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Southend-on-Sea
Nov. 22nd, 2021 09:39 pmTo Southend on Saturday for Clapton Community's Essex Premier Cup tie with Leigh Town.
At Portsmouth Harbour station, when I saw the 10.11 train I'd intended to take was cancelled I thought "here we go again". Checking my options on the National Rail Enquiries website, there at least appeared to be no problems with subsequent trains. Took a leap of faith and boarded the 10.29 to Brighton, from which I'd have to change at Three Bridges. Had no trouble catching the connecting train to London Bridge.
In London Bridge tube, the Jubilee Line was blocked off with a noticeboard saying there was no service on that line. A little gathering of people were telling one of the station staff where they were going and he was advising them on the best route. When my turn came I said "Liverpool Street" and the man replied "Bus." He pointed me to one of the exits and said "Bus stop M."
I had a bit of trouble finding bus stop M thanks to a badly drawn map on one of the other stops, but arrived at stop M in time to board a bus that was standing there. The lady in front of me in the queue was asking the driver if he went to St Paul's and he said no, and advised her which bus to catch. I asked "Do you go to Liverpool Street?" He said yes. After I'd sat down the driver waited to let one other guy on.
Over London Bridge, and it wasn't long before we pulled up outside Liverpool Street Station. When I got on to the concourse the board was showing a train calling at Southend Airport about to leave, but I wouldn't have made it to the platform on time. With 20 minutes to the next train, I hit Starbucks, checked out their Christmas menu and went for an excellent fudge brownie hot chocolate.
The Southend Airport Premier Inn might be close to the ground, hence why I chose it, but it's a half-hour walk from the airport and its adjacent train station. Unpacked, put my phone on charge and watched an hour of See No Evil, Hear No Evil on the room telly before making the short walk to the ground.
Got a turkey salad roll and a strawberry and lime Kopparberg from the friendly barmaids in the clubhouse. Paul, Dave and a couple of other Tons fans came in and said hello to me. One home fan, seeing my Tons scarf, asked "Are you from the Spotted Dog?" and said he used to play there against Clapton FC back in the day. There was some excitement about the news that had just broken, that the women's team would have a friendly with Portsmouth Women next day; a few of our fans called the game my derby, a couple even asked who I'd be supporting.
I headed for one of the two little stands. Met Annu on the way there, we had a quick catch-up chat and she asked what number ground this was for me (402). The Brigata were standing at pitchside in front of the stand and had put their banners up. More CCFC fans were dotted through the stand. I sat in the back row, but had to stand all game as everyone else was standing.
The 5.15 kick-off meant the whole game was played in darkness under floodlights, giving the match the feel of an evening game. Leigh, though one step lower, were on fire from the beginning and took the lead after 10 minutes. CCFC went straight down the other end, Fred Taylor was tripped in the penalty box and Briggsy made no mistake from the spot.
Leigh were back in front moments later. Then, almost halfway through the half, Jake Stevens neatly fed Fred who dinked home Tons' equaliser.
Close to midway through the second half Clapton went ahead when sub Arthur Wright struck home a cross-shot from an awkward angle. With the final whistle imminent, though, Leigh notched a poacher's goal to send the tie into extra-time.
All game, from our stand the songs of the Brigata rang out almost non-stop, to the accompaniment of our energetic lady drummer, with three Clapton flags vigorously waved at pitchside throughout.
After Prince Kwakye put Clapton in front in extra-time, the Tons imposed themselves on the game and Arthur made it five. There had been a lot of time added on throughout the match and so it was just before 8pm that the referee finally blew for time. Euphoria in our stand. The players came over and did the call-and-response Yankee Doodle chant with us. I stayed to applaud them all, then said my goodbyes and drifted out of the ground. As I walked around the outside of the sports complex on my way back to the hotel, from the ground you could hear some of our fans still singing.
The Premier Inn adjoined a Beefeater restaurant. Called there for an excellent chargrilled chicken. Later that evening I got a message from a Tons fan that the women's friendly with Portsmouth was off.
Dragged myself from bed early in the morning to get my things together, get a first class hotel breakfast (served in the Beefeater) and walk, not all the way to the Airport station again but to the bus stop, where a bus ran to Rayleigh station. On the bus I saw confirmation on the club's official Twitter that the friendly was cancelled, with no reason given beyond the enigmatic "circumstances beyond our control".
Train to Stratford and tube to Waterloo. There were, with no explanation on display, no trains to Portsmouth running on the Guildford line so I had to take one that went the Basingstoke line, putting an extra hour on my journey. Home to help me ma make the Christmas pudding.
At Portsmouth Harbour station, when I saw the 10.11 train I'd intended to take was cancelled I thought "here we go again". Checking my options on the National Rail Enquiries website, there at least appeared to be no problems with subsequent trains. Took a leap of faith and boarded the 10.29 to Brighton, from which I'd have to change at Three Bridges. Had no trouble catching the connecting train to London Bridge.
In London Bridge tube, the Jubilee Line was blocked off with a noticeboard saying there was no service on that line. A little gathering of people were telling one of the station staff where they were going and he was advising them on the best route. When my turn came I said "Liverpool Street" and the man replied "Bus." He pointed me to one of the exits and said "Bus stop M."
I had a bit of trouble finding bus stop M thanks to a badly drawn map on one of the other stops, but arrived at stop M in time to board a bus that was standing there. The lady in front of me in the queue was asking the driver if he went to St Paul's and he said no, and advised her which bus to catch. I asked "Do you go to Liverpool Street?" He said yes. After I'd sat down the driver waited to let one other guy on.
Over London Bridge, and it wasn't long before we pulled up outside Liverpool Street Station. When I got on to the concourse the board was showing a train calling at Southend Airport about to leave, but I wouldn't have made it to the platform on time. With 20 minutes to the next train, I hit Starbucks, checked out their Christmas menu and went for an excellent fudge brownie hot chocolate.
The Southend Airport Premier Inn might be close to the ground, hence why I chose it, but it's a half-hour walk from the airport and its adjacent train station. Unpacked, put my phone on charge and watched an hour of See No Evil, Hear No Evil on the room telly before making the short walk to the ground.
Got a turkey salad roll and a strawberry and lime Kopparberg from the friendly barmaids in the clubhouse. Paul, Dave and a couple of other Tons fans came in and said hello to me. One home fan, seeing my Tons scarf, asked "Are you from the Spotted Dog?" and said he used to play there against Clapton FC back in the day. There was some excitement about the news that had just broken, that the women's team would have a friendly with Portsmouth Women next day; a few of our fans called the game my derby, a couple even asked who I'd be supporting.
I headed for one of the two little stands. Met Annu on the way there, we had a quick catch-up chat and she asked what number ground this was for me (402). The Brigata were standing at pitchside in front of the stand and had put their banners up. More CCFC fans were dotted through the stand. I sat in the back row, but had to stand all game as everyone else was standing.
The 5.15 kick-off meant the whole game was played in darkness under floodlights, giving the match the feel of an evening game. Leigh, though one step lower, were on fire from the beginning and took the lead after 10 minutes. CCFC went straight down the other end, Fred Taylor was tripped in the penalty box and Briggsy made no mistake from the spot.
Leigh were back in front moments later. Then, almost halfway through the half, Jake Stevens neatly fed Fred who dinked home Tons' equaliser.
Close to midway through the second half Clapton went ahead when sub Arthur Wright struck home a cross-shot from an awkward angle. With the final whistle imminent, though, Leigh notched a poacher's goal to send the tie into extra-time.
All game, from our stand the songs of the Brigata rang out almost non-stop, to the accompaniment of our energetic lady drummer, with three Clapton flags vigorously waved at pitchside throughout.
After Prince Kwakye put Clapton in front in extra-time, the Tons imposed themselves on the game and Arthur made it five. There had been a lot of time added on throughout the match and so it was just before 8pm that the referee finally blew for time. Euphoria in our stand. The players came over and did the call-and-response Yankee Doodle chant with us. I stayed to applaud them all, then said my goodbyes and drifted out of the ground. As I walked around the outside of the sports complex on my way back to the hotel, from the ground you could hear some of our fans still singing.
The Premier Inn adjoined a Beefeater restaurant. Called there for an excellent chargrilled chicken. Later that evening I got a message from a Tons fan that the women's friendly with Portsmouth was off.
Dragged myself from bed early in the morning to get my things together, get a first class hotel breakfast (served in the Beefeater) and walk, not all the way to the Airport station again but to the bus stop, where a bus ran to Rayleigh station. On the bus I saw confirmation on the club's official Twitter that the friendly was cancelled, with no reason given beyond the enigmatic "circumstances beyond our control".
Train to Stratford and tube to Waterloo. There were, with no explanation on display, no trains to Portsmouth running on the Guildford line so I had to take one that went the Basingstoke line, putting an extra hour on my journey. Home to help me ma make the Christmas pudding.
