A Bank Holiday Monday when neither the Premier League or Championship are playing means a Bank Holiday Monday when you journey to and from the game without the usual sounds. Nothing on Five Live and regular programming on the other stations. Coupled with a guy who lives opposite the ground asking you why there’s a match on and you could be forgiven for thinking that this is not really a time and place for football. And, given the match that was then offered, maybe this point of view was shared by the two teams involved.
To be fair this is a tough gig for players at this level. Play hard on Saturday and then 48 hours later you go again. But even with that understanding this was a very hard game to love. Hastings were by far the better team – and had enough of the ball to win by more than the 2-0 they managed – and yet even they went long stretches without gelling. For East Grinstead they had some good play dotted around the pitch, and a few players whose movement caught the eye, but very little came together for them. They will feel a bit hard done by though as it took an own goal and then a rather brilliant second strike to defeat them.
But still, even with low level fayre on offer, this wasn’t a bad way to pass the time. The sun shone and the crowd mostly enjoyed itself. I took some photos and, should you wish, they are here.
Jon's Place 