Kent Football United 3 v 2 Lydd Town

Saturday 12th September 2015
Glentworth Sports Club, Dartford
Kent Invicta League
Admission: £5.00
Programme: None
Attendance: 36
Match Rating: 4

Although I had only passed through Dartford yesterday evening on my way home from a holiday in East Anglia, a lack of appealing local or FA Cup games meant I headed to north Kent to tick off my penultimate ground in the Kent Invicta League today.

The Glentworth Sports Club is about a 15 minute walk from Dartford train station via the town centre, and is located beyond a car park and the Glentworth Ex-Serviceman's Club, and one enters in one corner of the ground. Whilst this place has potential to become a decent and attractive ground, and plans are afoot to make it so, there is precious little if anything to recommend a visit here for as it stands currently, and was not a pleasant place to watch football today. A tea bar is located just inside the entrance to the right, with picnic tables on a large patio area to the left behind the goal. There are currently no floodlights nor stands here, nor any hard standing. The area between the tea bar and the half way line is more akin to a building site, with uneven soil and construction materials strewn around, and there are some wooden poles attached to the railing to suggest this is where a stand may be placed. Spectators are prevented from venturing beyond the dugouts along this length. Behind one of the goals, as well as a patio area, an uneven path runs from the pitch to the changing rooms, which appear rather rudimentary and are certainly not easy on the eye. Spectators are not allowed behind the opposite goal, whilst down the remaining length, spectators can stand on grass. Trees behind this length offer the potential for a reasonably attractive setting. A rare effort to improve the ground's appearance is blue sheeting draped from the pitchside railing. Despite being told the programmes were coming, they never arrived – apparently, from noting other groundhopper visits, it is hit or miss (mostly miss) whether programmes are issued here, which really is not good enough at senior level.

If this match were played last season, this probably would have been an away banker, as Kent Football United struggled at the foot of the table and Lydd Town looked for long periods that they could claim the one promotion spot available before falling away slightly to finish third. Indeed, Lydd won 0-7 here in February. Things seem to be a little different for Kent Football United this season though, having opened their league campaign with three wins and two draws from six games and came into this game in fifth place. They bowed out of the League Cup last Saturday though, with a 4-2 defeat at Bearsted. Lydd look to be one of the teams to beat again this season, with a 100% record from their first five league games, and won away to strugglers Rusthall in the League Cup 2-5 last Saturday.

On a warm and sunny afternoon, all the signs in the early stages were that this would be the expected away win, and Lydd duly took the lead on 4 minutes, when a ball forward by Ryan Smith drew the keeper out to the outer corner of his area and Gary Lockyer struck the ball low into the empty net. They doubled their lead three minutes later when Ryan Smith headed home from a corner. It really was looking like a case of how many Lydd would score, until what turned out to be the game changing moment arrived on 37 minutes. The home side were awarded a penalty for a hand ball, and Danny Bezant placed the ball into the bottom right corner which the keeper only just couldn’t get a hand to. In the last minute of the half, Kent Football United scored an equaliser with a wonderful goal, Jack Gibbons flighting a lovely shot from 25 yards over the keeper and the ball hit the underside of the bar and bounced over the line.

It was quite surprising that the scores were level of half time, and even more surprising when the home team then went into the lead two minutes after the interval when the ball was looped from the left over the keeper, and Michael Ring headed the ball home. Lydd really disappointed in the second half, as they seemed more interested in moaning and arguing than rolling up their sleeves to get back in the game, and Kent Football United had by far the better chances to score, coming close twice within a minute when the Lydd keeper had an air kick at a back pass and only just managed to kick the ball away before it crossed the line, and later on in the move, a shot was crashed off the post. Lydd had a couple of chances in the last five minutes, having the ball in the back of the net but the goal was ruled out for a foul on the keeper as the forward bulldozed the ball in from the player’s grasp, and then in a similar situation to their first goal, a Lydd forward fired the ball goalwards from an angle with the keeper drawn out, but this time a defender managed to clear the ball away before it crossed the line.

And so Kent Football United claimed the three points, and credit to them for responding so well after conceding two early goals, in contrast to Lydd who really threw away this game as they lost their composure and focus as things started to go against them.

This was an enjoyable game to watch, which made up for the disappointment of the ground and the lack of programme. I look forward to revisiting some time in the future when hopefully this will be a much tidier ground with facilities suitable to host senior football.

Wivenhoe Town Reserves 1 v 2 Stanway Rovers Reserves

Tuesday 8th September 2015
Broad Lane, Wivenhoe
Eastern Counties League Reserve Division
Admission: £3.00
Programme: N/A
Attendance: 51 (head-count)
Match Rating: 3

For my final evening in the Essex/Suffolk area, it was a case of “needs must” in terms of watching a game of reserve team football to tick off another ground in the area, this time the home of a club whose first team are currently in the Eastern Counties League First Division.

Broad Lane is located to the north east of Wivenhoe, just off the Colchester to Clacton main road, and after walking through a car park, one enters the ground through a turnstile block in one corner of the ground. Immediately inside is a building housing the tea bar, board room and changing rooms, tucked behind a stand covering terrace steps behind a goal. An almost identical stand is positioned behind the other goal, stretching between corner flags. Straddling the half way line on one side is the all-seater main stand, which is a rather curious unfinished structure, with support pillars still in place either side. To one side are a few uncovered terrace steps, whilst to the other is just a path of uncovered standing below a couple of small buildings seemingly unused this evening. Along the remaining length is just hard standing. All in all, this is an interesting stadium, a little scruffy around the edges, but that helps give the place character. As one would expect, no programme or other paperwork was produced for this evening.

This game would potentially have some added spice being a derby between two clubs located at opposite ends of Colchester. Both clubs have had good starts to their season in the Reserve Division - Stanway Rovers had won three and drawn one of their opening five games, whilst Wivenhoe Town had won both of their opening two games in the league.

At the end of another warm and sunny afternoon, this game had an unfortunate start, with a Stanway player picking up quite a bad injury within the first minute. That didn't impede theme though, as they went on to dominate the first half, and the only wonder was that they did not score more than two by the time half time arrived. They saw a shot from 25 yards hit the bar on 12 minutes, and a header drop just wide on 17 minutes. They did take the lead on 18 minutes though with a lovely low strike from outside the area with the keeper slightly out of position. They had a couple of chances to increase their lead, before Wivenhoe had a goal disallowed for offside on 30 minutes. On 40 minutes, Stanway doubled their lead with a first time shot from a central position, whilst in first half stoppage time, Stanway saw a header go just wide, before Wivenhoe saw a cross hit the post, although the keeper did seem to have it covered anyway.

The second half was a more even affair, both teams trading reasoanble chances, but it wasn't until four minutes from time when Wivenhoe pulled a goal back. The keeper seemed favourite to collect a cross at waist height but he spilled the ball and eventually Lewis Blanchett fired a low shot through a crowd of players and the ball found the back of the net. Wivenhoe tried to apply pressure in the closing minutes, and two minutes from time, they were unlucky when the keeper flapped at a ball played into the box, but the ball dropped at the feet of a Stanway defender who cleared the ball, and it was Stanway who claimed the derby reserve bragging rights.

Leiston 2 v 0 Enfield Town

Wednesday 9th September 2015
Victory Road, Leiston
Isthmian League Premier Division
Admission: £10.00
Programme: £2.00
Attendance: 171
Match Rating: 3

Following a day on the nearby fascinating Orford Ness Nature Reserve, I decided to tick off a ground that is certainly something of a geographical footballing outpost, located on the east coast of England and over 4 miles from the nearest train station.

Victory Road is located about a ten minute walk from the town centre, and with a minimum of signage guiding spectators to the ground and entrance, one enters through the ground through a smart brick turnstile block in one corner. Along the length from the entrance is quite a long stand covering a couple of terrace steps set a little way back from the pitch, then straddling the half way line is a large, spacious and welcoming clubhouse, with the tea bar contained within, and a cosier bar more akin to a regular pub available in a separate room. A long modern metallic stand is positioned on the opposite length. Behind one of the goals is a narrow stand covering a few terrace steps, whilst behind the other goal is just hard standing. In all honesty, on the eye it is a very unremarkable ground, however it was a neat and pleasant venue to visit, with the welcome from the turnstile operator particularly impressive, taking the time to ask if we were new to the ground and then taking the time to point out all of the facilities available. It is things like that that, in my experience, make visiting football grounds in Suffolk a pleasure. The programme for sale tonight was a double issue, covering last Saturday’s game, was of good quality, with 52 pages of interesting and informative material to read.

Leiston have had a good start to their season, winning five and drawing the other two of their opening seven games, although they lost on Saturday at home to leaders Grays Athletic. Enfield Town have had a difficult start to their season, winning one, drawing two and losing the other five of their opening eight games. Tonight's fixture would already be the return fixture, after Leiston came away from North London with a 0-2 win just two weeks ago.

At the end of a beautifully sunny day, this game was surprisingly even in the opening stages, but Leiston opened the scoring on 18 minutes when Joe Jefford headed back across goal and Gareth Heath headed the ball home. That gave the home side a shot in the arm, and they doubled their lead on 22 minutes with a glorious first time shot on the turn from the edge of the area which sailed over the keeper and dropped into the net, Christy Finch the goalscorer. Leiston went on to dominate the next quarter of an hour but they couldn’t add to their lead, and the visitors ended the half strongly, but couldn’t pull a goal back before the interval.

For much of the second half, the visitors looked the better team enjoying good spells of possession but they rarely looked likely to pull a goal back, and indeed it always seemed that Leiston were doing just enough to maintain their two goal lead, and that they could have upped their game had the visitors pulled a goal back. That never happened, as Leiston moved up to third in the table.

This was another enjoyable evening in East Anglia – although the ground was not as pleasant as yesterday’s experience, and the game itself was on coast mode for long spells, there was once again a friendly and welcoming feel to the club.

AFC Sudbury 5 v 2 Soham Town Rangers

Tuesday 8th September 2015
Kings Marsh Stadium, Sudbury
Isthmian League Division One North
Admission: £9.00
Programme: £2.00
Attendance: 172
Match Rating: 4

For my first game of my holiday on the Suffolk/Essex border, I had a realistic choice of a visit to Heybridge Swifts or AFC Sudbury this evening. Seeing AFC Sudbury flying high towards the top of the table, as well as slightly cheaper admission there persuaded me to choose the Suffolk option.

As one enters the King's Marsh Stadium complex after a fairly long drive down a small lane, one immediately notices that this is an impressive facility. Beyond a spacious car park located adjacent to some training pitches are the turnstiles, after passing some modern but interestingly designed office and training facility buildings. The turnstile block is of an unusual upvc variety, and one enters behind one of the goals, close to a corner flag, where there is a small covered area for wheelchair bound spectators which helpfully for them features a see through plastic front. Along the length from the entrance are some triangular shaped buildings, housing the club shop, a tea bar, and a two storey clubhouse. They are an attractive and impressive collection of buildings and proof that modern installations can be a welcome addition to a football ground when creatively designed. Straddling the half way line on this side is a small all-seater stand, with a similar stand covering terracing located opposite. Cover behind both goals stretch to the corner flags, and trees surrounding the stadium give a very pleasant rural enclosed feel to the ground, and a 3G pitch was installed here over the summer. The 40 page colour programme was decent and provided a good background to the match.

AFC Sudbury, who missed out on promotion in the play-off final last season, have started this season well, in second place having won five of their six league games so far, although they lost their last home game 2-6 to Cray Wanderers. They would go top with a game in hand should they win this evening. Soham Town Rangers have had a much more difficult start to their season, having picked up just one win and lost their other six fixtures so far. Rather bizarrely, this match was already the return fixture for the league season, the two teams having met two weeks ago, with AFC Sudbury winning 0-1.

On an overcast evening, this match started off with both teams doing plenty of attacking in the opening stages, with the game then settling down, until the home side took the lead on 36 minutes, when Craig Parker showed some good touches to evade a couple of defenders before poking the ball past the keeper. The game remained even though until the stroke of half time, when Sudbury doubled their lead. Some slick passing from the right wing ended with the ball being passed back to an unmarked Parker, who fired home from a central position.

Sudbury were probably fortunate to be two up at the break, but they almost scored a third within a minute of the restart when Liam Wales lobbed the keeper from towards the outer angle of the area, but a covering defender cleared the ball before it crossed the line. The reprieve was brief for Soham though, as Sudbury scored their third on 48 minutes, when Jordan Blackwell slid the ball home from a central position. Soham gave themselves a glimmer of hope of a comeback on 58 minutes when they pulled a goal back with a fine half volley on the turn by Wayne Goddard which the keeper got faint fingertips to but the ball still found the back of the net. That hope was extinguished on 67 minutes when Parker ran on to a long low ball forward, ran towards goal before coolly slotting the ball past the keeper for his hat-trick. Three minutes later and Sudbury's Luke Callendar hit the outside of the post, and it was looking like the scoreline was in danger of becoming extremely harsh on Soham. Sudbury did score their fifth on 76 minutes when Blackwell cut in from the left and eventually poked the ball past the keeper, and on 80 minutes, a diagonal shot from towards the edge of the area by Liam Wales came off the crossbar with the keeper beaten. Soham did score a deserved second goal five minutes from time when Luke Stanley volleyed home from close range.

Although Sudbury deserved the win, the 3 goal deficit still seemed harsh on the visitors who matched the home team for long periods, but Sudbury were more clinical and were able to take advantage when they were on top. This was a most enjoyable first game during my stay in southern East Anglia, watching an entertaining game in pleasant, comfortable and friendly surroundings.