The seven results were: Crown & Manor 0 Islington Admiral 6, Whyteleafe 2 Maidstone United 2, Lewes 1 Havant & Waterlooville 1, Dynamo Lodge 4 Peacehaven Academicals 1, Bexhill United 1 Haywards Heath Town 3, Eastbourne Town 5 East Preston 1 (Reserves) and Brewin Dolphin 0 QC Aces 3.
The last seven days started with a disappointment on Wednesday night. After ‘phoning the ground to make sure the Hounslow Borough v North Leigh match was on, "The Barber" set off on the 15-stop tube ride to Hatton Cross. Arriving at 7.30 for a 7.45 start, he found the turnstiles padlocked.
According to a subsequent newspaper report, the home club had folded. It must have folded in the few minutes before I arrived.
Thursday night’s match at Market Road also looked in doubt with one team having only seven players at the scheduled kick-off time – but they eventually started with nine and for the second match running I saw a 0-6. I’m not sure if "Crown & Manor" is the same team that used to play in the Spartan League. Probably not.
My regular reader will know that Whyteleafe in Surrey is one of my favourite places to visit and I was one of the best-of-season 561 fans who watched them hold Ryman League Division One South table-toppers Maidstone to a 2-2 draw. ‘Leafe were actually a goal up in four minutes on a dust-bowl of a pitch.
After Lewes’ 1-1 draw with third-placed Havant in the Conference South at The Dripping Pan on Saturday, I thought I might be struggling to find a match on Easter Sunday morning. There was nothing doing at The Saffrons, so I carried on walking to the Dental Estimates Board ground where I didn’t think they played football any more.
Initially it was quiet. Then some players in red and blue stripes emerged from the changing rooms and they turned out to be the visiting team, Peacehaven Academicals. Yes, "The Accies" were in town. Dynamo Lodge, whom I hadn’t seen play for three years, were the home side.
One Lodge defender seemed to be in a very bad mood from the start, bitterly criticising the opposition, his team-mates and the referee. I had a feeling he wasn’t going to last the 90 minutes. In fact, he was red-carded after just 14. Accies’ centre-forward saw red at the same time after punches were thrown. A bumper Easter holiday crowd (of 12) watched from the sidelines in warm sunshine.
On Easter Monday morning I turned up at Bexhill for the advertised 11 o’clock kick-off and found they were starting at 12 noon. Then I went to Eastbourne Town Reserves for the advertised 2 o’clock kick-off and found it was 3 o’clock. Then I heard the man on the telly say that Charlton v Reading in the Premiership was kicking-off at 5.15 when it was actually 8 o’clock.
Why this problem with kick-off times? Doesn’t the supporter matter?