Sparks put out

Whitehall Lane was bathed in sunshine ninety minutes before kick off. A group of children from a junior team trained and complained about the heat, whilst their parents sat, and in one case lay, on the grass around the perimeter, pretending it was summer. Perhaps it is summer- after all, we’ve had two days of sunshine, what more can we want? Behind them, a gaggle of older footballers were making their way past the closed turnstiles. They seemed in very good humour, but given they were from both sides at least one set would be less happy by close of play tonight.

Supporters of South Park, a few of whom drifted in soon afterwards when the turnstiles opened, certainly couldn’t complain that they hadn’t been entertained so far this season; although there’s a possibility that they’d like a little less excitement- particularly if they have high blood pressure or a slightly dicky ticker. Six matches played, fourteen goals scored, seventeen conceded- we didn’t arrive at tonight’s FA Cup First Qualifying Round Replay with Broadfields United expecting a nil-nil draw. That said, we knew the ball would have to hit the net at least once even if that was in a rather England-esque penalty shootout, as at some point we would have to finally decide who would be facing Hastings United in the next round.

Whenever we mention South Park on social media, there will be at least one wag who will respond by posting “Oh my God, you killed Kenny!” It was funny the first time, but we can promise you all that nobody called Kenny has ever met an untimely demise at Whitehall Lane, even when facing man-mountain centre forward Melford Simpson. Our South Park are also much more venerable than the orange-parka clad nine year old, as the club was formed back in eighteen ninety seven, the same year that the Blackwall Tunnel opened, Bram Stoker released Dracula, and Aston Villa won a league and cup double- another one of those is less likely than a vampire attack. In case of confusion- and there is lots, regularly- the Sparks play in the Surrey town of Reigate, fifty minutes by train from the Metropolis and fifteen minutes from Merstham, which will be handy if they get promoted, or four minutes from Redhill, which will be handy if…well, that’s not going to happen!

The ground, King George’s Field, has been home to the Sparks since 1925. It doesn’t look its age, but what it could do with is a new 3G pitch, because in recent years it must have proved expensive to keep the groundman supplied with wellington boots and waterproof trousers. The club are doing their level best to get such a facility installed for the local community, and have applied for a grant from the county council for which they need your support- but quickly, as the application process closes tomorrow night. You can head here and convince those who hold the Surrey purse strings that the club are deserving of their help- and believe us, they are, given they are running, if our maths is correct, (deep breath) twenty five children’s sides (both boys and girls), a veterans side, Under 23’s, an ‘A’ team (B.A. Baracus not included), a youth team…the list is so long that we’ll end it here, but this is a club that is absolutely central to their local community and should be both applauded and rewarded for their efforts. But applause won’t build them a 3G pitch, so vote now (and if you happen to be tremendously wealthy, throw money).

Visitors United matched our hosts in Saturday’s two-two draw. They currently sit in fourteenth place in the Spartan South Midlands League, but that league placing needs to be taken with a large pinch of salt because they’ve played only two league matches, winning one and losing the other. They have been far more focused on the FA Cup, defeating Cribbs and Reading City- after a replay- and haven’t been short on goals, Riccardo Clarke-Rowe with four so far, Rhys Ellis and Mourad Jarraz with three each. Sparks had Adam Aziz and Alex Laing- we assume not allowed to play in the cup by parent club Horsham- on three, and a collection of players on two each.

The sun had set behind the trees to our left- the seating is all behind the far goal- by the time the sides walked out at to eight. The hosts, all in red, got us underway- and within a minute the first chance came their way- only an excellent tackle from Kyle Watson denying Ibrahim Jalloh, with visiting keeper Lincoln De Oliveira Marques being clattered at the same time. The result: A long stoppage and a goal kick, with the keeper seemingly ok.

He had to be ok almost immediately, as another fine pass found Jalloh once more and the keeper made himself big to save, before a combination of two defenders denied Melford Simpson from the rebound.

United, in blue, tried a few attacking forays of their own, but Sparks kept up their early pressure and caused more consternation in the visitors goalmouth, keeper Marquez punching away a free kick as we approached the ten minute mark. On two occasions, however, a long ball out of defence saw a striker get clear of the defence with only Sparks keeper Alfie Mickley to beat, and it wasn’t entirely a surprise when the visitors took the lead as we hit twelve minutes, the goal going to Darren Brown. The handful of travelling fans, who had positioned themselves between the dugouts, celebrated noisily, whilst home fans complained about “a push and a blatant offside.”

The hosts tried to respond, with Jalloh again looking dangerous, but the game swung between frantic and stoppage. By the time we got to twenty minutes we were on our third lengthy injury break, without, it must be said, a bad foul in the match so far.

A header from Joe Bell, unmarked from a corner, forced the visiting keeper into a second punched save, this one clearing the bar for another corner, which came to naught- to the consternation of a group of young footballers, behind the goal the Sparks were attacking and resplendent in full kit, who got so excited they almost dropped their chips. There appeared to be at least three of them queuing for chips at any given point during the first half- either that or the same three were waiting an awful long time.

As we approached the half hour it was the visitors who were on top, and Mickley threw himself to his right as a shot from Billy Smith worried him no end. The speed in which United broke out of their own half continued to impress, and whilst the hosts worked hard their opponents were good value for their lead. Mickley was the busier of the two keepers, called upon again to clear a free kick ten minutes before the break. Simpson got up and directed a header wide of the far post as South Park tried to get themselves a foothold in the match, but as we approached the last two minutes of the half the hosts had still had all of their best chances in the first two.

As we moved into added time another cross saw Simpson direct another header wide, and the referee added a miserly three minutes to the half. Into the last one, and South Park earned a corner- although from behind the goal it looked like the last touch went to a home player- and then another, but the equaliser didn’t come and the sides headed off to the dressing room with the visitors still in charge, whilst the mini chip-murderers from earlier headed out to hold a penalty shootout competition.

South Park were out five minutes before their opponents, and five minutes later had a penalty. A cross into Simpson saw him hook the ball into the arm of his opponent, but the referee instantly pointed to the spot and Adam Aziz crashed the spot kick home. It seemed, albeit from the other end of the ground, a little harsh- but the referee was sure, and in the end that’s all that mattered.

The Sparks kept up the pressure, but without looking like adding to their tally, whilst United sat deeper and didn’t really break out of their own half until the sixty third minute, when Mickley had to hold a speculative free kick. The next free kick, three minutes later, came at the other end and saw Aziz, suddenly dictating play, clear the three man wall and force Marquez into a scurrying save.

And then a quick break, a cross from the right, and an unfortunate own goal saw the visitors in front once more. Tyler Brown could do little but hold his head in his hands after the cross deflected off him, Mickley had no chance, and the hosts best spell of the match so far had ended with them behind. Ben Jordan went off for Eric De Melo Calheiros, and there were twenty nine minutes left for Park to save the game.

They pressed, whilst the visitors looked continually dangerous on the break, and on their next charge forward Rico Clarke-Rowe left two defenders for dead and deserved his team mates to do better with his cross, but it was cleared. The United number ten was incredibly difficult to play against the entire evening and had we been handing out man of the match awards would have walked- or perhaps jinked- away with it, but it was his team mate Adrian Dubovecky who almost put the game to bed for the visitors, his drive touched onto and over the bar by Mickley as we entered the last ten minutes. Another save from Mickley- although this shot was going wide- led to another corner, and although this one was easily cleared the ball was spending much of its time, from a home perspective, at the wrong end.

We moved into added time. A foul from Simpson saw four visiting players front up to him in protest, and all of them together still seemed insignificant in comparison. We waited for a board showing the added minutes, but it wasn’t shown, unless we all missed it. Three and a half minutes into it and the ball was still at the home end- would there be time for another chance? A launch forward and a corner? No, a goal kick. Five minutes extra came and went. A home free kick, for offside, hammered forward, hammered back for a goal kick. And then it was over, and the side in blue celebrated- deservedly.

South Park have bigger fish to fry, much as they will be disappointed to be out of the competition. If they get the go-ahead for their new pitch it will not only allow them to become an even greater community asset, it will make them almost postponement-free and give them a financial asset which can be used all year-round to improve their finances. Please hit the link at the top of this article and give them your support.

United will go on to face another United, our very own Hastings. The side from Pilot Field will start clear favourites, but on tonight’s showing they will need to guard against complacency- or they, too, could have a shock coming.