3pm 12 August 2023
Middlesex County League, Premier Division
Larkspur Rovers 4 Feltham 0 (att 30)
Among the summer's best news was the return of Feltham FC to adult men's football. I grew up in Feltham and my first non-League matches were at the long-gone Feltham Arena.
As I moved away and took up groundhopping I retained a soft spot for the club, and tried to watch them whenever they played at a ground I'd not been to. The last time that happened, and the only occasion since I began this blog, was away to Guernsey in 2011.
After a few homeless years Feltham joined forces with Bedfont, but eventually the Feltham part of the merged club's name was dropped.
Now, having first been re-established at youth level, Feltham have returned to senior football, with a place at 'step seven' in the top division of the Middlesex County League.
As luck would have it, their opening fixture was at a ground I'd not been to, so I headed south to the Lord Halsbury Memorial Playing Fields in Northolt.
Larkspur Rovers' ground is basic but perfectly adequate for this level. The pitch is part of a large playing field and has a pair of dugouts, Part of the perimeter is variously roped and taped off, although new-looking wooden posts suggest it will soon have a fixed barrier in place.
Having kept half an eye on Feltham's pre-season results, via social media, I feared they might struggle early season. I was right. A string of early Larkspur corners set the tone, and the home side's 15th minute opener was no surprise.
They doubled their lead before half time, and doubled it again in the second period. They could easily have scored more. Feltham looked what they are, a new team with players still getting used to playing together. I'm sure they'll improve.
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