Flackwell Heath 0-0 Binfield
Wilks Park
16/08/12
Att: Approx 200
After receiving AS results better than I expected, I didn't fail anything, I boarded the eurostar from Lille knowing I needn't head into college and beg them to accept me for the second year. A helpful thing, as it turned out, as thanks to the M25 being as useless as ever it would take 3 hours to get from Ebbsfleet to Brentford, by which point I'd been given the task of finding a pub for dinner. I managed to pull a miracle, as we have a new favourite pub. I know this blog is meant to be about football, but if you're ever in the Wycombe area and want something to eat/drink then I can only suggest the Blackwood Arms in Burnham Beeches. I'd struggle to find something else that is so Stereotypical to a local in the countryside. After devouring my dinner I was dumped on Flackwell Heath highstreet with the two dogs - I was told if I didn't want to pay for the train I'd have to take them - to watch the opening round of this seasons FA Cup.
Flackwell Heath is another one of these clubs that Aldershot had played in their rise up the Non league pyramid, but I'd never been, most likely as they'd played them before I was born, so had no expectations of the ground other than what Phil could remember from his Hazy memory. As it would turn out the ground was a bit better than his limited description. With cover on all four sides it's a decent Hellenic league ground, although to qualify for this category you need to simply not have an arena stand. As you enter through through the turnstile the first striking feature is the slope from one side of the pitch to the other, while not as extreme as Highworth, it was still pretty extreme. Along the 'top' side is the changing room block/refreshment hut, the roof of this extends over a small area of seating in front. Either end feature small covered areas other an area of elevated standing. The final side is the 'main' stand, a small stand, around four steps high, split into numerous sections by brick walls. The ground is completed by a set of 8 floodlights, which tonight, annoyingly, attracted more flying ants than I have ever seen before.
In the opening weekend of the Hellenic league both teams had had resounding victories. Binflield had seen off Abingdon 7-0, while Flackwell Heath had thumped Kidlington 9-0. Despite both drawing their second games, I was hopeful there'd be at least some goals in this game, but it was of course a 0-0 game. Saying that it wasn't a boring 0-0 affair by any stretch of the imagination, with both teams having several glorious chances. It was to be the goalies day, however, as chance after chance hit the woodwork, whistled wide or was saved marvellously. The game was so good that I am know contemplating the short journey to Binfield to watch the replay on Monday night. For match highlights checkout this brilliant video from Binfield.
Flackwell Heath is another one of these clubs that Aldershot had played in their rise up the Non league pyramid, but I'd never been, most likely as they'd played them before I was born, so had no expectations of the ground other than what Phil could remember from his Hazy memory. As it would turn out the ground was a bit better than his limited description. With cover on all four sides it's a decent Hellenic league ground, although to qualify for this category you need to simply not have an arena stand. As you enter through through the turnstile the first striking feature is the slope from one side of the pitch to the other, while not as extreme as Highworth, it was still pretty extreme. Along the 'top' side is the changing room block/refreshment hut, the roof of this extends over a small area of seating in front. Either end feature small covered areas other an area of elevated standing. The final side is the 'main' stand, a small stand, around four steps high, split into numerous sections by brick walls. The ground is completed by a set of 8 floodlights, which tonight, annoyingly, attracted more flying ants than I have ever seen before.
In the opening weekend of the Hellenic league both teams had had resounding victories. Binflield had seen off Abingdon 7-0, while Flackwell Heath had thumped Kidlington 9-0. Despite both drawing their second games, I was hopeful there'd be at least some goals in this game, but it was of course a 0-0 game. Saying that it wasn't a boring 0-0 affair by any stretch of the imagination, with both teams having several glorious chances. It was to be the goalies day, however, as chance after chance hit the woodwork, whistled wide or was saved marvellously. The game was so good that I am know contemplating the short journey to Binfield to watch the replay on Monday night. For match highlights checkout this brilliant video from Binfield.