Pancakes and Bovril

Tuesday 29 September 2020, Leverstock Green 1 North Greenford United 0 - SSM Premier League, Pancake Lane

For some now a report, review  or even a preview of a game has to included what measure the local club have pout in place to help with track and trace. We certainly now live in troubled times, where the talk is about hand sanitiser rather than the state of the burgers.

However it is important that clubs do their best to help the public in the fight against this deadly virus, by doing it right they are also helping keep football running below Step 3. So on that basis, I would recommend a visit to Leverstock Green.

No need for an e ticket, but a good one way system, sanitiser available, names taken, table service in the club house and friendly stewards reminding spectators to social distance, ensuring those in the tea hut queue were safe. 

Football wise - a good game, even if the only goal of that match was in the second minute. Nice ground in a very rural setting but just 2 minutes from the M1!

Winter is now coming, so my first Bovril of the 20/21 season - a cup of Bovril at Pancake Lane.

Needs a heavy hand?

 Tuesday 25 August 2020, Coggeshall Town 0 Ipswich Town Under 23s 0 - West Street, PSF

Zak Brown has potential but certainly needs calming hand/heavy hand to sort out is ego!

Just need to put the seats in!

Saturday 26 September 2020, Kent Football United 2 Meridian VP 1 - Glentworth Ex-servicemens Club, Southern Counties East, Division One 

Just over the Dartford Crossing, past the very modern and eco friendly ground of Dartford you find something a bit more old fashioned, the Glentworth Ex-servicemens club, a pre-fab type building and behind just one pitch- obviously quite dated but kent Football United have only had this place as home for a couple of years and they are trying to bring it up to scratch.

A newish stand with just 10 seats but next to the stand a large pile of white seats, maybe from a former Olympic venue waiting to be fitted, a club house to sell refreshments - the bar is still in the ex-servicemens club but plenty still to be done. That is where the trouble lies - kent are doing great in attracting players, running numerous teams including a successful women's side but there seems to be still very little local support, and so two few people being asked to do too many jobs.

But today that was a worry for another time as Kent Football United got all 3 points and could even miss a last minute penalty.

Home made stadium

Wednesday 23 September 2020, Bedford 2 Stotfold 0 - Spartan south Midlands League, Div 1, McMullan Park 

Had a look round McMullan Park a couple of season ago when watching game at Bedford Town, so it was good to actually get to see a game here. Some things had not changed, a real feel that this mismatch of stands, portacabins and odd bits of football furniture scattered around were put in place by people who loved this club even if it seems there is no real blueprint!

Football wise, you could tell it was local derby, no quarter asked for, or given. At one stage I thought we would see a red card- or two but somehow all 22 players stayed on the pitch and provided those in attendance a very exciting game. 

Good cup win for the 'Hoops'

 Saturday 12 September 2020, Deal Town 4 Sittingbourne 1 - Charles Ground, FA Cup Preliminary Round

My first visit to Deal and completed that division, some moan that the Deal ground lost its charm when the old wooden stand was removed, but I liked the ground- the stand with a press gantry above, the changing rooms in the corner, a double decker bus commemorating a 2000 FA Vase win, and odd bits of cover all over the ground and a modern clubhouse.

Very organised, good track and trace system in action however most supporters seemed to ignore advice on social distancing.

Deal shocked their higher placed visitors by going ahead in the first minute from the spot, Sittingbourne did not pancic , but struggled to take control and it was Deal who scored next and by half way through the half you could see that the two wingers from Deal were too hot for the visitors full backs and just before the break the number 11 made the goal for the other winger, number 7 to score- three up at the break.

The visitors changed one of their full backs at half time and that made them look more solid at the back but they were arguing amongst themselves and struggling to do anything with all the possession they had and it was Deal who scored next, adding a 4th goal. the visitors managed a consolation with just a few minutes left in the game. A good win for the home team.

Great start as Frenford return home

Saturday 5 September 2020, Frenford 3 Holland 0 - The Dive, Eastern Counties League, Division One, South

G5, cage but two stands inside, pitch railed on 3 sides. First competitive  game on new pitch. Some might not like G5, or these new complexes but as the idea of football is to get people playing sport, you can't fault the new ground. Tea and coffee in the sports centre, a cricket match on the next pitch and a good track and trace set sup, including two temperature checks. Club officials very friendly and at £4 to get in, has to be a bargain. The sports centre also had a couple of displays showing the history of Frenford, pictures of their various grounds and how the whole project from 1928 had been the brains of one person- Jack Carter a local quaker.

The old admission hut and red and white metal rail from behind one goal on the old grass pitch is still in place. 

Nice club, nice set up but not much local support, with the 54 in attendance included a number of 'hoppers' plus Holland fans.

First half started with Holland on top but they picked up a couple of injuries, Frenford then got on top however Holland came closest to breaking the deadlock with a goalmouth scramble just before the break.

Second half was all frenford as they physically dominated their visitors, in particular they were a threat at all corners., three second half goals for Frenford meant it was great result for a club starting a new chapter in their long history.

The season starts for real

Wednesday 2 September 2020, Park View 1 Hashtag United 2 - FA Cup, Extra Preliminary Round, New River Sports Stadium

Pre-season over, one that fans seem more interested in this year- because of the lack of live sport for last 6 months. But now the real fun starts- competitive football and nothing beats the FA Cup.

So it was drizzling, it was in an athletics stadium, no bar, no hot food but it was still enjoyable,

As athletics stadiums go, the New River stadium does have a decent stand, and even ten rows of terracing the other side of the pitch, but what made this enjoyable was it was a good game of football.

Hashtag United may have a bad name, a club from nowhere, on their third ground (this was like coming home, as their first ground was also on white Hart Lane)  and involved in 'You tube' but forget that, what I found was a good team, a large away following that included many girls, families and good mix - so I think they will prosper. their opponents only started at step 6 last year but they have also come a long way in football terms if still rooted in the community they started in. A team based round the Ghanaian ex pat community, but now they take players from anywhere in Tottenham and they also want to play good football.

It was  Park View who took the lead but Hashtag hit back from the spot. Park View also lost two players to injury in the first half. The first half was quite even, but in the second half, Hashtag dominated and it was only the efforts of the Park View keeper who manged to keep the goal tally for the visitors to 2 goals.

So the season has started officially, competitive football - but it still feels strange - but the way the crowd stayed to the end - was obvious that people were just happy to be ack watching live sport.