Golds show some glitter- but City hit the summit

The Sportsfield really does live up to its name. 

Many of our grounds attempt to be multifunctional community spaces, but we’re not sure that any of them offer, alongside the obvious, cricket, tennis, croquet and stoolball (we had to google the latter; Steve Harrison probably wouldn’t have been very good at it, despite the name). Alongside the football pitch a collection of rather different sportsmen hurled little hard balls around, seemingly oblivious to the fact that summer is now over. It is September, after all, time to embrace mists and mellow fruitfulness, and to remember that the next time the sun will set after 8PM will be April 17th. That date, coincidentally, is when we’ll be playing our final matches of the regular season. Depressing to think about, isn’t it? 

We were here to witness a battle between two sides with one hundred percent records- although one of those records was one hundred percent marvellous, the other rather the opposite. Littlehampton Town, who had lost all of their matches in Pitching In Isthmian South Central so far this season, were at home to Winchester City, who had won all of theirs. 

The Golds were without any sort of victory since the opening day of the season, when they had defeated Eastbourne United in the Extra Preliminary Round of the FA Cup. Since then they had lost five in a row in League, Cup and Trophy; although they’d been unlucky last time out, FA Trophy defeat against Raynes Park Vale coming from sudden death spot kicks after a two-two draw in a match which they had twice led. Were they still suffering from a relegation hangover; relegated last season before benefiting from a reprieve? The squad looked stronger, but as yet the results hadn’t improved.

City had also had knockout issues; after starting the campaign with five-nil, four-one and four- nil victories in the League they had departed both Cup and Trophy in successive matches, the last of those also a shootout defeat, Didcot Town the winners on Saturday. They experienced a rather different 25/26 than their hosts, however, only seeing their promotion challenge falter at Play Off Semi Final stage. It was probably fair to say that the two sides had rather different ambitions for this campaign, City with us for the first time time.

A win for the visitors tonight would send them top of the table. Indeed, a draw would result in a similar outcome.  Victory for the hosts would see them climb out of the bottom four. Whilst we could hardly call the match critical at this stage of the season, psychologically it looked important for both sides. 

As we approached kick off, the tannoy began blaring ‘The Eye of the Tiger,’ and we knew that the business end of the evening was nigh. It was the key for the inhabitants of the clubhouse, high above the ground, to begin descending the stairs- although the combative atmosphere was somewhat diluted when Survivor was followed by Mariah Carey. After all, she famously ‘doesn’t do stairs.’ The changing rooms, in the bowels of the clubhouse, began to disgorge players in gold and in blue, and we were off, albeit two minutes late.

The visitors got us underway, kicking towards the clubhouse, and they applied much of the early pressure. Their game plan early on was to punt the ball forward as quickly as possible then charge after it at speed, and it showed signs of being effective if not particularly pretty. That’s not to downplay the ability of the forwards, Scott Bungay, Oliver Balmer and Ryan Carroll, who combined impressively. Indeed that combination led to a free kick which had to be hacked clear in the tenth minute, the closest we’d come to a goal so far.

On twenty one minutes we did have a goal- and it went to the hosts. It came entirely from a defensive error, starting with Domenico Panesar- Dower dithering and being dispossessed, and ending with Harry Heath rolling the ball into an empty net. It was entirely against the run of play, but, as the old adage goes, there’s only one statistic that really matters.

Goal: Littlehampton Town 1 Winchester City 0, Harry Heath, 21 minutes

It inspired the Golds, and for a while it was they who played the neater, more incisive football; indeed they were pressing when a long ball out of defence sent Bradley Waters running through for City, his effort needing to be tipped over by James Binfield. Two minutes later Carroll should have done better when the ball reached him at the far post, but he went for power and forgot about accuracy.

“Come on you Golds,” sang a lone voice from one end of the stadium. “Come on you Golds,” echoed a different voice from the other end. It was a shame that there wasn’t a seaside Simon Cowell available to fashion the two soloists into a duo. Perhaps inspired by the musical accompaniment, Heath did well at the right hand side of the box, fired the ball across the goalmouth, and all it needed was a touch. Sadly for the hosts it didn’t get one.

At the other end a shot from Sam Godfroy elicited a chant of “how wide do you want the goal,” to the tune of Go West, which needs no further explanation, and then two minutes added time was played before the half came to an end. City had certainly had most of the ball, but the Golds had defended stoutly and taken their chance. 

Half time: Littlehampton Town 1 Winchester City 0

City brought on Dan Bradshaw and Charlie Burden at the break- the former picking up a booking within two minutes- and immediately went on the offensive, Balmer half volleying a bouncing ball over the bar. That said, the Golds created the better chances of the opening minutes, City lucky to be awarded a free kick when keeper Danny Dixon dropped the ball under pressure and soon afterwards resorting to a desperate defensive clearance. 

Waters began to exert his influence down the City left, earning first a corner and then a free kick in a dangerous position. The latter was neatly clipped to an onrushing Carroll, but his header went wide, and we moved into the last half hour- the City number eleven soon replaced by Jez Bedford. 

A Golds break saw Heath force a save from Dixon, the number nine having nobody to pass to after outpacing all of his colleagues by some distance. The visiting bench was voicing its frustrations, whilst its team was struggling to break down the home defence despite strenuous efforts. Callum Baughan was the next to try his luck, creating his own shooting opportunity on the edge of the box but clearing the bar. 

We moved into the last ten minutes- although an injury to Josh Short threatened to add quite a few more. The visitors remained on top, the hosts standing strong, no quarter given by either side. More fine work from Waters earned another City corner. This time? Yes!

The ball came in and Archie Whitfield, newly arrived from the bench, bundled it over the line. In truth it seemed to bypass everyone else and deflect in off his chest, but they all count!

Goal: Littlehampton Town 1 Winchester City 1,  Archie Whitfield, 82 minutes

Town, stung by the equaliser, charged up the other end and earned a corner of their own, before a temper tantrum saw a player from each side booked.  To their credit, neither side seemed content to settle for a draw.

An additional seven minutes was signalled, just as Freddie Hammond fired over from the edge of the box. Hammond forced a save from Dixon four minutes later, and then at the other end City hit the side netting when a winner looked likely. 

And next, finally, that was that- an entertaining contest ending with both sides taking a point. 

Final score: Littlehampton Town 1 Winchester City 1

Their point took City to the top, and they will be delighted with that- although perhaps less delighted that their perfect record, the only one left in the Division when we kicked off, had departed. Littlehampton remained in the bottom four, in twentieth place, and they’ll be disappointed that they let their lead slip so close to the end- but actually, in the cold light of day they should be proud of their performance. 

Whilst there were moments when City showed exactly why they are amongst the promotion favourites, with Waters particularly impressive, Town stood up to them effectively, defended resolutely, passed the ball nicely once they’d settled and had moments where they looked dangerous up front, Heath having a particularly positive match. Had we not known that this was very much a ‘top v bottom’ clash, it certainly wouldn’t have been apparent from comparing the performances. 

There was enough evidence on show to suggest that Winchester City will be there or thereabouts when the end of the season arrives. But there was also enough evidence to suggest that Littlehampton Town have more than enough about them to climb away from the bottom end of the table. 

Perhaps the Golds might just remember how to glitter this season.