Six games from 7.45pm Friday night until 5.00pm on Sunday evening sounds like a football fan’s dream and that is what we had around the County last weekend as the 2023 SCEFL Ground hop took place and we sent Mike Green along – well to half of it at least! 

Friday night football is somehow always special and to be fair to all at Martyn Grove, Lordswood made it a very enjoyable night, and for “locals” making their first visits of the season since there was a change in the club’s hierarchy would have been impressed with what they found and on the pitch they saw a young home side play against a Corinthian side who were relegated to SCEFL from the Isthmian League last season. 

And it was the away side who were to score the first goal of the Hop as skipper Jamie Billings (cousin I believe of Kent cricketer Sam) thumped home a free kick into the bottom corner to just about deservedly give the visitors the lead at the break. 

The home side responded well after the break but did need a touch of good fortune as they equalised with a twice taken penalty from James Jeffrey.

The Lordswood striker admitted afterwards that the first kick that there’s a “problem” with the spot at that end of the pitch.

But he did confess that it was a dreadful kick and was saved by the keeper – but the referee decided that the keeper had moved and so Jeffrey placed the kick in the opposite corner, but only just squeezed it into the bottom corner. 

So, honours even and onto Saturday and sadly other commitments meant that the three Saturday games – at Rochester United, Faversham Town and Whitstable Town – passed me by, but by all accounts, a good day was had by all in the sunshine. 

We got back on the Hop for its’ conclusion along the coast and where better to be in gloriously warm sunshine than at the Kent seaside, and all paths Sunday morning led across the Romney Marsh to Lydd Town’s Lyndsey Field for a game against Snodland Town.

The Groundhoppers coach was already parked up as well as a bright orange “high performance” car parked behind the club house.  

Glorious surroundings in glorious sunshine – oh how I love the county we call home. 

To the game itself and the visitors should have been in front early on, but had a chance cleared off the line before the same player – Charlie Dickens – headed the home side in front at the other end. You could not have written that script!!! 

Charlie Webster added the home side’s second before half time and despite playing the better football, Snodland were two down at the break and in the early stages they were indebted to keeper Adam Molloy for a couple of terrific saves to keep the score at 0-2.

Snodland had late chances but never really threatened and the final whistle signalled the start of the exodus and dash up the coast to the final destination of the weekend.  

Last time I personally had visited the Charles Ground in Deal was 23 years ago in the FA Vase First Round – the first (and sadly only) Vase game they played in the defence of the trophy after that incredible afternoon in 2000, and in truth the ground has changed markedly since, with the exception of the white brick building in the corner that is the dressing room. 

The game itself against rock bottom Kennington was a strange one and the first half looked like the players had enjoyed the weather a bit too much. 

The second period woke any slumbers in the sunshine up in some fashion – two goals, one each for the Chapmans (both created by Billy Munday); a Kennington sin binning for protesting the first goal and two straight red cards for the home side; both if I’m honest probably deserved from where I was now sitting in the shade out of the baking Sunday afternoon sun.  

The crowd were loud and fully behind their side as they sealed a seventh win in a row in all competitions to end what was a hugely successful weekend and the 2023 SCEFL Ground Hop was done. 

Huge congrats to the organisers and to the football fans across the County and beyond as the crowds were magnificent – 324 at Lordswood; 279 at Rochester; 563 at Faversham; 682 at Whitstable; 295 at Lydd and finally 535 at Deal.

Of course, the amazing weather helped, but the glorious sunshine just added to the occasions – roll on 2024 and hopefully the next one…