Ash United 0 Beckenham Town 4

This will not go down as the greatest day in my groudhopping day, but it will certainly be one that I wont forget in a hurry. My initial target was to get to two games with the first being Westfield v Corinthian Casuals at Bisley FC. However this idea was soon put to pay with the traffic that was on the M3. With it evident that i was not going to make Bisley, i decided to head for Wokingham & Embrook who kicked off half hour later. However the traffic going that way wa no better, and thus after toying with the idea of trying to go to Camberley, i settled with just doing the one game at Ash.

Kick off for this game was delayed as the away team from Kent was held up in the very same traffic. After a very quick warm up from the visitors the game got under way. The lack of warm up did not seem to hamper Beckenham as they came firing out of the blocks and put in a great passing performance. At half time they led 3-0 but in truth it could have been more as they also squandred 2 one on one opportunities, and hit the post.

In the second half i moved around to the other side of the ground and was treated courtesy of Farnborough Air Show, to a display from The Red Arrows. The match itself calmed down a tad with the visitors still having the stronghold of the game, but only adding 1 more goal to their first half tally.

All in all an enjoyable day and match, given how the day had started, and another Combined Counties League Ground Ticked!!!

Lyndhurst 3 Bournemouth Poppies 2

I had a deperate rush into the New Forest for this one, with confussion over the kick off, with one web-site saying 6:45 and another saying 7. When i parked in the small car park down the road i could see the game had started although thankfully i had only missed 3-4 minutes. This friendly was anything but, and became a quite heated affair at times. If both teams could play as well as they could argue with each other then they would surely finish the forthcoming season well.

Lyndhurst were by far the better team in the first half scoring three good goals on the counter attack. Despite the sun hindering the home defence, the Lyndhurst Goalkeeper pulled off a string of fine saves, including one from the penalty spot.

The Lyndhurst Goalkeeper saves the penalty low to his right.

Bournemouth (the higher ranked of the two teams) had their manager sent off in the first half for a tirade of foul language thrown at the referee.

The Away Dug-out with just before the manager (far left in red) was dismissed

In the second half Poppies created a few more chances and pulled one back to make the score 3-2. In the last few minutes of the game, it threatened to boil over as a Lyndhurst player threw himself into a tackle. Despite it being one of the worst tackles I have seen in a number of years he escaped with a yellow.

The ground is pretty basic (as most HPL one's are), with a fenced off pitch, no admission was charged or programme produced.

All in all an enjoyable evening and another HPL ground ticked.

Winchester City 0 Kinstonian 0

My 3rd preseason friendly, (and 3rd new ground), in as many days, and it has to be said the most unentertaining thus far. There was a small ex-Brentford connection to this game with Bobby Traynor for the K's along with Glen Cockrill the Winchester manager.



In all honesty the ground was not what i was expecting..... not that i'm sure i know what i was expecting.


Kingstonian put out two seperate teams for each half, both wearing seperate kits which was a first for me!


The less said about the game ..... the better!!!!

Alton Town 2 Godalming Town 2

Godalming took an early lead in this pre-season friendly (my 2nd in as many days), and generally looked the more comfortable of the two sides.


It was in the second half that Alton began to make a game of it as they found two quick goals to take the lead. That was however cut short as Godalming converted a penalty.


Godalming could have won the game with a second penalty which was saved by the substitute keeper.


The ground was very pleasant and had a cricket style pavillion which is used for changing rooms


There was also a tractor which i took a liking too.

Sandhurst Town 1 AFC Wimbledon 1

The Official Matchday Programme to Kick off the Centenery

Right the start of a new season brings re-newed enthusiasm for my blog so here goes. The 2010/11 Campaign got off the ground last night as the Frizzers entertained the Dons as the start of the Centenary Season. AFC Wimbledons first competitive league game took place 8 years ago at Sandurst as the 2 teams met in the Combined Counties Premier Division.

The Dons fielded a team of youth and trialists and took the lead in the first half with a helping hand from the sun and a mishandle by the Goalkeeper. A lofted ball into the area got lost in the sunlight and the Home goalkeeper managed to push the ball into his own net.

The Goalkeeper (far left) and the troblesome sun.

In truth the first half was quite an even affair with both teams having opportunities. In the second half the free flowing football continued and Sandhurst managed to pull an equaliser back.

All in All a good entertaining game to start of this season, with a new ground to boot!