Midweek Musings 5-6 Jan 16

By 5 o'clock on Tuesday afternoon (5th January), confirmation had already been received that our Premier Division games at Chessington & Hook United against Horley Town, due to be played at Chalky Lane, and Knaphill versus Badshot Lea, over at Brookwood Country Park, along with the Westfield Reserves (Suburban FL) versus Dorking in the Surrey County Premier Cup, 2nd Round, tie, at Woking Park, had all been postponed due to continual waterlogged pitches out and about to reduce our potential programme of matches planned for the evening and, no doubt, question the one game planned for the following evening, again over at Chalky Lane, as Shene Old Grammarians (Amateur Football Combination) attempt to take on Epsom Athletic in the Surrey County Premier Cup in a tie switched due to the Old Grammarians not having floodlights and possibly standing a better chance of staging the contest prior to the weather complications out and about.

Regular visitors to our Pitchero website will also notice that friends and colleagues Sutton Common Rovers will have to wait a little longer before finding out their next Football Association Challenge Vase opponents due again to the Bowers & Pitsea (Essex Senior FL) versus Broxbourne Borough (Spartan South Midlands FL) game again being called off. Plans for this will, hopefully, see the game played this Saturday (9th January) and then, all being well, SCR can set about their task of reaching Round 5 a week later - again, though, who knows at present what the weather has in store for us this weekend yet alone a week after. We can but hope, eh.

By the time I turned the computer back on, it had been confirmed that all Premier Division games planned along with the C.B. Hounslow United versus Farnham Town Southern Combination Cup, 2nd Round, tie had additionally fallen victim leaving us with a fixture list of just three games. These games are the Southern Combination Cup, 2nd Round, match over at Molesey (Isthmian FL) where Sutton Common Rovers do battle and, in addition, the 1st Round tie at Chertsey Town versus Staines Town (Isthmian FL) tie. Still going ahead is the Aldershot Football Association Senior Invitation Challenge Cup Camberley Town versus Farnborough (National FL), 2nd Round, tie over at Krooner Park.

First stop we call in at Alwyns Lane where hosts Chertsey Town welcomed close neighbours Staines Town (Isthmian FL) for a Southern Combination Cup, First Round, encounter which, looking at the scoreline, provided the crowd with a good evening of entertainment. Having taken a first half lead thanks to Jack Wadmore, Chertsey were pegged back briefly. However, goals from Andy Crossley and Kieran Woodley all but settled the contest as they took what looked to be a commanding 3-1 lead which they held until the last minute as Warren Thomas converted a penalty to make it 3-2 to make a slightly nervy period of stoppage time. Thankfully though, they negotiated this period and secured their passage through to the next round.

Over at Walton Road, Molesey (Isthmian FL) welcomed our boys from Sutton Common Rovers whom, despite twice leading their Ryman League hosts, fell to an odd goal in five defeat despite putting up a brave effort in what was a good watch for the spectators.

Finally over at Krooner Park, hosts Camberley Town eased through in their Aldershot Football Association Senior Invitation Challenge Cup tie against Farnborough (National FL) by a very impressive 7-0 score line. As I write though, regretfully details of the net busters on the night for Camberley are not available to me to pass on to you.

Our proposed game scheduled for Wednesday evening involving Shene Old Grammarians (Amateur Football Combination) and Epsom Athletic in the Surrey County Premier Cup once more fell victim to waterlogged conditions over at Chalky Lane.