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Hollands and Blair v West Wickham

1.30pm  10 December 2011
Kent Senior Trophy, Second Round
Hollands and Blair 3 West Wickham 2 (att 42)

Another trip into Kent as I work my way through the grounds I need to complete county's new "step six" Kent Invicta League - just three left to go now.

Hollands and Blair's Gillingham ground wasn't as good as my two previous visits, to Bearsted and Rusthall. The ground is fully enclosed, but there's no stand or cover and it's only railed off along the sides.

But like the other grounds it is neat and tidy, and with a proper entrance, nice clubhouse and a programme it has the feel of a proper football ground.

The game was a tough one to predict the outcome. West Wickham play in the Southern Amateur League, a competition where clubs rarely play opposition from outside the Amateur Football Alliance (the "county" FA to which many London amateur clubs, primarily old boys sides and banking and private company teams, affiliate to).

Hollands and Blair had the edge and deserved their win, but it was a tight game and West Wickham were unfortunate not to at least take it into extra time. The home side scored the first half's only goal, but West Wickham were level 12 minutes into the second. Two great goals, the first an unstoppable strike from about 40 yards, put Hollands & Blair in control, but the visitors struck again before the end to set up nervy finish for the home side. A good afternoon's entertainment, which made up for the poor showing at Dagenham's youth team game earlier in the day.

Ground no 3,681







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