Following my away trip to Scotland the previous weekend I decided I would stay much more local and tick off another ground in the Ryman League Div 1 South.
This weekend was the 2nd February the same day that Dulwich had their match at Horsham called off at the 11th hour due to a "puddle of water" on the pitch, by this time I had already decided that I would make a trip to Walton on Thames to visit one of the last 2 grounds I had to do with my match choice being Walton Casuals vs Faversham.
A train just before 1pm from Clapham Junction had me into Walton On Thames within 25 minutes and saw me marching off to the Old Manor Inn on Manor Road for a pub "tick". A quick pint of Doom Bar later and I was off marching again this time all the way to the Riverside Stadium, home of Walton Casuals FC.
The walk isn't for the non experience walker and after a near 30 minute fast stroll I arrived at the aptly named stadium.
Apart from being a fairly sub standard team these days, the club set up and ground is very good. Covered seating or standing is available in part on all sides, with covered terracing at each end and on the side of the dugouts / where the teams emerge from. On the opposite side to the dug outs is a small covered seated stand. All in all a very tidy ground.
The game was even for the first period with neither team really threatening each others goal. Then after a small bit of sustained pressure which saw Faversham awarded a couple of corners in a row the visitors scored when Maxted netted. Casuals then came back into the match with Sol Patterson-Bonner & Mu Maan (2 recent ex Dulwich players) looking especially lively. It was through the latter that Casuals drew level when Maan took the ball through from the left and drilled it past the keeper to take the game into half time tied.
I retreated to the large and spacious bar, not only to keep warm but also to sample the club house...that was the main reason I promise.
As much as Casuals prodded and probed they couldn't break through the Faversham defence and get that much needed winner. Then with just seconds to go a defensive error by the Casuals cost them the game when Harvey strolled around the keeper and dispatched the ball into an empty net...2-1 to Faversham and the game was over. This was a win that kept the visitors in the play off places and based on their overall team performance today they fully deserve to be in the play off hunt.
Ground number ??? for me and now I only needed Ramsgate to "tick" off in Ryman Div 1 South.
I left the ground and took the long and arduous trek back into "town". I called into the rather attractive looking Wetherspoons pub The Regent on my way. I had forgotten that England were playing rugby that evening on the television so I had to endure "fake" rugby fans shouting at the tele while I supped my pint. Enough was enough so with a train every 30 minutes I headed to the Ashley Park Hotel by the station where I had a decent pint in more pleasant surroundings.
Train caught, a quick change at Clapham Junction and I was back home for 19.30 ish.
Good competitive game of football, another new ground, 1 new pub and back home in time for dinner with the wife.
Til the next time.....
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