Peacehaven & Telscombe 1 v 3 Saltdean United

Tuesday 26th December 2017
Southern Combination  League Premier Division
Piddinghoe Avenue, Peacehaven
Admission: £6.00
Programme: £1.00
Attendance: 277
Match Rating: 3

Ideally, I wanted to visit at least one new ground today, however that would have involved a 200 mile plus round trip, leaving home at about 8am, which in the end I did not fancy, and instead I decided to take in a couple of revisits within East Sussex, starting with this very local derby, at a ground I last visited for a game in 2008.

Piddinghoe Avenue is located on the north eastern fringe of Peacehaven, and there is much to really enjoy about the ground, with a beautiful setting, plenty of character, and something to suit most people's needs in terms of facilities. Spectators enter via a turnstile block in one corner of the ground, and along the closest length, there is the main stand which contains most of the facilities - the clubhouse, tea bar window, a press box and a few steps to stand on in a rather intimate location. Covered standing is available in front of the various facilities. From this side, the South Downs make for a beautiful backdrop behind the opposite length, which has quite a long all-seater modern metallic stand straddling the half way line. Behind the goal closest to the entrance there is mainly hard standing, but with a metallic stand covering a few terrace steps by the far corner, whilst behind the other goal, there is also mainly hard standing, with a skeleton of a small stand covering a few rows of seating. The 24 page programme was really good for the level, printed in black and white and on glossy paper, but with plenty of interesting articles to read and all of the necessary stats provided.

Fortunes have contrasted wildly for both teams in recent years. Peacehaven were playing Step 3 football in the Isthmian League Premier Division as recently as the 2014-15 season, before the money dried up and have now steadied the ship back in the Southern Combination League, becoming fan owned at the start of this season. They came into this game in sixth place, following 11 wins and four draws from their 19 league games, and were three points adrift of leaders Haywards Heath. Saltdean were playing intermediate football during the 2011-12 season, but after finishing six points adrift at the bottom of Division One of the Southern Combination League the season before last, they won the division last season, and are more than holding their own in the top flight. They came into this game in ninth place, having won nine and drawn five of their 19 league games.

This game started in bright and sunny conditions, and the first half was a typical derby, a real midfield battle but with goalscoring chances at a premium. Peacehaven probably had slightly the better of proceeding, but it was no real surprise that the scoreline was goalless at the break.

The bright sunshine game way to increasing wind and downpours after the break, and the game really sparked into life on 51 minutes, when the home side took the lead. A corner was played short before being whipped in, and Conor Sidwell got his head to the ball to flick it into the far corner of the net via a slight deflection. Four minutes later though, and the visitors were awarded a penalty for pulling as the ball was flighted into the box. It looked a very soft award, but Rob O'Toole fired the ball into the bottom right of the goal, sending the keeper the wrong way. Saltdean were having the better of things now, and it wasn't too much of a surprise when they took the lead on 70 minutes with a lovely goal. A Peacehaven attack broke down, and a lovely ball high from just before the half way line over the defence allowed Ryan Warwick to run onto the ball by the outer corner of the penalty area, and he lobbed the ball perfectly over the keeper who had come out and into the empty net - a great, composed finish. The visitors sealed the points on 75 minutes, when Wes Mills met a corner with a firm header at the far post to head the ball across the keeper and into the net. Saltdean saw out the remainder of the game quite comfortable, as Peacehaven never threatened to pull a goal back and Saltdean claimed the win that, in the end, they deserved.

Video footage of all four goals can be viewed on the following web page :- https://twitter.com/YOURINSTREPLAY/status/945761714238361600

New Milton Town 1 v 1 Ringwood Town

Saturday 23rd December 2017
Wessex League Division One
Fawcetts Field, New Milton
Admission: £6.00
Programme: Free
Attendance: 65
Match Rating: 3

After having to abort a trip to Fawcetts Field back in early August thanks to disruption on the trains, I was attracted to this fixture by some special Festive promotions being offered by the club, which promised to generate a nice seasonal atmosphere to proceedings. For the normal admission fee of £6.00, the club were offering a free programme, a free hot drink and a mince pie, and a free raffle ticket. More than anything, this promised to create a nice seasonal feel to proceedings as well as, hopefully, a larger than usual attendance.

Fawcetts Field is about a twenty minute walk from New Milton train station, with the entrance just beyond a brick clubhouse, which is bright and spacious inside, and an oriental snack and meal menu is available to order at the bar. Immediately inside the ground entrance there is a standing area to mingle, with a tea bar adjacent to the entrance, and to the other side, team line-ups are displayed on the wall of the all-seater main stand which straddles the half way line. Beyond the standing area is the back wall of the clubhouse with some picnic tables pitchside, whilst to the other side of the stand there are a couple of small brick buildings housing toilets and hospitality rooms. Around the rest of the ground there is just hard standing, with trees lining the ground. It is a neat and tidy facility, perhaps lacking a little in character, although perhaps it is easier to think that on a dank winter's day, and that it would be a really pleasant setting at the start or end of the season. In any case, a friendly welcome and an excellent clubhouse make a trip to Fawcetts Field highly recommended. The 24 page programme was good for a step 6 club, with an attractive cover, some interesting reading material and all of the relevant stats and facts.

This local derby was between two clubs occupying the middle of the table, with New Milton in eighth place, having won nine and drawn five of their 21 league games, but were just four points adrift of the top three and a promotion berth, although they have played more games than all teams above them. Ringwood were in tenth place, having won eight and drawn one of their 19 league games.

On a dull, overcast afternoon with misty rain arriving during the second half, the first half was a midfield battle for the most part, not helped by a slippery surface that saw players frequently struggle to keep their footing. New Milton did have slightly the better of things, but although both teams created some half chances to open the scoring, it wasn't too surprising that the scoreline remained blank at the break.

After enjoying the complimentary (and very welcome on this increasingly chilly afternoon) cup of tea and mince pie at half time, the visitors came close to taking the lead on 47 minutes, when a freekick was played into the box and met with a header in the six yard box, forcing a reflex save from the keeper. They did take the lead on 66 minutes. The ball was played forward and Lee Vint shrugged off a defender to run clear towards goal, and he showed good composure to roll the ball below the keeper. But on 78 minutes, New Milton were awarded a penalty, following a silly challenge by a defender as he tracked a New Milton forward bursting into the box. The penalty was saved , but the rebound was tucked home by Steve Flynn. Both teams had chances to win it in the closing minutes, most notably the home side who saw a shot from 8 yards out saved excellently by the keeper, but a point apiece was a fair reflection on an even game.

Walton & Hersham 0 v 0 Camberley Town

Saturday 16th December 2017
Combined Counties League Premier Division
Elmbridge Sports Hub, Walton-on-Thames
Admission: £8.00
Programme: £1.50
Attendance: 101
Match Rating: 2

It certainly wasn’t my intention to take in this game today. However icy conditions provoked pitch inspections at most grounds, and then an increasing number of postponements early in the morning, and after settling on a visit to Biggleswade with a back up of Langford, just as I arrived at my local train station, my Twitter feed announced that both games had failed their 10am inspections. So I decided to make a comfortable journey to south west London, safe in the knowledge that the game would be certain to go ahead on a 3G pitch. It would also allow me to re-complete the Combined Counties League Premier Division and the Isthmian League Division One South.

The Elmbridge Sports Hub is about a 45 minute walk from Walton-on-Thames train station, with a slight detour to the site of Walton & Hersham’s former ground at Stompond Lane, which the club very reluctantly vacated in mid September and has now been entirely demolished – just the grass and running track remain. Continuing through Walton-on-Thames town centre then right alongside the River Thames, it was an interesting if long walk. The football ground is part of a large sporting complex, partly on the site of Walton Casuals' former Waterside Stadium, where there is now an athletics stadium adjacent to today's football stadium. Spectators enter via a turnstile block in one corner, to then find quite an impressive, neat and tidy facility as one would expect of a new ground. Currently at least, the only spectator accommodation straddles the half way line. A large building which is attractively and intelligently designed, it contains five rows of seating with plenty of legroom, and the back row even has cup holders built into the arms. A good incline between rows offers good elevated and unobstructed views, although the stand is set some way back from the pitch. Along the top spectators can stand to watch the game, and inside is a spacious but rather clinical bar area. There are other large rooms either side of the bar room, although they were not in general use. Overhang allows some covered standing area on ground level either side of the stand. In the far corner is a burger van, although prices did seem rather eye-watering. There is just hard standing around the rest of the ground. There appears to be a base in place for a small stand opposite the main building, although it does seem an odd place for one, immediately behind relatively tall dugouts. There is wooden perimeter fencing, and while the stadium is very smart and is well appointed, as it stands it really is a sterile and soulless ground, with a minimum of club signage to make it feel like a home. It really is a total contrast in every way to Walton & Hersham’s former home Stompond Lane, which had fallen into increasing disrepair but just oozed character. Hopefully in time the resident clubs will be able to make the place feel more like home. The 22 page programme was quite thin but was informative enough with all the necessary stats and facts.

This match promised to be a decent one, between two clubs doing well in the league so far. Walton & Hersham were in third place, having won 14 and drawn three of their 21 league games, while Camberley were in fifth place, having won eight and drawn ten on their 21 league games. The two teams have already met in the league season, with that game finishing 1-1 in late September.

On a cold, overcast afternoon, Walton & Hersham had the better of the first half, doing most of the attacking, whilst the visitors for the most part looked compact and organised. On 5 minutes, a cross come shot from close to the corner flag driven in by a Walton forward skimmed the top of the bar, whilst on 20 minutes, the home side came close again, a powerful drive from the edge of the area was headed over the bar on the line. Camberley had a good chance on 35 minutes, a driven shot from outside the area seemed to slightly deceive the keeper as it swerved in the air, but he he managed to tip it over the bar. The last chance of the half fell to Walton, a low shot going just wide of the far post after a fortunate deflection.

The game followed a similar pattern after the break, although play became increasingly disjointed, with Walton trying to do much of the attacking - although they struggled to find their team mates with passes and seemed to become less and less inspired - while the visitors continued to look comfortable at the back and dangerous on their occasional attacks. Walton had come close to scoring on several occasions, and it looked like they would be made to pay for not putting at least one of those chances away when they conceded a penalty on 76 minutes as their forward was brought down in the box. From the spot, Adam Francis fired the ball just wide of the top right corner. Both teams created chances during the remainder of the match, but with quality very thin on the ground, it was not really much a surprise that the match finished goalless.