Bedfont v Eversley & California
Combined Counties Division One
The first league game of the season and I’d been planning to visit Bedfont since chatting to some of their supporters at their 3-1 win at Bagshot last season. The journey over would be one of the easier ones for me, just a train through to Feltham and a half hour wander to the ground. A familiar walk as I’d been to a Brentford Women’s game at Bedfont Sports and the Yellows stadium is right next door.
The train journey was punctuated by a massive group heading to the racing at Ascot who were already well inebriated and that was a good couple of hours before the first race, goodness knows what they were like later in the afternoon! Other than that an uneventful journey and I was in the ground just after 1.30pm.
When there I visited a smart clubhouse/bar where I had a cider at £4 and a chat with some of the locals. Then into the ground, entry is £7 for adults, £4 for concessions and free for kids, they also have a good printed programme available for £2. Right next to the entrance is their kitchen where, just for a change, I had a decent bacon cheeseburger which was £4.50.
So onto the game and it was a tentative start from both sides, both feeling their way into the new season. The first ten minutes was largely forgettable with the only brief bit of excitement was when the visitors keeper picked the ball up outside the area but nothing came of the free kick.
The Bedfont full back Sayyid Cissokho was looking lively and finding space down the right flank and he fizzed a great low ball across the six yard box but unfortunately for the home side, two onrushing forwards at the near and far posts were just inches away from getting a touch.
A long ball over the top from the visitors was latched onto and finished by Callum Samuel-Harman but the official on the far side had his flag raised for offside. At the other end Andre Smith beat the Boars offside trap and lifted the ball over the advancing keeper only to see it drift wide of the far post.
A quick break down the left led to the first goal of the game in the 19th minute. George Taylor advanced into the area but instead of shooting passed to Alfie Harburn in space. His shot was charged down but was picked up again by Taylor and he fired across Josh Selby and into the bottom corner. 1-0
Eversley & California’s defence was looking at 6s & 7s as they were constantly caught by the ball through the middle of the defence for the runner but managed to scramble away. A floated Savvas Barima corner from the right was met by a weak punch from Selby and Oscar Syms tried a flick shot over his head but he was leaning back and it was always going over.
A nice turn on the edge of the area from Eversley’s Will May opened up some space but he dragged his shot wide. In the 39th minute a tussle in the area resulted in a clumsy challenge bringing Andre Smith down with the referee pointing to the spot. Smith calmly sending Selby the wrong way to double the Yellows lead. 2-0
H-T: Bedfont 2 Eversley & California 0
There was a slight delay to the start of the second half after the hosts managed to lock themselves in their dressing room and had to be released. You really couldn’t make it up!
The second half began in much the same vein, Bedfont on top and looked more likely to add to their lead than the visitors getting back into it. A nice Harburn pass down the left was picked up by Taylor, rolled into the path of Smith and his powerful right foot shot was saved well by Selby at the near post.
Slowly the visitors were edging back into the game and having a bigger share of the possession. A nice angled through ball picked out the run of Samuel-Harman but a heavy first touch was picked up by George Armstrong in the Bedfont goal.
A lofted pass from the right was beautifully flicked on by Taylor to Smith who had time but crashed his shot against the post. Eversley continued to try to get back into the game but were guilty of too many loose passes giving possession away. On one such occasion an intended through ball was anticipated by the impressive Cissokho on halfway and he ran on into the visitors box, his shot saved by the legs of Selby and squirmed across the six yard box before being cleared.
Eversley threw caution to the wind in the last ten and managed to push the hosts back. A corner was cleared then hooked towards the goal but too high and a Samuel-Harman free kick was met with a solid header by Callum Sullivan but wide of the upright.
F-T: Bedfont 2 Eversley & California 0
Att: 43
A comfortable win for the home side today, playing some nice football and looked dangerous every time they went forward. With two home wins in a week this is a decent start from the Yellows this season and a good base to build from.
Eversley will be disappointed, it looked a sluggish performance from the visitors who never really got going and gave possession away far too much. They’ll be looking for an improved performance when they take on Woodley on Tuesday.
An enjoyable day out at the Orchard and I’m sure I’ll visit again in the future!
Best of luck to both teams for the rest of the 24/25 season.