HERSHAM LOOKING GOOD IN PRE-SEASON VICTORY OVER CLAYGATE ROYALS

THE WEATHER WAS VERY UP AND DOWN ON DESBOROUGH ISLAND TODAY AS THE ABOVE PHOTOS SHOW. THE TOP ONE WAS TAKEN IN THE FIRST HALF WITH THE BOTTOM AROUND TWENTY MINUTES LATER IN THE SECOND HALF WHERE THERE WERE MORE THAN A FEW SPOTS OF RAIN IN THE AIR. THE GAME THEN ENDED AS IT STARTED IN LOVELY SUNSHINE!

 ONE OF THE BRIDGES WHICH LEAD TO DESBOROUGH ISLAND 

 THE VIEW FROM THE SOUTHERN BANK OF THE RIVER THAMES LOOKING BACK AT THE WALTON BRIDGE

Hersham Football Club play in the step eight Surrey County Intermediate Premier Division with their visitors Claygate Royals at the same level in the Middlesex County League Divison One (South/West) for the 2020/21 season. 

Hersham play on Desborough Island just down the River Thames from the Walton Bridge. It came about by the digging of the Desborough Cut in the 1930s by the Thames Convervancy - which is a channel of narrow width made a meander/cutoff to the main River. The Island is 112 acres in size and has two bridges to access it which form a one way system along the only road accesable to cars. The Island is named after Lord William Henry Grenfell 1st Baron Desborough who was a British athlete, and politician who passed away in 1945. 

Hersham FC were formed in 1976 and have teams from youth through to the first team. Claygate Royal were formed in 1966 and are a huge club with over forty teams including girls, ladies and veterans sides.

The first half of the game was slightly scrappy with the score 1-0 at half time after the impressive Shi-Loh O'Connor scored from close range after a cross from the right hand side. 

The second half was much more a good game with the home side the better side. The Royals scored in the opening moments of the second half (which caught me out on camera duties) before O'Connor set up the second goal for his side and a third goal (I missed this one due to the rain!) was scored shortly after from a free kick headed in at close range. 

After the rain stopped it was Hersham who created a number of further chances scoring a fourth goal and the visitors getting a second goal right on full time.

Hesham FC are a well organised welcoming club - they had one way entry/exit walkways in place and hand sanitiser along with a booking in track/trace system for everyone who was at the game.  

MATCH HIGHLIGHTS 

Apologies for missing Hersham's third goal and both of The Royal's goals.