Gaywood Park from the snack bar Scanning the fixtures, my eye was caught by the Southern League Central clash between Kings Langley and Fleet Town. Having been at the reverse fixture, just 11 days ago, and having witnessed a thoroughly entertaining goalless draw, it looked like a good choice. A few tweets and twitter searches revealed that the game was ON. Only an hours drive away, so I could still make it back in line with my schedule. Perfect.
A quick dash down the A41 and I was at Gaywood Park with 15 minutes to spare. Just as well as there was no room left in the car park and, as the ground is on a major road, not too much parking close by. However, I did find the last spot in a layby just a 100 yards from the ground entrance and was inside well before the teams made their way out onto the pitch.
Gaywood Park is an interesting stadium and not without a certain charm and character. The ground is situated on a narrow strip of land wedged between the Grand Union Canal and the main road between Kings Langley and Hemel Hempstead. The entrance turnstile takes you in adjacent to the clubhouse and changing facilities, which are both raised a few feet above pitch level, giving you a good panorama of the ground. There are four separate covered areas around the pitch. On the canal side, which is where the dugouts are situated, there are two covered standing areas either side of the half way line. There is also a small area of covered seating behind the far goal and a low, covered stand on the Hempstead Road side, towards the clubhouse end.
Kings Langley started the game knowing that, with Egham's game postponed, a win would take them back to the top of the table and they started like a team heading for the summit. The game was only a couple of minutes old when a first time effort from outside the box looped over the visiting keeper and struck the bar. It was a sign of things to come in the first half.
Fourteen minutes in and the home side took the lead. A vicious strike from the edge of the box was parried by the keeper but Kings number 7, Ward, was quickest to react and crashed in the rebound. To be fair, it was no more than Kings Langley deserved.
The home side continued to pile on the pressure but were made to wait a further 20 minutes before they increased their lead. Another shot from outside the box but, this time Hutton's drive deceived the keeper and went straight in. Despite their efforts, at 2-0, there didn't look like a way back for Fleet at this point.
A quick dash down the A41 and I was at Gaywood Park with 15 minutes to spare. Just as well as there was no room left in the car park and, as the ground is on a major road, not too much parking close by. However, I did find the last spot in a layby just a 100 yards from the ground entrance and was inside well before the teams made their way out onto the pitch.
Gaywood Park is an interesting stadium and not without a certain charm and character. The ground is situated on a narrow strip of land wedged between the Grand Union Canal and the main road between Kings Langley and Hemel Hempstead. The entrance turnstile takes you in adjacent to the clubhouse and changing facilities, which are both raised a few feet above pitch level, giving you a good panorama of the ground. There are four separate covered areas around the pitch. On the canal side, which is where the dugouts are situated, there are two covered standing areas either side of the half way line. There is also a small area of covered seating behind the far goal and a low, covered stand on the Hempstead Road side, towards the clubhouse end.
Kings Langley started the game knowing that, with Egham's game postponed, a win would take them back to the top of the table and they started like a team heading for the summit. The game was only a couple of minutes old when a first time effort from outside the box looped over the visiting keeper and struck the bar. It was a sign of things to come in the first half.
Fourteen minutes in and the home side took the lead. A vicious strike from the edge of the box was parried by the keeper but Kings number 7, Ward, was quickest to react and crashed in the rebound. To be fair, it was no more than Kings Langley deserved.
The home side continued to pile on the pressure but were made to wait a further 20 minutes before they increased their lead. Another shot from outside the box but, this time Hutton's drive deceived the keeper and went straight in. Despite their efforts, at 2-0, there didn't look like a way back for Fleet at this point.
Stands on the canal side The second half followed the same pattern as the first, with Kings Langley having the majority of the possession. However Fleet, to their credit, rolled their sleeves up and battled away. With a side depleted by injury and still suffering from the after effects of a creditable 2-2 draw with Egham, Fleet did very well to keep the home side at bay.
Fleet also lost their left-back, Josh Francis, with what looked like a nasty injury to his arm or shoulder. He certainly looked in pain as he trudged past me with his arm in a make-shift sling. I hope the injury wasn't too serious.
To be honest, there is not too much to say about the second half. In the end it was a fairly comfortable three points for Kings Langley who, I have to say, look like a very good side. Well organised at the back, solid in midfield and a threat when they go forward. If they do go up they have the potential to hold their own at a higher level.
Best of luck to both of these teams. Having visited both clubs in under two weeks, it is clear that both are run very well and are a credit to their league.
Kings Langley - @klfcofficial
Fleet Town - fcfleettown
Fleet also lost their left-back, Josh Francis, with what looked like a nasty injury to his arm or shoulder. He certainly looked in pain as he trudged past me with his arm in a make-shift sling. I hope the injury wasn't too serious.
To be honest, there is not too much to say about the second half. In the end it was a fairly comfortable three points for Kings Langley who, I have to say, look like a very good side. Well organised at the back, solid in midfield and a threat when they go forward. If they do go up they have the potential to hold their own at a higher level.
Best of luck to both of these teams. Having visited both clubs in under two weeks, it is clear that both are run very well and are a credit to their league.
Kings Langley - @klfcofficial
Fleet Town - fcfleettown
RSS Feed