Dormansland Rockets 6 v 0 Rotherfield

Monday 15th April 2013
Mid Sussex League Premier Division
Colin Anderson Playing Field, Dormansland
Admission and Programme: None
Attendance: 21 (head count)
Match Rating :4

My second 'silly season' game this season took me just over the Surrey border for a 6pm kick off, for my third Mid Sussex League Premier Division match in less than a week.

The Colin Anderson Playing Fields is located about a ten minute walk from Dormans rail station, a little further from the village centre, and enjoys a very rural location just off a quiet country lane.  As one enters the ground, there is a very small car park to the right and the changing rooms to the left - built to resist vandals but still quite attractive painted in club colours. A little way up the slope is the pitch, which has a pronounced slope from side to side, The setting is attractive with fences bordering the top length and behind one goal, behind the other are trees. Looking down the slope, the views would be glorious on a clear day, stretching for miles towards the North Downs. Unfortunately, hazy conditions and low sun meant the view couldn't really be appreciated this evening.

This evening's game would pitch together last year's Champions - Dormansland Rockets of the Premiership and Rotherfield of the Championship. Dormansland are in with a shout of retaining their title, in fourth place, five points behind the top two but with two games in hand. After going 7 months without a league win, two in four days in the last week has probably been sufficient for Rotherfield to retain their divisional status although there is certainly work left to do to ensure that. They were in ninth place going into tonight's game, six points clear of the bottom two. When the two teams met back in October, Dormansland claimed a 3-4 away win.

On a dry sunny evening, the game was evening for the opening half hour, with Rotherfield having the clearest chances to open the scoring. However on 34 minutes it was the home side who took the lead when a perfectly flighted cross from the left wing was headed into the net. There was little further incident before half time and so the scoreline remained 1-0 at the interval.

 Seven minutes after the break and Dormansland doubled their lead, when the ball was poked high hopefully towards goal from distance but the keeper made a complete hash of getting behind the ball and couldn't save it. Two minutes later and it was 3-0, when the ball was dinked over the keeper from the left hand side of the penalty area and it was tapped home from a few yards. On 62 minutes, a potentially pivotal moment occurred when a Dormansland striker was sent off for going in too forcefully for a 50-50 challenge with the keeper. This might have given hope to Rotherfield,who hadn't played that badly despite the scoreline. However five minutes later and Dormansland scored their fourth when one of their players drove forward and hit the ball with the outside of his boot over the keeper and into the net. On 75 minutes it was 5-0 when a quick break resulted in the ball being powered past the keeper from a central position. Three minutes later and it was 6-0 with a simple finish after the ball was played wide. Dormansland could have scored more in the end, forcing a great save and then hitting the bar from a corner soon after their sixth. But the emphatic scoreline improved Dormansland's goal difference, which could prove crucial in the final standings.

Tunbridge Wells 2 v 1 Lordswood

Sunday 14th April 2013
Kent Senior Trophy Final
Longmead, Tonbridge
Admission: £7.00
Programme: £1.50
Attendance: 736
Match Rating: 3

A rare Sundays fixture for me this season was the latest grand event in the fantasy football that is Tunbridge Wells' season this year, watching my local team making an appearance in the first of two cup finals for them this season.. Having watched Tunbridge Wells twice lose out in this competition's final in recent years, it was a case of hoping for third time lucky.

Whilst recent Kent Senior Trophy finals have been staged at Welling United's Park View Road ground, this year the final was to be hosted at Longmead, home of Conference South club Tonbridge Angels, so it was rather fortunate that Tunbridge Wells qualified for the final, with only six miles separating the two towns. Longmead is about a half hour walk from Tonbridge rail station, but plentiful car parking is available at the ground. There haven't been any noticeable improvemtnds to the ground isthe couple of years since I last visited Longmead, not that any were needed. Along one length is a clubhouse together with various other small buildings such as club shop, refreshment van and announcers hut. Only hard standing is available along this length, with a small all-seater stand for club officials. Along almost the entire length on the other side is a stand consisting of six rows of seating., whilst behind both goals are identical fairly small stands covering terrace steps. Although the programme had an professional and attractive cover and was printed on glossy paper, it was far overpriced with 12 pages, four of which were advertising, containing penpics and a message from both clubs, but with no information, for example, of how both clubs reached the final.

To reach the final, FA Vase finalists Tunbridge Wells have defeated Kent Football United 3-2 at home, Ashford United by the same scoreline away, Canterbury City 3-1 at home, before beating Kent League leaders Erith and Belvedere 3-0 in the semi final which was switched to Erith's ground due to the poor condition of the pitch at Tunbridge Wells. Lordswood set off on their road to the final with a 0-5 win at Crockenhill, with further away wins following at Woodstock Park (0-7), Woodstock Sports (1-2) and Deal Town (1-2). In the Kent League, Tunbridge Wells are one place and three points above Lordswood having played three games less. When the two teams met at Lordswood in the league in January, Tunbridge Wells won 1-4, although when they met in the quarter final of the league cup, Lordswood won 5-2 over two legs.

In contrast to yesterday's wet and dreary conditions - which had put this game in slight doubt - today conditions were sunny but rather windy. Perhaps unsurprisingly the vast majority of the crowd were supporting Tunbridge Wells, however they were to be disappointed in the first half when Tunbridge Wells struggled to get any kind of foothold in the game as Lordswood dominated proceedings and they deservedly took the lead on 9 minutes. John Wells hit the woodwork from a free kick but the ball hit the Tunbridge Wells keeper Chris Oladogba and went into the net for an own goal. Lordswood continued to dominate but couldn't score a crucial second. Tunbridge Wells came back into the game as half time approached, without ever really looking like they could score and worrying signs were there that this might be a bridge too far for Tunbridge Wells.

The second half continued much as the first had ended - even but with few signs of Tunbridge Wells scoring an equaliser.  However on 58 minutes they did just that when Jon Pilbeam drove into the box from wide, past a defender and drilled the ball into the six yard box. The Lordswood keeper managed to save the ball but the ball hit the Lordswood defender Gary Cook and rolled into the net for a second own goal of the game. The game could have gone either way now but still Lordswood looked more likely to get the winner, missing a couple of presentable chances. However Tunbridge Wells have achieved so much by digging deep this season, and it was they who scored what turned out to be the winner six minutes from time. Pilbeam took control the ball on the edge of the penalty area and was allowed time to curl a glorious shot into the far top corner beyond the reach of the keeper's despairing drive. Tunbridge Wells held on fairly comfortably to claim their first piece of silverware in 25 years, the first time they have lifted the Kent Senior Trophy at the fifth time of asking, and would be another confidence booster going into their much tougher assignment in their next cup final, against big spending Spennymoor Town in the FA Vase final at Wembley next month. Defeat was harsh on Lordswood who were the better side on the day, but cup finals are usually decided by who has that winning mentality and always by who takes more of their chances.

Video highlights of this match can be watched by clicking here.

Haywards Heath Town 3 v 0 TD Shipley

Saturday 13th April 2013
Sussex County League Division Three
Hanbury Park, Haywards Heath
Admission and Programme: £3.00
Attendance: 47
Match Rating: 2

At the conclusion of my earlier game at Balcombe, I hurried back to the train station for the five minute ride down to Haywards Heath, to take in the second half of another top v bottom clash, this time in the Sussex League Division Three. I did wonder if this game would survive as I had heard it was in doubt this morning and with persistent rain from lunchtime onwards. However the game did indeed kick off, so I set off on the walk to the ground.

Hanbury Park is about a twenty minute walk eastwards from Haywards Heath train station and is certainly an impressive stadium for this level of football - most grounds in this league are only slightly upgraded recreation ground facilities. Hanbury Park however is fully enclosed, has floodlights and railings around the pitch attractively painted in club colours. An impressive, imposing old fashioned grandstand straddles the half way line, with a cosy clubhouse to one side of it. Hard standing is available along this length and behind the goal where one enters the ground. The 12 page programme was a photocopied black and white affair with a reasonable amount of information on the home club and players. Nothing to write home about, but one of the better ones I have encountered in this division.

After years of languishing in intermediate football - indeed last season, on league position, they should have been relegated out of the Sussex League - it looks like they will achieve promotion into senior football at the end of this season. They went into this game in third place, four points behind second placed Barnham (who will not be eligible for promotion) but with four games in hand, and six points behind leaders Sidlesham but with two games in hand. They have only lost once in the league all season, back in September. TD Shipley have struggled at the foot of the table for most of the season, although they have had an upturn in fortunes recently, claiming seven points from their last three games which was preceded by four straight defeats conceding 21 goals in the process. They were second from bottom in the 12 team division. Relegation looks unlikely for any team though as the Division is struggling badly for numberd, with just twelve teams.

As I arrived at the game a couple of minutes before half time, Haywards Heath were two goals to the good, scored by Jamie Wanstall after 15 minutes and Kieron Purkis after 20 minutes. At half time the pitch was being forked frantically to try to drain away some of the surface water that was accumulating. Playing conditions were poor which inevitably led to a game low on quality, with players frequently losing their footing and the bounce and roll of the ball became increasingly unpredictable. The second half was quite even although Haywards Heath always looked in control with their two goal lead and TD Shipley never really looking like they could half the deficit to make the game more interesting. Haywards Heath had the better chances and on 75 minutes they secured the three points by scoring a third goal. A corner was flicked on at the near post and as the ball dropped at the far post, players from both sides had chances to deal decisively with the ball, but it was Dave Juniper who prodded the ball home from a couple of yards out. To their credit TD Shipley continued to battle gamely and had some good chances to score a consolation goal towards the end. Indeed, credit to both teams for always trying to play football despite atrocious waterlogged pitch conditions, and credit too to the referee for allowing the game to reach its conclusion.

Balcombe 5 v 3 Phoenix United

Saturday 13th April 2013
Mid Sussex League Premier Division
Recreation Ground, Balcombe
Admission and Programme: None
Attendance: 17 (head count)
Match Rating: 4

Fancying a grass roots game - partly due to taking in the Kent Senior Trophy final tomorrow and also the ability to double this game with another game in the vicinity - I headed to West Sussex for a 1.30 kick off and an interesting looking match with both teams still having plenty to play for at the business end of the season.

The Balcombe Recreation Ground is located about a ten minute walk from Balcombe train station. Via a path from the village centre, the changing rooms are located immediately as one enters the recreation ground, a long and narrow complex with the pitch located in the distance beyond play and grassed areas. Once one reaches the football pitch behind one of the goals, along one length of the pitch a footpath provides hard standing and overhanging trees provide good natural shelter - which would come in very useful today. Along the other length, which only has sporadic trees along it, it is much more exposed. Behind the remaining goal is a bench and a grass area in front of housing.

Balcombe came into this match in terrific form, winning their last five league games, and have given themselves a real chances of winning the Mid Sussex League Premier Division. They were in second place, having gained 42 points from their 20 games, three points behind Cuckfield Town but with a game in hand. Crawley based Phoenix United have been in good form too, having won their last three games but in their case it has improved their chances of beating the drop. They were fourth bottom, three points above the bottom two but with games in hand on most teams around them. The reverse fixture of today's game only took place less than two weeks ago, on Easter Monday, and Balcombe won 3-6.

Overcast skies gave away to rain just before kick off, rain that intensified as the game wore on. Combined with a strong gusty wind and an increasingly saturated pitch after heavy recent rain, conditions were pretty miserable, it is fair to say. Perhaps conditions were a leveller as there was little to choose from the teams in the opening exchanges, if anything Phoenix looked slightly the better side. So they could have counted themselves somewhat unfortunate to fall behind in the 19th minute when the ball bobbled around the six yard box and neither attackers nor defenders could make meaningful contact until the ball was prodded into the corner of the net. Both sides then had good chances within a couple of minutes - for Balcombe, a powerful drive from the edge of the box clipped the crossbar before going over on 35minutes, then two minutes later there was another scramble in the six yard box but no Phoenix player could turn the ball home. And entertaining half ended with a narrow one goal lead for the home side.

The second half started much the same as the first and with Phoenix United still very much in the game. However, at the start of what would be a crazy 12 minute spell, Balcombe doubled their lead on 53 minutes with a very good goal. After a quick break down the wing to the edge of the penalty area, a Balcombe player cut inside, dummied a defender and slid the ball to another player on the edge of the box, whose powerful shot the keeper could only get the bottom of his hand to and the ball trickled goalwards before coming to a rest seemingly on the line before being hit home to be sure. Four minutes later and Balcombe seemed to have won the game when the ball was placed low inside the near post from 12 yards which the keeper really should have stopped. Less than a minute later, Phoenix pulled a goal back when the ball was pumped forward and a Balcombe defender and keeper got in a terrible mix and the ball bounced from some distance into the net. On the hour mark Balcombe restored their three goal lead and another goal the Phoenix keeper should be disappointed with as he failed to gather the ball from a free kick and the rebound was tucked home. On 65 minutes the scoreline became very harsh on Phoenix when Balcombe scored a fifth, when the ball was controlled well on the edge of the box before the ball was dispatched emphatically into the top corner giving the keeper no chance. The home team went off the boil after scoring their fifth and credit to Phoenix for keeping on battling even as the game had reached a hopeless cause for them. Soon after forcing a great save from a free kick, Phoenix scored their second on 85 minutes when the ball was played across the penalty area before being struck firmly into the net. In injury time they scored another when a free kick rebounded wide of the penalty area and another Phoenix player flighted a wonderful strike over the stranded keeper and into the net from a fairly tight angle. There wasn't time for further goals and a two goal cushion was a fair reflection on the quality of both teams, which was enough for Balcombe to move to the top of the table on goal difference. Full credit to both teams for producing an entertaining game in increasingly dreadful conditions.

Rotherfield 3 v 0 East Grinstead United

Wednesday 10th April 2013
Mid Sussex League Premier Division
Recreation Ground, Rotherfield
Admission and Programme: None
Attendance: 18 (head count)
Match Rating: 4

This evening would be one of the landmarks of the football season I always very much look forward to - my first game of this year's groundhopping 'silly season' saw me head to the outskirts of Crowborough for a 6pm kick-off in the Mid Sussex Football League. Although this would be a revisit for me, the Rotherfield Recreation Ground stood out as one of the more pleasant I had visited, with this evening's game having plenty riding on it - not always the case at this stage of the season.

A description of the ground can be found from my previous visit, with no alterations having taken place since, apart from a club banner placed by the half way line which was a nice touch. It is a lovely ground with that quintessential rural village feel to it in sunny weather. Unfortunately this evening's weather was anything but, with today's chilly, damp and slightly misty conditions obscuring the pleasant view across the valley to Crowborough.

This was certainly a game Rotherfield needed to win, sitting in a perilous position of fourth bottom but on the same number of points as all three teams below them and having played more games than two clubs below them. Strangely, their three wins this season came from their first three games of the season, meaning they haven't won in their last 15 league games. This evening's visitors East Grinstead United were sitting in a more comfortable eighth place in the thirteen team division, eight points clear of the bottom four teams. When the two teams met back in October, East Grinstead United won 3-2.

The match was a competitive, even affair in the first half but with very few goalscoring chances, although East Grinstead did hit the post on 39 minutes. On the stroke of half time, an East Grinstead defender made an ill-judged lunge seemingly on the line of the penalty area. Initially the referee seemed to give a free kick, however after inspecting where the tackle took place, he then awarded a penalty. Minimal protests from East Grinstead United suggested it was a fair award, and Paul Barnes sent the keeper the wrong way to give the home side the lead.

After a five minute interval, the drizzle was turning to rain of increasing intensity, but the game still looked like it could go either way. However on 62 minutes, Rotherfield gave themselves some breathing space when they scored a second after an East Grinstead player missed the ball allowing a Rotherfield attacker to run down the wing and cross into the box, and a completely unmarked Richard Clibbens easily turned the ball into the net. Rotherfield now looked in control of the match as they did most of the attacking and on 82 minutes, they put the game to bed when they scored a third goal. James Miles drilled the ball home from 8 yards following a corner. As conditions became gloomy in the, by now, heavy rain, Rotherfield could and should have scored at least one more, but they will be happy enough to claim their first league win in seven months, as well as their first clean sheet of the season, to put some daylight between them and the relegation places.