Worthing United 3 v 0 Steyning Town

Saturday 29th January 2011
Sussex County League Division 2
Lyons Way, Worthing
Admission with Programme: £5.00
Attendance: 35
Match Rating: 3

A trip to the West Sussex Coast today for some Sussex County League action, and the home of Worthing United, Lyons Way, turned out to be a surprisingly scenic venue. Although it becomes less surprising when one considers that it is located on the northern fringes of the town, about a 20 minute walk from East Worthing Rail Station. On entering the ground, one has to walk up steps to get pitchside and to the one stand within the ground, which is a small, old fashioned structure containing three rows of seats, but with no incline between the rows. From the stand, rolling hills and a farm provide a pleasantly rural and scenic backdrop to the action, and hard standing is available along two of the remaining three sides of the pitch. The 16 page programme, included with admission, certainly has an attractive, colourful and professional cover and contains all of the basic stats and facts needed to preview the game ahead.

Worthing United feel hard done by to still be plying their trade in Division 2 of the Sussex League, having finished runners up and in the promotion places last season, but were denied promotion due to their ground not being adequate for Division 1 football. A decision which seems all the harsher considering the generally poor quality of grounds to be found in Division 1, and that Rye United were promoted despite their ground not being permanently enclosed. However, they are doing well again this season, having lost just two of their opening 17 games this season, in sixth place but have played less games than all teams above them and a top three placing would probably be theirs if they were not behind with their games. Conversely, today's visitors, Steyning Town, benefitted from more strictly enforced ground grading regulations last season, as they should have been relegated to intermediate football in Division 3, but were reprieved thanks to a team being unable to take their promotion place from Division 3. And they are finding life just as difficult again this season, as they find themselves second bottom in the table with just two wins in their opening 18 games. In the corresponding fixture at Steyning earlier in the season, Worthing United ran out comfortable 0-3 winners.

On a murky but bitterly cold day, although the home side started fairly sluggishly against their very limited opponents, it always seemed a matter of time before they would score the goals needed to win this game, with Worthing United playing some attractive, passing football, whereas Steyning struggled to string two passes together nor find a man with their passes and at times resorted to some rather agricultural defending. Worthing United took the lead on 16 minutes with a wonderfully placed free kick from just outside the penalty area though Mitchell Hand. The keeper seemed to allow a rather large gap between the wall and the other post from the one he was guarding - which Hand exploited perfectly. A one goal lead was all that the home side took into half time, although they dominated the second half and put the game to bed through a simple tap in by Joe Shiel on 49 minutes from a low slide rule pass across the 6 yard box following an excellent passing move forward, and then a looped header over the keeper by Joe Shelly on 54 minutes which the Steyning defenders furiously claimed was offside. After this, the game somewhat petered out, although Steyning had a couple of glorious chances of claim a consolation goal.

Steyning Town 1 v 2 Littlehampton Town

Saturday 7th August 2010
Susses League Division 2
The Shooting Field, Steyning
Admission: £3.00
Programme: £1.00
Attendance: 70
Match Rating: 3

For the opening Saturday of the league season,  I decided to embark on a trip that is only possible, when relying on trains, in the opening and closing months of the season with enough daylight to allow a long walk to and from the ground. Indeed, long walks through the countryside to a rural County League ground is one of the highlights of a season for me. Today I chose to visit The Shooting Field, home of Steyning Town, for which I caught the train to Shoreham-by-Sea, from which most of the six mile walk, which took just under two hours, was along the winding River Arun, a scenic and peaceful walk, and ending by walking through the charming and historic villages of Bramber and Steyning.

It's fair to say that The Shooting Field has the look of a ground that has seen better days, with a generally messy appearance. As one enters the ground, there is a covered stand consisting of individual, movable chairs directly in front of a modern clubhouse, as well as as another small covered area mainly intended for standing but with a few chairs sprinkled around. Next to the main stand, there is a small, enclosed but disused "Vice-Presidents" building. Around the rest of the ground is some hard, but mostly grass, standing. Although the ground is adjacent to housing estates, a backdrop of the South Downs behind the main stand/clubhouse does give the ground a reasonably pleasant rural feel. The programme was a very average affair, with enough reading to keep me interested for about a minute - not the best value I've encountered for a pound, it's fair to say.

That Steyning Town are still in senior football is solely thanks to the ground regulations currently being enforced meaning that performance on the pitch last season was of secondary importance in terms of promotion and relegation. Apparently, should various ground improvements not materialise within the next couple of months, then relegation will loom. I know I am not alone in being baffled why clubs at this level, with crowds very rarely coming close to 100, have to meet so many excessive ground requirements. Last season Steyning finished second from bottom, with just four wins from their 34 games played, with Littlehampton finishing more comfortably in mid-table.

As for the game itself, this was very much a game of two halves, with Steyning having most of the possession and chances and deservedly going ahead on 40 minutes with a well judged header by Craig Walsh from a corner. From this point on, the game completely transformed, as Littlehampton had a shot cleared off the line within moments of falling behind, and in the second half, they were by far the stronger side. They were back on level terms within five minutes of the restart with a cool low driven shot from Gary Young, and claimed the deserved win when Jason Jarvis clipped the ball past the on-rushing Steyning goalkeeper. As the second-half wore on with the previously patchy showers becoming heavy constant rain, Littlehampton had some wonderful chances to increase their lead (although Steyning also had a couple of half chances), but the scoreline remained 1-2. As I embarked on the long walk back to Shoreham, I reflected on a very good game - not the most entertaining I have witnessed, but was played in a very competitive but fair spirit, with no bad fouls and credit to the officials who controlled the game excellently.