Sutts and Beals

The superfan paid his first visit to Cheam in Surrey on Saturday. Specifically Walch Memorial Playing Fields in Northey Avenue, where Old Suttonians (‘Sutts’) were hosting Bealonians (‘Beals’) in an AFA Senior Cup Second Round tie.

Bealonians arrived under a blue sky in a mini-van at 1.45, somewhat stressed because kick-off was only 15 minutes away. They could have relaxed, because the late arrival of the referee caused the start to be delayed until 2.18. This match at the far right end of the Playing Fields was being watched by seven people and a small white dog.

The dog spent most of the first half lying on its back, having its tummy tickled by its pretty female owner. I wondered if this service was available to other spectators, but thought I’d better not inquire. The competition rules probably wouldn’t cover it.

It was a typically hard-fought AFA Senior Cup tie, with tremendous commitment shown by both sides. Beals ran the show in the first half but only had one goal to show for their dominance. The tide turned after the break and it seemed only a matter of time before Sutts levelled. Their No.3 headed wide of the goal from about a yard out before they finally scrambled one in on 74 minutes.

A Beals player was cautioned for dissent, though it wasn’t actually directed towards the ref. He had merely expressed the opinion to a spectator (not me) that Sutts’ winner in extra-time had been ‘four yards offside’. This protracted affair concluded at 4.36, after which the players had to feel their way back to the dressing rooms in the dark. Well, no, it wasn’t that bad really.

I was away from the office on leave last week and can add 13 more matches to my totals, which now stand at 69 for the season and 5,742 all told. The results were: Barkingside 4-0 Tiptree, QPR 4-1 Reading, Clocktower 1-2 FC Unity, Tooting 3-3 Eastbourne Borough, OMD UK 3-1 Boodle Hatfield, External Circle 0-6 Waterloo & City, AFC Wimbledon 3-1 Crawley, Bethnal Green 2-1 London APSA, District 4-1 Special Resources, Dover Castle 7-3 Edexcel, QPR 1-2 Leicester, Old Suttonians 2-1 Bealonians (aet) and UB6 United 4-2 SS Hounslow.

I saw a goal in under 30 seconds at Barkingside, a player receive a second yellow for taking a free-kick too quickly at QPR, a player sent off for literally picking up an opponent and throwing him at Market Road, a Hayes Sunday League Division Five fixture in 90 minutes of heavy rain (with no cover and a useless umbrella) – but the highlight was the grandstand finish at Tooting in The FA Cup.

It was 1-1 with three minutes of normal time to go. Tooting made it 2-1, then 3-1. Surely they wouldn’t concede twice in the four minutes of added time. Oh yes, they would!