Golds master the conditions and climb out of the bottom four

It’s always nice to visit the seaside when the sun is shining. When it is drizzling, chilly and windy, not so much, but because we are dedicated to reporting in all weathers (although mainly rain) here we were, in Littlehampton, the hosts ready to take on Raynes Park Vale in Pitching In Isthmian South Central. The weather was verging on miserable. We hoped the football would be better.

Verging on miserable would also be a description for all but the most optimistic Littlehampton Town fan of late. The Golds came into this match in the worst form of any side in the Division, having taken only four points- all draws- from their previous ten matches, and were without a win since New Years Day. The wait for a home win had been even longer- the last time the Sportsfield faithful had got to celebrate was on Saturday 22nd November- more than four months ago.

That New Year victory was a big one. The Golds had travelled along the coast to Bognor and pounded the Rocks into submission, four-one the final score. They’d been three up within twenty minutes, four-one up by the break, and ended the day in eleventh place, only six points away from a play off spot. Their transition from South East to South Central had been relatively painless up until that point; but since then every pharmacy in the town wouldn’t have been able to provide enough ibuprofen. It was difficult to understand; seven of the starters against Bognor also started against Binfield on Saturday, a one-nil defeat. The players were quite clearly good enough to get the Golds out of the mire, which begged questions about how they had got there in the first place. 

It wouldn’t be fair to say that the home fans were restless, but they were certainly worried. Following their promotion to our level for the 22-23 campaign the Golds had finished twelfth in our South East Division. 23-24 saw them in seventeenth, last season it was eighteenth. If they dropped another place this season they’d probably find themselves back in the SCFL, and given that had been their home since 1928 they certainly didn’t want to return. The natives in the clubhouse before the game were rather keen on three points tonight; indeed keen understated their feelings. Even the French bulldog wandering around the bar looked downcast- although that was more than likely because nobody was giving her a biscuit. If only you could improve the performance of footballers with such treats. 

The Sportsfield very much lives up to its name. As well as football, it was also home to cricket and, more unusually, croquet. The natives were a particularly friendly bunch, and spending time in the clubhouse was - large screen tv aside-  like a trip back in time to the 1970s in almost every sense. All we needed was for someone to change the channel so that we could watch ‘The Big Match Revisited.’ It was almost a shame when the live football started and dragged us back to the present day. 

Visitors Vale were in mixed form, although that statement needed to be qualified. They had only one defeat from five before a home and away double-header against leaders Leatherhead, matches which saw them lose six-one and one-nil. They started the evening in twelfth place, seven points clear of the drop zone, but had experienced particular difficulties on the road, winning only three times on their travels. 

When the sides had met in South West London in September Littlehampton had been two goals to the good at the break, only for a goal eight minutes into added time to earn Vale a point in a three-three draw. 

As we approached kick off the chap operating the PA prefaced his reading of the teamsheet by making reference to the weather, which immediately got worse. We couldn’t see him; perhaps he was also doing a raindance. The teams emerged, the golds in, well, gold, Vale in their usual blue, and it was the visitors who got us underway.

It was obvious from the off that the conditions were likely to have a significant impact on the match. Vale keeper Marcus Hill put the ball down for a goalkick. It moved. He replaced it. It moved again. The visitors quickly realised that they needed to keep the ball on the floor. The hosts, who were getting some wind assistance, had other ideas- and they had most of the play in the early stages, without testing the keeper.

They did test him on fifteen minutes, however. A corner repeatedly delayed by unnecessary pushing and shoving was finally taken and found a home head, forcing Hill to get down low and make a save. At the other end some athletic approach play was repeatedly let down by the lack of a final pass. We reached the midway point of the half with the visitors on top- and then a break almost led to a goal at the other end, Tijan Sparks striking the bar from the edge of the box.

If Vale should have been warned by that, they weren’t. A minute later the hosts went ahead, Jordan Layton firing into the top corner from the edge of the box. The home faithful remembered what it felt like to celebrate.

Goal: Littlehampton Town 1 Raynes Park Vale 0, Jordan Layton, 25 minutes 

Vale tried to push forward, only for Town to break once again. Kieron Pamment shot wide. Soon afterwards a free kick found Marshall Ball at the back post, but he had to stretch and could only deflect it over from ten yards. The rain began to swirl around the ground once more; indeed it seemed to be blowing from three directions at once. 

Four minutes later, another Littlehampton free kick brought another unmarked header, saved. Then the ball reached Lucas Pattenden at the edge of box. He had his back to goal, swivelled, bang- over the keeper and into the net. Two-nil! A thing of beauty, a joy for…the home fans, at least, although us neutrals enjoyed it too. 

Goal: Littlehampton Town 2 Raynes Park Vale 0, Lucas Pattenden, 37 minutes

The rest of the half saw much effort but no more chances. Littlehampton were good value for their lead, but with the wind behind Vale after the break the match looked far from won. There must have been a moment when they thought back to that first meeting this season, too. Could lightning strike twice? 

Half time: Littlehampton Town 2 Raynes Park Vale 0

The opening stages of the second half resembled the opening stages of the first; scrappy, and with the ball moving in unexpected directions whenever it went high. The hosts were still managing the conditions better than their visitors, and on fifty four and fifty five minutes fashioned two more chances, the first a clever free kick almost met by Sparks, the second when Josh Short took on much of the defence, his effort held by the keeper at his near post. And then, goal!

A high ball was sent towards the goal. Hill came for it, Kash Kasukumya got it first, knocked it forward, and it was deflected in. It was recorded as an own goal- although there seemed to be a home touch.
 

Goal: Littlehampton Town 3 Raynes Park Vale 0, own goal, 58 minutes

An injury to Tyler Cox necessitated a long stoppage soon afterwards. Cox had spent the previous hour showing some fine skill whilst arguing with everyone who came near him, and as such he got little sympathy from the home fans, but what perhaps they missed was that he had been stood on. It wasn’t deliberate but it must have hurt, and he took rather a lot of abuse whilst he was treated. Indeed, one fan was still taking issue with him as he hobbled away to be substituted. 

The hosts looked comfortable as we moved into the last fifteen minutes, the match slowed by a slew of changes. It seemed we were building towards a mammoth period of added time, and given how scrappy the game had got that wasn’t likely to be a bonus- and when four minutes was displayed there was widespread surprise. Perhaps the referee was taking pity on us? If so, he had our thanks, as by this point it was clear that Vale were unlikely to score if he’d added forty four minutes, and the Golds just wanted to hear the whistle. 

After four minutes exactly, they heard it, and the celebrations would have been loud enough to be heard in Rustington. 

Final score: Littlehampton Town 3 Raynes Park Vale 0

The result lifts the Golds out of the drop zone, but they won’t have much time to enjoy it before the hard work starts again. Their next few matches, against an in-form Southall, champions-elect Leatherhead and promotion chasing Moneyfields, will test them enormously; and yet, watching them tonight, you had to wonder how they got into trouble in the first place. The conditions were awful, yet they mastered them much better than their visitors; indeed, had they taken more of their chances in the first half the margin of victory could have been greater. 
 

Watching matches as a neutral can be rather difficult. We have some fine clubs, and it is a shame to lose any of them, yet every summer we have to say goodbye to some old friends and welcome some new ones. There is, however, surely enough about Littlehampton for us to expect them to get out of trouble. We look forward to visiting them again next season. 

In the summer. 

Without the need for a big coat and waterproofs.