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Thursday 13th July 2023

Kick Off 18.15 Actual 18.22

Cranleigh 1 Broadbridge Heath U23 2, attendance 41

48’ 0-1

58’ 1-1

65’ 1-2

@ Glebelands School, 3G Pitch

Parsonage Road

Cranleigh

GU6 7AN

No Admission or Programme.

I had watched Cranleigh play on two grounds in the village before tonight. I’d seen them at their Snoxhall Fields ground back in May 1997 (1-2 versus Cobham in a Combined Counties League match) and then in August 2020 they drew 2-2 versus Rudgwick in a friendly played at The Bruce McKenzie Memorial Field. Tonight’s match was at Glebelands School. I hadn’t realised it was a 3G pitch, as Google Maps doesn’t show it yet on the satellite view. It is the standard set up with spectator viewing along three quarters of one side. Although advertised as an 18.45 kick off, it was brought forward to 18.15 (thankfully notified of the change this afternoon via Twitter). Although there are floodlights, the building was due to be locked up shortly after eight o’clock, hence the earlier start time.

Cranleigh will be new this season in the Surrey County Premier League (Step 7) following their promotion after finishing second in the Surrey County Intermediate League (Western) last season. Broadbridge Heath U23 play in the Southern Combination League U23 North Division.

Both teams had chances, but it took until three minutes into the second half for the deadlock to be broken. It was the visitors who went in front, shooting off the inside of the far post having been played through on the left hand side of the box. Cranleigh levelled with a one on one finish from 20 yards, but seven minutes later Broadbridge Heath netted the winner, finishing with a diagonal shot across the ‘keeper into the far corner.