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Football: Wherever it may be

~ Laurence's football travels

Football: Wherever it may be

Tag Archives: Oxon Senior League

The Town And The Village

14 Friday May 2021

Posted by laurencereade in B

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Bicester Town, Bicester Village, Bure Park, Launton Sports, London Road, Non League, Oxfordshire, Oxon Senior League, Pingle Field, Station

Tuesday 12th May 2021 ko 18:30

Oxfordshire Senior League Premier Cup Group Stage

BURE PARK 3 (Hallam 47 79 Chappell 83)

LAUNTON SPORTS 3 (Horn 16 30 Clark 52)

Att c65 at Pingle Field, Bicester

Free Entry

Anyone from Oxfordshire will be more than aware of the expansion of Bicester in the last couple of years. I remember Iain my regular companion on many of my Scottish jaunts booking a hotel in Bicester, and when I visited him I  thought, “This used to be fields a few months ago!” Continue reading →

Train Tracks

20 Sunday Apr 2014

Posted by laurencereade in Y

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

Andy Glossop, Eynsham, hellenic league, Oxon Senior League, Yarnton, Yarnton Lane

Wednesday 16th April 2014 ko 18.30

Oxon Senior League Division One

YARNTON 2 (Bunce 39 Marsh 44)

EYNSHAM 3 (McCudden 58p Glossop 63 69)

Att 28

Entry FREE

Programme No

Given that this pretty village is only about 4 miles from Oxford, on the A44 towards Woodstock it was high time I ticked this one off. In fact as I arrived committeeman Gary spotted me and laughed, “About time too!” I’d seen Yarnton twice last season, once at Chalgrove and once at Northway, and let’s face it, on a warm evening why wouldn’t you want to be in an English village with over 4,000 years of history?

Continue reading →

51.810025 -1.295566

Let’s Play Ball

05 Sunday May 2013

Posted by laurencereade in K

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

Adderbury Park, Kennington United, Oxon Senior League, Playfield Road, Steve Higa referee

Thursday 2nd May 2013 ko 18.30

Oxon Senior League Premier Division

KENNINGTON UNITED 0

ADDERBURY PARK 0

Att 18

Entry FREE

Nothing for sale

The obvious mistake you could make about here is thinking this is a district of London! In fact you could make a bigger one thinking this is a district of Oxford. A mixture of stringent Green Belt laws and the jealous guarding of its village status makes Kennington very much a village even if the A34 rumbles past, and Oxford encroaches near the Said Business School annexe at its edge.

The history of the Church in Kennington is unusual, little is known of the mediaeval chapel which disappeared before 1790 but the Old Church was built in 1828. This small building is something of a curiosity, in shape it is classical with the materials vernacular – rubble stone with a Stonesfield slate roof but the architect attempted to imitate the Norman style with the windows and West door. He was so successful it is sometimes mistaken for Norman work.

The poet Matthew Arnold lived here too, in fact there used to be a pub named after one of his poems, The Scholar Gypsy. I learned an important lesson there many years ago. I quaffed a quite appalling pint, and commented that the pub didn’t deserve to survive with beer this bad. I was overly harsh, but the pub closed a few weeks later, and is now a block of flats. It pays to be careful what you wish for!

Kennington United play at the end of Playfield Road, at a sports field that seems more geared for cricket than football. The cricketers turned up just after kick-off and were rather perturbed to see a football match in full swing. They grumbled, then presumably headed off to the pub.

They missed quite a bit, despite the goalless scoreline. This wasn’t a bore-draw far from it. The only real issue was midges, millions of them, and there was no escape from them! Referee Steve Higa didn’t seem unduly concerned, he’s from Las Vegas and is used to extremes of environment. He’s been refereeing in this country for 21 years but has taken one piece of the U S of A with him, he starts each game with the cry, “Lets Play Ball!” The mystery to me is why he’s only refereeing at this level, he’s superb, and both benches admitted it too.

The game had just about everything but a goal! That wasn’t down to much more than good goalkeeping, both sides went for the win, but cancelled each other out completely, such is life. You move on, and I did having the feeling that on another night this could easily have been a 5-5 draw. Its just a shame that the Oxon Senior League, apart from not even having a website, doesn’t even put the names of officials on its Mitoo page. It would be worth going to a game on the strength of Steve Higa’s appointment alone.


Steve Higa




The Beauties of England and Wales

03 Friday May 2013

Posted by laurencereade in S

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

bletchingdon, Bletchington, George Redknapp, Oxon Senior League, Stonefield, Stonesfield, strikers

Tuesday 30th April 2013 ko 18.30

Oxon Senior League Premier Division

STONESFIELD 1 (Hall 51og)

BLETCHINGTON 1 (Foster 22)

Att 21

Entry FREE

Nothing for sale

Perhaps after writing an article about somewhere misspelt I’d rapidly end up watching a team for whose name there is no spelling. Enter the Oxford village from one end and its Bletchington, from the other its Bletchingdon! Even the Bletch manager made life complicated, “It’s Bletchingdon,” he said, “Just like the back of my top.” The trouble was that said “Bletchington””

Stonesfield is one of a few pretty Oxfordshire villages; it lies on a limestone escarpment above and about 4 miles due west of Woodstock, and the trees of the Blenheim estate are clearly visible from the sports field just off Field Close.

The Roman Road, Akeman Street forms part of the parish boundary here, and just east of the village was the site of a Roman villa. It’s pavement was unearthed by a farmer George Handes in 1712. He fell into a dispute with the landowner Richard Fowler as to how each would profit from the discovery, and by 1724 the archaeologist William Stukeley reported that Handes had destroyed the pavement as a result of the dispute, in a classic case of a pyrrhic victory.

I arrived early, an advantage of Banbury being a short drive away. The opening vista was the Bletch management desperately trying to round up a team. 6.30 kick offs are all very well, but even in a league with a relatively small footprint like this one, working players, particularly the visiting ones can have real difficulties making these early kick-offs.

For all of that the visitors will wonder how they managed NOT to win this one. They had the best player on display, Ben Foster who ran Stonesfield’s defence ragged and scored a magnificent thumping drive. Stonesfield’s influence came mainly from the educated feet of former Banbury United midfielder George Redknapp. But despite Redknapp’s efforts the visitors has the majority of the chances and possession.

Stonesfield’s goal came in bizarre circumstances. Baker’s shot was acrobatically saved by Nick Lacey in the Bletch goal. The ball rebounded off the post, hit defender Martin Hall, and dribbled over the line. Undeserved, but if you don’t take your chances that’s the risk you run. Bletch pressed hard, and forced a series of corners as the clock ran down but where unable to force home the advantage.



The Bletch goal


 

Battle of Chalgrove Field

26 Friday Apr 2013

Posted by laurencereade in C

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

Battle of Chalgrove Field, Chalgrove, church of saint mary the virgin, civil war skirmish, hampden maryland, John Hampden, Nick Skiller, Oxon Senior League, Yarnton

Wednesday 24th April 2013 ko 18.30

Oxon Senior League Division One

CHALGROVE 5 (Godfrey 38p K Coleman 40 Skiller 60 68 75)

YARNTON 2 (Johnson 57 Chalal 80) Johnson sent off 80 (dangerous play)

Att 32

80 minute game

Entry FREE

Nothing for sale

The village of Chalgrove lies about 10 miles southeast of Oxford, and was the site of a small English Civil War skirmish, the Battle of Chalgrove Field on 18th June 1643. The result was a Royalist victory, and the Parliamentarian John Hampden was wounded in the battle, as a result of which he died six days later.

Hampden was one of the 5 members of Parliament whose attempted unconstitutional arrest by King Charles I in the House of Commons in 1642 sparked the Civil War. The towns of Hampden, Maryland, Hamden, Connecticut and Hampden, Maine, as well as the county of Hampden, Massachusetts are named in his honour. A statue of the great parliamentarian is to be found in the Market Square, Aylesbury, and a monument near to where he was shot is in Chalgrove Field.

The football play at the Back Rec’ and it certainly is well named. The only clue I found to its location was the full car park at the village hall. You walk across a smaller pitch, then beyond the tennis courts, then its over a footbridge to the pitch. It feels like you’re walking out of the village and into the countryside. Its bucolic at the end of April, but I can imagine it being bleak in summer. The 13th century parish church of Saint Mary the Virgin provides a quintessentially English backdrop.

This is Chalgrove’s first season in the OSL. They had applications for both this league, and the North Berkshire, Chalgrove lies comfortably in both League’s footprints. Both Leagues accepted them, in fact when I attended the NBFL’s AGM there was a constitution with Chalgrove’s name on it, crossed out! They plumped for the OSL as they felt they would have to travel less.

It’s worked out well for them, as they went in to this game needing a point to confirm promotion to the Premier Division. Perhaps understandably, it was a tight nervy opening few minutes with for me the visitors looking marginally the more promising. One decision, the penalty for an ill-advised tackle, altered the entire game. Yarnton were adamant is wasn’t a penalty but then Chalgrove were just as certain it was! I thought it looked harsh, but it didn’t worry Simon Godfrey who buried the spot kick. That lead was doubled on the stroke of half time by Keith Coleman who fired home following some poor defending.

The second half saw Yarnton come on strongly, and Jay Johnson’s long distance strike was justice at the very least. However, Chalgrove brought on Nick Skiller and in a mere 15 minutes he’d collected a hat trick and won his side promotion.

The final action saw Johnson be on the receiving end of a tough challenge on the right wing. Before the referee had a chance to blow for the foul, he got up, and scythed his opponent down, the ball an irrelevance. Johnson was dismissed, his season now over, but the was correctly awarded to Yarnton. That was floated in, and evaded everyone except for Jordan Chalal who tapped in at the back post for the final touch of the game.

An odd coda to an interesting game that attracted a decent crowd on a warm evening. I for one will watch Chalgrove’s progress in the higher division. They look a well-run club. Just allow yourself a little extra time to find the pitch!






Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker

18 Thursday Apr 2013

Posted by laurencereade in N

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

Anthony Simpson, Chris Marsh, Denell Steele, John Webb, Lewis Welby, Marston, Nick Albin, Northway, Oxon Senior League, Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker, Yarnton

Wednesday 17th April 2013 ko 18.30

Oxon Senior League Division One

NORTHWAY 3 (Welby 37 Simpson 62 Albin 66)

YARNTON 4 (Steele 4 Marsh 17 Webb 25 83) Marsh missed penalty 34

Att 17

Entry FREE

Nothing for sale

The Parish of New Marston, in Oxford used to be part of Headington, and the cottages and stone fronts of Old Headington soon give way to the red brick and concrete of the newer estate as you head down the hill on Dunstan Road. The vast majority of the estate was built in the  20th century, when the County Borough of Oxford developed estates of council houses around Marston Road and north of Headley Way. The County Borough had built 138 council houses at New Marston by 1938 and added another 70 after 1950. More recently the influx of Eastern Europeans saw the local church in Ferry Road become Russian Orthodox and be restyled Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker. A small gold cupola has been added too!

In the middle of it all is the Northway estate, and the huge Plowman Tower which dominates what is in all but name, a village green surrounded on three sides by roads. The Northway club is a community centre and social club here with the shops and buses leaving city centre bound from opposite the club. It’s nothing if not convenient if you want to watch a game, especially if you happen to live in the first few floors of the tower! As convenient as it all is, Northway cannot progress further than Oxon Senior League football here, assuming they’d want to. There is no hard standing, its barely enclosed, and there’s no cover save for the odd tree. But then again, do they really need more?

And if the delights of the Oxon Senior League aren’t to your taste, the floodlights of Court Place Farm, home to Oxford City are clearly visible a couple of hundred yards away. In fact my only regret in attending this game was that one of the shops wasn’t a Fish and Chips Shop. Sometimes on a windy night, only a bag of chips will do!

Not that there was anything wrong with the entertainment on offer, with two contrasting sides on view. Yarnton are former Hellenic Leaguers and the well-to-do village has been inhabited since Bronze Age times. They looked highly organised with no lack of trainers and looked smart in their club tracksuits. In contrast Northway’s manager did everything, and had clearly arrived straight from work.

Maybe that was why Yarnton made such as good start, they scored 3 in 25 minutes, and missed a penalty 10 minutes after that. What was noticeable was that the Northway heads didn’t drop, and the manager was positive throughout. The comeback started with Lewis Welby’s fine strike before half time, and they managed to keep the momentum going after the break.

I wondered when Yarnton would fine their feet again, but Northway kept piling on the pressure. Anthony Simpson mugged the keeper for the second and when Nick Albin nodded home from a corner there looked to be only one winner, but when a game is this good, there’s sting in the tail.

The Yarnton bench castigated striker John Webb for not tracking back, and clearly stung by the criticism, he let fly from 20 yards, and the ball fairly whistled in! Cruel on Northway, who had nothing left with which to respond. Breathless stuff on a windy night, with 2 friendly sides whose company I enjoyed. I feel a trip to Yarnton coming on!



You can see Oxford City’s lights in the background
The Northway bench

It Ain’t Necessarily So

17 Thursday May 2012

Posted by laurencereade in H

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AFC Hinksey, Andrew Pepperall-Gray, brasenose college, Neil Lockhart, OUP, Oxford University Press, Oxon Senior League, Paul Hedger, Triston Lawrence, Westminster College

Thursday 17th May 2012 ko 6.30pm

Oxon Senior League Premier Division

AFC HINKSEY 1 (Lawrence 50)

O.U.P. 4 (Hedger 46 72p Pepperall-Gray 60 Lockhart 70p)

Att 35 (h/c)

80 minute game at Pitch 2 Westminster College, Botley

Another day, another OSL game at a ground other than the host team’s home. AFC Hinksey play at Brasenose College’s sports ground along the Abingdon Road in Oxford, but since the students are now playing cricket our game got moved to the home of Westminster FC of the North Berkshire League. Having visited less than a month ago, I really couldn’t raise much enthusiasm for this one, but its a game, and on arrival there was the usual gaggle of hoppers and they were playing on a different pitch to Westminster!

If points win championships then Hinksey have won the league easily. A league official commented that they are the best side in the OSL by far. The problem with them became apparent when I asked them for their line-ups. They were friendly enough but the smell emanating from their bench reminded me of student days. The league official also admitted that Hinksey’s admin was far from up to scratch. “They didn’t send us a result card for 3 months!” He also admitted that the league had charged them with 2 counts of fielding ineligible players, and were worried about the contents of their last result card. Add to that more items of poor administration and he let slip that 12 points could be on the line. And OUP, or to use their full title Oxford University Press, are in second place, just 6 points behind…..Mind you the official did also state that the league wanted the league settled on the pitch, so read into that what you might!

Both teams treated the first half as if nothing depended on it, so lets draw a line overt that 40 minutes. Everything changed when Paul Hedger fired home after 46 minutes, and Hinksey were shaken into life as Triston Lawrence powered home a header from a corner. The trouble is that they soon dozed off again as a defensive howler allowed Andrew Pepperall-Gray to run through and score.

The moment of controversy happen on 70 minutes when Pepperall-Gray looked yards offside when he raced through to score. As he did the referee whistled, and everyone assumed it was for the offside. It wasn’t as he’d blown for a challenge by keeper Martyn Clark, so as the ball had been in play when he’d blown he had to award the penalty. Fortunately justice was served as Neil Lockhart scored from the spot.

Within 2 minutes it was 4, as Lockhart was crudely chopped down in the box by Toby Webster, and this time Paul Hedger took the penalty, sending Clark the wrong way.

So, in the end an easy win for OUP, but the destination of the championship won’t be decided on the pitch, more the smoke-filled rooms. That’s typical of the OSL.




The Cutteslowe Wall

16 Wednesday May 2012

Posted by laurencereade in R

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

Arron Andrew, Ben Green, Cutteslowe Park, Jake Howard, James Bartington, Jefferson Harriet, Liam O'Callaghan, Long Crendon, Otis Woodward, Oxon Senior League, Riverside, Steve Foot, Tim Siret

Wednesday 16th May 2012 ko 6.30pm

Oxon Senior League Division One

RIVERSIDE 11 (Green 14 Woodward 16 59 Howard 23 Haines 34 Andrew 56 77 O’Callaghan 40 50 Foot 54p Harriet 56)

LONG CRENDON 1 (Duke 71)

Att 5 (h/c)

Played at Cuttleslowe & Sunnymead Park, Oxford (North Oxford FC)

Entry FREE

Nothing for Sale

When aiming to watch a game in the OSL it does pay to be adaptable. The Football Traveller Guide has Riverside playing at Margaret Road, the home of the now defunct Quarry Nomads. That ground’s a short stroll from home, but I had quick dash back home to jump in the car when I found out that the game had been switched to Cutteslowe Park, home to North Oxford FC. From talking to the Riverside manager, it transpires that the club have now relocated to the pitches adjacent to the athletics stadium on the Horspath Road. That makes them virtually opposite to the Rover Cowley Ground, in Romanway. But, with the council having taken down the posts they were forced to switch the game.  I also discovered that goalkeeper Chris Harris, sent off for spitting at an opponent in the OSL Presidents Cup final, is now serving a 9 game ban. We agreed that was an appropriate penalty. https://laurencereade.wordpress.com/2012/05/07/muddy-waters/

As a small boy growing up in East Oxford, Cuttleslowe Park was a rare treat at the end of the number 2 bus route. There’s the paddling pool, the aviary, and the miniature railway, but the abiding memory was the feeling of space, the place is huge! I was completely unaware in those days of the presence of tennis, cricket, a measured mile, and at least 4 football pitches serviced by 2 pavilions. There is however a dark side to the area. When in the 1930’s council housing was built in Cutteslowe, the private estate to the west developed by Clive Saxton of the Urban Housing Company took great exception.

Saxton was afraid that his housing would not sell if so-called ‘slum’ dwellers were going to be neighbours, so in 1934, walls over two metres high and topped with spikes were built to separate them. In fact, the council tenants settled in well and soon raised a petition asking for the walls to be demolished. In 1938 the council pulled down the walls but had failed to take legal advice, and were sued by UBC, and the walls were soon rebuilt. Amazingly it took until 1959 for the walls to be finally demolished after the land on which the walls stood was bought by a compulsory purchase order.

At last I was able to attend a game without a coat, and enjoy the end-of-season sun. The game was played on Pitch 3, the furthest from the Lower Pavillion while a U16 game took place on Pitch 2. With Long Crendon as the visitors, rock bottom with only 4 points, and Riverside chasing the championship, a nil-nil draw was never likely. And yes the goals rained in as Riverside passed Crendon to death.

But here’s the thing, Crendon weren’t quite as bad as I’d expected. I’d watched them lose 4-10 on May 2nd https://laurencereade.wordpress.com/2012/05/02/t-e-a-m/ and they barely functioned as a team. Here, with players unavailable and no sign of their manager, they stuck to what most players know 4-4-2, and went down fighting. And frankly I’d rather watch that, than the shambles I saw 2 weeks ago. Perhaps surprisingly, my man of the match was Crendon keeper James Bartington who made several fine saves. There was a moment of humour when his opposite number Darren Kinch put in strong bid to take the penalty, but was quickly overruled!

The match was unobtrusively refereed by Tim Siret, the last ref to book me. I’ll always be grateful, as I’d have sent me off for the challenge in what proved to be my last game.

With a 10 goal lead, Riverside eased off and Crendon gained small consolation with Kieran Duke’s fine long-range effort. This roused the hosts to force home the eleventh and soon after I was able to stroll through the park, remembering childhood visits.




A Boult from the Blue

16 Wednesday May 2012

Posted by laurencereade in M

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

Jason Hallatt, Louis McGillycuddy, Mansfield Road, Marston, Oxon Senior League, Saints, Simon Dickie, Stuart Whigham, Tom Payne

Tuesday 15th May 2012 ko 6.30pm

Oxon Senior League Premier Division

MANSFIELD ROAD 1 (McGillycuddy 64)

MARSTON SAINTS 2 (Payne 5 Hallatt 12)

Att 46 (h/c)

Played at Boults Lane, Old Marston, Oxford (Marston Saints FC)

Entry FREE

Nothing for Sale

If you’ve visited Oxford City FC then you’ve been within a couple of hundred yards of this place. Just opposite the main entrance to Court Place Farm is a small grassed area that used to be the home of Headley Hawks cycle speedway team. It’s now used for children’s football but beyond the hedge at the back is the sports field that is home to this small club.

If you want to drive there, it’s a good mile away, through Old Marston, a suburb of Oxford that to all intents and purposes is still a village, seemingly untouched by urbanisation. The village played an important part in the English Civil War. While the Royalist forces were besieged in the city, used by King Charles I as his capital, the Parliamentary forces under Sir Thomas Fairfax had quarters in Marston, and used the church tower as a lookout post for viewing the enemy’s artillery positions in what is now the University Parks. Oliver Cromwell visited Fairfax at what is now known as “Cromwell House” at 17 Mill Lane, and the Treaty for the Surrender of Oxford was signed there in 1646.

Boults Lane is the kind of place you wouldn’t know existed unless you’d been there. The ground is tucked away at the back of the cul-de-sac, and shares the limited space with the HQ of the 43rd Oxford Scout Troop. My last visit was over 25 years ago for a First Aid badge! The huge John Radcliffe hospital provides a striking backdrop to the whole area.

Mansfield Road have their roots as the Oxford University College Servants club. Their ground has the most wonderful 4-storey clubhouse/hotel/gym/restaurant, with a glass roof. It’s adjacent to New Collage and Balliol’s grounds, so its worth checking if there’s an Oxford University Middle Common Room game on a Saturday morning, then strolling over for the afternoon game. It’s also a complete pain to park, use the Park & Ride to St Giles. Don’t try what I did, park at the Faculty of International Relations, and when someone whinged suggest that they negotiate with me! With the Mansfield Road ground now devoted to cricket, this tie was switched, and I noted that the OSL Mitoo page managed to misspell “Boults!”

The game had something riding on it too, with Saints needing a point to avoid relegation. They made a remarkably quick start too, with two decent finishes in 12 minutes. With Manny forced into using their one substitute early, then watching centre half Simon Dickie pull his hamstring, forcing him to swap places with keeper Stuart Whigham I wondered how many Marston would get! Its didn’t happen as Marston eased off, and allowed Manny back in, and when Louis McGillycuddy’s excellent snap-shot reduced the arrears, there were palpable and completely unnecessary nerves, but Manny’s renaissance was short-lived and so Marston can breathe more easily. Mind you, this is the OSL so anything can happen at the AGM!




The clubhouse at Mansfield Road, on my visit in January 2011

Muddy Waters

07 Monday May 2012

Posted by laurencereade in A

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

Abingdon Town, Ben Green, Chris Harris, Cultham Road, Football, groundhopping, john radcliffe hospital, league presidents, Marston Saints, Oxon Senior League, Quarry Nomads, Riverside, Tom Payne

Monday 7th May 2012 ko 11.00am

Oxon Senior League Presidents Cup Final

MARSTON SAINTS 1 (Payne 75p)

RIVERSIDE 2 (Green 25 87) Green missed penalty 87 Harris sent off 73 (spitting)

Att 83 (h/c)

Entry & (4 page) Programme £3

@Abingdon Town FC

The Culham Road home of Abingdon Town is one of the County’s best grounds, in fact with Oxford United back in the League, I’d have thought it was the best non-league ground in Oxfordshire. The only problem is that in football terms, you’re in Berkshire, pesky pre-1974 boundaries still apply! There’s so much to like with cover on 3 sides, and 2 areas of seating. The clubhouse doubles up as a nightclub, and the offices as a campervan business, judging by the sheer volume of them parked up.

The ground does have issues though, and its clear that the ground is beginning to reflect the clubs lowly status these days in the Hellenic League. Turnstiles have been removed and some of the roofs are leaking. Not good on an appalling wet morning, on a riverside pitch, notorious for its propensity to flood.

The game saw two Oxford based sides go head to head. Marston Saints play at Boults Lane, in Old Marston. That’s just a stone’s throw from Oxford City’s Court Place Farm ground, and the John Radcliffe Hospital. Riverside are new to the OSL this year and are yet another reincarnation of Headington Quarry, using the Margaret Road ground that the now defunct Quarry Nomads called home. Their kit even had a “Quarry” badge on it!

The game was extremely one sided. Riverside dominated throughout, and should have won this far more easily than they did. They spurned an early penalty, given for handball, but continued the press until Ben Green atoned for his poor spot kick by being at the right end of a goalmouth scramble to open the scoring. This pattern continued through the rest of the first half and well into the second, with Riverside asking all the questions and Saints keeper Dave Newbold keeping them out.

All that changed with around 15 minutes left. Riverside keeper Chris Harris, bizarrely sporting a woolly hat dashed out to collect a ball but had to challenge an onrushing Ben Green. Green caught him, but play continued briefly only to be stopped as the linesman was frantically flagging. There was a brief conflab, then referee David Stanley dismissed Harris for spitting. Harris later claimed he shouted, “And spit came out.” Unsavoury to put it mildly. Riverside captain Arron Armstrong went in goal, but was unable to stop Tom Payne’s penalty.

For a brief time it looked like Marston could steal an unlikely and undeserved victory. Armstrong saved well down to his right, but the crisis was soon dealt with and normal service resumed. Green collected his second, as Marston quickly ran out of ideas in the mud. There was a little tension as a lot of injury time was played, due to the dismissal, but as the trophy was presented, I felt most sorry for the two sides arriving for the afternoon final, the pitch was a mess.

The front cover of the programme. Usual OSL admin error, but getting the year wrong is pretty sloppy


Rain…..

Chris Harris (and hat)
Harris sent off


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