Tonbridge Angels 1 v 2 Worthing

Saturday 10th March 2018
Isthmian League Premier Division
Longmead Stadium, Tonbridge
Admission: £10.00
Programme: £2.50
Attendance: 382
Match Rating: 4

Today I revisited a ground that I visited many times when I was living in and schooled in the area, although a ground that I had not visited for over four years, when the club was plying its trade in what was the Conference South.

Longmead Stadium is about a half hour walk northwards from Tonbridge train station, and since my last visit, there have been various improvements to what was already a very decent facility. Immediately inside the turnstiles, there are now a couple of wooden chalets to obtain programmes or 50:50 tickets, before spectators reach pitchside along one length. Refreshment outlets were previously burger vans, but have now been replaced with much more attractive buildings, with a wooden hut offering hot food and drinks, next door is a wooden building with a covered decking area to the front offering hospitality, and alongside that is a tall wooden gantry for announcers and video cameras. Team sheets are posted on this column at ground level. The clubhouse is still located behind and alongside, whilst a small covered stand for the press is located towards one corner. In the other, back closest to the entrance, is a weathered portakabin serving as the club shop. Immediately behind both goals remain covered terraces, and along most of the remaining length is a stand, which was taken from their previous Angel ground, and is now filled from end to end by half a dozen rows of seating. There is a £1 charge for sitting in this stand. To one side of this stand, replacing a burger van, there is another rather attractive wooden hut selling refreshments. The programme was rather pricy for this level, but was probably worth it, 44 pages on good quality paper, very attractively laid out throughout, plenty of interesting reading material and more than enough stats and facts, as well as an acceptable level of advertising.

There is not much left for either club to play for this season. Tonbridge were in tenth place, ten points adrift of the play-offs following 15 wins and five draws from 34 games played. Worthing were in 18th place, eleven points clear of the sole relegation spot this season, but that is quite a remarkable transformation for a club that lost their opening 7 league games, the first five of which were away from home due to problems with their plastic pitch, and their first league win did not arrive until November, and they picked up just three points from their opening 15 league games.

On a generally overcast but mild afternoon, Worthing were much the better side throughout the first half, impressing with their attractive, passing football, whilst Tonbridge looked rather shaky at the back and a negligible threat going forward. Worthing had many good chances to open the scoring, but saw shots either saved or go high or wide of the target. One feared that Worthing might be made to pay for failing to put at least one of their chances away, as Tonbridge would surely up their game after the break.

And so it proved, as the game was much more even after the break, even so it was slightly a surprise when the hosts took the lead on 62 minutes. A free kick about 25 yards out was played short to Sam Bentick, who dribbled into the penalty area before playing a reverse for Joe Turner to run onto, and he struck the ball low under the keeper into the net. As the game wore on, Worthing seemed to become less of a threat as Tonbridge looked to hold on to what they had, as well as create a few more goalscoring chances, but what turned out to be the game changing moment came on 71 minutes, when the Worthing keeper pulled off a very good save from a powerful Sam Bantick shot. That seemed to reinvigorate the visitors, who then got back in the game but all too often the final ball was lacking. A barely deserved home win was looking the likely result until the game just entered added on time. Jared Rance pulled the ball low from the byline for Isaac Newton to shoot the ball first time into the net from 8 yards out, as it looked like the visitors had claimed what their play had at the very least deserved. But things got even better for the visitors, as they scored a winner a minute later. An initial shot by Newton was blocked by the keeper, and the loose ball fell to substitute Ben Pope, who half volleyed the ball into the net from close range. There was still time for Tonbridge to grab an equaliser, and they really should have done, when the ball fell to an unmarked Nathan Elder on the edge of the six yard box, but he took an age to adjust his position to get his shot away, and by the time he did, it was blocked, and within seconds, the referee blew the full time whistle.

A thrilling finish to what was an entertaining game, and the right result prevailed in the end based on the balance of play and goalscoring chances, as Worthing impressed with their young team having the confidence to play good, passing football. But for both teams, the remaining 7 weeks of the season will surely be all about building for next season, with Tonbridge also having to adjust to a budget cut resulting in the loss of some of their better (paid) players.

Video highlights of the match can be viewed by clicking here.

Littlehampton Town 0 v 2 Hassocks

Saturday 3rd March 2018
Southern Combination League Premier Division
The Sportsfield, Littlehampton
Admission: £6.00
Programme: £1.00
Attendance: 73
Match Rating: 3

 

After going without football last Saturday, instead attending a recording of the BBC television show Top Gear at Dunsfold Aerodrome, it was looking a distinct possibility that I would have to go without football for the second consecutive Saturday today, after the so-called Beast from the East clashing with Storm Emma produced sub-zero temperatures throughout the week and plenty of snowfall too across most of the UK. As games were called off as early as Thursday and the majority on Friday, with even plastic pitches not surviving the cull mainly due to off the pitch safety concerns, today turned out to be one of the rare fortunate times (in ground hopping terms) of living close to the south coast, as a handful of games did survive along the Kent and Sussex coast. Unexpectedly, Littlehampton announced that their grass pitch had passed an 11am pitch inspection, and so I headed along the coast for the my first visit to The Sportsfield in over ten years.

The Sportsfield is about a 15 minute walk from Littlehampton train station, passing through the town centre, and spectators enter the ground through a turnstile behind one goal, alongside the very large, imposing but not particularly attractive building housing the changing rooms, social club, and a tea bar window on the bottom floor. which is set some way back from the pitch. The football ground is located to one side of a large sports field, which is shared with the town’s cricket club, and their traditional and rather attractive pavilion is situated to the side of the social club building. All of the football club's spectator accommodation is situated along the length next to the perimeter fence, with an old-fashioned stand with four rows of wooden railed seating, “Littlehampton Town F.C.” spelt along the rear wall, and it has quite an intimate feel inside, with a low roof and wooden supports along the front. Either side are more modern stands, covering three rows of terrace steps. There is just hard standing behind both goals, and mainly grass to stand on along the remaining length, due to it serving as the cricket outfield during the summer months. The 16 page programme had an attractive cover with a retro design, and is easy on the eye inside too, with some interesting reading material, as well as all the necessary stats and facts.

This was very much a six pointer, perhaps more so for Littlehampton, who came into this game bottom of the table, following four wins and five draws from their 28 league games, and were five points adrift of safety having played one or two games more than the six teams immediately above them. They had been on an awful run of form, going 14 games without a victory in all competitions since November, before surprising winning 0-1 at  third placed Chichester City last Saturday. Hassocks were just one place and one point above Littlehampton, having won five and drawn three of their 26 league games, and they came into this game in terrible form though, having gone on a 14 game run without a victory, which apparently is a club record, stretching all the way back to October.

At kick off, conditions were dry and the pitch looked in decent condition, and the game was lively enough without either side looking likely to score, until the visitors opened the scoring on 42 minutes, somewhat against the run of play. A low ball forward found the run of Jake Lindsay, who the struck the ball under the keeper and into the net. As the half drew to a close, persistent rain had arrived, which made the pitch increasingly saturated and tricky to play on, with a couple of puddles forming in the middle of the pitch close to the stand.

Littlehampton were the better team for long periods of the second half, but paid the price for not being able to put away any of the few clear chances they created. On the hour mark, a downward header from a corner was deflected wide, and on 67 minutes, a looping cross from the right wing was met by a far post header, but the ball was deflected wide. And on 73 minutes, a hitherto very rare Hassocks attack resulted in a second goal on 75 minutes. A corner was played into the box and falling at the feet of Jack Wilkins, who side footed the ball home from close range. The game really opened up in the last quarter of an hour as the hosts pushed to get back in the game. On 81 minutes, two Hassocks forwards sprinted from the half way line against just one covering defender, but a combination of struggling with the pitch and some dithering saw the move lose impetus and the eventual shot was easily saved. On 83 minutes, Littlehampton really should have scored but a shot from 8 yards, unmarked and in a central position, was weakly struck at the keeper. On 85 minutes, Hassocks had another great chance, following a terrific diagonal ball forward from the left wing sending a striker through on goal and with plenty of time to place his shot, which the keeper eventually saved. In added on time, two Littlehampton crosses within a minute hit the woodwork, first the post and then the crossbar, but it was just not to be their day and they do look in trouble at the foot of the table, although still within touching distance of safety. Hassocks will be relieved at finally getting a win after their terrible run, after what was a good away performance in terms of soaking up pressure and putting away chances that came their way.

Black Country Rangers 1 v 1 Stone Old Alleynians

Saturday 17th  February 2018
West Midlands (Regional) League Premier Division
The Grove, Halesowen
Admission: £5.00
Programme: £1.00
Attendance: 24 (head count)
Match Rating: 3

After four consecutive soggy Saturdays, I decided to make use of expiring Tesco clubcard vouchers to book a National Express return ticket for free from London to Birmingham for today, with options of 3G pitches readily available if required. As it turned out, the last of the rain fell on Thursday night,  meaning very few games would be postponed anywhere today, and I decided to take in some step 6 football, at a ground which also hosts step 4 Northern Premier League football, being the home of Halesowen Town, and which I had heard was well worth a visit.

Having arrived at Birmingham Digbeth coach station, I then caught a bus to Halesowen bus station, from where The Grove is about a ten minute walk, although en route I stopped off at the excellent Waggon and Horses pub, with a really impressive wide selection of local real ales to choose from. Spectators enter in one corner of the ground, through a roadside turnstile block, and once inside there is a small clubhouse to one side, and this was the only spectator outlet open today. To the other side, there are white huts, one to obtain programmes and “memorabilia” from, the other is a club shop, but logically both were closed today, as they are Halesowen Town outlets. After passing a toilet block, the really pleasant sight of the ground itself comes into view. Stretching along the length is a bank of uncovered terracing of 13 steps, complete with hand rails, and which stretches to behind the far goal, although as it passes immediately behind the goal, the terrace is diagonally cut off. Behind the goal closest to the entrance is a covered terrace of 7 steps, perched above a grass bank, and it has an intimate feel thanks to a low roof. Along the remaining length, an all-seater stand stretches along about two thirds of the length, offering good, unobstructed views for those who do not wish to take advantage of the fabulous terrace areas. Indeed, there really is something for everyone inside this fabulously old-school ground, which is well maintained and easy on the eye. The 16 page programme issued today was basic in terms of being on regular paper, but it was more than adequate, containing some welcome messages and all of the stats to give a good preview of the match. Although the programme had the wrong date on it, it was otherwise up to date inside.

Black Country Rangers are having a good season so far, coming into this game in second place in the division, with 16 wins and seven draws from their 28 league games. Promotion looks a very long shot though, with only one club promoted to the Midland Football League Premier Division, as they are four points behind leaders Malvern Town having played a game more, but also only a point ahead of third placed Tividale having played six games more, and six points ahead of fourth placed Wolverhampton Sporting, having played nine games more. Stone Old Alleynians were in 17th in the twenty team division, having won five and drawn one of their 22 league games. When the two teams met on the opening day of the season back in early August, Black Country Rangers triumphed 1-5.

On a bright and sunny afternoon, the predicted comfortable home victory, based on league positions, never materialised, as particularly in the first half, the home side just didn’t seem to be able to get their game going. They did have slightly the better of things, and had a few sights of goal, but the visitors were holding their own and a level scoreline at the break was a fair reflection on proceedings.

Black Country Rangers would go on to dominate the second half, camped in the opposition half and coming close to scoring on several occasions, but as it increasingly looked only matter of time before they would score, it was the visitors who took the lead thanks to a very attack on 81 minutes, Cameron Sinclair diverting a deflected cross just out of the teach of the keeper and into the net. Eight minutes later and Black Country Rangers came agonisingly close to an equaliser when a low shot across the keeper came back off the far post and into the keeper’s arms. But in the last minute of added on time, they did grab an equaliser, a low cross from the left into the six yard box was tucked home at the far post by Jamel Fuller. The home side pushed for a winner, but there just wasn't time, with barely a minute left before the referee blew for full-time.

Overall, a point apiece was probably a fair result despite Black Country Rangers' dominance in possession, as generally theirs was a rather flat performance, and Stone were rewarded for plugging away and staying in the game.