September
25, 2021
The National League One South season enters its 7th
week of its season, and today saw a match between sides in 4th and 8th
in the table.
Home side Oxford City went into today’s encounter in 4th
place in the table, having finished in 5th place in the aborted
2020/21 season, their highest ever finish in the non-league pyramid, and these
diaries reviewed their pre-season friendly at Thame United.
In the League, Oxford City had a 2-3-1 record, and
their 4th place highlighted what a competitive division this is.
Bath City were beaten 5-1 at home, whilst Havant and Waterlooville were beaten
2-1 away. Draws were recorded at Braintree ( 1-1 ) and Eastbourne Borough ( 2-2
) and at home to Concord Rangers ( 3-3 ). The sole defeat was at home to
Maidstone United ( 1-3 ). However, they went into this match having exited the FA
Cup following a 1-2 at Frome Town, a side playing two level below Oxford City
in the Southern League Division One South. Harvey Bradbury and Josh Ashby both
had three goals to their name.
Hampton and Richmond Borough were in 6th
place when the 2020/21 season was terminated, and lay in 8th place
before today’s match, with a 2-2-2 record.
Eastbourne Borough were beaten 5-0 away and Ebbsfleet United 3-0 at
home. High-flying Maidstone were held 1-1 at home, and a 1-1 draw at Tonbridge
was achieved. However, defeats were suffered at home to Havant &
Waterlooville ( 1-2 ) and at Concord Rangers ( 2-1 ). The FA Cup saw a 3-0 win
at Walton Casuals, with a home tie against Wimborne Town in the next round,
another side playing one division below in the Southern League Premier South.
Ex Wealdstone and Chester striker Jerome Slew was the top scorer in the league
with 4 goals
I have to admit to an affinity to Hampton FC, as they
were previously known, living within walking distance of their Beveree stadium
and watching several matches there between 1990-93 when Steve Cheshire, Malcolm
Dickenson, Micky Beadle and Tim Hollands were main stays of their team. Furthermore,
my work’s Sunday morning football team played two seasons at that time on their
reserve pitch, using the club’s dressing rooms, with the bar opened at Sunday
lunch-times especially for us, and being entitled to play one match a season on
the main pitch. All of which was negotiated with Chairman Alan Simpson, famous
for being co-writer of Steptoe and Son.
Given that we were all generally flabby, ageing, unfit
office workers, playing on the vast main pitch against fit teenagers rather
than on the narrow tree lined second pitch were we could get our breath back by
hoofing the ball of the pitch and spending several minutes searching for it,
was such a disadvantage we didn’t take up the option in our second season as we
won promotion !
Entrance to today’s match was £12, with £6 for
concessions and students/Under 16s free for tickets purchased on-line, with pay
at the gate being £2 extra. I had previously paid £15 on line for a ticket and
a programme for Oxford City’s match vs Slough in December 2020, when spectators
were permitted for a short period between lockdowns, but that match was
postponed due to an outbreak of Covid in the Slough squad so I had been issued
a voucher rather than a refund. However, the voucher could only be redeemed for
a match ticket but no programme, so I am left with a £3 credit still
outstanding.
Bet365 had Oxford City as 6/5 favourites, with Hampton
and Richmond at 9/5 and the draw at 23/10. The temperature at kick-off was 20
degrees and the weather was cloudy.
One of the sponsors of Oxford City are the Chadlington
Brewery, so it was no surprise to see their beers on tap behind the bar,
including Oxford Blue, Boat Race, an IPA and Blonde. Guinness was also
available, as was a cider.
The snack bar had hot dogs at £3, Steak and Ale Pies
at £4, Pretzel Burgers at £4 and Vegan Burgers at £4. A portion of chips was £3
but payment by card was required. No cash would be accepted, although I was
able to pay cash for a programme, which is an excellent effort and for this
season has a special retro feel, with today’s publication having 4 pages in the
style of the programme from 1985/86 when these two sides met. Handily, copies
of team sheets were available to take in the clubhouse.
Included in the Hampton line-up was ex-Crawley centre-back
Charlie Wassmer, who was part of the Red Devils squad that won promotion to the
Football League, and he also played a few matches in their first season in the
League before being released. He had clearly put on a few pounds since then and
probably would not have been the favourite to win a foot-race with Joe
Iaciofano, Oxford City’s small and nippy forward.
Hampton were playing in a very smart shirt of Red and
Black halves at the front, with the back of the shirt being all blue, and white
shorts. Oxford City were in their usual blue and white hoops
There was a lively start to the match, with Wassmer
being involved in the first chance, rising to head Kadell Daniel’s free-kick
from half-way across goal to Jerome Slew, but Hampton’s top scorer saw his
goal-bound effort blocked at close range by City keeper Dudzinski. Oxford
quickly responded but Ashby’s cross was just out of the reach of Iaciofano and with
7 minutes on the clock Hampton’s Jake Gray saw his low, long range shot parried
by the diving Dudzinski for a corner.
Hampton continued to have the better of the early
exchanges, and winger Ryan Gondoh cut back in from the right but had his left-footed
shot blocked at the expense of a corner.
Oxford City got back into the game and after twenty
minutes Nana Owusu shot into the side netting, leading to some unsighted City supporters
to prematurely start cheering for a goal. However, four minutes later they did
have something to celebrate.
Keeper Dudzinski could clearly be heard berating
Iaciofano after a free-kick wasn’t awarded – “Joe, stop *$@£*#! moaning” but
City regained possession, and Owusu was put clear, but his rocket was excellently
saved by Hampton keeper Julian. From the over-hit corner, centre-back Matsuzaka
skinned Wassmer by the by-line and pulled back for Iaciofano to sweep home, aided
by a deflection off a defender.
The match took another twist in the 28th
minute. Oxford City’s Canice Carroll was late and high with a challenge on
Hampton right-back Ben Shroll, and it looked nasty. The referee had no
hesitation is showing a straight red card to reduce the home side to 10 men.
Hampton immediately looked to press home their advantage,
midfielder Deadfield had a shot from the edge of the penalty area deflected
narrowly wide, and the impressive left sided midfielder David Fisher, who is on
loan from AFC Wimbledon, sent a low shot just wide with Dudzinski beaten.
Gondoh, who is one of those players who look talented
and dangerous whenever they are on the ball but without always delivering the
end product, had a good shot parried, and Dudzinski was alert enough to catch
the loose ball.
Oxford City briefly threatened when McEachran shot
from distance and his shot was pushed around the post for a corner, but Hampton
ended the half on the attack, but Wassmer’s header went well over.
The Hampton pressure continued at the beginning of the
second half, Gondoh put in a low cross, Slew dummied to give Gray a clear sight
of goal, but his effort from 12 yards was scooped high and not very handsome
over the bar. Oxford City’s escape was only short-lived though as Hampton equalized
with an excellent goal in the 53rd minute. Fisher cut in from the
left and as he shaped to shoot righted footed Gray took the ball of his toes
and shot into the bottom corner.
The response from the home side was to take off
McEachran and Iaciofano, arguably their two most creative, but slight players,
and bring on the pacy and powerful Jacob Bancroft, and Harvey Bradbury, a tall
and more traditional centre-forward in an attempt to change the pattern of the
game.
However, it was The Beavers who had the next good chance.
After a free-kick was played back into the penalty area after a partial clearance,
centre-back Inman turned six yards out but this effort lacked power and Dudzinski
comfortably saved. Gondoh then shot into the side netted, giving the Hampton
fans their turn to go Oooh !
A dreadful pass from Wassmer to Owusu gave Oxford
their first decent chance of the second half but his shot took a slight deflection
and slipped inches wide of the goal, before Bancroft gave some demonstration of
his pace, first bursting between Wassmer and Inman to shoot against the legs of
keeper Julian, and then leaving left-back Daniel for dead but his cross was
blocked for a corner.
Hampton re-established their dominance and Dronfield
shot just wide, and with 4 minutes remaining Dudzinski made a splendid finger
tip save to turn Slew’s goal-bound header over the bar. As the match entered
added on time, Harman delivered a dangerous cross into the Hampton 6 yard box,
but Wassmer steered it over the bar before Matsuzaka could pounce, and as the
game moved to the other end of the pitch, Oxford City scrambled to keep out a
Hampton attack, before Dudzinski commandingly claimed a cross pumped back into
the danger zone.
Overall, this was a hugely enjoyable game to watch. Hampton
and Richmond will probably feel this was two points dropped, having had most of
the possession in the last 60 minutes. However, Oxford City defended
excellently after they went a player down, and in particular Matsuzaka and
Dudzinski were outstanding.
Following the draw Oxford City dropped to 7th in the table, and Hampton and Richmond remained 8th.
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