Hayling United 2 v 1 Fareham Town

Saturday 10^th August 2013

Wessex League Cup Second Round

College Ground, Hayling

Admission: None

A4 Squad List Sheet: Free

Attendance: 120 (estimate)

Match Rating: 3

Another Saturday, another venture into Hampshire for me to tick off another Wessex League ground. Faced with a shortlist of Winchester, Romsey or Hayling today, I chose to visit the ground which was one of 150 selected nationwide to celebrate the inaugural Sir Bobby Robson National Football Day – mostly an occasion to celebrate the development of junior football at grassroots level.

The College Ground is located in the centre of Hayling Island, a 20 minute bus ride south of Havant train station. It would be hard to fall in love with this ground, as it is a rather soulless and uninteresting venue, devoid of any character, and one that would probably be extremely bleak on a winter’s day, all of which is understandable considering that it is set on college playing fields, amongst a large expanse of playing fields distantly lined by trees. The pitch has plastic railing and hard standing all around, and there is a modern metallic all-seater stand towards one corner , with one half fenced up and out of bounds today. It is set some way back from the pitch, which means that standing is not allowed close to the railings along this length so as not to obstruct the views of the handful of people sitting in the stand. Between this stand and the corner flag is a small covered area for standing. The National Football Day was celebrated with various small-sided junior games taking place from mid-morning onwards, and with a bouncy castle, barbecue and various other refreshment and competition stalls behind the corner flag adjacent to the stands.  No admission fee was taken today, nor were programmes issued – both surprising given the occasion today and the increased attendance – although an A4 sheet displaying squad lists for both teams was given out free of charge.

This league cup game, a local derby between two clubs with no apparently no love lost between them, would pit a Division One team at home to a Premier Division team. Hayling actually finished in 16^th place the 21 team Premier Division last season but were relegated due to ground grading issues. Fareham Town finished in ninth place. During the first week of the football season, Fareham have picked up a win and a draw from their opening two league games, both at home, whilst Hayling suffered a 2-5 home defeat in their only game so far this season. Today’s teams were drawn together in last year’s competition, Hayling winning 0-1 away.

On an overcast, warm but fairly windy afternoon, the underdogs got off to a fantastic start. With just four minutes on the clock Dan Sharpe broke forward to latch on to a long, very high ball pumped forward and although a Fareham defender just about managed to make enough ground to make a faint challenge, Sharpe rolled the ball past the keeper and into the corner of the net. They continued to have the better of the game, but were called offside on countless occasions. Fareham got more into the game as the half wore on, and a minute before half time they were back on level terms. A free kick from just outside the outer left corner of the penalty area was floated towards goal by Wayne Boud, and Graham Lindsey glanced the ball with his head into the far corner of the net.

Into the second half and Fareham were playing much better, always looking the more likely to score and were unfortunate not to do so on 61 minutes when Michael Dark outpaced the defence down the left and as the keeper came out to meet him, Dark hit a low show which beat the keeper but hit the post before being scrambled away. On 70 minutes, with probably their first chance of the second half, Hayling went back into the lead with a terrific goal. Sharpe received the ball just outside the area, sidestepped three defenders before unleashing a ferocious shot on the turn which gave the keeper no chance for his second of the game and fourth in two games. Fareham seemed to have run out of steam by now and although they regularly attached the final third and forced a succession of corners in the dying minutes, they never looked likely to get another equaliser and so it was the underdogs who progressed to the next round.

Unfortunately, Hayling giantkilling efforts in this game proved to be in vain, as they were subsequently thrown out of the competition due to fielding an ineligible player and so Fareham progressed to the next round.

Ringmer 0 v 1 Lewes

Tuesday 6th August 2013
Chandlers Cup
The Caburn, Ringmer
Admission: £6.00
Programme: None
Attendance: 150 (estimate)
Match Rating: 3

For this evening's action I decided to take in some pre-season charity cup action, with an interesting looking game between two teams separated by just a few miles, but by two steps in the pyramid.

The Caburn Ground is situated in the centre of the village of Ringmer, accessible by bus from Lewes and Brighton. The ground is rather unspectacular compared to other grounds in Sussex, although more than adequate for the standard that Ringmer play at, the Sussex County League. As one enters the ground in one corner, a brick building stretches almost to the half way line houses the rather welcoming club house and tea bar. An overhanging roof from this building provides cover for spectators, and a row of seating is placed immediately behind the pitch railings. Immediately beyond the clubhouse is another brick building housing the changing rooms, and beyond that is yet another brick building which does not appear to be in use on matchdays. Straddling the half way line on the opposite side is a small modern metallic all-seater stand. Around the rest of the ground is just hard standing, and there is a pronounced slope from goal to goal. Pine trees behind half of the ground make a relatively attractive background. No programmes were issued for this game, and although £6 admission – what is normally charged for league fixtures - may appear steep for what was basically a pre-season friendly match, all proceeds from this evening’s game were to be donated to the Cystic Fibrosis Trust.

Tonight's fixture was the resurrection of what used to be an annual fixture between the two clubs up until 2005, when Ringmer lifted the Chandler’s Cup. Between 1994 and 2005, Ringmer won on five occasions, Lewes twice. With both teams starting their league campaigns on Saturday, Ringmer finished last season in ninth place in the Sussex League Division One, whilst Lewes were eventually successful in their battle to avoid relegation from the Isthmian League Premier Division, finishing one point clear of the relegation places. How much relevance that would be for this evening’s game was very questionable though, as Lewes put out a very young team for this game, although about half a dozen players had good experience of Ryman League football, those who would be suspended for the coming league game or coming back from injury.

On a partly cloudy evening and with a fairly sizeable crowd in, the first half was competitive, with Ringmer looking a match for Lewes, although Lewes always looked much more the likely to open the scoring. With 30 minutes on the clock, they were awarded a penalty when a surging run into the box culminated in a foul. However, the penalty struck low to the right by Steve Brinkhurst was saved and gathered at the second attempt by the keeper. However, five minutes later and Lewes did take the lead. Following a succession of corners, the ball was headed on from another one and volleyed home from 8 yards by 17 year old Callum Connor.

Into the second half and although Ringmer continued to battle gamely, they very rarely looked capable of scoring, apart from one golden opportunity on the hour mark when a peach of a curling cross was met by a Ringmer forward completely unmarked central to goal, however he put his header wide when he really should have at least hit the target. That indeed did prove their one chance to get back in the game as they rarely threatened the Lewes goal in the remaining half hour as Lewes increasingly dominated. Indeed, Lewes should have won far more convincingly in the end, spurning several glorious opportunities in the dying minutes as well as at least having at least two one-on-one opportunities saved by the keeper. But the one goal was enough to ensure that they lifted the Chandler’s Cup soon after the final whistle.

Petersfield Town 3 v 1 Hythe and Dibden

Saturday 3rd August 2013
Wessex League Division One
Love Lane, Petersfield
Admission including Programme: £5.00
Attendance: 55
Match Rating: 4

Although I have been fortunate to take in surprisingly entertaining games throughout pre-season this year, an opportunity to get my first competitive game of the season in today was too good to turn down. Only two leagues local to me starting their seasons today - the Combined Counties and Wessex Leagues and on a warm and sunny August afternoon I decided to go and feel the love in leafy eastern Hampshire.

Love Lane is situated about a 15 minute walk from Petersfield rail station and is a very pleasant venue, well maintained with perfectly adequate facilities, plenty of character and a nice rural feel. As one enters the ground in one corner, a large brick building housing the clubhouse and changing rooms stretches almost to the half way line, with a very small wooden stand with a couple of rows of benches inside is situated between the clubhouse and dugouts. The pitch has a pronounced downhill slope to the other side where, straddling the half way line, is a wooden stand with seats placed on benches. The stand has certainly seen better days, but it certainly makes a very welcome change from the usual bland identikit metallic stands mushrooming at this level. Behind this stand, the South Downs are visible in the distance. Hard standing is available around the whole pitch. Trees provide a rural background behind one goal and the clubhouse length, as do small trees planted inside the perimeter fence behind the other goal. Programmes were included with admission, which was fair for a very basic 8 page programme consisting of a short welcome message, last season's results, a potted history of the visiting club, and today's expected line-ups.

Petersfield are fancied to be contenders at the top of the table this season, after finishing last season in sixth place, 16 points adrift of the two promotion places. They suffered a blow in midweek when they lost their top scorer and the second highest scorer in the division last year, Callum Coker. The only was is surely up for Hythe and Dibden, after finishing eight points adrift at the bottom of the table last season.

On a bright, sunny but rather windy afternoon, Petersfield took an early lead on nine minutes when a corner was played short and eventually the ball was floated towards goal and a glancing header by Joe Richardson saw the ball nestle in the far corner. As the half progressed, Petersfield increasingly had the better of the game, and could consider themselves a little unfortunate to only take a one goal lead into half-time.

On 57 minutes, Petersfield doubled their lead. The ball was played neatly along the penalty area, eventually falling at the feet of Mike Asare and after his first shot hit the keeper, he slotted the rebound into the net. A very interesting player was Asare, signed in the close season from Littlehampton Town. Some of his play was an absolute joy to watch, as he set off with electric pace on penetrating runs, scaring the life out of defenders - but the flip side was a lack of discipline in his play, spending too much time moaning at his team mates and showing a lack of interest in switching his mind back on the game if a pass to him went astray or he missed a chance on goal. On 68 minutes, the visitors pulled a goal back with a good goal on his debut. Their forward dribbled in from the right, jinked past a defender who committed himself to the ground, before poking through ball low into the net. Very much game on now, until Petersfield won the game with a third goal on 82 minutes. A good ball down the wing saw the ball crossed into three box, and Robbie Tambling - not long after coming on as sub - evaded a couple of defenders before tapping the ball home from fairly close range. Petersfield really should have added a couple more goals in the remaining minutes, spurning some fabulous chances, but they claimed the three points which they certainly deserved, even though Hythe and Dibden had good spells in both halves and the signs are that they should have a better season this time.