West Sussex League

Division 2 South

Saturday 2nd December 2023

Kick Off 14.00 Actual 14.04

Yapton 2 Beaumont Park 2, attendance 29

11’ 1-0

31’ 2-0

60’ 2-1 (pen)

85’ 2-2 (pen)

@ Southfields Recreation Ground

Southfields Road

Littlehampton

BN17 6AE

No Admission or Programme.

I was hoping to avoid having to watch a game on a 3G pitch today, so opted to head to the south coast, where it had been forecast to barely dip below freezing overnight. Beaumont Park had replied via Twitter that as far as they knew “it was still on”, so off I went. It was -1 degree as I headed down the A24, but once crossing The South Downs, the sun was out and at one point the car temperature gauge actually rose as high as 2 degrees. Arriving in the car park an hour before kick off, it was good to see the nets being put up and the corner flags being put out (pitch running widthways, in far right hand corner when looking from car park/changing rooms). The majority of away players arrived around the same time too, so it was good to go, although the Referee didn’t arrive until twelve minutes before the scheduled kick off time! It did turn colder as the game went on and despite the mist/fog rolling in during the latter stages, there was never a doubt that the game might not be completed.

The match was 5th versus 9th (out of 10) in the league table. It was the typical ‘game of two halves’. Yapton dominated the first half, opening the scoring after eleven minutes, with a scuffed finish and although Beaumont Park hit the crossbar minutes later, it was no surprise to see Yapton double their lead just after the half hour mark, finishing with a first time shot into the bottom corner, after a free kick had only been headed clear as far as the edge of the 18 yard box.

Beaumont Park were much improved in the second half. They missed a good chance within minutes of the restart, missing a one on one chance that was saved by the ‘keeper, but got back in it on the hour, converting from the penalty spot, awarded for a foul by the ‘keeper, as he was faced with another one on one attack. They nearly levelled minutes later, when a hit and hope effort hit the crossbar, rebounding for a player following in, but he saw his header tipped onto the bar and over. A second penalty, awarded for another foul by the ‘keeper, saw Beaumont Park draw level with five minutes left and they almost won it in stoppage time, when a diagonal free kick into the box was met with a point blank header that the ‘keeper somehow turned around the post.

Today’s visit now sees this division completed, leaving just Felpham Colts, Ashurst United and Queens Head Raiders to finish the full league now.