Category Archives: F

Gentlemen, Start Your Engines

30 Sunday Jun 2013

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Saturday 29th June 2013 ko 13.00

Pre-Season Friendly

FAVERSHAM TOWN 2 (Wilson 11 Rowland 74)

GILLINGHAM 4 (Millbank 15 Dack 25 Birchall 65 76)

Att c500

Entry £8

No Programme, old copy free (some others were charged £1)

Badge £3

It was less than 3 weeks since I finished off last season in Sweden on a joyous Swedish hop, but in that time I can honestly say I lost my edge. I know it seems daft, all I do is show up at a game, watch it and take a few pictures! But even during the planning of this one I felt I wasn’t on top form. I’d agreed to meet the undoubted star of the Swedish adventure Martin Bamforth, at the old Andover FC ground to do the Sealand game at Thamesmead, but we changed plans just as soon as we worked out you can get from Faversham to Whitstable in 15 minutes flat, making an unlikely double possible.

That feeling of unease was still there when we reached Salters Lane, I didn’t slide into my normal habits of knowing instinctively where to obtain the line-ups, über-hopper Peter Miles helped me out what that one. I even had to think about my camera angles!

Eventually everything fell into place and I began to appreciate my surroundings and the entertainment on offer. It just shows how easy it is to lose that state of unconscious competence!

There was a lot to enjoy too, the Kentish town is the cradle of the UK’s explosives industry. The first gunpowder factory was established in the 16th century, probably with investment from Faversham Abbey. At that time the monasteries were deriving good profits from their estates and were keen to invest in promising technology.

The town was the perfect location as it had a stream which could be dammed at intervals to provide power for watermills. On its outskirts were low-lying areas ideal for the culture of alder and willow to provide charcoal, one of the three key gunpowder ingredients. The stream fed into a tidal Creek where sulphur, another key ingredient, could be imported, and the finished product could be  loaded for dispatch to Thames-side magazines. The port allowed the finished product to be shipped to mainland Europe for use with minimum effort.

The explosives industry lasted until 1934 when owner ICI realised that war with Germany was likely, and that Faversham was in a vulnerable location to bombing so moved production to Ayrshire.

These days the town is a quiet market town, and the football ground hides itself amongst the trees midway down Salters Lane. Its a good example of the classic Isthmian League-style ground (the club lost in the Division 1 South playoffs) with the asbestos roofed main stand typical of many in London and its hinterlands. The burger bar was swamped with custom as the visitors, freshly promoted to League 1 brought a bumper crowd. They’d split their squad, with half going to Ashford United at 3, giving their more intrepid supporters a tougher job than Martin and I at the final whistle if they wanted to make kick off.

The hosts made an error in not doing a programme. Even if only half the crowd had bought one at say, £2 there’s £500 the club could have made, and it gave the impression that the club was better run on the pitch than off it.

Even though Gillingham had the luxury of changing the entire team at half time, no bad thing in the heat, Faversham gave the visitors a thorough test, and Wayne Wilson’s 11th minute free-kick was worthy of any stage. The Gills however, always had experience where it mattered, and it was no coincidence that 3 out of the 4 goals were scored by Bradley Dack, and Adam Birchall, both regular first teamers.

But of course these fixtures aren’t about the result, more about fitness, and assessing what works best. It was a decent spectacle, Faversham’s endeavours ensured that, but the last 5 minutes were memorable for arguably the best version of a phenomenon you only ever see when a reasonable number of groundhoppers attend a game.

I call it groundhopper’s itch, when with about 5 minutes left the hoppers slowly make their way to the exit, and hover by the gate. When the final whistle blows, off they scuttle, even if there isn’t another game to go to! On this occasion there was, and yes, I was there too, hovering by the exit with Martin already outside, in the car revved up and ready for the next adventure. That was a neat metaphor for the day, the season to come, and the hobby in general. Its good to be back!

 

Mobility

17 Wednesday Apr 2013

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Tuesday 16th April 2013 ko 19.45

Wessex League Division One

FLEET SPURS 0

BROCKENHURST 3 (Ritchie 46 Spinney 53 Kenna 72p)

Att 23

Entry £4

Programme £1

I hate the fact the only reason I did this game is because Fleet Spurs have resigned from the Wessex League. It is the lot of the groundhopper that the end of the season is spent at least in part doing clubs and grounds that may not be there the next time round.

The Southwood Pavilion, in Kennels Lane, lies more or less equidistant between Fleet and Farnborough on former MOD land. At one end is the soon-to-be vacated Nokia building, the other woodlands leading to the Cody Sports and Social Club the former home of Farnborough North End. Therein lies the problem, the facility is nowhere near any population, so the most relevant statistic above is the attendance. They didn’t even cover the cost of the referee and linesmen this evening.

With financial facts of life stacked against you, a change is clearly necessary, but what that actually is isn’t known as yet. The club like would a sideways move to the Combined Counties, thereby reducing travelling costs, but a drop in status to the Hampshire League is possible, as is no move at all. It’s all down to the committees and darkened rooms of the FA to decide next month, or maybe the month after, the club simply doesn’t know. That can’t be easy for the players, not knowing even the level you’ll be playing next season.

And to be honest it showed, as promotion-chasing Brockenhurst dominated. They contrived to miss a string of chances during the first half. Over an excellent burger and cup of tea, the Fleet faithful feared the worst if the visitors found their shooting boots. Which they did with much of the crowd (such as it was) still in the pavilion, Dan Ritchie blasting home from 25 yards. Fleet worked hard, but offered little up front but it took something fortuitous for Brockenhurst to double their lead. The ball was worked well from the left but Mike Spinney’s shot was scuffed. A clean shot would have been easily blocked by keeper Ryan Bone, but instead it spun up and over the wrong-footed glovesman and looped in.

A silly penalty will no doubt help Brockenhurst’s goal-difference, it is extremely tight at the top after all, that was easily dispatched by Warren Kenna, the brother of former Southampton professional Jeff, for a rather harsh scoreline for Fleet.

Maybe I was the mood I was in, but I found myself warming to the small band of volunteers trying to keep Fleet Spurs going despite almost insurmountable odds. I wish them well whatever the FA decides.

The Masterclass

17 Saturday Nov 2012

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Wednesday 14th November 2012 ko 20.30

Invigningsmatchen

SWEDEN 4 (Ibrahimovic 20 77 84 90)

ENGLAND 2 (Welbeck 35 Caulker 38)

Att 49,467

At Friends Arena, Solna

Entry Comp (face value 700sek)

Programme 20 sek

500ml Beer 50sek

10 krona = 93p

Over the years Sweden has been good to me, I love the wide open spaces, the architecture, but above all else it’s the people that have made it the country I’ve visited more than any other. I’ve watched games at around 50 Swedish grounds and the officials I’ve met have all scratched their heads when they’ve met me, wondering why on earth an Englishmen would be interested in Swedish football! The centre of all of it is my mate Joachim “Kim” Hedwall, of Swedish Radio, who moves around the sports arenas of his country with a cool, quiet authority. If you want to know about Swedish sport, just ask Kim. He really is an expert in his field, or should that be pitch?

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No Folly

23 Sunday Sep 2012

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Saturday 22nd September 2012 ko 1.30pm

North Berkshire League Division One

FARINGDON TOWN 1 (Pill 50)

WOOTTON & DRY SANDFORD 0

Att 181

Entry & Programme £4

Badge £3

Food: Ham or Cheese Ploughmans

Beer: Arkells

With the first game at Coleshill there really was only one choice for the second, a trip to Faringdon’s Tucker Park. But have you ever thought about how the ground got its name?

Prior to World War I there was a Thursday Faringdon team, reflecting early closing on that day of the week. After the war the players returned to discover that 6 of them had lost their lives, and that half day closing was a thing of the past. The £30 left in the club’s kitty was enough to buy and re-badge a racing trophy, as the Faringdon Memorial Thursday Cup, and the Faringdon Town ground was named after one of the fallen 6 players, Michael Tucker. The clubhouse you see today is the result of the fundraising done by the Thursday cup competition, and the cup is still played for today.

In fact, the Memorial Cup was a reason to be nervous as organiser as a combination of a final where there’s always a programme, and the unusual day of the week that its played, meant that many of the more senior hoppers would have done the ground, and therefore would look elsewhere. I knew Faringdon are an ambitious club, with their aim being promotion back to the Hellenic, and are improving the ground accordingly. Fence posts have appeared since my last visit, and the club hope to get permission for floodlights in the future. They’re also at pains to explain they’re going about it the correct way; local players only and not spending money they haven’t got.

It was a lovely touch that the town mayor Mike Wise was there to welcome each and every person to his town’s game, and I was pleased to see him tucking into a Ploughman’s lunch later on! Those lunches went down a treat, especially with the small, but significant vegetarian contingent. As one of them correctly pointed out, ” A meat eater doesn’t have to eat meat at every meal.” As I chose the cheese version, I’m a good example. The tombola was a good money spinner too, with some bemused hoppers (me included) leaving with teddy bears!

This day was in marked contrast to the famous town Folly clearly visible above the far goal. The visitors were proudly carrying a 100% record coming into this game, and it was clear that what the game lacked in goalmouth action it made up for in tension and quality. It was hard to see this as Step 7 action.

It was Matty Pill who broke the deadlock firing home from 10 yards after good work from Dan Hoskin. Ultimately Wootton were to have to answer to this strike despite a lot of pressure late on. Luke Ingram should have done far better when clean through, and how Sam Paterson’s header hit the crossbar I’ll never know.

The celebrations at the final whistle were a reflection on what the win meant for Faringdon, and their ambitions for progress. I also felt it was a cheer for hard work earning a fair reward, both on and off the field.

Confluence

30 Monday Jul 2012

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Friday 27th July 2012 ko 19.00

Pre-Season Friendly

FARINGDON TOWN 1 (Benson 10)

CLANFIELD 85 3 (Oswin 36 Williams 45 Oxendale 88)

Att 35 (h/c)

My appearance here for once had absolutely nothing to do withn the game on offer! I was there for a North Berkshire hop planning meeting, and League Press Officer Phil Annets thought along the same lines as me, why not watch the friendly first? Moreover he even bought his dinner from the same Chinese takeaway I did!

We did as others did and grabbed a table and chairs from the bar, and watched an enjoyable game in the warm eveing sun. It proved, if proof were needed that there isn’t much difference in quality between Faringdon, who will see themselves as North Berkshire League title contenders, and Clanfield, who will probably finish mid-table in Division One West of the Hellenic.

That, last season was a mere one promotion, but things aren’t as clear-cut this time, The FA have removed the NBFL’s step 7 status; based on facilties that’s probably fair enough. However to then find out that the neighbouring Oxfordshire Senior League has retained its status despite similar facilities and vastly inferior administration is to be polite, baffling.

Faringdon opened the scoring with a fine 15 yard strike from Chris Benson, and if Faringdon’s goalkeeping had have been less eccentric, they may well have got something from this fixture. Ollie Oswin fired home from a corner, and a goalkeeping howler gave Ben Williams an easy chance to give Clanfield the lead on the stroke of half-time. It stayed that way until the 88th minute when Royston Oxendale chased down a through ball. He did enough to beat the on-rushing keeper, and steer the ball in the the net, but collided with the glovesman in so doing. The referee took one look at the stricken keeper, and decided to blow full time. There was no lasting damage, and so Phil, I and the representative of the 4 hosting clubs trooped into the bar for our planning meeting.

It proved to be most productive, we’re good to go on the 22nd of September, and the line up will be as follows.

10.30am Coleshill United
1.30pm Faringdon Town
4.30pm Stanford-in-the-Vale
7.30pm Uffington United

There will be programmes for each game produced by the participating clubs, together with the usual metal badges. There also looks to be a decent range of real ales to be bought, and the clubs are liasing to provide a different type of catering for each game.

There will be the facility to buy a pre-bought ticket, guaranteeing a programme on either a match-by-match or whole event basis as well as the usual pay-on-the-day. Obviously there’s a lot of work for both Phil, I and the clubs to do before the League’s big day, but after this meeting I’m confident that the day will be a success.

If you’d like more information, just email groundhopuk@yahoo.com. See you there!

Home and Away?

08 Sunday Jul 2012

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Saturday 7th July 2012 ko 3.00pm

Pre-season Friendly

FAREHAM TOWN 10 (Cotton 17 Shrimpton 28 Boud 33 Tambling 35 Lindsey 44 Wilson 52 58 Roden 53 Robinson 68 Thompson 69)

SPORTING BISHOPS WALTHAM 0

Att 46 (h/c)

Played at University of Southampton Playing Fields, Wide Lane, Eastleigh

Entry FREE

Programme £1

With rain coming down in torrents flooding the A34 on the way down, I suspect all involved were glad of a 3G pitch. Mind you, Bishops Waltham  postponed a reserve friendly that morning, as the opposition didn’t want to play in the rain! The complex, is just about in Eastleigh, and is opposite Southampton Airport Parkway railway station.

There was also the vexed question of who was the “home” team. This is neither side’s home ground, but Bishops Waltham is a lot closer, but the programme was produced by Fareham secretary Paul “Splodge” Proctor. He told me that Bishops had asked for the game, and the £80 cost of the pitch was being split between the two clubs. Splodge was hoping to recoup Fareham’s half of the money through programme sales. He sold 19, so I bought a couple more. The real winners here were the university who did well out of charging student prices for beer to thirsty hoppers.

With the rain still bucketing down, the vast majority of both spectators and substitutes sought refuge on the terrace bar’s balcony. It afforded a decent view, albeit with the tall fence partially obscuring the near side. If the rain had abated, more people would have taken advantage of the hard standing on the far side of the pitch. As it was, I quickly took my pictures, found Splodge for the substitutes’ names and sought refuge back at the balcony.

If Waltham had gone through with the reserve game is the morning, I hate to imagine the thrashing they’ve have received. As it was they went into this game, with only 4 substitutes, no recognised goalkeeper, and only 4 members of last season’s squad. Fareham treated the game as passing practice, and as a means of blowing away close-season cobwebs. Sporting barely touched the ball for the duration of the game, and even suffered the indignity of a non-goal that was, keeper James Webb diving over Graham Lindsey’s non-shot for the fifth goal.

Despite Fareham putting out virtually a new side for the second half, the goals continued to be scored with metronomic efficiency, and the fact that the Creeksiders played exhibition football as soon as the 10th goal had been scored saved the Hampshire League outfit further humiliation. In theory there’s only 2 divisions between the two sides, the reality looked like a good deal more.

The Barrow Boys are hawking

08 Sunday Jul 2012

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Friday 6th July 2012 ko 8.00pm

Pre-season Friendly

FISHER FC 4 (Wilson 19 Telesford 38 Mustafa 43 Haidana 87)

AFC CROYDON ATHLETIC 1 (Jansen 66)

Att 64 (h/c)

Entry & Programme £3

Coffee £1

At Bacon’s College, Rotherhithe, London

I love visting London, in fact when there’s time, I love driving across the capital. With Bacon’s College being set in the heart of Docklands, just below the Surrey bend of the Thames, I saw some of the sights on the way, Tower Bridge, Madame Tussaud’s and so on, it was seventh heaven street for me!

It was easy to park in the new-looking residential streets around the college, and being around an hour before kick off I caught the end of a graduation prom just leaving the college. They looked very cosmopolitan, and smart. The gaggle of groundhoppers waiting, looked a good deal less of both but one, Dermot, pointed out that Fisher’s old ground was just a short walk away. The Surrey Docks Stadium, was once meant to be a football league ground in waiting, but now lies derelict – a victim of a dispute between a now defunct club, and an intransigent landlord. The phoenix club would like to move back there, away from a groundshare at Dulwich Hamlet, but that looks a long shot. In the meantime, an annual visit to a 3G pitch 100 yards away provides some succour.

There’s some similarities for AFC Croydon. Caught up in the maelstrom of the Pakistani cricketers spot-fixing scandal they found themselves in a fix not of their own making. Owner Mazhar Majeed, agent to the three cricketers jailed, was given a 32 month sentence, and there’s still an investigation as to whether Majeed used the club for money laundering purposes. On 2nd October 2010 club chairman David Le Cluse was found dead with a bullet wound to the head, in a garage in Sutton. The club folded in December 2011, and was immediately resurrected by the fans. With the club’s home, the Keith Tuckey stadium unavailable, the new club will spend this season sharing Croydon FC’s Sports Arena, playing in the Combined Counties League. This was AFC Croydon Athletic’s first ever game.

Frankly, it showed. Whilst the facilities wre unsuitable for a step 6 club to use Bacon’s College as a permanent base, the 3G pitch was excellent, and Fisher soon made their class tell. It wasn’t that Croydon, still using the old club’s Ryman League branded kit, were substantially poorer, it was that Fisher were sharper. Perhaps that game I’d watched at Arkley a few days earlier had been of more use than I’d thought! With multiple rolling substitutions slowing the game down, the evening became more of a social occasion, and as the red sun sank, the skyline took on a life of its own. The Shard, Gherkin, and the Docklands Towers gave an unimportant game a spectacular backdrop. For the record, Lee Jansen had the honour of scoring AFC Croydon’s first ever goal, but it mattered little, for both sides this was about picking a side for a season a full month away.

I gave a hopper sporting a plastic boot a lift to the nearest station, and set off on a slow drive back across London, this time making no attempt to avoid the congestion charge. When you’ve got time, and the charge isn’t applied after 6pm, you can afford to linger, but not too long, the close-ups can get rough!

The Real Sweden

31 Thursday May 2012

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Tuesday 22nd May 2012 ko 19.00

Division 3 Södra Götaland

FURULUNDS IK 1 (Varga 90)

ÅKARPS IF 2 (Zejnullahu 29 Oor 52)

Att 208 (h/c)

Entry 50sek

Teamsheet FREE

Pin Badge Comp’

“1910-2010” centenary book Comp’

From Landskrona it was a mere 30 or so km south to Lund, and nearby Furulund. Its a small town of around 4,000 inhabitants, in rural Kävlinge, and is typically pretty as a picture. After watching 3 games as a reasonably high level it was a breath of fresh air to watch a grass-roots game. There’s nothing amazing about Ljungvalla IP, just a railed off pitch, and a small amount of cover in front of the changing rooms. Seating is provided by benches along one touchline. We got there early, around 2 hours before kick off and if there hadn’t been a game to watch, we’d have probably written off Furulunds IK as unremarkable, and so missed out on a gem.

It all happened slowly, firstly assistant manager Jörn Pettersson asked after the two interlopers, including the one who spoke no Swedish! We were then offered coffee and a seat in the clubhouse, and as we enjoyed the hospitality, Chairman Börje Schoug came over to present us with “FIK” pin badges, and soon after Jörn returned with beautiful hard backed histories of the club. He commented to me “You’ll have to learn Swedish”  I was, and am deeply touched, and there’s quite an incentive!

With a welcome like that it goes without saying we wanted Furulunds to win the game, but with one glance at the league table that looked unlikely. Rock bottom with no points and only 3 goals scored, the club admitted that the step up from local to regional football was a step too far for them, but they were determined to stick together and enjoy their first season at this level since 1971. It felt like 4 games into my spell in their country, I was seeing real Swedes watching real Swedish football.

It seemed that the entire village caught the mood too, as they turned up in droves. All ages and genders, and supported THEIR team despite the fact it became quickly clear that the seventh game would go exactly the same way as the previous six. In the first half hour visiting midfielder Eremal Zejnullanhu should have had a hat trick but settled for a shot into the bottom right hand corner from 18 yards that the keeper really should have stopped. The first half saw nothing other than Åkarps pressure but a combination of last ditch defending and incompetance in front of goal kept the score to an unrealistic 1-0.

The second goal on 52 minutes will cause the Furulunds management sleepless nights. A free kick was swung in from the left and there was Pontus Oor to head home unimpeded from all of a yard out. Where was the defence, where was the keeper?

Salvation of sorts for Furulunds came with the introduction of young new signings Robin Sander and Andreas Welander, around the hour mark. They offered more dash and options up front, although Åkarps were still piling on the pressure. Furulunds chances of gaining an unlikely point were aided by the pointless dismissal of Åkarps defender Markus Folkesson for two stupid fouls. FIK attacked and in stoppage time Martin Varga dinked the ball over the Åkarps keeper from a yard out for FIK’s 4th goal of the season.

The ball was quickly retrieved and in the dying seconds Welander saw his shot charged down by the Åkarps keeper, to deny this lovely club a ill-deserved point, in a game I regard as the highlight of this tour.

So folks, if you’re in Southern Sweden, here’s the links you need to pay this little gem of a club a visit.

http://www.furulundsik.se/

http://svenskfotboll.se/cuper-och-serier/information/?scr=table&ftid=35321

The Sweet Smell of Champagne

05 Saturday May 2012

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Saturday 5th May 2012 ko 2.30pm

North Berkshire League Division One

FARINGDON TOWN 2 (Harrington 40 Sutton 77)

CROWMARSH GIFFORD 2 (Allum 55 Currell 84)

Att 38 (h/c)

Entry FREE

Badge £3

Tea-in-a-mug 40p

I like Tucker Park,with its rural views and good facilities. There’s a large clubhouse and the bonus of a covered 3-step terrace. Best of all there’s a view of the West-Oxfordshire town’s most famous feature-the Folly.

It was designed by Gerald Wellesley, Marquess of Douro, for Lord Berners and built in 1935. It is 140 feet high and affords panoramic views of the Vale of White Horse.  During the Second World War the Home Guard used it as an observation post. In 1982 Robert Heber-Percy restored it and gave it to the town in trust. It’s actually on the site of an ancient ditched defensive ring.  This was fortified by supporters of Matilda sometime during the Anarchy (1135–1141) – her campaign to claim the throne from King Stephen but was soon razed to the ground on Stephen’s orders . Oliver Cromwell fortified it in his unsuccessful campaign to defeat the Royalist garrison at Faringdon House.

This fixture was the stand-out in today’s NBFL programme. Two long-time front-runners for the championship it had boiled down to Crowmarsh needing just a point to take the championship, just 7 years after forming from the nucleus of a boys’ club.

It was clear from the outset that Faringdon would not roll over easily. Whilst Crowmarsh were clearly in the ascendancy, Faringdon looked dangerous on the break. Faringdon’s Louis Bouwer’s last-ditch sliding tackle kept Crowmarsh out, before a Faringdon corner got caught in the wind, hitting the bar with keeper Chris Sutton beaten. Faringdon took the lead on 40 minutes, when Matt Pill’s right-wing cross was met by Derren Harrington. His low drive took a wicked defection, wrong footing Sutton.

The tension was palpable with the trophy present, but artfully hidden in a box in the teabar. Crowmarsh took 10 minutes to equalise as Andy Allum was put clean though and was brought down by Faringdon keeper Ryan Curtis. Curtis was booked, and Allum dusted himself off to beat Curtis from the penalty spot.

But still Faringdon wouldn’t lie down. Gary Sutton picked up a rebound, and 20 yards out hit a real missile of a shot past the other Sutton. It looked like the trophy might have to remain in storage until Tuesday. But then a free kick was played into the Faringdon box and Liam Currell got just enough force on his header to get the ball over the line despite a desperate lunge by a Faringdon defender.

That finished the game as a spectacle and the celebrations at the final whistle were heartfelt. There was a nice touch as the Faringdon captain ordered his players out of the changing room to applaud Crowmarsh as the trophy was awarded. A class act applauding another. I like that.

Pantomime season

18 Sunday Dec 2011

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Sunday 18th December 2011. ko 10.30am (scheduled) 12.00pm (actual!)

Upper Thames Valley League Division 3A

FOREST HILL 1 (Gonzalez 50) Matthews missed pen 17

CHATSWORTH BUCCANEERS 1 (Davies 45)

Att 15 (h/c)

Entry FREE

Nothing for sale

The small Oxfordshire village of Forest Hill lies about 5 miles east of Oxford. If you’ve ever driven from Oxford to London then you’ve probably passed the place. The poet John Milton, courted his future wife Mary Powell at the now demolished Manor house. The architect George Gilbert Scott ( Midland Grand Hotel at St Pancras Station, the Albert Memorial ) redesigned the local church’s nave. It’s possible to see both the Beckley TV transmitter and Brill windmill.

The Forest Hill Recreation ground is to be found on the north-western tip of the village, on the B4027 Stanton Road. This bit was completely lost on referee Trevor Pitson, who as a late replacement for the injured Andrew Cotter got the wrong postcode and ended up in Great Milton, 8 miles away. He tried to contact the club, but the UTVL website had the wrong phone number. He’d returned back home to Faringdon by the time the club managed to contact him!

The advantage of this is that it gave a frosty pitch a chance to thaw. With the clubhouse having been destroyed in an arson attack in 2005, there was nowhere for the players to keep warm other than their cars, and I used the time to learn a little more. Forest Hill had a top flight UTVL side but the fire forced them off the ground, to Oxford’s Cutteslowe Park. The high fees charged by Oxford City Council proved to be too much, and the club folded after one season in exile.

This is the current club’s first season in existence and despite the name division 3A is as much the bottom division as 3B! Garsington based Chatsworth are having a dreadful season with just the one point so far.

The game turned out to be well worth the match-long wait as both sides used graft to make up what they lacked in skill. The memory I will have is the brilliance of the two goalkeepers Iain Locke for Forest Hill and Mike Webber for Chatsworth. Between them they produced 4 saves that a professional would be proud of. Webber’s reaction save to tip away a flicked header made up for a freezing conditions.

As much as anything else I enjoyed the company of two friendly clubs and some tremendous banter, particularly before the referee arrived.

“Well this ref can’t book us for a late challenge”

“The ref’s fee’s £30 lets go down the pub and drink it!”

You don’t get that in the professional game.