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| The main stand positioned behind the floodlights |
It is a very long time since I saw a game at Wadham Lodge. The last time I was there the home team was called Walthamstow Pennant. One of the reasons for the big gap is that for a long time I didn't watch non league football. At around the time I went to university I just sort of stopped. No big decision to do so and I certainly didn't grow out of it. Having seen Waltham Forest a few times at Ilford I didn't get round to catching a game last season when they returned to Wadham Lodge so by any measure I was overdue a visit. What surprised me most was how unchanged it felt. I think it's probably fair to say that Wadham Lodge, along with a few other grounds in this corner of north east London is not overly loved by the neutral. It may not have a huge amount of character but it does it's job. The main, only, stand is a way back from the pitch and has views impeded by the floodlights but the covered terraces behind the goals are decent and the raised terrace opposite the main stand between the dugouts fights off the encroaching undergrowth to provide a decent vantage point. The crowd wasn't really a crowd. The attendance of 84 seemed to be mainly made up of friends and family of the players, some Orient fans who didn't fancy the trip to Oldham and some visiting Hoddesdon Town fans and officials (a quarter of the total according to their website). Most of those you could accurately call Waltham Forest fans were probably also officials.
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| Black & White shot in an attempt to mask photographic ineptitude |
It is a problem that many clubs faced but does seem to be particularly difficult for clubs in this part of London. It is a real shame for a club that can rightfully (though sadly not legally) claim a lineage back to the formation of the original Leyton club in 1868. However, locally Orient struggle for crowds. Even with last season's spectacular exploits didn't bring people through the turnstiles in the way you might expect. A club playing the Essex Senior League has a real job on its hands. Walthamstow is a boom town at the moment with house prices at insane level and gentrification happening at a frightening pace. That process doesn't seem to involve embracing the local football. I shouldn't bang on too much. As noted earlier I didn't come at all last season so should count myself as part of the problem.
The match itself didn't really take off. While it never descended to the kind of hoofball that can sometimes prevail at step 5 neither side got the pulses running. Until Waltham Forest took the lead at the end of the first half the only talking point had been a penalty call for Hoddesdon that seemed so nailed on it was difficult to understand how the ref waved play on. I should probably mention that I chose this game as the first one I would take both my daughters to. They're 6 & 3 and not very interested in football. This 'may' have affected my ability to concentrate. I have read a report that explained the non-award of the penalty as being due to offside. I'm sure I'd have noticed the flag and no-one else I spoke to saw it.
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| Waltham Forest Failing to Punish Hoddesdon |
The second half provided slightly better entertainment. Hoddesdon equalised fairly promptly though I confess I remember nothing about it. Both sides carved out chances but it fell to Hoddesdon to win it. An injury time corner caused the proverbial chaos in the box and was eventually rammed home.
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| A Chance for Hoddesdon Town |
As always non league football keeps on giving. An early contender for non league player name of the season is Hoddesdon's captain, Barrington Brotherton.
Oops - Waltham Forest's white & blue kit didnt clash with the visitors' blue & white combo as much it looked like it would as the teams ran out.
Hoddesdon's shirts are emblazoned with Nonna's Sicilian Kitchen and a monochrome portrait of Nonna herself. A sponsor to rival Rochdale's classic All-in-One Garden Centre watering can motif.
It only happens in non league - I'm sure substitutes find a surreptitious ways of reliving themselves at all levels of the game but the Hoddesdon method was just to piss on the back of the dugouts.
It only happens in non league pt 2 - As the Hoddesdon right back came over to take a throw in the final seconds of the 90 he grabbed my wrist to get a better look at my watch. They scored very shortly afterwards so maybe my time-check galvanised them.
I had planned another FA Cup game today but it didn't come off. Looking at the lack of goals in the games I was thinking of going to it looks like I dodged a bullet. However, Wembley have a home replay on Tuesday. What could be a bigger cliché than writing about the early rounds of the FA Cup in the context of Wembley FC. I'll head off there if I can work out what a Cogenhoe is!
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