Saturday 17th December 2022 3pm – The Isthmian League South East Division – Southwood Road, Ramsgate
It had been a week like no other. I know we always say that when it is too hot, too cold or too wet but the sub-zero temperatures had decimated Non-League football up and down the country. Whilst there were signs of a thaw, we still had to get through one further night of freezing temperatures.
Many clubs took the early option, being allowed to consult with match officials 24 hours before kick off and call games off. Others chose to do what they could with preparation for the freezing night ahead and hope the forecast warmer (ha!) temperatures on Saturday morning would be enough. That was our strategy at Lewes and if we had been playing a local derby, where the away team were committed to be traveling so early, then we may just have got our game on. Alas, at 9:45am, with one area of the pitch still semi-frozen, the game was postponed.
Of course I’d had one eye on alternative fixtures but they had also been dropping like flies. Situations like this bring out the armchair experts who don’t quite understand a) the process clubs have to go through to get a game on or off, b) the availability of willing hands to help and c) the myth of the “all weather” pitches.
I’ve heard the statement so often in my time at Lewes. “If we had just installed a 3G then we wouldn’t have these issues” asks the fans, assuming that the £1m it costs to lay one is found from behind the sofa. “You’ll make that back in a year or so through renting it out”. Not quite – a 3G pitch depreciates based on usage – heavy usage means the shock pad, the spongy surface layer that stops it playing like QPR’s ground in the 1980s, needs replacing in the medium term at significant cost. You also incur the costs of opening a ground up, electricity and staffing. Factors that are often ignored or forgotten.
There was no coincidence in that of the seven Isthmian League games that were still going ahead by 11am, six were on 3G pitches (the seventh was on the warmer climes of Guernsey). “You see” say the 3G advocates, but likewise, five other games due to be played on 3G pitches had been cancelled. It isn’t as simple as sweeping the snow off the surface on a 3G – doing that will also remove the rubber crumb that is essential to maintain the structure of the artificial grass.
It appears down on the Isle of Thanet and the Kent coast, the temperatures were a few degrees higher than elsewhere in the South East which led to the games at Sheppey United, Margate (a friendly), Folkestone Invicta and Ramsgate going ahead. Faced with a choice of household chores, Bluewater (A) or a 75 minute drive down to the home of
The biggest news of the week in these parts wasn’t the team’s position at the top of the Isthmian League South East but the appearance of a “Penguin imposter” on the beach. The little Guillemot caused quite a stir when he was mistaken for a penguin by a jogger who posted a video on Social Media, causing a local news frenzy. The good news is that the bird is being cared for by staff at Briar House vets in Broadstairs and will be moved to an animal welfare site for recuperation.
The football club are certainly enjoying life this season. The installation of their 3G last year has seen more investment in the squad and as a consequence a rise up the table, sitting atop as we approach the half-way point of the season. Whilst the 3G has transformed the club, the ground is still relatively untouched over the years. It is without a doubt one of the biggest “grounds” in the Non-Leagues, now even more visible with the installation of the new pitch. Large areas behind both goals and in front of the main stand certainly give Ramsgate the potential to host big crowds, but with just under 500 in the house for this one, it did feel “roomy”. I’m sure the club has ambitious plans for the future which will see them maximise the space they have available over time and when finances allow.
To be honest the game never got going. Chichester lost winger Tom Chalaye after 20 minutes to a nasty injury, whilst the home side forced a couple of corners but never showed that top of the table dominance. Even a couple of fans I spoke to couldn’t put their finger on why the season had gone so well – not a bad place to be I suppose!
The stunning sunset was the highlight of the second half as both sides tried to warm up the crowd as the temperature plunged. Perhaps we were expecting too much, having been starved of football for a whole 10 days. In the grand scheme of things, it was a point gained for Ramsgate rather than 2 points lost as they extended their lead at the top of the table.
In a few days time when temperatures “soar” we will forget this one but come the end of the season just how important will the point be?
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