I'll be honest, this Saturday I had originally planned a trip to Andover New Street for their FA Vase quarter-final with Heanor Town. However, after my daughter's game got pushed back to a much later kick-off in the morning, it quickly became apparent that I wasn't going to make it to Hampshire in time. Luckily, a scan of closer possibilities revealed a game that had the potential to be a cracker, and it was at a ground that I hadn't visited before. The game in question, a top of the table Spartan South Midlands Division Two clash between fourth placed Bovingdon and second placed Eynesbury United. Bovingdon had won the reverse fixture 3-1 back in November but Eynesbury were coming to town defending an unbeaten away league record, having only co ceded six goals in nine games on the road. Both sides were in good current form. Bovingdon had won five from their last six outing. Eynesbury could top that, having taken won six from their last six.
So, after watching my daughter's under-strength team (so many injuries), perform well but lose to the current league-leaders, I made the short trip over to Hertfordshire.
Thanks to referee Adam Marsh for retrieving the team sheets for me to photograph before kick off.
So, after watching my daughter's under-strength team (so many injuries), perform well but lose to the current league-leaders, I made the short trip over to Hertfordshire.
Thanks to referee Adam Marsh for retrieving the team sheets for me to photograph before kick off.
It was Eynesbury who made the slightly better start to the game but it took until the 11th minute for either team to have an attempt at goal. When it came, it was United's Ryan Baxter with a turn and shot, dragged wide of the far post, who showed the first intent. There minutes later, with the home side beginning to get a foothold, Keane Fullwood struck the first effort on target, but it posed no real threat to Dylan Martin, who made the save with ease.
Bovingdon had begun to find some fluency now, pushing Eynesbury back into their own half more. Tom Flanagan showed some quick feet to engineer a shooting chance inside the box, flashing his shot narrowly wide of the mark. Much better from the home team. On the halfway mark of the first period, Bovingdon had their best chance so far. A through ball split the visitor's defence allowing Joe McCarthy a run on goal. However, Martin was quick off his line, making a brave block to thwart the striker.
The game fell into something of a midfield battle at this point as the two evenly matched sides effectively cancelled each other out. If anything, Bovingdon claimed the lion's share of possession, but could not find a way of testing Martin again. They did manage to muster a few half-chances, mainly from distance, but appeared to have left their shooting boots back in the changing rooms, sending each effort well over the bar, two of them into the same neighbouring garden.
As we approached half-time, still goalless, Eynesbury almost produced a goal completely out of the blue. Baxter let fly from way out, sending the ball over Fallon only to see it crash off the underside of the bar, bounce down, and go to safety. There were a few claims that it crossed the line, but to be fair to the assistant on that side, Baxter hit so early and from so far out that there was no way he could get into a position to see clearly.
HT Bovingdon 0 Eynesbury United 0. United started the better of the two but as the half progressed Bovingdon began to get more possession. Clear cut chances at a premium at both ends. Martin's save from McCarthy and Baxter's shot that hit the bar, the closest either team has come to a goal.
Bovingdon had begun to find some fluency now, pushing Eynesbury back into their own half more. Tom Flanagan showed some quick feet to engineer a shooting chance inside the box, flashing his shot narrowly wide of the mark. Much better from the home team. On the halfway mark of the first period, Bovingdon had their best chance so far. A through ball split the visitor's defence allowing Joe McCarthy a run on goal. However, Martin was quick off his line, making a brave block to thwart the striker.
The game fell into something of a midfield battle at this point as the two evenly matched sides effectively cancelled each other out. If anything, Bovingdon claimed the lion's share of possession, but could not find a way of testing Martin again. They did manage to muster a few half-chances, mainly from distance, but appeared to have left their shooting boots back in the changing rooms, sending each effort well over the bar, two of them into the same neighbouring garden.
As we approached half-time, still goalless, Eynesbury almost produced a goal completely out of the blue. Baxter let fly from way out, sending the ball over Fallon only to see it crash off the underside of the bar, bounce down, and go to safety. There were a few claims that it crossed the line, but to be fair to the assistant on that side, Baxter hit so early and from so far out that there was no way he could get into a position to see clearly.
HT Bovingdon 0 Eynesbury United 0. United started the better of the two but as the half progressed Bovingdon began to get more possession. Clear cut chances at a premium at both ends. Martin's save from McCarthy and Baxter's shot that hit the bar, the closest either team has come to a goal.
Eynesbury miss from the spot The second half began in much the same vein as the first. Bovingdon having more possession but still unable to find a goal. McCarthy came close, cutting inside and driving just over the bar and Archie Oates hit a snapshot well enough, but couldn't beat Martin. It felt as if Bovingdon were camped inside the Eynesbury half for the first 15 minutes of the second half, but as the minutes passed, the visitors began to show signs that they were getting back into the game. A few tweaks in their formation and line-up, playing slightly further up the pitch, began to get pay dividends.
With 20 minutes remaining, United came close to breaking the deadlock again. Baxter, clearly their danger man, broke through the middle of the park, into the box. With both goalkeeper and defender converging on him, the ball squirmed loose and Baxter poked out a boot, unluckily seeing the ball come back off the foot of the post. Four minutes later, the same player got free again, driving toward the box with Les Barkers-Obua for company, but slightly behind him. The defender proceeded to bundle Baxter over and the referee had no hesitation in pointing to the spot, much to the displeasure of the home team. To be fair, first contact did look to be outside the box, but it was a tight one. Iwen Jones stepped up to take the spot-kick, but planted his low effort just the wrong side (from his perspective) of Fallon's right-hand upright.
Despite the penalty miss or maybe because of it, Eynesbury appeared to be more fired up now. Jones, trying to make amends for his penalty miss, hit a real rasping effort form 25 yards that Fallon, at full stretch, did well to palm away.
We were heading into the final throes of the game, but with just over 3 minutes remaining, Eynesbury pressed again. A long ball out of defence just evaded a defender's head, allowing substitute Reece Beavis to race clear on the left. His cross was challenged for by Ryan Baxter, the goalkeeper and a defender. When the ball popped up, Baxter was quickest to react, heading the ball over Fallon into the net. 0-1
Eynesbury were Buoyant now. Right on the stroke of 90 minutes, they really should have made it two. In a reversal of roles from the goal, Baxter was set free on the right before squaring into the path of Beavis, who scuffed his effort wide of the mark. Then, three minutes into added time, Callan Irvine came very close to scoring when his drive across goal was deflected wide by the slightest of touches from Fallon.
FT Bovingdon 0 Eynesbury United 1. A very hard-fought victory for Eynesbury maintains their unbeaten away record for the season. The result leaves the two points behind New Bradwell St Peter at the top, but having played a game more. However, the top have still have to meet twice this season. Bovingdon remain fourth, but have lost a little more ground on the top two. They are now five adrift of Eynesbury having played two more games, not out of contention, but certainly playing catch-up.
Next weekend, Bovingdon don't have a game. However, Eynesbury have another top of the table clash, as they host third-placed Totternhoe. The teams drew 2-2 earlier in the season in a game that saw both United's Callan Irvine and Totternoe's Kai Stonnell, see red.
Bovingdon: Fallon, Johnson, Clarke, Bonner, Barkers-Obua, Cassidy(c), Pavitt, Fullwood, McCarthy, Flanagan, Oates. Subs: Hoare, Marshall, Chamberlain, Bundey, White
Eynesbury United: Martin, Arnold, King, Routs, Newton(c), Gauge, Palmer, Brown, Baxter, McLeod, Jones. Subs: Samal, Wood, Lee, Beavis, Irvine
With 20 minutes remaining, United came close to breaking the deadlock again. Baxter, clearly their danger man, broke through the middle of the park, into the box. With both goalkeeper and defender converging on him, the ball squirmed loose and Baxter poked out a boot, unluckily seeing the ball come back off the foot of the post. Four minutes later, the same player got free again, driving toward the box with Les Barkers-Obua for company, but slightly behind him. The defender proceeded to bundle Baxter over and the referee had no hesitation in pointing to the spot, much to the displeasure of the home team. To be fair, first contact did look to be outside the box, but it was a tight one. Iwen Jones stepped up to take the spot-kick, but planted his low effort just the wrong side (from his perspective) of Fallon's right-hand upright.
Despite the penalty miss or maybe because of it, Eynesbury appeared to be more fired up now. Jones, trying to make amends for his penalty miss, hit a real rasping effort form 25 yards that Fallon, at full stretch, did well to palm away.
We were heading into the final throes of the game, but with just over 3 minutes remaining, Eynesbury pressed again. A long ball out of defence just evaded a defender's head, allowing substitute Reece Beavis to race clear on the left. His cross was challenged for by Ryan Baxter, the goalkeeper and a defender. When the ball popped up, Baxter was quickest to react, heading the ball over Fallon into the net. 0-1
Eynesbury were Buoyant now. Right on the stroke of 90 minutes, they really should have made it two. In a reversal of roles from the goal, Baxter was set free on the right before squaring into the path of Beavis, who scuffed his effort wide of the mark. Then, three minutes into added time, Callan Irvine came very close to scoring when his drive across goal was deflected wide by the slightest of touches from Fallon.
FT Bovingdon 0 Eynesbury United 1. A very hard-fought victory for Eynesbury maintains their unbeaten away record for the season. The result leaves the two points behind New Bradwell St Peter at the top, but having played a game more. However, the top have still have to meet twice this season. Bovingdon remain fourth, but have lost a little more ground on the top two. They are now five adrift of Eynesbury having played two more games, not out of contention, but certainly playing catch-up.
Next weekend, Bovingdon don't have a game. However, Eynesbury have another top of the table clash, as they host third-placed Totternhoe. The teams drew 2-2 earlier in the season in a game that saw both United's Callan Irvine and Totternoe's Kai Stonnell, see red.
Bovingdon: Fallon, Johnson, Clarke, Bonner, Barkers-Obua, Cassidy(c), Pavitt, Fullwood, McCarthy, Flanagan, Oates. Subs: Hoare, Marshall, Chamberlain, Bundey, White
Eynesbury United: Martin, Arnold, King, Routs, Newton(c), Gauge, Palmer, Brown, Baxter, McLeod, Jones. Subs: Samal, Wood, Lee, Beavis, Irvine
Green Lane
The Ground
What an absolute gem Bovingdon's Green Lane ground is. It's quite easy to miss the sign leading directing you from Green Lane to Bovingdon Tennis and Football club, well at last I missed it first time past. Once you do find it you pass between a residential area and past a car park dedicated to the tennis club, before rounding a corner to see the football clubhouse on your right. A marshall greets you to take the entrance fee before you park up and enter the ground. The path from the car park takes you around the side of the main stand (yes, a step 7 team with a covered stand) which you have to walk past to get to the clubhouse and the extensive patio area that sits between the bar and the pitch. Opposite the club and stand are the dugouts, backed by some trees that separate the main pitch from some small-sided pitches. The playing surface is surrounded by a post and white metal bar fence, in the traditional non-league ground style. It's a little hard to pinpoint what it is that appeals about this ground, but I loved it. There's a certain charm that's hard to put your finger on. All I can say is, if you haven't been to a game at Green Lane, then do so. It's definitely worth a visit.
Ground Number: 440
Att: 88
Entrance: £3.00
Programme:
What an absolute gem Bovingdon's Green Lane ground is. It's quite easy to miss the sign leading directing you from Green Lane to Bovingdon Tennis and Football club, well at last I missed it first time past. Once you do find it you pass between a residential area and past a car park dedicated to the tennis club, before rounding a corner to see the football clubhouse on your right. A marshall greets you to take the entrance fee before you park up and enter the ground. The path from the car park takes you around the side of the main stand (yes, a step 7 team with a covered stand) which you have to walk past to get to the clubhouse and the extensive patio area that sits between the bar and the pitch. Opposite the club and stand are the dugouts, backed by some trees that separate the main pitch from some small-sided pitches. The playing surface is surrounded by a post and white metal bar fence, in the traditional non-league ground style. It's a little hard to pinpoint what it is that appeals about this ground, but I loved it. There's a certain charm that's hard to put your finger on. All I can say is, if you haven't been to a game at Green Lane, then do so. It's definitely worth a visit.
Ground Number: 440
Att: 88
Entrance: £3.00
Programme:
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