Return To Farnborough - Farnborough vs. St Albans

Kick off a Cherrywood Road.

For the second time this year, I headed to Farnborough for a game. This time I went to Cherrywood Road to watch second placed Farnborough at home to rock bottom St Albans. St Albans are well adrift at the bottom of the table following a 10 point deduction for financial irregularity. Farnborough on the over hand are having a fantastic season in their first season at this level following promotion from the Southern League. The construction of a new stand behind one of the goals suggests that they are aiming for the Premier Division and possibly the league.

First half action with the new stand in the background.

I'm genuinely going to struggle to write anything at all about the first half. Farnborough have a lot of the ball but St Albans manage to frustrate them and restrict the home side to long range efforts. St Albans manage to break out a couple of times but fail to find the final killer ball. Despite all of Farnborough's possession, the back two for St Albans look very comfortable. Half time arrives with neither goal keeper having to make a save and the teams go in level.

Other area of covered seating. The more vocal fans stand in far right corner of this stand.

In the second half Farnborough continue to have most of the possession but fail to do anything with it. The first major incident happens the St Albans goalkeeper picks up a back pass and then refuses to give the ball back. This leads to a mass brawl which involves most of the players on the pitch. The referee only books two players which is a sensible decision. The free kick comes to nothing but Farnborough take the lead shortly after.The keeper fails to deal with a cross and following a scramble the Farnborough player puts the ball in the net. The game then opens up as the visitors have to attack but there are no further chances of note and Farnborough move up to second.

Semi covered standing behind the other goal.

To get to the ground you actually walk past Cove's ground and Cherrywood Road is another fifteen minutes up the road. There is also the 'yo-yo' bus which stops outside the ground every ten minutes. As with Cove there is the Thatched Cottage pub on the way to the ground. The clubhouse is large and serves some real ales. It also has Sky Sports. Trains depart from London Waterloo and take forty minutes and depart on a regular basis.

The massive Southern League winners shied which is in the clubhouse.