Welcome to the Easy as HGV Stadium Last week was another barren football week for BotP. Even a potential trip to a German tier 5 game fell through due to work commitments and with more travelling on the near horizon, it was good to have a chance to get out and about this Wednesday. After much musing and checking of weather, I finally decided to head South and take a look at the Southern League Premier South clash between Farnborough and Hendon.
The Ground
Cherrywood Road, or The Easy as HGV Stadium to give it it's current name, is a ground befitting of Farnborough's recent past as a National League (Conference as it was at the time) side. There is a large car park within the boundaries of the stadium (£2 to park) which is a god-send on a damp, chilly evening. Entrance to the ground is through a turnstile complex adjacent to the clubhouse and main seating area, the Charles Mortimore Stand. Looming above and to your right as you enter is the 1300 seater Prospect Road End (PRE). Opposite the entrance is the East Stand which runs the full length of the ground and features covered terracing towards the PRE, the dugouts spanning the centre-line and covered seating at towards Moor Road End. There is a complete, covered, shallow terracing at the Moor Road End, traditionally the section set aside for visiting supporters in games that require segregation. In all the ground has a capacity of 7,000.
The Ground
Cherrywood Road, or The Easy as HGV Stadium to give it it's current name, is a ground befitting of Farnborough's recent past as a National League (Conference as it was at the time) side. There is a large car park within the boundaries of the stadium (£2 to park) which is a god-send on a damp, chilly evening. Entrance to the ground is through a turnstile complex adjacent to the clubhouse and main seating area, the Charles Mortimore Stand. Looming above and to your right as you enter is the 1300 seater Prospect Road End (PRE). Opposite the entrance is the East Stand which runs the full length of the ground and features covered terracing towards the PRE, the dugouts spanning the centre-line and covered seating at towards Moor Road End. There is a complete, covered, shallow terracing at the Moor Road End, traditionally the section set aside for visiting supporters in games that require segregation. In all the ground has a capacity of 7,000.
PRE The Background
Prior to kick off both sides were sitting at the wrong end of the table. Farnborough just above the drop zone with 13 points from their 13 games. Hendon, however, were in a far worse situation, second from bottom, three points from the safety line and on a run of three straight defeats. After the departure of Jimmy Gray a few days ago, the club announced their new manager, Lee Allinson just prior to the game. Last season saw the sides draw 1-1 in this fixture. A draw would not be of much use to either side at this stage of this season.
Prior to kick off both sides were sitting at the wrong end of the table. Farnborough just above the drop zone with 13 points from their 13 games. Hendon, however, were in a far worse situation, second from bottom, three points from the safety line and on a run of three straight defeats. After the departure of Jimmy Gray a few days ago, the club announced their new manager, Lee Allinson just prior to the game. Last season saw the sides draw 1-1 in this fixture. A draw would not be of much use to either side at this stage of this season.
The Game
There was a bizarre start to the game, not to say a terrible start for the away side. We were only 4 minutes into the game when a ball into the Hendon box caused absolute chaos. In the confusion a hasty clearance cannoned into a group of players and dropped into the back of the net. 1-0. The goal was eventually given to Farnborough captain Tom Leggett but it was such a mess that I initially thought that it was an own-goal and the Farnborough stadium announcer gave it to Connor Cullen. Whatever the case, it was a shambolic piece of defending which the home side were more than happy capitalise on.
There was a bizarre start to the game, not to say a terrible start for the away side. We were only 4 minutes into the game when a ball into the Hendon box caused absolute chaos. In the confusion a hasty clearance cannoned into a group of players and dropped into the back of the net. 1-0. The goal was eventually given to Farnborough captain Tom Leggett but it was such a mess that I initially thought that it was an own-goal and the Farnborough stadium announcer gave it to Connor Cullen. Whatever the case, it was a shambolic piece of defending which the home side were more than happy capitalise on.
The East Stand
With the rain continuing to fall the game was never going to be a classic, especially with two teams scrapping for results at the wrong end of the table. Farnborough continued to boss the game completely but, despite having the ball in the Hendon half of the pitch almost constantly, failed to add to their lead for almost 30 minutes.
Cherrywood Road When the second goal did come, however, it was worth the wait. Cullen, who had seen the first goal taken away from him, got his name on the score-sheet with a cracker of a strike from the edge of the box, the ball flashing past Grace into the far corner. 2-0
Suddenly, as if realising that the game was slipping away, Hendon woke up. They created more opportunities in the final 10 minutes of the half than they had managed in the previous 35. Liam Beach in the home goal finally got his knees dirty, but Hendon could not find a finish to bring them back into the game.
HT Farnborough 2 Hendon 0. In the main a comfortable half for Farnborough. Hendon showed some signs of revival after going 2-0 down, but need to improve in the second-half if they want to get anything from the game. In many ways they must be grateful that they are only two goals down at the break.
Suddenly, as if realising that the game was slipping away, Hendon woke up. They created more opportunities in the final 10 minutes of the half than they had managed in the previous 35. Liam Beach in the home goal finally got his knees dirty, but Hendon could not find a finish to bring them back into the game.
HT Farnborough 2 Hendon 0. In the main a comfortable half for Farnborough. Hendon showed some signs of revival after going 2-0 down, but need to improve in the second-half if they want to get anything from the game. In many ways they must be grateful that they are only two goals down at the break.
The Charles Mortimore Stand There were still signs of some extra Hendon verve as the second-half began but, again, they lacked any real cutting edge and, despite having more possession, failed to really threaten the Farnborough goal.
A minute before the hour mark Farnborough then closed the game down. Andrew Sealey-Harris picked the ball up on the right-flank, jinked inside his man and struck a rocket of a left-footed drive past Grace to make it 3-0.
There was no way back for Hendon after the third goal but, just to make sure, the home side grabbed a further goal on 83 minutes when a corner from the right was allowed to drop into the centre of the Hendon six-yard box area. Farnborough's CJ Fearn was first to react, forcing the ball over the line to put the icing on the cake. 4-0
FT Farnborough 4 Hendon 0. A very good three points for the Yellows who controlled the game from start to finish. They looked very lively going forward and on this form shouldn't have too much difficulty pulling away from the relegation spots and possibly pushing towards a play-off place. On this showing, there is plenty of work for Hendon's new boss Lee Allison to do, although there were some brief spells where they showed that he does at least have something to work with.
Farnborough: Beach, Oyenuga, Alowade-Williams, Fearn, Brice, Francis, Sealey-Harris, Ten-Grotenhuis, Cullen, Leggett(c), Young. Subs: Charles-Smith, Coles, Owens, Emmanuel, Akongo
Hendon: Grace, Hall, Panter, Manesiol, Hamblin(c), Noel-McLeod, English, Hope, Calcutt, Mitchell, Charles. Subs: Tingley, Todd, Ogbonna, Luther, Jonas
Att: 176
Ground Number: 219
Entrance: £12.00
Programme: £2.00
A minute before the hour mark Farnborough then closed the game down. Andrew Sealey-Harris picked the ball up on the right-flank, jinked inside his man and struck a rocket of a left-footed drive past Grace to make it 3-0.
There was no way back for Hendon after the third goal but, just to make sure, the home side grabbed a further goal on 83 minutes when a corner from the right was allowed to drop into the centre of the Hendon six-yard box area. Farnborough's CJ Fearn was first to react, forcing the ball over the line to put the icing on the cake. 4-0
FT Farnborough 4 Hendon 0. A very good three points for the Yellows who controlled the game from start to finish. They looked very lively going forward and on this form shouldn't have too much difficulty pulling away from the relegation spots and possibly pushing towards a play-off place. On this showing, there is plenty of work for Hendon's new boss Lee Allison to do, although there were some brief spells where they showed that he does at least have something to work with.
Farnborough: Beach, Oyenuga, Alowade-Williams, Fearn, Brice, Francis, Sealey-Harris, Ten-Grotenhuis, Cullen, Leggett(c), Young. Subs: Charles-Smith, Coles, Owens, Emmanuel, Akongo
Hendon: Grace, Hall, Panter, Manesiol, Hamblin(c), Noel-McLeod, English, Hope, Calcutt, Mitchell, Charles. Subs: Tingley, Todd, Ogbonna, Luther, Jonas
Att: 176
Ground Number: 219
Entrance: £12.00
Programme: £2.00
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