Sundy 27th October 2024 ko 11:00

Southern Combination Premier Division

PAGHAM 3 (Neighbour 45+2 63p Johnston 55)

LOXWOOD 2 (Brown 66 Martyn 76)

Att 259

Entry £7

Programme £2

GroundhopUK’s trip to Nyetimber Lane was a well over a year in the planning. It was their game that was lost to Storm Babet during last year’s hop, to the extent that it was wasn’t so much waterlogged off, more flooded to the extent that I’m not sure we could have got to the ground, much less see a game!

I do have a history with Pagham from watching them “by mistake” at Whitehawk in 2001, to watching a Sussex County League final at Nyetimber Lane in 2009 back when the league played their divisional cup finals across 3 venues during Good Friday! They’ve erected a new stand since those says but oddly I was more interested in the pies!

The pies are supplied by Turner’s of Littlehampton, and are unique to having no fat in the crust, making them healthier than alternatives. I was minded to think back to my Dad’s attempts at catering when my mum was taken ill. He was and is a man of his age, so when he got married cooking duties were simply transfered from his mum to his new wife! So he only learned to cook for himself well into retirement, and sometimes with rather unusual results!

The one that made me smile the most was his attempts to lose a little weight. He still bought his pies, but decided to cut back on the spuds he put with it.. to this day Robyn and I still refer anything with a crust as diet pies. Clearly Dad needed to know about Turner’s Pies!

But there was much more to like than just the pies. It was a Sunday morning at the end of 4 hops during the season so far. It was lovely to relax and let Pagham be excellent hosts, and allow myself to explore the ground’s nooks and crannies- and there are plenty! More than anything else I took the chance to enjoy a good game at an excellent ground, beautifully hosted. Yes, it was well worth the year’s wait!

I am rather looking forward to taking the hop to visitors Loxwood if for no other reason than it’s they that have a legitimate claim on Roffey’s home name of Theatre of Trees! Please make them an evening game!