2.40pm 21 February 2024
BUCS, South Eastern 4D
City University of London 3 Brunel University II 2 (att 10)
An overnight stop on our journey home from Paris allowed me time to take in a midweek afternoon game in the capital using public transport.
Given the wet weather an artificial pitch was the safest bet, and with a scheduled start time of 2.15pm a visit to Salisbury Hall Playing Fields, in Walthamstow, was the most convenient.
University football, especially in the lower divisions, can be a mixed bag. It's always a relief to arrive at a venue and find players warming up for a match. On this occasion the one person missing was the referee.
Thankfully everyone was keen to play, and after a 25 minute delay the game eventually kicked off with someone from City University in charge. He admitted, in a brief chat at half time, to being a reluctant volunteer. I for one was grateful to him for ensuring there was a game to watch.
His team will have been grateful too, as they ended the afternoon with three points. Not that the referee played any underhand role in their win, secured thanks to penalty that was correctly awarded.
It was the third time City had gone ahead. They opened the scoring early but Brunel responded with the game's best goal. The home side went back in front before half time, but the visitors levelled again just two minutes after the break.
The match was finely poised until City's spot kick was converted to decide the outcome.
The 3G pitch at Salisbury Hall is a typical example of its type, being floodlit and enclosed by a high fence. There's a small spectator area running half the length of one side. Outside the 'cage', in front of the changing rooms, there's some cover, although it was of little use on a wet and windy afternoon.
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