Kent County League
Division 2 West
Saturday 15th November 2025
Kick Off 14.00 Actual 13.59
The Charcoal 3 Rotherhithe 2, attendance 26
41’ 1-0
42’ 1-1
48’ 2-1
86’ 2-2
90’ + 4, 3-2
@ The Oaks
Starbuck Close
off Green Lane
New Eltham
London
SE9 2TD
No Admission or Programme.
I chose this game, as I had an easily reachable back up game on 3G, although I’d confirmed with the home club manager that the game was going ahead as scheduled, so not really needed. The Oaks has three pitches, all of which staged games this afternoon. Behind the clubhouse, to the right of the car park, is a railed pitch that was formerly home to Eltham Town. My game was on a pitch to the left, running parallel to the car park. It’s fully railed, with a small area of cover (The Lenny Piper Stand) on the near side, where hard standing ran from here to the near corner. A pair of dugouts are on the far side, backing onto a pitch running lengthways away from here, which was hosting a veterans match.
Today’s game was 2nd versus 8th (out of 11) in the league table, with The Charcoal unbeaten in their opening seven matches (5W 2D), having been promoted from the Bromley & South London League, having finished second to Old Roan in the Premier Division of that league last season, whilst Rotherhithe came up from the same division, despite only having finished in fourth place.
It was an excellent game, on a pitch that looked none the worse for the rain we’ve suffered in the last couple of days. It was end to end right from the off and it was a bit of a surprise that it took until four minutes before halftime for the opening goal to arrive, which went the way of the hosts, finishing left footed into the bottom corner from the edge of the box. Within a minute the visitors levelled the scores, when a long ball over the top was touched past the on rushing ‘keeper and finished from a tight angle, low into the far corner, just eluding a defender on the line who couldn’t keep it out. Three minutes into the second half The Charcoal went back in front, cutting in from the right and beating the ‘keeper at his near post. Rotherhithe replied with a 25 yarder that smacked against the post, followed seconds later by another effort from the same player, this time hitting the crossbar, with the ‘keeper getting nowhere near either of them. With four minutes left Rotherhithe grabbed a deserved equaliser, following in from close range, after a fumble by the ‘keeper. It looked like ending in a draw, but four minutes into stoppage time The Charcoal broke down the right and crossed to the far post for an easy tap in to take all three points.
A lot of leagues struggle for match officials these days, but no problem here. There were three appointments for this, which I believe is the norm in this league, despite it only being Step 9 on the football pyramid. Thankfully, there was nothing worse than a very brief threat of rain during the second half, which soon petered out, but it was pretty gloomy when the game finished at 15.45.
