Tuesday 26th September 2023 ko 19:45

Combined Counties League Premier Challenge 1st Round

YATELEY UNITED 2 (Rudall 75 Scott 90+8)

CAMBERLEY TOWN 4 (Taylor 37 45 47p Jones 68)

Att 427 (Ground Record)

Entry £5

Programme £2

With no disrespect to the folks at the Thames Valley Premier League I don’t expect to see them supply too many clubs to either of the Step 6 Leagues in their area, the Hellenic or the Combined Counties. That’s got nothing to do with anything to do with the league, more its geography. This is well and truly in the M4 corridor territory with sky-high land and property prices, so for Yateley to both grow their club and develop their ground here is a stunning achievement.

The ground itself is a huge multi-sport venue, football is only part of the set-up here which may have helped with planning permissions. The facility is named after Sean Devereux, a missionary and aid worker who was brought up in Yateley. He was assassinated in 1993 aged just 28 whilst working for UNICEF on Somalia.

With Yateley new to the Combined Counties for this season, I’ll admit I did indulge in a little groundhopping tactics. The theory is that since there are a finite number of grounds with floodlights and still fewer those I can get to after finishing work, those should be visited midweek and when the lights are in use. I did show typical groundhopper’s impatience, and paid a visit for the first ever game under lights!

Devereux Park is still a work in progress, the stand will be installed to the right to of the players tunnel so as not to impede the view from the clubhouse. And speaking of that, how good is that line-ups board? But two things struck me, the first was the crowd, I’ve been to no end of clubs nearby and none of them have managed to enthuse their local communities like Yateley have. The second may be linked to the first, this is a club as at ease itself as it is friendly. It is an easy club to want to visit.

It was a shame that the first game under lights had to be against Camberley. Don’t be fooled by the competition’s name, it is a cup for all of the Combined Counties League, and with the visitors and established in the division above they proved to be too strong for the hosts. Yateley had no answer to Mason Taylor, and only found leverage once Camberley had metaphorically declared.

Perhaps the way to look it was that Camberley provided Yateley with a routemap of where they need to be heading. And looking at all of this, would you bet against them?