This friendly tie was played on the Croydon Postal ground, which took some finding, being located on a quiet road in Warlingham, on the borders of Croydon and Surrey. There was good car parking even with the clubhouse being packed with people enjoying a live band.

The ground boasted a sloping and dry grass pitch and a clubhouse, with good facilities. The ground is not the home of either club, but had been used to host this friendly.

AFC Croydon Athletic will play this season in the Premier Division South of the Combined Counties League, whereas Holmesdale FC are a Premier Division side, playing in the Southern Counties East Football League.

Both sides used this friendly to trial and blood plenty of new and young players. A small crowd of 50 watched the game. Being a friendly I couldn’t access a team sheet.

The game opened with Holmesdale FC going straight on the attack and within two minutes they went 1-0 up. The goal resulted from the Holmesdale FC striker turning and shooting on the edge of the six yard box, to stun the AFC Croydon Athletic keeper and put the away side 0-1 ahead.

The game continued from this point, with both sides playing expansive and attractive passing football. The pitch was dry and bumpy, which at times complicated the passing approach.

On 30 minutes Holmesdale broke again with their number 15 finishing, after a neat cross from the right, to extend the lead to 0-2.

Then, on the stroke of half time, Holmesdale FC made it 0-3, when their number 19 finished a simple tap in, after some good attacking build up play.

The second half began with AFC Croydon Athletic reenergised and matching Holmesdale in midfield. On 60 minutes AFC Croydon Athletic’s number ten broke clear and slotted home clinically, to make it 1-3.

Holmesdale FC kept threatening whenever they had the ball and in the 70th minute, a foul in the AFC Croydon area led to a penalty, which Holmesdale’s number 20 drilled home, to extend the lead to 1-4.

Both sides brought on substitutes, which added fresh energy and the game continued to be end to end. However at the full time whistle, there were no further goals and Holmesdale FC left with a fine 1-4 away victory.