You've got mail

We’ve had some decent weather at last. It was so warm in Purley yesterday that I nearly took my anorak off.

I’d enjoyed a feast of Middlesex County League football on Saturday. The main course was LPOSSA v Greens United in Division One (West), the dessert was most of Harrow Club v Barn Elms in Division Two and the cheese and biscuits was all of Kensington Dragons v Grange Park, also in Division Two.

LPOSSA’s name in full is ‘London Post Office Sports and Social Association’ and they hosted the last groundhopper fixture of the season at the LPR Club near Sudbury Hill tube on the Piccadilly line. Their opponents were Greens United, who they’d beaten 9-2 in the away match in February. Unsurprisingly the visitors played in all green.

Saturday morning’s match drew a crowd of 85 in the sunshine and I spoke to one old chap before the 11am kick-off. A Leatherhead supporter, he told me he was a groundsman in his working life and the Duke of Edinburgh once landed on his cricket square in a helicopter. “He came over and shook my hand,” he said.

LPOSSA were only formed six years ago and have already achieved two promotions. They were a goal up in four minutes, 2-1 up at the break and had also hit the woodwork twice with the same header. Greens’ ‘keeper touched the ball against the top of the bar, it went vertically upwards and dropped down to strike that bar again.

It was an excellent match, a real ‘Cup Final’ for the big crowd, and LPOSSA won it 3-2 with a goal in the sixth minute of added time. Most of that time had resulted from some cautions for dissent handed out to Greens players who lost a bit of discipline in the last 15 minutes.

After a quick lunch in Sudbury I turned up at Perivale, via a Piccadilly line tube to Park Royal and a walk to Hanger Lane on the Central line, for the first of two afternoon matches in Division Two. It was another 3-2, in Harrow Club’s favour, and there was an oddity after they’d first taken the lead. When Barn Elms kicked off, only six Harrow players were on the pitch, the other five taking a ‘water break’ in the warm conditions.

Kensington Dragons v Grange Park was goalless for 50 minutes, but the Dragons were 4-1 winners by the end. For both matches at Perivale the grass had been mown for the upcoming cricket, making the football pitch markings barely discernible in some parts. Sunday was a scorcher, The Barber watching the talented youngsters of ‘Surf FC’ beat Hamsey Rangers 4-0 in the wide open spaces of Purley Way.

Bryan King, an Alexandra Park 6th XI player, has advised that he recently played in goal against the Crouch End Vampires 8th XI at the age of 64. The goalie at the other end, Doug Thorburn, was 65! Apparently the Vamps arrived with eight men and lost 19-0. Bryan had only touched the ball three times when he was allowed to play up front for the last 20 minutes. He scored with a penalty.