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Tuesday 1st September 2020

Kick Off 19.15 Actual 19.17

Finchampstead 2 Yateley United 3, attendance 24

13’ 0-1

36’ 0-2

43’ 0-3

56’ 1-3

59’ 2-3

@ Arborfield Green Leisure Centre, 3G Pitch

Sheerlands Road

Arborfield Garrison

RG2 9GB

No Admission or Programme.

I had started the evening intending to watch Old Windsor (East Berkshire League) versus F.C. Dionysus (Thames Valley Sunday League) but it soon became apparent that this may be something of a ‘joke’ match, with the visitors ticking all the boxes when it comes to how many people perceive Sunday League football to be, so I bailed out in the hope of something better. When Dionysus started warming up, I noticed their players were wearing eight different colours of shorts and an even higher number when it came to the socks, although they did have matching shirts! A few minutes before the scheduled six o’clock start there was still no Referee either. At least I had back ups. It was a forty minute drive to my chosen game, which was a new ground for me, or I had the option of a later kick off for a revisit at an F.A. Cup tie, although that would be subject to actually being able to get in, such are the current limits on crowd numbers and advance tickets and so on.

The ground here at Arborfield is a pretty new set up, built as part of a huge housing development on what was once a Military base. Both clubs had advertised the match as being at The Bohunt School, which is next door, but very much a separate venue.

The match was between two Step 7 teams, Finchampstead playing in the Thames Valley Premier League Premier Division and Yateley United in the Hellenic League Division 2 East. It was very much a game of two halves. Yateley dominated the first half, building up a three goal lead, with Finchampmstead getting the better of the second period, but not quite able to get back on level terms.