4.15pm 17 April 2021
Southern Combination League, Division Two Supplementary Shield, Group B
Charlwood 0 TD Shipley 4 (att 55)
I had a trouble-free drive from Rotherfield to the outskirts of Crawley for my second game of the day. What was once the Sussex County Football League has become the Southern Combination Football League (still the SCFL) to reflect the fact its reach now extends beyond county boundaries.
Charlwood may be on the outskirts of Crawley, but it's also just across the border into Surrey. For a location so close to Gatwick Airport it's a very pleasant rural setting, with an attractive recreation ground that's home to Charlwood FC.
The football club moved sideways before the start of the season, from the top flight of the Mid Sussex League to the third tier of the Southern Combination League, equivalent levels of the English football pyramid.
They were mid-table when the league season was halted, while visitors TD Shipley were unbeaten with games in hand over those above them. The division has now been split into two groups to compete for the Supplementary Shield, providing competitive football until a proper re-start next season.
There looked a gulf between the clubs on the evidence of this 90 minutes. TD Shipley went ahead in the first minute, and were 2-0 ahead by half time. The second half was mostly shooting practice for the visitors, and they might be disappointed to have added just two more goals.
It takes work to turn Charlwood Recreation Ground into a football venue. Dugouts are temporary, as is the rope barrier that encloses the pitch on the far side, beyond which is a cricket square. The near side, close to the road, is unroped but popular with spectators who prefer to sit, as it's lined with half a dozen park benches.
Comments
Post a Comment