25th January 2006
   

Why do we never get to play here at either end of the season but only in mid-Winter? A bitter evening.
   

This ground couldn’t be mistaken for any other venue. Plush sports halls on either side, lots of floodlit pitches within the complex, all situated at considerable tax payers’ expense within a decidedly dodgy part of London. At night, Canary Wharf twinkles as a mocking backdrop to a bit of London that the developers have so far singularly failed to spot. The bulk of the team got lost on the way (Ian Hayes was blamed, Barry Vincer buttered up the officials with tales of ‘an accident in the Blackwall Tunnel’). I took a taxi from London Bridge, sensing this to be the safest option, but had to endure a driver who became ever more spluttering in his racist comments the closer we got to Mile End.
   

The opening of the sports centre means there is now warmth at half-time, a vending machine, and loos.
   

I’m not going to knock this because it must be soul-destroying to be the editor, when you know it is going to be read by so few. The non-Hythe contingent could have all fitted within a single taxi of their own.
   

It was 6.2 and could have been 16.2, literally. Sinders hit four, at a rate of roughly one goal per five good chances. He certainly won the award for miss of the season when he rounded the keeper and somehow failed to find the empty net. But let’s not become too dismissive of another stonking win against this lot. After all, they actually sit above us in the league, managed to draw against tonight’s opponents in the League Cup and recently won 4.1 against Greenwich Borough. It was also gratifying to see the commitment of the players in making themselves available for tonight and then competing strongly, especially given that it was only a couple of days earlier that they were running their socks off in front of 441 people. Kieron Byrne made a lively full debut. Terry King is an absolutely ace club man and happily turned up yet again, in contrast to others who throw their toys out of the pram if they don’t get to play (I have yet to see him play badly when he has come on, incidentally, although I think that on tonight’s showing, perhaps he is not a centre-forward!). And let’s give some credit to Sporting Bengal, who showed none of the histrionics of the past, battled away, and scored the best goal of the match with their second.
   

Richard Giles said it had to go to Sinders and I usually agree with him (it’s easier that way) but on this occasion I think I am going to give it to Jason Brazier who, as against Winchester, had a fine game in midfield.
   

Their usual friendly selves.
   

Mr Rogers was fine, although neither side gave him any problems. One of the assistants was a bit erratic but who wouldn’t be, out there running the line in the twilight zone by the running track?
   

As usual, all my fellow Hythe Towners, on and off the pitch. If you don’t come along to away matches, why not give it a try?
   

The taxi driver was not a highlight - every Sporting Bengal official was worth ten of him. But I am still not sure that if it takes 20 minutes to get from a ground back into Kent that this is really a Kent League club, for all their efforts in the face of adversity and apathy.