TT No.164: Paul Roth - Saturday 5th January 2008; KCL DIV 2 East; OTFORD UTD vs. CANTERBURY CITY Res: 0-1; Att: 70; Programme: 12 pages, free (as was entry); Weather: Overcast, chilly and damp underfoot.
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The halls are now un-bedecked of their boughs of holly, the tinsel and baubles are packed away safely in the loft, the mince pies and turkey all devoured, the Christmas tree planted in the garden......silly, as it's actually artificial, and it's back to business as usual in the Kent County League after their customary Xmas exeat.
The charming village of Otford is my choice of venue today for their top-of-the-of-table clash with promotion rivals Canterbury City. The village is one of those dying breeds; its a place that has kept it's individualistic appeal on it's short High Street. From the railway station down to the large, and full on matchdays, Recreation Ground car park can only be five minutes walk at most, but along the way the visitor will pass the famous duck pond in the middle of the busy roundabout, St Bartholomew's church with it's small pointed steeple, an eclectic mix of bijou shops, three pubs.....one GBG listed, although I preferred the Crown which isn't, an old sundial perched upon one of those ancient buildings and a thirty foot colour tableau depicting the village's history through the ages. At this point, opposite the Bull public house, is the aforementioned car park and beyond that, via a paved pathway, is the club pavilion and stunningly beautiful football ground of Otford Utd.FC.
Set at the foot of the North Downs the majesty of the vistas around here are a delight to the eye, especially from the near goal, which has an elevated bank behind it. The Downs roll out in front of you from this spot, with the occasional Oast house sticking it's neck up from above the carpet of woodland. The club's pavilion, opened in 2006, offers large filled rolls, tea and coffee, chocolate bars, soft and 'hard' drinks and has a seated area where one can watch SKY SPORTS on a big plasma TV screen.
Otford are issuing programmes this season, and their sponsors 'zOne printed solutions' produce a magnificent 12 page, full colour, on glossy paper, magazine. There is a wonderful picture of the ground on the cover, in colour of course and astonishingly this is given away free of charge. The club could easily have printed many more than they did today and sold them for £2 a piece.....I'd have bought a couple willingly.
The football match itself was a hard fought affair with the visitors from the South East of the County shading things with the only goal of the game, that being a looping header from Gough in the 36th minute, to take the spoils in this vital six-pointer encounter. Canterbury missed a second half spot kick; a wag asked if I'd managed to 'snap' it on my camera......come on mate, I haven't got a wide enough angle lens to mount on my machine for that! Yes, it went a long, long way off target. I didn't spot it , but fellow traveller Vince Taylor told me that the referee had actually booked the 'Canterbury' lineman for what he had said after the penalty incident. Don't think I've ever seen a linesmen booked before, have you?
Mr Dugay, the charming and helpful club secretary, had kept me informed as to whether the match would take place or not, after torrential rain overnight in the area, and I left for home at the final whistle in the knowledge that Otford Utd.FC are a superbly run and friendly football club. One of the gentleman behind the bar told me "we like it here". No wonder they do, because the simple truth of the matter is.......IT'S ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC there.
Please remember that I, along with a few other familiar, friendly faces, have visited this club on a dullish day -just imagine the glory of it all on a bright, sunny afternoon!
FGIF Rating. Nothing less, stupendous......... 5*
contributed on 06/01/08