24 Minutes to Tulse Hill

My plans to overdose on football over Christmas were dealt a cruel blow by the remaining snow. I had been looking forward to a traditional Boxing Day visit to Orient and that bit the dust early on. That was a wee frustrating as having decided to cut back on Orient the times I actually want to seem to be cursed. I imagine that Dagenham & Redbridge fans were even more disappointed after having been told that their game was definitely on after a pitch inspection on Christmas Eve. That proved to be an incurable case of optimism or an attack of the stupids. In planning the games I was going see over Christmas I had tried to make sure that I would go to new places and see new teams but in the end there wasn't much choice. I had been to Carshalton for the first time back in September as I rediscovered the charms of non-league football and although I had enjoyed the game against Tunbridge Wells in the FA Cup I hadn't planned on going back any time soon. However once the Tooting-Kingstonian derby was postponed Carshalton's game against Sutton United was the only realistic alternative.

This was a good thing. I would guess that football fans of a certain age have a soft spot for Sutton. Unless they are fans of a sky blue variety. They are the kind of non-league club who enjoy some kind of national renown and they play in Amber & chocolate. What's not to like? That's the thing about local rivalry though; One more reason for Carshalton to hate them.

One man and his dog type attendances are the sort of tired cliches that surround non-league football propagated by people who have never been within sniffing distance of a non-league ground. They would probably claim that this is representative of what you can expect:

And, it certainly can be. However this derby might suprise people. My favourite thing about Carshalton's ground is the covered terrace that runs the length of the pitch opposite the clubhouse and this was more representative of the day:

In spite of the hatred being expressed it was all quite benign though some of the bescarved Tooting fans in the bar looked genuinely disdainful but they were still there for a footy fix. Carshalton staff and officials were pleased to see the visiting fans and their wallets and made sure that Sutton knew an extra bar had been opened for them although their seemed to be a healthy mix of fans in the home bar. They were rewarded for their hospitality and efforts in getting the game on with a crowd in excess of 1000.

It would be great to report that it was a fantastic game but that would be a lie. But it did the trick and took away the pangs that 2 weeks without football had given me. I missed Sutton's first goal queuing in the bar in first half injury time but they extended their lead early in the second period and never had to get out of first gear as they cemented their hold on first play in the Ryman Premier Division. First prize goes to the Carshalton hardcore who 5 minutes after the final whistle were still treating the Sutton fans to a beer fuelled rendition of the not oft heard classic - "2-nil and you still don't sing" That's some sort of moral victory! Am now tempted by the prospect of another derby in this neck of the woods when Sutton host Tooting on New Year's Day. I wonder if they'll make a noise that Carshalton would approve of in that one?