Tuesday 30th July 2013 ko 19.00

Stewards Cup

HAMBLEDEN 0

HENLEY TOWN 5 (Sawyer 18 Rann 50 Cripps 64 65 74)

Att 30

Entry FREE

No Programme

If ever there was a contrast with my last game, this was it. For the avoidance of doubt, this is HambledEn, near Henley-on-Thames, and not HambledOn in Hampshire.

Its best approached from the Stokenchurch turn on the M40, and you drive along narrow lanes down in the valley through the most bucolic villages. I used to live in Henley so the area is known to me, and with a connection or two to the former Brakspear brewery I knew most of the pubs too! And how could you not love The Frog pub when it’s in a village of Skirmett!! I wonder if Jim Henson stopped for a pint!

Eventually you get to Hambleden, and immediately you get the sense that you’ve seem the place before. Of course if you’re a film buff chances are that you have. For when Hollywood wants a traditional country village, they often film here. The residents get paid to remove aerials and satellite dishes, and cars are parked outside the village. Hambleden has been an exquisite backdrop to films such as  Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, The Witches, Dance with a Stranger, Tim Burton film Sleepy Hollow, Nanny McPhee and the opening scenes of the 1998 remake of The Avengers. On the small screen its hosted Band of Brothers and The Vicar of Dibley.

Former Home and Away and Emmerdale actress Emily Symons used to live here when married to Lorenzo Smith the second son of Viscount Hambleden, and descendent of English stationery tycoon W.H. Smith. Many moons ago I stopped for a beer in the Stag & Huntsman pub, and there was a rather unflattering photo of her on the wall, posted as part of a montage.

The football club play at the Dene, neatly tucked away behind the pub, and well away from the prying eyes of movie cameras. The club ply their trade in the Wycombe & District League which seems a million miles away from the scenes on view here ( in fact its 10 miles!), and they’re rather proud of their new pavilion, just built for this season.

For all of that what, the multiplicity of hoppers and I will remember the Dene for is the view, with Grade II listed building Kenricks overlooking the entire sports field and was the previous manor house and the home of Philadelphia Carey Lady Scrope, a cousin and Lady-in-Waiting to Queen Elizabeth I. On her death in 1627 it became The Rectory and was altered in 1724 by the Rector Rev Dr Scawen Kenrick. It ceased to be The Rectory in 1938 and was acquired by the 3rd Viscount Hambleden and renamed Kenricks.

I’d wondered if the cup being played for had anything to do with Henley Regatta (one end of the course is at Temple Island, just beyond Hambleden Lock) but it transpires that it’s a sponsor’s name, Steward and Associates to be exact, and the event is a regular feature of both clubs’ pre-season.

That seems a little unfair on the hosts, their league starts a good deal later than Henley Town’s Hellenic, and after a while the lack of fitness told. Jordan Sawyer’s early goal has set Henley on their way, but the second half saw them run riot, with goals from Brett Rann and a 10 minute hat-trick from Sam Cripps taking the game away from Hambleden.

The cup was presented, and pleasantries exchanged, and I slowly drove out of Sleepy Hollow, remembering when I did so in the mist. That did remind me of the film!!