Mid Sussex League

Montgomery Cup

2nd Round

Saturday 7th January 2023

Kick Off 12.00 Actual 12.08

Ridgewood 3 Balcombe 2, attendance 28

30’ 1-0

34’ 2-0

37’ 3-0

55’ 3-1

71’ 3-2

@ Uckfield Leisure Centre, 3G Pitch

Downsview Crescent

Uckfield

TN22 1UB

No Admission or Programme.

I had naively believed the weather forecast today, so opted for a 3G option to play it safe, but the three hours of heavy rain starting at 11 o’clock (according to the Met Office forecast) never materialised. In fact, it never even rained and there were even odd patches of blue sky during the second half!

When I last saw Ridgewood play a home game, back in April 2021 (0-0 v Reigate Priory att.12) they played at Convent Field, which is adjacent to The Dripping Pan, home of Lewes F.C. Nowadays they play at Uckfield Leisure Centre, on the now all too familiar 3G cage set up, with viewing restricted to one side.

Apart from the attraction of a noon kick off (their Reserves were at home at 2 o’clock) it was also the only ground I hadn’t visited in this division and now leaves me with just five clubs left to complete the entire league. The match itself was also of interest, as 3rd in the Championship Division (W8 L2) hosted 6th in the Premier Division (W8 D1 L4). Very little happened in the opening half hour, but a miss kick by the visitor’s ‘keeper presented Ridgewood with an easy opening goal. An angled shot into the far top corner, followed by a close range finish, saw them race into a three goal lead within seven minutes of breaking the deadlock.

The second half saw Ridgewood try to protect what they had, rather than push for more goals. An unmarked header saw the lead reduced to 3-1 ten minutes into the second half, before a cross from the right was finished with a scuffed shot that looped over the ‘keeper to make it 3-2 as we headed into the last twenty minutes. In the end, the three goal head start was too much for Balcombe to overcome and Ridgewood held on for the win.

Plenty of time for me to head off for a second game at 3 o’clock…..

Midland League

Division 3

Monday 2nd January 2023

Kick Off 14.00 Actual 14.02

Wake Green Amateur 3 A.F.C. Solihull 2, attendance 59

25’ 0-1

53’ 1-1

55’ 2-1

77’ 3-1

80’ 3-2

@ The Holloway

Drawbridge Road

Major’s Green

Shirley

B90 1DD

No Admission or Programme.

I had been informed by the home club Secretary last night that there was to be a pitch inspection around 10 o’clock this morning and received a text message around 10.20 to say that all was fine and we were good to go! The Holloway has three pitches, with the main one on a higher plateau to the other two, running widthways in front of the clubhouse/changing rooms.

The match was 4th (W7, D2, L3) versus 2nd (W9, D1, L2) in the league table and was a very even contest. The only goal of the first half went the way of the visitors, when a cross from the left was headed in from six yards and they could have doubled their lead, but a second effort was disallowed for a foul on the ‘keeper. It didn’t take Wake Green long to turn things round in the second half. A goal on the break, followed in after an initial save, then a square ball tapped in at the far post saw them go 2-1 up within ten minutes of the restart. The game looked safe when a cross from the right was volleyed in at the near post to make it 3-1, but the visitors hit back almost immediately, with a cracking 25 yard free kick that went straight over the ‘keeper, setting up an interesting last ten minutes. Solihull almost drew level when a header came back off the underside of the crossbar, but Wake Green held out for the win.

National League South

Sunday 1st January 2023

Kick Off 15.00 Actual 15.01

Welling United 2 Tonbridge Angels 1, attendance 932

14’ 1-0

23’ 1-1

44’ 2-1

@ Park View Road

Welling

DA16 1SY

£15 Admission

£3 Programme available, didn’t bother buying.

Today was a trip to a ground I hadn’t visited since Boxing Day 1989, when I saw Welling United beat Fisher Athletic 2-0 in a Conference (National League) match in front of 1,208 spectators. That had been a morning kick off and I followed it up later that afternoon with Barnet beating Enfield 2-0 in the same league, which was played in front of a crowd of 4,481 at their old Underhill ground. Traffic never seemed to be such a problem in those days for such a double, but to be fair, the M25 was in fine form today, taking a shade over 40 minutes drive both ways.

Today’s match was 12th versus 10th in the league table and was the reverse of the Boxing Day fixture at Tonbridge, which Welling had won 1-0. It was another tight game. Welling started brightly and hit the crossbar in the opening five minutes, before breaking the deadlock ten minutes later, when Taylor Maloney beat the ‘keeper with a cracker into the top corner from 20 yards. The lead only lasted nine minutes though, as Lewis Gard finished coolly to make it 1-1. Welling edged back in front right on halftime, when Ade Azeez volleyed in from close range, following a low cross in from the left and only a great save by their ‘keeper, from a deflected shot, saw them cling on to their lead in the dying seconds of the half.

The second period saw Tonbridge create the better chances, as Welling appeared to settle for what they had. They were certainly hanging on desperately towards the end, especially in the last ten minutes and the visitors probably deserved to nick a point, but it wasn’t to be.