This week’s midweek evening fixture brought me to another local ground, to watch Snodland Town, sitting high in second place, in. the Southern Counties East Football League (SCEFL) Division 1, against Forest Hill Park, who came into the game in fifteenth place, just two points above the relegation places.

Snodland Town managed by Luke Wallond, have scored freely this season, with Rob Denness (absent tonight), having top scored with thirteen league and cup goals and Regan Corke having ten. Only local rivals, Larkfield & New Hythe, have fared better in the league this season, but Snodland came into the match just three points behind, with a game in hand and much better goal difference, so a win at all costs approach was being taken into the fixture.

The same mentality would also be true of Forest Hill Park, with their local rivals, Lewisham Borough, sitting just two points behind them, but with two games in hand. Forest Hill Park would want the win to heave themselves clear of the relegation battle. To do this they will be looking to the goals of top scorer, Devontae Young, who came into this match with four goals to his name, this season and manager Darrell Queeley, would have known his side need to find their scoring touch to trouble a confident Snodland Town side.

The first half was played out in midfield with neither side really getting many clear cut chances. For Forest Hill Park Ismallia Diumbia and Azza Lawal dominated, while the few chances Snodland Town were able to create, were shaped by Josh Froggatt.

At the break, the scores remained tied at 0-0. As the night seemed to get colder and colder and the pitch harder to play on, it seemed as if whoever scored the first goal, might well have done enough to win this one.

The second half continued in much the same vein as the first. As the half progressed the home side, desperate for the three points to go top, began to show their anxiety, whilst Forest Hill Park’s players, keen to come away with a previous away point, to aid their relegation fears, began to slow the play down and to waste as much time as possible, looking to exploit counter attacking chances.

The introduction of Jon Pilbeam, as a substitute for Snodland Town in the second half, allowed them some additional pace and width. Suddenly in the 77th minute a corner for Snodland resulted in a goalmouth melee, which ended with debutant, George Acland, bundling the ball over the line, to make the score 1-0. Forest Hill Park’s keeper Matt Bailey, and his teammates, protested fiercely to the referee and assistant referee, but to no avail. The goal stood, sending much of the 131 crowd in attendance, into loud applause.

Both sides threw everything into the final 15 minutes, but at the final whistle, it was the home team who went top of the league, ahead of their fixture on Saturday against their local rivals and the team in second place, Larkfield & New Hythe. Forest Hill Park left knowing they had given their all tonight and playing like this should ensure their safety this season.