No.22 - Sat. 6th December 2008; Berks & Bucks Intermediate Cup Round 3 1.30pm at Newland Park, Chalfont Campus, Bucks University, Gorelands Lane, Chalfont Common, Bucks. (Att: 7; Admn/Prog: Free)
Matchday images (12) >view> Bucks Students Union (2) 6 Risborough Rangers (0) 2 Students pass test with fine performance
The club may have been members of the Molten Spartan South Midlands League for only a few months but Bucks Students Union is a team that could soon be on the move. A visit to their Newland Park base at the Chalfont Campus on Saturday was rewarded with a thoroughly entertaining Berks and Bucks Intermediate Cup Round 3 fixture. Visitors Risborough Rangers also members of the SML Division 2 contributed to what was a superb game of football played on what was a real glue pot of a pitch. In fact it was the state of the pitch that caused us a bit of grief as we arrived at the ground before the 1.30pm kick-off. Apparently the visiting Rangers' players were none too happy with the condition of the playing surface and asked if the game could possibly be switched to another pitch on the far side of the spacious playing fields. I was told by one of the home officials that the ultimate decision was left up to the match referee. Although the pitch was passed fit earlier in the morning by a local referee, the appointed one, who had only just arrived, had yet to inspect it. Admittedly it did look in heavy in places but I couldn't see what all the fuss was about. What's wrong with the players of today? I don't know.... are they pampered or what? Now when we were kids.... No doubt the poor state of the pitch was probably the result of overuse during the past few months. So would the match referee allow the game to be played on the main pitch or would he deem it unsafe and use one of the other pitches instead? I really didn’t really fancy watching the game on a 'second' pitch and decided, with time on our hands, to plan a back up match just in case. Marsh Rangers who were playing Willesden Constantine in the MCLP (2pm) was a viable alternative and the Hillingdon Stadium in Uxbridge could easily be reached from here in just twenty minutes. A nervous wait followed. At 1.20pm the referee, a rather rotund gentleman in his late forties, finally emerged from his changing room, glanced cautiously at the pitch and called over the match secretary. There seemed to be a problem. We soon breathed a sigh of relief when we learned that the main pitch was in fact OK - the hold up was because he didn't have a decent match ball with which to start the game. Amusing really isn't it that the league sponsor just happens to manufacture top quality footballs! Hmmm. So after a stressful wait our mini crisis was over. It was game on and the visit to Marsh Rangers would now have to be put on hold until some time next year. Despite missing a few influential players, the students looked the brighter (pardon the pun) of the two sides and adapted much better to the bumpy pitch and unrelenting conditions. The match came to life just before half time when the tricky, sylph-like Harry Baxter broke the deadlock with a double strike. After beating his marker the front-runner found enough space to unleash a low drive across the goal and then watch the ball creep just inside the far post on 37 minutes. Amazingly he was at it again just seven minutes later scoring his second (44), a carbon copy of the first to give the academics a promising 2-0 lead at the interval. Two minutes after the restart though it was Rangers who found the net. Rangy Martin Griggs latched onto a through ball and with a looping shot from the edge of the area beat the outstretched arms of young keeper Matthew Tongue. He certainly looked a bit down in the mouth! It only took six minutes for the hosts to regain their important two goal cushion when Ghanaian substitute Patu Katshemi (51) scored an absolute scorcher with a shot from distance leaving the Rangers' ‘keeper Steve Clarke rooted (or should that be glued?) to the spot. But the visitors weren’t ready to capitulate just yet. Tall defender Sam Agace decided to join the attack when his side earned a direct fee kick close to the touch line (level with the edge of the penalty area) and rose perfectly to meet the cross and head home (62). Game on again! It really was exciting stuff. With just over fifteen minutes remaining the homesters took advantage of some poor marking when Baxter (73) beat the offside trap to run in on goal and slip the ball under the advancing keeper to complete his hat-trick and make it 4-2. Risborough seemed deflated after this and lost their mental resolve. The students won most of the possession after this and finished the game off as a contest when Katshembi (75) and Moses (80) added further goals. The last one was the pick of the bunch when the centre forward dribbled around four defenders no less before tapping in from close range. It certainly was the stuff to match top non-league fayre!! His side had deservedly earned a place in the Semi-Finals of the competition with a resounding 6-2 victory in the glorious mud. The match was watched by only seven spectators (including Graham, a hopper from Essex – sorry I didn’t catch your surname) although the attendance was listed on the excellent Football Mittoo website with a figure more than twice this number showing a total of 15. A superb 20-page programme was available, free of charge, from the bar during the afternoon. This is a tidy issue and, printed in full colour, provides the reader with all the essential content including a welcome; brief club history; match reports (for both first and second teams); players’ profiles; a summary of the Berks & Bucks Intermediate Cup fixtures and results; SML fixtures and results; current league table; team stats; forthcoming matches and the team line-ups. The match fixture is highlighted at the foot of each page. A nice touch! Inexpensive hot drinks were also dispensed from inside the bar at half-time and Fran was absolutely delighted with her cup of coffee priced at only 50p. Served in a very large red and black mug it was without doubt the best she’d sampled on her travels this season! Now that's fine praise indeed... Bucks SU Football Club was formed as a new side as recently as 2007, comprising of students from the six University teams in High Wycombe. The first team played in the Wycombe and District League last season gaining immediate success finishing the campaign unbeaten, drawing only one game and winning three trophies (W&DL winners; Tom Hooker League Cup winners and W&DL Subsidiary Cup winners) before joining the South Midlands League where they currently occupy seventh place in the Second Division, having won seven games to date. Incidentally all the players on their books are students (and alumni) from the University and include four Ghanaians, one German and one Portuguese players amongst their ranks!! The club plays its matches at Newland Park, a large sporting site on the Chalfont Campus. Facilities at the ground are quite impressive for this level of football. A large floodlit astroturf multi-use games area (being used for hockey today) runs parallel to the main football pitch which is marked out behind it. The playing area is fully enclosed by a post and rail perimeter fence and there is a large wooden pavilion situated directly behind the goal. This provides changing accommodation for all teams on site and has a cosy bar lounge at the opposite end. A veranda painted in red and black (the club colours) provides adequate standing (and a bit of seating) cover for spectators. Two newly built wooden dug-outs straddle the half-way line on the side nearest to the astroturf pitch. Now these robust-looking structures would not look out of place at a Swedish sauna (not that I've had the pleasure, honest!). Beyond the goal at the far end are two more pitches, one of which is used by the second team. As I mentioned at the start of this ramble, Bucks SU could soon be on the move. Unable to develop their present ground, the students have indicated that they may move to the SU Campus over in Wycombe where a new purpose built and permanent facility would be constructed for the football club. It has been muted also that Bucks SU could leave the Chalfont Campus at the end of the current season and ground-share with another club (possibly Holmer Green FC) whilst the work is being carried out. They would then move across to Wycombe when the new site is ready to use, maybe as early as the start of the 2010-11 season. Obviously the development plan is in its embryonic stage. Whatever the outcome though hoppers should try and make a visit to the present ground before the end of this season if they can. We found that everyone connected with the club was most welcoming particularly club secretary Daniel Springett who not only confirmed that the fixture was on and but also gave us some excellent directions on how to get there. If you are travelling by car you can leave the M25 at junction 17 and follow the A412 towards Maple Cross and Denham. Take a right turn at the traffic lights (next to The Cross public house) and continue along Chalfont Lane before joining Gorelands Lane. A sign for the campus directs you to the main entrance ahead. Once on site take a circular route around the campus until the sports pitches come into view on your left. There is a large car park on site in front of the artificial pitch. The joys of hopping in muddy conditions...oh, and don't forget to take your wellies! edited 06/12/08
