tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-85082058683089667852024-03-06T03:15:31.747+00:00GroundbloggerWords, pictures and video from non-league football matches that I have attended.John Stonemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16075790973145505724noreply@blogger.comBlogger28125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8508205868308966785.post-86114238449174699462012-01-17T21:43:00.002+00:002012-01-17T21:53:25.182+00:00<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia4L8q7TajKD_9ddtr1lqEmL3x_S0E8Sqdiq2MEIbYcilhqqlLbq3_EKsKmkbxZNpKizfxkcpHfZ1HIiN9pU15hNkk9PknXWQNECAmG_Jly75x6UPUw-b0T2BdreeiWkCAD8biCp6l9TBQ/s1600/heybridge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia4L8q7TajKD_9ddtr1lqEmL3x_S0E8Sqdiq2MEIbYcilhqqlLbq3_EKsKmkbxZNpKizfxkcpHfZ1HIiN9pU15hNkk9PknXWQNECAmG_Jly75x6UPUw-b0T2BdreeiWkCAD8biCp6l9TBQ/s400/heybridge.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So it seems that I am back in the game.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">After a four year hiatus for the Groundblogger, during which time I got a season ticket for Derby and watched a whole bunch of Championship football, and then started running an Under 9s team which dominated my weekends, I am back.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It all came about when I celebrated my 40th birthday down in Dorset. My Dad (800 grounds plus) took me to Hamworthy United, and then to Moneyfields, and then I snuck off to Potton United Reserves, and then I went to Wimborne Town, and then I bought a copy of the Non League Paper... You know how this one goes.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So this Saturday, I dragged my middle daughter off to Heybridge Swifts to visit my nearest Isthmian League ground, having never been there before, and having only seen them once before in 1980 at Halstead Town back in the Essex Senior League.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The opposition was Potters Bar Town, who bizarrely are now my most watched away team, as I've seen them at Arlesey, Wivenhoe and Ware beforehand, and the three-nil victory that they ground out was a bit harsh on the Swifts who lost a lot of heart after the first Town goal went in.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It was brass monkeys, and the picture that I took was iPhone only and not DSLR, but it's official I'm back. I've even started blogging again. In case you've missed it.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div>John Stonemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16075790973145505724noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8508205868308966785.post-32772410561731242392008-11-06T19:58:00.002+00:002008-11-06T20:02:07.264+00:0025/11/2008 - Bury Town 4 Basingstoke Town 1<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUOvKYrqsiF5YDfOrgw8xT1gelbVQAaDhm_LFDKOVLDgYzfPu74qqn7u-EWM-i1EDEbQr2knaXg9tg_3aFvinxLtvQwKKaKdqB5HdXY2jVeM0vdVQhh1M2G3MUC9__6nsKF1vTKp_l3xkK/s1600-h/bury.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5265637210952797794" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 287px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUOvKYrqsiF5YDfOrgw8xT1gelbVQAaDhm_LFDKOVLDgYzfPu74qqn7u-EWM-i1EDEbQr2knaXg9tg_3aFvinxLtvQwKKaKdqB5HdXY2jVeM0vdVQhh1M2G3MUC9__6nsKF1vTKp_l3xkK/s400/bury.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>Took in a Fourth Qualifying Round game at Ram Meadow on Saturday, you can read a full report and check out the pictures by <a href="http://roadfromwembley.typepad.com/the_road_from_wembley/2008/11/251008---4qr-bury-town-4-basingstoke-town-1.html">clicking here</a>.</div>John Stonemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16075790973145505724noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8508205868308966785.post-87427827899399471192008-09-04T12:35:00.003+00:002008-09-04T12:38:21.019+00:002/9/2008 - Broxbourne Borough V&E 1 Dulwich Hamlet 2<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8FlCfQQipAZipM0FYQLrdYh1LW_kIUeTxgSJZzKQt-Pe_nVmeiRwM1HvXgBTbFR6UBPu04u2kRTRJ5WmzQKveJ7m9EFIjx2Y75ioDHIYJlCSzu89kTAVJUeIO2w68G2tO1uyJjQOR3Uh8/s1600-h/cover.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5242144316676303794" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8FlCfQQipAZipM0FYQLrdYh1LW_kIUeTxgSJZzKQt-Pe_nVmeiRwM1HvXgBTbFR6UBPu04u2kRTRJ5WmzQKveJ7m9EFIjx2Y75ioDHIYJlCSzu89kTAVJUeIO2w68G2tO1uyJjQOR3Uh8/s200/cover.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>Took in a Preliminary Round Replay at Goffs Lane on Tuesday, you can read a full report and check out the pictures by <a href="http://roadfromwembley.typepad.com/the_road_from_wembley/2008/09/20908---prr-broxbourne-borough-ve-1-dulwich-hamlet-2.html">clicking here</a>.</div>John Stonemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16075790973145505724noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8508205868308966785.post-55523078230670047742008-08-31T15:37:00.002+00:002008-08-31T15:40:48.043+00:0030/8/2008 - AFC Sudbury 1 Lowestoft Town 1<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN9Xbsv5jZiEnWLdMwmYLiGkuc4TFHF3Up1l6jd9BXtPrKt6L1BrTHMyghM187yELP9yQ4ldnrVPLiaBsDx5IjbhkxGVIZ34FvaqsldDFuv7kR8EZ67Sg9eOKd3RNlcR81wdOmg3IrZb7F/s1600-h/cover.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5240706923747276226" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN9Xbsv5jZiEnWLdMwmYLiGkuc4TFHF3Up1l6jd9BXtPrKt6L1BrTHMyghM187yELP9yQ4ldnrVPLiaBsDx5IjbhkxGVIZ34FvaqsldDFuv7kR8EZ67Sg9eOKd3RNlcR81wdOmg3IrZb7F/s200/cover.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>Took in a Preliminary Round Fixture at Kings Marsh on Saturday, you can read a full report and check out the pictures by <a href="http://roadfromwembley.typepad.com/the_road_from_wembley/2008/08/300808---pr-afc.html">clicking here</a>.</div>John Stonemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16075790973145505724noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8508205868308966785.post-24233602658951647832007-12-29T08:59:00.000+00:002008-01-04T10:00:28.718+00:0026/12/2007 - Soham Town Rangers 3 Mildenhall Town 1<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2uwsmM3v-2aaoCllm5AJXaUmP87Vi6w4BE8cfghYV-RxEnumLUlfSa2LbucnQFZWwn4fZc-JOK2TRpiT3qolO8J3GEyxpKpPaNJc3ORVpE0QzFAXxzRo_7-6dp5-qmVvm6xAv37snXgTU/s1600-h/img001.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5149322744880876754" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2uwsmM3v-2aaoCllm5AJXaUmP87Vi6w4BE8cfghYV-RxEnumLUlfSa2LbucnQFZWwn4fZc-JOK2TRpiT3qolO8J3GEyxpKpPaNJc3ORVpE0QzFAXxzRo_7-6dp5-qmVvm6xAv37snXgTU/s200/img001.jpg" border="0" /></a>Well it's taken me a few months to get another posting up and ready, but here we go, Boxing Day football, the perfect antidote to the family excesses of the festive period.<br /><div></div><br /><div>I took advantage of a Christmas week away at Center Parks at Elveden Forest, to slip away to the Fenland derby between Soham Town Rangers and Mildenhall Town.</div><div></div><div></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuEZTPlP7S-cnFNTiiE94vvCapuXZhg1gAnLcZMIh6PhKE91-ffUVntdkk9gJR4dvy-T49pMYcwFPHisJm5D5s00NUAvp-WqFXFNVGRcDSk_uTLOSXzA5NRaIeDtUBBRN-t3vD6ZVCXql0/s1600-h/soh01.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5149322929564470498" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuEZTPlP7S-cnFNTiiE94vvCapuXZhg1gAnLcZMIh6PhKE91-ffUVntdkk9gJR4dvy-T49pMYcwFPHisJm5D5s00NUAvp-WqFXFNVGRcDSk_uTLOSXzA5NRaIeDtUBBRN-t3vD6ZVCXql0/s200/soh01.jpg" border="0" /></a>It was my first ever visit to Soham and naturally on arrival at the town my thoughts drifted past the terrible events of 2002 and the deaths of Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman.</div><div></div><br /><div>I was surprised at the size of the town. I always had the impression from the news reports that this was more of a sleepy rural village when it actually is quite a large market town with a population of over 9,000.</div><div></div><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIg788BEQ09WIwZuCck6Z4c69OZKxgVWQPUAED-MaizvMVh5mlEtt6SPmgug6NuO8NL3fysLz2w3H6LDXjJH0PJA39_8JlihNUByX-XwOI7M8fESEWZQx0mIL6OmdQ51z1S5X2Xz-Kh00X/s1600-h/soh02.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5149323097068195058" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIg788BEQ09WIwZuCck6Z4c69OZKxgVWQPUAED-MaizvMVh5mlEtt6SPmgug6NuO8NL3fysLz2w3H6LDXjJH0PJA39_8JlihNUByX-XwOI7M8fESEWZQx0mIL6OmdQ51z1S5X2Xz-Kh00X/s200/soh02.jpg" border="0" /></a>Kick off for the match was a civillised 12 noon and I set off around 11am to get to the town, get some cash and get to the ground. A weaving journey through the Fens took me longer than expected, the cash points were to a man cashless at the first three attempts and then I got lost three times going to Julius Martin Lane, saved only by the web browser on my phone for some last minute support.</div><div></div><br /><div>As it was I arrived and bought my festive raffle ticket - the only time of the year I take on the weekly gamble - just as the two teams were marching out to the strains of the Match of the Day theme.</div><div></div><br /><div>Soham's ground is very pleasing to the eye, relaxing within a large boundary fence in plenty of space. Covered terracing stands at each end, the far side is open to the elements along a guard rail, while the dugouts, changing rooms, grandstand and clubhouse make up the near side.</div><div></div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-VpzqoOgQuWTfu17Muq-5KEcPLO5Wl_nMPQW7Kr9JBO1HNY2Kw6U7XoAVqzuNIxJjhxvFnwIRi1OE6J4W4RK2ukkvmTHdRgOi_Bk9-Bajdud0v_D212r5t34qoWfRidaQljzvUBSm07X7/s1600-h/soh03.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5149323316111527170" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-VpzqoOgQuWTfu17Muq-5KEcPLO5Wl_nMPQW7Kr9JBO1HNY2Kw6U7XoAVqzuNIxJjhxvFnwIRi1OE6J4W4RK2ukkvmTHdRgOi_Bk9-Bajdud0v_D212r5t34qoWfRidaQljzvUBSm07X7/s200/soh03.jpg" border="0" /></a>The weather was crisp but not cold, the green turf tacky but not sticky, and a winter sun, low in the sky, had the 258-strong crowd shielding their eyes when play swung that way.</div><div></div><br /><div>Mildenhall Town took an early lead through a slightly jammy effort which took two deflections en route to wrong-footing the keeper and looping into the net.</div><div></div><br /><div>Soham replied almost immediately following a poor clearance by an under-pressure Mildenhall keeper which went straight to a home forward who squared for a cool shot by Darren Jimson.</div><div></div><br /><div>They then furthered their lead after half an hour when Paul Jones slid in at the far post to convert a cross.</div><div></div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNGRnFyxfPIE7y8YwffLfUg9rzJR1kRgNbTIStILejSTYlqp0Bgfu_j0NfoOp2q8h2-A3Malh6a_DeUtVYPvHfCOpGLxz6MrCRHeOAt9KP62GRo8Bmx8eO7iuM-oFWClBh91gRPVz5nElS/s1600-h/soh04.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5149323728428387602" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNGRnFyxfPIE7y8YwffLfUg9rzJR1kRgNbTIStILejSTYlqp0Bgfu_j0NfoOp2q8h2-A3Malh6a_DeUtVYPvHfCOpGLxz6MrCRHeOAt9KP62GRo8Bmx8eO7iuM-oFWClBh91gRPVz5nElS/s200/soh04.jpg" border="0" /></a>Soham were well deserving of their lead and wrapped up the points on the hour mark through a goal from Michael Simpson.</div><div></div><br /><div>My two other highlights were the best cheeseburger and chips I've ever had at non league football and the interesting programme cover which relates to the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soham#2nd_June_1944_Soham_Rail_Disaster">1944 Soham Railway Disaster</a>.</div>John Stonemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16075790973145505724noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8508205868308966785.post-35378534152991182922007-08-19T17:56:00.000+00:002007-08-19T18:14:40.717+00:0019/08/2007 - Sporting Bengal 0 London APSA 0<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2_Pnrk-TUUVu80mzV5ir0vx-M_AKUeBYjtOH2RIBS0RMMmNDHU49VnJ6__Ra1T5y6dqTZ6zcKzWZWEGS23GsWlwiG3NRGtnADDOXd-OXNJMWsLLyOTT8QQG4GXGZ80IIJkgFXeR_6_jLb/s1600-h/img01005.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5100474902032392562" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2_Pnrk-TUUVu80mzV5ir0vx-M_AKUeBYjtOH2RIBS0RMMmNDHU49VnJ6__Ra1T5y6dqTZ6zcKzWZWEGS23GsWlwiG3NRGtnADDOXd-OXNJMWsLLyOTT8QQG4GXGZ80IIJkgFXeR_6_jLb/s200/img01005.jpg" border="0" /></a> On Sunday I travelled to the Mile End Stadium to witness the first ever all Asian FA Cup tie held between Sporting Bengal and London APSA.<br /><div></div><br /><div>This was the Extra Preliminary Round of the seasons FA Cup competiton and the matches played this weekend have come just over 90 days since John Terry lifted the cup for Chelsea at Wembley.</div><div></div><br /><div>Sporting <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRAS-UjNnPgUw5hHIUPn-SsM2DrPlBjtBQ_9xzXXF_cFEeB3uyqVhmMi4Q6L8tDCWQjiLgUDktWlQzFsP1HxjFN2ltL-ndABzvZv-mO0VJg9cHgLZCRvQAmyueK4JVVtckmIBTDFUy5Fnt/s1600-h/sb01.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5100475254219710866" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRAS-UjNnPgUw5hHIUPn-SsM2DrPlBjtBQ_9xzXXF_cFEeB3uyqVhmMi4Q6L8tDCWQjiLgUDktWlQzFsP1HxjFN2ltL-ndABzvZv-mO0VJg9cHgLZCRvQAmyueK4JVVtckmIBTDFUy5Fnt/s200/sb01.jpg" border="0" /></a>Bengal play in the Kent League while APSA are in the Essex Senior League and according to the programme there has always been a healthy rivallry between the clubs since their early days in Asian Football.</div><div></div><br /><div>The game attracted a big crowd of what I estimated was over 200 people and scattered amongst the mostly Asian faces were a number of people that you could spot as Groundhoppers, wanting to witness this landmark.</div><div></div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqq3ACu_5mZeq5VqKke1dn1yJKG9LH0mADqwWC5NWrHRJaKD4gE7da4Qxj3eEkDAXeMFj8sP-sTVk5WQD4eXu618ZNzrCsnzufZ4yoU7MBMURN3hy5uYDgAZ8aaxLQ72hLvsY1fjTwesc2/s1600-h/sb03.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5100475430313370018" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqq3ACu_5mZeq5VqKke1dn1yJKG9LH0mADqwWC5NWrHRJaKD4gE7da4Qxj3eEkDAXeMFj8sP-sTVk5WQD4eXu618ZNzrCsnzufZ4yoU7MBMURN3hy5uYDgAZ8aaxLQ72hLvsY1fjTwesc2/s200/sb03.jpg" border="0" /></a>Both teams coveted the prize of a place in the Preliminary Round, as they would be the first Asian club to make it that far, and from the kick-off the tackles were flying in.</div><div></div><br /><div>And there were chances at both ends in a very competitive first half, but neither team could break the deadlock.</div><div></div><br /><div>Mile End Stadium has an athletics track around the pitch which always leaves you feeling slightly disjointed but this was made up by some boisterous support for both sides.</div><div></div><div></div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuDww43mKtK1fQ0JTzvB6BPUapbcI4_S6skviklwGziKA_fdmZgRr8I9TzP3vLbQNgZspipBGOZBQicSUxpxK64D39DRzhFG-wpi39hU8ZbuiVbolFK1BrKOF5MZz4lWClqk9jXAyBFfBq/s1600-h/sb04.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5100475069536117122" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuDww43mKtK1fQ0JTzvB6BPUapbcI4_S6skviklwGziKA_fdmZgRr8I9TzP3vLbQNgZspipBGOZBQicSUxpxK64D39DRzhFG-wpi39hU8ZbuiVbolFK1BrKOF5MZz4lWClqk9jXAyBFfBq/s200/sb04.jpg" border="0" /></a>In the second half I would say that London APSA shaded it, their forwards were tricky and had more invention than their Sporting counterparts, but come the final whistle it was announced that they would play another 30 minutes of extra time.</div><div></div><br /><div>But both sets of legs were running heavy, and neither team could find the net, although APSA missed out on automatic progression by missing an absolute beauty of an opening, their striker hitting wide of the goal in face of the onrushing Bengal custodian.</div><div></div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit4I4i33eEiE-NNM9E89YXXBL_uQlUUmg2ouz-alAixnh0Eg23cfM47qKi5nJ2XYGg5XofPoVTg_LEaug1gAxdRuSpwuH-CXeVC3FGmx8z1B2a2qhRdp5Ymg95raRirzTUVEnc8DLqhy8u/s1600-h/sb06.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5100476023018856882" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit4I4i33eEiE-NNM9E89YXXBL_uQlUUmg2ouz-alAixnh0Eg23cfM47qKi5nJ2XYGg5XofPoVTg_LEaug1gAxdRuSpwuH-CXeVC3FGmx8z1B2a2qhRdp5Ymg95raRirzTUVEnc8DLqhy8u/s200/sb06.jpg" border="0" /></a>An interesting way to spend a Sunday afternoon and a much more interetsing reason to visit Mile End Stadium than a regular league game. Plus of course a double tick as Beaumont Athletic groundshare with Bengal.<br /></div><div>A set of gonks from Football Focus were there filming so I will have to look out and see if I made it on to the telly.</div>John Stonemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16075790973145505724noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8508205868308966785.post-22314248419751448612007-08-18T10:22:00.000+00:002007-08-18T10:30:34.978+00:0004/08/2007 - Thurrock 2 Chelmsford City 4<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaqBdYLKRcKott3xT2HGPpANi_UXvpQ07BoO4E4NPdVoRY_2jxu7o2LfKI7S8x1gn33iviqN3VM1EHqi7D1rV4WMbJXCfAKbcDfR_r-1mIHXVA5M7Lng3-Mn_nqP5y0hWCckUWxnf2Y9Wy/s1600-h/th01.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5099984704529998146" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaqBdYLKRcKott3xT2HGPpANi_UXvpQ07BoO4E4NPdVoRY_2jxu7o2LfKI7S8x1gn33iviqN3VM1EHqi7D1rV4WMbJXCfAKbcDfR_r-1mIHXVA5M7Lng3-Mn_nqP5y0hWCckUWxnf2Y9Wy/s200/th01.jpg" border="0" /></a> Another pre-season friendly saw me follow Chelmsford City away to Thurrock. This was a highly-entertaining scrap between two teams who are a division apart but closely matched, City at the top of the Isthmian Premier and Thurrock near the bottom of the Conference South last season.<br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj80V2HgE0aYP9XLN1yJGg_PkLKYwA93morByEcsGYRmtf7LqBS4MYzh1t3gOUjrazqF3jjjxXkuSR6kWXhfqdMiEU8O0n2o-VGhGedvanVU7dhj4-hL5q7n8xzn2H1F7U5N1pbgfam2Qf/s1600-h/th03.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5099984876328690002" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj80V2HgE0aYP9XLN1yJGg_PkLKYwA93morByEcsGYRmtf7LqBS4MYzh1t3gOUjrazqF3jjjxXkuSR6kWXhfqdMiEU8O0n2o-VGhGedvanVU7dhj4-hL5q7n8xzn2H1F7U5N1pbgfam2Qf/s200/th03.jpg" border="0" /></a>On this outcome City could have a good season while Thurrock look like they will struggle.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3IrKsFfYN8Zp1enzm5CLITnw5mfumwW9DMJ86vBF8w7LJjkffD8h8D8YDJ4nGViXv4X1RS_DfwL2X4YR7DYacTfsQeqrsGrenEwhsM2rksifFGtIfrzivsahrgWIKrpnwgcsud2DtrLs4/s1600-h/th02.jpg"></a>John Stonemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16075790973145505724noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8508205868308966785.post-85801544375178104322007-08-18T10:10:00.000+00:002007-08-18T10:19:25.709+00:0028/07/2007 - Portland United 1 Christchurch 1<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCWm0Bqz38pm1-BIhO_4hU3p7R3Yl4Ve9qM0HvNLudgA5jG80JejJa59TQTsphtJzGkfFU2lUGsAMpk84k09s4KUDkUSDExxNQ7PxtbKnM57CPiFPQlfbM8PFGROwUWQM_iLWTO4pvsdv6/s1600-h/po01.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5099982630060794130" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCWm0Bqz38pm1-BIhO_4hU3p7R3Yl4Ve9qM0HvNLudgA5jG80JejJa59TQTsphtJzGkfFU2lUGsAMpk84k09s4KUDkUSDExxNQ7PxtbKnM57CPiFPQlfbM8PFGROwUWQM_iLWTO4pvsdv6/s200/po01.jpg" border="0" /></a> A nice pre-season fixture which started out as a trip to see Weymouth play Orient, but which had to be changed at the last minute to a visit to Portland after the Weymouth match was postponed for three hours due to the Orient coach being stuck on the motoroway.<br /><br /><br /><div><div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy3542x3tbY6K1i5T3wD6Mw01wy_IzXuwvaMRR6L9RA5YP1BH2Pnk4ERzjK1EUVfy4WRY7-BStkKBef7V8sX4SKm8x_d_koXwtox34JNahAwcJV3OUI84c_drKxVRux8gfEqeE8aX-rJDU/s1600-h/po02.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5099982969363210546" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy3542x3tbY6K1i5T3wD6Mw01wy_IzXuwvaMRR6L9RA5YP1BH2Pnk4ERzjK1EUVfy4WRY7-BStkKBef7V8sX4SKm8x_d_koXwtox34JNahAwcJV3OUI84c_drKxVRux8gfEqeE8aX-rJDU/s200/po02.jpg" border="0" /></a>The best picture (action shot) was taken by Groundblogger's daughter...</div></div></div>John Stonemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16075790973145505724noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8508205868308966785.post-64499549520516104782007-07-18T21:43:00.000+00:002007-07-19T09:30:13.956+00:0017/07/2007 - Farnborough 5 Barnet 1<div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKhqpOGdXjWXjmzyqySfGOkkojhQCriCcul682fpvC29wla_wOggknj9mXmUy6Xbl6LuvNnMCOPtuNnhtAbpZZrVnZtxhCcakOq7k6O8Bzo4jgN-u_RGJApqZpdfPNrD5cS1NuvQ0-hW80/s1600-h/img01004.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5088666786194822946" style="margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; float: left;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKhqpOGdXjWXjmzyqySfGOkkojhQCriCcul682fpvC29wla_wOggknj9mXmUy6Xbl6LuvNnMCOPtuNnhtAbpZZrVnZtxhCcakOq7k6O8Bzo4jgN-u_RGJApqZpdfPNrD5cS1NuvQ0-hW80/s320/img01004.jpg" border="0" /></a>The last time I saw Ian Hendon playing football was in a Romford Schools seven-a-side tournament.<div><div><div><div><div><div> </div><br /><div>As I recall, although this is going back 20 odd years, Hendon was sent off when playing against us and horrible irks that we were at the time we jeered at him and made him cry.</div><div> </div><br /><div>And I suspect he would have wept at the performance put in by the Barnet team he skippered in this pre-season friendly at Farnborough as the League Two side went down 5-1 to their Southern One South West hosts.<br /><br /></div><div> </div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTUD7ejsciqF6ECgHhltijFHfj48BBdm3_dcKnKLuqBX5I_aTmp2U-O6m70YwMDunwD2rJ7FFNNj-n5d8dmXW0CjHErVUaQ9Ju0nuptCFJpV3DMUAKA5qimodVRHEfy_CcAiio4l2uxIQ3/s1600-h/fa01.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5088656383784031922" style="margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px; float: right;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTUD7ejsciqF6ECgHhltijFHfj48BBdm3_dcKnKLuqBX5I_aTmp2U-O6m70YwMDunwD2rJ7FFNNj-n5d8dmXW0CjHErVUaQ9Ju0nuptCFJpV3DMUAKA5qimodVRHEfy_CcAiio4l2uxIQ3/s320/fa01.jpg" border="0" /></a><div>My first outing of the 2007/08 season - just two months since I saw Braintree defeated in the Conference South play-off final - was made all the more interesting by watching Hendon turning out.</div><div> </div><br /><div>He is assistant manager at Barnet and is the last man standing (playing) in league football from all of the people in my school year group that I ever played against in junior football.</div> <div> </div><br /><div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpZkBz2aqgWKzArcd-ZAhyphenhyphen85UBv6FOHJWQ92_a0Dp3HkBx08bI45p0PEDnKXgUoil9WOeGbXEUCiKFcCTE7vaxSkEmcNh4yUdfZDJn0ilmdiQHkWaANGYbAH7k2DMbimG1t5ZgLfa4NqmI/s1600-h/fa06.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5088656942129780418" style="margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; float: left;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpZkBz2aqgWKzArcd-ZAhyphenhyphen85UBv6FOHJWQ92_a0Dp3HkBx08bI45p0PEDnKXgUoil9WOeGbXEUCiKFcCTE7vaxSkEmcNh4yUdfZDJn0ilmdiQHkWaANGYbAH7k2DMbimG1t5ZgLfa4NqmI/s320/fa06.jpg" border="0" /></a></div> It made me reflect on what has happened in the near 30 years since we were under-8s playing in the Echo League in Essex for our respective teams.</div><div> </div><br /><div>Hendon looked as fit as the proverbial butcher's dog, lean from a career of professional sport and tanned from a summer break no doubt spent on the beach.</div><div> </div><br /><div>I was pale and a bit flabby, wrapped up in a jacket concerned that despite this being July, I might get a bit chilly standing on the touchlines. Still there you go.</div><div> </div><br /><div>Despite my weather worries, this was actually a very pleasant evening's entertainment.The match was Farnborough's first as a ressurected team and I had the pleasure of capturing their first ever goal which broke the deadlock shortly into the first half.</div><div> </div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCKWDhLAnVQddunkBjWiZ95nJPP9TMF_pLsX92XyXAvzhqdpBf2KIYnXdIcMEsxmp9za7FBRjvasEIzsoDei9DlT_fdQBSWODEYU9S0FW7AeaC-8JDGrenZdNIaG6uDCNRiuqBc73saeLm/s1600-h/fa05.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5088657925677291218" style="margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px; float: right;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCKWDhLAnVQddunkBjWiZ95nJPP9TMF_pLsX92XyXAvzhqdpBf2KIYnXdIcMEsxmp9za7FBRjvasEIzsoDei9DlT_fdQBSWODEYU9S0FW7AeaC-8JDGrenZdNIaG6uDCNRiuqBc73saeLm/s320/fa05.jpg" border="0" /></a>A Farnborough forward found himself in space on the right wing and crossed low to Jermaine Hamilton who looped the ball over the despairing grasp of the Barnet custodian to register the first notch under the new regime.</div><div> </div><br /><div>Hamilton added a second shortly before half time which had the league opposition scratching their heads and muttering to themselves that pre-season doesn't count.</div><div> </div><br /><div>Farnborough had a complete change of personnel at half time and the goals kept on coming.</div><div> </div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuXcbqf_k-usSEULwjb0JN2xw3e33JfV2fF_Tl8dwRFoqPtAcno7cgOZHdPTmnuA7pqSjVUW0s0OVxzApW3eRFI7_bjcm42HTJdaOil-CEAT1hmF3aMCkNa3YSqEYXn_rGy2png1nEfIXd/s1600-h/fa02.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5088658814735521538" style="margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; float: left;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuXcbqf_k-usSEULwjb0JN2xw3e33JfV2fF_Tl8dwRFoqPtAcno7cgOZHdPTmnuA7pqSjVUW0s0OVxzApW3eRFI7_bjcm42HTJdaOil-CEAT1hmF3aMCkNa3YSqEYXn_rGy2png1nEfIXd/s320/fa02.jpg" border="0" /></a>The third was added by a tricky Farnborough winger Darren Campbell who defied his size to out jump that man Hendon to nod home a cross. </div><div> </div><br /><div>I was tempted to try and make Hendon cry again, but maybe this picture will do the trick. Jump man, jump.</div><br /><div> </div><div>The fourth was the goal of the game, a looping header from Warren Coborne who connected while travelling at speed away from the goal.</div><div> </div><br /><div>Barnet got one back after a defensive mix up from the home side, but the home fans went home delighted by a fifth Farnborough goal from Mark Green right on the final whistle.</div><div> </div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1_HqT-HZiqSipu-dWlB46DXPC1RlCklRgZuH6N7wdZWVBaBQg-oHWbnldqi4Rl3PCfFymODMzlF_80KEjIw68OZx9mgVwjlpSOP0xqrxHeDD-eaEy1rBhYcYA5d4UPDGqoyEOlEb7Sx6p/s1600-h/fa07.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5088659020893951762" style="margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px; float: right;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1_HqT-HZiqSipu-dWlB46DXPC1RlCklRgZuH6N7wdZWVBaBQg-oHWbnldqi4Rl3PCfFymODMzlF_80KEjIw68OZx9mgVwjlpSOP0xqrxHeDD-eaEy1rBhYcYA5d4UPDGqoyEOlEb7Sx6p/s320/fa07.jpg" border="0" /></a>Also of interest for me in the match was an appearance for Barnet by Ludovic Quistin playing at left back who I had last seen playing for Harlow against Flackwell Heath back in January.</div><div> </div><br /><div>Quistin scored two excellent goals playing as a striker for Harlow in a 7-0 gubbing and I'd marked him as a prospect in a report to my dad.</div><br /><div> </div><div>Good to see I can spot them, perhaps I ought to ask Hendon for a scouting role...</div><br /></div></div></div></div></div></div>John Stonemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16075790973145505724noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8508205868308966785.post-85563353089328204592007-05-28T09:12:00.000+00:002007-05-28T11:00:02.366+00:0013/05/2007 - Braintree Town 0 Salisbury City 1<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5069558090135579170" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrk3yOXTOpVkUVX1OctHXCcuPw5JZz1fFsUwTfmmaINNex3uQb2rwXiD0dz3ZDfnzlMaFzTVTjsQkQLEyhVHuxwqDkMGsyH1j7sB6wtpNgF-iwoD-OaVXpX2sXT7pr3D6C-22KZ1QjjPat/s200/img002.jpg" border="0" />My final game of the 2007 season was the Nationwide Conference South playoff final between Braintree Town and Salisbury City, which was played at Stevenage Borough's Broadhall Way Stadium.<br /><br /><div>This was the second play off final that I've ever attended, the first being the Division One playoff between Leicester City and Derby County at the old Wembley back in 1994. </div><div> </div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div>Derby had taken the lead in that one before Leicester equalised just before the break, and I left the stadium at half time.</div><div> </div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirN8auKtTi9sQGV8dsw4dVMw8eYfX_MY_fyuabkV3hjHFmYrUC5Yn0IaUHgh1nTpp7g3xKwscMrXRU7eSiOUMzjuAyoONHh9r1WJnR6I8CJF0HXGlv1y0q0a5gX0AJqCrVBLSAFVMyOpU4/s1600-h/sb01.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5069558433732962866" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirN8auKtTi9sQGV8dsw4dVMw8eYfX_MY_fyuabkV3hjHFmYrUC5Yn0IaUHgh1nTpp7g3xKwscMrXRU7eSiOUMzjuAyoONHh9r1WJnR6I8CJF0HXGlv1y0q0a5gX0AJqCrVBLSAFVMyOpU4/s200/sb01.jpg" border="0" /></a>I knew the result was going to go the wrong way and I couldn't face the prospect of the Wembley traffic jams when we had lost.</div><div></div><div></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL2TZIpBF_31r2W075XOUwD-BWGyxGMoH-c8UM5nPc0wsULHj6nzURVmxYXPJf1x53IBgBFxmsCe9KhG8qV4H_tvJUCvjTKxPLdjS5DXnpHrrKMj-PJbjQcEV16O7NjEc1_eHx4a7bZkT9/s1600-h/sb02.jpg"></a> </div><div></div><div>I'm not proud of myself, but there you go.</div><div> </div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL2TZIpBF_31r2W075XOUwD-BWGyxGMoH-c8UM5nPc0wsULHj6nzURVmxYXPJf1x53IBgBFxmsCe9KhG8qV4H_tvJUCvjTKxPLdjS5DXnpHrrKMj-PJbjQcEV16O7NjEc1_eHx4a7bZkT9/s1600-h/sb02.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5069558669956164162" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL2TZIpBF_31r2W075XOUwD-BWGyxGMoH-c8UM5nPc0wsULHj6nzURVmxYXPJf1x53IBgBFxmsCe9KhG8qV4H_tvJUCvjTKxPLdjS5DXnpHrrKMj-PJbjQcEV16O7NjEc1_eHx4a7bZkT9/s200/sb02.jpg" border="0" /></a></div>And just like that match this was an agonising affair which ultimately ended in the wrong result as far as I was concerned. I'd had that sinking feeling for most of the day and half decided not to go.</div><div></div><div></div><div> </div><div></div><div> </div><div>But in the end I went for it, partly because it was a tick, and partly because I hoped I couldn't be a playoff loser twice.</div><br /><div><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5069559159582435922" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgaG8hivoo7nfdNuDDUZdFLTlXtaf0Ha0d7jaH-0NCIGb1AtPFx6dG8EEsTjCwgeiLb1GX_ZMAlulAeKUAJEaxaTGOWIi5C9hAUcfZEx7_xjpVt8M15sYgpLqJCGGBCpqk-kt_RBJuslfl/s200/sb06.jpg" border="0" /></div>But lo and behold, Salisbury picked up the one-nil victory which secured them Conference football next season and Braintree saw all their effort disappear having arguably had the best chances of the match, particularly a shot from James Baker which squeezed past the wrong side of the upright.</div><div> </div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div>At that point, I knew.</div><div> </div><div></div><div></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhi7ebczVZ56_dOMFcZoFzqYykr-YR1nRzi4_BKI3_Xvbhc0db-GGdMPOA2LzL6LvrDceq1wuyMsZHeDwjJbWKT-DNf7x-LNYueqJ9ZLHI7QeVJOLHQow0PGRKk7fxX4yUCBdRGf6pdnsd/s1600-h/sb04.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5069559370035833442" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhi7ebczVZ56_dOMFcZoFzqYykr-YR1nRzi4_BKI3_Xvbhc0db-GGdMPOA2LzL6LvrDceq1wuyMsZHeDwjJbWKT-DNf7x-LNYueqJ9ZLHI7QeVJOLHQow0PGRKk7fxX4yUCBdRGf6pdnsd/s200/sb04.jpg" border="0" /></a>I thought about leaving, but it was only nil-nil and I didn't think I'd be stuck in any traffic despite the good sized crowd.</div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div> </div><div>Playoffs are football at their rawest, where the emotion is a hairline from euphoria to abject misery. And this match was played in that vein.</div><div></div><div></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpAPgT_BmPFp4vQjUCq3K_LjW-7Uvy1uQxpghJrp8Tw9kFqmxeAMTk1pY1MVllA0oLW7r3nZ84I-smKmiwmx0jC8GhRb0iNxc4iBEGFMRFXRI2rRpYFPvt_Ezn2Bud6XMaVVilhnvSXaF5/s1600-h/sb07.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5069559662093609586" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpAPgT_BmPFp4vQjUCq3K_LjW-7Uvy1uQxpghJrp8Tw9kFqmxeAMTk1pY1MVllA0oLW7r3nZ84I-smKmiwmx0jC8GhRb0iNxc4iBEGFMRFXRI2rRpYFPvt_Ezn2Bud6XMaVVilhnvSXaF5/s200/sb07.jpg" border="0" /></a></div><div> </div><div>I didn't get the impression that either team was happy to go out, stamp their domination on the tie and demand victory.</div><div></div><div></div><div> </div><div>Both sets of players were too concerned about making a mistake.<br /></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxV56eN5ihRUMIVQKEUTLu-rdM1YfqeKFkUVb5P9EiEN9gsbnTodhR2TVhrlaKtBJNsv5Kh3NepEsR3nuZH-nibmsg3rxowV4BeRuYCgMiIRu2BOJq8V0VRvediHp7V0GiFlIP5VfqmD0b/s1600-h/sb03.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5069561839642028674" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxV56eN5ihRUMIVQKEUTLu-rdM1YfqeKFkUVb5P9EiEN9gsbnTodhR2TVhrlaKtBJNsv5Kh3NepEsR3nuZH-nibmsg3rxowV4BeRuYCgMiIRu2BOJq8V0VRvediHp7V0GiFlIP5VfqmD0b/s200/sb03.jpg" border="0" /></a></div><div></div><div>Unfortunately it was the Iron that made the mistake.</div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div> </div><div>The Salisbury goal came in the last ten minutes, one of those breakaways from a slack loss of possession in the City half which left me shutting my eyes, praying that if I didn't watch it, it wouldn't go in.</div><br /><div></div><div></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2A86JeWnLBcdMJmpQpcyo3wDiU5XoJ-lxDvV-AipjQ7A2a2HUnIUqQ6VzcbUONFhiyDrjng0cHzSeuRcV1ihifw6RyOOUQZTYLrbLrUJZ4e2OZYggARt2g6GnuiE6j894rCguftCbLy0R/s1600-h/sb10.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5069562260548823698" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2A86JeWnLBcdMJmpQpcyo3wDiU5XoJ-lxDvV-AipjQ7A2a2HUnIUqQ6VzcbUONFhiyDrjng0cHzSeuRcV1ihifw6RyOOUQZTYLrbLrUJZ4e2OZYggARt2g6GnuiE6j894rCguftCbLy0R/s200/sb10.jpg" border="0" /></a>I'd like to write more about the Stevenage Borough ground, but frankly I didn't pay it too much attention being swept up in the event.</div><div></div><div></div><div> </div><div>Anyway the pictures show about as much as I saw...</div>John Stonemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16075790973145505724noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8508205868308966785.post-87175469006854882502007-04-03T14:58:00.000+00:002007-04-04T07:37:48.054+00:0002/04/2007 - Fisher Athletic 3 Braintree Town 0<div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimWz5i-7AhYav6SCXpjERjIoXRnJpAMKZe8wtIdHCcffsQfgGCyYPRsNE8YLxZzbQvpMHfsiiThaeT-Z2KrNPDoPnHWk07RcZCe7WJneWwl-l4e06711VQDB0mQKikVMSfNUXNwIX3I3Zp/s1600-h/img001.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5049216779084495746" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimWz5i-7AhYav6SCXpjERjIoXRnJpAMKZe8wtIdHCcffsQfgGCyYPRsNE8YLxZzbQvpMHfsiiThaeT-Z2KrNPDoPnHWk07RcZCe7WJneWwl-l4e06711VQDB0mQKikVMSfNUXNwIX3I3Zp/s200/img001.jpg" border="0" /></a>This should have been an ideal trip. A six-mile journey from the office in Fulham to Dulwich, a double tick as both Conference South Fisher and Ryman South Dulwich Hamlet share this Champion Hill ground and a reacquaintance with The Fish, a team which I had a bit of a thing for in the 1980s when I visited the Surrey Docks stadium a couple of times.<br /><br />But it didn't quite go to plan.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXfe6gWFh1HTjvx1u0RW9QP7a0mifubRfyXVuPgFnZoPqPe2F6gkPQ_3TmKBMDxXMi4zofcl_ok8EqgTd3HWdgdLrePOobEZuFnbiGzWRmODbuH6PR7M_o53_4yQ-5u7Hc7JiHVA_hgrI-/s1600-h/dul03.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5049467545657071634" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXfe6gWFh1HTjvx1u0RW9QP7a0mifubRfyXVuPgFnZoPqPe2F6gkPQ_3TmKBMDxXMi4zofcl_ok8EqgTd3HWdgdLrePOobEZuFnbiGzWRmODbuH6PR7M_o53_4yQ-5u7Hc7JiHVA_hgrI-/s200/dul03.jpg" border="0" /></a>I set off from Fulham at about 6pm, and was safely in the car park of the Sainsbury's superstore which sits adjacent to the Dulwich Hamlet ground at around 6.45... 45 minutes to do six miles, that's London rush hour traffic for you.<br /><br />Still that left me with an hour before kick off to take in the ambience of a night on Champion Hill. The ground is well developed with a first class grandstand on one side and a functional stand on the far side, while outside there are sweeping views from one of London's high spots (vertically-speaking).<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj-xQUqhqw-EUZg4UNYa0lUXg561aqJerDJzAIXuDVdrwcBE3LZ3KgfIv7K5-mxwOMnnuDcxPBBY-FPrSNQHWrmuN8o-OzM3uo8-9iOfQVn3miRhB-mre8SaTqg4vIJiH8AYSr7x7FTZYu/s1600-h/dul01.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5049467734635632674" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj-xQUqhqw-EUZg4UNYa0lUXg561aqJerDJzAIXuDVdrwcBE3LZ3KgfIv7K5-mxwOMnnuDcxPBBY-FPrSNQHWrmuN8o-OzM3uo8-9iOfQVn3miRhB-mre8SaTqg4vIJiH8AYSr7x7FTZYu/s200/dul01.jpg" border="0" /></a>When I arrived Braintree were out on the pitch warming up while Iron supremo George Borg stalked around the proceedings keeping an eye on his side.<br /><br />I took some photos and then ventured up to the bar to sample a quick Guinness before the match kicked off and that's when it occured to me that I had more than a touch of emotional attachment to this game. I'd brought the 'lucky' Braintree hat, and found myself gravitating to the Braintree fans standing behind the Fisher goal, and frankly was quite anxious for a Braintree win.<br /><br />And with the emotional involvement comes the irrationality of fandom. The ebb and flow of the game becomes a rollercoaster of optimism and anxiety. The outcome of refereeing decisions lose the indifference of impartiality. Every challenge is felt, every misplaced pass vexes and the tauntings of the opposition fans become a personal attack on your psyche.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0gRcU4p8zjhVE_0Z9vRBhLuQMgEQosO9ec4KelFFlhMWsMVA__hoPaiunIzplnl5A06WF__ix_FvYg6z13sLOqpzbHZDO3MekhLxvWruj_1JCu1Sesf9IlWu-JHjoo2BFaNQ1-xZECSAg/s1600-h/dul02.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5049467927909161010" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0gRcU4p8zjhVE_0Z9vRBhLuQMgEQosO9ec4KelFFlhMWsMVA__hoPaiunIzplnl5A06WF__ix_FvYg6z13sLOqpzbHZDO3MekhLxvWruj_1JCu1Sesf9IlWu-JHjoo2BFaNQ1-xZECSAg/s200/dul02.jpg" border="0" /></a> Added to that, when you let one in just before half time you get the right hump.<br /><br />Unfortunately this is exactly what happened in a first half which was played at a frantic pace, and was arguably the best quality match I have seen this year.<br /><br />Braintree were working hard but lacked that killer edge in the last third. Any half chances that were available to Hawes, Brayley and Ofori were fluffed, muffed or offside.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx8qDPanoUXokSquKowebMzgASLwdoFQ-_RpYfVbtauU8Xb4ICsPA51PKsAEzz-Wn6Sk1Mg0ov6hox_4kee8KH6wsDz_zwxMOFMKyPHiv3Tuykxl2W53XlkMHhN4CBAFkJSYZ-tgCMNYjR/s1600-h/dul04.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5049468271506544706" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx8qDPanoUXokSquKowebMzgASLwdoFQ-_RpYfVbtauU8Xb4ICsPA51PKsAEzz-Wn6Sk1Mg0ov6hox_4kee8KH6wsDz_zwxMOFMKyPHiv3Tuykxl2W53XlkMHhN4CBAFkJSYZ-tgCMNYjR/s200/dul04.jpg" border="0" /></a>Fisher, particularly their back four, were working even harder and their passing was crisper.<br /><br />In the 42nd minute, it was another one of those times when you could see an inevitable goal unfolding in front of you, only in this game Braintree were on the wrong end, as Fisher's Gavin Tomlin drilled home from close range after a bit of penalty box pin-ball.<br /><br />Borg was understandably annoyed to be going in 1-0 down and he sent the Iron out early for the second half. Unfortunately he forgot to tell them to start playing early in the second half and after 26 seconds of the restart Tomlin found himself through on the right hand side with just Nick Morgan to beat, which he did with applomb.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZpCe0jOuxPBqC_PsZG6mHuSakc907c4q5x3XYAglFGZ2JuthuDpiUzWoTJN7d0BFf2DTEU8Yj9NITK0-KJgWvQiuFRHizKK2NKKs4fOb63zKONTlFEP5gzwU8LbxuAX05X63Cbu10qnym/s1600-h/dul05.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5049468542089484370" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZpCe0jOuxPBqC_PsZG6mHuSakc907c4q5x3XYAglFGZ2JuthuDpiUzWoTJN7d0BFf2DTEU8Yj9NITK0-KJgWvQiuFRHizKK2NKKs4fOb63zKONTlFEP5gzwU8LbxuAX05X63Cbu10qnym/s200/dul05.jpg" border="0" /></a>I was rueing my emotional attachment at this point but in the spirit of every club I have ever followed, I started to pass from denial to acceptance. You just can't win them all. The lucky hat will need to be charged with some more mojo.<br /><br />The Iron were looking bemused, like a team unfamiliar with being outplayed, but every Fisher pass was well placed, every challenge was crisp and the loose balls were all bouncing to the black and white shirts.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuBZG6zZ0NhvHHnzgkuwgL-ZglEmqAwdKR1og0QWKUXu446K9IlOCtTZ2EOXRc7YaOSEdYY-gMxyd_MXL5mQraF7c7AO-97SzVm8fQ233r2uIMGvl1R6jO0YV7L6JBl_nWLh31eyji-0lu/s1600-h/dul07.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5049468988766083170" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuBZG6zZ0NhvHHnzgkuwgL-ZglEmqAwdKR1og0QWKUXu446K9IlOCtTZ2EOXRc7YaOSEdYY-gMxyd_MXL5mQraF7c7AO-97SzVm8fQ233r2uIMGvl1R6jO0YV7L6JBl_nWLh31eyji-0lu/s200/dul07.jpg" border="0" /></a>But the visitors had a couple of chances to get back in the game the best arguably when Ofori's short range shot was blocked by the Fisher goalkeeper, and two penalty appeals, one which was very handball-ish and the other a push on James Baker as he lined up to shoot.<br /><br />But still the Fish dominated and on 74 minutes a home corner was beautifully volleyed home by Anthony Sinclair.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUmxB2PpItzXHtftduap7pcqhcdAUmWi7sXFULQSdoJ68nGtHUYPsXBw4H1yagu4DMlfIonrgBpkBPB5pFpo4qjBUCyEoW1vnYywb7BswnS8b5TohDUN1R3BDVEawNTuTfNEm1sUSddwxT/s1600-h/DSC_0026.JPG"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9ltNOUjHXqloTuDqQU48P78KMd2xXWKS0spnUBRc9YTh9uPAYlYL846hihjGX7ik0bEInZRP98H7WgschvqnIhAyoMTu7P6u8tIDhQlGlEHuawNuCrbQbcjePuMo8TTgHrJ86cGK0ayu4/s1600-h/dul06.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5049473837784160386" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9ltNOUjHXqloTuDqQU48P78KMd2xXWKS0spnUBRc9YTh9uPAYlYL846hihjGX7ik0bEInZRP98H7WgschvqnIhAyoMTu7P6u8tIDhQlGlEHuawNuCrbQbcjePuMo8TTgHrJ86cGK0ayu4/s200/dul06.jpg" border="0" /></a>So that left 16-long minutes as Braintree toiled in vain knowing that there was no way back against the dominant homesters, while the Iron faithful, me included, just stood there and endured.<br /><br />Still like I said, a double tick, and just over an hour to get home from Dulwich to Braintree and I recognised and had a quick chat with Jon Weaver, the author of Grounds of Rural/Metropolitan Essex, but overall a night flattened by the result.</div>John Stonemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16075790973145505724noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8508205868308966785.post-771934763233180822007-04-01T11:23:00.000+00:002007-04-02T10:19:14.658+00:0031/03/2007 - Downton 2 Hamworthy United 2<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg713MRFstSrtv6lmm1ktHl0tw5zc7E8rdhFDYDgnXQPF7BgYETZoUJvuLGNmPQk52QiU3WfucEylRR9NjDhESJEWoA8n6IxFJxp_UHrYLKU0SmO05QLyPM_XNY9w4j8a0bMaI8yuEISx0m/s1600-h/downton001.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5048419083398544098" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg713MRFstSrtv6lmm1ktHl0tw5zc7E8rdhFDYDgnXQPF7BgYETZoUJvuLGNmPQk52QiU3WfucEylRR9NjDhESJEWoA8n6IxFJxp_UHrYLKU0SmO05QLyPM_XNY9w4j8a0bMaI8yuEISx0m/s200/downton001.jpg" border="0" /></a>A weekend down on the south coast saw the Groundblogger (and father) make the 35 minute journey from Poole to Downton to watch the Robins take on Hamworthy United in a Wessex Premier mid-table clash.<br /><br />The journey to the village of Downton was very straight forward and we arrived at the ground which abuts a sports centre at around 2.15pm.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaI53e31pRQM04ey1_v0-0dcYnf0KQm-McXZQnmbf5rYBAQ9_8KBS2P-CdZsyYDuUKRG1L5NIpbDisLF58Tc9r1vMQRBnBG0JR4M9uo1Q9YLPJnsgSrPwd59sOT4XeVzTN60c4Z1fjl_Ej/s1600-h/dow02.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5048768290009512690" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaI53e31pRQM04ey1_v0-0dcYnf0KQm-McXZQnmbf5rYBAQ9_8KBS2P-CdZsyYDuUKRG1L5NIpbDisLF58Tc9r1vMQRBnBG0JR4M9uo1Q9YLPJnsgSrPwd59sOT4XeVzTN60c4Z1fjl_Ej/s200/dow02.jpg" border="0" /></a>Downton is a pretty ground entered by a turnstile at the top corner of the home straight with a bar and changing rooms complex on one side ahead of a low grandstand.<br /><br />With 45 minutes before the kick off we slipped into the bar for a quick refreshment and a peruse of the programme which took all of 45 seconds.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1aUFqxczc4BaJw9QdmUjDkBDrg2MpADT8M4Ia-254wnMoG0Fz5WekkiNAzBgDUOP_GIfO9K-oG6iocUv7LPrSzI3snvYmHfVktt6gsRA9zZ9njZ4BfXD2GjZd7Pi1N-oIn5na2HMqB5Is/s1600-h/dow03.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5048768457513237250" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1aUFqxczc4BaJw9QdmUjDkBDrg2MpADT8M4Ia-254wnMoG0Fz5WekkiNAzBgDUOP_GIfO9K-oG6iocUv7LPrSzI3snvYmHfVktt6gsRA9zZ9njZ4BfXD2GjZd7Pi1N-oIn5na2HMqB5Is/s200/dow03.jpg" border="0" /></a>The bar itself closed at about 2.45pm and did not reopen until 4.30pm so the match was punctuated by trips to the snack bar for hot drinks at half time to drive out a brisk wind which drove across the pitch and led to some swirling high balls.<br /><br />The Robins, resplendent in their red shirts, have had a difficult season trading in the lower reaches of the table although not in any danger of relegation.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4Pv6vbmpVUJJ3jLkP8PbJ_RqI1S9QBoL6Md8xBSBVlcygW5ogRskUv2Xd2LAIupDuWC6tO_6D4eD0xDrX3tNTSZvOIEm5RAfXpMiYQyGH74hZEd4P8Wnd2hnIg8R5ttDU-z5fE25ZcmzI/s1600-h/dow04.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5048768685146503954" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4Pv6vbmpVUJJ3jLkP8PbJ_RqI1S9QBoL6Md8xBSBVlcygW5ogRskUv2Xd2LAIupDuWC6tO_6D4eD0xDrX3tNTSZvOIEm5RAfXpMiYQyGH74hZEd4P8Wnd2hnIg8R5ttDU-z5fE25ZcmzI/s200/dow04.jpg" border="0" /></a>The Hammers are only six points better off and notable only for the fact that their ground is just around the corner from Groundblogger's dad's house.<br /><br />This proximity led to the local knowledge that the visitors were putting out a slightly weakened team from normal, although if players were looking to take their chance in the first team you would not have known it. Give them the benefit of the doubt though and say that the conditions were making it hard to play.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitadmjL5bgTrmL-kET6fpZhTawoqqyloDml3Gsa6daVr6coI0uIM1qqMEf5YE5Uimu1evvRYDOLJXKwUqEGOYYyrHg-RNJsAJfGcEILiWPhqW677Et380Nae2KsTIeTO0Yf3edOgW6xF3n/s1600-h/dow05.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5048768848355261218" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitadmjL5bgTrmL-kET6fpZhTawoqqyloDml3Gsa6daVr6coI0uIM1qqMEf5YE5Uimu1evvRYDOLJXKwUqEGOYYyrHg-RNJsAJfGcEILiWPhqW677Et380Nae2KsTIeTO0Yf3edOgW6xF3n/s200/dow05.jpg" border="0" /></a>Downton's supremo in the dug out was justifiably miffed then 24 minutes in when an indecisive defensive header left the home custodian stranded allowing Keith Middleton to nip in and tuck it home for the opener.<br /><br />"We do it every week, we've had all the play and we've give away a stupid goal", was the cry from the dugout after the neat finish which was the high point of a low half.<br /><br />Middleton's contribution was virtually his last though as he limped off shortly after after a strong challenge in the middle of the park.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMj-JT6YrOkcrwRAOgTRLyz4n3Ot-Rpr30ij5RYGdPzOzkdDpL0ZhbxLXGjLNhoK9ha78juRqxKJqK1c7MYwXuRKJLiQ_lpbk2bfjd6uYbQuLeFU3-wIsWkD4H4PGWA7ZK4aKfk3QQ7W1S/s1600-h/dow06.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5048769393816107826" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMj-JT6YrOkcrwRAOgTRLyz4n3Ot-Rpr30ij5RYGdPzOzkdDpL0ZhbxLXGjLNhoK9ha78juRqxKJqK1c7MYwXuRKJLiQ_lpbk2bfjd6uYbQuLeFU3-wIsWkD4H4PGWA7ZK4aKfk3QQ7W1S/s200/dow06.jpg" border="0" /></a>Concerns that the match was not going to be worth a pleasant 35-minute drive in the country though were unfounded following a second half which had the competitive edge as the Robins attempted to stage a fightback, and a unique spot of ball retrieval involvoing a ladder and a concerned-looking groundsman.<br /><br />This followed a peach of a free kick from outside the box by Hammers' Michael Hubbard on 59 minutes which had seemed to put the match beyond the homesters.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHzuRj52YLscvZNCLa3zj9lH4KddYs-o-r9mwR2_Tn2JIvk09SQc56954UcQ1rGjNX4yMKbOUNJAjaU5ndGcntOLejs94l0iSNklXG0WAVu00t1NH7hZDNH7LBPdmKYiZz4wmA8M3mBWro/s1600-h/dow07.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5048769698758785858" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHzuRj52YLscvZNCLa3zj9lH4KddYs-o-r9mwR2_Tn2JIvk09SQc56954UcQ1rGjNX4yMKbOUNJAjaU5ndGcntOLejs94l0iSNklXG0WAVu00t1NH7hZDNH7LBPdmKYiZz4wmA8M3mBWro/s200/dow07.jpg" border="0" /></a>But the game was spun on its head by a moment of madness from the Hammers' goalkeeper Nick Hutchings.<br /><br />A good through ball from Downton saw one of the strikers through on goal although off to the left hand side of the penalty box and while he concentrated on slipping it past the onrushing Hutchings, the Hammers' keeper concentrated on a bodycheck which would have been more effective on an ice hockey rink.<br /><br />The shot went wide but Hutchings found his mark and left the referee with no hesitation in pointing at the penalty spot.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9IhcuLUCbZTT6Y1CoctoWThHmJYarhZL-dihkztOF2H8Ht-L0wuIL5uekNnG1du0t_ghGNHWNza7BNpx6NExdWv53ojLiEn1Afp2TF6Fm1rnUYdRhMMoa9v4H6By28n2G6A6Z5pGh3Sei/s1600-h/dow08.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5048770029471267666" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9IhcuLUCbZTT6Y1CoctoWThHmJYarhZL-dihkztOF2H8Ht-L0wuIL5uekNnG1du0t_ghGNHWNza7BNpx6NExdWv53ojLiEn1Afp2TF6Fm1rnUYdRhMMoa9v4H6By28n2G6A6Z5pGh3Sei/s200/dow08.jpg" border="0" /></a>Hutchings was sent off and Downton's Kev Thick coolly slotted home. 1-2 and game, as they say, on.<br /><br />Being down to 10 men, Hammers reorganised and set out on a defensive footing. And although Downton huffed and puffed they could not blow the visitors down.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtPG8gdc4rHCQVoqfu0rCqz7zg-RZahDYWAAw-ZYY4_5lwK03VBGlMA8D65YOUvYEyRV17TqDBdX9xynv8Np2gS0GB23feaM_WZ-qdEVqJNm9Dvm-Y7JMZF-sINGcOWReS0HV3rwkZRIHE/s1600-h/dow09.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5048770858399955810" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtPG8gdc4rHCQVoqfu0rCqz7zg-RZahDYWAAw-ZYY4_5lwK03VBGlMA8D65YOUvYEyRV17TqDBdX9xynv8Np2gS0GB23feaM_WZ-qdEVqJNm9Dvm-Y7JMZF-sINGcOWReS0HV3rwkZRIHE/s200/dow09.jpg" border="0" /></a>It took two moments of real class to orchaestrate the equaliser in the 86th minute, firstly a splendid cross right into the danger zone of the visitors' penalty box and then a clipped shot over the outcoming keeper by Thick for his and his team's second.<br /><br />Downton then scented blood and went looking for the winner and they did have the ball in the net in injury time but unfortunately the ball was attached to the keeper's hand when it and he were bundled in.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX-seMLNYH7CBAZBTQ5bzJmWvAoH7ykv7zl_e1ddLn7c8iNfkcdis12ayQ6DlnjWaL9kIg4b7f3gkW01azjmiUoGU05CiuXv8pFVeu3BV2dTpRKFwiq0OrQSDHOQ3eagsTdAH4Hld8Ggml/s1600-h/dow10.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5048771021608713074" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX-seMLNYH7CBAZBTQ5bzJmWvAoH7ykv7zl_e1ddLn7c8iNfkcdis12ayQ6DlnjWaL9kIg4b7f3gkW01azjmiUoGU05CiuXv8pFVeu3BV2dTpRKFwiq0OrQSDHOQ3eagsTdAH4Hld8Ggml/s200/dow10.jpg" border="0" /></a>After the final whistle there was a brief scare when Radio Five Live announced that Barnsley had scored a late goal at Oakdale but the Rams held a two-goal lead and held on for the three points while undoubtedly the Hammers committee would have returned to Poole slightly miffed that they had not managed to.John Stonemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16075790973145505724noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8508205868308966785.post-30427440823428516272007-03-30T08:46:00.001+00:002008-09-08T19:37:49.520+00:0027/03/2007 - Braintree Town 2 Welling United 1<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoKciqMkyxvpaKpkIs3SKEgxm2PnggEyjkfpxDU4DftSf-viFrlWSay2XOedQpV48nuYD0llOjtLqEJjtw9d8URSISSbq02e8-gtg1WibHAUNsFQmUVaz_80_-tImAqIFJ9tuXwiNOX0SK/s1600-h/img011.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5047636467342768770" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoKciqMkyxvpaKpkIs3SKEgxm2PnggEyjkfpxDU4DftSf-viFrlWSay2XOedQpV48nuYD0llOjtLqEJjtw9d8URSISSbq02e8-gtg1WibHAUNsFQmUVaz_80_-tImAqIFJ9tuXwiNOX0SK/s200/img011.jpg" border="0" /></a>Back to Cressing Road for my first match in 17 days, first match spectating that is. The reason for my lengthy absence from the touchline is because I've been venturing over it in previous weeks, turning out for Braintree & Bocking United who ply their trade in the <a href="http://www.midessex.com/">Mid Essex League Division Two</a>.<br /><br />However, as it wasn't my turn to take Eden football training on Tuesday night I decided to slip up to Braintree Town to watch the Iron take on Welling in a top end of the Conference South table clash.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx0keMqj7-j3_xkSBng5JqaHwX6r8tZzgvI4_KLsL6cnuSa3t9hFkpziZjOIYM_CsBYGYBxPNWCIEj6HY3YrVpR7lDEq4Y4b4kS8Psv_0wZB8fgnTTdD5h5WhSU9kSx181uVqaeGYQnNyW/s1600-h/bra01.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5047654334406720162" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx0keMqj7-j3_xkSBng5JqaHwX6r8tZzgvI4_KLsL6cnuSa3t9hFkpziZjOIYM_CsBYGYBxPNWCIEj6HY3YrVpR7lDEq4Y4b4kS8Psv_0wZB8fgnTTdD5h5WhSU9kSx181uVqaeGYQnNyW/s200/bra01.jpg" border="0" /></a>Cressing Road is continuing its metamorphosis. The grandstand has been doubled in size as you can see in the before and after picture, and the floodlighting has been vastly improved.<br /><br />At one point in the match I got talking with the Braintree Chairman Lee Harding and told him that the light was not bright enough for my camera to take sharp shots, then had to explain to him that this was a fault of the camera not of the floodlights when he took offence to my comment.<br /><br /><hr /><strong><span style="font-family:georgia;"><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;">Advert</span>:</span></strong> <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/redirect.html?ie=UTF8&location=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.co.uk%2FBraintree-Town-F-C-s-Cressing-Stadium%2Fdp%2F0952943506%2F&tag=groundblogger-21&linkCode=ur2&camp=1634&creative=6738"><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;">Braintree Town F.C.'s Cressing Road Stadium: A 75 Year History </span></a><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;"><img style="BORDER-RIGHT: medium none; BORDER-TOP: medium none; MARGIN: 0px; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; BORDER-BOTTOM: medium none" height="1" alt="" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.co.uk/e/ir?t=groundblogger-21&l=ur2&o=2" width="1" border="0" /></span><br /><hr /><br />Arriving at the ground at about 7.35pm we couldn't get a parking space in the main car park and had to leave it down a side road and then scoot in, just in time to see the two teams running out.<br /><br />This was a big clash in the Conference South play off race. Braintree went into it just behind Welling and outside of the play off group, but knowing that a win would take them into fourth, leapfrogging Bishops Stortford.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJHDI71p37Gr_S9Oi4x7pG_soKqTqU9zo0c8tDk9smUw-b1DLYhL1OU4KJscRIyewOdn0m1ZXHxKiCQo-XvS_VB1fNIXQ-1gtoJ-nX4QwpgxoMxoIzgkwJkxiT3_JZ4EkhqMdyHn46tKN6/s1600-h/bra02.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5047656039508736690" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJHDI71p37Gr_S9Oi4x7pG_soKqTqU9zo0c8tDk9smUw-b1DLYhL1OU4KJscRIyewOdn0m1ZXHxKiCQo-XvS_VB1fNIXQ-1gtoJ-nX4QwpgxoMxoIzgkwJkxiT3_JZ4EkhqMdyHn46tKN6/s200/bra02.jpg" border="0" /></a>And things got off to a terrible start when, despite me putting on my lucky Braintree Town hat, Welling took the lead just six minutes in with a beautifully taken free kick from James Day (11) which you can just see dipping into the top corner passed Braintree's man mountain keeper Nick Morgan.<br /><br />For those first ten minutes Braintree had actually looked like frightened rabbits and whether the goal woke them up, or led Welling to adopt a false sense of security, the remainder of the game played out very differently.<br />The Iron suddenly started to play and were immediately pressing the Kent team's goal. It was almost like watching two different matches. And on 14 minutes there was one of those great moments where you know a certain goal is unfolding in front of you.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjP_CZ7vxfCUd104Gd4J1TjSRBJIlQD9IiGmB-oE0QuzTYKRcREtlMJ9AVJs7anM9vfvK5mulyd6FT6WVJFNOSrPGAWJROLtYTxuU94kj73h0RNq8zceXJennPD3oJnSXwEgz_WobDoPrj/s1600-h/bra03.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5047665819149269698" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjP_CZ7vxfCUd104Gd4J1TjSRBJIlQD9IiGmB-oE0QuzTYKRcREtlMJ9AVJs7anM9vfvK5mulyd6FT6WVJFNOSrPGAWJROLtYTxuU94kj73h0RNq8zceXJennPD3oJnSXwEgz_WobDoPrj/s200/bra03.jpg" border="0" /></a>Eugene Ofori broke free from the Welling defence with the goalkeeper stranded in no man's land. His shot was stopped by a desperately covering Welling defender, but Bertie Brayley was on hand to slot home the equaliser.<br /><br />Barely had Welling caught their breath from that setback and the Iron were pressing forward again. A series of free kicks were conceded around the area and Brad Quinton lashed a fierce shot against an upright.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz8kPimfhZdX7VdMbIOBeDBIpnpsGyChgKw4NvtFE_IecmF8popHSON-yYYWzL_a4obC5-hQxy_pPNQf0WH3g0yLcFkdFlYjTBfR0xHAP8rN1URTGJb9b2FvMLrDatbPYYDDnm-R36W8PM/s1600-h/bra04.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5047667094754556626" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz8kPimfhZdX7VdMbIOBeDBIpnpsGyChgKw4NvtFE_IecmF8popHSON-yYYWzL_a4obC5-hQxy_pPNQf0WH3g0yLcFkdFlYjTBfR0xHAP8rN1URTGJb9b2FvMLrDatbPYYDDnm-R36W8PM/s200/bra04.jpg" border="0" /></a>Then shortly before half time, David Lee lofted a beautiful free kick into the box which was powered home by a superb Ofori header, which I got with the camera. Too bad the lights weren't bright enough to beat the blur... ;o)<br /><br />This was the first time that I had seen Lee in an Iron shirt, he was signed from Harlow Town earlier in the year and added real creativity to the Braintree midfield.<br /><br />But the absolute highlight of the game came in the second half, when Brayley tangled with the big Welling number five (Chris Moore?). There was obviously something which the dimunitive Brayley disagreed in the challenge as he promptly chinned Moore who crumpled like a sack of spuds right in front of us. Real David and Goliath stuff.<br /><br />The referee consulted both his linesman and none of the triumverate had seen it as it had been well off the ball. I couldn't have seen it more clearly!<br /><br />How we laughed as after consultation the referee bellowed: "Nothing there," and backward sprinted toward the halfway line in that manner that only men in black can.<br /><br /><br /><a href="http://groundblogger.blogspot.com/2007/02/06022007-braintree-town-kidderminster.html">24/02/2007 - Braintree Town 3 Dorchester Town 1</a><br /><a href="http://groundblogger.blogspot.com/2007/02/06022007-braintree-town-kidderminster.html">06/02/2007 - Braintree Town 1 Kidderminster Harriers 3</a>John Stonemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16075790973145505724noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8508205868308966785.post-46131662652418635952007-03-10T17:39:00.000+00:002007-03-13T15:11:14.869+00:0010/03/2007 - Witham Town 1 Enfield 0<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOxJehuy2QHiEamS2jZNxCzoLDAewtVTBwEWVrmQHuiDPn2LeRLOTFhFrC4WNEO10fGIegaQfmsfEGYgTFSyUhFcef7N6XqxBh8D3RkwiKdWeICVbceVHgvHCASpfW60j17rId8TjYllop/s1600-h/img010.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5040352120421246530" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOxJehuy2QHiEamS2jZNxCzoLDAewtVTBwEWVrmQHuiDPn2LeRLOTFhFrC4WNEO10fGIegaQfmsfEGYgTFSyUhFcef7N6XqxBh8D3RkwiKdWeICVbceVHgvHCASpfW60j17rId8TjYllop/s200/img010.jpg" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.eyemags.com/em/mag2.jsp?id=154"><img src="http://www.eyemags.com/em/res/web/emadd.gif" alt="Add Witham_V_Enfield EyeMag widget" border="0"></a> Download the pictures from this report to your mobile phone by clicking the link above.<br /><br />The match I originally wanted to see today was Hayes V Braintree. That finished 2-3 to the Iron.<br /><br />For reasons that will become apparent, I decided that it was too far away and so plumped for Thurrock V Dorchester Town. That finished 2-3 to the Magpies.<br /><br />Hmmm, not doing so well so far in picking the right match to go to.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxn2nx9hmihsO3HKOQXyUaaDzpDxKUkber3nNHOV2d-sy6LZWfWb4cuVG8aE9NRQwyGxGmj8iidSmbAFWfz4GuIf_765zt0YQ8HCPPxvZyQFfUVQcVtnDyYDe93kq2vf98urno-o-TWdey/s1600-h/wit01.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5040388296930780754" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxn2nx9hmihsO3HKOQXyUaaDzpDxKUkber3nNHOV2d-sy6LZWfWb4cuVG8aE9NRQwyGxGmj8iidSmbAFWfz4GuIf_765zt0YQ8HCPPxvZyQFfUVQcVtnDyYDe93kq2vf98urno-o-TWdey/s200/wit01.jpg" border="0" /></a>Unfortunately though, my destination from Braintree for any match didn't take place until 2.10pm and so I decided to revisit Witham's Spa Road (last seen in 1980) for a Ryman North clash with Enfield. That finished 1-0 to the homesters. Grrrrrr.<br /><br />The reason for my late departure was the customary clash between solitary pursuits and family responsibility, Vanessa had made it clear that this was Spring Cleaning The Garden weekend and the list of jobs were plentiful.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfuNQxppuECbZnW_3um4t8280adXD3ApAUzO-FId17h82PHAneKlGabs7FrRGNthQJ3YVpL2flI-yUbhLQ4q4rTH3G946pce3KeGjus1EXqftOSNQ98Ju3E7cJ0cs_HWU29R_EUv2-yV-A/s1600-h/wit03.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5040388546038883938" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfuNQxppuECbZnW_3um4t8280adXD3ApAUzO-FId17h82PHAneKlGabs7FrRGNthQJ3YVpL2flI-yUbhLQ4q4rTH3G946pce3KeGjus1EXqftOSNQ98Ju3E7cJ0cs_HWU29R_EUv2-yV-A/s200/wit03.jpg" border="0" /></a>So despite an 8.30am start on shovelling, wheelbarrowing, tip-visiting and general sprucing, the list was not completed until too late for both of the earmarked five-goal thrillers.<br /><br />On the way to Witham, I passed Essex Olympian League White Notley and saw them in action for the first time since I have moved up this way, despite passing the ground on many occasions.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbrxdSTRVt7a-g8OmumAs5vKbmxQDwHGDkNQKghXwcvfR7668RUeGaR8cWqiUBR5A-EqJ4OSYt4F3_IpsFGAWQNZsALrmA-4R6uWtviu5YMTxJvML_pwpczXmI6xToZUasReGPbomSHhb1/s1600-h/wit02.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5040390659162793586" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbrxdSTRVt7a-g8OmumAs5vKbmxQDwHGDkNQKghXwcvfR7668RUeGaR8cWqiUBR5A-EqJ4OSYt4F3_IpsFGAWQNZsALrmA-4R6uWtviu5YMTxJvML_pwpczXmI6xToZUasReGPbomSHhb1/s200/wit02.jpg" border="0" /></a>Notley really is a beautiful (lottery-funded) set-up and so much nicer than Witham's Spa Road, which looks like a corrugated-iron prison.<br /><br />Although from the looks of the 'youths' hanging around the skate-park outside, I can understand why the maximum security. This is keeping people out rather than keeping people in.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjK-OEblAPOG7ludFOEeD9wgQPoKt0e3dmFOgLBHYDwgCBMZ3D14u7Kp4griq9zG4Cj8Ef7cDWn-LsW9wUJe8tnCo-HtC7U78vsq3sWOGfr0qb-MRsUb6uNHbLT-ixk3lBalRWcyEf_1za/s1600-h/wit04.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5040391659890173570" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjK-OEblAPOG7ludFOEeD9wgQPoKt0e3dmFOgLBHYDwgCBMZ3D14u7Kp4griq9zG4Cj8Ef7cDWn-LsW9wUJe8tnCo-HtC7U78vsq3sWOGfr0qb-MRsUb6uNHbLT-ixk3lBalRWcyEf_1za/s200/wit04.jpg" border="0" /></a>Witham is fairly similar to Braintree in being a north Essex town which time has forgotten. But while Braintree is getting the spin-off of Stansted's expansion, Witham as a town is struggling, much like their team who are dwelling in the bottom reaches of the Ryman North.<br /><br />Enfield - a team with plenty of heritage but no home pitch of their own - are also also-rans in the Ryman N this year although they aren't looking over their shoulder at relegation in the same way as Witham.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxU8W4rn_HnLvbBvcZtPB9yJwYb4faeCfvFSpH0TgQ7A4SNsOLoz3UQyRv-bgUJ0Y4ub2rI-BFB1fc34Zg1bkxIp-fYNbVxYXR5vmurz9G-QvE2YWZCBN6dA-LZLmMaOXOsHRDk9p_G1UR/s1600-h/wit08.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5040393764424148626" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxU8W4rn_HnLvbBvcZtPB9yJwYb4faeCfvFSpH0TgQ7A4SNsOLoz3UQyRv-bgUJ0Y4ub2rI-BFB1fc34Zg1bkxIp-fYNbVxYXR5vmurz9G-QvE2YWZCBN6dA-LZLmMaOXOsHRDk9p_G1UR/s200/wit08.jpg" border="0" /></a>And this bottom-feeder edginess was probably the difference between the two teams. Witham had the best chance of the match in the last ten minutes of the first half and took it.<br /><br />Striker Kevin Hawes found himself through on goal and calmly took it around the Enfield keeper before slotting into the open net.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil5wAeSW2wb4KEkYJOOOn9_UgRpcczZmW-GjMzpSoxmnT4QTlURnyMQ4V4RDW9iBSGKnBXthQ9hvbkhutB3WJCOHVBXrnY8VRcy1YeRqJT0vj6YcwJOSVr0mFvzle1Wm2GeIYei5gCXBUh/s1600-h/wit06.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5040396019281979042" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil5wAeSW2wb4KEkYJOOOn9_UgRpcczZmW-GjMzpSoxmnT4QTlURnyMQ4V4RDW9iBSGKnBXthQ9hvbkhutB3WJCOHVBXrnY8VRcy1YeRqJT0vj6YcwJOSVr0mFvzle1Wm2GeIYei5gCXBUh/s200/wit06.jpg" border="0" /></a>It was one of the few chances of a first half that was dominated by Enfield, and the north London team kept on in the second half maintaining their superior position... But there was no end product.<br /><br />The Enfield fans - rivalling Harlow in their profanity - were at a low ebb, saying: "How did we stuff Potters Bar and lose to this shite" on their way out, while during the match having countless shouts of "Language" hurled at them from the home fans.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNUXKFLbrMTFrQCFjUvA_esbBsIorraxdK38UhSEdRYB_vP-Rzv2atlDzU-PKjRW51KhpGwDkvPfwqFW9XKFA0rDQSpADb3yxP-uFc5HQiOES0BEoEakQdApw4Ker6I-zqogrMdFPdh2ao/s1600-h/wit05.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5040397848938047154" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNUXKFLbrMTFrQCFjUvA_esbBsIorraxdK38UhSEdRYB_vP-Rzv2atlDzU-PKjRW51KhpGwDkvPfwqFW9XKFA0rDQSpADb3yxP-uFc5HQiOES0BEoEakQdApw4Ker6I-zqogrMdFPdh2ao/s200/wit05.jpg" border="0" /></a>The cheers at the end when the ref finally blew his whistle showed the relief that was running through the club after a number of defeats. The win leaves them seven points clear of the drop zone with nine games to go.<br /><br />All very nice, but the match however brought back in to play the Stoneman Profanity Rating, as players, officials and spectators today raised the level to at least four out of five chili peppers.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-McIgPaj8hpuOzye5aPJQCh58FbSzUjLtGgfx3tqjm0K4O9oCfa3xITfqrnnTTnrUjCa5ez_AsXii1lEPNAheUBbyem0Ulhw_mxLy7Ae5FwRO0T4_LXo1369A-uSdSXL6L_vANR3ZtJWO/s1600-h/wit07.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5040398059391444674" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-McIgPaj8hpuOzye5aPJQCh58FbSzUjLtGgfx3tqjm0K4O9oCfa3xITfqrnnTTnrUjCa5ez_AsXii1lEPNAheUBbyem0Ulhw_mxLy7Ae5FwRO0T4_LXo1369A-uSdSXL6L_vANR3ZtJWO/s200/wit07.jpg" border="0" /></a>Great programme too.John Stonemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16075790973145505724noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8508205868308966785.post-60605605656281749862007-03-04T16:35:00.000+00:002007-03-04T17:41:15.101+00:0003/03/2007 - Thetford Town 0 Haverhill Rovers 3<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-P_gqCWmZ971A4wN7hqGirBoMNFAdhPOaxuTFAU_0VpseiUGxrTILugVKADUk29uIhRcMYNjr_L29zkDYR-Y7Ah9z___1Vzn-ZiHA5ZetnnLBcThHqM5fqtZmvt4vxKVAGeEk1bOG8wQw/s1600-h/img009.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5038108966739814786" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-P_gqCWmZ971A4wN7hqGirBoMNFAdhPOaxuTFAU_0VpseiUGxrTILugVKADUk29uIhRcMYNjr_L29zkDYR-Y7Ah9z___1Vzn-ZiHA5ZetnnLBcThHqM5fqtZmvt4vxKVAGeEk1bOG8wQw/s200/img009.jpg" border="0" /></a>I really like watching Eastern Counties League matches. The games don't seem to be played at the frenetic pace of the Ryman where fitness and speed overwhelm skill and finesse.<br /><br />And this means that there is more space on the pitch, more time on the ball and more entertainment for the impartial observer.<br /><br />Or perhaps I've just been lucky with the two ECL matches that I've seen, but both the game at Stanway Rovers and this effort on the Norfolk side of the border with Suffolk were thoroughly entertaining affairs.<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI93h_n_tlQ_Jgea29BwTSqPLvdPVVb831VVRop2W90WHygiuOcRK8oTtnN1UpOsglpQeVQPVClbc-8Ll-ni7ZvzICLBqyDkh-_wIQ_J1Kx8QrTfVBWvokfsxXVIwxQuvZTEsIcgV0QiU_/s1600-h/the04.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5038111990396791186" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI93h_n_tlQ_Jgea29BwTSqPLvdPVVb831VVRop2W90WHygiuOcRK8oTtnN1UpOsglpQeVQPVClbc-8Ll-ni7ZvzICLBqyDkh-_wIQ_J1Kx8QrTfVBWvokfsxXVIwxQuvZTEsIcgV0QiU_/s200/the04.jpg" border="0" /></a>We had travelled up to a small campsite just outside Bury St Edmunds on Friday night and we made the short journey to Thetford on Saturday afternoon after a somewhat fraught affair in the morning when I managed to get the motorhome stuck on some grass in the campsite and had to be dragged off by a JCB...<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFi9FLtctGZMd5B8BL_NH0Lu8UTBy_p59wuz3NVA5HrMD6svT3haWOekM3Ne2NIZUH1jKZhbxVt-VW_JLOhfCxZWYcW7lahBSAav4DA2V-XA6z9Nq58ZvSgCoO4U3OG-0A0FCED9sygJU-/s1600-h/the05.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5038112218030057890" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFi9FLtctGZMd5B8BL_NH0Lu8UTBy_p59wuz3NVA5HrMD6svT3haWOekM3Ne2NIZUH1jKZhbxVt-VW_JLOhfCxZWYcW7lahBSAav4DA2V-XA6z9Nq58ZvSgCoO4U3OG-0A0FCED9sygJU-/s200/the05.jpg" border="0" /></a>After we'd all had a good laugh about that... we set off for Thetford at around 2pm, arriving at the ground via a Sainsburys where we stocked up on sweets and DVDs for the kids to keep them quiet while I slipped off to the football accompanied by the dogs (for the first half at least).<br /><br />Thetford's aging stadium is sitting slap bang alongside some new commercial development so there is a temporary fence between this development's car park and the ground. This fencing has fallen over and so you have the humourous site of spectators having to walk halfway around the ground before they can reach the area where the man stands taking money and dishing out programmes.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtY1Q2vVY3AIIUu-HV61zgrotme31tcY1XKhzL7K9a-ZQjY0Iyec2CKIooiM6srF0NSusXRqtBL4N7HodWJtwVEnHYYLCG78wOe7Uxrw2G7Wbr1qhbpvz7X8JTE38jaKm2WvVSNNzzsT5W/s1600-h/the06.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5038112961059400114" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtY1Q2vVY3AIIUu-HV61zgrotme31tcY1XKhzL7K9a-ZQjY0Iyec2CKIooiM6srF0NSusXRqtBL4N7HodWJtwVEnHYYLCG78wOe7Uxrw2G7Wbr1qhbpvz7X8JTE38jaKm2WvVSNNzzsT5W/s200/the06.jpg" border="0" /></a>Despite its ramshackle appearance Thetford Town's ground has a real old-school feel with the players emerging from dungeon-like changing rooms through the tunnel between the seated areas of the stands. Alongside the stand is a snack bar entitled 'The Dogs' not sure if this is the nickname of the team, the snack bar, or if indeed this is what was on the menu, but the waft of the bacon rolls was the best sniffed so far this year. Very tempting.<br /><br />The game cracked off at a rattling pace with both sides going close in the opening exchanges. Haverhill looked to have the dominant upper hand but were rattled - along with their left upright - by a curling effort from Thetford which was unlucky not to find the back of the net.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNWEUVl9r7n1TWAL7k5PmZRtPUo9gnYPPXqh9vaGfO-qTVzn8HK2wGgeiUdlB9hGDBLTq5h-0E9iiugcNO0W-X7eCQ_MMjxJtF51nahB2a6OfqXKrPzSD1PkAKc7xfYX4q2_1Mv6ImJVHm/s1600-h/the03.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5038113257412143554" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNWEUVl9r7n1TWAL7k5PmZRtPUo9gnYPPXqh9vaGfO-qTVzn8HK2wGgeiUdlB9hGDBLTq5h-0E9iiugcNO0W-X7eCQ_MMjxJtF51nahB2a6OfqXKrPzSD1PkAKc7xfYX4q2_1Mv6ImJVHm/s200/the03.jpg" border="0" /></a>However, with so much attacking on view, it was only a matter of time before the first goal came and indeed it rewarded the Rovers for their early enterprise within the first 10 minutes.<br /><br />Surprising then that we reached half time without any further scoring. I took the opportunity to drop the dogs off in the motorhome and get the old camera out for some pictures and I was glad I did as I managed to capture Haverhill's second goal, a fine header from a corner.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJp503k_nAI4CCX_CmX63EYNIgFw73oa12mA0ikrPZHnNnNtujFVBsmS8ys3S_NAZqm0txpUdF3f7XiDReDqdPmubauaV7-fyUGgdSGeI-avACUEhWmPJOsTFsCR9akd28j2Q2_B-94339/s1600-h/the01.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5038113506520246738" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJp503k_nAI4CCX_CmX63EYNIgFw73oa12mA0ikrPZHnNnNtujFVBsmS8ys3S_NAZqm0txpUdF3f7XiDReDqdPmubauaV7-fyUGgdSGeI-avACUEhWmPJOsTFsCR9akd28j2Q2_B-94339/s200/the01.jpg" border="0" /></a>Just prior to this the home keeper had bundled the Rovers centre forward over in the box and then saved the penalty which culminated from this foul and then with about 15 minutes to go we were treated to an excellent finish for Rovers' third.<br /><br />The two teams had drawn 3-3 in the corresponding fixture earlier in the year, but there really was no sign of Thetford grabbing a goal in this one.<br /><br />And it was the visitor officials who were looking smug in the bar after the match after this good away win.<br /><br />Special mention of note should go to the referee Mr T McCreadie (according to the programme) who was the most lenient official I think I have ever witnessed. Although the players who left the Mundford Road Recreation Ground with stud marks up their back may not concur...John Stonemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16075790973145505724noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8508205868308966785.post-7888134812761059232007-03-04T16:16:00.000+00:002007-03-04T17:30:19.829+00:0028/02/2007 - Huntingdon Town 1 Whitworths 2<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXnbxa164m_VMFedGsrJrP12_dLiSfD3nhGruuNeA9OjxJhKiTg-8_nVmXo9OQKpEiw5xkXwlUHnYqxPd2N2W-a3uLujVwA1DiY_nx99fC35OkYqSB2OcqUMmGtvg9W5OUFcuZUz99K2Iv/s1600-h/hun1.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5038108408394066274" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXnbxa164m_VMFedGsrJrP12_dLiSfD3nhGruuNeA9OjxJhKiTg-8_nVmXo9OQKpEiw5xkXwlUHnYqxPd2N2W-a3uLujVwA1DiY_nx99fC35OkYqSB2OcqUMmGtvg9W5OUFcuZUz99K2Iv/s200/hun1.jpg" border="0" /></a>A sneaky mid-weeker this, my first exposure to the United Counties League, and oh boy did we get exposed to the elements.<br /><br />Classic Fenland, Huntingdon Town's Jubilee Park is on a flat, open expanse with not a lot around except for a howling wind which chilled you to the bone and turned the match into a classroom-esque game of blow football.<br /><br />Just inside the programme-less turnstile (grrrr) were a set of portacabins which made up the changing rooms and 'Social Club' where I snagged a cup of tea which went from boiling to frozen within three minutes of venturing outside.<br /><br />I spotted the referee trying to do a few warm-up laps as I circumnavigated the flagstone path around the pitch and suggested to him that he made it 20 minutes each way.<br /><br />He replied to me something about not being sure why he still did it, but frankly, the wind was so strong I couldn't really hear what he said.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirwOoUdwMZmSuqhOv0tVgayBUCt-7VR5qJKa_94BX08lEayJ75JknqjjQwxLdl6w6nnAemCLUnd041R44WBq9ZFMGVdPAAOtstEHAQ8i9wi2wjR4Xxbz_uXWGThs0ww-TCOt9c60dMNPQv/s1600-h/hun2.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5038108502883346802" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirwOoUdwMZmSuqhOv0tVgayBUCt-7VR5qJKa_94BX08lEayJ75JknqjjQwxLdl6w6nnAemCLUnd041R44WBq9ZFMGVdPAAOtstEHAQ8i9wi2wjR4Xxbz_uXWGThs0ww-TCOt9c60dMNPQv/s200/hun2.jpg" border="0" /></a>Difficult to get any good snaps in the light coming from the floodlights, my best effort was of the single corrugated stand which offered the only shelter from the extreme conditions.<br /><br />The match was no classic, it never would be under these circumstances, and it was hard for me to get a gauge of the standard of the football, needless to say Whitworths who are top of the league simply had too much for the homesters.<br /><br />This was one of those ventures when having driven effectively from Fulham to Huntingdon and then back to Braintree in a night you are left asking yourself the question: "Why did I do that?"John Stonemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16075790973145505724noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8508205868308966785.post-73031385134069972052007-02-25T09:14:00.000+00:002007-02-25T10:55:03.857+00:0024/02/2007 - Braintree Town 3 Dorchester Town 1<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifV6ve9he6rCsvZOqtCM_IRE2-p1WGxF3Czkfi6ce2G5q06kS_niY8jsHVClyhrJRuEwGJUn01nui-MHr-mW_KMugr3D58fo0N6MoMOgv71Y78M8Mutslge5rrxYiGu4vnTXvBuhzurcDj/s1600-h/img007.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5035397807030991554" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifV6ve9he6rCsvZOqtCM_IRE2-p1WGxF3Czkfi6ce2G5q06kS_niY8jsHVClyhrJRuEwGJUn01nui-MHr-mW_KMugr3D58fo0N6MoMOgv71Y78M8Mutslge5rrxYiGu4vnTXvBuhzurcDj/s200/img007.jpg" border="0" /></a>There was a nice symmetry about visiting Cressing Road on Saturday, even though I had planned to go to Thurrock for a tick.<br /><br />The Iron were playing Dorchester Town who I had visited last weekend on my south coast holiday and so I thought it would be interesting to see how the Magpies would fare against a Braintree team who are still challenging for a place in the Conference South play-offs.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivgb2bcIyAvs3MxcJKOQ1NtYaEg45Xv453vLa35JfTvl20oG8xjJvtzEtGbgAYm6w5NMnIugb6VaiG4IR4vVGqVpi-PzxLzeXroQ265dYHaWDzB-5bsIQQ0HEdtVbxAnCLjcxbyra0yuF5/s1600-h/bra02.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5035421828783078098" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivgb2bcIyAvs3MxcJKOQ1NtYaEg45Xv453vLa35JfTvl20oG8xjJvtzEtGbgAYm6w5NMnIugb6VaiG4IR4vVGqVpi-PzxLzeXroQ265dYHaWDzB-5bsIQQ0HEdtVbxAnCLjcxbyra0yuF5/s200/bra02.jpg" border="0" /></a>Oddjobs around the house and the impending visit of the gasman meant that I couldn't stretch out to Thurrock and I ended up leaving for Cressing Road at about 2.55pm.<br /><br />I would have made it in before kick off were it not for the fact that a lot of rain had left the car park half unusable and I had to turn around and park down a side street.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7NUzFD624ZRx4J-0ZFWJCshQPWhuV0ZrulbtLTD9YHe0Fb_Mzc34CMZdfRtuJldpWKaULdnRC2JVqhtZqucXmwgfynW1RuDVISoDi5t86FZNkZ2borQ758gOtYGckRQTBUlQta6XiCgqy/s1600-h/bra01.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5035421953337129698" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7NUzFD624ZRx4J-0ZFWJCshQPWhuV0ZrulbtLTD9YHe0Fb_Mzc34CMZdfRtuJldpWKaULdnRC2JVqhtZqucXmwgfynW1RuDVISoDi5t86FZNkZ2borQ758gOtYGckRQTBUlQta6XiCgqy/s200/bra01.jpg" border="0" /></a>Anyway it was still nil-nil when I got in although just after I took up a position on the terrace, Braintree took the lead.<br /><br />Left back Mark Jones picked up the ball about 35 yards out and let off a low shot which wormed through a crowd of players and slipped past Dorchester keeper Simon Evans who really should have done better.<br /><br />Ten minutes later and Chris Sullivan was on hand to score Braintree's second, an excellent run followed by a curled effort which beat the Evans comfortably.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz0_WcItPeboJB7tYmvnBpIRjOsCdgVeoFi3x_9CH8acym0HnCav1iXpm_AfeH5TmNkjwDX5FzcY-fNP221TOf8ydqEXQO7Ui2l-pvXN27dZq6QoT8I2eBA2SzN4JHELikRfonTNq_9S_w/s1600-h/bra07.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5035422193855298290" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz0_WcItPeboJB7tYmvnBpIRjOsCdgVeoFi3x_9CH8acym0HnCav1iXpm_AfeH5TmNkjwDX5FzcY-fNP221TOf8ydqEXQO7Ui2l-pvXN27dZq6QoT8I2eBA2SzN4JHELikRfonTNq_9S_w/s200/bra07.jpg" border="0" /></a>And then on 37 minutes, club captain Brad Quinton effectively ended the match as a contest with a third.<br /><br />The bizarre thing was that in nearly all areas of the field apart from in front of goal Dorchester were the better team.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQdiE6WN34ULxfaaEEtxn-Sz_KMVCN0aYJKONIBlkcUPuEk1fU4J-nxXs48ysgx2BXSyBicI_MzEwuLeo7jqVl5tQlP7sDmqZp5drDueowUz6oEpK9u8SytIMjl-aNwhhiUbjZwzI5br0c/s1600-h/bra04.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5035422335589219074" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQdiE6WN34ULxfaaEEtxn-Sz_KMVCN0aYJKONIBlkcUPuEk1fU4J-nxXs48ysgx2BXSyBicI_MzEwuLeo7jqVl5tQlP7sDmqZp5drDueowUz6oEpK9u8SytIMjl-aNwhhiUbjZwzI5br0c/s200/bra04.jpg" border="0" /></a>Their passing was fluent, their range was superior to the home teams, but their attack lacked that killer edge which Braintree displayed.<br /><br />Into the second period and it was more of the same, possibly more so as Braintree had definitely taken their foot of the gas.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyhfmjyE9x9YoZYYqXwfeAkOLBr39nzTK3CdmfM_NaDVP0hL9-JwA0NivdQCHEH215wZ3_NRHDZoyieKnpQgixaTIq3QwcC7QXKOpW6pUb998WoHCGPBdkuM7XwG8WnNl01wtfDDCS6po1/s1600-h/bra05.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5035422593287256850" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyhfmjyE9x9YoZYYqXwfeAkOLBr39nzTK3CdmfM_NaDVP0hL9-JwA0NivdQCHEH215wZ3_NRHDZoyieKnpQgixaTIq3QwcC7QXKOpW6pUb998WoHCGPBdkuM7XwG8WnNl01wtfDDCS6po1/s200/bra05.jpg" border="0" /></a>And the Magpies were rewarded with a well worked passing move which ended in a Justin Keeler side foot into the net on 63 minutes.<br /><br />This was the shot in the arm that Braintree needed to raise their game and the final 30 minutes was played out which both sides failing to threaten in any great shape.<br /><br /><a href="http://groundblogger.blogspot.com/2007/02/06022007-braintree-town-kidderminster.html">06/02/2007 - Braintree Town 1 Kidderminster Harriers 3</a>John Stonemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16075790973145505724noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8508205868308966785.post-33110472327000365522007-02-20T18:05:00.000+00:002007-02-20T18:25:38.007+00:0017/02/2007 - Dorchester Town 1 Basingstoke Town 2<div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBcZdyc_PuyA8kOKCaUeuzSufWHesilqfS8Fz_oNiz_5La7VorViLwF2jpzFqnNQMHiYb9e90YuuveHq30NDZPP6vRUFwM4LzkJon9TDeKrDJWIR8ygWwrWBI9RqwF9mvHza9Dr16KtSf8/s1600-h/img003.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5033680520192260690" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBcZdyc_PuyA8kOKCaUeuzSufWHesilqfS8Fz_oNiz_5La7VorViLwF2jpzFqnNQMHiYb9e90YuuveHq30NDZPP6vRUFwM4LzkJon9TDeKrDJWIR8ygWwrWBI9RqwF9mvHza9Dr16KtSf8/s200/img003.jpg" border="0" /></a>The trip from our campsite in Wareham to Dorchester was an absolute 20-minute doddle, the weather was good and there was none of the trepidation experienced on the previous rain-lashed journey to Eastleigh or the rained-out disappoinment of an aborted midweek visit to Sherborne.<br /><br />On the way we saw the lads of Bere Regis warming up for a Dorset League Division One match against Cranborne (<a href="http://full-time.thefa.com/gen/Index.do?league=3520598">1-1 apparently</a>) as we slipped around the town's by-pass with bigger fish to fry in the Conference South.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKfiVg1-jpxTQw9qpu72ZC4nDHjTxFkQLLrIC3EieIeoUhUAbZi9Qua2VZqo9X7xBrMsz4VdVfbtkyP9AssvHCJbOqi2fK_86yC8xq1DZ5R-_cGj2yXF8nUsTib33O-6Jfo9BhDh3oZOB_/s1600-h/dor01.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5033681284696439394" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKfiVg1-jpxTQw9qpu72ZC4nDHjTxFkQLLrIC3EieIeoUhUAbZi9Qua2VZqo9X7xBrMsz4VdVfbtkyP9AssvHCJbOqi2fK_86yC8xq1DZ5R-_cGj2yXF8nUsTib33O-6Jfo9BhDh3oZOB_/s200/dor01.jpg" border="0" /></a>The approaches to the Avenue Stadium in Dorchester are through a Tesco car park and indeed the supermarket giant was apparently responsible for the stadium development which is a magnificent edifice in keeping with the surroundings.<br /><br />Parking on the far side of the ground near the terraces entrance we walked around to the imposing stadium front and slipped into the bar for a little light refreshment and to study the programme with an hour to spare before kick off.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzN7igPgbCSSJ-mCGwBewsYxetbH9K6rzsSkievHJhjKZcFIDSZPT7x13fcM5ikQiqGy35TX9kFdSBu42Fb0G3abN0I9rOe814AWhuOkAALXPrWYp7_eKSh21vohIxAXSPzNj1hftwmrPW/s1600-h/dor02.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5033681684128397938" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzN7igPgbCSSJ-mCGwBewsYxetbH9K6rzsSkievHJhjKZcFIDSZPT7x13fcM5ikQiqGy35TX9kFdSBu42Fb0G3abN0I9rOe814AWhuOkAALXPrWYp7_eKSh21vohIxAXSPzNj1hftwmrPW/s200/dor02.jpg" border="0" /></a>Once into the stadium we opted to stand rather than sit and were joined by two banks of vociferous supporters - both home and away - who initially were standing at the same end.<br /><br />Indeed the stewards had to marshal the Basingstoke fans away after kick off as the friendly banter started to degenerate into ritual abuse, but the 'Stoke fans were content to disperse to the other end of the arena in order to give the home keeper some stick instead.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJsN-7iOo46aFenmys9eupDE5v6O1_J4-BlBwGK75o-NkJ0sCw57acD9Z4DjysvxJZjie1Hi5gA_-vaPtFayud0PlmadJPn8ubQ2lYKFdoduJKTuTwIfBMYnJKPxrtwMaYviIn_h8TV7Xr/s1600-h/dor03.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5033682092150291074" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJsN-7iOo46aFenmys9eupDE5v6O1_J4-BlBwGK75o-NkJ0sCw57acD9Z4DjysvxJZjie1Hi5gA_-vaPtFayud0PlmadJPn8ubQ2lYKFdoduJKTuTwIfBMYnJKPxrtwMaYviIn_h8TV7Xr/s200/dor03.jpg" border="0" /></a>There is no doubt that the Conference South can provide some half decent football, unfortunately the match which unfolded in front of us was the other half, as both teams struggled to make any real impact in dominance or goal threat.<br /><br />Dorchester - the Magpies - had the best of the first half but spurned the chances which they managed to craft and I contented myself with trying to get a few elusive good action shots.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj97PebJaGybtI250J7vB8YdzRRX7Xinz3cDrCY2qI92NU3r_kARqY1gQ12HlK57_9OlKHo7CYzHv9DSugGNuVYp3TDoOxYi7WMM8RYKp1oOs8zzR1UBTs_8M4DLd0vxRcCShZ7SIG0jDhX/s1600-h/dor04.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5033683174482049682" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj97PebJaGybtI250J7vB8YdzRRX7Xinz3cDrCY2qI92NU3r_kARqY1gQ12HlK57_9OlKHo7CYzHv9DSugGNuVYp3TDoOxYi7WMM8RYKp1oOs8zzR1UBTs_8M4DLd0vxRcCShZ7SIG0jDhX/s200/dor04.jpg" border="0" /></a>Into the second half after a bacon roll which could well have been a slice of shoe leather, and a hot chocolate which was all hot and no chocolate.<br /><br />Not five minutes after I'd mentioned to my Dad that we could do with a goal - an away one at that - and my wish was granted.<br /><br />Basingstoke had been soaking up the pressure and hitting Dorchester with a couple of neat counter attacks and this was the case as they took the lead midway through the second half.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihIOQp8W_fw1w7Ob6wj762pSI1gsvnwPiuT2tOu1L_Ve_BDj8OkzpfEKBqKQ73X0zaII1HbIifohxvPXy1rHIGJrtnpP68jMpCUQPKySHemPr9cCY96RtG1QV0fAMsiN4NOr2fkIeXiq-r/s1600-h/dor05.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5033683750007667362" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihIOQp8W_fw1w7Ob6wj762pSI1gsvnwPiuT2tOu1L_Ve_BDj8OkzpfEKBqKQ73X0zaII1HbIifohxvPXy1rHIGJrtnpP68jMpCUQPKySHemPr9cCY96RtG1QV0fAMsiN4NOr2fkIeXiq-r/s200/dor05.jpg" border="0" /></a>The Dorchester faithful started moaning and groaning and calling for changes and the Magpies swiftly made a double substitution which bore fruit, when one of the men who came on was brought down outside the box.<br /><br />The resulting free kick was whipped in and fumbled by the Basingstoke keeper with a Magpie forward gobbling up the rebound.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmISSusOiFoUpZAkVpPpawQfZvY1a3QjHp7773M6RjNqp-emgnD_JMVIBqwVYjWH5J5Z0q50VAlk6xPZfw94AmqXAxmoagFIhcvCl6_liNaYGWaRm-JaHRqhO5eXVvgXEbdfFacxXBzBeK/s1600-h/dor06.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5033684132259756722" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmISSusOiFoUpZAkVpPpawQfZvY1a3QjHp7773M6RjNqp-emgnD_JMVIBqwVYjWH5J5Z0q50VAlk6xPZfw94AmqXAxmoagFIhcvCl6_liNaYGWaRm-JaHRqhO5eXVvgXEbdfFacxXBzBeK/s200/dor06.jpg" border="0" /></a>But just as the game looked as if it would peter out as a one-all draw, Basingstoke pulled off the best passing move of the match to grab an all important winner.<br /><br />Three crucial points heading back to Hampshire which sees Basingstoke now within one win of escaping the drop zone.</div></div>John Stonemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16075790973145505724noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8508205868308966785.post-28900845486677406992007-02-19T15:08:00.000+00:002007-02-20T08:12:07.581+00:0013/02/2007 - Eastleigh 1 Braintree Town 1 (abandoned)<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5033321843178404338" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPSjK5BsiXJfxRLb8h9BwBDKOk1xznIOaJ7KVyzZprNN14xa3avt6iXw-3foneb5TH_i_0E3qBNnZ3__Hq9VDfsYpzUblxdJa82RrsvAmIAaj5cAVOhS2f1e7AR7r6TatUKUbjIhNGPVrN/s200/img002.jpg" border="0" />Having spent a week down in Dorset with the family and no computers, I've built up something of a backlog of reports from the matches I attended while on holiday.<br /><br />The first of which was a midweek jaunt to Eastleigh to see my home town team of Braintree on a Hampshire away day.<br /><br />From the minute we arrived on the south coast it had been raining almost non stop and setting off on the journey from Poole to Eastleigh we encountered monsoon conditions which seemed to signify either the match would be off or that animals would soon be assembling in pairs.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipfFhdEBHylRTpMDu8A0otBFHBBpZcBkveXHerovInxS7aQylo6wlDrCIBbsI1ndSDOHb6xkkANDRfUYi3Zz1ukIzPvQ6gKY3_PQQJLOoC3gCcZw0jNKzAqdrvcEeGwBbcilZSKwvyrEw7/s1600-h/east04.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5033524359476345346" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipfFhdEBHylRTpMDu8A0otBFHBBpZcBkveXHerovInxS7aQylo6wlDrCIBbsI1ndSDOHb6xkkANDRfUYi3Zz1ukIzPvQ6gKY3_PQQJLOoC3gCcZw0jNKzAqdrvcEeGwBbcilZSKwvyrEw7/s200/east04.jpg" border="0" /></a>However the woman at the Eastleigh end of the phone assured us the match was taking place and it did appear to ease off a bit as we arrived at junction five of the M27.<br /><br />You can see the ground from the motorway and the sight of lit floodlights cheered up dampened hearts as we turned off toward the Silverlake Stadium.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxaJbqyDA1owu72r05gwdysb9rR_Dy4dvsr9XgQUqgXZNF0GCftYR-xtxljPSLbO5bL3K1J9JyC17_UjimcioNxCFwEe8sfypZKDgeTokVwAAcwy7nKfKAjs19i9pZRMkNqjfwjgWNtqUS/s1600-h/east05.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5033524612879415826" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxaJbqyDA1owu72r05gwdysb9rR_Dy4dvsr9XgQUqgXZNF0GCftYR-xtxljPSLbO5bL3K1J9JyC17_UjimcioNxCFwEe8sfypZKDgeTokVwAAcwy7nKfKAjs19i9pZRMkNqjfwjgWNtqUS/s200/east05.jpg" border="0" /></a>You have to negotiate Stoneham Lane by driving away from the stadium and then doubling back before making a right hand turn into the complex.<br /><br />The stadium is dominated by the large grandstand on the home straight - a fairly recent addition - while surrounding is a series of covered areas on two sides and an end which is open to the elements where the clubhouse and snackbar reside.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC5wFFn4CCWspMFD6g6IjVjIFnkFcCk904FO145yCS2L-I6SdRLAil84akqSo6jMHonBRkJRnPYy5Ke2eEwGftdrP00Uzd2vuePGNNeucv1yuo-rtVuu-N0yaejlL94W9ws6gHK_d5P_ov/s1600-h/east02.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5033524840512682530" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC5wFFn4CCWspMFD6g6IjVjIFnkFcCk904FO145yCS2L-I6SdRLAil84akqSo6jMHonBRkJRnPYy5Ke2eEwGftdrP00Uzd2vuePGNNeucv1yuo-rtVuu-N0yaejlL94W9ws6gHK_d5P_ov/s200/east02.jpg" border="0" /></a>The pitch looked in good shape although there were puddles forming and it was apparent once we had kicked off that conditions were more suitable to water polo than football.<br /><br />But to their credit both teams were putting on as good a show as you could expect under the circumstances and while technically it was no oil painting, there was enough hustle and bustle to keep the 500 or so who had braved the conditions happily amused.<br /><br />Less amused though were the team benches who were both in dire need of three league points (one to keep in touch with the playoffs, the other to avoid the drop) and also both aware that this was a match which would be decided on error rather than endeavour.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwTdPIbTR2Es4b6zKKn_hhDd_zSXp1RTNZD7n4LrzZTr7shT8tBGP1Vh5kzCpbkEs39yiBWHxfwTuR41FYoghEK-4GbWk1wdh3bhAVskgc10NsEeZfJ0028bCrDUaaXNBis7IKGcHggB0s/s1600-h/east03.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5033525050966080050" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwTdPIbTR2Es4b6zKKn_hhDd_zSXp1RTNZD7n4LrzZTr7shT8tBGP1Vh5kzCpbkEs39yiBWHxfwTuR41FYoghEK-4GbWk1wdh3bhAVskgc10NsEeZfJ0028bCrDUaaXNBis7IKGcHggB0s/s200/east03.jpg" border="0" /></a>Indeed it was a defensive slip/push which lead to Eastleigh's opener shortly after half time and Braintree's reply came soon after from a soggy goalmouth scramble.<br /><br />Just as the match appeared to be simmering nicely the referee decided he'd rather not be sloshing around a wet lump of Hampshire and with about 20 minutes to go he called it off.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKc8i6o_lLj8zO2dJJNe8EN9RBUGcowXX74q3L8Y_znhz8QNeh-WTrEUB7GEbM_EUxZDD1zQjxvGpQdkL0dkW-THAyOT-hI56g12jicBmEmmgmKUxcjJAuIVUHnnf0sRBLDMh6kw9liBml/s1600-h/east01.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5033525312959085122" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKc8i6o_lLj8zO2dJJNe8EN9RBUGcowXX74q3L8Y_znhz8QNeh-WTrEUB7GEbM_EUxZDD1zQjxvGpQdkL0dkW-THAyOT-hI56g12jicBmEmmgmKUxcjJAuIVUHnnf0sRBLDMh6kw9liBml/s200/east01.jpg" border="0" /></a>There was much frustration and anger from the players but I think secretly everyone else was more than happy to make a beeline for their cars, although the stadium announcer did bark "RUBBISH" over the tannoy before the Eastleigh thought police bundled an overcoat over his head and spirited him away...John Stonemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16075790973145505724noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8508205868308966785.post-48737527236260561512007-02-08T12:20:00.000+00:002007-02-08T12:37:08.231+00:0007/02/2007 - Poole Town 2 Lymington Town 1<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbpIFTfAY4D42V36h5CZTrzOzAB1sXzsOaCTGLs9xm5fTdLWVl44yHwtc4rRN27azKMcuz7Y2_0ltZJQnXGcptG3MI5CTRluWganaMaSWicNjaSwI_V0juiEn6bMIKdlwXLWKR5WonSiGD/s1600-h/poole.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbpIFTfAY4D42V36h5CZTrzOzAB1sXzsOaCTGLs9xm5fTdLWVl44yHwtc4rRN27azKMcuz7Y2_0ltZJQnXGcptG3MI5CTRluWganaMaSWicNjaSwI_V0juiEn6bMIKdlwXLWKR5WonSiGD/s200/poole.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5029139601594055138" border="0" /></a>ACCORDING to the programme, matches between Lymington and Poole Town always produce fireworks of one sort or another and this was no exception, albeit more like a couple of rockets than roman candles, <span style="font-style: italic;">writes Peter Stoneman</span>.<br /><br />Also I am happy to say that my presence helped to snap the Dolphins five-match losing streak against Lymington, although it was played out in front of the lowest crowd of the season at 92 and the first under 100.<br /><br />Poole just about deserved the win but it was not a very convincing performance against a team down to 10 men for over an hour of the game.<br /><br />Poole's players had obviously been listening to Tommy Killick’s pleas for discipline as I have never seen them behave so well on the pitch, even Taffy Richardson was quiet.<br /><br />Last Saturday against Totton they had two players sent off and a further four booked mostly for dissent. It was the third time this season they had collected multi bookings which costs the club a lot of money.<br /><br />When I got to the ground on a very cold evening the grass had been cut and rolled and the pitch looked in the best condition I’ve seen it.<br /><br />From the kick off Lymington were the best team and I just cannot understand what goes through some players’ heads. Paul Sims was booked for a nasty trip after about 15 minutes, then did it again three minutes later and much to the Poole supporters' annoyance got away with a ticking off.<br /><br />Five mins later and he fouled Taffy Richardson from behind (he just lay there) and Sims was off.<br /><br />Poole then went on the ascendancy and 10 minutes from the break popped in a goal the keeper should have stopped.<br /><br />Just before the break they scored their second but the lino had his flag up for offside. The ref either didn’t see the flag or he ignored it and the Lymington players and bench went berserk but all they got for their protests was another player booked.<br /><br />The 10 men, with the strong wind behind them, defended really well in the second half, broke dangerously and Killick was going demented in the dugout as the Dolphins continually gave the ball away.<br /><br />With 20 minutes to go Poole’s midfield messed about on the edge of their area, surrendered possession, and Lymington's little winger, Kevin James, was bundled over in the box – penalty.<br /><br />The Lymington bench went nuts again when they saw he was going to take the penalty himself and sure enough it was saved by Big Max but he couldn’t hold on to it and in the melee James was fouled again – second penalty.<br /><br />Darren Crook who the bench wanted to take the first one put it away effortlessly. Lymington pressed hard for the equalizer and but for a superb save from Max from a thunderbolt from Steve Marwood they would have got it.<br /><br />A good match to watch on a chilly night.<br /><br />Links:<br /><a href="http://www.poole-town.fsnet.co.uk/">Poole Town</a>John Stonemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16075790973145505724noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8508205868308966785.post-67676506139563487952007-02-06T13:33:00.000+00:002007-02-08T12:32:21.845+00:0006/02/2007 - Braintree Town 1 Kidderminster Harriers 3<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu2zuOdT8tZUjmCBHh4stMNOOffpDKAQ5i3uATpB8vtUZ9j7JhDsu0nYWOyxK2TDAAn9EkZGD996Q_wmRhwfbnPNGidmBDKoZO1BLxM95roK5oXYd_LV57Jllx1g-cKg1bufHA7t-rI0c-/s1600-h/img006.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu2zuOdT8tZUjmCBHh4stMNOOffpDKAQ5i3uATpB8vtUZ9j7JhDsu0nYWOyxK2TDAAn9EkZGD996Q_wmRhwfbnPNGidmBDKoZO1BLxM95roK5oXYd_LV57Jllx1g-cKg1bufHA7t-rI0c-/s200/img006.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5029083165723785618" border="0" /></a>(MY) history books will tell you that this was officially a revisit, but in reality, so much water has passed under the bridge since I last went to Braintree Town, that it sort of counts as a new experience.<br /><br />The last time I visited Cressing Road, Town were in the step five Eastern Counties League, they're now in the step 2 Conference South.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjizfJ3psfORQuKxRjSv5zXo0OSaToOlQqUP430a1T1eyWbQsB1U5RszHDcQs4o9LwJIOOU1rqd5TJ39T1cQJSQw83bJkCm7iA9I-nH1HWelg7mjJ7xJX3iSFfhJRZcSMiDihbJ6NKqNnIz/s1600-h/bt01.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjizfJ3psfORQuKxRjSv5zXo0OSaToOlQqUP430a1T1eyWbQsB1U5RszHDcQs4o9LwJIOOU1rqd5TJ39T1cQJSQw83bJkCm7iA9I-nH1HWelg7mjJ7xJX3iSFfhJRZcSMiDihbJ6NKqNnIz/s200/bt01.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5029087860123040162" border="0" /></a>And the last time I visited Cressing Road, I was 10-years-old, I'm now 35.<br /><br />So although a 25th anniversary visit doesn't count as a new tick, it was fresh eyes that were laid upon Braintree's ground on Tuesday night when they took on Kidderminster Harriers in an FA Trophy 'Sweet 16' replay.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsdpp9B7CSjOiesBkUtE07AcoWu2APE4YIprjGmO0balJlWWlYxvc5tb8g7K-5jTxrF8owHrWEhlx2AmWpLoulkfTd1dHqwlgXskfSIVyLWDmkSctZ-6ssgDKF1M9QABZImY3LsES7_wul/s1600-h/bt02.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsdpp9B7CSjOiesBkUtE07AcoWu2APE4YIprjGmO0balJlWWlYxvc5tb8g7K-5jTxrF8owHrWEhlx2AmWpLoulkfTd1dHqwlgXskfSIVyLWDmkSctZ-6ssgDKF1M9QABZImY3LsES7_wul/s200/bt02.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5029088019036830130" border="0" /></a>Iron and Kidderminster went into the fixture following a nil-all draw the previous Saturday and with a quarter final home tie against Halifax Town as the reward for a win.<br /><br />And to start off with it was all going so well for the Iron, as they competed with Harriers in the first half, had the better chances and scored an absolute peach of a goal jus before half time when a freekick was volleyed home by Russ Edwards.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgna5qHkgP4MeJ6_xGNMbZ-GjY20IXnX3uBHAcwuRm0CVZdabCZHtGHdMJgPDi-xRkfbFDnLUsbV6QFW9hvmHTZeOMF-5QszVhVql5A-PNyu3fta4WKvj4TBtk-bFVrpSW1cOOyNO1EN3WH/s1600-h/bt03.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgna5qHkgP4MeJ6_xGNMbZ-GjY20IXnX3uBHAcwuRm0CVZdabCZHtGHdMJgPDi-xRkfbFDnLUsbV6QFW9hvmHTZeOMF-5QszVhVql5A-PNyu3fta4WKvj4TBtk-bFVrpSW1cOOyNO1EN3WH/s200/bt03.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5029088203720423874" border="0" /></a>A large crowd (considering it was a Tuesday night and absolutely freezing) then queued en masse for a cup of coffee to try and warm themselves up while no doubt the Harriers boss was hurling teacups around their dressing room.<br /><br />If there was a dressing down then maybe it worked because the Harriers came out for the second half very much up for it and quickly ate into the Braintree lead.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0bUdFKJoVF6INDHu92D2pSKcSFfw-Le2_kFs2AcxjIgolIE-OaZUZGNZkwE9Y1ihxN-BQqCd-x020DvGj-d7rPgd26QxGxbFzHB-v6S1eQkYDlzV6JuJJ6DFipQYzg39qCP8xUZ8E6e0C/s1600-h/bt04.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0bUdFKJoVF6INDHu92D2pSKcSFfw-Le2_kFs2AcxjIgolIE-OaZUZGNZkwE9Y1ihxN-BQqCd-x020DvGj-d7rPgd26QxGxbFzHB-v6S1eQkYDlzV6JuJJ6DFipQYzg39qCP8xUZ8E6e0C/s200/bt04.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5029088375519115730" border="0" /></a>The Iron heads then dropped dramatically. The Harrier full timers were markedly fitter than the Braintree part-timers and another flurry of goals sealed the tie for Kidderminster.<br /><br />And to top it all, the battery on my video camera ran out two minutes before the first goal, so I missed them all. Nevertheless some of the other 'highlights' are below.<br /><br /><object height="350" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/FtveUd0oUFg"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/FtveUd0oUFg" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" height="350" width="425"></embed></object><br /><br /><div><span style="font-size:0;"><br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />Links:</span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/0752429418?ie=UTF8&tag=groundblogger-21&linkCode=as2&camp=1634&creative=6738&creativeASIN=0752429418">The FA Trophy</a><img style="border: medium none ; margin: 0px;" alt="" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.co.uk/e/ir?t=groundblogger-21&l=as2&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;o=2&a=0752429418" border="0" height="1" width="1" /><br /><br /><a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1899468692?ie=UTF8&tag=groundblogger-21&linkCode=as2&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;camp=1634&creative=6738&creativeASIN=1899468692">FA Trophy Complete Results</a><img style="border: medium none ; margin: 0px;" alt="" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.co.uk/e/ir?t=groundblogger-21&l=as2&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;o=2&a=1899468692" border="0" height="1" width="1" /><br /><br /><a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/0952943506?ie=UTF8&tag=groundblogger-21&linkCode=as2&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;camp=1634&creative=6738&creativeASIN=0952943506">Braintree Town F.C.'s Cressing Road Stadium</a><img style="border: medium none ; margin: 0px;" alt="" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.co.uk/e/ir?t=groundblogger-21&l=as2&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;o=2&a=0952943506" border="0" height="1" width="1" /><br /><br /><a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1859379877?ie=UTF8&tag=groundblogger-21&linkCode=as2&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;camp=1634&creative=6738&creativeASIN=1859379877">Francis Frith's Braintree (Town & City Memories)</a><img style="border: medium none ; margin: 0px;" alt="" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.co.uk/e/ir?t=groundblogger-21&l=as2&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;o=2&a=1859379877" border="0" height="1" width="1" /><br /><br /><a href="http://www.braintreetownfc.org.uk/">Braintree Town Official Site</a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.harriers.premiumtv.co.uk/page/Welcome">Kidderminster Harriers Official Site</a></div>John Stonemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16075790973145505724noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8508205868308966785.post-68621691259918995432007-02-03T11:11:00.008+00:002008-09-08T19:38:53.955+00:0003/02/2007 - Chelmsford City 1 Hendon 0<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV4A7UhXN893RhtiHllJpITqSAkBSFIVBUMfLuggU8Mq-P3-6k4c1aKlVl1JZw3hQaC839Hp0WJYNPnofD70KlWqb_X1EjgxFB0TZxGB_MYRypptuf-1nxn89Q-ypb0-PfWZe6P-ARhkvu/s1600-h/img005.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5027385946871860514" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV4A7UhXN893RhtiHllJpITqSAkBSFIVBUMfLuggU8Mq-P3-6k4c1aKlVl1JZw3hQaC839Hp0WJYNPnofD70KlWqb_X1EjgxFB0TZxGB_MYRypptuf-1nxn89Q-ypb0-PfWZe6P-ARhkvu/s200/img005.jpg" border="0" /></a>IT'S official, the Ryman Isthmian Premier is better than the Ryman Isthmian Division One!<br /><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><br /><div>I feel confident in making this startling statement having spent Saturday watching Chelmsford City take on Hendon at the Chelmsford Athletics Stadium in Melbourne Park.</div><div></div><div><br />Organised football in Chelmsford dates back to the 1870s and the team moved to the <a href="http://www.mikefloate.clara.co.uk/05pitched_roof_sunset_chelmsford.htm">New Writtle Street</a> ground in 1922. They were stalwarts of the Southern League and one of the most well-supported amateur teams in the country.</div><div></div><div></div><div><br /></div><div><hr /></div><div><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><strong>Advert</strong>: </span></span><a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/0954133005?ie=UTF8&tag=groundblogger-21&linkCode=as2&camp=1634&creative=6738&creativeASIN=0954133005"><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;">Wheel 'em in: The Official History of Chelmsford City Football Club</span></a><br /></div><div><hr /></div><div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin5c6NFzXMwR7HG830dxz4pazSIIfjSyAmbxNx_nzuzK0NV_NXAn4XyxtpoMpad7OlRPsRCfKWxnF9EZfxVpRo0aISFgpq9qxlwQqDR8kPejBVqlvNlnSQss0Cr1K9lzHNWlJJgCw9wwXB/s1600-h/cc01.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5027388098650475826" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin5c6NFzXMwR7HG830dxz4pazSIIfjSyAmbxNx_nzuzK0NV_NXAn4XyxtpoMpad7OlRPsRCfKWxnF9EZfxVpRo0aISFgpq9qxlwQqDR8kPejBVqlvNlnSQss0Cr1K9lzHNWlJJgCw9wwXB/s200/cc01.jpg" border="0" /></a>Their playing staff has featured many famous names including goalkeeper Nigel Spink, Peter Taylor and the legendary England international Jimmy Greaves.<br /><br />But finances have often been an issue and they were forced to leave New Writtle Street in 1997 when it was sold by the official receiver.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEX6mrt_GYTr9hB9_gmXRaO8oMWp1eaGsLIm6f0kHDAesVAx9cbo-6SnlTRZc54MZ4TVe68abSqTxvts8y5QXTMWFP3azIQ-TJ4KoBqMadwuKdNkEVG9Iq4jl61MkHEyKxNeY1cSUN_WQs/s1600-h/cc02.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5027389318421187922" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEX6mrt_GYTr9hB9_gmXRaO8oMWp1eaGsLIm6f0kHDAesVAx9cbo-6SnlTRZc54MZ4TVe68abSqTxvts8y5QXTMWFP3azIQ-TJ4KoBqMadwuKdNkEVG9Iq4jl61MkHEyKxNeY1cSUN_WQs/s200/cc02.jpg" border="0" /></a><a href="http://www.countryside-properties.com/our-business/commercial/case-studies/22566">Redevelopment of the site</a> meant that the scene of my own personal footballing highlight - scoring a last minute extra time equaliser in the Mid Essex League Cup Final for Braintree & Bocking United - is no longer a sporting venue. (We won the cup on penalties by the way, and during my time with B&B I also played alongside <a href="http://www.chelmsfordcityfc.com/200_club.htm">Chelmsford City 'legend' Frank Bishop</a>).<br /><br /></div><div><hr /></div><div><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><strong>Advert</strong>: </span></span><a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1900257068?ie=UTF8&tag=groundblogger-21&linkCode=as2&camp=1634&creative=6738&creativeASIN=1900257068"><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;">New Writtle Street - The Final Season: A Photographic Record of the Ground, Fans and Players of Chelmsford City FC in 1996/7</span></a><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;"><img style="BORDER-RIGHT: medium none; BORDER-TOP: medium none; MARGIN: 0px; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; BORDER-BOTTOM: medium none" height="1" alt="" src="http://www.assoc-amazon.co.uk/e/ir?t=groundblogger-21&l=as2&o=2&a=1900257068" width="1" border="0" /></span><br /></div><div><hr /></div><div> </div><div>City spent some years groundsharing with Billericay Town and Maldon Town before moving to the Chelmsford Athletic Centre at Melbourne Park. The first game back in Chelmsford was played out in front of a <a href="http://www.chelmsford.gov.uk/index.cfm?articleid=11108">3,000 capacity crowd</a> that saw many latecomers left outside the ground unable to get in.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhULdTB6VRWk9sM5zQhlu2jWouMWsdbuz5AuhS68uDX8tfd8ImWkmm6KX3DciNe57sSuvd_3hHfYvhjWYcD1a0e5xHHx66i7k7uOsZmau4jKFAzd-Up96JeJD4rVCQtrhnlniX6JLJ_szrt/s1600-h/cc03.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5027389674903473506" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhULdTB6VRWk9sM5zQhlu2jWouMWsdbuz5AuhS68uDX8tfd8ImWkmm6KX3DciNe57sSuvd_3hHfYvhjWYcD1a0e5xHHx66i7k7uOsZmau4jKFAzd-Up96JeJD4rVCQtrhnlniX6JLJ_szrt/s200/cc03.jpg" border="0" /></a>Further intrigue was delivered by the arrival this season of manager Jeff King who was the maestro and bankroll behind Canvey Island's rise up the football leagues.<br /><br />Hendon are a team that has morphed through their existence, starting life as Christ Church Hampstead in 1908, becoming Hampstead Town, and then switching to Golders Green FC in 1932.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivoaVkTylhohLKqaIpeaKG-Rm9hcO0cJEy4kVuH4deTz-44BXVCNhFc8g9ipXhbjMyjIMwEAqTV8un_9vHrlGRYYOlP9Q2zzJpxhNLiRemSGo0SnBhPMONb0xzs2GuU8tH-cHdpbwgssMk/s1600-h/cc04.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5027390143054908786" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivoaVkTylhohLKqaIpeaKG-Rm9hcO0cJEy4kVuH4deTz-44BXVCNhFc8g9ipXhbjMyjIMwEAqTV8un_9vHrlGRYYOlP9Q2zzJpxhNLiRemSGo0SnBhPMONb0xzs2GuU8tH-cHdpbwgssMk/s200/cc04.jpg" border="0" /></a>They became Hendon in 1946 after the Second World War because of their position in the borough of Hendon which itself has become the borough of Barnet.<br /><br />This season has seen both teams operating at opposite ends of the Ryman Premier.<br /><br />Chelmsford have spent a couple of weeks on top of the pile in recent months but a slump in form has seen them drop to fifth in the table.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp9RnNPOUOg-SJAecup_HA1RZxmiFxV3fMawv3JyDI0KocDFYg-90KCrBe9-ttWYlkNM1RTyARkYDOE2n0_-zaaxwo4gVR2A2PgT-m2PpUQN0yXWxFyparlqkpCejC6RxPdiMr1SbWxgA6/s1600-h/cc05.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5027390877494316418" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp9RnNPOUOg-SJAecup_HA1RZxmiFxV3fMawv3JyDI0KocDFYg-90KCrBe9-ttWYlkNM1RTyARkYDOE2n0_-zaaxwo4gVR2A2PgT-m2PpUQN0yXWxFyparlqkpCejC6RxPdiMr1SbWxgA6/s200/cc05.jpg" border="0" /></a>Hendon have been grubbing around the bottom reaches of the division and they dropped down into the bottom three after this defeat.</div><div><br />City were operating a 'Kids for a Quid' promotion for the fixture and it paid dividends (possibly even gate receipts) with a crowd of just over 1,000 enjoying their football in the February sunshine.</div><br /><div>The match started brightly for the home side who had a couple of good opportunities the best of which when Jason Hallett (I think) narrowly missed connecting with the ball in the six yard box after a good cross.</div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-5qm5POmXKep2XzXwpOkvSx2yU2mxy1ePrNjAQIJa1dhSKvCJvZBH6FjjLMW1xg49JiFVPKRGaWn474j0awMkq6Db0W_2XZznmp-Tec2tkdJVFNQobPxE-Uqijz5PmGjY0X2ldRAXXeii/s1600-h/cc06.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5027392161689537938" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-5qm5POmXKep2XzXwpOkvSx2yU2mxy1ePrNjAQIJa1dhSKvCJvZBH6FjjLMW1xg49JiFVPKRGaWn474j0awMkq6Db0W_2XZznmp-Tec2tkdJVFNQobPxE-Uqijz5PmGjY0X2ldRAXXeii/s200/cc06.jpg" border="0" /></a>But to give them credit, Hendon battled their way back into the fixture and deservedly went in at half time all square.</div><div>Chelmsford have been suffering a crisis in confidence in front of goal of late and this showed as they failed to convert the superiority that they were showing, but Hendon were also struggling from a lack of invention up front.</div><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2zsMxAv8l-1bAiLbNeweeu5a_2GpCwkQ0eoqYQcIpVtrwcZfx0UBo5WCwUGPsu5nSo5ZkgCagC8rX_t40rU51X_JtTOqRkhs384Q34cF0HS7jYm1uwSv-MxCltifwSLoZW3mzHf8NsLSo/s1600-h/cc07.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5027393209661558178" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2zsMxAv8l-1bAiLbNeweeu5a_2GpCwkQ0eoqYQcIpVtrwcZfx0UBo5WCwUGPsu5nSo5ZkgCagC8rX_t40rU51X_JtTOqRkhs384Q34cF0HS7jYm1uwSv-MxCltifwSLoZW3mzHf8NsLSo/s200/cc07.jpg" border="0" /></a>And when the goal came in the second half, this time Hallett finding the target after a whipped -on free kick wasn't cleared.</div><br /><div>You got the feeling that one goal would win it and in the end this was the case. The home fans left happy with the win, but there were grumblings on the terraces that this isn't the form that will will bring Conference South football to a stadium that richly deserves it.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.photoboxgallery.com/groundblogger/4967025">BUY PHOTOS FROM THIS MATCH</a><br /><br /><object height="350" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/5vEgZTnlCf8"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/5vEgZTnlCf8" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" height="350" width="425"></embed></object><br /><br /><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><br /><br />Ground Rating:</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEvf3n52d6O-e3vt1uCiTU1W6gftVxI7o0D2V3YFnTpPUf2eDUx0TcuUPkKre3o6vIejkK3E2cjPP8kcYZJUCU13swx-m2_7k5LJg9EczQviNYhcs3Yc0NMtbfqJxL4LDul_xvNkN4jWHC/s1600-h/ground3.gif"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5027393875381489074" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; CURSOR: pointer" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEvf3n52d6O-e3vt1uCiTU1W6gftVxI7o0D2V3YFnTpPUf2eDUx0TcuUPkKre3o6vIejkK3E2cjPP8kcYZJUCU13swx-m2_7k5LJg9EczQviNYhcs3Yc0NMtbfqJxL4LDul_xvNkN4jWHC/s200/ground3.gif" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />(It would get a four were it not for the running track)<br /><br /><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Refreshment Rating:<br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsHI7Kft9K2WTjy9FfR80vg5zB2dOUdlu-weM-jMb0FvU2xI4WApQV-ppo2lfmIxz_qL20AKAtSh_i3lvfdnyI3FDbv4bjKDWUjvcuvzHdnZLS2wuB2tQYt49cEyite48jRediiCILbMtr/s1600-h/burger2.gif"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5027394193209068994" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; CURSOR: pointer" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsHI7Kft9K2WTjy9FfR80vg5zB2dOUdlu-weM-jMb0FvU2xI4WApQV-ppo2lfmIxz_qL20AKAtSh_i3lvfdnyI3FDbv4bjKDWUjvcuvzHdnZLS2wuB2tQYt49cEyite48jRediiCILbMtr/s200/burger2.gif" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />(Had a quarter pounder with cheese a tea and a coffee, but it was from a big fairground type burger van)<br /><br /><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Profanity Rating:</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZo3o3nbe0-eRjozBt1y8-7oFv-58uFK8nCYM6pKYvSjb3qLeiRdzE2JcEJ1RUIkQTxxcpr0JayxhrQaUaXJELUkzgZ2BR6LZiODUP20AAUFcvqvhC2lopaHu8wWjM_bHOK2pBluFi0TNR/s1600-h/chili1.gif"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5027394648475602386" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; CURSOR: pointer" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZo3o3nbe0-eRjozBt1y8-7oFv-58uFK8nCYM6pKYvSjb3qLeiRdzE2JcEJ1RUIkQTxxcpr0JayxhrQaUaXJELUkzgZ2BR6LZiODUP20AAUFcvqvhC2lopaHu8wWjM_bHOK2pBluFi0TNR/s200/chili1.gif" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><br /></span><br /><br />(Couldn't hear any swearing, too far away!)<br /><br /><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Chelmsford History:</span><br />1908-09: Spartan League Eastern Division<br />1912-22: Athenian League<br />1935-37: Eastern Counties League<br />1937-38: Essex County League<br />1938-2004: Southern League<br />2004- : Isthmian League<br /><br /><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Hendon History:</span><br />1908-09: Finchley & District League (Christ Church Hampstead)<br />1909-11: Finchley & District League (Hampstead Town)<br />1911-14: London League (Hampstead Town)<br />1914-26: Athenian League (Hampstead Town)<br />1926-33: Athenian League (Hampstead)<br />1933-46: Athenian League (Golders Green)<br />1946-63: Athenian League<br />1963- : Isthmian League<br /><br /><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Links:</span><br /><a href="http://www.chelmsfordcityfc.com/"><span style="font-size:0;">Chelmsford City</span></a><br /><a href="http://www.hendonfc.net/">Hendon FC</a></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>John Stonemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16075790973145505724noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8508205868308966785.post-89168597875152018742007-01-31T12:19:00.000+00:002007-02-08T12:33:19.982+00:0031/01/2007 - VCD Athletic 2 Tunbridge Wells 0<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU9R7W4SL34o6D9nKb5UbVaKupnV8UM6Q5DtfabYS2TChL8mMUhWAD3ZXgaqZWAni4WiiFkYRmZhNRReYuW36KJRjvzLGOyAcxaQFpji8QO7h3JPyH__aUius8MEIwZlhIMMqPPX0J8Rqv/s1600-h/img004.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5026339563989535810" style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU9R7W4SL34o6D9nKb5UbVaKupnV8UM6Q5DtfabYS2TChL8mMUhWAD3ZXgaqZWAni4WiiFkYRmZhNRReYuW36KJRjvzLGOyAcxaQFpji8QO7h3JPyH__aUius8MEIwZlhIMMqPPX0J8Rqv/s200/img004.jpg" border="0" /></a>THE best laid plans of mice and Stonemen often go awry. Never a truer word written on Wednesday night when my planned visit to Essex Senior League Brentwood Town was thrown into disarray by a last minute cancellation.<br /><br />Town were due to face London APSA at the Brentwood Centre and as I had only visited Brentwood before when they played at Larkins Playing Fields it seemed the ideal opportunity for a visit.<br /><br />But then I learnt that APSA had been 'unable to fulfill the fixture' for whatever reason and the match was postponed.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvUJf_6dIT49wPu-GSLZoMDEjYo0GgMuAsYaX6_VB62cbt264qqR_BWZrm41QrtER0BnAsN7QM-npREqqt03NdsQSucAgV5BEC5RGi3bRsV_OYKtTyDAK5mWntxeLCqKExjDwO1ViUHdo5/s1600-h/DSC_0019.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5026341230436846674" style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvUJf_6dIT49wPu-GSLZoMDEjYo0GgMuAsYaX6_VB62cbt264qqR_BWZrm41QrtER0BnAsN7QM-npREqqt03NdsQSucAgV5BEC5RGi3bRsV_OYKtTyDAK5mWntxeLCqKExjDwO1ViUHdo5/s200/DSC_0019.JPG" border="0" /></a>A quick search on <a href="http://www.tonykempster.co.uk/">Tony's English Football Site</a> had shown that a short hop down the road (M25) and over the QEII bridge there was a Kent League Premier fixture between VCD Athletic and Tunbridge Wells and so I rooted out a pound for the toll and headed south of the river.<br /><br />I've never visited a Kent League match before so it was pastures new in all senses of the phrase as an uneventful hour's journey saw me arrive with about 10 minutes to go until kick off.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNGJDpsd8Z4pS8be8pMtPvwldj8CqZ9iEhj5QRTyZC8bCM_tE6E33EFnnmr1nkJ9EVAx4qXv2hDQoMsc5Hi6t8897o6kaoefVsYjecCCYx7pnjsRHE2ZafVU10eXzUpgqhW3RtPEKmFnrd/s1600-h/DSC_0051.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5026342145264880738" style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNGJDpsd8Z4pS8be8pMtPvwldj8CqZ9iEhj5QRTyZC8bCM_tE6E33EFnnmr1nkJ9EVAx4qXv2hDQoMsc5Hi6t8897o6kaoefVsYjecCCYx7pnjsRHE2ZafVU10eXzUpgqhW3RtPEKmFnrd/s200/DSC_0051.JPG" border="0" /></a>There was a bit of shennanigans however in parking the car as the car park was full to capacity and just as I was dolefully reversing to go and park out on the street a coach pulled up at the gates and released a huge swarm of pensioners (possibly the VCD bowls club coming back from a road trip).<br /><br />Happily they all then embarked in their cars freeing up plenty of room and I manoeuvured my way around them and into a space.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-bC1rYBORgZ7DablFURpE74Te3XGQeR8W1SPpL79vBI3LTNLQBjAHHlKULp5iwVvydaDq-HpzU_LCtGVQnNtgjx2kaRaKQx24Ty1egb2UUQoTwiVBxZt9hK3yOgHDDXjPOA7bz_jJqEPI/s1600-h/DSC_0061.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5026343558309121138" style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-bC1rYBORgZ7DablFURpE74Te3XGQeR8W1SPpL79vBI3LTNLQBjAHHlKULp5iwVvydaDq-HpzU_LCtGVQnNtgjx2kaRaKQx24Ty1egb2UUQoTwiVBxZt9hK3yOgHDDXjPOA7bz_jJqEPI/s200/DSC_0061.JPG" border="0" /></a>Walking through the turnstile you find yourself at the top of a hill looking down onto a beautiful green playing surface surrounded by a neat fence, cinder-type track all illuminated by a splendid set of new floodlights.<br /><br />In fact everything about the VCD set up smacks of new, something to do with the "hundreds of thousands of pounds" worth of investment that the club has pumped into the stadium in recent years.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz1z01JzlYF6-PiXnc_OniF1MahWe4MPQI7WNNLU5IoH5i8Ezv7USBqOVs7tM8k9CUH7wIPk6ls91IIQ06MI38RZjxY5YSHP2Qbl2uCEwyEewv4TuIg5ON1N5blu8kyC6imbe8VBCLukNL/s1600-h/DSC_0046.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5026344142424673410" style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz1z01JzlYF6-PiXnc_OniF1MahWe4MPQI7WNNLU5IoH5i8Ezv7USBqOVs7tM8k9CUH7wIPk6ls91IIQ06MI38RZjxY5YSHP2Qbl2uCEwyEewv4TuIg5ON1N5blu8kyC6imbe8VBCLukNL/s200/DSC_0046.JPG" border="0" /></a>The floodlights were apparently the bone of some contention in the area - taking nearly nine years to receive planning permission - during which the VCD club spent something of a nomadic existence at grounds like Thamesmead in the surrounding area.<br /><br />Their return to The Oakwood took place at the start of this season and hopes were high that the new surroundings could generate a push for promotion to the higher reaches of non league football - first stop being the Ryman Isthmian.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMfIBQdnU90diajR6loxHOzbx7obR-26uMUsuJNoDcNF59nVqTl6CjDNy1e_99WuOnwALmEpX7UiWvVpQ_qxkXXhBb2NzXaEzCVaBHARZpllu94kUMTIaQOVrZK2-RI-jV6TWTv5Csvae5/s1600-h/DSC_0011.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5026344468842187922" style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMfIBQdnU90diajR6loxHOzbx7obR-26uMUsuJNoDcNF59nVqTl6CjDNy1e_99WuOnwALmEpX7UiWvVpQ_qxkXXhBb2NzXaEzCVaBHARZpllu94kUMTIaQOVrZK2-RI-jV6TWTv5Csvae5/s200/DSC_0011.JPG" border="0" /></a>However, their attention has been somewhat diverted by a good run in the FA Vase which has seen them reach the last 16 for the second season running where they will face Bideford AFC from Devon.<br /><br />Promotion aspiration has also been dented by the form of Kent Premier rivals Whitstable Town who are absolutely flying this year having not lost a game in nearly 20.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVHSf7eSlw6rT3znBFhvnhexDihp8rl3gomxsLS9B6AaAbC27PCXhJFw4oGEHWClR36UcjB8GcTYvTHnKbMRHmMjryu5H6GPvnBrEc8a8g7Pf5wpKSRQ_-gvguUVNexyefG8uBb6RSKUUj/s1600-h/DSC_0080.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5026345396555123874" style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVHSf7eSlw6rT3znBFhvnhexDihp8rl3gomxsLS9B6AaAbC27PCXhJFw4oGEHWClR36UcjB8GcTYvTHnKbMRHmMjryu5H6GPvnBrEc8a8g7Pf5wpKSRQ_-gvguUVNexyefG8uBb6RSKUUj/s200/DSC_0080.JPG" border="0" /></a>The Kent Premier was a good standard although we were moving into the realms of the pyramid where the games move at a million miles an hour - fitness and physicality the dominant forces for the first 60 minutes or so.<br /><br />With both sides evenly matched on those fronts the first half was a fairly forgettable event and the two teams went in for their half time cup of tea level at nil a piece.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu3o1hf5EtjEhGKFjJxdrzjFb4Bqw1D4Iy2MC5Bhn9o98qIGMoOdwQYr6zYXpCH2kGZlZd-yxad_m9-5VGsITpjE0SHsJnmbHGScGKFkgRG4U7IZoEOobLvV4LMzMa_BILn468ElEOsikb/s1600-h/DSC_0106.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5026346826779233458" style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu3o1hf5EtjEhGKFjJxdrzjFb4Bqw1D4Iy2MC5Bhn9o98qIGMoOdwQYr6zYXpCH2kGZlZd-yxad_m9-5VGsITpjE0SHsJnmbHGScGKFkgRG4U7IZoEOobLvV4LMzMa_BILn468ElEOsikb/s200/DSC_0106.JPG" border="0" /></a>Tunbridge were certainly belying the fact that they are third of bottom and match the home team in every challenge and certainly creating as many chances although these were scarce at both ends.<br /><br />But tiredness was overtaking physicality and space was appearing for VCD to play a bit and the deadlock was broken about 15 minutes into the second half when Leroy Huggins rather fortuitously found himself in some space in the Tunbridge box and he made no mistake in drilling the ball into the corner of the net.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5J2Fl5N181E2rFsRd3co6rIgM18qOdh4Ajqw9Hza6wT4HZ_bI4uWjvmLc76KVIkFATzqCfnL9PPTWyo39Ncm4ErRqz0J-sVBomALHKbejsi8twhaw6HIuovyzMq8rmbYRpml3rVFRHi1m/s1600-h/DSC_0041.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5026348059434847442" style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5J2Fl5N181E2rFsRd3co6rIgM18qOdh4Ajqw9Hza6wT4HZ_bI4uWjvmLc76KVIkFATzqCfnL9PPTWyo39Ncm4ErRqz0J-sVBomALHKbejsi8twhaw6HIuovyzMq8rmbYRpml3rVFRHi1m/s200/DSC_0041.JPG" border="0" /></a>Then with about 15 minutes to go it was Huggins again who rifled home a shot from the edge of the box after Tunbridge failed to deal with a VCD corner successfully.<br /><br />After the referee had played what seemed an age of stoppage time we got the best shout from the crowd - although I think it may have come from one of the dugouts: "Come on ref, it's nearly Thursday!"<br /><br />All in all a good evening's entertainment and I have London APSA to thank for an unexpected find. Also in a first for the Groundblogger, I have a little video taken of the ground which includes an interview with VCD Chairman Gary Rump, just click on the Play arrow in the picture below.<br /><br /><object height="350" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/fGysTUqshGg"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/fGysTUqshGg" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" height="350" width="425"></embed></object><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Ground Rating:</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9rRT9-uqVVf9wrmCLvybNtjI1nYapNlHfEFNG809O2IOpnjxB_AUoFJY10jg64vJU-k4Ej_MdNYYsr0uprc98RugBTRtHZqTozMhUCs_3cUfIhebMqinbcgI205WMkrg8-QgvxgpUWAit/s1600-h/ground3.gif"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9rRT9-uqVVf9wrmCLvybNtjI1nYapNlHfEFNG809O2IOpnjxB_AUoFJY10jg64vJU-k4Ej_MdNYYsr0uprc98RugBTRtHZqTozMhUCs_3cUfIhebMqinbcgI205WMkrg8-QgvxgpUWAit/s200/ground3.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5026681808458517778" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Refreshment Rating:</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH8NUL6gqYsQF7lPEkzZtGCaEouValaofPQmn5q2TYPbNbThqXSgJObsWD2RB0bpQ4X5EQ1MKE452TCmcrvFBeiG6qhF50b4QEFI3M4kcbT0kS-Jd0UvMtnl9Q9VMPSIXYNChj0fs3Y0Kl/s1600-h/burger3.gif"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH8NUL6gqYsQF7lPEkzZtGCaEouValaofPQmn5q2TYPbNbThqXSgJObsWD2RB0bpQ4X5EQ1MKE452TCmcrvFBeiG6qhF50b4QEFI3M4kcbT0kS-Jd0UvMtnl9Q9VMPSIXYNChj0fs3Y0Kl/s200/burger3.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5026673626545818850" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />(I didn't actually partake but the smells were good)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Profanity Rating:</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKMEPYsA_UQcnN7N3FZFEblzLKZJI2L9l7i1xQZQM_0OoCadFZ46fR8wqQ9rDltkRFQy2KpF70Ac7A7nOc2RpOvT4iyBm_c2MOdpYeSaGSixd04VPCUbRIA-HHozezSLBSUviZd7g2eO0K/s1600-h/chili3.gif"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKMEPYsA_UQcnN7N3FZFEblzLKZJI2L9l7i1xQZQM_0OoCadFZ46fR8wqQ9rDltkRFQy2KpF70Ac7A7nOc2RpOvT4iyBm_c2MOdpYeSaGSixd04VPCUbRIA-HHozezSLBSUviZd7g2eO0K/s200/chili3.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5026677655225142530" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />(All the effing was encouraging effing rather than malicious, but there was a lot of it).<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Links:</span><br /><a href="http://www.vcd-athletic.co.uk/">VCD Athletic</a><br /><a href="http://http//www.tunbridgewellsfc.co.uk/">Tunbridge Wells</a><br /><a href="http://www.apsafc.co.uk/"></a>John Stonemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16075790973145505724noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8508205868308966785.post-75049198413274869172007-01-26T22:54:00.000+00:002007-02-08T12:33:34.455+00:0027/01/2007 - Stanway Rovers 0 Lowestoft Town 5<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl1qHmB3UuB7n7wIPj3_zBD09V8ascI4UycKN2rwfz1H-b0RawiaCBREcAkJT7GHsfVczCW0NCKZRBu-cZLMMBgazFw-Uf3jvZGkSTbSHUdeVqkA1oOt4G6jUCWk9Uy4dWDwszqxSHhpR4/s1600-h/img003.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl1qHmB3UuB7n7wIPj3_zBD09V8ascI4UycKN2rwfz1H-b0RawiaCBREcAkJT7GHsfVczCW0NCKZRBu-cZLMMBgazFw-Uf3jvZGkSTbSHUdeVqkA1oOt4G6jUCWk9Uy4dWDwszqxSHhpR4/s200/img003.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5025061825969941122" border="0" /></a><span>I HAD originally planned to go to Great Wakering Rovers V Redbridge </span><span>but </span><span>Vanessa decided to go</span><span> to Colchester Zoo with the kids and so I had a change of mind, as Stanway Rovers is close to the zoo and we would be able to meet up for something to eat after both trips.</span><br /><br /><span>Stanway and Low</span><span>estoft wer</span><span>e c</span><span>hampions of their respective</span><span> divisions in 2</span><span>005/6 </span><span>with the Essex side gaining promotion to the Ridgeons Eastern Counties Premier as their reward.</span><br /><br /><span>This season there has been differing fortunes for both teams with Stanway struggling to establish themselves at the higher level and Lowestoft struggling with financial problems which has put the club in backroom turmoil.</span><br /><span><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdtGhyCtBYi555ffJaUd-EYPIDs7VCFc1XJ2oIyo7X3kNjH5sopgp2UlnVhOgH6QvdgkewSU2MSWJHxkf1pLtnZVabBrJoForqpb6wDNEkLo7hItJAu65soa93fHUf3-tspgH5IXod7veg/s1600-h/stan03.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdtGhyCtBYi555ffJaUd-EYPIDs7VCFc1XJ2oIyo7X3kNjH5sopgp2UlnVhOgH6QvdgkewSU2MSWJHxkf1pLtnZVabBrJoForqpb6wDNEkLo7hItJAu65soa93fHUf3-tspgH5IXod7veg/s200/stan03.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5025062079373011602" border="0" /></a><span>However you would not have imagined th</span><span>is could be possible had you seen the well-organised and well-appointed organisation that the Suffolk team brought to Essex.<br /><br /></span><span>Players, officials and the r</span><span>agtag band of </span><span>vocal supporters</span><span> were all smartly turned out in their Lowestoft To</span><span>w</span><span>n coa</span><span>ts which featured the name and number of club sponso</span><span>r Gary Bennett on the back.<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiuqNBlXYiCAiUSHkns2XxEzlDpixJT2hayy5IdifkKWKXTBnd_oh7uY4wt9DdDBIqy944uUcPfv3EJDV8jjKAaWJ-w9hEc31GijzDPdTbt9Q7prb0z3aZxRyL-S4Jc8KeahOMfVV6qLyb/s1600-h/stan04.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiuqNBlXYiCAiUSHkns2XxEzlDpixJT2hayy5IdifkKWKXTBnd_oh7uY4wt9DdDBIqy944uUcPfv3EJDV8jjKAaWJ-w9hEc31GijzDPdTbt9Q7prb0z3aZxRyL-S4Jc8KeahOMfVV6qLyb/s200/stan04.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5025062285531441826" border="0" /></a><span>Bennett runs a driving school and he has been appointed acting chairman to steer the club forward (groan) during their current taxman turmoil which saw them forced to raise £13 grand by the end of January or be wound up.</span><br /><br /><span>Reports this week revealed that the money has already been raised, but obv</span><span>iously the backroom events at the Suffolk side need to mirror the performances that the reigning</span><span> champions have created on the pitch.<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPKkNn7pqPt4GBEGwGqzWi7E_phOezeEjIkHF-LTCMx4gfMdWWRfvxp0wR8GYYH1dV9K5J1lnBDrA2ot3aG5XyGneT0AD7gXVrbTvuimHwbna9bYbZZLv1XHAAgCAF2G_F4eMqCzE2qkbv/s1600-h/stan01.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPKkNn7pqPt4GBEGwGqzWi7E_phOezeEjIkHF-LTCMx4gfMdWWRfvxp0wR8GYYH1dV9K5J1lnBDrA2ot3aG5XyGneT0AD7gXVrbTvuimHwbna9bYbZZLv1XHAAgCAF2G_F4eMqCzE2qkbv/s200/stan01.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5025062551819414194" border="0" /></a><span>Although sitting just above mid-table, t</span><span>hey have plenty of</span><span> games in hand on the </span><span>higher teams, and have only been beaten twice this season.<br /><br />Stanway on the other hand ar</span><span>e probably doing enough to avoid dropping straight back down but have lost half of their 24 matches this term.<br /><br />I made the journery from Braintree to Stanw</span><span>ay in about 30 minutes, taking the A120 to Marks Tey and then going up the old London Road to Stanway.<br /><br />The Hawthorns is in a housing estate although the ground sits next to a builders merchant at the top end which has an amazing hillock at one corner flag. It's a wide-open complex with five-a-side pitches alongside the pitch and a nice little grandstand on the far sid</span><span>e.</span><br /><span><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhXbbmn2KcKSO4tx04bYlAqUUH-yF9EIG9SIIksPQocmpKN5w4yOzb8URBu89VM62t_o9aQEFmnLsnxQvrDIhZ7dlozxgqrBolh1c8B_fsXcuGXKVee0TPL2miGBqKUuEv3ykZli3LyjNI/s1600-h/stan05.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhXbbmn2KcKSO4tx04bYlAqUUH-yF9EIG9SIIksPQocmpKN5w4yOzb8URBu89VM62t_o9aQEFmnLsnxQvrDIhZ7dlozxgqrBolh1c8B_fsXcuGXKVee0TPL2miGBqKUuEv3ykZli3LyjNI/s200/stan05.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5025062839582223042" border="0" /></a><span>You enter behind the goal at the opposite end in</span><span>to a tunnel-like shelter that runs the width of the pitch. The main clubhouse is in the car park outside.<br /><br /></span><span>The match was played at a slower pace than the Ryman League North matches I have been watching this year and the football benefits from this with players having more time on the ball allowing both teams to try to play.<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiccz8jTNNd0r_w1wB8oacSI8H0V9JjKtC9xxt9dqvHJdDyl10xgADN7AUzDyYo9gsDmsaUrE71dJn8_ekb30bhpoJj8V0ZEbfBXF-BatZRo5IswHyenBnVn7ZSh20npqshzeBlJstSEiPl/s1600-h/stan02.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiccz8jTNNd0r_w1wB8oacSI8H0V9JjKtC9xxt9dqvHJdDyl10xgADN7AUzDyYo9gsDmsaUrE71dJn8_ekb30bhpoJj8V0ZEbfBXF-BatZRo5IswHyenBnVn7ZSh20npqshzeBlJstSEiPl/s200/stan02.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5025063050035620562" border="0" /></a><span>The difference between the two sides though was the defences, Lowestoft's back four were a mean-spirited bunch who closed out Rovers' forwards, while the home team rearguard were run at times ragged by the 'Trawlerboys'.</span><br /><span><br /></span><span>And speaking of which, the best line of the match came from a couple of Stanway officials who watched as a salty sea dog in knitted cap, and roll-up fag, shuffled past them to join the Gary Bennett Driving School coat-wearing gang of Lowestoft fans behind the goal. "He's got his trawler parked outside".<br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTu2YbRzbhmRgu4pd_PiU8Tnln1Yu6lbQrCTysyyeM-YV09FkyEzCFMjVogJW1IeY_H4nR0awCJ4M-lKam4AJG1KPRGX3EqznDZcvZX62qiIvnbV8bCGGX9RrYFSFkv0YXS8SHVdZrpD3P/s1600-h/stan06.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTu2YbRzbhmRgu4pd_PiU8Tnln1Yu6lbQrCTysyyeM-YV09FkyEzCFMjVogJW1IeY_H4nR0awCJ4M-lKam4AJG1KPRGX3EqznDZcvZX62qiIvnbV8bCGGX9RrYFSFkv0YXS8SHVdZrpD3P/s200/stan06.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5025063307733658338" border="0" /></a><span>The five goals came from Richard Woodrow (overlapping breakaway) , Jamie Stockeld (drilled shot in the box), Marcus Saunders (side foot swipe straight from a corner) , Carl Poppy (neat chip/lob) and Russell Stock - an ungainly, old fashioned centre-forward type who had a deceptively good touch for a big man and deserved his far post header in the dying minutes.<br /><br /></span>Ground Rating: 3/5<br />Refreshment Rating: 1/5 (<span>The snackbar was poor, but did not deserve the abuse that the Lowestoft fans delivered to the poor old girl behind the tea urn, I went with a dubious sausage roll, a tea and a coffee. Not all at once.</span>)<br />Profanity Rating: Very Low (a couple of effs from the Rovers keeper, but understandable as he picked the ball out five times.)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Links:</span><br /><br />Stanway Rovers<br /><a href="http://www.lowestofttownfc.co.uk/">Lowestoft Town</a><br /><a href="http://www.greatwakeringrovers.co.uk/"></a><a href="http://www.redbridgefc.com/"></a>John Stonemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16075790973145505724noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8508205868308966785.post-62578730965890421562007-01-26T11:43:00.000+00:002007-02-08T12:33:52.486+00:0025/01/2007 - Oxhey Jets Reserves 0 Hoddesdon Town Reserves 0<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSfDFuEHmsQG6pVnlXce_ukAjhWMu2CDOaELM4TjDSEfFDiYzzWVZGiaJmsIeje0A9MoC3EzLFQKsdYkjfrzuOaLNmbODVEgAIzE1EOIEhS6LQtZQ_Fs2JLQsFDBgIYc3Mi7AGJb0lot00/s1600-h/flag.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSfDFuEHmsQG6pVnlXce_ukAjhWMu2CDOaELM4TjDSEfFDiYzzWVZGiaJmsIeje0A9MoC3EzLFQKsdYkjfrzuOaLNmbODVEgAIzE1EOIEhS6LQtZQ_Fs2JLQsFDBgIYc3Mi7AGJb0lot00/s200/flag.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5024304103544613442" border="0" /></a>THERE'S something peverse about watching a penalty being taken as a neutral observer and hoping to see either a miss or a save. But this was the position I found myself in after another drop down into the Spartan South Midlands Reserve Division One to take in Oxhey Jets Reserves against Hoddesdon Town Reserves.<br /><br />With about 20 minutes to go in a game that had ebbed and flowed both ways, Oxhey were awarded a lighter shade of dubious penalty that threatened to break the hitherto deadlocked teams.<br /><br />However about five minutes before the offence I had resigned myself to this being a nil-nil after both teams had squandered a limited number of good chances - mainly down to composure in the box. And for some reason, I didn't want that deadlock to be broken.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7x1Qy1ELAU7Vo9qLJ9tR_AlHmZPuVpMMBP1Wcvg3gXYRJ8HH3YMfuVS_wV8egS0BoHWfTV_yP3-59IPASYERCJfoIutX96Yhn6FWFpFTvELtrDGuSw0iVPNyQmeWiE1TT-1xVUCha38Iu/s1600-h/DSCN0618.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7x1Qy1ELAU7Vo9qLJ9tR_AlHmZPuVpMMBP1Wcvg3gXYRJ8HH3YMfuVS_wV8egS0BoHWfTV_yP3-59IPASYERCJfoIutX96Yhn6FWFpFTvELtrDGuSw0iVPNyQmeWiE1TT-1xVUCha38Iu/s200/DSCN0618.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5024309893160528466" border="0" /></a>Luckily for me the penalty taker (Oxhey number 8) had been having a poor game up until that point and I actually fancied him to miss. He duly obliged, hitting it low and to the left of the Hoddy (that's how they describe themselves in rallying cries) keeper but in a position that was completely savable.<br /><br />This miss and the inevitable goal-less conclusion that then petered out left me pondering what is it that makes a game enjoyable or dismal? I'd enjoyed this match as a contest and it was actually more entertaining than the 4-1 win I'd seen between Leverstock Green Reserves and New Bradwell St Peter Reserves in this division on January 10th.<br /><br />The standard of football appeared better as both teams got the ball down and tried to play for most of the game, just missing that cutting edge in the final third. And I was actually pleased that it ended nil all as it confirmed the prediction I'd made halfway through the second half.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzOt-EBTy61iae1d2-g5WSpdEuR_JRa_bngJQ8mhB4xaLK88j819tmwWN8FKPOrz3BSGA53bKv5vDh44E-HBbDWhl-hcwthfXUiFW6McfhP6GsTzAeAatRJ6PvyEUTfEEofRQqye8l6KlJ/s1600-h/DSCN0625.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzOt-EBTy61iae1d2-g5WSpdEuR_JRa_bngJQ8mhB4xaLK88j819tmwWN8FKPOrz3BSGA53bKv5vDh44E-HBbDWhl-hcwthfXUiFW6McfhP6GsTzAeAatRJ6PvyEUTfEEofRQqye8l6KlJ/s200/DSCN0625.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5024310095023991394" border="0" /></a>Then again perhaps my brain was just addled by the permeating cold.<br /><br />I'd made the journey from Braintree to Oxhey in just over an hour, (A120, M11, M25, M1, local roads) the Thursday night commuter traffic behaving itself impeccably. The Altham Way complex is abutted onto a housing estate, and skirted by a railway line and lays out like a sporting vineyard on a number of exposed terraces. The clubhouse is well appointed and is a short walk across the car park. Although the ground appears quite exposed, the weather conditions were just cold, not windy, which made spectating bearable, while keeping the run on Cup-a-soups from the snack shack a constant.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghHi5YV6o1MIYP6SNnXtjNrLOmwl6y8cSCF6OropokmtRtcFyoG801cXizvnWVJTYkVYX104cUCd07oKK6evOMdvIPRicGz03IpANucc45Ub0eF6FENM-4YL17YZ26zgaesUvDrvaH3axI/s1600-h/overhead.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghHi5YV6o1MIYP6SNnXtjNrLOmwl6y8cSCF6OropokmtRtcFyoG801cXizvnWVJTYkVYX104cUCd07oKK6evOMdvIPRicGz03IpANucc45Ub0eF6FENM-4YL17YZ26zgaesUvDrvaH3axI/s200/overhead.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5024314458710764146" border="0" /></a>In fact there was quite a good turnout spectating from the neat main grandstand area - I'd estimate around 30 - another healthy SSMRD1 attendance, and I enjoyed the view that you got from this raised platform alongside the grandstand.<br /><br />The spectators also provided some good banter and visual entertainment, from one home fan's description of Hoddesdon's beefy number 6 ("that's a f**king sizeable unit"), through to the abuse they hurled at the Hoddesdon 'homer' line-o which led to him flipping them one finger after a dubious flag-raising.<br /><br />There was also a handful of Hoddesdon fans (well, three) including one dapper gent in a felt hat, polished brogues, expensive looking sports overcoat puffing on a large cigar. I assumed he must be the HT chairman.<br /><br />Ground Rating: 3/5<br />Refreshment Rating: 2/5 (one Coke, one chicken Cup-a-soup, one coffee, two Breakaways)<br />Profanity Rating: Very Low (the crowd swore more than the players)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Links:</span><br /><a href="http://www.oxheyjets.com/">Oxhey Jets</a><br /><a href="http://www.hoddesdontownfc.co.uk/">Hoddesdon Town<br /></a>John Stonemanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16075790973145505724noreply@blogger.com