Hello!
Here we are, back again after another Saturday filled with football (it really was filled this week!).
This week, it was decided that we were going to finally tick off the Len Salmon Stadium for the Isthmian Premier League clash between Bowers & Pitsea and Horsham. So for me this meant just a quick trip round the M25, which is normally an easy prospect….
However, due to the reported fuel shortage (which has now led to people panic buying fuel), petrol has been hard to come by for the last few days, and I needed to fill up before departing for this game.
So after visiting about four petrol stations in Guildford, I finally found one where the queue was somewhat bearable, and after about 20 minutes waiting, I had a full tank and I was ready to go and digest some football action.
So we got to the Len Salmon Stadium in quick time, and with about an hour before kick off, it was time to sample their food offerings. I wasn’t too hungry so I just got some chips, and to be fair they were very nice, not the best i’ve ever had but they certainly do the job at a non league football ground.
The game was between two sides who hadn’t exactly set the Isthmian Premier Division alight at the beginning of the season as both sides had picked up just five points from their first six games, so at least we would have an evenly matched game.
The game started at lightning speed with Bowers & Pitsea getting the first chance, which was excellently tipped onto the post by the Horsham keeper. However much like drivers up and down the country, the game soon ran out of fuel, and the pace dropped off fairly significantly.
The home side looked the most threatening during the first half, but in truth, neither keeper was really tested. Although Horsham did have a goal chalked off for offside just before the break…
The second half started at a similar pace to the first, but this time Bowers made it count. Max Cornhill was the man to break the deadlock, but it was due to the excellent work by one of his teammates (unfortunately I didn’t get his name), he burst through Horsham’s defences and looked sure to take on the shot, before cooly slotting the ball to Cornhill, who had an open goal.
Bowers desreved their lead, and for the next 20 minutes or so they really should have added to their lead. Their number 17 Daniel Trendall was relishing the space being offered by Horsham as the visitors looked to push on, and he was involved in creating multiple openings, either for him or his teammates.
But their finishing was poor, and they didn’t capitalise on the chance to put distance between themselves and their visitors in the game. There was even a chance for a comical own goal, which would have been good viewing, but Sam Howes did brilliantly to keep it out of the Horsham net again.
The Horsham keeper probably had a shout for Man of the Match, with a string of saves throughout the game to keep his side in it. They were unable to back up his good work though, as they never really looked like leaving Essex with a point, despite pushing forward towards the end of the 90.
The full time whistle blew and it brought to end a game that really should have seen more than one goal, but it was still a thoroughly enjoyable afternoon, and it was good to see the positive set up at Bowers & Pitsea.
After the game we of course went for our customary Nandos in Chelmsford, and then watched the enthralling second half of Brentford v Liverpool, which was soon followed by PSG scraping past Montpellier, a football filled day!
Anyway, that’s all for this week, i’ll hopefully be back next week (petrol crisis permitting) for another groundhopping adventure.
- GROUND: Len Salmon Stadium
- GAME: Bowers & Pitsea 1-0 Horsham FC
- COMPETITION: Isthmian Premier Division
- GROUND NUMBER: 90
- WOULD I GO BACK: Yep
- TICKET PRICE: £12
- DAYS SINCE LAST 0-0: 946
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