Wealdstone (Saturday, February 16)

SATURDAY FEBRUARY 16

Wealdstone 2 Margate 1

MY driver for the day announces we are off to Wealdstone in the Ryman Premier League on the basis that he recently discovered a ‘drop-dead-gorgeous’ matchday poster on the website and has already printed one off for me. Good friend!

I arrive at Grosvenor Vale to find several Margate fans queuing to get in. I ask a Wealdstone official about a programme and he directs me to the clubhouse.

I ask in the clubhouse and am told they are on the gate. Everyone in here seems to have one, though! Local programmes for local people, perhaps?

I pay £10 at the gate and finally manage to get my hands on the elusive programme (£2). It’s a double issue and is an absolute beauty: a great effort.

I get plenty of time to read it while waiting for the food bar to open (2.30pm) and the queue doesn’t subside until half an hour into the second half!!

Those servers desperately need help. Oddly contrasting with this inefficiency, the floodlights are unnecessarily blazing away on this bright afternoon before the food bar even opens.

My hunt for a teamsheet proves fruitless. Two officials tell me the sheets are always delivered to them in their little hut.

None arrive so I take my place on the terraces. I like the ground and there is a good atmosphere with 647 fans inside. A minute’s silence is announced to mark the recent death of George Munt, a Wealdstone stalwart.

As the crowd readies itself, the players kick off and start the match!! Very odd. A first minute goal by the visitors stuns  the home crowd. With no change by half time, I resume my quest for a teamsheet.

An official in the boardroom is very unhelpful. OK, I don’t have a divine right to a teamsheet but a few manners wouldn’t  go amiss; after all, he is representing his club!

In a thrilling finish, the Stones unbelievably sneak two late goals to snatch the points.

I enjoyed my visit to Wealdstone, though one or two niggling issues need to be addressed to make it fully satisfactory.

[email protected]