Winchester City 5 v 1 Alresford Town

Monday 6th April 2015

City Ground, Winchester

Wessex League Premier Division

Admission: £5.00

Programme: £1.00

Attendance: 306

Match Rating: 4

For this bank holiday, Easter Monday, I unusually decided against a double header, mainly avoiding revisits or a long distance trip with a very early start, to instead visit a new ground for me, for an attractive looking local derby in the Wessex League.

The City Ground is about a 20 minute walk north eastwards from Winchester train station, and much recent hard work has gone into making this a very smart looking ground, generally easy on the eye with some good facilities. One enters through a turnstile block behind one of the goals, and a quite attractively designed clubhouse set some way back from the pitch and towards one corner. Moving along the length, two buildings that rather spoil the smart appearance of the ground, a portakabin housing the tea bar and a static caravan housing the club shop before one reaches a modern metallic all-seater stand straddling the half way line. Immediately opposite is a smaller stand covering a flat area, and immediately behind one of the goals is a small bus stop shelter type stand covering a couple of metallic steps. Around the rest of the ground is just generally spacious hard standing and hard wooden panel fencing forms the border around most of the ground. The programme was a disappointment, 8 black and white pages inside a stiffened colour but pixilated cover, and lacked a welcome message but did include a couple of match reports, season results league table and expected line-ups.

Winchester have had a good season, coming into this game in second place in the table, which probably is as good as it will get for them, being seven points behind leaders Petersfield Town, but six points ahead of third placed Moneyfields, all with four games left to play. They have 77 points from 36 games. After Alresford Town finished as runners up in the last two seasons, budget constraints - which included losing their manager and 53 goal top scorer to Winchester - this season has been more of a struggle, and they came into this game in 16th place in the 21 team division, with 35 points from 36 games. The two teams have already met twice this season, once in the league, once in the North Hants Cup, both at Alresford, both games finishing 2-4.

On a surprisingly warm and sunny afternoon, the first half was mainly even, Winchester always looking the stronger side but Alresford were a match and looked quite dangerous on their occasional breaks. However, Winchester were awarded a penalty for a mistimed lunging tackle in the area on Charlie Smeeton. Warren Bentley placed the penalty into the bottom right corner despite the keeper diving the right way. In first half stoppage time, Winchester doubled their lead when Bentley connected with a low cross from the left, firing the ball into the bottom right corner.

One felt that that second goal could well proved decisive, and so it proved, as the home side went on to dominate the second half. On 55 minutes, after Bentley was denied a hat-trick by a great reflex save from the keeper, from the resultant corner, Winchester scored their third, Luke Dempsey getting on the end of an inswinging corner to head the ball in from close range. A rare second half attack saw Alresford pull a goal back on 75 minutes, all down to Andy Turner who sprinted down the right wing before eventually slotting the ball low across the keeper and into the net. Winchester restored their three goal lead on 82 minutes when Bentley completed his hat-trick, who showed good footwork in evading a defender and dribbling across the area to a central position before placing the ball into the net. Winchester made it five two minutes later when a lovely jinking run forward ended in a pass to Liam Robinson, and his first touch after coming on as sub was to place the ball into the net. 5-1 was how it finished, perhaps slightly harsh on the visitors, but did indicate the superior guile and class that Winchester possessed throughout.

Eastbourne Town 2 v 2 Hassocks

Saturday 4th April 2015
Sussex League Division One
The Saffrons, Eastbourne
Attendance: 136
Match Rating: 3

At the conclusion of my match at Willingdon, I hurried back to Hampden Park train station, caught the train into Eastbourne and arrived at The Saffrons a couple of minutes into the second half. By the time I arrived, the home side were two goals to the good, thanks to goals from George Robinson, on 32 minutes, and Dominic Clarke, on 40 minutes.

And for the first twenty minutes of the second half, Eastbourne looked comfortable with their lead, and did most of the attacking, although Hassocks did try and make inroads themselves. The game suddenly and unexpectedly changed on the hour mark though, when Hassocks pulled a goal back. A low ball was played across the six yard box, and a covering Eastbourne defender really should have cleared the ball, but he didn't manage to make a connection, and Phil Johnson had a simple tap in. Ten minutes later and Hassocks were back on level terms, when Bradley Bant saw his free kick from 20 yards take a slight deflection off a defender, to take the ball out of the reach of the keeper low to his right and into the net.

Eastbourne's comfortable looking lead had been wiped out, and they should have been handed a great opportunity to go on to claim all three points on 73 minutes when their striker chased and battle with a defender after a ball through the middle, the defender couldn't make a decisive touch, but the goalkeeper did, wiping out the striker. After a short conversation with the linesman, the referee awarded a free-kick just outside the area, but completely inexplicably only showed the Eastbourne keeper a yellow card, despite being the last man and denying a very clear and obvious goalscoring opportunity. The free kick came to nothing. Both sides had sights of goal before the end of the match, but the points were shared, and this was an interesting game in that Eastbourne looked comfortable for the first hour, then all of the momentum swung to Hassocks, before a very poor referee's decision denied Hassocks the opportunity of trying to find their way through ten men for the last quarter of an hour.

Willingdon Athletic 2 v 2 Peacehaven United

Saturday 3rd April 2015
Mid Sussex League Premier Division
Huggetts Lane, Willingdon
Admission and Programme: None
Attendance: 8 (head count)
Match Rating: 4

After a fairly long distance hop to Folkestone, and a long double hop to Hampshire most likely on Easter Monday, today I decided to settle for a closer to home venue, to visit a ground on the outskirts of Eastbourne. It would also be an opportunity to take in the second half of Eastbourne Town's Sussex County League Division One fixture afterwards.

The Huggetts Lane recreation ground is a rather long 45 minute walk from the nearest train station, Hampden Park, and is a fairly typical recreation ground setting, with no spectator facilities. The ground is shared with the local cricket club and so is a fairly large expanse, and a brick building housing the changing rooms also offers an indoor viewing area, located behind one of the goals. Whilst residential housing around three sides of the ground offers a rather bland backdrop, grassy hills of the South Downs close behind one length does give an attractive, rural background.

This fixture promised to be an interesting one, with both teams having plenty to play for at the top of the table. Peacehaven lead the division by seven points, with 43 points from 19 games but second placed Cuckfield Rangers have four games in hand, with just two games left for Peacehaven after today. Whilst the title is not mathematically impossible for Willingdon Athletic certainly have a runners up spot to play for. They went into this game in fourth place, with 32 points from 17 games, and are four points behind Cuckfield Rangers, although having played two games more. But if they were to win today and their two games in hand over Peacehaven, Willingdon would be just two points behind today's visitors. When the two teams met in January in the reverse fixture, the home team won 2-1.

On a chilly and very overcast afternoon, the game was delayed by a couple of minutes, when some dog mess was discovered just as the referee was about to blow his whistle, but then on 7 minutes, the home side took the lead. A ball towards the outer right corner of the penalty area found a Willingdon player, which drew the keeper out into no mans land, and the ball was lobbed over him goalwards, and the ball was stabbed the ball home from close range. Indeed, Willingdon started much the brighter and created a couple of chances, so it was something of a surprise when Peacehaven for back on level terms on 19 minutes, thanks to a superb free kick from 22 yards which hit the inside of the far post and went into the net. They had a great chance to go into the lead a couple of minutes later when a free kick was dropped by the keeper, but a Willingdon  defender just managed to get to the ball first to hack it to safety. Willingdon had the better of the first half and the more goalscoring chances, and so they may have been slightly disappointed to go in just on level terms at half time.

Peacehaven came more into the game in the second half, and amongst their good goalscoring chances was when a defender sliced uncontrollably over his own bar before they hit the woodwork. Willingdon still looked dangerous though, and after they squandered a one-one-one opportunity, with the striker hitting his shot against the keeper, they did retake the lead on 68 minutes. The Peacehaven keeper dropped a fairly gentle cross, and after the Willingdon forwards seemed to take long in getting a shot in, eventually the ball was passed back to the penalty spot, and the ball was driven in low through the centre of the goal. Peacehaven drew level for the second time though on 79 minutes with a very avoidable goal from Willingdon's point of view. A couple of their defenders and goalkeeper got in a right tangle deep inside their own area, and they were punished for failing to clear the ball when it was poked home. Both sides looked capable of scoring a winner in the remaining minutes, but it was not to be, and a point apiece was probably about right for a game that was full of attacking endeavour and one that either side could have won.

Folkestone Invicta 1 v 0 Chipstead

Friday 3rd April 2015
Isthmian League Division One South
Cheriton Road, Folkestone
Admission and Programme: Free
Attendance: 1052
Match Rating: 3

For my Good Friday action, I decided to take advantage of Folkestone Invicta offering not only free entry (normal addmission £9.00), but free programmes too. Although I had visited Cheriton Road a few times previously, my last visit was almost ten years ago, and I recall the ground being one of the more interesting that was worthy of a revisit.

The ground is less than a ten minute walk from Folkestone West train station, and is a ground that has changed a little in the last few years. What used to be an all-seater stand, straddling the half way line, is now an uncovered terrace, and the stand was damaged during a storm a couple of years ago. The seats were transferred to the smaller stand opposite, which use to cover terracing. The rest of the ground remains unchanged, with half a dozen steps covered behind one goal, and a larger open terrace behind the other. In one corner of the ground is a double decker building housing the tea bar, changing rooms and hospitality areas, whilst in the diagonally opposite corner, where the main entrance turnstiles are, is the front of the social club and a tea bar, with a nice open space to mingle. It's a nice ground that has a traditional and intimate feel about it, and the view looking from the all-seater stand is attractive, with the North Downs close in view - but not today, with fog blocking the hills from view.

Coming into this game, Folkestone Invicta were in third place, and already guaranteed a promotion play-off berth, being unable to catch runaway champions elect Burgess Hill, and are out of reach of the teams currently outside of the playoff positions, but they still have a home tie in the play-offs to play for, by finishing second or third. They came into this game in good form, unbeaten in nine games since early February, picking up 21 points. Chipstead were in 18th place, with 48 points from 41 games, and are on a terrible run of form, losing their last six games and failing to score in their last four. With 11 points separating them and the relegation places, they do not have any real fears of being sucked into the relegation zone.

On a rather murky day, with fog enveloping the ground, and occasional misty drizzle, this game did not really live up to the big occasion - whilst being entertaining enough, there was precious little goalmouth action, particularly during the first half, which was very even, Chipstead looking lively despite their recent poor form, although true to recent form, they never really looked like scoring.

Into the second half and Folkestone certainly took more of the initiative, creating more goalscoring chances, and they took the lead on 71 minutes with quite a simple goal, Matt Newman delivered a corner and Josh Vincent placed a powerful header past the keeper and into the net. Although Chipstead very occasionally looked capable of getting an equaliser on the break, it always looked more likely that another goal would come from Folkestone, and they held on quite comfortably for the three points to keep them on course for a home play-off game after the regular season.

Video highlights of this match can be found here

Wadhurst United 2 v 0 Bexhill AAC

Wednesday 1st April 2015

Hastings FA Junior Cup Final

Recreation Ground, Little Common

Admission and Programme: £3.00

Attendance: 100 (estimate)

Match Rating: 3

Another East Sussex cup final for me to take in this evening, and the one I was probably looking forward to the most of all, with one of the teams from the village, Wadhurst, where I spent most of my adult life.  It would also mean my second visit to the Little Common Recreation Ground in just over a week.

The Hastings Junior Club is contested by clubs below the Premier Division of the East Sussex League, with both finalists currently competing in Division One. Bexhill were in their place in the division, with 26 points from 11 games, and look very well placed to at least win promotion and probably as Champions, whilst Wadhurst were in sixth place in the nine team division, with 17 points from 13 games. Wadhurst were unable to raise a side in the fixture between the two teams in December, whilst Bexhill triumphed 0-4 a month later in Wadhurst. To reach this evening's final, Wadhurst received a walkover in the first round, before winning 0-6 at Icklesham Casuals, 3-0 at home to Peche Hill Select II, before beating AFC Hastings on penalties after a 4-4 draw in the semi-final. Bexhill AAC beat Mountfield United 5-2 at home, 0-6 away to Sedlescombe Rangers, 1-3 away to Pebsham Sibex, before overcoming Ticehurst 2-3 away. The programme was typical for Hastings FA cup finals - a four page publication including a welcome message, routes to the final, league table and predicted line-ups.

On a cool evening, Wadhurst, arguably the underdogs, were more than a match for Bexhill, as the first half was generally a midfield battle with neither side creating much in the final third, although in first half added on time, Bexhill saw a header cleared off the line. Before the game, Wadhurst probably would have been happy to get to half time on level terms, but the first half would have given them every encouragement that they could go on to win this game.

Much of the second half continued in the same vein as the first, although on 78 minutes it was Wadhurst's turn to have a goalbpund effort cleared off the line. As extra time looked inevitable, Wadhurst took the lead in the last minute of normal time. The ball was crossed in from deep toward the far post, and the striker headed the ball powerfully into the net, despite the ball hitting the keeper en route, to cue wild celebrations amongst the players, coaches and the majority of the crowd. Five minutes into injury time and Wadhurst confirmed the cup would be heading up to north East Sussex with a second, the striker scoring his second when he rifled in a shot from virtually a standing position at the edge of the area which beat the keeper at his near post. Bexhill still had time to see a header cleared off the line, but it was Wadhurst who lifted the cup shortly after the final whistle, which they just about deserved, and Bexhill will be disappointed they put in a very average performance which was not in keeping with their recent form, winning their last four games and have only lost once in the league all season.