.00

Programme: £1.00

Attendance: 147

For my midweek action this week, I chose to pay my second visit to The Oval this season (including a pre-season visit). Having watched Bexhill's "home" game at Hailsham last Friday, I was hoping I would watch a complete match this time, after that game was abandoned on 75 minutes due to floodlight failure. Not that Bexhill would have been complaining, having been 0-3 down at the time, although if there is any justice, the result will stand.

Bexhill have been knocking on the door of promotion from Division One over the last few seasons, and were duly awarded promotion by the FA this year. After quite a lot of squad movement over the summer, losing several players to cross town rivals Little Common, most notably the exciting winger Jack MacLean, but making some excellent signings with Premier Division experience, including the previously prolific Jack Shonk, Bexhill opened their campaign with a 2-3 away win at Alfold, before losing 0-2 at Newhaven, and then bowing out of the FA Cup in the Extra Preliminary Round, losing 0-1 to Peacehaven & Telscombe at the Pilot Field. Eastbourne United have had a poor start to their season, losing all three of their league games so far, and losing 6-2 at Chatham Town in the FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round.

This game had an explosive start, with the hosts taking the lead with barely a minute on the clock following a ball down the right, Festos Kamara showed a great turn of pace to get past the left back, and instead is shooting from a slight angle, he showed good composure to cross the ball low to an unmarked Alfie Peacock, who tapped the ball home at the far post. They almost scored a second barely a minute later, when a cross from the right was headed over. Bexhill then came back into the game more, gaining their share of possession as well as creating a couple of chances, but on 24 minutes, Eastbourne doubled their lead when a corner was powerfully headed home by Adam Davidson. Eastbourne thought they had scored a third on 40 minutes, when the ball was bundled in following a low cross from the right, but the goal was disallowed, seemingly for the ball going behind the byline before being crossed. Bexhill continued to play quite well, getting in some good positions, but a lack of a cutting edge cost them and they found themselves two down at the break.

The second half followed a similar pattern insofar as Bexhill probably had more of the ball, and carved out some reasonable chances, but just couldnt find the back of the net. A minute after the break, a goal bound shot was blocked, on 51 minutes a free kick went just over the bar, and in the second minute of added on time, a corner was headed powerfully into the keeper's arms. Bexhill finally did score, but unfortunately for them, not until the fourth minute of added on time when Evan Archibald bundled the ball home, but although there were still a couple of minutes' play remaining, they never threatened an equaliser, as Eastbourne secured their first points of the season, and it is looking like a difficult season is brewing for Bexhill, after a few seasons of wonderfully entertaining attacking football  in Division One.

Dereham Town 3 v 1 Heybridge Swifts

Saturday 14th August 2021, Kick-off 15.00
Isthmian League North Division

Aldiss Park, Dereham

Admission: £8.00

Programme: £2.00

Attendance: 214

With only one ground left to tick off in all four divisions of the Isthmian League, I made it a priority to complete the job this season. There is a good reason why I saved a visit to Aldiss Park until last - quite simply, it is comfortably the furthest from my base on the south coast, and involving quite a trek using public transport, my preferred means of travel on Saturdays. Having booked reasonably priced Advance tickets a month beforehand, I did fear the “pingdemic” could yet throw a spanner in the works. But happily, those fears proved unfounded as I made my way up to Norfolk today.

After arriving at Norwich train station, I then walked 15 minutes across the city centre to the bus station, from where regular buses ply the route westwards for the half hour journey to within virtually a stone's throw of Aldiss Park, located on the eastern extremity of the town. A welcome board with next fixture information is located at the entrance, inside which is a fairly large car park. Entrance to the ground is gained through turnstiles located inside an attractive small brick hut, towards the corner flag along one of the lengths. Plenty of picnic tables are located along this length, and a large brick building houses the clubhouse, with a traditional looking bar area inside with a good range available, and a function room to the rear. A tea bar hatch is located in one of the side windows. Along the opposite length is quite a long but compact metallic olive coloured stand, with two rows of seating inside, save for areas to stand on at either end, and some club banners are attached to the back wall. A small modern metallic stand is located behind one end, and work seems to have begun on installing a couple more small stands behind the other end. Aldiss Park is certainly not a ground to make the heart race, but it is functional, spacious and perfectly adequate to provide a comfortable visit for Isthmian League football. Happily, a printed programme was produced, containing 32 pages in colour on good quality paper, and it seemed to be a popular purchase.

Today was the opening day of the Isthmian League season, between two clubs firmly established in this division, with this being Dereham's ninth season in the division, and Heybridge's thirteenth. In last season's all too brief action, Dereham won two and drew two of their seven league games, while Heybridge won three and drew one of their eight league games. There was a famous face in the Heybridge dugout today, with West Ham legend Julian Dicks returning for his second spell as manager this season.

On a very overcast afternoon, with an unforecasted short rain shower arriving late in the first half, the game had an explosive start, with the home side taking the lead with just two minutes on the clock. Rhys Logan played an inswinging free kick from the left wing towards the back post, where Robbie Linford poked the ball home. Heybridge settled down and create a couple of decent chances which made the keeper work, but on 38 minutes, Dereham doubled their lead when David Hinton guided a low ball through the defence for Shaun Bammant to run onto and tap the ball past the onrushing keeper. Not much else of note occured in the remainder of the half, and Heybridge would have it all to do in the second half to get anything from the game.

Dereham had the first two decent chances of the second half, before Heybridge were awarded a penalty on 70 minutes after some great pace from the Heybridge forward saw him accelerate past the defence and into the penalty area, before being bundled over from behind by Hinton, who also received a yellow card for his troubles. Alex Teniola struck the ball powerfully into the bottom left corner, just out of the keeper's reach. Suddenly it looked a different game, as soon afterwards a shot from the right side of the penalty area went whistling just over the bar by Heybridge's Tom Adeyemi. But just as the visitors were really building up a head of steam, left back Archie McFadden was shown a second yellow card and then a red for a late tackle on 75 minutes. And it seemed their hope was all but extinguished on 78 minutes with Luke Johnson curling a beautiful shot in off the far post. Heybridge did keep pushing to get back in the game, and it seemed that they had pulled a goal back on 81 minutes when Joseph Claridge fired a free kick from a central position inside the right hand post and into the net, but the referee blew his whistle for a foul in the wall. Dereham then had a couple of good chances to extend their lead, but 3-1 was how it finished following a good performance against a good team who will probably be challenging for the play-offs this season.

Video highlights of this match can be viewed by clicking here