A.F.C. Wimbledon U18 3 Luton Town U18 1, attendance 43
22’ 1-0
55’ 2-0
57’ 3-0
83’ 3-1
@ King’s College Sports Ground
Windsor Avenue
New Malden
KT3 5HA
No Admission or Programme.
This was the opening round of the Merit League fixtures. Wimbledon were superior throughout in what was a really entertaining match, which had far more attacking play than the last couple of youth matches I had seen. I hope the coaches don’t get this type of football drummed out of them!
The opening goal was scrambled over the line, with an immediate signal from the Linesman that it was a goal. No need for VAR here! The second was a tap in at the far post, from a corner that came right across the six yard box and the third was a follow in to a parried save by the ‘keeper. Luton did get the goal of the game though. A long kick from their ‘keeper saw a chase between their striker and a Wimbledon player. The ball was taken down first time and a shot from the angle of the 18 yard box flew into the far top corner of the net.
There was no problem getting in to watch this match, although, as ever, it is difficult to take photographs.
Southampton U23 2 Fulham U23 1, attendance 80 (Official figure on PL Website is 126…must have included the security staff as well!)
38’ 1-0
51’ 2-0
80’ 2-1
@ Staplewood Campus, Pitch 4
Parks Farm
Long Lane
Marchwood
SO40 4WR
No Admission
Team Sheet, free.
I had previously seen Southampton U19 beat Crystal Palace 3-1 in a Premier League Academy match at the training ground in Marchwood back on 24th January 2004. In those days they played on what was the former ground of Road Sea Southampton F.C., who played in the Southern League at their peak, which was taken over by Southampton after the demise of the non league side.
Since then, the site has been redeveloped and expanded considerably. The pitch I did previously is still there, but the U16/U18 and U23 matches are now played on two of the new pitches, namely Pitch 3 and Pitch 4, which share a changing room block and viewing area that separates the two. Tonight’s match was on Pitch 4, which is the one that is floodlit and has a much larger seated area.
Southampton are one of the growing number of clubs who don’t allow run of the mill spectators in to watch their youth or reserve matches. However, thanks to a Fulham season ticket holder, who was able to get our names added to a guest list, we were able to gain entry, once a few routine questions were answered at the entrance.
Once inside, we were directed to the canteen, where we received free tea and coffee and as you reached the spectator area, we were given free team sheets (with the wrong date on). It was much more friendly than we were expecting, considering the excessive security presence.
As for the match, it was not as close as the score line would suggest. Southampton won it without breaking sweat. The opening goal was a 20 yarder that gave the ‘keeper no chance. They had a goal disallowed shortly afterwards, but made it 2-0, with a cushioned lob from close range, early in the second half. Fulham got a consolation goal, with a glancing header that beat home ‘keeper Fraser Forster, making a return from an injury lay off, with ten minutes left.
Union Sportive Ophain 1 R.F.C. Grez-Doiceau 0, attendance 75
17’ 1-0
@ Stade Communal Ophain
Rue De Lillois 19
1421 Ophain-Bois-Seigneur-Isaac
No Admission or Programme.
Having stayed overnight, our intended match today was at U.S. Beauraing ‘61 in Namur Provincial 1. However, at around 12.30 we found out it had been postponed. The only other top level Provincial ground all three of us hadn’t visited was R. Entente Rechaintoise in Liege, but we decided against risking this (it was played) as the rain was heading in that direction. After a bit of discussion we decided it was better to head for a second tier Brabant Provincial match, as we were only just south of Brussels at this stage and chose what looked to be the best match on offer, where second in the league table Ophain were hosting third placed Grez-Doiceau, who were level on points, both trailing leaders R.C.S. Nivellois by eight points.
On arrival at the ground it soon became obvious that the match was in doubt. The home club officials certainly didn’t think the game should be played, as they were concerned with how badly the pitch would be damaged if the game went ahead, but the decision would be left to the Referee. He arrived about 14.10, but rather than inspect the pitch, joined one of his assistants in having a cup of coffee instead. He said he’d have a look at the pitch in five minutes time. Meanwhile the third match official arrived and all three then headed off to the changing rooms. At 14.30 the Referee came out, but lit up a cigarette, rather than check the pitch, although he then headed off to do the inspection……. at 14.35 he decided….’game on’. The decision certainly didn’t go down well with the home club. Even if he had called the match off at this late stage, we still had a back up match at the same level, which was only 18 minutes drive away.
The pitch didn’t really affect play at all and actually dried out quite a bit and the sun even appeared briefly during the second half. The match never really got out of first gear and Ophain won it with an angled shot into the far corner of the net after 17 minutes. Grez-Doiceau did enough to deserve at least a draw, in a match where both defences had the upper hand.
We were back at The Tunnel in ample time for our 20.20 return, but actually got on the 19.50 instead, although it did leave a couple of minutes late. We did have a bit of drama at the French Border Control, where during a routine check for drugs and firearms, there was a bit of a commotion when an immigrant was found in a car three places behind us!
Photos 1-3 above : The other pitch at the complex would have struggled to host a match today !
Eendracht Zoersel were only promoted into Provincial 1 this season and after winning their match at K.F.C. Lille last Saturday, they moved to the top of the league table. Heikant started the day in seventh place, despite having only won one of their last seven matches.
The early goal for the visitors was a sign of things to come. Zoersel were never in it and were lucky to go into the break just trailing 0-2. It was all over as a contest when Heikant made it 0-3, with a shot on the turn that went into the bottom corner of the net, eleven minutes into the second half. Despite being reduced to ten men, following a red card after 76 minutes, Heikant held on comfortably and could have added another couple of goals as well.
We were on the 09.20 Tunnel, which ran on time, heading for what we hoped would be a three match weekend in Belgium. As Rangers Merelbeke play at the ground of S.K. Merelbeke, who also play in this division, then they have a number of Saturday afternoon matches scheduled when there are fixture clashes and as luck would have it, this weekend was one of those occasions.
The match was 9th versus 6th in the league table. Unfortunately, it turned out to be a pretty non eventful match. Rangers were just plain rubbish, whilst Moorsel knew that a single goal would be enough to win it. Rangers had a man red carded three minutes into the second half, for an elbow in the face of a challenging player, but it still took Moorsel until the seventieth minute to make the breakthrough, with a shot from the edge of the box that found the bottom corner of the net.
Our evening fixture was a match in Antwerpen Provincial 1, just under an hour and a quarter drive north east, so plenty of time to check in at our overnight accommodation in Sint-Antonius en route.
With my only new ground visit options this week being for a 3G pitch in North Shields, or a University match this afternoon, it was nice to see a couple of fixtures appear in Belgium, with this being the one I hadn’t been to. After all, it is far easier to get to here than it is to the North East, as well as being much less mileage.
Apart from one season in the mid 90’s, when they reached Provincial 1, Tollembeek have played in the lower reaches of Brabant Provincial football. They came into this in twelfth place in the league table, whilst the visitors are second. There was little to separate them in the first half, but the gulf between the two teams was pretty evident to see after the break. The opening goal arrived early in the second half, as did the steady rain that remained for the evening, and when a quick fire double made it 0-3 as we approached the last quarter of an hour, it was game over. A free kick into the top corner of the net rounded things off in the closing minutes.
Despite being very quiet at The Tunnel, they were still unable to run smoothly. The train before ours had been cancelled, with our 14.20 crossing retimed to 14.29, but still managing to leave another three minutes late. In the end it wasn’t a problem, as there is a Frituur that shares the car park with the football ground, where you could eat your meal and watch the teams warming up on the pitch at the same time. The journey back towards Calais was very wet, but we had ample time, as we were on the 01.21 return……and yes, it was late, but only by a minute.
It seemed strange to be travelling down to the South Coast in temperatures of between 5 and 6 degrees, on a sunny day, looking out over mile after mile of green fields knowing that we would be watching one of only a handful of lower level non league matches taking place in the South East today. It just didn’t seem possible that games had been called off for snow, frost and waterlogged pitches, but that seems to be the excuses used for the lack of choice in choosing a match today. I had already got half an eye on this match anyway, but when I was offered a lift here, then my mind was soon made up.
Eastbourne Rangers only have one more home league match left to play after today and that is in a fortnight, so it seemed a good time to tick this off. Rangers are tenth in the league table, whilst Balcombe are third and still in with a chance of winning the title. When the visitors went ahead after five minutes it looked like it would be an easy three points for them. By halftime, Rangers were 2-1 in front, but two howlers by their ‘keeper in the opening ten minutes of the second half saw them trailing 2-3. Balcombe looked to have sewn it up when it became 2-4, but a quick reply brought it back to 3-4. It was nice to see both teams still going all out for another goal, even though the visitors could have shut up shop and settled for what they had.
Kensington Borough 0 Harefield United 6, attendance 47
10’ 0-1
30’ 0-2
49’ 0-3
72’ 0-4
81’ 0-5
90’ + 5, 0-6
@ Middlesex County F.A. Ground, 3G Pitch No.1
Rectory Park
Ruislip Road
Northolt
UX5 6DE
*£5 Admission, including free 8 page programme.
I came to Rectory Park at the end of July, on a night where there were pre season friendlies being played on the two 3G pitches here. I opted to watch the game on Pitch 2 that night, as I thought it less likely that I might see a game on there in the future, especially as Pitch 1 had two seated stands, so was more likely to host a competitive match at some stage. It does host the matches of Middlesex County League, Premier Division club Lampton Park, but they haven’t played any midweek fixtures there, so the gamble to tick off Pitch 2 paid off when this fixture appeared.
Since my last visit, there is now a cafe at the ground, which does a huge range of hot food as well. Typical ‘London prices’ and I think it is the first time I have ever been at a match where a hot drink cost more if you had milk in it! Sugar was still free!
The set up here doesn’t really meet the requirements for staging a match between two Step 6 teams, as you enter the reception and then go into the cafe, which is actually the entrance to the pitches.*Unless you wanted a programme, (I didn’t bother) which in effect would cost you £5, there was no admission charge as you would have to go back out to pay. Not sure why they didn’t charge money pitchside, which would have made more sense, or even come round and collect money during the match. It was also odd to see the teams and match officials having to come through the cafe to get access to the pitch.
Kensington Borough, (groundshare at Leatherhead F.C.) are third from bottom in the league table in the Combined Counties League Division 1, having won only three of their twenty two matches this season. Harefield United, on the other hand, are still undefeated, having won 21 and drawn 2, as they sit top of the Spartan South Midlands League Division 1. The game went exactly as expected. One unusual occurrence was when ex-Queens Park Rangers (plus 35 other clubs apparently!) striker Richard Pacquette struck an unstoppable shot into the bottom corner which would have made it 0-4 and completed his hat trick. The ball hit one of the wheels that are on the transportable goal frames and came back out……it was clear to everyone that it had gone in…..except the match officials. At least it didn’t have any effect on the final outcome.
Today was a bit of a risk in travelling over for a match. The provinces of Liege, Namur, Hainaut and West Vlaanderen had decided to call off all their matches this weekend, whilst Luxembourg are still on their winter shutdown. However, Antwerpen, Brabant and Limburg had gone down the route of the Referee making a decision at the ground. Here in Oost Vlaanderen, there was no additional information, so as far as we knew, they were all expected to play. The only real problem today, as far as we were concerned, was that the car load was going to be watching two different matches and as I had already been to K. Sparta Waasmunster ( 2-0 v Yellow Blue Beveren, Provincial 3E, 1st February 2014) where the driver was heading, then I would be being dropped off en route. I had read on the club website how proud Dendermonde are to have one of the best kept pitches in the whole of Belgium and a truer fact would be difficult to find. The pitch was immaculate and even at the final whistle it still looked pristine.
It is not just the pitch that is excellent. The ground is an absolute cracker. The old main stand has been refurbished and is in fine condition. This is flanked by two big open terrace sections, with more behind one goal. The entire length of the pitch on the opposite side is covered, with a mixture of bucket seats and benches in the centre section, with the ends being terraced. Just to round things off, there are proper traditional corner floodlight pylons.
The match itself was certainly a slow burner. Dendermonde came into this in ninth place in the league table, having won away at second placed S.K. Lochristi last week. Zele, which is only four miles away, were in fourth place and well in with a chance of promotion to the Belgian League. An unmarked header at the far post opened the scoring just before the break, in what was a dreadful first half. It was game over just after the hour mark, when a decisive pass opened up the defence to make it 0-2 and a close range finish rounded things off with six minutes left. The win leaves Zele in fourth place, just two points behind the leaders K. Racing Club Bambrugge. Dendermonde drop to tenth.
A miscalculation by the driver, forgetting about the length of time needed for picking up after the game, meant we were never going to make check in for our 19.20 return crossing on The Tunnel. On arrival, at 18.52, the timetable was once again suffering delays. We checked in, but there was no indication of what train we were actually on. It turned out it was the retimed 19.55, which ended up leaving two minutes early. Despite warnings that the M20 motorway was shut all weekend between Junctions 9 and 11, this turned out to be false, so a nice straightforward journey to Folkestone and back.
This tie caught my eye as soon as the draw was made. Wymondham are currently in fourth place in the Anglian Combination League, Premier Division. Thetford are two levels higher, sitting in fifteenth place in the Eastern Counties League, Premier Division. They had also met in this same competition last season, with Wymondham coming out on top on that occasion, but it was not going to be a case of lightning striking twice, as Thetford took the honours this time.
The weather was forecast to remain dry in the eastern half of the country, and apart from five minutes of drizzle around the half hour mark, that was exactly how it turned out. It probably helped in attracting a very good crowd, as with no shelter here, it wouldn’t have been very nice had it rained.
The Referee got things underway a couple of minutes early and the visitors wasted no time by scoring from their first attack, in what was a very even first half, although lacking in any real quality, especially in the final third of the pitch. It was all over as a contest when Thetford volleyed in their second goal early in the second half. A looping header, a shot that went in off the post and a header from a corner, finished things off. In the end, Wymondham were lucky it was only a five goal margin, as they were totally outclassed in the second half and will probably be disappointed that they never really looked like they would ever get anything from the game after conceding so early on.
