November 2024

Referee: Ole Underhay.                                                      Official Attendance: 69

Admission: OMGDS £4.00 (£7).                                     Programme: On Line

A couple of miles outside the town of Ringwood and in the middle of nowhere is The Ringwood Community Hub recently developed with substantial financial support from AFC Bournemouth, whose women’s team play at the stadium. The pitch has been move around two metres (goal to goal), but the old stand remains in place, a new metal fence surrounds the pitch and a substantial complex including changing rooms and clubhouse has been erected (but without a bar or hot food). These two teams nestle just outside the play off places, but the visitors dominated the first half, scoring three times and missing several more opportunities aided by a constant stream of invective from their bench. The second half was a different story. Three goals in the final twenty five minutes, with two visiting players sin-binned, saw the game turned on its head and the draw was a pretty fair outcome. With John Main.

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From “My November Guest” by Robert Frost (1874-1963):

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My sorrow, when she’s here with me,

Thinks these dark days of Autumn rain

Are beautiful as days can be;

She loves the bare, the withered tree;

She walked the sodden pasture lane.

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A short stroll out of the village, past the farm and down the track, where the fields are dotted with wooden frames and the aging ruin of a boundary wall lies amongst the remains of the recent harvest and a glittering autumnal array of leaves. A strange accoutrement bedecks the hedge along the way, before the farm returns to view and, beyond, the towering golden spread in the pocket park followed by the reverent homage to the fallen at village green and churches. With Charlotte, 5.04 miles and no stiles.

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Referee: David Hogg.                                           Attendance: 15

Admission: F.O.C.                                                Programme: NONE

The very pleasant arena at Harton and Westoe was the venue for this clash between highly placed hosts and next to bottom visitors. Surprisingly, there were no goals in the first period, but the hosts struck six times after the interval to score a league double over their opponents, having won by 4-3 at Darsley Park. I once visited this ground – ten years ago in April 2014 – with another groundhopper, Dave Rush. We were on a Northern League ‘hop’ and just before the morning match on that day we drove past and stopped for a look at Harton & Westoe’s ground. We both promised each other that ONE DAY, we would come here for a match. I don’t think either of us believed that we would, and, certainly, I never believed that ten years later, completely by accident, I would be watching a match here!

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