Today completed my visit to grounds in the Southern Counties East Football League, (SCEFL) with Clapton Community FC of Division 1. This visit to the Old Spotted Dog ground was the final of my visits to complete my visits to all the grounds in both divisions.

The Old Spotted Dog ground is based in Forest Gate, East London, and has a capacity of 1000, with seating for 100. Clapton Community FC are a fan owned club that were established in 2019, buying the Old Spotted Dog ground in 2020. The ground has two impressive grandstands and extensive covered standing. It also boasts a decent grass pitch, floodlighting and a welcoming clubhouse.

Clapton Community FC came into today’s game in sixth place, just one point outside the play-off places. Goals for Clapton Community have not been difficult to come by this season, with Fred Taylor (8 goals), Noah Adejokun (7 goals) and Cameron Gordon (4 goals), leading the way. Manager Geoff Ocran would have been expecting his side to secure a home win in today’s match.

The visitors, Sheppey Sports FC, who relocated from Maidstone to Sheppey in the close season, shedding the name of K Sports and relaunching as Sheppey Sports FC. Sheppey Sports came into today’s match in tenth place but with 2 or 3 games in hand over most of the other teams in the league.

Goals for the visitors this season have not been easy to come by, with those they have scored coming from, Joel Wakefield (6 goals), David Latunde and Corey Spencer (both 3 goals). Managers George and Ian Batten would have known this would be a tough away fixture for their team, but would have been hoping that they could pull of a result to extend their recent run of four straight wins.

The game opened with the visitors showing they arrived here with confidence that comes with a good run of form. Early chances were created, although the sides stayed tied after twenty minutes.

In the 21st minute Sheppey Sports FC were the first to jump ahead, when Simon Giyhama curled a free kick over the defensive wall and into the net.

In the 35th minute the visitors were two ahead, when Sinniaye Christie followed up a free kick, which had been parried by Jack Francis in the Clapton Community goal, to head home for 0-2.

The home side rallied as the half time whistle approached, and on 44 minutes Clapton Community FC were only denied a goal by some last gasp defending.

At the break however, the sides went in with Sheppey Sports leading by two clear goals.

Within five minutes of the restart Clapton Community FC had a goal back, to claw themselves back into the fixture in front of the noisy and partisan crowd of 254, when Fred Taylor finished from close range.

In the 75th minute Sheppey Sports re-established their two goal lead when a fine run and shot by Simon Giyhama resulted in his second goal to make it 1-3.

With 12 minutes left Sinnkaye Christie was dismissed reducing Sheppey Sports FC to ten men. In hindsight, this seemed to galvanise the visitors and they skilfully managed the fixture out until the final whistle.

At full time the fans knew they had seen both sides give their all. Sheppey Sports are now well placed to launch an assault on the play off places in Divison 1. Clapton Community FC’s fans will have been disappointed with the result but couldn’t argue that their side fought until the end.