Tuesday 21st May 2024 ko 19:00

Middlesex County League Premier Division

HAYES & HILLINGDON 2 (McDonnell 4 21)

KODAK (HARROW) 1 (Goddard 8)

Att 35 at Richings Park Sports Club, Apsley Walk, Iver

Free Entry

It was an odd experience driving here. Existing the M40 at Junction 1 then picking through the edges of suburban London, where the capital collides with the Slough area. So much so I was glad my new car is ULEZ compliant, even now I’m not completely sure whether I tripped one of TfL’s cameras! If I’d have been driving my old car, I’d have had to pay, just to avoid the risk of an unwitting fine!

Richings Park in Iver is a beautifully appointed multi-sports and social facility tucked away amongst affluent new builds. You can imagine the houses gradually encroaching on the facility, not the other way round, and there is the distinct advantage of Iver railway station being a mere 400 yards away.

I’m used to my footballing life being fairly compartmentised. Oxford United seldom touches my groundhopping and so on. On that place while it was lovely to be congratulated on Oxford United’s success at Wembley it was completely unexpected, although thinking about it, I’m not sure why!

The Middlesex County League is well known for two things. One that it is one of a tiny minority of league still using the Mitoo website and that fixtures do tend to continue well into May. I do suspect the vast majority of the grounds I’ve visited in the league have been in late April or May!

The issue with all of games at this time, and this part of the season is player availability. A club may have 60-plus players signed on, but putting 11 of them on the pitch is another matter entirely, particularly in a game like this, when nothing is riding on the outcome. Here befitting their last game of the season Hillingdon selected playing positions from a hat with the shortest player drawing the goalkeeper’s position!

I remembered doing that during my university days and rather liking the idea. I was equally incompetant in all positions and being in goal did at least guarantee me a game! Here the ruse worked, as the hosts won a thoroughly entertaining game, but one I suspect won’t be seen as particularly memorable by anyone there.