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Football: Wherever it may be

~ Laurence's football travels

Football: Wherever it may be

Tag Archives: Fox Lane

The Cricket

29 Sunday Mar 2015

Posted by laurencereade in E

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Tags

California, California Country Park, Chessington and Hook United, Combined Counties, Combined Counties League, Eversley, Eversley and California, Eversley Sports Association, Fox Lane, Hampshire, Surrey Elite Intermediate League

Tuesday 24th March 2015 ko 19.30

Combined Counties League Division One

EVERSLEY & CALIFORNIA 0

CHESSINGTON & HOOK UNITED 3 (McLaughlin 11 54 Bowles 68og)

Att 23

Entry & Programme £5

After the exertions of the Lowland League Hop I wanted something reasonably local and after 1700 or so grounds the Hampshire side of the border with Berkshire is just about as good as it gets for a floodlit tick these days!

It’s fair to say Eversley is an extremely affluent area, with the Prep schools dotted around the executive houses and the forests, Will Carling lives in this area, reckoned to be the least deprived area in the UK. Of course as is usually the case none of that helps the local football team. Continue reading →

51.346928 -0.853432

Castling Banjos

16 Sunday Sep 2012

Posted by laurencereade in E

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

California, Cody Sports and Social, Eversley, Farnborough, Fox Lane, george dallarda, Hampshire Senior Cup, Luke Walker, Marlon Day, Matt Baker, Nick Jupp, Whitchurch United, Wokingham

Tuesday 11th September 2012 ko 7.45pm

Hampshire Senior Cup 1st Round

EVERSLEY & CALIFORNIA 4 (Baker 8 40 41 Day 13)

WHITCHURCH UNITED 3 (Jupp 4 Dallarda 64 Walker 81)

Att 22 (h/c)

Played at Cody Sports and Social Club, Old Ively Road, Farnborough

Entry & Programme £5

Coffee £1

I was a little surprised to be the only hopper at this game. Had everyone else been here when Farnborough North End were based here? Incidentally they’re now playing in the West Surrey League and are based at Southwood Fields. Eversley needed a floodlit ground, as this cup competition stipulates thus and the lights at their normal ground, Fox Lane aren’t expected to be ready until December.

The club used to be called Eversley FC, but merged with Wokingham-based youth outfit California FC for the start of this season. Eversley means “Wild Boar Clearing,” but this gives no clue as to the well-heeled nature of the village. Statistically speaking it forms part of the least deprived borough of the UK. There are 3 major stately homes, Firgrove Manor, Glaston Hill House and Warbrook House, and the local churchyard is where author Charles Kingsley is buried. For 35 years he was rector of the parish, and in that time wrote “The Water Babies, ” and “Westward Ho!”

The feeling of affluence leant itself well to their temporary home. Situated down a tree-lined lane, the Cody Sports and Social Club, started life as a club for the various companies in the aeronautical industry still evident in the area. Both the sport and social sides of the club survive, with archery and children’s football finishing up in the half-light when I arrived, and in the clubhouse, there was still more going on. In one room a chess club was in progress, and in another, set suitably away from the former,  a banjo club was plucking away. With a heavy cold in its early stages, I plonked myself in the plush clubhouse, bought myself a strong coffee, and read my programme alongside the ladies’ book club who were reading something altogether more highbrow.

Other than the location I was attracted to this fixture, because it pitted together sides from different leagues, E & C from the Combined Counties, and Whitchurch from the Wessex. It proved to be an entertaining evening’s entertainment as  E & C recovered from conceding an early goal, to find themselves 4-1 up at the break, due to no small part to a superb hat trick from Matt Baker. His first, a curling 25 yard free kick was out of the top drawer.

Eversley made two changes at half time, presumably to rest players for the weekend, and that was very nearly their undoing, with Whitchurch finding an outlet in George Dallarda. He scored, and set up Luke Walker for Whitchurch’s 3rd. But, despite constant pressure for the last few minutes, they couldn’t force extra-time. And with my cold making my head swim, I was grateful for that small mercy! I wonder though where Eversley will opt to play their home tie in the next round?



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