Scorers: (H) N/A and (A) T. Caswell (1, 25, 40, 45); Beck (12); J. Caswell (19, 30, 33, 77); Standen (pen. 36); McGrandles (39) 

Attendance: 21; Admission: 21; Programme: 50p; Match rating: 3/5; Ground rating: 2/5

As Bedmond Sports & Social ambled out onto the pitch, a fellow traveller from Worthing noted that John Candy had kept his place in the side at left back. Like myself, the Worthing chap had been at Bedmond's game at London Lions a few weeks back when at half time this rather rotund lad was switched from left back to centre forward following a torrid first half in which Bedmond conceded four goals. In the second half however and with the 18 stone plus cherub their lone striker, they let in six. It must have therefore come as a great relief to his team mates when today he was reinstated in his more defensive role.

Things are not too good right now up at Toms Lane. Ever present in the Herts County Premier Division since 1974, this proud and decorated village club was turned on it's head and dropped from a great height when manager Alan Kelly walked out a year or so ago. Following him out the door was a talented team whom today's opponents Hatfield “used to fear playing” I was told by the visiting secretary. For the few brave souls who stayed with the club things went from bad to worse, despite a reprieve from relegation at the end of last season when Whitewebbs left the league. This season even the reserves are refusing to play for the first team and you know things must be serious when that happens.

You may be wondering why I'm writing this rather than exhibiting my usual exquisite portfolio of fine action shots from the match. It's true that this will be the first time I've put pen to paper for FGIF since stepping down from my lofty and at times high pressured position as chief reporter a few years back to give the likes of young Gallon, Roth et al a chance at making a name for themselves. Like many who are into this peculiar hobby, I'm a completist and I like the idea of all my travels being documented on this website each season, normally in the form of photos from the matches. So, imagine my fury when upon arrival at Bedmond, drenched from head to toe, brand new Trickers brogues caked in mud and shins burning like hell-fire from the two mile hike up the 1:9 Toms Lane from Kings Langley, I realised I had forgotten not my camera but the bloody battery which was still charging in the wall some one hundred miles away! Anyway, this is why I am writing this week...

Back to Bedmond and let me say that this place is perhaps not the best choice of venue on a freezing, wet and windswept November afternoon. Some bloke in the clubhouse wowed me with the news that it is 'Hertfordshire's second highest village'. But this fascinating factoid doesn't come close to the one about Pope Adrian IV being born at nearby Bedmond Farm in 1100. Sadly that's all Wikipedia's got on Bedmond however. There is a little cover in front of the clubhouse but those who designed it must have been off their heads as it's set at a right angle from the pitch meaning you can't see past the bloke standing at the front. Luckily there were only twenty or so here for the match (the under 14s match which had just finished when I arrived looked to have had an attendance of 100) so I managed to find a tree and it's overhang for cover. From here I watched Hatfield Town score ten times in a first half which was quite one-sided. They also missed a 14^th minute penalty. Oh, and their front two were actually reserves, drafted in because of injuries. The traveller from Worthing told me that in the fifty years he had been watching football he had never seen a side score double figures in a half of football. I told him in my twenty years of watching football I had seen it happen dozens of times and once saw a game locked at 12-12 after 45 minutes. Only joking.

At half-time we wandered into the club which was adorned with spooky Hallowe'en paraphernalia from the previous evening's party. I would guess that the club has had something of a refit in recent years as it's part bar/part High Street style coffee house – all stainless steel tables and comfy loungers. From here a basic 8-page programme was available with front page headline 'Welcome to Toms, Lane' (sic) plus a really badly scanned club logo upon which the word 'Bdmd' was just visible. Still, I love these lo-fi, DIY programmes which make such a change from all the dreary identikit efforts trickling down from the professional game into non-league.

Back outside, the Hatfield boys were already warming up and joking about who had set up the most goals in the first half. Bedmond were nowhere to be seen. Alarm bells started ringing when one of the Hatfield players called out to the referee who had taken up position in the centre circle that Bedmond, like wounded, defeated animals were not coming out for the second half. It took around ten minutes for a combination of match officials, home officials and the Hatfield captain to persuade the cowering group of lads to come out and finish the game. They will be pleased they did as more than a little pride was restored amongst their ranks.

I know it's a cliché to give the goalkeeper who has conceded a hatful of goals the man of the match award but he's definitely getting my vote. At only 5'7” he single handedly kept the score, er, respectable just as he did at London Lions two weeks ago. Even when the ninth and tenth goals were going in it still clearly meant something to him as he cursed and swore at his abysmal defence. He really does deserves better and on Bedmond's second half showing, maybe in future weeks he'll get it. There is no doubt that Hatfield were up for more goals as they poured forward at every opportunity. But suddenly, with John Candy now up front, Bedmond were getting stuck in, winning tackles and frustrating their opponents. Sure, Hatfield missed or had saved nine or ten second half one on ones but as the half wore on, Bedmond's confidence visibly grew and they began creating chances of their own. It really was a remarkable transformation and one which could and should see them performing better in weeks to come. Good luck to them and the those who have kept the club going during these difficult months.

contributed 07/11/08