Chichester City v Hamlet (Isthmian League) Tuesday 1st October 2024

[Pink Panther]

Travelling to this one on a Tuesday night is a real mission, but it can just about be done by train. Direct trains from London run half hourly from Victoria to Chichester via Clapham Junction and East Croydon, journey time around 90 minutes. (It's the Bognor Regis and Portsmouth Harbour service.) There are no direct trains back after the final whistle. The first option involves a half hour wait for a connection at Havant, taking you into Waterloo via Clapham Junction. The preferred option for me personally is to stay for a leisurely (and hopefully celebratory) post-match pint before taking the later 2241 service to Three Bridges, where there's a 10 minute wait for a connecting Thameslink service calling at East Croydon (0025), then Blackfriars (0050), but not London Bridge.

The ground looks to be around 15 minutes walk from the station, going straight through the centre to the northern edge of town, with a generous selection of pubs to choose from. There are 6 current Good Beer Guide entries, of which The Bell (local microbrewery beers) is closest to the ground. The Hole in the Wall (Big Smoke Brewing Co) and The Escapist (micropub) are close to the cathedral and more or less on the most direct walking route. The others are all on or close to the ringroad, so a bit of a diversion unless you're early enough to explore the town.

PREVIEW | Chichester City vs Dulwich Hamlet

The Hamlet hit the road on Tuesday night for our rearranged fixture with Chichester City. This games come after the Hamlet suffered a shock defeat...

dulwichhamletfc.co.uk

 

[Don't Slow Down]

Anyone travelling and not purchased their ticket yet!

Buy a split ticket as it's cheaper, so I got East Croydon to Gatwick Airport then Gatwick Airport to Chichester.

 

[Pink Panther]

Anyone travelling and not purchased their ticket yet!

Buy a split ticket as it's cheaper, so I got East Croydon to Gatwick Airport then Gatwick Airport to Chichester.

I checked for that and there was no saving for me, but I need to start from London Bridge. (It's also one of those routes that are much cheaper for return journeys into and out of London, as opposed to out of London and back again, but only if you stick to Southern Trains. It's not possible to get all the way back on Southern.)

I've noticed several late night Thameslink services are already cancelled due to train crew shortages, including the scheduled connection from Three Bridges to Blackfriars. Alternatives are the earlier train out of Chichester at 2208, with a half hour wait at Havant for the Waterloo service due in at 0039, or the 2241 terminating at Gatwick at 2351 for a connecting 2355 service into Victoria. (That one doesn't show as a connection on National Rail Enquiries, so 4 minutes must be designated as insufficient time to switch platforms.) There's a later Thameslink service from Three Bridges (at 0037) so you won't get stranded, assuming that isn't cancelled as well.

It's pissing down in Bermondsey right now and I need to leave within the next 20 minutes. I suppose it's got to be done. (Chichester have a 3G pitch.)

 

[Pink Panther]

Tonight's team:



I've just encountered a local who seems to think Chichester are playing Tower Hamlets. AAAAAARRRRRGGGHH!

 

[bkbk]

First clean sheet of the season?

 

[Pink Panther]

A hard earned 0-0 draw. I thought we had the better of the first half but we were hanging on in the face of a headwind and fighting something of a rearguard action for much of the second. Our best chances fell to Oli Lynch, who put in a good shift but couldn't find the net from three opportunities around the 6 yard box. The first was a volley from a tight angle, well blocked by the keeper. The second was a weak effort blocked by a covering defender after being played in through the centre. The third a couple of minutes after half time flashed just wide of the near post from a Hudson cross after Wanadio released him on the overlap. Chichester apparently have a skinny budget but retained almost the entire squad who got promoted from 5th place via the play-offs and they're a good competitive side.

 

[wphillips7]

Thanks PP, good luck getting home too!

 

[Pink Panther]

Thanks PP, good luck getting home too!

On the train to Gatwick right now with Don't Slow Down, Pete Lyons and Mick O'Shaughnessy. We should be OK for the tight connection on the adjacent platform. I could have walked home from Blackfriars in half an hour but need a bus from Victoria now, either 148 to Elephant or N26 to Bank. I should get home about 1.30am. Apparently the late evening Thameslink trains are cancelled every evening because they simply don't employ enough staff, but they run hourly through the night so they get away with not having to provide taxis for stranded passengers. Renationalise the railways now!

 

[editor]

Renationalise the railways now!

Amen to that!

 

[Pink Panther]

Our incoming train was 3 minutes late at Gatwick. We crossed to the adjacent platform with the connection waiting and the driver locked the doors literally as I was about to press the door button. Now we've got a 50 minutes wait for a Thameslink service. Fucking useless.

 

[Don't Slow Down]

Still on the way home, due in Blackfriars in 10 minutes. This is why we follow The Hamlet, probably around 30 supporters there tonight.

See you on the other side!

 

[Pink Panther]

Eventually exited Blackfriars station at 01:45 hrs after a further delay trundling along the slow route from East Croydon via Selhurst. At least I had the riverside path to myself, free of tourists for once, for the walk home in the rain. Finally turned the key of my flat at 02:15, a mere 4 hours and 38 minutes after the final whistle. I'll definitely be submitting a delay repay claim to Thameslink after this.

 

[Don't Slow Down]

The one thing which is a positive from last night's game, Horlick was in my opinion man of the match. He made some smart saves during the game, but clawed one out in the second half that was destined for the onion bag.

 

[Trimmy]

Still on the way home, due in Blackfriars in 10 minutes. This is why we follow The Hamlet, probably around 30 supporters there tonight.

See you on the other side!

That is brilliant. I love a Tuesday night, but that was a mission too far for me last night to get there and back from the City and still turn up bright eyed and bushy tailed for the morning. Respect to the travelling faithful!

 

[Pink Panther]

The one thing which is a positive from last night's game, Horlick was in my opinion man of the match. He made some smart saves during the game, but clawed one out in the second half that was destined for the onion bag.

That second half save was exceptional. My first impression is we've done well to get a loanee of his quality. To be fair, the whole defence was fairly tight for once, although we seemed to get overrun in midfield during the final half hour and came under sustained pressure. It didn't feel all that windy, but you could see Horlick's clearances holding up in the air and barely reaching the halfway line in the second half. At least it stopped raining for the duration of the game!

 

[Al Cunningham]

Made it back to Brockley via Havant , Waterloo and nightbus for 1 30am. I thought all the defence did well especially with the barrage of corners and long throws. Also impressed with Lynch. Yes perhaps could have done better with 1 or 2 chances but showed great atheticism throughout and caused them problems all night.