One of the features of non league football is that it is real football played by real people and relies heavily on officials taking charge of matches. Sometimes the officials can be a photogenic part of the afternoon. This random shot of a linesman yawning was shot by chance.
A cold afternoon that ended up little over freezing at the end saw an interesting and entertaining game which either side could have won. Carshalton missed a few good chances and also contrived to miss two penalties rather badly. Good value as always for £9.It is always easy being a football critic of course but the difference between the two sides and maybe the chance of Carshalton reaching the play offs, is taking your chances and taking them at the right time. Carshalton played the better football but the scoreline mandates that Chipstead played the more effective football and certainly looked better than a team that was 20 points below Carshalton.
One normally does not associate Ryman South with wonderful flowing and skilful football. Those people may be wrong. Essentially to give context this was a middle table game with nothing depending on it between two very different teams. The War Memorial ground is an excellent ground at this level and might easily host Conference South football with a few strategic amendments. The superb 3G pitch looks like a huge success and it was difficult to tell any difference from a grass version.
War Memorial Ground Carshalton
Some of the best non league terracing Carshalton
Even in the warm up it was clear to the casual observer, one of the 288 present, that the Carshalton team was young and mostly looked 10 years younger than a slightly gnarled older looking Three Bridges team.
The styles also were a huge contrast with Carshalton favouring a fluid skilful game playing the ball out of defence and using the wings, whilst Three bridges were more physical, forceful and at times presented Carshalton with some rigorous tackles.
Three Bridges also favoured the opportunity to debate regularly with the referee Chris Felton , whether his decisions were correct and give input as to which Carshalton players should be booked and for what reason.
The game was played in the first half in bright sunshine and by the second half light rain.
The crowd of 288 was a very respectable number considering the league positions and the paucity of away following from Three bridges.
The reality was that Carshalton won this game easily 4-1 and in Ricky Korboa had a winger with unreal talent and balance, who scored a goal worthy of goal of the month at any football level.
Ricky Korboa
Ricky Korboa
This current Carshalton team if kept together will be interesting to watch over the next 12 months.
Tommy Bradford
Tommy Bradford
In a month when the cost of football has been high on the agenda of fans with Liverpool fans voting to walk out of a game in protest against a potential £77 ticket cost for next season, and some championship clubs such as Sheffield Wednesday charging away fans £36, it is good to see a non league initiative to pay what you want. Building a fan base takes time but one has to start somewhere and Didcot Town are starting this saturday.
Empty Grounds. Walton and Hersham
Football is an exciting sport generally and live matches bear no comparison with sanitised TV games. Many fans would consider going to games weekly but there is little incentive or collaboration between teams to make this happen. A few non league teams in recent years have given discounted entry to season ticket holders of league clubs, Hampton and Richmond are one example.
Looking at some of the crowds in the lower echelons of the Ryman league for example. On March 8th at a midweek game Haringey Borough attracted a crowd of 22 which was lower than their crowd of 35 last saturday, and last saturday in Ryman North 6 of the 8 games with reported crowds had under 100 spectators. In Ryman South a few crowds were also fairly dire with Chipstead attracting 48 spectators and a similar number at Molesey.
There is clearly room to increase the fan base at many of these clubs. Didcot v Bashley deserves a decent crowd.
An excellent opening goal for Woking from Bruno Andrade
The game was fairly end to end and both goalkeepers were kept busy.
Maybe the linesman also wanted a piece of the action? And a little maybe of Halifax rugby league also?
And finally other action shots
chris1957
Arcticterntalk.org 