Slough Heating Laurencians - Polish Association

Slough Heating Laurencians FC

Polish Association

Church Lane

Stoke Pages

Slough

Berkshire

SL2 4NZ

SHLFC Website

SHLFC Twitter

Polish Association Website

Ground Number: 1326
Wednesday 31st July 2024

Slough Heating Laurencians 5-3 Old Windsor

Friendly

SLOUGH HEATING LAURENCIANS - A BRIEF HISTORY

SLOUGH HEATING LAURENCIANS is the result of a  2015 merger between Slough Heating and Slough Laurencians with both teams originally established in 1921. Heating had the more prominent history and played four four years in the Chiltonian League Division 1 between 1993 & 1997, finishing in 3rd place twice. The merged club took up residence at the town's Polish club, though this is actually located in nearby Stoke Pages. The clubs were both in the East Berkshire League at the time of the merger and finished 5th, 8th and 4th before earning promotion to the Thames Valley League by finishing behind Delaford in 2019. A 3rd place finish in the next two seasons was a credible start. In 2022, they were runners-up behind SB Phoenix, earning promotion to the Premier Division. They've been there ever since, finishing a credible 7th in their debut season. The ground's primary tenant is KS Gryf, a Polish diaspora team from the East Berkshire League.

MY VISIT

The Friendlies were starting to wind down now with competitive football starting to come back. However, that was not the case for the smaller teams without lights as they were only just starting their pre-season. With the season not starting until late August in a lot of cases, that was understandable. The early kickoffs would be a godsend with me up for work at 4 am most days. I had Woodcote v Wallingford & Crowmarsh pencilled in for this Tuesday for a long time but due to the unavailability of Woodcote's pitch, that was switched to Saturday at Wallingford. This was frustrating, but an alternative cropped up. I would have to wait until Wednesday but there was the potential of Slough Heating Laurencians v Old Windsor on Wednesday. The fixture had been decided ages ago but the hosts seemed pretty good at putting things out on Twitter. So all I could do was cross my fingers and hope for the best. There was a small chance of a game involving FC Bracknell should this one not come to fruition but that would be much further.

From my game at Benfleet on Saturday, it was a less-than-smooth trip back to Amersham. The Bakerloo line was delayed across London and then the Chiltern to Amersham was non-existent. I should have changed at Beaconsfield for a replacement bus but we were kept prisoner on the train at Denham due to some misbehaving passengers. Truly the worst train operator on the planet had excelled themselves this time with conditions more suited to Guantamo Bay saw the ten-minute delay doubled and then some. We eventually got going, but I missed my connecting bus at Amersham, so instead, I blagged it back to Wycombe. There was a patchy bus service and so rather than go to Spoons, I got a Chinese and walked half the way home. I was back around two hours late, having a final drink before bed. Overall, it had been a disappointing day with few highlights but then, I'd enjoyed my visit to Cray the evening before. The reduced sleep made the Sunday slog harder than usual at work. I did at least have the bonus of a game later. In my 20th visit to Chesham United, Aylesbury United beat Milton Keynes 2-1 in a dull pre-season friendly. I spent the evening catching up and planning my week's football.

Monday and Tuesday were far easier, especially with the latter being my day off. I did consider an MK Irish revisit on Tuesday but opted for an earlier night instead. I was even asleep before the end of Wycombe's 3-2 friendly win over Watford which I didn't bother attending. The extra sleep helped me get through a busier-than-usual Wednesday at work but I still had the afternoon to relax. I was glad when the hosts confirmed tonight's game as it put my mind at rest. I was late leaving, getting away at 6.15. It was half an hour to the ground with me getting there fifteen minutes before kickoff. I had a brief look around before settling down for the game. Both sides were wearing their change kit, Slough Heating Laurencians in pale blue and Old Windsor in luminous yellow. It had been a warm day but the conditions were perfect for a pleasant evening watching football.

The hosts took the lead on ten minutes following a ball over the top and some less-than-stellar defending. The game was pretty equal other than that, Old Windsor forced a good save out of the home keeper on 20 minutes. In fact, both keepers were on form in an open game. Slough made it 2-0 just after a water break on the half hour, a quick attack down the right and a low finish from just inside the area. This seemed to embolden the hosts and sap Windsor's spirits. Just before half time, a deflected goal from a cross, possibly an own goal made it 3-0. There was still time before the break for Windsor to pull one back, a cross from the right was drilled down the centre of the goal, a low shot from the edge of the area. A great cross from the left and a nice header reduced the arrears for the visitors who had made a raft of changes at the break. A goal from a tight angle wide on the left restored Slough's two-goal lead to make it 4-2. Around 20 minutes from time, it was 4-3, a penalty converted following a trip in the area. It was 5-3 five minutes later, though I didn't see the goal as I walked around the ground.

THE GROUND 

SLOUGH POLISH ASSOCIATION is a decent place to watch a game at, though there is little in the way of furniture, just two goals and temporary benches for the teams. It is very peaceful and pleasant though and feels enclosed on three sides. Parking is plentiful and the attached Polish club has a bar and restaurant. I didn't get the time to visit when I went though. 

Benfleet - Woodside Park

Benfleet FC

Woodside Park

Benfleet

Essex

SS7 4PA

Official Website

Twitter

Ground Number: 1325

Saturday 27th July 2024

Benfleet 0-1 Woodford Town

Essex Senior League

BENFLEET FC - A BRIEF HISTORY

The club was established in 1922 and was initially named Benfleet United. After merging with Parkfields Athletic, they were renamed Benfleet Rangers. The club played in the Southend & District League which they won in 1972. They then joined the Essex Olympian League and dropped the Rangers part of the name. Benfleet were runners-up in their first two seasons and then again in 1982. A 24-year stint in the top tier ended in 1996 when they were relegated to the second tier. Benfleet would remain here until they earned promotion back as champions in 2007. Despite a 4th place finish in their first season back, they were relegated again in 2010. It was a tough time for the club. They were relegated to Division 2 in 2013 and dropped out of the league altogether midway through the next season. Benfleet would rejoin the league for the 2015/16 season, winning Division 3 at the first attempt. After a couple of good seasons in Division 2, Benfleet was afforded a three-division jump in 2018, when they were accepted into the Eastern Counties D1 South. They needed to enter into a groundshare at Canvey Island, although the reserves and youngsters remained at Woodside Park. A 3rd place finish was achieved in 2022 but the club lost out to Halstead Town in the playoffs. Earlier this year, it was a double celebration for Benfleet as they won the league title to coincide with their return to their upgraded home.

Benfleet have played for a single season in the FA Cup, but returned this season. On the last occasion in 2020, they lost at the first hurdle to Brantham Athletic on penalties. They've also reached the FA Vase 1sr Round twice, the last time in 2022 when they again lost on penalties, this time to Baldock Town. Local cup wins include the Essex Premier Cup in 2003, the Essex Intermediate Cup in 1989 and the Essex Junior Cup in 1966. Cups won whilst in the Essex Olympian League include the Senior Cup in 1984, the Denny King Memorial Cup in 2002 & 2003 and four Senior Challenge Cups. The best-known player to turn out for Benfleet is non-league journeyman Tarkan Mustafa, perhaps best remembered for his time at Kingstonian. The club originally played at the recreation ground in South Benfleet, which was located on a former army camp behind the shops on the High Street. There were initially no facilities and players had to change in the public toilets at the recreation ground entrance. A pavilion was subsequently built at the end of Brook Road, with Benfleet playing on the pitch opposite it. However, when the club requested permission to build a clubhouse, local residents objected. As a result, they relocated to the Woodside ground on Manor Road. When they moved up to the Eastern Counties League, the first team began a groundshare at Canvey Island's Park Lane due to the Woodside ground not meeting the required standards, while the remainder of the club's teams remained at Woodside Park in Benfleet. Following upgrade work, the first team returned to Woodside for the start of this season.

South Benfleet is a town in the Castle Point district of Essex, 30 miles east of London. It is adjacent to the village of North Benfleet. The Benfleet (SS7) posttown includes South Benfleet, Thundersley, New Thundersley and Hadleigh. The Battle of Benfleet took place here between the Vikings and Saxons in 894. The community is directly north of Canvey Island and is served by Benfleet railway station. It hosts South Benfleet Primary School, which was used temporarily to house local residents during the widespread flooding of 1953. At the junction of Saint Mary's Church and The Anchor pub is the site of the UK's first "overrunable" mini roundabout. The railway was brought to the town in 1855. The new Benfleet railway station connected the town with Southend-on-Sea to the east and London Fenchurch Street station. The Battle of Benfleet took place between the Saxons and Danish Vikings in 894. This was towards the end of the Saxon period, and the Thames and other waterways made the area vulnerable to Viking attacks. Benfleet was used as a Viking base. However, the Vikings were defeated in the battle by the army of King Alfred under the command of his son Edward the Elder and his son-in-law Earl Aethelred of Mercia. Subsequently, a church was built by the Saxons in thanksgiving for the victory over the Vikings. St Mary's is the most recent church building occupying this site and is a Grade I listed building. Sadly, the best-known person from the area is the thankfully now ex-chairman of Southend United, Ron Martin. His 26-year tenure saw the club tumble down the leagues and nearly go out of business.

MY VISIT

It was finally the return of competitive football on this Saturday after weeks of friendlies. I was keen to see such a game and although I had plenty of options for a new ground, they were all miles away. That was aside from Benfleet, playing their first-ever competitive fixture at their home ground in many years. One of many Twitter storms fellow hopper Daniel had caused was when a couple of seasons ago, he called Benfleet's ground 'an early contender for worst ground of the season. In response, they replied that he was 'the worst and rudest hopper of the season', raising a few laughs. I'd have always been happy to visit the club with the venue as it was but the opportunity never came up. I was keen to research and look into the club's history for this blog, something I couldn't do when they were playing at Canvey Island. However, plans were put in place to add lights, a path and a couple of metal stands to bring the ground up to standard. Though it wasn't the most exciting of grounds, the club was nice and friendly on Twitter. I decided to do it for the opening game against Woodford, an opponent who they would also be facing in the FA Cup next week.

It could have been saved for midweek but it'd not have been the nicest of journeys around the M25 in rush hour. The area was also disappointing for pubs and I had to work hard to make a nice day of it. An advantage was that it was a short journey from London and with that in mind, I decided to tick off a London Wetherspoons and then get cans or eat and drink at the ground. Far better to give my money to the club than to a mediocre local business or national chain. The research for this blog was completed on Wednesday, the same day as I put in place plans for a trip to the Czech Republic and hopefully Poland in September. Options were limited with regards to definitive fixture times and flights that worked out, but this trip won out over something based around Switzerland. Then one concession would be a 6.45 am flight as RyanAir only offers one flight a day to Opava but I was so glad to get something down provisionally. Later that evening, I also added a Belfast and Liverpool trip for the midweek before, making the most of my limited time off.

From my game at Cray Wanderers last night, I was back home just after midnight. Usually, I'd stay up for a few drinks and watch TV but I decided to get an early night. I set my alarm for 8.45 and didn't think I'd need it. However, despite waking a couple of times during the night, it still woke me up. I got dressed and had breakfast before leaving at 9.30. I had around five minutes to wait for my bus which got to Amersham Station on time. Unusually for there, I walked straight onto a Chiltern Line train without a single seconds wait. It was easy to get to Marylebone and then walk to Baker Street for the circle line to Canon Street. The plan was to visit the Sir John Hawkshaw Wetherspoon, but bafflingly, it's only open on weekdays. I could do with some cans but decide to wait and instead replan my route. A District Line train to Barking is my best bet but I am frustrated by lack of internet due to being well below ground level. Not a problem in most places, but for some reason, the London Underground is stuck in the past. It was a matter of just changing platform to get the C2C to Benfleet. It was a quick and efficient service.

 

I was there around 12.40. It was not the most inspiring of places, but I looked for somewhere to stop. Fellow hopper Dan has strangely stopped at a Spongebob Squarepants cafe in Glasgow for whatever reason. I saw a couple of pubs. The Beer and burger deal at the Half Crown appealed and I was able to get a bacon cheeseburger, chips and pint of Strongbow for £10.99 with it filling me up. With drink prices North of a fiver though, I'd be sticking at one pint. Had it been Monday or Tuesday, it'd have been around the £2 mark and the sharp increase was bonkers. I then walk past a shop, stacking for snacks and drinks. This includes a can of tramp juice, Knights Cider, 8.4% for £1.29. I am taking it easy today. The journey either by walk or bus makes little difference time-wise so I walk the hour to the ground. I am there at 2.30, £7 with an attractive programme is great value. Cider is limited to Inch's, too sweet for my tastebuds, so I don't bother. Food is limited to burgers and hotdogs, so again, not being peckish, I pass. It's a nice friendly club though and they appear pleased to be home. The ground, whilst lacking character is smart and new and obviously ticks all the ground graders' boxes. Hopefully, the club does well out of their return home.

The teams were out ten minutes in advance of kickoff for this competitive ground opening. It was both ground 1325 and the final ground in the Essex Senior League for me. Benfleet were well on top and they hit the bar after ten minutes, albeit the 'goal' would have been ruled out for offside. Woodford became the better team as the half wore on and were the better side going into half-time.  The visitors were reduced to ten men in first half injury time, James Jewers sent off for an elbow though it looked innocuous. Both sides continued to have chances but didn't really threaten. Finally, on 77 minutes, Khalil Kirwan-Mead turned home a shot from close range following a long throw to give Woodford Town the lead. The visitors had another man sent off in injury time, Mitchell Nelson with a second yellow card. That was it, Woodford Town confirmed their win without too much fanfare. It was an hours walk back to the station, all being well I'd be back home just after 9.

THE GROUND

WOODSIDE PARK is a tidy, modern setup. The ground is three-sided, the fourth side being closed off with no spectator accommodation. All three areas of cover are on one side, comprising of around 75 seats and 150 standing spaces. There is a bar with the likes of Cruzampo and Inch's. Food is burgers and hotdogs and there are also snacks available. Plenty of parking is available. The train station is around an hours walk away, the bus routes nearby are of limited used. Nearby is a Greene King Pub called the Zach Wilshere which does food and drink. There are also a couple of shops near here, around 10 minutes walk from the ground.

Cray Wanderers - Flamingo Park

Cray Wanderers FC

Flamingo Park

Sidcup By-Pass

Chislehurst 

BR7 6HL

Official Website

Twitter

Ground Number: 1324

Friday 26th July 2024
Cray Wanderers 0-6 Crystal Palace
Friendly

CRAY WANDERERS FC - A BRIEF HISTORY

Cray Wanderers is the oldest club in London and one of the oldest in football, established in 1860. The club emerged from lunchtime kick-abouts between St. Mary Cray villagers and labourers constructing a railway viaduct across the Cray Valley in northwest Kent. Soon a ground was laid out – on what is now Star Lane Cemetery – and matches were played against Army teams and other local villages. Known as St Mary's Cray originally, they were first referred to as Cray Wanderers around 1887, It was around this time they turned professional and were a feeder or nursery club for Wolliwch Arsenal. They were founder members of the Kent League Division 2 in 1894 and won promotion to Division 1 after a 3rd-placed finish in 1896. They were champions of the league in 1902 but left soon after. Following the end of the first World War, they joined the London League. Twice runners-up, they were champions in 1957 & 1958 before leaving for the Aeotolian League in 1960 which they won three years later. A spell in the Metropolitan League followed before Cray joined the London Spartan League in 1975. They won the title in 1977 and 1978 before returning to the Kent League. They were long-time members here, winning the title another three times before being able to take promotion in 2004. They joined the Isthmian Division 1 South and were runners-up in 2009. Crawy beat Worthing and Met Police in the playoffs to gain promotion to the Isthmian Premier. Two 9th place finishes were achieved in their first spell before they were relegated in 2014. Back in Division 1 South, they missed out in the playoffs in 2018 before being crowned champions in 2019. A best-ever 5th-place finish in 2023 was achieved before Cray lost out to Hornchurch in the playoff semi-finals.

Cray Wanderers have twice reached the FA Cup 4th Qualifying Round in 2006 and 2021. They entered the first-ever FA Amateur Cup competition in 1895, having a best-ever run to the 3rd Round in 1968. The 2021/22 season saw the club's record FA Trophy run as they reached the 3rd Round, beating Ebbsfleet United amongst others before losing to Dartford. The club also has two FA Vase Quarter Finals to their name. Local honours include the Kent Senior Trophy twice and three Kent Amateur Cups. Cray started playing football at Star Lane, St Mary Cray, now a cemetery. After playing at numerous other grounds in St Mary Cray and Foots Cray, Cray played at Grassmeade from 1954 to 1973, after which they moved to Oxford Road, Sidcup. Unfortunately for the club, in 1998 the Kent League ruled that clubs must have floodlighting. As Cray were unable to have lights installed, they were forced to move out and share with Bromley, where they remained unto the end of last season. Flans for a new ground at Sandy Lane, Orpington were mooted in 2008 with a target of moving in by 2014, However, these were rejected by the council due to the commercial aspect attached to the plans. A scaled-down version of the plans were submitted to purchase Flamingo Park Sports Centre, historically in Foots Cray parish on the A20 Sidcup bypass. This was initially approved in 2016 but later rejected by the Mayor Of London. Revised plans were finally approved in 2018. Work on the ground began in August 2023 and the women's team played a game earlier this year when it was little more than a pitch with changing rooms. The ground fully opened for pre-season, ready for the start of this season.

MY VISIT

I always love a bit of Friday night football and so I was glad when Cray Wanderers announced that they would be playing a Friendly against Crystal Palace on this day. Cray Wanderers were one of the most historic clubs but this was the first time in their 164-year history that they would own their ground. They had led a nomadic existence up until this point and although the ground was around five miles from their first home, it was still a mile closer to 'home' than their groundshare at Bromley. Their initial plan was to be located around a mile from their original base at Sandy Lane in Orpington, but this never got over the line. One thing a lot of these places had in common, and indeed Benfleet tomorrow was the lack of decent pubs in the area. Needing to find somewhere to eat, Wetherspoons seemed ideal. I had six possibilities, but even the nearest one was an hour away adding significant time to my journey.

From a great day in Dartford, it was a stop at the Ciderdog Festival near London Bridge. A sensible four halves were enjoyed. They were not as good as the Ross Cider I'd had earlier, so it was easy to head for home via Taco Bell for some tasty and well-priced food. I was back in just after 8 and had a relaxed couple of cans before bed. Sunday was another grueller in a packed shop full of families. It'll be more of the same with the school holidays, for me, it would be another 54 days until I had more than one day off in a row. After being tired recently, I left Runwell Sports for a Saturday and revisited Flackwell Heath on Tuesday. It was the usual walk to town & back in the morning before continued frustration at trying to pin down a plan for my September trip. TV schedulers are the main culprit, dragging their heels over which games they want to show. In the end, I finally managed to get something pinned down for both the Czech Republic at the weekend and Belfast in the week before.

The day of the game came and it was the end of a tiring week at work. Friday, as ever, was brutal and I was glad I got out on time. I was looking forward to my one-day weekend and had enough time for a rest at home before I needed to go out. I left at 2.50 and was at the station ten minutes before my intended train. However, the half-hourly service was cancelled without apology or explanation. Thankfully I had built in plenty of time but it was annoying to be wasting valuable free time. After 25 minutes wait, I got the Chiltern to Marylebone. From carefully laid plans, I was back to deciding everything on the hoof. Google Maps and TFL both threw up unsatisfactory routes when I checked at Amersham. So I jumped forward in time and navigated from Marylebone with the latter. That threw up something far better and I should only arrive at Spoons 15 minutes later than originally planned. I've been ploughing through audiobooks lately, and especially some excellent time travel novels by Keith A Pearson. I often wish I could go back to around 1993 for my last couple of years at school. I'd then attempt to get a a career as a journalist or writer rather than a draining job. The temptation would be to go back to 89/90 to visit Wycombe's Loakes Park, but I couldn't be arsed with starting from such a young age. In any case, my first football memories are cherished and the memories or results and events for betting would keep me well off, even if I didn't get my desired career.

Due to a delay on my train, I had to get my skates on to jog to Baker Street and the Jubilee to London Bridge. The noisy packed sweatbox does its job and with a bit of pace, I am the platform I need four minutes before my departure. London Bridge is one of my favourite places for a pint but I've little time to spare. My Spotify audiobook time runs out and so I treat myself to the title on Audible. I'm buoyed by winning an Abertillery Bluebirds shirt on Twitter, I'm told at odds of 141-1. Nice. I am at Wetherspoons 345, The Sovereign Of The Seas by 5.30. My first drink in six days tastes great, a bottle of Aspalls with Shawarma Wrap and chips is just £6.67. The wrap is great, though the chips have seen better days. The pub name origin is described thus: For more than 200 years, the Petts family was the country’s leading shipbuilder. In 1634, Phineas Pett designed Sovereign of the Seas, for Charles I. The finest ship of her age, she sailed the seas until catching fire in 1697. I order a pint of Strongbow for £2.64 on the updated but less intuitive app. In the week, I lost my visit history and had to spend ages putting it all back in. It was disappointing to do so on a downgraded app. The service is not the quickest with the pub being busy, so I will be seeking a later train or bus than planned, exacerbated by the earlier delay. I leave at 6.15, taking a bus only route, costing me five minutes but saving me £3 on the peak fare. Chislehurst station saw a ten minute wait but I'd be well in time for the game. The wait turns to 15 minutes but I was still well on schedule. I was at the ground by 7.15. I'd got my ticket for £10 online. The first face I saw was M-Tac or Adam as he is better known. It was nice to catch up. It was also nice to try a pint of London Cider, an excellent drop from Westons and a sensible strength. The ground was OK but the extras were superb, a bar with imagination in the drinks and the food was decent too. I also raided the club shop for pen, programme and a couple of books for £8. Also some chips.

Palace started on the front foot. They'd convincingly beaten Braintree in the week, so it was no shock when they took the lead after five minutes from close range. Caleb Redhead added his and his team's second ten minutes later. On 24 minutes, Palace led 3-0, Cowin smashed in a rebound after an initial shot had been parried. On 51 minutes, Cray were awarded a penalty. It was smacked against the bar though and the rebound blasted over. The young visitors made it 4-0 on the hour, a well-worked move, finished by Seb Williams. The goal of the game made it 5-0 on 73 minutes, Matteo Dashi with a superb left foot curling shot from 20 yards. Cray had a couple of chances late on, but they couldn't convert. Willliams added a sixth in the last minute as Palace ran riot.

The Palace side had been superb, I remember about ten years ago, their youth team was a rich seam for lower league players on the game Football Manager. Lots of retro shirts were on display and Palace certainly have had some brilliant players down the years. The less said about their former manager Alan Smith's impact on Wycombe, the better though, our worst manager ever. An attendance of 707 was present and it was certainly a good night. It was around a 20-minute walk to New Eltham Station for the half-hourly service to London Bridge. I had around ten minutes to wait for the 22:07. All being well, I'd get my blog up and be back home this side of midnight. It was a great start, a lovely empty train and a carriage to myself. A refreshing change from the busy journey to the game. It was not as I hoped. TFL Go was far too optimistic about getting back to Harrow On The Hill for 22:09, especially with my Metropolitan line train delayed. I got the 22:25 Metropolitan, meaning a delay of around 25 minutes but I was still back at Amersham pre-midnight.

THE GROUND

FLAMINGO PARK SPORTS GROUND is a decent setup for the level. Located 20 minutes from New Eltham Station and with plenty of parking, the ground is reasonable. There is some terracing set back from the pitch behind one goal. There is also a stand holding around 300 seated with some covered standing too. The food service is OK, a good choice but variable service and availability. The two highlights are the downstairs bar with unusual drinks on draught. Also a good value club shop, temporary but with a good range of varied items at good value prices.