Sussex F.A. Intermediate Cup

2nd Round

Saturday 11th December 2021

Kick Off 13.30 Actual 13.32

Harting 4 Upper Beeding 3, attendance 16

52’ 1-0

68’ 1-1

69’ 2-1

74’ 3-1

79’ 4-1

84’ 4-2 (pen)

88’ 4-3

@ Harting War Memorial Playing Field

B2146 Hurst Road

South Harting

GU31 5QG

No Admission or Programme.

This had been my intended match for today, up until yesterday afternoon, when the Arthurian League match between Old Albanians S.A. and Old Johnians, in the Junior League Cup, was switched to the 3G pitch at St. Joan of Arc Catholic School in Rickmansworth. My intention was to do that game instead, followed by something around the north west area of the M25, but at 11 o’clock, when it was due to start, no players or referee had appeared. It was obvious that the game was off and unusually for the F.A. Full Time website there is still no indication that it was postponed. Anyway, rather than having hours hanging around for a game, I decided to head to West Sussex and do my original choice after all…….

The game was 3rd in West Sussex League Championship South (Step 9) versus 9th in Southern Combination League Division 2 (Step 7). The first half was poor, to say the least, and it was no surprise that it finished goalless. There was certainly no hint of just how much better the second half would be.

Harting broke the deadlock seven minutes into the second half, smashing an unstoppable shot past the ‘keeper from ten yards. Upper Beeding drew level on sixty eight minutes, with a 30 yard shot diverted into the net by a defender trying to block the effort, but straight from the restart the hosts made it 2-1, breaking down the right and scoring after the ‘keeper stopped the first attempt, but had no chance saving the follow up. A cracking 25 yard free kick beat the ‘keeper at his near post to make it 3-1, then the game looked all over when a far post header made it 4-1 with eleven minutes left.

The visitors, having dominated for long periods, actually looked like they could still get something out of this and they nearly did! Harting were out on their feet and were desperate for the final whistle, despite having a three goal cushion. A penalty pulled it back to 4-2, followed by an unmarked header from close range, to make it 4-3 with two minutes left. Eight minutes of stoppage time were played and it was like watching an ‘attack versus defence’ training session, such was the dominance of the visitors, but the home defence survived, just, to make it into the next round.