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No.1 - Sat 2nd August 2014; Combined Counties League Division 1; 3pm at the Eversley Sports Association; Chandlers Farm off Fox Lane; Eversley Cross; Hants; RG27 0NS |
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Matchday images (50) https://picasaweb.google.com/footballgroundsinfocus/EversleyCaliforniaFC
Eversley & California (1) 2 CB Hounslow United (0) 0 Every cloud has a silver lining... 'My first competitive game of the season nearly didn't take place after long delays on the M25 and an accident on the M3 seriously threatened to throw a spanner in the hopping works. Despite sitting in long queues of traffic for over an hour we managed to reach our destination, the Eversley Sports & Social Club, with just fifteen minutes to spare before the 3pm kick-off. Eversley won the match by a deserved 2-0 scoreline with a goal coming in each half of a decent competitive fixture. It was a fair result against a young Hounslow side who failed to create many chances throughout the ninety minutes. The game played in mostly sunny and breezy conditions on a superb well grassed pitch attracted about thirty spectators with a couple of fellow hoppers in attendance. A basic photocopied 12 paged programme containing editorial, team line ups, fixtures, history on the visitors and team line ups was issued. Refreshments including a tasty jumbo hot dog and tea were available from the kitchen area of the bar before kick off and at half-time. The club is based just off the A321 in Eversley Cross some three miles from junction 4 (Camberley) of the M3 and is found literally off the beaten track being surrounded by wasteland close to an old quarry. Facilities include a railed off pitch, two small covered stands (one seated one standing only on the far side of the site) and a smart changing pavilion with a tea bar close to the main entrance and car park but some distance from the pitch. At the end of last season the club gained promotion to the Premier Division and installed floodlights in order to meet strict ground grading criteria set by the Combined Counties League. Unfortunately what seemed a straight forward project quickly turned into a crisis. It soon became apparent that a caveat in the planning permission meant that the lights could not be used until October, a decision that was not greeted favourably by the league committee. As a result the club was immediately relegated back to the First Division. To rub salt in the wounds further both managers and all the players decided to leave the club with immediate effect. With only three weeks to go before the start of the new season the club has been left with the unenviable task of recruiting a whole new playing staff and bringing in a new management team. Thankfully under the guidance of Sam Waters, Ross Hogston and Richard Anderson a new-look squad with players mainly from local junior sides has quickly been assembled. Unbelievably and after such a difficult time the club has since received news that the FA is to overturn the league decision meaning that the lights can now be officially used without having to wait until October. Eversley has been most sporting and with their new team in place will once again take their place in the First Division for the coming season' FGIF Match Stats Scorers: (H) N Lacey (og. 13); C Barlow (78) and (A) N/A Attendance: 29; Admission: £3; Programme: 12 pages, £1; Match rating: 3/5; Ground rating: 3/5. Links |
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edited on 22/08/14 |
