Southern Combination League
Division 2
Tuesday 27th December 2022
Kick Off 15.00 Actual 15.01
Copthorne 3 Charlwood 2, attendance 63
6’ 1-0
17’ 1-1
27’ 1-2
39’ 2-2
76’ 3-2
@ The Camping World Community Stadium (Horsham F.C.)
Hop Oast
Worthing Road
Horsham
RH13 0AX
No Admission or Programme.
This wasn’t my intended match for today. I was heading for the Midland League game at Sutton United, but arrived home 90 minutes after setting off, having only made it to Esher. The M25 was queuing from the M40 back to Junction 9, which subsequently meant all the surrounding roads also became gridlocked and what should have been a two and a quarter hour drive to Solihull, was now going to take over 4 hours according to the SatNav!
I had visited Copthorne for a home match back in March 2013, when they beat Barcombe 5-0 in a Mid Sussex League Mowatt Challenge Cup Quarter Final (att.15), which was played on the 3G pitch at Hassocks Sports Centre. Then in April 2017 I saw them beat Forest Row 5-0 in a Mid Sussex League Premier Division match (att.36), this time played at King George V Playing Field, in the village of Copthorne itself.
The move up to the Southern Combination League has now seen them move to play home games at the ground of Horsham F.C. The crowd was certainly up on my two previous visits to see them play home games, but it was quite surprising to see there was no admission charge or even a programme on sale, as it can’t be cheap to play games here, although having club linesmen would help keep the costs down a bit.
The quality of football on offer was very good for the level, as 3rd hosted 4th place in the league table. Leaders Jarvis Brook are ten points clear of second placed Capel at the top, but second place is certainly achievable for either of these two, especially on this showing. Copthorne were ahead after six minutes, but Charlwood drew level eleven minutes later, rounding the ‘keeper before finishing from a tight angle. The visitors soon went in front, breaking down the left and pulling the ball back to see the rebound put away following a save by the ‘keeper. Copthorne levelled it up at 2-2 before halftime, with a cracking free kick into the bottom corner from 30 yards. Charlwood nearly went back in front immediately, but having gone round the ‘keeper, the finish from a tight angle came back off the post.
Five minutes into the second half Charlwood had a man sent off, for bringing down a Copthorne player as he went through on goal. Playing with a man light didn’t seem to affect them too much and it wasn’t noticeable at all. Both teams had chances, but it was Copthorne who nicked the winner, heading in unmarked from 6 yards out, following a cross from the right with just under fifteen minutes left.
Unsurprisingly, there were no changes to the ground from when I was last here, back on 22 October 2019, when I saw Horsham draw 1-1 with Cray Wanderers (att.481) in an Isthmian League Premier Division match.
