Truly Isthmian

Carshalton Athletic  5  East Grinstead Town  1

Isthmian League – First Division South

It seems I wasn’t alone in my cunning little plan.

As we boarded the train at West Sutton, some of the very same individuals who had jogged round from Gander Green Lane, were now walking at a pace down Colston Avenue for game two, along with myself.

The home of Carshalton Athletic is no more than five minutes from the station, and as the rain continued to pour, a queue was forming at the turnstiles as some of the reported crowd of 343 made their way in.

Colston Avenue is a cracking ground, with the focal point being the huge covered terrace that runs the full length of the pitch. It’s noticeable that the artificial pitch has a steep drop off at one end once beyond the touchline, while at the opposite end it rises up. This suggested the pitch was once on a slope, and the contours of the stand roof would also suggest that as they step down at periodic intervals from one end to the other.

THAT Terrace - At Which Point I think A Little Bit Of Wee Came Out

A modern seated stand sits opposite, with the clubhouse adjacent, while beyond the goal at the car park end is a further narrow covered terrace. Completing cover on all four sides of the ground is a smaller covered terrace behind the opposite goal.

Like Sutton, it’s a mixture of the traditional and the modern, thankfully in terms of tradition that fantastic old terrace remains untouched, and long may it stay that way.

Make no mistake about it, Carshalton Athletic are part of the Isthmian League fabric, joining in 1973 from the Athenian League, and then spending every year since in the league barring a two season stint from 2004 to 2006 in the Conference South.

Seat Boys - Give Us A Song

The bulk of their Isthmian life has been spent in the Premier Division, but over recent seasons they have found themselves uncharacteristically in the First Division South. This season they are well placed in third place behind Lewes and Cray Wanderers, so clearly the loyal fan base will be hoping it’s the season that they return to pastures more familiar.

Visitors East Grinstead Town from Sussex are not having such a good season, residing in the bottom four, but due to restructuring only one side goes down and that team (Shoreham) are already seemingly needing snookers to stay up.

Following a perfectly observed minutes silence to honour the great Cyrille Regis, Carshalton opened positively. Omar Koroma scored the opening goal from the penalty spot in the 14^th minute after he himself had been up-ended. The same player then nodded home Athletic’s second goal just before the break, and for my money had made the game safe.

A mistake by Risheet Lal in the Grinstead goal just after half time gave Ola Sogbanmu the chance to lob the ball into an empty net, and then in the 70^th minute Rocky Korboa raced away to slot home the fourth.

The Steep Slope Down To The Terraces

Grinstead, backed by a handful of vocal supporters, pulled a goal back through Isaac Hutchinson, but the four goal margin was restored in added time when Hamilton Academical bound Mickel Miller was fouled in the box and despatched the resultant spot kick past Lal.

It was a routine victory for a confident Carshalton side who simply had too much pace and movement on the day. Grinstead didn’t play badly, but they were well beaten by a better team.

I managed a few words in the closing stages with Paul Brockett, a Ripon based Hopper who I bump into from time to time, he was also on the train from the North East with friends, such was the attraction of the two fixtures.

I made the train to Victoria with a couple of minutes to spare, and then was forced to queue for a time while the fans of Crystal Palace who were returning from Arsenal, were ushered from the tube to the mainline.

It Was Raining So I Didn't Bother Going Round That End

Otherwise, it was a smooth journey back to Euston and into a crowded Royal George pub before my train North. Arsenal fans were in the majority, but at five pounds plus a pint, I chose to only stay for a couple.

The train to Birmingham was rammed, it was the slower variety and full of squealing families, but eventually we arrived in good time for the return to Derby and a steady walk across town to the bus station for the last leg of what had been an epic day.

Mrs H had kindly left me some supper out, and over some garlic bread I could reflect on another cracking day out courtesy of the quirks and intricacies of our rail pricing structures.

Need to start scouring those fixtures for the next early kick off, Bromley or Woking would do very nicely indeed!  

Isthmian Encapsulated