I’ve only seen two games in the last ten days and am still ‘under the doctor’, so should probably give it a miss this week.
On the Saturday just gone I watched former favourites Redhill win their Isthmian League Division One South fixture 3-2 at Walton & Hersham - and on the previous Saturday I was at the AFA Intermediate Cup Final in Acton, which Old Meadonians won 2-0 against Economicals.
Stompond Lane, Walton’s ground, is where I saw my first FA Cup giant-killing – ‘The Swans’ beat Fourth Division Exeter City 2-1 in the First Round Proper in 1972 – and as such it has a special place in my heart.
The Barber gets to the heart of the action at Gunnersbury Drive
On that grey November afternoon I stood on the covered terracing opposite the stand; on Saturday, grey again, I found the terracing had been closed down for health and safety reasons.
Quite sad, really.
In my 50-odd years of watching football there have been three clubs that I’ve followed to the extent of going both home and away. Those have been Crystal Palace, Redhill and Bexhill United.
When Redhill made their last visit to Stompond Lane, I still had not started working for The FA.
It was an Athenian League fixture on 18 August 1970.
Three weeks later I was walking through the front door at 22 Lancaster Gate, still a teenager then, and thinking I was dreaming.
I haven’t lost that feeling for ‘The Reds’ and they had us on an emotional rollercoaster on Saturday.
Third from bottom and desperate for points, they were 1-0 down at the break but then scored twice early in the second half.
Trophy presentation time
Walton levelled on 78 minutes and Redhill were holding on to that precious point as the game went into its fourth minute of added time.
The Redhill ‘keeper missed his punch in a crowded box as a free-kick curled over from the left and, with the ball now behind him, a goal looked on the cards. But a home striker hit the bar from right in front of goal and then Redhill raced up the other end to scramble home the winner.
According to my watch there were ten seconds left.
The previous Saturday there were engineering works on the District, Piccadilly and Overground lines and that made it more difficult than usual to get to Acton Town.
It was a hot and sticky afternoon and a crowd of 45 at Gunnersbury Drive saw a very competitive Final.
Two of the Old Meadonians players ‘took one for the team’ and helped them to a deserved victory.
The ‘keeper was kicked in the side as he bravely blocked a shot inches from the goal-line in the first few minutes and remained in some discomfort. He kept a clean sheet.
The No.10 got a boot in the shin from Economicals’ goalkeeper as he flicked home their clinching goal and had to be substituted.
Being very cold at one game and then very hot two days later may have done for me.
But I hope to be fit again for the weekend.
Games this season = 155
Games in total = 6,620
