My wife was working on Valentines evening, so for the first year in a while I had a pass to watch football on the 14th February! I decided to venture down to the countryside near Dartford to watch Corinthian of the Southern Counties East Football League (SCEFL) Premier Division, in their match against Sutton Athletic, who are based in the Hextable area.

Corinthian FC’s manager, Michael Golding, who has managed at the club for over 400 games, has again worked wonders with his squad, pushing towards the play off places, with Oscar Housego (13 goals), Henry Arnold (11 goals) and Mefose Esumobi (6 goals)firing his team to sit just six points off Larkfield & New Hythe in the final promotion play off places, but with three games in hand.

Gay Dawn Farm is always a fun place to watch football, with its bus shelter covered standing and comfortable grandstand, being supplemented by a big clubhouse outside the ground. Crowds are usually around the 100 mark at Gay Dawn Farm, however the record this season saw 247 arrive for the Erith & Belvedere fixture, back on 6th October.

Sutton Athletic FC have secured a mid table safe position, with manager Peter Nolan, tightening up the defence whilst freeing Taylor Fisher (11 goals), Arlie Desanges (10 goals) and Elias Ahmed (5 goals) to score and secure the points to sustain the premier division position this season.

The first half was as dour as the biting cold weather, that left my hands and toes painful as the wind chill left it feeling like sub zero temperatures! Neither side could find a clear route to goal, with Arlie Desanges causing anxiety up front for Sutton Athletic, with Corinthian FC seeing their own Oscar Housego and Mefose Esumobi creating some chances late in the half.

At the break, as I headed for the welcome warmth of the clubhouse, the teams went in with the match still goalless and everything still to play for.

The second half opened with Corinthian FC looking refreshed and playing with purpose. Going forward they began to create real chances and on 54 minutes Mefose Esumobi struck the cross bar, for the home side, with a looping shot from the edge of the box.

Sutton Athletic stuck at it and weathered the storm and by the mid point of the half were creating their own chances. On 74 minutes the visitors were ahead, when a great passs by Enoch Muwange, set up an Arlie Desanges finish to make it 0-1.

Despite desperate efforts to close the divide, Corinthian FC just couldn’t score despite having much of the possession. At fulltime the 183 strong crowd left, having seen Sutton Athletic secure an unexpected away win, that really dents the hopes of Corinthian pushing into the play-off places.