Ovingdean 3 v 8 Langney Wanderers

Saturday 12th October 2013
Sussex Intermediate Cup Round Two
Happy Valley Recreation Ground, Woodingdean
Admission and programme: Nil
Attendance: 32 (head count)
Match Rating: 4

With a long distance groundhopping trip to Belgium to look forward to next Saturday, today I decided to take in some local cup football in the Sussex Intermediate Cup between arguably one of the weaker teams in the competition against one of the strong favourites to win it.

The wonderfully named Happy Valley Recreation Ground is located in the eastern fringes of Brighton, four miles east of the city centre and a couple of miles north of Rottingdean. It is easily accessible by bus or car, but about a three mile hilly walk from the nearest train station at Falmer. After one enters the facility walking through the car park with a children's playground to one side, with three pitches beyond in, as the grounds name suggests, a valley. Today's game was played on the middle pitch of the three. There are no spectator facilities here, and just an unattractive building built primarily to deter vandalism beyond one of the pitches. The ground does boast a very scenic background though, with two steep hills surrounding two sides and a valley stretching into the distance beyond one of the lengths. A row of trees lines the remaining goal.

This game would pitch a team from the Brighton and Hove League - along with the Worthing and District League, generally considered to be the weakest of the five leagues that feed into the Sussex County League - against a team from the Sussex County League Division Three. Ovingdean have only played two league games so far this season, winning one and drawing the other, and in the last round of this competition, they beat Sussex County Division Three outfit Billingshurst 3-2 in their first game of the season. Langney Wanderers have had an excellent start to their season, winning all five of their games played so far and in the last round of this competition, they won 2-5 at Pagham Reserves.

On a mild and occasionally sunny afternoon, this game certainly had an explosive start. Within the first minute, Langney Wanderers should have opened the scoring when their striker had all the time in the world in the six yard box to place his shot, even pausing with the ball to assess his options before eventually firing into the side netting. On four minutes, Ovingdean were awarded a penalty for handball, which was converted down the middle by Chris Macaulay. Their surprising lead didn't last long though - two minutes later a low cross was slotted home inside the near post by Terry Payne. On ten minutes, the visitors took the lead when a defender hooked the ball across his own penalty box from a corner, and Steven Hickman-Smith hooked the ball over his shoulder and into the net. The game then settled into an even passage of play right up to the stroke of half time, when Langney Wanderers scored twice to pretty much win the game. As the game entered first half stoppage time, the ball was played forward and Shane Saunders clipped the ball past the onrushing keeper and into the net. Then, after a couple of shots were blocked in quick succession, Riki Prodger drilled the ball into the net.

If Ovingdean were to get back into the game, they would have needed to have pulled one back quickly, however that never looked likely and on 58 minutes, Langney Wanderers extended their lead further to 1-5 when the ball was powered in from a slight angle by Saunders for his second of the game following a fast break. They scored their sixth on 73 minutes when the ball was driven into the net by Prodger, and two minutes later they saw a deflected shot come back off a post. On 87 minutes, Ovingdean were awarded their second penalty of the game, this time when the keeper brought down the striker after his defender dithered, and the penalty was scored low in the bottom left corner by Macaulay despite the keeper going the right way. They pulled another goal back a minute later when a mishit shot by Macaulay from a corner found its way into the net for his hat-trick to make the score 3-6. On 89 minutes, Langney Wanderers scored their seventh, shortly after having a goal ruled out for offside, when Prodger completed his hat-trick with a powerful first time shot. In added on time, Langney Wanderers made the scoreline 3-8 with a route one goal. Their striker got on the end of a long punt downfield by the keeper and although his shot was saved, Benjamin Saber latched onto the rebound and hit the ball across the keeper and into the net. So as expected Langney Wanderers comfortably progress in to the next round and that is all that matters, although they could and perhaps should have scored a few more, and will probably feel that the three goals they conceded were sloppy and avoidable. Ovingdean battled hard throughout and credit to them for scoring twice after falling 1-6 behind when they could have lost all interest and desire in the game, but they simply were not good enough against a very strong outfit at this level.

Crawley Town 2 v 3 Newport County

Tuesday 8th October 2013
Football League Trophy First Round
Broadfield Stadium, Crawley
Admission: £5.00
Programme: £1.50
Attendance: 1,350
Match Rating: 4

I have been wanting to revisit the Bradfield Stadium for the first time since it became a Football League venue for some time, and tickets priced at just £5.00 was motivation enough to pay that visit this evening. It would also be the first time I would watch a game in the Football League Trophy.

The Broadfield Stadium is located about a half hour walk south from Crawley train station, and is very accessible by car, taking the dual carriageway north from the bottom end of the M23 at Pease Pottage services, and two free of charge car parks are available close to the ground for spectators. Three sides of the ground have not changed since Crawley's non league days. The main stand offers excellent elevated and unobstructed views, whilst behind both goals is covered terracing, which extend around the corners to the main stand length on both sides. The remaining length used to be just hard standing but now a temporary looking all-seater structure stretching the entire length is now in place. Whilst quite attractive and having a cosy, protected look inside, it does have lots of narrow obstructing pillars along the front. The programme this evening was a smaller version than usual, but was excellent value at £1.50, 24 glossy pages in full colour with all of the essentials and little of the clutter that plagues many Football League programmes.

This evening's game would be between two clubs with identical records in the league this season, albeit with a division separating them. Both teams have won four, drawn four and lost two from their opening ten games, with Crawley in eighth place in League One, with 16 points from ten games, whilst Newport, newly promoted into the Football League this season, in ninth place in League Two. League form may nonetheless best indicator of form for this game though, with both sides making the maximum permissible number of changes to their starting line-ups from their last league games.

On a relatively mild evening, this certainly was a game full of drama, with seemingly a bit of everything taking place. Although Newport started quite well, Crawley expectedly took the lead on 13 minutes when Emile Sinclair stabbed the ball towards goal from a low cross, which went into net via a deflection off a defender. On 22 minutes Crawley doubled their lead, and what a goal it was. The Newport keeper came way out of his area to clear the ball, but it fell at the feet of Mike Jones who struck the ball from just inside the Crawley half high and eventually dropping into the net for a quite sensational goal, the first time I have witnessed a goal scored from beyond the halfway line. Soon afterwards, the referee had to be replaced because of injury. Newport gradually came more into the game and quite deservedly pulled a goal back on 43 minutes after Chris Zebroski tapped in from close range after Mike Flynn ran to the byline and passed the ball across goal.

The game changing moment came just three minutes after the break, when James Hurst made a hash of heading back to his keeper and pulled back the Newport striker as he latched onto the ball. The red card was shown and a penalty awarded, and Andy Chapman scored low to the left with the keeper diving the other way. On 61 minutes, Newport turned the game on its head by taking the lead, Robbie Wilmott driving a powerful shot across goal which retreating Crawley defender Connor Essam diverted into his own net when diving to intercept the ball. By this time, Newport's lead was well deserved as Crawley's play seemed lethargic and error strewn. They did apply some pressure in the closing minutes, having a couple of decent chances, but Newport held on for a good cup shock win.

Video highlights of the game can be found here

Billingshurst 6 v 2 Hurstpierpoint

Saturday 5th October 2013
Sussex League Division Three
Jubilee Playing Fields, Billingshurst
Admission: Nil
Programme: £2.00
Attendance: 27
Match Rating: 4

At the conclusion of my match at Oakwood, I caught the train at Three Bridges for a half hour journey south-westwards for a game that in itself was not particularly attractive, but would represent the penultimate tick for me in the Sussex League, with just Sidlesham then left to visit.

The Jubilee Playing Fields is located about a 20 minute walk north west from Billingshurst train station and is an extremely neat and tidy facility, with a lovely rural feel to it. As one enters the complex, there is car park with the clubhouse beyond and the main football pitch to the left. Beyond the main football pitch and clubhouse is a cricket field, with other football fields uphill beyond trees in the distance. The whole complex has footpaths around and across it, with various outdoor fitness aids also provided. Back to the main pitch and the other length opposite the car park and clubhouse is lined with trees and behind the goal opposite to the cricket field are smaller trees and reed bushes. Wooden railings increase the attractiveness of the venue, and one can elect to stand on the footpath surrounding three sides of the ground, although the paths are set some way back from the railings - the grass between is very long having not been mowed. In all honesty, the programme was woeful even considering the level of the club, being as it was basically a local business directory. Although the cover was colourful with today's information on, the inside cover providing the club history is outdated, there is just a short chairman's message which was completely uninformative, and team squads. No sign of recent results, future fixtures or league table for example - the other 15 pages of the 20 page programme were purely advertising. It would surely be a lot more reasonable to charge a small admission to everyone, then a fairer price for the programme.

Neither of today's teams has had a particularly good start to their seasons. Hurstpierpoint have won one and drawn one of their five games so far and are eighth in the eleven team division, whilst Billingshurst have won one and lost the other three of their four games so far and are in tenth place.

With a rather muggy feel to the afternoon, the game had something of a false dawn, as Hurstpierpoint dominated the opening quarter of an hour, however it was thehome side who took the lead on 14 minutes when a cross was dinked from just left of the goal and the ball was headed back over the keeper and into the net by Nathan Stepney. They doubled their lead five minutes later when a long low ball was played forward and Chris Osborne placed ball to the left of the keeper and into the net. On 33 minutes, the home side made it three. A free kick was played to the back post, the ball was headed across goal and was hit into the roof of the net from close range by Osborne for his second of the game. Unsurprisingly Billingshurst were completely dominant by now, and they retained their three goal lead as half time arrived.

It felt that the game was as good as over at half time - all the more so on 56 minutes when they scored their fourth when the ball was tapped in from close range by Darren Annis following a low cross across the goal. On 61 minutes, Hurstpierpoint scored a consolation with a well taken free-kick by Ed Bartram that the keeper couldn't keep out despite getting a hand to it. They pulled another goal back on 74 minutes when Trevor Wilson just beat the keeper to head the ball goalwards and into the net despite hitting a defender on the line. All of a sudden a remarkable comeback seemed a possibility although on 76 minutes, a superb diagonal ball was threaded through the defence creating a one-on-one opportunity, and although the ball was lifted over the keeper, it was cleared by a defender close to the line. The match was put to bed on 82 minutes when another low diagonal ball throughthe defence found Annis, who slid the ball low past the keeper. On 85 minutes Billingshurst secured a convincing victory with their sixth goal with probably the best goal of the game. Annis controlled the ball wide of the penalty area and curled the ball over the keeper and into the net for his hat-trick.

Crawley Town U18 1 v 2 Barnet U18

Saturday 5th October 2013
Football League Youth Alliance Cup Southern Section Group 5
Tinsley Lane, Three Bridges
Admission and programme: N/A
Attendance: 47 (head count)
Match Rating: 3

I decided to take in a morning game today which, although it would mean a revisit after several years for me, did allow me the opportunity to double up with a game at Billingshurst this afternoon. It is not always easy or even permissible for spectators to watch youth team games, and Crawley play some of their games at their Bewbush training ground, however Crawley confirmed during the week that this game would take place on a Senior football ground.

Tinsley Lane, home of Sussex League Division Two outfit Oakwood, is about a half hour walk south from Gatwick Airport. Three Bridges station is a little closer, but the walk from Gatwick station is more interesting, as one walks through the terminal building and then alongside the main airport runway through a crowd of plane spotters with their binoculars and notebooks blocking the pavement. The ground has not noticeably changed since my last visit, apart from the addition of a couple of currently unused portakabins. One enters in one corner, and along the length is a spacious clubhouse, whilst overhang from the clubhouse provides plenty of cover for standing room with a small number of chairs scattered around. No other seating is present in the ground, with hard standing only present along the clubhouse length and goal line closest to the entrance. It is a rural looking venue, spacious with plenty of greenery although a constant traffic noise is generated from an adjacent dual carriageway. No programmes or teamsheets were produced for this game.

On a warm, overcast but occasionally sunny morning, Barnet very much started on the front foot and deservedly took the lead on 12 minutes when a downward header from a corner found the bottom left hand corner of the net despite the keeper getting a faint touch on the ball. Barnet continued to play the better football throughout the first half and did most of the attacking, although both teams had good chances to score.

Into the second half and the game became more balanced, Barnet probably still just about shading it though and they doubled their lead on 52 minutes from another corner, this time deflected into the net with a foot. On 63 minutes, Crawley were given the opportunity of getting back into the game when they were awarded a penalty for a trip. It was placed low into the bottom left corner of the net by Bradley Isaacs with the keeper diving the other way. They rarely looked like getting the equaliser they didn't really deserve though as Barnet continued to create the better chances, none more so than when a free kick hit the post on 84 minutes, but in the end it didn't matter as they claimed the win.

Rochester United 0 v 1 Lordswood

Tuesday 1st October 2013
Southern Counties East League
Rede Court Lane, Strood
Admission: £5.00
Programme: £1.00
Attendance: 61
Match Rating: 3

I decided to visit a new ground this evening, and my first taste of the Southern Counties East League since it was renamed during the summer – in all but name, it is still the Kent League, with only one club currently located outside of Kent. This evening’s visit would also allow me to tick off the final ground in the league for me.

Rede Court Road is located adjacent to Watling Street, the old London to Dover Roman Road, nowadays the A2, just west of Strood town centre and about a half hour walk from Strood train station. One enters the ground some distance behind one of the goals, with the grassed area in between used by players to warm up before the game. There is a portakabin by one corner of the pitch to take admission money, but spectators have to consciously head for the portakabin to pay – as the area behind the goal is completely open, spectators can very easily not head to the portakabin and watch the game for free. Note should be made of a very reasonable and sensible entry fee here, unlike at certain other venues in this league where £7 and even £8 can be encountered. A new concrete path surrounds three sides of the ground, with the remaining end behind the goal further from the entrance out of bounds. All of the spectator accommodation is situated along the length to the right of where one enters, with a clubhouse and separate tea bar hutch, and covered seating straddles the half way line, partly overlapping in front of the clubhouse. Clearly a lot of effort is ongoing to get the ground up to senior standard, and credit to the league for allowing the club in to the league without demanding improvements are made beforehand. On entering the Kent League at the start of last season, the club changed their name from Bly Spartans, and it is interesting to note that only a Bly Spartans sign is located on front of the clubhouse, and a Bly Spartans sign is located next to a Rochester United one on the entrance gate. This may be a deliberate attempt to keep the memory of their former name alive. The programme certainly looked the part, on glossy paper, printed with colour and very well laid out, a very good effort for this league.

This evening’s game would be a local derby, with the two clubs separated by six miles. Both teams find themselves in the bottom half of the table, Lordswood the higher of the two teams, in ninth place in the 17 team division having won three and drawn two of their eleven games so far, and are three points better off than Rochester, with two wins and two draws  from their nine games. The two teams have already met in the league this season, Rochester claiming a 0-4 away win in Walderslade on August Bank Holiday Monday.

On a mild evening, it was clear from the start that Lordswood would prove a much tougher proposition than in the reverse fixture, as they played by far the better football and did most of the attacking. Amongst the many chances they created, on seven minutes a shot from a corner appeared to be handled on the line, a follow up shot was cleared off the link and a further shot was hit narrowly over the bar. They deservedly did take the lead on 21 minutes when a one-two released James Simmons down the right wing, who drove a low ball across the box, evading a host of players before falling at the feet of Steve Read, who drilled a low shot into the net from just inside the box. Lordwood really should have scored a couple more goals but squandered some presentable chances, and it was only in the last couple of minutes of the first half that Rochester finally threatened to score an equaliser, but 0-1 was the scoreline at half time.

Into the second half and Rochester continued their momentum and the match became a much more even affair, although the home side never really convinced that they were likely to grab an equaliser and Lordswood held on for a deserved victory.