Match Information
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Infinity 0-1 Hamble Club (Abandoned after 66 minutes owing to serious injury)
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When: Saturday 8th July 2023
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Kick-off: 3pm
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Where: Sidlesham Memorial Recreation Ground, Selsey Road, Sidlesham, West Sussex PO20 7RD
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Competition: Pre-season friendly
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Attendance: 36
Approaching the second full Saturday of pre-season friendlies, I studied weather forecasts alongside various fixture lists. Heavy thunderstorms were imminent in the north of England so I felt it was best to travel south.
I had originally targeted the Sidlesham Memorial Recreation Ground for a visit during 2019/20 when Sidlesham FC played in the Southern Combination League. However, the club abruptly resigned SCL membership six weeks into the season.
A tweet at the time read: “The local parish council have cancelled our current agreement for use of the pitch.” They subsequently relocated five miles away to Fishbourne and appear in the West Sussex League under a revised name of AFC Fishbourne.
It left the old venue empty in Sidlesham until I eagerly noticed that previously nomadic Hampshire Premier League outfit Infinity FC moved there last year switching 50 miles away from the preceding groundshare at Hythe & Dibden FC near Southampton.
Therefore I decided to take this opportunity of a belated Sidlesham groundhop. Sunny weather was in prospect enticing my wife and four year old daughter to join me for a day out where we hoped to stop off at West Wittering Beach en route.
Accordingly, we packed buckets and spades in the car and ice creams were promised all round as we set off early on our 250 mile round trip. But seconds beyond pulling on to the motorway, my daughter was violently sick in the back seat.
So we turned around at the next junction and drove home again. After cleaning up the young lady, I embarked for Sidlesham once more – albeit alone with mummy staying behind to dose out the Calpol.
I then encountered several lengthy delays on the M25 putting 60 minutes on the journey yet I still arrived half an hour prior to kick-off.
Ground Description
There is plenty of car parking plus a comfortable clubhouse. The fully enclosed/railed pitch is floodlit. Sturdy covered accommodation incorporates a mix of terracing and seats for spectators.
Good club signage gives a homely feel. Infinity can continue to participate in the Hampshire Premier League whilst based here in West Sussex because it is located within 10 miles of the Hampshire county border.
They have negotiated a lease through the parish council and now plan to develop extensive community links in and around Sidlesham – a small village housing 1,200 residents.
Programme Details
Programmes were not produced although Infinity’s helpful manager Rich Bessey drafted up an excellent colour teamsheet afterwards and forwarded it on to interested parties including myself.
The Match
It was Step 7 against Step 5. Higher ranked Hamble Club of the Wessex League Premier Division shaded matters but didn’t break through until the 59th minute via Clayd Roach scrambling home at close range.
This moment certainly paled into insignificance seven minutes later though. Infinity’s Laurie McIntosh slid in for a wholehearted 50-50 challenge and ended up writhing in agony.
Everyone immediately realised the situation was extremely serious. Indeed, players on both sides correctly called for the referee to abandon the match which he did.
A nurse and a paramedic who had been watching from the sidelines rushed over the make Laurie as comfortable as possible lying flat out. I was impressed when an ambulance arrived inside 19 minutes and it drove straight on to the pitch.
An additional medical car attended seconds later. Laurie was swiftly transported to hospital before undergoing surgery on a double leg break. I wish him well in his recovery. The aforementioned Rich Bessey set up a ‘gofundme’ page quickly raising almost £2,000 to support Laurie.
The People
All of the volunteers I spoke to at Infinity were really friendly and enthusiastic. They are keen for the team to progress to Step 6. Facilities are already in place to host a higher standard of football and can be improved even further.
It is nice to see Infinity putting down roots in a home of their own having groundshared elsewhere since the club was formed in 2006.
*Credit for photos in this article belongs to @TonyIncenzo*
