|
TT No.224: Paul Roth - Saturday 5th April 2008; KCL Div2 West; Wickham Park vs. Farnborough Old Boys Guild Res: 0-4; Att: 30? Programme: 8 pages, free and supplied by away team; Weather: Overcst, hail and rain. |
 Farnborough Village, situated just South of Bromley, has been in the news headlines this week for all the wrong reasons, following last Sunday's plane crash there. All those connected with Footballgroundsinfocus would like to offer their condolences to the families of those who lost their lives aboard the aircraft. We also offer our sympathy to the residents of Romsey Close and the surrounding area, for the devastation that has been caused to their small community and the turmoil such an incident must inevitably create. Shaun Keddle, the Guild's manager, had told me that one of his young defenders had been cycling through Darrick Wood when the Cessna Citation hit the ground, and actually witnessed the impact; a more ghastly, nightmarish experience it would be hard to imagine.
Needing only one more win, and the three points that accompany it, to gain promotion, Shaun had e-mailed me earlier in the week and invited me to come along and see the club in this crucial match at Wickham Park FC.
The ground, found along Pickhurst Rise, is equidistant between West Wickham and Hayes railway stations and is certainly one of the nicer arenas on the KCL circuit. A small sign advertises the club and a small driveway, reminiscent of that at Roman Glass St George FC in Bristol, leads up to the ground. Here is a small car park, an old fashioned but comfortable pavilion and even a miniscule bus-shelter type covered stand. The ground is surrounded by trees on three sides and abuts the 'Ex Blues' sports complex next door...this, by the way looks a most impressive site too. Lawn tennis and cricket share the venue, in warmer times, that is.
Shaun had produced his usual excellent 8 page 'away day' programme.
Both sides were pumped up and ready to do battle as the 2.45pm kick off time arrived and in a high octane first half the clearest chance came when the homesters were denied a penalty when a Farnborough defender seemed to handle on the line. The referee, much nearer to the play than I, thought otherwise. The second half started with hail and rain falling from the sky, and the thought of watching 50 magnificent quadrupeds contest the Grand National in the warmth of the clubhouse crossed my mind, but only briefly. Downhill and the Guild were now piling on the pressure, but it looked as though they wouldn't get the breakthrough. That was until the hour mark, when a sliced clearance was headed home. I knew that was the goal that had won promotion, and after that the visitors steam-rollered over their host to ease to deserved 4 nil victory. Barry Cleaver (2), Liam Williams and Richard Cooke were the goal scorers.
I hoped to get some celebratory scenes captured on film at the final whistle, but I'm sad to report here that at that a melee ensued which culminated in a spectator sustaining a broken nose. Also, the sceptre of the lady with the red umbrella (see my photos) bashing one of the Farnborough players around the head with the aforementioned instrument, is not one I want to see again, ever. This was not 'Handbags at Dawn'....it was ugly and nasty. It was a local 'Derby', I know, but I had no idea feelings were running that strongly, as the game had seemed to be played in a good spirit. The referee told me, when the dust started to descend, if not quite settle, that he had sent two Farnborough players off, along with one from Wickham Park.
FOBG FC, as I have said often before, are a tremendous, well organised club that deserve their success, and I hope promotion and the party that followed will have restored an iota of happiness back into their community after an awful week. What a shame the match had to end in such ignominy.
FGIF Rating 5* |
|
contributed on 06/04/08 |