The much-delayed match against Mile Oak FC finally took place last night after various postponements throughout the season for differing reasons.  This fixture was in doubt until a pitch inspection at 4pm when the referee deemed it fit to play.

For anyone who has not been to Mile Oak FC, it is on the outskirts of Brighton at Portslade and sits atop a hill with a large slope from right to left as you look at the pitch.

We took to the field with a few changes from our disappointing defeat at Arundel on the previous Saturday; moving to the bench were Nick Wilson and Ryan Smith and we welcomed back Chris Boulter and Alex Penfold into the defence with Jaan Stanley back into the starting line-up.  Our vice-chairman (Barry Gartell) took up his previous role of last season of temporary manager.

The pitch and conditions were never going to be conducive to a free-flowing football match and that is how it turned out.  Both teams had a few half chances throughout the first half but those chances came and went without either goalkeeper really being challenged.  Half time 0-0

As the players went off at half time, some heavy squally showers descended onto the ground and all the spectators there now knew that the chance of any free flowing football would be difficult to produce.  We had a couple of good chances to open the scoring with efforts narrowly missed by Jamie Byatt and Jaevon Dyer.  As the game wore on the contest became rather fractious between the two sides and a couple of bookings were shared.  In the end the match finished 0-0.

What can we make of the performance, it was a real ‘battle’ and perhaps a ‘battle’ that we might have lost over the last few games.  The team battled through the conditions, the pitch and the opposition  and over the 98 minutes a goalless draw was a fair result.

We play Mile Oak again this coming Saturday at Fetcham Grove as this is how the fixtures have come out after the various postponements this season. The weather forecast is not looking good but as we all know that can all change in the next 48 hours so we will have to wait and see if the game can go ahead.