Bridon Ropes 3 v 2 Croydon

Saturday 23rd November 2019
London Senior Trophy Second Round
Meridian Sports Club, Charlton
Admission: £5.00
Programme: None
Attendance: 35

On the final whistle of my 12.30 KO game at The Valley between Charlton Athletic and Cardiff City, I swiftly made my way up Charlton Lane and across Charlton Park, taking about 20 minutes, for this cup tie between two clubs in the Southern Combination East League Division One.

The Meridian Sports & Social Club is a large complex of sporting facilities, and as well as the senior football ground, there is a 3G cage, several other grass pitches, and a large clubhouse building which has a large bar and a café inside, which is located en route from the lane into the complex and the entrance to the senior football ground. Access is gained through a metallic turnstile block, which has a club sign positioned to the side of it and is located immediately behind one of the goals. These days, the ground is fully fenced off, with hard standing available around all four sides, and a modern metallic all-seater stand straddles the half way line on one side. Tall trees line the other length and although they were looking very bare today, they do make for an attractive backdrop when in leaf. The large clubhouse building overlooks one corner, and its balcony makes for a good, elevated view of the action. No programmes were produced this fixture, although the very friendly lady manning the turnstile allowed me to copy the team sheets.

This London Senior Trophy tie would be between two clubs plying their trade in the Southern Counties East League Division One. Bridon Ropes, who reached the final of this competition last season, losing only after extra time, are having a disappointing season so far. After finishing fourth in this division last season, they earned qualification for this season's FA Cup, but were knocked out by Chichester City, who would go on to reach the Second Round Proper. In the league this season, they were down in 16th place in the 17 team division, following three wins and nine defeats from their opening twelve league fixtures. These are not great times either for Croydon, relegated to their lowest level in the pyramid at the end of last season after finishing 12 points adrift in the Premier Division last season, and 21 points adrift of safety. They were in eighth place coming into this game, following six wins and two draws from their 13 league games, although they have lost their last three league games. These two clubs had already met here in the league in mid September, with Croydon coming away with a 2-6 win, and in the first round of this competition, Croydon won 1-2 away at Combined Counties League Division One outfit Tooting Bec, whilst Bridon Ropes received a bye.

On a bleak, chilly and rather dreary afternoon, with occasional light showers, Croydon started quite well and had the first decent chance on 7 minutes when a shot from outside the area was rather unconvincingly spooned over the bar by the keeper. But on a hitherto rare foray forward, Bridon Ropes took the lead on 20 minutes, after a cross from the left was laid off and although the initial shot was saved, Liam Donaldson struck the ball home from a slight angle. Three minutes later and a quick break down the right by Croydon ended in powerful shot on goal which was well saved, whilst on 28 minutes, some good patient passing inside the area by Bridon ended in the ball being driven into the outer side netting - a good chance missed to double their lead. And on 34 minutes, Croydon equalised after an initial shot was deflected to an unmarked Levi Shango, who tapped the ball home from close range in a central position. Bridon then saw a header from a corner just tipped away by the keeper at full stretch, but they did go back into the lead in first half stoppage time, following a ball forward which drew the keeper towards the outer corner of his penalty area, and Nathan Simpson struck the ball gently past him, rolling into the unguarded net.

Into the second half and Bridon doubled their lead on 59 minutes following a sliderule pass through the defence and after some clever passing worked the ball to an unmarked Jordan Downes at the back post, and he slotted the ball home. That did seem to wake up the visitors somewhat, and they pulled a goal back on 82 minutes when the ball was crossed towards the middle of the goal and was volleyed first time across the keeper and into the net. And they had a great chance to equalise within a minute when a free kick was glided over from the left and a glanced header sent the ball just wide of the far post. Despite plenty of huff and puff, that was the closest Croydon would get to equalising and so it was Bridon Ropes who progressed into the next round.