TT No.33: Paul Roth - Sat 25th August 2007;  Sussex County League Div 3; Dorking Wanderers v Uckfield; Res: 3-1; Att: 50 roughly; Programme: 24 pages with the £3 admission; Weather: hot!

View matchday images 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08   I didn't go on the recent 'hoppers weekend to Sweden, but I've seen pictures of some of the grounds, and I reckon the Westhumble playing fields, home of Dorking Wanderers FC, would not be out of place in that country. Such is the amount of  wood used in the construction of the fixtures here, that the visitor could easily think they were in one of those forested Scandinavian climes. The arena being set against the dramatic backdrop of Box Hill and you have a most picturesque setting for watching our beloved game.    Westhumble playing fields, also home of Old Dorkinian FC, are located North of Dorking on the A24 dual carriageway, and take care if driving as it is easy to miss the entrance, as I did, and traffic is fast moving here. Dorking station must be a good 25 mins walk, but there is a station nearer at BoxHill and Westhumble.   Freshly promoted to Division 3 of the Sussex County League, despite obviously being located in Surrey, club members have put in a lot of hard graft to get things up to standard, and everything on the ground appears new, right from the entry kiosk, where £3 gains admission, along with the glossy covered 24 page programme.....a good effort, if a tad thin though on content, to the clubhouse...... to me more akin to one of those Swedish saunas, being of course wooden and 10 degrees hotter inside than out! Tea and filled rolls were available from here. The playing area is fully railed off with, you've guessed it, wood!  I'm not complaining though, as wood is vastly preferable to acres of cement.   The game was an entertaining one, with Wanderers drawing first blood from a penalty kick, to go in 2-1 up at the break. I thought both teams faded a little from there on in, but that was understandable in the heat. Dorking added a late goal to win their first match in the County League by 3 goals to 1.   My entertainment was augmented by meeting up with and having a chat to Keith Aslan, whom I seem to bump into at least once a season, and usually that being at the start of the year as we both search out newly promoted clubs we both wouldn't have thought of visiting before. Quite a few other hoppers were in attendance.   FGIF Rating 4*

contributed on 28/08/07