Trip to Worthing brings closer game than expected

Worthing United 0 Alfold 2, SCFL Division One, Saturday 2^nd March 2019

For the first time in 2019, I left it to my Twitter followers to decide the destination for my latest fix of groundhopping action.

Having decided fairly early in the week that I’d attend a game in Division One of the Southern Combination Football League, I promptly selected four fixtures at grounds I’ve not yet visited and then simply left it to the Twittersphere to vote on the outcome.

Matches at AFC Varndeanians, Mile Oak, Storrington and Worthing United were all on offer, and I honestly had no preference as to which match would be selected. Ultimately it was voted that my presence would be required in Worthing this Saturday afternoon, for bottom of the table Worthing United’s clash with second-placed Alfold.

Following a quick check to see where Worthing United actually played, I was somewhat surprised to discover Lyon’s Way listed as their home address. As anyone who has driven through Worthing along the A27 will be only too aware, the Lyon’s Farm retail estate is somewhat notorious for its heavy traffic. Indeed, I dread to think of the hours I’ve spent crawling along that section of road, stuck at the seemingly stuck-on-red traffic lights outside the retail park’s entrance.

Not once did I realise that there was a football pitch located a matter of metres away from where I was stuck.

Initially, I assumed that even though United's Robert Albon Memorial Ground was listed as being in Lyon’s Way, the entrance to the ground would be via a side road somewhere near the estate. Yet, to my surprise, as I approached the lights (which were unsurprisingly red) my SatNav was instructing me to turn right into the retail park itself. Surely there must be some mistake, I thought. There wasn’t.

Less than 100 metres from Worthing’s busiest retail park, sits Worthing United’s home ground.

It was a ground I liked instantly, from the moment I caught my first glimpse of the clubhouse with the new main stand (more of which in a bit) situated just behind it.

Admission was £6, with a slim but well-presented and informative program thrown in for free. My first impression of the ground was how rural the setting seemed. With a splendid backdrop of the Downs, and even a few horses grazing in the surrounding fields, it seemed more like visiting a ground in the heart of mid-Sussex countryside, rather than one located less than a minute from one of Sussex’s busiest stretches of road, and a bustling retail park. It really is a hidden treasure.

The stadium’s new main (in fact it’s only) stand is very impressive, and without doubt one of the best stands that I’ve seen so far on my travels. Especially at county level. Poignantly, it was erected and named in memory of two United players – Jacob Schilt and Matthew Grimstone – who tragically lost their lives in the 2015 Shoreham Airshow crash. Both men were on their way to the Robert Albon Memorial Ground on the afternoon a plane crashed on the A27, killing 11 men. Sitting in the stand prior to the game, while flicking through the program and seeing that the words ‘forever in our hearts’ along with the initials and shirt numbers of Jacob and Matthew are emblazoned on the back of United’s shirts, it was hard not to reflect on how, contrary to what the otherwise legendary Bill Shankly may have once famously proclaimed, there actually is far more to life than football. Live it, enjoy it, but don’t take it too seriously. Both player’s numbers – 1 and 11 – have since been retired in respect of the two young men.

With Alfold flying high in the table, having notched over 70 goals in their 24 league games to date, and Worthing United rooted to the bottom having conceded more than 70 from one game more, I could only see one outcome of this fixture.

While, as you would have already seen from the above scoreline, the match did indeed go the way I - and probably most of the spectators - had expected it to, United certainly made their high-flying visitors work hard for the three points.

The hosts couldn’t have got off to a much worse start. Within the opening ten minutes they were behind. Not for the last time during the afternoon, Kelvin Lucas cut a swathe through the Worthing defence, before laying the ball into the path of Johden De Meyer who finished confidently into the bottom corner. Judging by the rather muted celebrations from the Alfold players, I wasn’t the only person who expected home keeper Joe Sandell to be picking the ball out of his net on plenty more occasions during the next hour and a bit.

In full credit to Worthing United, though, this never really looked like it would be the case. While Alfold were certainly the more accomplished side throughout, United defended doggedly and restricted their visitors to very few clear-cut chances for the rest of the first half. While they didn’t threaten too much at the other end themselves, they did have a few dangerous moments where a little more composure, or braver decision making in the final third, could have had their visitors in trouble.

Reaching half-time just 1-0 behind was probably viewed as something as a moral victory for the hosts, and the match was still very much up for grabs in the second half.

United started the second half well and for the first time in the match enjoyed their first real sustained spell of pressure. From a free-kick, Fold goalkeeper James Wastell had to be alert to keep out Dan Hills’ driven strike (see video below).

This near miss, however, seemed to spark Alfold into action, and they quickly once again began to assume control of the match. Their leading scorer, Tiago Andrade, twice hit the woodwork; first from a free kick (see below video) then from a header that he probably should have done better with, before Sandell produced a stunning save to keep out a Jack Nourse effort which had seem destined for the top corner.

With the comfort of a second goal still eluding Alfold, United continued to threaten sporadically on the break, and Wastell once again had to be on his toes to keep his side’s lead intact.

The killer second goal finally arrived 12 minutes from time. It was no surprise that Lucas was once again the provider. It’s not often that I laud individual performances too much on this blog, but I – and the two United-supporting gentlemen who were sitting next to me – thought he was brilliant this afternoon. As good as anyone I’ve seen this season. He was a constant menace, down both flanks, and looked likely to make something happen every time he got the ball. His pull-back from the by-line, eventually landed at De Meyer’s feet six yards out, and he lashed the ball into the roof of the net for his second of the afternoon. Game over.

While United never really looked likely to get back into the game from this point, nor did it look like their heads went down. They continued to battle gamely, and ensure that their visitors needed to keep working until the final whistle.

On this evidence, it’s hard to see why Worthing United are adrift at the bottom of the league with such a dire goal difference. Judging by the commitment and desire displayed today, if they can keep this team together, then there’s no reason why they can’t pull off a few positive results between now and the end of the season.

For Alfold, their pursuit of promotion continues, just two points off leaders Steyning Town, and now five ahead of third-place Bexhill United. It’s sure to be an exciting end to the season at the top of the Division One table.

It’s a local game for me next weekend, with a trip to nearby Peacehaven. This is just one of three SCFL Premier grounds that I’m yet to visit this season, with only Arundel and Pagham remaining after that. Both of which I have scheduled before the end of March. I'm still looking for a game to attend of the 16^th March, so if you have any suggestions, I’m open to hearing them!