Maybe I'm The Odd One at Cray Wanderers

Hopperational Details
Date & Venue	Saturday 15 February 2025 at Flamingo Park
Result	Cray Wanderers 2 Cheshunt 1
Competition	Isthmian League Premier Division (Step 3)
Hopstats	My first new ground since September 2024, and #793 on the lifetime list. Since the last blogpost, my only game has been a Stamford Bridge re-visit for a key WSL game (Chelsea 1 Arsenal 0) that had plenty of coverage elsewhere.
Context
It’s the first day of February half-term for me. My disappearance since September has essentially been work-related. I’ve repeatedly deferred retirement and in this phase of my career I’ve been a part-time science teacher in Hertfordshire for several years now. Such is the difficulty in finding good candidates in my subject areas (chemistry and physics), especially in comprehensive schools, that I’ve been persuaded (easily enough to be fair) to contribute at three different schools this year. So I have nine different exam classes – and hence the reason that 2024-5 weekends have been more about lesson planning and recovery than travelling to football matches. I’ve been close to completing “everywhere down to Step 3 in England” for a couple of seasons – with promotions and new builds moving the target – and today gave me the chance to tick of one of the three that I most needed. After this, I will need to get to Truro City’s new ground (Step 2) and Plymouth Parkway (Step 3) but whether I will manage that before Everton’s new ground opens is very much in doubt! My research for this match was restricted to a check that it is essentially a mid-table game with the hosts a few places higher, and both have similar recent records with a win last weekend and a draw before that.
Match Report
The early stages of the game saw very few chances created, though Cray established territorial superiority – something they would never relinquish. Cheshunt’s goal after 16 minutes came from a goalkeeper error. Shaun Rowley clearly called for the ball as he came several metres out of his area, but the fluffed clearance fell nicely for an easy roll-in for Kenny Coker. The lead lasted six minutes and the equaliser was deserved. Nyren Clunis was on hand to score from a flick-on from the right, tucking the ball into the opposite corner. The first half ended at 1-1 but not before Cheshunt spurned a great chance on the break in the closing seconds. Tobias Braney could not quite get enough power on a close-range downward header after the home defence had been sliced open down their left. The second half started with higher levels of entertainment as there were half-chances at both ends. Rowley redeemed himself with two good saves. Cray had a goal disallowed for offside and then smacked the crossbar with a textbook header. Cray were very much on top as the time ticked on but it took till the 68th minute for the winner. It was scored on the break after a Cheshunt attack, made for Soul Kader by a timely pass by Josh Williams. Williams had been a constant threat to the visitors’ defence with his direct running. Cheshunt heads never dropped but in the end Cray held on comfortably enough. Cray might feel they should have won by a bigger margin, but equally Cheshunt could be wondering whether a 2-1 lead at half-time would have changed things. I was left wondering when the feeling would return to my fingers and toes – even with five layers, it was cold.
So What?
The teams end the day in 9th and 15th places respectively, and I now think of myself as being “The One” in the official attendance of 401.
Pix
Goalkeeper Top Colour Stats Update
The background to this, and the latest keeper top colour league table, is here on this dedicated page. Today, Orange beats Purple as predicted. Pre-match Prediction based on Keeper Top Colour: Prediction: Home Win Was the prediction correct? Yes % of correct predictions so far 49% (85 from 172)
What Next?
No idea! Watch this space.

 

The Draw of the Other Baggies

Hopperational Details
Date & Venue	Saturday 30th December 2023 at The Operatix Stadium
Result	Badshot Lea 2 Thatcham Town 2
Competition	Isthmian League Division 1 South-Central
Hopstats	Ground 771 on the lifetime list and I am here pragmatically rather than randomly. I had a choice of seven Step 4 grounds but three were impractical given the weather forecast. Of the other four, Badshot Lea gave a very clear and early indication that the match was on, thanks to a team of club volunteers who had worked to remove surface water in time for a referee inspection.
Context
The two teams are around mid-table in their division. Badshot won the September game at Thatcham by a solitary goal. Thatcham drew their last fixture, while Badshot had a postponement. I’m West Brom born-and-bred but it was not until today that I found out that another team shares the nickname of “The Baggies”.
In One Sentence
An entertaining contrast in styles, rather ruined by atrocious weather conditions after the hour.
So What?
The teams end the day in 10th and 12th places respectively.
Match Report
This was hugely enjoyable for the first hour, but then you had to feel for the teams as the weather turned very unpleasant with incessant wind-driven rain. Thatcham took an early lead. I was just making a note about how measured and attractive was Badshot Lea’s approach play when they gave the ball away on the halfway line. David Nyarko pounced and was able to convert the one-on-one chance. The equaliser came very quickly though. From a corner, I heard the shout of “Keeper!” shortly before the sound of the ball hitting the back of the net. George Hedley had beaten him to the ball. I claim half an assist as the person who retrieved the ball before the corner was taken. Badshot Lea returned to their passing play, working one-twos and triangles around the flanks, but it was again from a breakdown that Thatcham restored their lead. Nyarko chased a long ball and scored from a tight angle. It needed two good blocks in quick succession to prevent an equaliser, and Cameron Rohart-Brown fired narrowly over the bar. The only other incident of note was a minor scuffle which led to a couple of cautions after the referee had consulted both assistants. This was at the far end from me so I can’t say much else but the chat was that the Thatcham player had raised his hands but there had also been an element of retaliation. Only they will know, The second half started with another timely Thatcham block, and their keeper was almost embarrassed by a high bounce. We saw an interesting freekick routine where the chance of a direct shot was spurned in favouir of a pass to the flank – it came to nothing. However, Badshot Lea got their second equaliser just after the hour, a composed finish by Baback Dehgani after another spell of pressure.   Deghani celebrates his goal The conditions began to worsen and rather undermined the home side’s attempt to regain superiority. Both teams made the best of the conditions and there were a few more half-chances. Overall, an enjoyable outing for the passing neutral despite a tedious journey around the M25 each way.
Ground Pix
Pay attention to the advice given on the website about access and parking. The postcode alone takes you to a narrow lane with no entry to the ground.
Match Pix
Badshot Lea in the claret and blue. Conditions were not conducive to good photographs today.
Goalkeeper Top Colour Stats Update
Usually accompanied by a pre-match prediction on Threads just before kickoff. Working towards being able to compute a respectable test of statistical significance, it looks like an Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) test will be appropriate. The full keeper top performance table from my last 286 matches is here, on this separate page, and I’ll organise the test when we reach 300 pieces of evidence. Today, a draw between Pink and Green. Pre-match Prediction based on Keeper Top Colour: Prediction: Away Win Was the prediction correct? No % of correct predictions so far 48% (67 from 141)
What Next?
It will be weather-dependent, but I hope to get in another ground from my Step 4 list on New Year’s Day, en route to the Midlands. Then the following weekend I will be at the FA Cup 3rd Round tie between West Brom and Aldershot – which will be my grandson’s first visit to the Hawthorns, and my first in the grandad role that was occupied in the 90s by my late father. No, you do not need to inform the NSPCC.

 

  

Lancing, When You're Winning

 

Hopperational Details
Date & Venue	Saturday 29 October 2022 at Culver Road (Sussex FA HQ)
Result	Lancing 1 Corinthian 0
Competition	Isthmian League Division One South East (Step 4)
Hopstats	Ground #764 on the lifetime list. I am here randomishly because Lancing were the first club on my shortlist of four for today to tweet an invitation this morning. A quick check of the weather forecast and train times meant that the journey was not a risk – I was not aware that this game would be on a 3G surface anyway so it was probably never in doubt at any stage.
Context
Lancing are in mid-table but have won their two previous games. Corinthian are bottom of the division. They have scored one goal in their last five, which gave them a 1-0 win at Sevenoaks, but the other four were defeats without scoring.
In One Sentence
The spirited Corinthian effort (see what I did there) came to nothing because of a set-piece goal and a superb double-save from the home keeper in the closing minutes.
So What?
Lancing are 10th and curiously, Corinthian go up one place to 19th on goal difference because Faversham were tonked (technical term) 6-1 away at Whitehawk.
Pre-match Entertainment
A stroll along the coast, an ice cream and a little egret. Worryingly warm for the end of October. If you're not worried about how warm it is, you should be. Also, a brief conversation about whether a 99 is a 99 if it doesn’t have a Flake in it.
Match Report
The annals of the Isthmian League will record Thomas Butler’s header just before half-time as the winning goal in this contest. It was a textbook towering one, direct from a corner that had been obtained somewhat against the run of play. However, those records will not show the brave double save in the closing minutes by home keeper Conor Manderson which protected the win and the points. Corinthian will wonder how they went home with nothing from this game, but it was to be another scoreless afternoon for them. In the first half they had kept Manderson much busier than his counterpart Daniel Colmer. Corinthian were maybe a bit too reliant on the long throw, and after some early scares Lancing dealt with them well. Colmer did well enough on the rare occasions he was called upon in that first half, until Butler’s header (pictured below) beat him and the two fullbacks on the line. The corner had resulted from a good tip-over save from Colmer.   The second half was more end-to-end, but both sides looking equally likely to score. In my notebook, incorrectly as usual, I see that I had written, “This will be 1-1 or 2-0”. Neither team could manage to create the really clear chance needed. As often happens, it all got a bit tetchy, and the officials came under a lot of verbal pressure from all directions. A couple of free-kick decisions were only a few centimetres outside the area. Manderson was one of several players yellow-carded over the course of the afternoon. Corinthian finished the game strongly and Manderson earned the man-of-the-match award with his late contribution. In passing, I honestly don’t know why the refs and their assistants keep on putting themselves through this experience. Anyway, overall it was a decent day for this passing neutral. The trains were pretty much on time. The ground is well equipped and only a short walk from the station. When things were quiet on the pitch, there was a regular buzz of light aircraft, presumably out of Shoreham, and there was a very large number of starlings fluttering from floodlight to floodlight. I couldn’t stay for the murmuration later on. I will hopefully be at a Corinthian home game later on this season.
Other Match Pix
Lancing in yellow and blue, Corinthian in green hoops.
Goalkeeper Top Colour Stats Update
Usually accompanied by a pre-match prediction on Twitter just before kickoff. Working towards being able to compute a respectable statistical significance test by the end of the season. The full keeper top performance table from my last 265 matches is here, on this separate page. Today, Radioactive Bile defies the form book and takes a win and a clean sheet, beating Blue. This is enough to cause some league table movement, as Bile jumps one place. New readers: don’t take this too seriously. Pre-match Prediction based on Keeper Top Colour: Prediction: Away Win Was the prediction correct? No % of correct predictions so far 44% (53 from 120) Based on conventional 3pts for a win, 1pt for a draw, but also -1pt for a goal conceded (GC) and +5pts for a clean sheet (CS).  Colours ranked on a points per game (PPG) basis. The odd decimal places were caused either by undeniable half-and-half tops or lower league sub keepers in a different colour.  The Fire Cracker colour was confirmed with the help of the social media team at Dulux UK.  All of this arises from a comment attributed to Petr Cech (and supported by anonymous scientists of some description) that orange is the best colour for a goalkeeper because it changes the behaviour of other players around the box. It is supposedly because of an innate primeval human reaction to the colour and the colour “spreads” more in the vision of a striker at the key moment of decision. Genius or garbage? The evidence is gathering here, and is leaning towards the latter.
What Next?
Follow @GrahamYapp on Twitter! At some point I need to get to Plymouth Parkway as my one remaining Step 3 ground. (They were promoted at the end of last season.) There are 16 more for me at Step 4, including Guernsey. I suspect this list will carry over into the start of next season in practice, unless I get lucky with weather and fixture combinations.