Glebe (2) 3
Erith Town (0) 0
Headcount: 45
Entrance: Free
Programme: None issued
Mileage: 76/76
You are told when you a child and fall off your bike, get straight back on. This weekend I should have been in Paris for a classic European Championship Quarter Final with England playing the hosts France, instead I'm at a sports ground in Chislehurst watching a random pre-season friendly with cricket being played on an adjoining pitch. But it's the start of a new season; time to put that disappointment to bed and get back on the bike (metaphorically speaking).
One of the few joys of pre-season (let's face it the football is never great) is getting to grounds outside of the Leagues in which your clubs play; time for the groundhopper in me to tick off a few boxes. Glebe, this season in the newly-formed Southern Counties East Division One, were a good opportunity. Having watched their exciting Kent Invicta Trophy Final back in May in which they won the trophy in extra time against Sutton Athletic and given there were only two choices of matches in Kent, one of which was being played on a 3G school pitch, it was a good time to tick Glebe off the list. Sadly, even that plan ended in disappointment to a certain extent.
Presumably because, at this early stage of the summer, their pitch was not ready to be played upon, the game was switched to the sports field behind their clubhouse. The Old Elthamians Cricket Ground had a football pitch roped off for the match and beyond that a cricket match was in progress. A glance inside Glebe's Foxbury Avenue ground saw a small, but perfectly formed, grandstand and, what appeared to be, a set of brand new floodlight pylons. Everything looked to be in good order and, if anything is needed at all, it would not take much to bring it up to SCEL Premier League standard.
There was no programme or team sheet so the reporting is going to be a little on the sparse side. Glebe dominated the game from the outset and went ahead after 14 minutes with a sweetly struck shot curling into the top corner. After 28 minutes they doubled their advantage when the inside left tucked a shot underneath the goalkeeper.
The second half progressed quietly along with the sound of leather on willow only punctuated by the voice of a frustrated Ian Jenkins, Erith's manager, on the sidelines.
Glebe wrapped up the game with ten minutes remaining when a through ball saw the goalscorer round the keeper and touch it into the unguarded net.
It wasn't Paris, it wasn't even Glebe (that is to be ticked off properly at a later date), but season 2016-17 is up and running.
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