East Sussex League

Premier Division/Division 1 Cup Group Match

Saturday 24th April 2021

Kick Off 14.00 Actual 14.03

Bexhill Amateur Athletic Club 0 St. Leonards Social 0, attendance 26

@ Sidley Recreation Ground

Canada Way

Sidley

TN39 4BL

No Admission or Programme.

We are heading towards that time of season where you have to try and get a back up game to your intended destination, as despite being without football for so long, some clubs still can’t be bothered to turn up and play games. Unfortunately, the East Sussex League is one of the worst leagues for this and it is worth noting that 5 of the 24 games scheduled today were off due to teams crying off. The good thing with this game though, was the fact it was kicking off an hour earlier than nearly every other game, so plenty of time to divert if necessary.

As it turned out, the game went ahead, although St. Leonards only turned up with the bare eleven players, but a substitute did arrive twenty minutes into the second half, entering the game some five minutes later, once he was into his kit. Despite this, they put on a very determined show, with some resolute defending, aided by some dreadful finishing from the hosts, especially during the second half. Bexhill A.A.C. squandered chance after chance, but lacked any quality to finish any of them off and overall a draw was probably a fair result.

Bexhill A.A.C. are in Division 1 of the league and were in third place in the table (Played 5, Won 4, Drawn 1) when it was brought to a halt. Their cup fixtures coming into this had seen them pick up two wins and two losses. St. Leonards play in the Premier Division, where they lay second in the table (P9, W4,D3, L2), coming into this with a win and two defeats from their opening group matches of the cup.

Cheltenham League

Junior Charity Cup Group Match

Thursday 22nd April 2021

Kick Off 18.15 Actual 18.16

Shurdington Rovers 1 A.F.C. Renegades 3, attendance 42

3’ 0-1

26’ 0-2

30’ 1-2 (pen)

90’+ 3, 1-3

@ King George V Playing Field

Shurdington Road

Shurdington

GL51 4XQ

No Admission or Programme.

This was a match played between two teams from Division 1 South of the league. The other team in this group of the Junior Charity Cup is Bishop’s Cleeve Reserves, who both teams have already played twice, Shurdington winning their games 3-0 and 1-0, whilst Renegades had a 3-0 win and a 1-1 draw.

This game remained in the balance throughout and was certainly a full blooded affair which could have gone either way. One Renegades player managed to get himself sin binned twice, once in each half, but playing for twenty minutes with a man short didn’t affect them too much, with the game finally made safe with what turned out to be the last kick of the match.

Gloucestershire Northern Senior League

Reg Davis Cup Group D

Wednesday 21st April 2021

Kick Off 18.30. On Time !

F.C. Lakeside 1 Barnwood United 1, attendance 25

26’ 1-0

75’ 1-1

@ The Pavilion

Cold Pool Lane

Hatherley

Cheltenham

GL51 6LA

No Admission or Programme.

The Reg Davis Cup has been revamped this season with four groups of 8 teams playing to advance to the quarter finals, rather than the straight knock out ties that take place in ‘normal’ seasons.

These two are both in Division 2 of the league as far as league positions go. Where the cup is concerned, Lakeside had 1 win and 1 draw from their four matches played, whilst Barnwood had managed just two draws from their games. It was therefore no surprise that it wasn’t the greatest of games and a draw was a fair result overall.

Lakeside have moved into this new facility this season, this being their third match played here. Certainly a ground better visited at this time of year as it is very exposed.

Mid Sussex League

Division 4 North

Tuesday 20th April 2021

Kick Off 18.15. On Time !

Hartfield 2 Ifield 1, attendance 14

14’ 1-0

48’ 1-1

61’ 2-1

@ Hartfield Town Croft

High Street

Hartfield

TN7 4AD

No Admission or Programme.

Tonight’s match was between two teams still pushing for promotion as 4th in the league table hosted 3rd. The pitch was in superb condition, apart from a slightly worn patch in each goal mouth, but it has to be said that it would be more suited to crown green bowls. When standing behind each goal, the ‘keeper at the far end was only viewable from just above the waste, such was the rise of the pitch towards the centre circle and subsequent drop towards the ends.

Both teams started well, Ifield going close with two good efforts that were well defended, but having hit the crossbar, then lashing another chance high and wide, it was Hartfield that opened the scoring. Somehow, despite numerous chances at both ends, the score remained 1-0 as we reached the break. An early second half strike levelled it up at 1-1, but Hartfield were back in front just after the hour mark. Ifield pushed hard for a second equaliser, but despite almost constant pressure, the home defence stood firm.

The result sees the two teams swap league positions.

Thames Valley Premier League

Division 4

Monday 19th April 2021

Kick Off 18.00 Actual 18.14

Berks County Rovers 3 Finchampstead Development 2, attendance 29

7’ 1-0

32’ 2-0

37’ 2-1

52’ 3-1

54’ 3-2 (pen)

@ Great Hollands Recreation Ground

South Road

Great Hollands

RG40 3DW

No Admission or Programme.

Despite both teams and Referee being ready well before the scheduled start time we somehow managed to kick off fourteen minutes late. The match was 4th versus 9th (out of 11) and despite an awful pitch it was a decent match. The visitors opening goal was a superb overhead kick, but this was outdone with a thunderous shot from the edge of the box for the hosts that put them 3-1 up. Finchampstead replied with a penalty to make it 3-2, before Berks County lost their ‘keeper to injury. The stand in managed to keep a clean sheet and they held on to the 3 points, despite having to play out eight of an additional eleven minutes of stoppage time with 10 men, having had a man sent off for a second yellow card offence.

East Sussex League

Division 4/Division 5 Cup Group Match

Saturday 17th April 2021

Kick Off 16.30 Actual 16.29

Welcroft Park Rangers 4 Hooe 2, attendance 34

35’ 0-1

44’ 0-2

49’ 1-2

90’ 2-2

90’+ 2, 3-2

90’+ 3, 4-2

@ Berwick Recreation Ground

Rear of Village Hall

Station Road

Berwick

BN26 6TF

No Admission or Programme.

Welcroft Park Rangers normally play their home games at the ground of Southern Combination League club Hailsham Town, but restrictions due to COVID-19 have seen them schedule their home games in the end of season cup competition to the ground here in Berwick, which is where their reserves play their home matches.

The match was between two teams from Division 4, both having won their opening two matches in the cup. When the league was brought to a halt this would have been 3rd versus 1st in the league table. Hooe looked well in command having gone 0-2 up right before halftime, but Welcroft Park Rangers reduced the arrears within minutes of the restart, which set the game up perfectly. The game looked to be heading for a 1-2 win for the visitors, but they somehow threw it away in a mad four minute spell as we reached the ninety minute mark. The Welcroft Park Rangers No. 7 scored his second goal to make it 2-2, then their No.9 put them in front two minutes into stoppage time, before the No. 7 completed his hat trick a minute later to make it 4-2 and complete a remarkable comeback.

East Sussex League

Premier Division/Division 1 Cup Group Match

Saturday 17th April 2021

Kick Off 13.00 Actual 13.01

Victoria Baptists 1 Rye Town 1, attendance 18

10’ 0-1

55’ 1-1

@ Old Town Recreation Ground

Bodmin Close

Old Town

Eastbourne

BN20 8HZ

No Admission or Programme.

With the F.A. advising that matches today should avoid clashing with the funeral of H.R.H. Prince Philip, The Duke of Edinburgh, it meant there was a possibility of getting two matches today.

Old Town Recreation Ground perfectly fits what ‘parks football’ is all about. A pitch that sloped both end to end and side to side, with various undulating areas thrown in for good measure. Both 6 yard boxes were as hard as concrete and badly worn and the pitch in general was in poor condition and is in need of some rain to soften it up. Despite this, the two sides put on a really good contest that had 100% commitment throughout.

These two sides both play in Division 1 and when the season was brought to a halt the league positions would have been 9th (bottom, without a win) versus 4th, so the visitors would have been slight favourites to win this. Indeed, they took an early lead, but having been unable to get the second goal, were pegged back early in the second half. Rye had enough chances to have won it in the last half an hour, but it was Baptists that came nearest to winning it when a shot from the edge of the 18 yard box hit the angle of post and crossbar, bouncing across the goal towards the other post. Somehow the ‘keeper managed to get across and flick the ball away as the striker was about to nod it into an empty net.

Mid Sussex League

Division 5 North East

Thursday 15th April 2021

Kick Off 18.00. On Time !

Old Oxted Town 0 Caterham 2, attendance 33

49’ 0-1

83’ 0-2

@ South Godstone Sports & Community Association

Lagham Road

South Godstone

RH9 8HN

No Admission or Programme.

I never got round to visiting this ground when South Godstone played here and these days they only have a Veterans team, so this was an ideal opportunity to finally tick it off. It was also quite unusual at this level for a match to not involve at least one reserve team (or lower!), as these two are the only first teams in the division.

The result certainly didn’t go to form. League leaders Old Oxted Town looked very poor. Caterham had started the day second bottom in the league table, but played nothing like the team I saw lose 0-5 at home just twelve days ago. In fact, if you arrived at the ground as a neutral and saw red and black goal nets and corner flags, coupled with a team wearing red and black kit that were well worthy of the win, then you may have thought it was the table toppers that won the game, rather than a team one place off the bottom that actually took the points.

Despite the defeat, Old Oxted Town remain top, but their lead is now just four points, whilst Caterham rise to the heady heights of fourth from bottom.

Surrey County Intermediate League (Western)

Wednesday 14th April 2021

Kick Off 18.15 Actual 18.18

Keens Park Rangers 5 Milford & Witley 0, attendance 35

5’ 1-0

21’ 2-0

35’ 3-0

68’ 4-0

73’ 5-0

@ Pyrford Cricket Club

Coldharbour Road

Pyrford

GU22 8SP

No Admission or Programme.

Tonight’s match was 9th versus 10th (out of 13) in the league table. KPR have had a draw and a win from their two games since the league restarted, whilst M & W have suffered two defeats, going down 1-3 and 1-8, so the score line tonight went pretty much as expected. It could have been different had M & W not wasted a glorious chance when it was only 3-0, but within a minute KPR added a fourth goal and there was no coming back from there.

The win sees KPR climb to fifth in the league and whilst M & W remain tenth, they have played more matches than the three teams below them.

Mid Sussex League

Division 4 North

Tuesday 13th April 2021

Kick Off 18.00. On Time !

Handcross Village 0 Horsham Athletic 1, attendance 23

74’ 0-1

@ Handcross Recreation Ground

High Street

Handcross

RH17 6DU

No Admission or Programme.

Tonight’s match was 7th versus 8th (out of 10) in the league table. It didn’t look very likely that the deadlock was going to be broken, especially as the home ‘keeper was on top form, making three really good saves, but he was finally beaten when the visitors took the three points with a winning goal that was clinically finished into the bottom corner of the net.

The win should ensure Horsham Athletic avoid relegation, as second bottom Copthorne ‘A’ are now ten points behind them, with a far inferior goal difference, with just 4 games left to play.