Hertfordshire Senior County League, Premier Division 

HINTON 0

CHIPPERFIELD CORINTHIANS 1 (C Chapman 53) 

Att 49 at The Hub, Barnet Lane (grass pitch)

Free Entry

Programme £2

Sometimes everything conspires to attract groundhoppers, and this was a case in point. Firstly with the season all-but-ended there was little competition for games to watch, the ground, or should I say pitch rarely gets used, and then Hinton decided to produce a programme. Yes, I did know I high percentage of the crowd!

Now I’m sure some of you will have noted that I’d been to Barnet Lane 5 years ago and that involved peering at what was left of Barnet’s classic former ground Underhill. Now there’s a school, with just the cricket pavilion that served as a fans’ bar back in the day to remind those who loved the place of what’s been lost.

That previous visit had involved watching a game on the main, caged 3G pitch. This Hertfordshire County League tie was to take place on the outside grass presumably to fulfil ground gradings. The game was here as Hinton’s normal home, Holtwhites Sports & Social was given over to cricket for the summer. 

The game was no dead rubber, Hinton (no not the Herefordshire version!) were in relegation trouble and visitors Chipperfield needed a win for maintain a mathematical chance of the title. 

It went by the form book, and Hinton ended up finishing second-from-bottom and relegated with Chipperfield ending up third, just two points behind champions Bush Hill. For those there though it was as much a social event as anything else, as the two sides entertained. For at that time of year any competitive game is welcome!