3pm 29 August 2026
Southern Combination League, Division One
Westfield 3 Mile Oak 1 (att 86)
Of my unvisited teams newly promoted into the National League System - the top six levels of non-league football - Sussex-based Westfield was the biggest challenge for a journey from Manchester.
So as we were in the south east for the weekend, and they had a home game, it made sense head south to the village which is just outside Hastings.
Westfield's ground, the Knight and Davey Community Stadium, is fairly new and is almost across the road from the club's former home, which I visited in 2008.
It's a two-sided venue, but one that ticks all the right boxes for this level of football. On the near side is a pavilion that houses changing rooms, toilets and a small bar area.
There's some covered standing in front of the building and a seated stand to the right. At the right hand end of the ground, close to a mobile snack bar, there's an additional covered area. Dugouts are on the far side and the other end is out of bounds.
It's also worth mentioning how friendly everyone was. Westfield are a good example of a community club supported by an team of excellent volunteers.
On the pitch they have made a solid start to life at this level, and this win propelled them up the fledgling league table. Sharp finishing was the difference in the first half and they were 2-0 up by half time.
The home side were hampered by a red card with about 30 minutes remaining, and Mile Oak kept things interesting by pulling a goal back from the penalty spot.
They pushed for an equaliser and for a time Westfield were on the back foot, until in the closing minutes the hosts scored a remarkable third. Mile Oak lost possession near the halfway lane, and a home player sent the ball sailing over the keeper and into the net. The second goal I've seen hit from a similar distance in a week.
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