Match Information
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Locks Heath 2-2 Royal Navy FA (Royal Navy won 7-6 on penalties)
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When: Tuesday 29th October 2024
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Kick-off: 7.15pm
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Where: Locks Heath Recreation Ground, 419 Warsash Road, Titchfield Common, Fareham, Hampshire, PO14 4JX
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Competition: Portsmouth Divisional Football Association Senior Cup First Round
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Attendance: 74 (my headcount)
Floodlit grounds are pretty sparse at the level of Non-League football which used to be called Step 7. So I wanted to take an opportunity to groundhop a midweek game under the lights at Locks Heath FC.
They are members of the Hampshire Premier League Senior Division hovering amongst early season pacesetters. It is now termed a ‘Regional Feeder League’.
Therefore clubs who qualify for promotion can join Step 6 leagues subject to putting the necessary facilities in place to satisfy stringent National League System grading requirements incorporating floodlights, covered accommodation and hard standing for spectators.
Football in Hampshire is unusual since it embraces several different geographical sub-sections for county cups. Accordingly, my targeted Portsmouth Divisional FA Senior Cup tie had added spice in featuring the Royal Navy FA as visiting opposition.
Mainly appearing in designated Combined Services football, I first saw the Navy play way back on Wednesday afternoon 23rd March 1983 at their well-appointed Burnaby Road Stadium in Portsmouth.
It was a fiercely fought 1-1 draw against the Army in an Inter-Services Championship Constantinople Cup encounter (attendance 350).
I remember writing to the Royal Navy FA secretary beforehand to confirm the fixture and I unexpectedly received a beautifully handwritten invitation by post inviting me to be a guest in the Officers’ Mess for post-match food. A huge honour for me and I consequently needed to borrow a suit for the occasion.
Quite the contrast to my usual scruffy university student attire in those days! One week later in the same tournament, I witnessed the Navy in action again for another 1-1 scoreline versus the Royal Air Force at the RAF Uxbridge Stadium.
Once more, lots of military top brass were present and I recall respective rivalries were so prestigious that the RAF flew players in from overseas work duties on the morning of the game.
Bringing everything up to date, I set off on a 225 mile round trip via the M25, M3, M3 & and A27 to Locks Heath - a suburb of Fareham housing 7,100 residents.
Ground Description
Situated on Warsash Road, I liked this picturesque tree-lined local council owned venue. Decent car parking provision adjoins clubhouse and dressing room amenities.
A cricket square is roped off to protect it during the football season. Locks Heath FC play on the far side of the complex. The pitch is railed and dug-outs are contained in an imposing wire cage to negate possible vandalism.
However, coaching staff and substitutes prefer to sit on portable canvas chairs adjacent to the touchline.
In fact, the only time I spotted the dug-outs being utilised was when a passing dog walker nipped in for a break to enjoy his cheeky cigarette!
Programme Details
No programme was issued but I downloaded a teamsheet off the Hampshire Premier League Full-Time web site.
In addition, I printed out colourful pre-match graphics both teams published on Twitter X. Incidentally, up to date line-ups were displayed on a whiteboard next to the changing rooms prior to kick-off.
The Match
With two opponents locking horns from varying spectrums of our Non-League scene, it would have been tricky for anyone harbouring good knowledge of football odds and sports betting to predict matters.
Overall, I felt the 2-2 outcome was a fair result. Scorers for Locks Heath were Elliott Simpson (24 minutes) and Adam Clark, penalty (77 mins). Meanwhile, Eliot Holmes (31 mins) and Dylan Holgate (56 mins) netted for the Royal Navy.
It finished 2-2 after 90 minutes and went straight to penalties. There then followed one of the best shoot-outs I’ve ever seen because the sides expertly converted their initial six kicks.
Eventually though, Locks Heath missed one and James Cox subsequently tucked away the Navy’s winner.
*Credit for the photos in this article belongs to Tony Incenzo*
