Saturday 13th September

[Karen Browne]

He is back home tonight - no doubt nursing a terrible headache

[thecoldend]

Liam has tweeted he is back at Welwyn club house. All okay and fine. He was apparently given a great reception at the club house.

[Rhodes]

Some reports from yesterday's FA Cup ties:

 

FA CHALLENGE CUP First Qualifying Round

1-2 Biggleswade United v Leverstock Green

http://www.levgreenfc.co.uk/MatchReport.php?File=20140913

1-0 Brentwood Town v London Colney

1-4 Hertford Town v Canvey Island

http://canveyislandfc.com/reports/2014/09/hertford-town-1-4-canvey-island

1-0 London Tigers v Brightlingsea Regent

http://www.pitchero.com/clubs/brightlingsearegentfc/s/match-centre-14168/0-2646937

2-0 Thurrock v Welwyn Garden City

http://www.pitchero.com/clubs/thurrock/s/match-centre-62466/2-20849

[Rhodes]

FA CHALLENGE CUP First Qualifying Round

1-0 London Tigers v Brightlingsea Regent

http://www.pitchero.com/clubs/brightlingsearegentfc/s/match-centre-14168/0-2646937

A comprehensive report from another Forum by a 'Runwell':

 

FA Cup First Qualifying Round

London Tigers 1(0)-(0)0 Brightlingsea Regent

Avenue Park Stadium, Western Avenue, Greenford, Middlesex/West London

Attendance: 58.

Admission: £6. Programmes sold out at 2:40?

Also purchased from clubhouse: Mars bar and can of Coke = £1.60(?)

 

After a busy morning, didn't get away until 1pm. Took a chance on the North Circular, which was its usual slow stop start self from the A10, all the way down to the Hanger Lane gyratory. Probably delayed about 20-25 minutes, but still arrived in good time.

 

I had seen London Tigers in the Extra Preliminary Round, when they somehow allowed Takeley to earn a late replay. However I am not surprised they won the second encounter, as well as beat Clacton in the last round. Thought they were capable of an upset here, against a Brightlingsea side who have struggled a bit since reaching step 4. A 90th minute goal did for the Ryman side, who will kick themselves at not going through, having missed a penalty in the first half and some good chances, although they were overall rather poor here, so perhaps they didn't deserve to go through. Tigers didn't show the same quality of football I know they are capable of, but always looked a threat on the break.

 

First half saw Brightlingsea miss some good chances, including a weakly struck penalty late in the half following a foul. A few bits of luck also went against them as to where the ball fell in the box. However too often their final ball was very poor. The advantage of playing down the slope was not utilised. Tigers threatened on the break, and from the odd delivery from the box, and one such delivery from a free kick was headed goalwards, and brilliantly kept out by the flying Brightlingsea keeper, who otherwise had little to do all game. A few efforts from the hosts weren't far away though, but they couldn't even take advantage of an indirect free kick following the keeper inexplicably picking up a pass, and the Ryman North side needed to up their game in the second half.

 

There was certainly more of an attacking emphasis after half time from Brightlingsea, who couldn't turn a scramble in the box home, just couldn't quite connect with a few rare decent balls in to the six yard box, and also had to deal with a commanding keeper, who caught pretty much everything. Despite having much possession though, Regent were often sloppy with it, and received a couple of warnings from Tigers on the break. A long trek for the visitors in midweek seemed inevitable. But then in the 90th minute, a free kick just outside the box was charged down, but the loose ball deflected back out to the same player, whose low effort may have taken another nick off someone and went low through the wall past the unsighted keeper. Cue mad celebrations. Brightlingsea pushed for an equaliser, but should have been finished off on the counter, as a player dragged his shot wide when bearing down on goal. Luckily for him it mattered not. A bit fortunate to win outright, but Brightlingsea only have themselves to blame.

 

The ground itself is a complete eyesore, and I am amazed it even passes step 5 grading. Situated off the eastbound A40, just before the Greenford exit (about 2-3 miles west of Hanger Lane), there is no turnstile, with money collected as you drive in. Car parking is very limited, so I wonder how they will cope if they draw a Conference South side at home (although it is walkable apparently from Greenford Underground station)? The grass outside the pitch is horribly overgrown by the clubhouse side, with fly-tipping seemingly evident. The clubhouse reminds me of Clapton - a small uninspiring building, with a large TV sitting on a table to the right of the door. No pumps, nor hot food it seems, plus very little in the way of even snacks. A few tables and chairs, and a mirror on the wall, but little else. The changing rooms are on the back of the clubhouse, with a mesh gate/fence leading them up to the pitch, with a substation the other side of the 'tunnel'.

Ground is three-sides, with the bit behind the flimsy wooden dugouts backed on to by tall conifers. On the entrance side is the only seating, in the form of a few small rows of benches behind the nearside goal, contained in an unappealing cover. A hard-standing of paved stones briefly turns to grass, before a very narrow walkway - too narrow surely for step 5 (?) - on the side opposite the dugouts, which runs parallel to a public footpath, which is only separated by a spiked metal fence, so passers by could peer through the alley without paying. Quite often the ball cleared the fence, on to the alley, and on to the undergrowth beside it. Behind the far goal is another ugly and rickety looking wooden structure providing cover, beside some more messy undergrowth. A real eyesore of a ground. Clapton almost feels homely in comparison. As I say, if they get a Wealdstone (e.g.) at home, not sure how the ground will cope?

 

Just over an hour and a half to get back, after the usual traffic on the North Circular, then an accident further round just before the M11 caused a brief standstill holdup.