MERIDIAN VP v LEWISHAM BOROUGH

MERIDIAN SPORTS AND SOCIAL CLUB

LONDON SENIOR TROPHY

NOVEMBER 22, 2019

GROUND No 222

MERIDIAN VP's shirt sponsors are Eurocar Auctions - but maybe Ronseal would be a more suitable choice.

The Southern Counties East League club based in Charlton had promised me a good game and a programme I wouldn't be disappointed with,

They were right on both counts. The hosts turned this South London derby on its head, winning 4-2 after trailing 2-0 at the break (two of the goals came from debutant former Charlton and Wycombe man Paul Hayes who, it transpires, went to school in my home town) and the feature on the War League Cup in the programme was particularly interesting.

So there - they do exactly as it says on the tin. Or in this case on the social media feed.

Meridian VP first dipped their toes into the pyramid as recently as 2003 but have ambitions to keep on moving up through the leagues.

To that end the Meridian Sports and Social Club - established in the 1920s as a social club of the Siemens factory which was then located nearby - is the ideal home base.

For now the facilities, though neat and tidy, are basic with, dugouts aside, the only structure inside the perimeter walls being transportable 160-seat stand.

But there is plenty of room along that side of the pitch and behind the goal at the far end for the club to take things further if their ambitions bear fruit.

With the sizeable clubhouse majestically standing watch over the ground in one corner, the trees that line one side of ground (made even more atmospheric by the late autumn covering of golden leaves) and the imposing Docklands skyline in the background, you can imagine what this would be like in a few years' time when Meridian are further up the pyramid with a much bigger fan base.

I stood on the tree-lined side for a time during the second half and thought I'd stepped into a Fast Show sketch as the Lewisham coach encouraged his team by constantly telling them they were "brilliant". It was going pretty well for them at that point to be fair - he wouldn't have been quite so impressed by the second half though.

I'd amused myself walking to the ground along Ha-Ha Road thinking that if it had been built and named today it would have probably been called PMSL Lane or LOL Street.

Although a ha-ha is another name for a ditch, of course, and that's where it got it's name so I guess I wasn't being funny at all.

Inside the sports complex groups of kids were having coaching sessions on the 3G pitches. When they're older, maybe they'll be good enough for a game on the main pitch on the other side of the car park. Or if they're even better, a mile away at The Valley.

Once inside the ground I'd noticed a party was in full swing on the top floor of the sports and social club - although the DJ clearly wasn't doing it for some and a gaggle of revellers appeared on the balcony to get a bird's eye view of the action.

At half-time I found myself in the same building as them, albeit on the lower level.

The one small turnstile block had long since been closed, however, so any spectator wanting to warm up on a chilly night had to follow the players and officials in, past the changing rooms and into the bar. It's things like this that make non-league so special.

The café, also situated in the bar area, seemed to have a good selection of food and hot drinks but I'd left the car behind on this occasion and treated myself to a Jack and Coke.

I made a prompt exit after the game but I'm sure there will have been a few drinks ordered at the bar post-match to celebrate a remarkable victory.