Predictions of snow, already cold and wet. Perfect evening for football and, with my original choice called off, I decided to make the journey into Surrey for a Combined Counties Division One game between Sheerwater and British Airways.

The Ground
Sheerwater currently play at Woking's Kingfield Stadium which was actually one of the deciding factors of my game choice. At least if the weather turned really bad there would be plenty of cover at Kingfield. Probably preferable to standing out in the open. Of course, as a former West Brom season ticket holder who was at The Hawthorns on 'Buzaglo Day', a trip to Woking's stadium was going to be a reminder of the second-worst day I had watching West Brom (the worst was relegation to the third tier at Twerton Park).
As you would expect with a stadium at Woking's level, Kingfield can boast covered stands around most of the ground. The Leslie Gosdon Stand is the one that dominates the ground, looming over the goal at the Westfield Avenue end of the ground. There are covered terraces at the Kingfield Road end and a selection of older covered seating areas, including the family and media stands, running along the length of the ground. The clubhouse and all facilities are also on this side of the stadium. The far side of the stadium is the only uncovered area, being open terracing for the full length of the ground.
Only the main section of the stadium was open for this game but I'm sure the small, hardy crowd (including a ground-hopper all the was from Barwell in Leicestershire) were very glad of the cover to protect them from the combination of snow and rain that fell for the entirety of proceedings.

​The Background
As this is British Airway's first season at this level, this was the first meeting between these two sides. Since promotion from the Middlesex County League BA have given a good account of themselves in Step 6, amassing a creditable 31 points from their 22 games. They should already have done enough to ensure continuation at this level next season and can now concentrate on getting a good points haul. Sheers go into the game on the back of a 4-3 win at Cove and, before that, a superb 1-0 victory over leaders Frimley Green. A win tonight would, take them to second place and keep the pressure on at the top.

​The Match
Sheerwater took control of the game from the first minute, looking assured and dangerous, they were making light of pretty difficult playing conditions.
It took them 12 minutes to break the deadlock and when they did, it was top-scorer Shane Rideout who provided the goal, latching onto a cross from the left-wing and slotting past Cheadle. 1-0.
It was all Sheerwater and seven minutes after taking the lead they extended their advantage, Danny Taylor applying a very deft touch to flick the ball over the advancing goalkeeper. 2-0
To be fair to British Airways, they were managing to get their fair share of possession, but were not managing to make too much headway into the Sheers final third. After 24 minutes it was, effectively, game over. Timmy Taylor received the ball on the left side of the BA box. His driven effort came back off the far post but Taylor followed his own effort in and was left with an easy finish from the rebound. 3-0
British Airways were reeling now and the Sheerwater onslaught showed no sign of relenting. Just after the half-hour mark right-back Shane Cheeseman got in on the act and showed that defenders can score good goals too. Bursting into the box, he lifted the ball expertly over Cheadle to make it 4-0.

HT Sheerwater 4 British Airways 0. Possession was probably about even. However, its what you do with it that counts. Sheerwater have looked dangerous every time they have attacked and have produced some clinical finishes. BA have not stretched the home 'keeper at all yet. They will need to seriously improve in the second-half.

One plus point for British Airways is that they did improve after the break, but were already out of the game in actuality. They did manage to force the home keeper into a few saves in the second-half though, which is more than they managed in the first half. Sheerwater were still well in command of the game, even though their scoring frequency had dropped somewhat. They put this right a minute after the hour when Timmy Taylor became the third Sheerwater player to score with a delicate lift over the keeper. 5-0.
Taylor then completed his hat-trick three minutes from time, this time driving an unstoppable effort past Cheadle from the left hand corner of the penalty area. 6-0
The scoring finished as it had started, with Rideout adding the seventh just before the final whistle. 7-0

FT Sheerwater 7 British Airways 0. The definition of a comprehensive victory. BA won't look back on their first visit to Sheerwater with any joy.

Sheerwater: Rider, Cheeseman, McAleese, Wilson, Roisetter, Letch, L.Taylor, Hegarty, Rideout(c), D.Taylor, T.Taylor. Subs: Rothwell, Dore, Charles, Ruggles, Machay
British Airways: Cheadle, Adamson(c), Bennett, Parfitt, Jeff, Girt, Nobes, Edwin, Haynes, Kalejaiye, Quadry. Subs: Callan, Richards, Rose, Scott

Att: 35
Ground Number: 179
Entrance: £6.00
Programme:  £1.00

We started with 638 teams but, since the early rounds in September, 622 have fallen by the wayside and we are down to the last sixteen. In Round 4 we lost the last two Step 6 sides, so Round 5 is now the exclusive realm of Step 5.
Last year at this stage, totally against my better judgement, I decided to have a go at predicting the outcome of all eight games. By some miracle, I managed to get them all correct. Of course, it was more luck than anything else which I am sure will be proven this year when I get them all wrong. However, its all a bit of fun, so let's take a bash at it. 
BotP, of course, uses a combination of scientifically proven methods (the BotP FA Vase Index) - No, honest it is science - alongside various other much more random facts to decide which way the ties might go. For instance, what if matches were influenced by the population count of the team's village/town/city, you may ask? Well, ask no more because here at BotP we do the investigations for you (well, we look at Wikipedia anyway).

Fifth Round Fixtures with local population figures

So, based solely upon population we would see the bookies favourites go out, Northwich win at Histon and Leicester Nirvana thrash fellow city-based outfit, Canterbury.  We woudl also witness the last previous winners, Sholing, go out at home to Sporting Khalsa (if you take Willenhall as their catchment area). To be honest, population count is not a completely unscientific way of looking at things. The bigger the catchment area, the more likely  a team is to find local talent and, if you draw comparison with the professional game, all of the big centres of population have top teams based in them, Madrid, Paris, Munich, Stourbridge, to name just a few.
However, here at BotP we prefer to use just plain old football intuition. So, without further ado lets take a look at the games and make a prediction for each one, starting with a few facts and figures about the draw.
​

• ​Windsor and West Auckland share the least number of games played, three each. Oddly both teams have been drawn away from home at every stage so far and both are away again in Round 5. 
• Irlam are the only team to have been drawn at home in every game so far and, as luck would have it, they are at home again in Round 5.
• West Auckland are the lowest scorers remaining with just 4 in their three games. However, they are also the only team that have yet to concede a goal in the competition. 
• Chertsey Town are now the leading scorers in the competition with 23 in their 6 games. 
• For value for money watch Deeping Rangers who have seen a total of 27 goals in their 6 games, 22 for and 5 against, at an average of 4.5 per game.
• Histon will be pleased that their tie with Northwich Victoria is a home game because The Vics have yet to concede a Vase goal on their home patch. The Stutes will be hoping to get the job done without a replay.
• Sholing, who have played two at home and two away, are yet to concede a goal on their travels.

​

​Irlam v Chertsey Town. Irlam have had the luck of the draw so far and this will be their sixth consecutive FA Vase home game. However, they now have to take on the bookies' fourth favourites and the competition's leading scorers, Chertsey Town. Neither side has conceded a single goal in the last two rounds of the competition, so expect this one to be tight. Home advantage could well play a part but Chertsey have got so used to winning this season and I see the confidence from that taking them through....just.
Population says: Irlam
BotP Pick - Chertsey Town

Cray Valley (PM) v Abbey Rangers. The Fifth Round is very much uncharted territory for both of these sides. Rangers have a slight edge on experience with a Third Round appearance in their history books as opposed to Cray's best being the Second Round. Both are just bubbling under the main promotion challengers in their respective leagues, but won't consider themselves out of contention completely. Home advantage could well be the deciding factor in a tie that is very difficult to call.
Population says: Cray Valley PM
BotP Pick - Cray Valley PM

Histon v Northwich Victoria. Two sides who, in the not too distant past, plied their trade at a much higher level. In fact, ten seasons ago this was a Step 1 fixture in the old Football Conference. Histon finished third that season but Northwich went down, starting what was a steady decade of decline, mirrored two seasons later by The Stutes. Both are now in Step 5 but are pushing to get themselves back up the pyramid. Botp thinks that the Cambridgeshire outfit will have just a little too much for Vics.
Population says: Northwich Victoria
BotP Pick - Histon

Sholing v Sporting Khalsa. The Boatmen are, of course, the only side left in the competition who have previously won the FA Vase, beating West Auckland Town in the 2013-14 Final. They are also having a superb league season and are firm favourites for promotion back to Step 4. Khalsa, who went down to Godmanchester Rovers in the previous round, find themselves reprieved after Goddy were found to have played an illegible player. They have Vase pedigree in the form of a Quarter-Final appearance two years ago but may find a trip to the South coast a step too far this season.
Population says: Sportign Khalsa
BotP Pick - Sholing

Hebburn Town v West Auckland Town. This promises to be an incredibly tight encounter. The teams are side by side in the Northern League table, Hebburn currently a couple of points to the good. However, West Auckland certainly have the FA Vase pedigree of the two with a pair of Final appearances to their name compared with Hebburn who have only made Round Two previously. West Auckland don't score many but they have a very tight defence that is yet to concede in the Vase. This may be the difference between the teams in the end.
Population says: Hebburn Town
BotP Pick - West Auckland Town

Biggleswade v Windsor. Biggleswade are probably the most in-form side left in the competition. They are currently second in the SSML Premier but have four games in hand on the leaders and are just three points adrift. Windsor, however, are made of stern stuff when it comes to the Vase this season. Thee away ties, three wins including an impressive 4-1 at AFC Uckfield Town in the last round. Despite that though, Biggleswade may just have enough to progress, especially with home advantage.
Population says: Windsor
BotP Pick - Biggleswade

Willand Rovers v Deeping Rangers. This could be the pick of the round in my opinion. BotP had the pleasure of being at Deeping's win over Eastwood in the last round. They are a very strong, solid side who showed their Step 5 credentials in an impressive second half performance. However, it is a very long trip to Devon and they have to face a Willand side who lead their table, are high on confidence and are banging in goals left, right and centre at the moment. They have scored 32 goals in their last 6 league outings, conceding just twice. For that reason alone, they might have too much fire-power for Rangers.
Population says: Deeping Rangers
BotP Pick - Willand Rovers

Canterbury City v Leicester Nirvana. Leicester have been re-instated to the competition after their Round Four conquerors, Coventry United, were found to have played an illegible player. Neither of these sides is setting their league alight this season and its fair to say that promotion is out of the question for both teams. With that in mind, it makes this game all that more important to both teams. It's an extremely difficult tie to call but it may well be that home advantage swings the tie.
Population says: Leicester Nirvana
BotP Pick - Canterbury City

The winners of each tie will receive £2,250 whist the losers will take home £750.
​Good luck to all sixteen teams. Wembley is getting ever closer!!

​There was only one place to head for this midweek, Welwyn Garden City. After the events of the past week or so the opportunity to tick off a new ground and find out how things were looking for the Hertfordshire club was just too good an opportunity to miss.

The Ground
Herns Way or The BP Mitchell Stadium as it is now known has been the home of The Citizens since 1968. Situated to the North-West of the town centre, the ground backs onto Panshanger Golf Complex which I have in the back of my mind was once where Nick Faldo plied his trade (maybe even the club Pro at one point?). The ground has a relatively small car park which seems to force a lot of supporters to park in the surrounding streets or on the large grass verge which runs down Herns Way. Once inside the complex you find that all of the facilities are in the corner of the ground adjacent to the car park and are all outside of the actual stadium, which is accessed through a single turnstile. Once paid you get a ticket which allows you to freely exit and re-enter should you wish to visit the club house and snack bar.
The ground features a covered seating area, on the Herns Way side of the ground, which also incorporates a media 'tower' in which the stadium announcer sits. There is a also a covered standing area behind the car park end goal.

​The Background
This would be Dean Barker's first game in charge of The Citizens after Adam Fisher, who over 6 years had produced 2 promotions and 2 cup wins, resigned his position at the club last Thursday. The resignation combined with a statement from the club stating that they had forced Fisher out, created a certain amount of unrest at the club with a number of players and staff following Fisher. As a result of this the club was forced to postpone Saturday's home game with Peterborough Sports (League sanctions yet to be known). The club then announced Dean Barker's appointment and the the nee manager began a very hurried process of trying to put a team together for Tuesday evening's fixture against Sutton Coldfield Town. The resignation, appointment and consequential squad rebuild happened so quickly that the programme for Tuesday still had Fisher listed as Manager as well as a squad list that bore no resemblance to the new squad (hence my very scruffily and rapidly written notes in the photo). To be honest, given that the stadium announcer reported only five players had remained, it was a minor miracle that they had got a squad together in a matter of a couple of days.
Coming into the game The Citizens were in 15th spot, after starting the season quite well but having only won 2 of their last 10 league outings.
Sutton Coldfield were in eighth spot, just outside the play-offs, seven points better off than their hosts but having played a game extra. They were unbeaten in five and had won four of their last ten league matches. Striker Ryan Nesbitt, with 12 goals, was in the top 10 marksmen in the Division.

​The Game
Unsurprsingly, The Citizens didn't look that cohesive to begin with. As a team they had been put together in a very short period of time and could not have had more than a couple of sessions to get to know each other and formulate tactics. So, it wasn't that surprising that they didn't begin the game that well. However, they didn't need to be worried because their opponents also looked out of sorts. They had an excuse of sorts in that their goalkeeper had been delayed getting to the ground because of an accident and thy began the match with their manager in goal for the first 15 minutes.
Welwyn certainly started to settle into the game after a while but, in fairness, neither side managed to muster too much in the way of good football or serious attempts on goal.
The hosts came the closest to scoring when they hit the post after 22 minutes. The Royals were playing the more precise football but lacked any kind of bite up front and were definitely being outdone in terms of effort.
Having said that, it did come as a bit of a surprise when Welwyn Garden City took the lead after 40 minutes. A hopeful lob back into the box saw the ball dropping from height into the the heart of the Royals six-yard area. Gwilliams came for the ball and appeared to claim it, before fumbling it over the line, gifting the home side the lead. 1-0

HT Welwyn Garden City 1 Sutton Coldfield Town 0. Not the best game of football so far and hard to tell which team has been thrown together in two days. The Citizens will be much the happier after taking the lead just before the break. Hoping for a better second half from bot teams.

​Sutton definitely upped their game at the start of the second half, forcing a series of corners in the opening minutes and giving the home keeper a job to do at last. However, despite having a lot more possession, they didn't really look that threatening.
Welwyn continued to work very hard all over the pitch but I really though their lack of preparation would start to come into play as the game progressed. On the contrary though. The longer the second-half went on, the more The Citizens looked dangerous going forward. They were still having to defend a lot more than in the first half and it was noticeable that Sutton were generating more attempts at goal, but Welwyn were very much a threat on the break, especially with the pace an trickery of right-winger Griffith.
I have to say that, even as a neutral, I did feel a little for the Welwyn team and supporters when, on 88 minutes, Sutton Coldfield managed to snatch an equaliser. In hindsight it was on the cards. They had manufactured numerous chances in the second half, thwarted by some staunch defending and brave goalkeeping, and on that basis alone probably were due to get a goal at some point. The goal came when a ball into the box was not completely dealt with allowing Piggon to swivel and lash the ball into the net from close range. 1-1

FT Welwyn Garden City 1 Sutton Coldfield Town 1. The biggest credit to give to a very hastily assembled home side is that, although they will be pleased with the point, they will also probably feel that they should have won the game. I have not seen Sutton Coldfield play previously this season but their league position suggest that this evening was not indicative of their overall form. Having said that, maybe it was the hard work of The Citizens players, closing down all over the pitch, that made Sutton under peform? I guess the remainder of the season will tell the tale.


Welwyn Garden City: Todd, Smith, Sexton, Mays, Ebengo, Rolfe, Griffith, Keenleyside, Edwards, Clarke, Alomenu. Subs: Port, Andic, Carrington, Bannon, Anderos
For comparison, this was the WGC starting line-up their last game before Adam Fisher's departure - Green, Rolfe, Sexton, Payne (c), Cooran, Close, Elliott, Spaul, Zanone, Kersey, Keenleyside

Sutton Coldfield Town: Male, George, Curtis, Hurst, Clarke, Beresford, Letford, Palmer, Piggon, Nesbitt, McNulty. Subs: Gwilliams, Mutton, Delaney

Att: 138
Ground Number: 178
Entrance: £8.00
Programme:  £1.00

November and December saw very little live action for BotP due to a number of circumstances. However, the New year has kicked off with a bang. Eight days in and we are already onto match number three of the year. Not only that but Tuesday also presented an opportunity to tick off a ground that has been on my list for at least 2 years now. so it was that I set off on the 102 mile journey from my office to North Leicester. More specifically, Cropston Road, Anstey. It was until I arrived that I realised there was some continuity in my recent ground visits. On Saturday I was at Deeping Rangers (United Counties League), watching them play Eastwood Community (East Midlands Counties League). Tonight I was watching a United Counties League game between Anstey (formerly of the East Midlands Counties League) and Northampton Sileby Rangers. Anyone would think that I planned these trips ahead of time.

The Ground
Anstey Nomads are far from nomadic. They have played their home games at Cropston Road since their formation in 1946. Situated to the North West of Leicester, Anstey is a large village that is separated from Leicester by the city's Western bypass and Rothey Brook - which I believe has been a contributor to more than one postponement at Cropston Road. The ground is yet another fine example of a non-league stadium, much like nearby Quorn and Barrow Town. There really must be something in the water around Leicesterhsire that contributes to excellent non-league stadiums.
The ground is very neat and tidy, benefiting from what looks like fairly new red and white fencing around the playing area. There is a flagpole in each corner bearing the club insignia. Parking within the stadium complex is quite limited, although I found a spot, but there is also a car park adjacent to the ground which is only a stones throw from the turnstiles. The facilities are all on the car park side of the ground. A nicely appointed clubhouse which has a small covered seating area directly in front of it. On the opposite side of the ground there is a low, covered standing area which spans almost half of the ground at the Cropston Road end. Next to this are the team dugouts.
There were no programmes on sale as far as I could see. However, it was very easy to get a team sheet (complete with Sileby Rangers history on the  reverse) from the Nomads media man. Much as I like to collect a programme, having the team sheets is just as useful, especially if it is a first visit to a ground.

​The Background
As far as I can tell, this would be the first competitive meeting between the sides (at least in major competitions). There is no FA Vase or FA Cup history between them and the teams have, until this season, progressed through different league structures, Sileby solely in the United Counties League and Nomads through the Leicestershire Senior League and East Midlands Counties. Both sides were approaching the game from fairly string league positions. In the case of Anstey, a very strong league position. Rangers, in sixth, sat 15 points adrift of leaders Lutterworth Town. Nomads, however, sat second, four points behind the leaders but with two games in hand.
Rangers' league form had been very up and down coming into this game. In the last five they had alternated between winning and losing, with their last outing being a 4-1 victory over Raunds Town. Nomads, up until last week, had won five on the bounce scoring 19 and conceding just 4. However, they did come unstuck at Bugbrooke last Saturday, going down 2-1 their first league defeat since October.

​The Game
The first thing I noticed after kick-off was that as soon as the Anstey players got more than about 40 yards away it was almost impossible to pick out their black numbers on their red shirts. Maybe that was more down to my ageing eyes rather than anything else?
Nomads started the brighter of the two and the game was just a few minutes old when Cory Armeni produced the first meaningful attempt at goal, flashing a drive just wide of the Sileby goal. We had a small amount of controversy after 15 minutes when Anstery striker James Hicks burst into the box and, after a collision with both a defender and the goalkeeper which produced penalty shouts from the home side, rolled the ball against the post and out of play. The referee was unmoved by the claims for a foul and signalled a goal-kick.
However, Anstey were not to be denied for much longer and, after 20 minutes, they took the lead with a low, driven effort from just outside the box from Ash Day. 1-0.
Seven minutes later Rangers' defence was caught out by a quickly taken free-kick which allowed James Hicks to get in behind the defence and slide the ball home for 2-0.
It was a case of men against boys at this stage. Rangers just were not competing anywhere on the pitch. Anstey were quicker to the ball and sharper of mind. It was, therefore, no real surprise when after 33 minutes the home side extended their lead. This time I actually managed to track the goal-scorer after the goal and see his number as they lined up for the restart. Corey Armeni, who had fired off the opening salvo in the first couple of minutes, with a another low effort past Riley's outstretched fingers. 3-0.
Once again the goal came about through Rangers just not closing the Nomads player down.

There was still enough time for the Sileby coach, during a break in play, to administer some stinging words to his players. A precursor to a much greater rant at half-time, no doubt.

HT Anstey Nomads 3 Northampton Sileby Rangers 0. There really has been only one team in the first half. Rangers just haven't turned up. Nomads have been better all over the pitch and may be disappointed to only be three to the good.
Nice to meet @OllyHFR at half-time. Olly is a Hopeless Football Romantic or at least a Senior Editor for HFR. Click on the link to take a look at their website if you get a chance. 

​If Rangers' coach did give his players a rocket in the interval it certainly seemed to have an effect. They immediately look to be more competitive in the second half. However, try as they might, they could not break down the Nomads defence and get back into the game.
Nomads for their part were probably quite content to sit on their three goal lead, although I think that Rangers had actually raised their standard enough to be preventing Anstey from increasing their tally. If Rangers had applied themselves in the same way during the first half we may well have had a much different game.
As it was, Nomads comfortably saw out the game with no further scoring from either team.

FT Anstey Nomads 3 Northampton Sileby Rangers 0. The game was won and lost in the first half. Nomads were good, Rangers were poor. In the second half it was much more of a 50/50 competition but Rangers couldn't find an early goal that may have shaken the game up. Anstey move to within a point of Lutterworth with a game in hand.

Anstey Nomads: Smith, Ncube, Taylor, Preston (c), Wolfe, Gough, Matwasa, Chitiza, Hicks, Armeni, Day. Subs: McLean, Marshall, Harris, Hartopp, Blount

Northampton Sileby Rangers: Riley, Sweeney, Mocanu, Liburd, Harris, Herbert, Birkelund, Archer, Maisiri, Duffy, Eales. Subs: Halliday, Freeman, Kahan, Westbury

Att: 
Ground Number: 177
Entrance: £5.00
Programme:  N/A

​After putting my Saturday match options out to Twitter poll, I found myself preparing for a first ever trip to Deeping Rangers on Saturday, a ground that had been sitting on my to-do list, glaring at me for a couple of years. Unfortunately, a 172 mile round trip has always been that little bit too much for a weekday evening game. So, an opportunity to go there on a Saturday was just perfect. Add to that the fact that it was an FA Vase game - I love the FA Vase - and all was well with the world as I set out from Oxfordshire.

The Ground
Deeping Rangers play at the Haydon Whitham Stadium which is situated just to the North East of the village of Market Deeping, Lincolnshire. It's not an area that I have explored too much in the past but, after driving through both Market Deeping and Stamford during the day, its certainly an area that I need to take a closer look at and maybe open up a whole new batch of grounds to visit, Spalding, Stamford, Bourne, Holbeach to name just a few.
The Haydon Whitham stadium is part of the Market Deeping Sports and Social Club where there are facilities for tennis and cricket as well as football. Parking, of which there is ample, and the social club are separate to the football stadium, although only a very short walk away. The stadium itself is accessed through one of two turnstiles which formerly adorned no lesser stadium than Wembley. First impressions when you enter the ground is that it is of a very high standard. I see a lot of Step 5 grounds and this one is definitely up there with the best at this level. The facilities are all immediately in front of you when you enter the ground, running down one side. There is a fairly large stand with over 150 seats, a snack bar and separate lounge for local and visiting officials. Behind the car park end goal there is also a covered standing area with two further, smaller, sheltered standing areas either side of the dugouts, opposite the main stand. For any ground-hoppers that haven't been to Deeping, I suggest you take a visit. It's a really good place to watch football.

​The Background
This was the furthest that either club had been in the competition before so, regardless of the result, there was going to be some history made when either one - or both in the event of a draw - was in the hat for the last sixteen draw. Eastwood, who only formed in 2014 after Eastwood Town folded, were only taking part in the Vase for the fourth time, although Town did make the Quarter-Final in the 2003-04 season. Rangers had been to the 3rd Round on three occasions previously, last season being the latest, but had never progressed this far before. Averaging almost 4 goals per game in the competition and quite nicely placed in the league, they could feel fairly confident about taking on one of the two remaining Step 6 sides. However Eastwood, who only gained promotion into Step 6 last season, are more than holding their own in the East Midlands Counties Premier and had already put out two Step 5 sides in the FA Vase this season. The last of these being a superb 2-1 win at local rivals and Midland Premier leaders, Ilkeston Town. All in all, we were set for a really good, competitive game and that's exactly what we got.

​The Game
Deeping started the game slightly more brightly than Eastwood but, to be fair, both sides looked a little nervous for the first few minutes. Probably not surprising given the gravity of the match for both teams. However, it wasn't too long before both teams started to get themselves settled, bolstered by great backing from both home and away support. There was a good atmosphere in the ground from very early on with plenty of support arriving from Nottinghamshire and the snack bar doing a roaring trade way before kick-off.
The first real goalmouth action came after 10 minutes. Deeping won a free-kick some 25 yards out and slight;y to the left of the penalty area. Midfielder Dan Schiavi put in a great delivery, curling in towards the goal and, with players from both sides challenging, the ball came off an Eastwood defender, beat the keeper but cannoned off the bar and to safety. A little bit of a let-off for Eastwood but it actually seemed to rally the team and from this point they started to put some good passages of play together, forcing a series of corners and, if anything, forcing the slightly better chances.
In what was becoming a highly entertaining game, both sides were clearly intent on making a breakthrough although we went into the break all square. I think it is only fair to mention the way that the referee controlled the game too. Fairly early in the half when rash challenges had been made he had called over the offending player and their captain. This happened once on each side. At the time I wondered why he saw fit to do this but it occurred to me that this was extremely good officiating. He appreciated that both sides were probably quite wound up for the game and clearly wanted to try to give each side, and their respective captains, the opportunity to calm themselves down before brandishing cards. It was, in fact, 30 minutes in before he issued the first caution. 

HT Deeping Rangers 0 Eastwood CFC 0.  A fairly even half overall. Both sides created some chances. It really could go either way at this point.

​The second half continued where the first left off, with the sides going head to head, toe to toe for the first 10 minutes. Deeping, who presumably had been asked to up their game at half-time, then started to show why they have been there or thereabouts at the top of the United Counties Premier for the past decade.
Just after the hour mark Deeping broke the deadlock. A raid down their left flank saw the ball played across the Eastwood box, it was helped on to substitute Cameron Johnson who took a tough and then lashed the ball across Pearson into the roof of the net. A very tidy finish. 1-0.
To be fair to Eastwood, no heads dropped after the goal went in. They were straight back into the action and doing their best to find an equaliser. However, it was Deeping who, ten minutes after taking the lead, extended their advantage with a really good goal. Scott Mooney took the ball down with his back to goal, swivelled sharply and smashed the ball past Pearson. A superb strike which gave the keeper no chance at all. 2-0.
Again, Eastwood didn't cave in and were still contributing to the game as a whole. Even at 2-0 with less than 20 minutes remaining, they certainly weren't throwing the towel in.
Then, after 88 minutes, a brilliant through ball found Dan Schiavi bursting into the box. He rounded the keeper and, despite the best efforts of two Eastwood defenders, slotted the ball home for 3-0. Both sides knew it was game over at this point but, just to rub salt into the wounds, there was still time for Johnson to stab home his second goal for 4-0.

FT Deeping Rangers 4 Eastwood CFC 0. Rangers were just too hot for Eastwood in the second-half. Great credit to the East Midlands Premier side though (big fan of that change kit too). They made Rangers work very hard for the win and the final scoreline does not reflect the amount of effort that they put into the game. Good luck to both sides for the remainder of the season.

Deeping Rangers: Elsom, Flack, Andersen, Burton-Jones (c), Hunnings, Jarvis, Dunn, Coulson, Mooney, Schiavi, Lockie. Subs: Carter, Simpson, Johnson, Marsden, Bircham

Eastwood CFC: Pearson, Conn, Meakin, Wrenn, Mitchell, Hayes (c), Butler, James, Knight, Webb, Bettridge. Subs: Smith, Whithurst, Short, Allen, Walker

Att: 432
Ground Number: 176
Entrance: £6.00
Programme:  £1.00

The Ground
Met Police's Imber Court Ground is part of a large sports club that incorprates, amongts others, rugby, bowls, football and cricket. The complex is a stone's throw from Hampton Court Palace, just South of the River Thames in East Molesey. Met Police have played at the stadium since their formation in 1919, although the ground itself has changed considerably as the team has progressed up the pyramid. Currently playing in Step 3, The Southern League South Premier Division, the ground now has a capacity of 3,000 and features a fairly large covered 300 seat stand and a covered terrace behind one of the goals, at the Mounted Branch End. There is also a small, uncovered terrace running the full length of the ground opposite the main stand. You enter the ground, after a walk through the complex from the quite large car park, through a dual turnstile which takes you in at the corner of the ground alongside the Mounted Branch End stand. All of the facilities are located on the same side as the main stand, the dugouts are in front of the stand and the snack bar (which does great burgers) is alongside. It's quite an impressive stadium for this level and features three old-fashioned pylon style floodlights which tower above the ground. The fourth floodlight is one of the more modern style lights with a single pole rather than a pylon.

The Background
Both sides were coming into the game in good form and in decent league positions. The Met were on an unbeaten run stretching back into September and, with two games in hand on most, were in sixth spot just outside the play-offs. A win in this game would take them into fifth place and well within striking distance of top spot. Beaconsfield, who had won their last two games, were hoping to have ended a wobbly spell which had seen them only win one in six before Boxing Day. A win for them wouldn't lift them into the play-offs but would put them within a point of Merthyr Town.
The top scorers for both teams, Jack Mazzone for The Met and Brendan Matthew for The Rams, were level on 12 goals each. The telling statistic before the game though was that Mazzone was in the Met's starting line-up whilst Matthew was out of Town's squad after picking up an injury in the New Year's Day win over Basingstoke.

​The Game
A lively start to the game saw Met Police start looking the more likely. Twice within the first 15 minutes Oliver Knight had chances, the first volleyed well wide whilst the faintest of touches from Rams keeper Ravan Constable turned the second against the far post and away to safety. Then, as so often happens when a team starts well, Met Police conceded. It was a good, swift break from Beaconsfield down their left flank resulting in a low cross from Balogun which caused havoc in the Met defence. The keeper and his defence seemed to get in each other's way and the ball ended up in the net. Credit was given to Rams striker Jon-Jo Bates for the final touch. 0-1. A goal against the run of play but credit to Beaconsfield who took their chance when it came.
The goal only served to make Met Police up their game even more. Mazzone and Gilbert both drew good saves from Constable and Gilbert put a good chance wide.

HT Metropolitan Police 0 Beaconsfield Town 1. The Rams somehow managed to stay in front despite being under the cosh for much of the half. A combination of good goal-keeping from Ravan Constable and some, frankly, woeful shooting from Met Police mean that the away side go into the break 1-0 up.

​The second half looked to be continuing in the same vein as the first. Met Police looked the more likely team to score but still seemed to be struggling to hit the target and, when they did, they were finding Constable in fine form. Beaconsfield, who were slowing the game down at every opportunity, still looked like they could cause a problem on the break but were seemingly content to contain The Met as much as possible.
However, just after the hour mark the game was turned on its head in the space of three minutes. First, following a raid down the left, the ball was knocked back inside for John Gilbert on the edge of the box. He took a stride to his right, steadied himself and then curled a low effort past Constable into the bottom left corner of his goal. A great strike to make it 1-1 after 62 minutes.
On 65 minutes Gilbert was in the action again, this time being tripped in the box for a penalty to The Met. Top scorer Jack Mazzone stepped up and tucked the ball away to make it 2-1.

The Rams tried to up their game after going behind and Williams had to be alert to block Morgan after he had latched onto a through ball. However, it was Constable, in the opposite goal, who was still the busier of the two, saving from Mazzone again to keep his team in it. 
Yet, even with the greater possession, The Met could not find the third goal that would put the game beyond Beaconsfield. The Rams were starting to make one or two in-roads but were still finding the home defence difficult to breach.
With a minute to go Met Police finally sealed the game when Blackmore headed in to make it 3-1.

FT Metrolpolitan Police 3 Beaconsfield Town 1. A well deserved victory for Met Police who were the better side for the majority of the game. 

Metropolitan Police: Williams (c), Webb, Fisher, Robinson, Arthur, Birch, Knight, Robertson, Mazzone, Blackmore, Gilbert. Subs: Guinness-Walker, Hippolyte, Atkinson, Murdoch, MacLaughlin

Beaconsfield Town: Constable, Eccleston, Balogun, Yorke, Neville, Daly (c), Stead, Ajenlekoko, Bates, Passaj, Losasso. Subs: Adoo-Peters, Webb, Brown, Costa, Morgan

Att: 136
Ground Number: 175
Entrance: £9.00
Programme:  £2.00