Robins Boss Top Of The Table Clash - Bosham vs. Langley Wanderers

Clubhouse at Walton Lane

After a short break to see Scunthorpe stroll to victory at Leyton Orient last weekend, it was back to non league this Saturday. There were two top of the table clashes this weekend - Hollands and Blair versus Lydd Town in The Kent Invicita League and Bosham at home to Langley Wanderers in Sussex League Division Three. I opted for the later as Bosham seemed like a more interesting place to visit. I also very nearly came to Bosham after Arundel was postponed a couple of weeks ago but opted for Rustington instead. Bosham were sitting at the top of the table, six points ahead of today's visitors but Langley do have four games in hand. Bosham travel to third place Sidlesham next week and so were coming in to a vital stage of the season. Both teams had scored a lot of goals so far this season - they had both scored 42 goals at the start of play - so it promised to be a great game.

Kick off at Walton Lane

The highlight of the opening exchanges comes when the Bosham winger battles through to the byline but his cross is blocked and the subsequent corners come to nothing. Bosham then score a controversial opener. The Bosham forward is correctly flagged offside by the linesman but the referee opts to play on with the Langley player under significant pressure. He loses the ball and the ball is forced home from the resulting cross much to the justified anger of the away side. Langley are now wound up and the forward is lucky not to even receive a booking for a heavy challenge in front of the dugouts. Langley then begin to settle down and put some pressure on the Bosham goal. The home defence is just about able to clear a dangerous cross into the area. The game now becomes very open and the Langley keeper then makes a terrific save to tip a rasping drive on to the cross bar. It is then the Bosham keeper who makes arguably an even better save from very close range after a good cross from the right. Bosham score a second when the right winger escapes his marker and he squares the ball to his team mate who hammers the ball home to double the lead. In the closing stages of the first half, the Langley number ten just can't connect with another dangerous cross.

Bosham attack in the first half

Langley have the first attack of the first half and the Bosham defence manages to block a couple of shots on goal. Bosham's first chance of the half comes when the ball comes to the forward at the edge of the box but he drags his shot wide. Bosham get the third when the ball comes to the Bosham attacker and he keeps his feet as he gets in to the box and he slots the ball home. Bosham are now rampant and the bounce deceives the forward after the ball is pulled back to him in the area. The Bosham winger is then able to get into a good shooting position and it takes a brilliant saving tackle to stop him getting a shot in. Langley's first effort on goal for a short while is a long range effort which goes just wide of the upright. Not for the first time season, I miss a goal while in the toilet and it is Bosham who score it to go four nil up. In the closing stages, the Bosham winger gets in behind the defence but he greedily shoots when probably should have squared it to his team mate in the middle. They do get a fifth when the Langley goalie is wrong footed by a speculative long range effort to seal the win.

A first half Langley ball into the area.

As I mentioned earlier, I chose Bosham on the basis that it looked a more interesting place to visit. The place has a lot of history and is even mentioned on The Bayeux Tapestry. It is well worth getting there early enough to have a walk around the bay on the waterside road if the tide is out! There are no direct trains from London to Bosham. You have to take a train from Victoria to Barnham and change there for a train to Bosham. The journey takes the best part of two hours. The ground is then a fifteen minute walk from the station. If you do get there early enough for a walk around the bay then it is worth visiting The Anchor Bleu which had a number of ales on. In between the bay and Walton Lane is The Berkley Arms which is a good half way house. The clubhouse and the club in general is extremely friendly and everyone was keen to hear where I'd come from for the game. They also produce a brilliant match day programme and is yet another reason to visit Bosham on a Saturday. On the way back to the station I popped in to The White Swan which is perfect for a drink while waiting for your train. 

The crowd at Walton Lane