Friday Freebie: The season's ending but the content continues

One more to go

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Regular readers and followers of my social media outlets will know I get to a lot of games across the season for a variety of reasons. Some because I am friends with players or managers or club personnel, some have invited me down to watch and know they’ll get some free publicity through the afternoon and on this blog.

Some clubs intrigue me, either they’re doing well, progressive on or off the pitch or there’s a good feel about the place. And of course some have excellent food options that have to be tested out!

Others take my work during the course of the season and I feel it right to pop along at least once during the year as a thank you, it’s the minimum and the least I can do.

I’m certainly not a groundhopper, I visit the same grounds and clubs for those very reasons above, wouldn’t be ticking off much on a list that’s for sure.

But now we’re into the final few games of the season. My own will come to an end this Saturday afternoon, but not at Wembley Stadium as I expected, but more leafy Hassocks in West Sussex.

At this point of the season I expected to find a cup final or two to round things off after the play-offs. And that is where I struck lucky with the Peter Bentley Cup Final for the afternoon.

Champions of the Southern Combination Steyning Town host beaten play off semi-finalists Crowborough Athletic in a bid to sign off with the double before summer planning starts for the Isthmian League South East Division. The Crows were in the title talk until two weeks before the end of the season and will be keen to finish the season off in style as well.

During the week Wick FC hosted the delayed semi-final between Midhurst & Easebourne and Steyning, the former reinstated after Haywards Heath were removed for fielding an ineligible player.

Neither had played a competitive game for a week and half but The Barrowmen were quickly into their stride. Being a very possession based side it was no surprise to see them dominate the ball but they had to wait until the 17^th minute for the opening goal.

Charlie Meehan shot away down the right and crossed for Harry Shooman to bundle home from close range. The second goal arrived nine minutes later Shooman again on hand to net his double.

Just before the half hour mark Mark Goldson had a glorious chance to increase the lead but after striding clear of the back four he fired wide of the target when you would’ve bet on him to hit the target.

Two minutes later Shooman thought he had his hat-trick but the ball cannoned back off the post and back into play. However, they did capitalise on an under hit back pass, Shooman clear on goal but crossing instead for Joe Radley Martin to hit the fourth before half time and effectively the game won.

The same player then also hit the post just before the whistle, Steyning could have been completely out of sight by the interval.

The second half didn’t set the world alight and was a coasting performance from Steyning, Midhurst just unable to fashion any chances with the game well gone by half time.

They did however add a fifth goal right on the stroke of full time, Shooman managed to complete his hat-trick with a fine header to put the gloss on the performance and some good form before the final at the weekend.

Despite the lack of playing time the performance was on point as we’ve seen from The Barrowmen this season, going forward they are impressive on both wings and keep possession tidily.

Midhurst did their best to press and harass in the first half but the ball was moved so well they chased shadows for the majority of the game, Saturday afternoon should be a much different proposition for Steyning.

Thank you very much for reading this article. The season might be coming to an end but the blogging doesn’t stop and there will be plenty of content to come, so please consider taking out a full subscription if you haven’t already and have enough to get you through the summer.