Brighton, Worthing & District League
Saturday 28th January 2023
Kick Off 14.00 Actual 14.02
Boys Brigade Old Boys 0 Ovingdean 2, attendance 19
10’ 0-1
82’ 0-2
@ Brighton Blues R.U.F.C. 3G Pitch
Waterhall Road
Brighton
BN1 8YR
No Admission or Programme.
I hadn’t intended doing this match today, especially on a day without rain or frost. I had been to Ashurst United, league leaders of West Sussex League Division 3 South, but when the ground was deserted 40 minutes before kick off, it was obvious the game wouldn’t be taking place. A real shame, as it was 7 degrees and there was even the odd patch of blue sky. The pitch looked in good nick too. An hour after the game should have finished it appeared on F.A. Full Time that a home win was awarded. I assume Plaistow couldn’t be bothered to raise a side?
I certainly hadn’t expected a problem seeing a game on grass today, but did have two 3G backups nearby and in just under twenty minutes I arrived on the northern fringes of Brighton, where 2nd in the table hosted 1st in the Brighton, Worthing & District League. The 3G pitch is to the right as you enter the car park, then beyond this, running parallel, is the floodlit grass pitch of Brighton Blues R.U.F.C. which has the clubhouse on the far side. Despite there being no designated spectator area inside the cage, there was no problem watching from inside the fence. There is a good 6 yards between touchline and fence at the sides and even more room at the goal ends, due to the in-goal area for when the pitch is used for rugby.
Boys Brigade Old Boys knew nothing short of a win would be enough for them today. Even then, it would take a collapse of Devon Loch proportions to prevent Ovingdean from winning the league now. When the visitors went ahead after just ten minutes, smashing one in from 12 yards, when a corner wasn’t cleared, it looked like it might be another easy afternoon for the visitors, much like last week when I saw them stroll to a 4-0 victory against Clarendon Athletic, but BBOB were much tougher opponents and really made a game of it. The action ebbed and flowed throughout a very open first half. BBOB hit the crossbar with a 30 yarder, saw their ‘keeper tip one over the bar and then hit the crossbar again with a 25 yarder, and we had still only played seventeen minutes!
Things settled down a bit from here. The longer the game went on, the more it looked like the visitors would hang on to their lead and they finally added a second goal eight minutes from time, dispossessing the full back as he tried to break clear and finishing powerfully past the ‘keeper at the near post. The game finished on a sour note, with both teams having a man red carded after a clash in stoppage time. The Ovingdean player receiving his for the foul, whilst the recipient from BBOB retaliated with a kick to the head that Conor McGregor would be proud of in the U.F.C. The player was bandaged up, but may have required stitches, according to the discussions taking place afterwards. It was a shame that it finished this way, as it had been an excellent game until this point.
Third in the table Queens Head Raiders are the only team who can stop Ovingdean from taking the title now. They can get a maximum of 43 points if they win their last six games, which would be just three more points than Ovingdean already have (still 4 to play), never mind a goal difference of 35 to make up!
Ovingdean are the only club I haven’t visited in this league now. I think I’ll save them though, just incase they are promoted to the Sussex County League next season. They would certainly be good enough, but it may not be their plan. I look forward to visiting whatever happens.
