If you look hard enough you will find a non-league team closer than you think. Unless you live with one literally next door you can probably find one that you can walk to, or dare I say it, cycle. Of course there are always definitions as to what exactly constitutes a Non League team but to me I class it as one that could reach Wembley in the FA Trophy or Vase.
The reason why I had never seen them was that a) We do not live anywhere near Cray Valley, and b) There isn’t a Paper Mills near our house. How was I to know that they moved to Eltham some years ago but had never managed to shed the Paper Mills part of their name (and that the river Cray was now 6 miles away). The club had been promoted to the Kent Premier League last season and were admitted to the level below the Ryman League despite the fact they didn’t have floodlights or stands. So having cycled passed the ground on dozens of occasions you can understand why I never knew there was a team playing there.
But I was here to put that right. There always seems to be something cathartic about cycling or walking to a game. Almost as if you feel refreshed or pure. So heading down the Middle Park Avenue in Eltham with the wind in my hair I passed a car full of Charlton Athletic fans heading off to the Valley. I smiled, thinking of their pain shortly as they would fight for a space around the ground and then afterwards I would be home in front of the TV before James Alexander Gordon had fired up those legendary tones for the first time. Actually, because Cray Valley do not yet have floodlights it was a certainty I would be home by 5.01pm because they were kicking off at 2pm.
“1-0 already?” I asked the buxom barmaid…..”no love, 2-0″…
I looked at the clock – it was 2.05pm. How could I have missed two goals? I necked my pint and went outside, knowing my luck that there wouldn’t be anymore goals.
Cray Valley Paper Mills 4 Erith & Belvedere 2 – Badgers Mount – Saturday 3rd December 2011
I was wrong. This turned out to be a cracking game with four more goals. Allen and Tanner had given the home team a two goal cushion within the first few minutes but all of the running was being made by third place Erith & Belvedere.
The Deres, as they are known don’t actually play in Erith or Belvedere. Erith Town play in Erith whilst the Deres play at Welling United. Clubs playing in places that have nothing to do with their name seems common in this league. We have already mentioned Cray Valley, but there is also Greenwich Borough, who actually play in the Borough of Bromley, Woodstock who don’t play anywhere near Oxford and of course Corinthian do not play anywhere near the Peloponnese.
The second half saw the winter sun setting over the ground, shooting golden rays across the pitch. The bright light was affecting the Deres keeper who had forgotten to pack a cap and was having a bit of a mare in the second period. First he saw an effort from distance beat him all ends up, but the ball hit the underside of the bar. The third goal wasn’t long in coming when Knuckey scored on the hour and then three minutes later it was four when Springett headed in from close range.
It finished 4-2 to the home side, an upset on current form but deserved over the ninety minutes. The clock said 3.46pm. It was too tempting not to wasn’t it? Just fifteen minutes away was Oakley Road, home of Homesdale FC and their tenants Greenwich Borough, who were playing Corinthian. I could get there just in time for the second half. Should I? Could I? Well what do you think…..
More photos from an excellent afternoon out can be found here.