Grays Athletic 2 v 1 Norwich United

Saturday 8th September 2012
FA Cup 1st Qualifying Round
Rush Green Stadium, Romford
Admission: £8.00
Programme: £2.00
Attendance: 157
Match rating: 3

With a ticket for the evening session of the Paralympic Athletics, it was necessary to find a game in east London today, and this game fitted the bill perfectly - even if events during the match would mean a mad dash to make it in time back to the Olympic Stadium in Stratford for the 1900 start time there. It would also be an opportunity to visit a ground which had looked like it had been consigned to history a few years ago as a senior football venue, but reopened this summer.

The Rush Green Stadium is located just under two miles from Romford train station and town centre, with very frequent buses plying the route, and is now the home of Grays Athletic, after they spent the last couple of seasons ground sharing at East Thurrock United since leaving their traditional home in Grays, the New Recreation Ground. The stadium used to be the home of Ford United and then Romford until 2008, since when it has been the home of West Ham United reserves, and so it remains. Full credit to West Ham United too, who own the facilities and are apparently allowing Grays to play there rent free whilst Grays try to locate and build a permanent stadium in their home town. Apparently the ground had fallen into quite a bad state in the last four years without a senior team playing there, but since Grays were given the green light to make the Rush Green Stadium their home for at least the next two years, much work has clearly gone into making this a neat and tidy stadium. Along one length of the pitch is the all-seater main stand, with a fairly interesting design of a crescent shaped roof. Either side of the stand are several rows of uncovered terracing. Along the opposite length are a similar number of terrace steps, with a small portion straddling the centre line having basic cover. Behind both goals is just hard standing. Unfortunately spectators are set quite some way back from the pitch on all four sides. The programme was good with plenty of interesting and relevant information to digest.

Today's match would provide the opportunity for a giantkilling, with a team from the Eastern Counties League Premier Division visiting a club from a tier above, the Ryman League Division One North. Both teams have had reasonable starts to their seasons, Grays in fourth position in their league with two wins and a draw from their four games, whilst Norwich United are in sixth place in their league, with nine points from their five games. To reach this stage, Norwich United have defeated Stansted at home 2-1 before beating Eton Manor 0-2 away.Grays beat Takeley 1-0 at home in the last round.

On a fabulously warm and sunny afternoon, it was the visitors who looked the livelier and showed the more attacking intent in the opening exhanges, before the game came to an abrupt halt with barely ten minutes on the clock, when the Norwich United striker Nathan Howard went down and couldn't be moved until an ambulance had arrived. Initially thought to be a dislocated shoulder, it turned out that Howard had actually broken his collarbone in four places. A delay of 35 minutes ensued and about ten minutes after the game restarted, it was Grays who took the lead, when the ball was played to Joe Sweeney towards the edge of the penalty area, and his powerful drive took a deflection before hitting the back of the net. It was quite harsh on the visitors, although after the goal, the home side increasingly imposed themselves on the game, however there was no further score by the time half time arrived at 4.37.

The second half was an entertaining one, with Grays ever more dominant yet Norwich did have the stand-out chances from time to time, notably on 51 minutes when they hit the post and on 60 minutes when their striker tried to dribble around the keeper instead of taking the shot, allowing the keeper to smother the ball. Less than two minutes later, Grays took command of the game with a second goal. A lovely pass with the outside of the boot by Sweeney was played forward to Joao Carlos to the corner of the penalty area, and he took the ball towards goal before scoring with a low shot under the keeper. Norwich had a great chance to get a goal back almost immediately, but the keeper saved well and the loose ball was scrambled away. From this point, Grays had some fantastic chances to make the scoreline more emphatic as they dominated the game, however out of nothing, Norwich were given a lifeline four minutes from time with a quite wonderful goal by Nathan Fox, who took control of the ball wide of the penalty area, set himself before floating a ball over the keeper and into the net. Very much game on now, and in the closing minutes it was the visitors who looked much more likely to score and get an equaliser, but it was not to be and it was Grays who progress to the second qualifying round.

Bridon Ropes 2 v 2 Lydd Town

Saturday 1st September 2012
Kent Invicta League
Meridian Sports and Social Club, Charlton
Admission: None
Programme: £2.00
Attendance: 38
Match rating: 3

At the conclusion of the game at Seven Acre and Sidcup, I made my way back to Sidcup rail station, with a choice of games to go to. The most obviously attractive would be Cray Valley's first ever game in the FA Vase, alhough that would mean a revisit for me, and so I headed to familiar territory for me and a journey to Charlton for some more Kent Invicta League action.

The Meridian Sports and Social Club, which is home to both Bridon Ropes and Meridian and who both play in the Kent Invicta League, is about a twenty minute walk from Charlton rail station, up a fairly steep hill to the high street and then passing by Charlton Park. Imagining a scene of a multi pitch facilitity in suburban London is not usually one to excite one's imagination, however this ground came as a relatively pleasant surprise. The main pitch which hosts Kent Invicta League football is closest to the entrance and main road, and trees line this length of the pitch. Along the other three sides is railing and hard standing. A very large old fashioned clubhouse is situated at right angles to the main pitch, and although is rather rundown, offers an attractive backdrop. As well as offering refreshments, a barbecue and even a seafood kiosk, it is also possible to watch the game from the first floor balcony to the side of the clubhouse for an excellent elevated view of the action behind a goal. No admission was taken, and one had to really hunt and keep one's eyes peeled to find the person selling programmes. It was worth the effort though, with some interesting articles to read, match reports, statistics and colour photos from a recent match.

Having finished in fourth place in the Kent Invicta League last season and just five points behind the Champions, Bridon Ropes have had an interesting start to this season, losing their first game at Bearsted 1-4, before winning their next game at Crockenhill by the same scoreline. On Monday they lost to Meridian by 0-2, following a "disgusting poor performance", when "the attitude & discipline of certain individuals was unacceptable" according to Bridon's Director of Football's notes in the programme. Harsh words indeed, and so presumably the club would be looking for a reaction in today's match. Lydd finished in twelth place last season and have gained four points from their five games so far. Last season, Bridon Ropes won both encounters between the two sides.

On a fairly warm but for the most part overcast afternoon, the tone was set for the game in the fourth minute when Lydd almost conceded a calamitous own goal, when a defender tapped the ball past his own keeper, but the ball was just cleared. Bridon Ropes went on to increasingly dominate proceedings, always looking dangerous breaking forward, and whilst Lydd could not be faulted for effort, they looked extremely limited and seemed to have a shoot on sight from long distance policy. On 11 minutes, Lydd had an amazing let-off, when a fast break down the wing saw the ball crossed low into the box, but the ball was skied from very close range when it seemed much easier to score. Three minutes later and the home side did take the lead with a fine individual goal, when Jimmy Doherty ran from the half way line, sidestepped a couple of defenders as he approached the box, before dispatching a low shot under the keeper. The pick of several excellent chances for Bridon to extend their lead came on 27 minutes when their striker just beat the keeper to the ball but the ball dropped just wide of the goal, and shortly before half time, a long ball created a one-on-one opportunity, but the resultant shot struck the crossbar.

Although Lydd had to replace their keeper at half-time, they came out after the interval looking a better team, although steadily Bridon imposed themselves on the game once more, creating and spurning at least half a dozen glorious chances to score, most notably when they hit the post. As limited as Lydd always looked, they did appear to have a goal in them, and on 70 minutes, Lydd applied some rare pressure when they had a powerful header tipped over the bar, and from the resultant cross, a shot went just wide. Seven minutes from time, they hit the post and the rebound was put wide. These were exceptions to the pattern of play though, and Bridon really should have been out of sight in this game. Just as one sensed that they might pay for missing so many chances, they doubled their lead with four minutes left when Jamie Tomkins beat the substitute keeper at his near post. Surely that had put the game to bed and earned the home team a thoroughly deserved three points, but as the game entered added on time at the end of the game, Lydd scored what appeared to be a consolation goal when a superb cross by Mark Read right into the danger area allowed Wes Ford to nod the ball past the keeper. Four minutes into injury time and Lydd were awarded a penalty for a push, although it looked a very soft award indeed. Dan Fisk saw his penalty shot hit the post, but Bridon couldn't clear the ball, and the ball fell for Alex Coyne to rifle in a shot high into the net from just inside the area. There was barely time to restart the match, as Lydd claimed a point they barely deserved. Bridon will feel hard done by, not only by the soft penalty award but they also felt the first Lydd goal was offside. But they only have themselves to blame really for missing so many chances to score a hatful.

Crown Alexandra 1 v 1 Seven Acre and Sidcup

Saturday 1st September 2012
Kent Invicta League
Oxford Road, Sidcup
Admission: £4.00
Programme: £1.00
Attendance: 36
Match rating: 2

This game was not on my radar at all up to 24 hours ago, however an 11.30 kick off opened up the possibility for a rare Saturday double of full matches. Although this was supposed to be the home game for Crown Alexandra, the match had to be switched to the opposition's home ground as Crown's ground was not yet ready to host Kent Invicta League football, partly due to vandalism.

Oxford Road is located about a twenty minute walk from Sidcup rail station via the town centre, and I had heard in recent years that the ground had fallen into sad disrepair since the Cray Wanderers first team stopped playing there in 1998. So it was a very nice surprise to see that clearly a lot of effort has gone into making this a very well maintained ground, that has the feel of a good old fashioned county league ground - indeed, it rather felt like I had stepped back twenty years in time. As one enters the ground in one corner, one passes a white brick building housing the changing rooms and tea bar. Along the length of the pitch from the entrance is newly laid hard standing and an old fashioned long stand with several steps which has been painted in red and black club colours - even the floor is painted.Apart from half a dozen seats at the back of one corner of the stand, it is standing room only. It seems that spectators are only intended to access this one length of the pitch, as the other sides are not really maintained, although the old hard standing is partially still in place. Behind one of the goals is a grass/weed bank. On the opposite site to the main stand, to one side of the dugouts is a small covered area which would not offer any protection in driving rain, with it having no back or sides to the sturcture, and behind this length and the other goal is a pleasant rural backdrop of trees, fields and farm animals. The pitch has quite a slope to it from end to end, and railings freshly painted in club colours complete the neat finish of the ground. Floodlights are not present - that is why Cray Wanderers had to vacate the ground, although ironically Seven Acre and Sidcup seem to be quietly confident of being able to gain planning permission for lights in the coming years. It was Crown Alexandra who manned the gate and produced the "programme", which was just an A4 sheet made into four sheets including a cover, team sheets and a full page advertisement. Fair enough at this level of football,. but certainly not fair to charge £1 for it.

This is Crown Alexandra's first season in the Kent Invicta League, and it is pretty remarkable that they were accepted into the league, considering last season they finished in eighth place in the eleven team fourth tier of the South London Alliance. They certainly were not helped at all in making the considerable step up, with their place in the Kent Invicta League not confirmed until mid July following an appeal. They started their season with a 2-2 draw at Lydd Town, before losing at Crockenhill on Monday. Seven Acre and Sidcup finished in tenth place in the Kent Invicta League last season, and this season they are in fourth place in the table, although they have played more games than everyone else, six, and have won three and lost two of their games so far.

On a warm, mostly sunny morning, an open start to the game led to a surprising development, with Crown Alexandra opening the scoring, when Sam Noller glanced a header in off the post from a corner on six minutes. Five minutes later and Seven Acre almost got back on level terms when the ball hit the crossbar direct from a corner. On 26 minutes, Sidcup did equalise, when an attacker and defender challenged each other for the ball and the ball squirmed forward and Alfie Harris placed the ball low past the keeper and into the net. There was little to set the pulse racing for the rest of the first half, with few chances created.

The second half continued in the same vein, with plenty of huff and puff but very few real chances to score, although on 52 minutes, it seemed that Seven Acre had regained the lead with a far post header, although the linesman's flag went up some time after the ball had hit the net. Although Seven Acre probably shaded possession and half chances, the match ended all square, which was a fair result and must be considered a good point for Crown Alexandra against a team that is fancied to do well this season.

Charlton Athletic 0 v 0 Hull City

Saturday 25^th August 2012

Football League Championship

The Valley, Charlton

Admission: Season Ticket

Programme: £3.00

Attendance: 16,202

Match Rating: 2

After three seasons away from The Valley – bar a handful of matches – today would be my second visit to The Valley in four days, for what would be almost as difficult a game for Charlton as Tuesday’s was against Leicester. I was looking forward to this game in particular though, having spent a considerable amount of time in Hull with an ex girlfriend and visiting Boothferry Park on several occasions.

Charlton have opened their season with four points from their first two games, whilst Hull opened their season with a 1-0 victory at home to Brighton, before losing by the same scoreline away at Blackburn. Last season they finished in eigth place, seven points shy of a play-off position. They have certainly shown their intent to return to the Premiership as soon as possible, having appointed Steve Bruce over the summer, and signing the joint top scorer in the 2. Bundesliga last season, Nick Proschwitz, for £2.6 million from SC Paderborn.

The game would start off in clear, sunny conditions, although rain would arrive midway through the first half. The first half was an even affair, both sides having chances without ever really convincing they would score the opening goal.

Half time heralded a dramatic worsening of conditions with a thunderstorm of heavy rain, loud thunder and bright lightening. The heavy rain persisted, and made the pitch conditions increasingly treacherous. No standing water was ever evident, but the ball did not run truly along it, and players going to ground to make tackles slid much further than usual. Unsurprisingly this made playing football difficult for both teams, and one feared that the game could be decided by an error caused by the conditions. Charlton had a goal ruled out for offside, after an initial shot from Bradley Wright-Phillips was saved and Yann Kermorgant shot into the net through a crowd of players. As the second half wore on, it then looked increasingly inevitable that Hull would snatch a winner, most notably in injury time when Ben Hamer made a fabulous double save. But in the end, a goalless draw was the final outcome of an uninspiring game, as Charlton retained their unbeaten record whilst Hull will probably be disappointed to return to Humberside with just a point.



A match report of this game can be found here

Charlton Athletic 2 v 1 Leicester City

Tuesday 21^st August 2012

Football League Championship

The Valley, Charlton

Admission: Season Ticket

Programme: £5.00

Attendance: 16,658

Match Rating: 4

After three seasons away from having a season ticket at my beloved Charlton Athletic, during their days in League One to enable some more extensive groundhopping, the club’s promotion back to the Championship, together with a bargain season ticket price of £240.00, persuaded me to hop aboard the rollercoaster that is taking my seat at The Valley throughout the season.

Previous descriptions of the ground can be found here, and I found my seat this season to be towards the back of the lower tier of the North Stand, pretty much right behind the goal. An excellent position, although the slight incline in rows means that there is a fair amount of head swerving is required to see the goal action.

Tonight would be a tough game for Charlton to start their home campaign, against big spending Leicester City, one of the favourites for promotion to the Premiership. Having won League One at a canter last season, Charlton opened their season with a draw at Birmingham City, only being denied by a scrambled equaliser four minutes into added on time at the end of the game. Leicester won 2-0 at home to Peterborough. There would be a couple of subplots to the game. The Charlton manager, Chris Powell, was the first team coach at Leicester before moving to Charlton, and was given his first coaching role at Leicester by current Leicester manager, Nigel Pearson. The Charlton striker and cult-hero Yann Kermorgant also played for Leicester, with unhappy memories, with his last touch as a Leicester player consigning them to a penalty shoot-out defeat to Cardiff in the play-off semi final the season before last when his tame chipped shot was comfortably saved. Loud boos greeted his name when announced, although Charlton fans cheers greeted former Charlton player Paul Konchesky.

On a fairly  warm summer’s evening, the opening stages saw Charlton doing much of the attacking, but Leicester always looked dangerous on the break. On 18 minutes, it was the home side who took the lead after some patient build-up play, when Bradley Pritchard played the ball to the edge of the penalty area, into the path of Bradley Wright-Phillips, who strode forward and smashed a ferocious low drive into the net past Kasper Schmeichel. On 32 minutes, Charlton doubled their lead when the ball was played across the 18 yard line to Yann Kermorgant, he drove powerfully into the net, for a goal that must have meant a lot to him personally against  Leicester. For the rest of the half, Leicester were in the ascendancy, and they were slightly unfortunate to go into the break two goals down.

The second half saw Leicester dominate, as the Charlton players struggled to retain possession and did not close the Leicester players down enough, inviting pressure. Leicester got back into the game on 54 minutes, when the ball was whipped in from the byline and Andy King finished powerfully from close range. As the second half wore on, it seemed only a matter of time before Leicester scored an equaliser, but some poor finishing, combined with goalkeeping by Ben Hamer and some heroic defending ensured that Leicester just couldn’t score a second goal, as Charlton held on for a hard earned three points. A very entertaining game of football to start the season at the Valley.

A match report of this game can be found at here

Video highlights can be viewed by clicking here

Little Common 2 v 2 Midhurst and Easebourne

Saturday 18^th August 2012

Sussex County League Division Two

Recreation Ground, Little Common

Admission and programme: £4.00

Attendance: 97

Match Rating: 4

Having spent most of the week beforehand planning to take in the first competitive game at Maidstone United’s new stadium or to pay a visit to Tunbridge Wells to take advantage of their offer of free admission to mark the 50^th anniversary of the opening of their Culverden Stadium, right at the last minute I decided on a visit to the south coast which fitted in best with my plans that evening. A visit to Little Common would be a revisit for me, although the only time I previously visited was over six years ago during their days in intermediate football

.

The Recreation Ground is about a twenty minute walk from Cooden Beach rail station, and has seen some modest improvements since I last visited, in order to retain their status in senior football. The ground is part of a large recreation area, with a modern brick clubhouse separating a cricket pitch that one passes on entering the complex after the car park and the football pitch further on. To the left of the pitches are housing, whilst to the right of and beyond the pitches is quite a large expanse of playing fields, with trees lining the top of a slight incline. On my last visit to the ground, there was a small prefab metallic stand for standing room only behind the goal where the clubhouse is situated. This has now been joined by an almost identical structure but housing 50 seats alongside it, placed immediately adjacent to the goal. This stand as well as floodlights have been installed in the last few months. The pitch is “enclosed” by green see-through sheeting, and as this is fairly loosely attached to the railings, means that the areas along one length and behind one of the goals is inaccessible. The programme, included with admission, was a good effort although not as good as I remember it being on my last visit. It contained six pages of articles inside a six page advertising shell.

It was only confirmed that Little Common would play this season in senior football in June, after some fairly farcical decisions and appeals regarding the constitution of the Sussex League, and they only narrowly avoided being in a relegation place on playing merit last season, finishing third bottom. They have certainly started this season well though, winning their opening game of the season 0-4 at Wick. Midhurst and Easebourne, also seemingly eternally threatened with relegation to intermediate football by both league placings and their very basic facilities which lack floodlights in recent seasons, opened their season with a 1-1 draw at Saltdean United. Last season they finished one place above Little Common, having conceded a whopping 102 goals from 34 games.

On a blisteringly hot afternoon, with blue skies and temperatures nudging 30c, the game certainly had a blistering start, when the visitors opened the scoring with barely a minute on the clock, when some tentative defending allowed Oliver Pearce to stride forward before placing a rocket of a shot past the keeper. On 18 minutes the game was delayed for around five minutes when the referee ordered that some dog mess was removed from the pitch, before Midhurst doubled their advantage on 28 minutes, when the keeper seemed to be favourite to claim a cross into the box from wide, but somehow Pearce headed home for his second of the match. By the time half time arrived, Midhurst will have wondered how they hadn’t scored four or give to put this game to bed, so dominant they were, so limited Little Common were, and it really was a wonder, on the evidence so far, how Little Common had won so convincingly at Wick last week.

In the second half, Little Common played much better although they rarely looked capable of getting back into the game, and ten minutes from time, Midhurst had yet another chance to seal the three points when a shot was screwed horribly wide from close range. They were made to pay for their profligacy when seven minutes from time, Jared Lusted hit a beautiful shot on the turn from just outside the area which went over the keeper and into the net. On 89 minutes, the home side equalised, when a perfectly judged whipped in cross was nodded home just before it reached the keeper. This was devastating blow to the visitors, who seemed to lose their discipline slightly after the equaliser, and they could easily have ended up losing the game, when deep into injury time, Little Common hit the post and then had a shot deflected wide, although the passage in play was separated by a wonderful last ditch tackle denying a Midhurst goal. But in the end, honours were even after a very entertaining game of football, and credit to both teams for that playing in such hot conditions.

Sporting Bengal United 1 v 3 Cockfosters

Saturday 11th August 2012
FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round
Chalk Lane, Cockfosters
Admission: £4.00
Programme: £1.00
Attendance: 78
Match rating: 4

For my first competitive domestic game of the season, I headed to north London today for the opening day of this season's FA Cup competition. When the draw was made, Sporting Bengal United were drawn as the home team for this tie, however with their ground, the Mile End Stadium, being unavailable due to the Olympics, the fixture was played at Cockfosters, although technically it remained a home game for Sporting Bengal United.

Chalk Lane is very conveniently located a couple of minutes walk from Cockfosters underground station, which is the last stop northbound on the Piccadilly Line. As may be expected of a club in the Spartan South Midland League Division One, facilities are rather basic, but the ground is neat, very well maintained, and has a surprisingly rural feel to it - at least visually, unfortunately a busy road adjacent to the ground provides constant loud traffic noise. The clubhouse is between the entrance to the ground and the corner flag, and a little overhang is provided for some standing room cover. To the other side of the entrance more cover is provided above some fairly randomly placed rows of seats. Hard standing is available along this length and behind one of the goals, along the other length is just grass to stand on, whilst the area behind the other goal is inaccessible.Trees or hedges line the entire ground, with cricket pitched behind both goals and a bowling green behind one of the lengths. The 22 page programme was excellent considering the level of football the club plays at, with interesting articles to read and more than enough stats and facts to digest about both teams and their histories in the FA Cup.

Today's tie would have the potential for a minor upset, with Cockfosters from the Spartan South Midland League Division One, a tier below the Essex Senior League Premier Division, in which Sporting Bengal ply their trade. Today would also be the first competitive game of the season for both teams. Last season, Cockfosters finished in ninth place. After struggling (and often failing) to achieve a respectable league placing during their time in the Kent League, the switch to the Essex Senior League last season prompted an upturn in their fortunes, finishing in tenth place in the 18 team division.

On a warm summer's day, it was Sporting Bengal who drew first blood with eight minutes on the clock wth a very good goal, when Shaheed Ahmed twisted and turned, making space for himself before firing in a powerful low shot just inside the far post. In an entertaining half of football, it was Cockfosters who then had the best chances to score, although it was in the final five minutes of the first half when the game completely changed on its head. Firstly on 41 minutes, Cockfosters equalised with a well taken free-kick by Dean Barker which was bent around the wall and although the keeper got his hand to the ball, he could only palm the ball into the net. A couple of minutes later and Cockfosters took the lead when a Bengal defender tried to shepherd the ball out for a goal kick, a Cockfosters forward stole possession, crossed into the box, and after a couple of blocked shots, the ball was drilled low into the net by Lorenzo Ferrari. On the stroke of half time, Sporting Bengal were reduced to ten men, when they had a player sent off for contesting the award of a throw-in rather too vigourously with the female assistant referee.

For most of the second half, there was little sign of Sporting Bengal getting an equaliser, apart from when one of their forwards unbelievably headed wide of an open goal on 57 minutes. On 78 minutes, Cockfosters made the game safe by scoring a third when the ball was played into the box, before being struck home via the post on the turn by Emond Protain. That really was game over, as Cockfosters always looked the more likely to score for the reminder of the game, but they claimed the minor giantkilling and progress to the next round where they will travel to AFC Kempston Rovers of the United Counties League Premier Division.