Meridian VP 2 Greenways 2 Southern Counties East League, Division One
Meridian VP FC is
located in Charlton, part of the London Borough of Greenwich. Founded in 1995
as Meridian S&S, the club joined the Dartford & District League, finishing
as runners-up in 1999/2000 and lifting the league cup in 2002/2003. Following spells
in the Kent County League and the Kent Invicta League, the club became a member
of the newly named Southern Counties East League in 2016.
The club is based at the Meridian Sports & Social Club on Charlton Park Lane. The social club was established in 1921 by employees of Siemens who worked at the company’s factory in Woolwich and was funded by staff via contributions from their weekly pay. The Sports ground was purchased in 1933 and the clubhouse was built in 1937. The factory was closed in 1967 and the site lay derelict until reopening in 1977 when leased by Greenwich London Borough Council.
With heavy rain forecast, it was always going to be a bit of
a gamble setting off for this match. There was no indication on the respective
twitter accounts that the game was in doubt, but I set off in hope rather than
expectation. My journey via Cheshunt, Stratford and Greenwich to Charlton was
straightforward. The uphill walk from the station to the upper reaches of
Charlton took a little over fifteen minutes.
I was rather pleased on arrival to
find most people positive that the pitch was playable, importantly this
included the referee who took a ball onto the pitch and soon announced that the
match was on. At this point, I adjourned to the historic clubhouse building for
refreshment in the form of cheeseburger and chips, washed down with a cup of
tea. A number of television screens were showing the FA Cup tie between
Millwall and Crystal Palace and whilst waiting for a train at Greenwich I had
heard the crowd roaring at the New Den.
The only spectator viewing
facility at this venue is a decent covered seated stand, which housed all the
spectators on a very wet afternoon with one exception. Despite the constant
rain for much of the match, one gentleman watched the entire 90 minutes out in
the open. The only other furniture surrounding the pitch is the turnstile
block, situated by the clubhouse and the home and away dugouts opposite the
stand.
It was only on reading the excellent
match programme that I realised that both teams were struggling at the wrong
end of the table this season. The first period of the match, played in
difficult conditions, contradicted the league placings, as both sides adapted
rather well. The match was end to end at times with the forwards testing the
keepers, Greenways briefly held the lead before the home side edged their way
back into the match.
The second half followed a very
similar pattern and muddy shirts were worn with pride as the weather worsened.
A couple of minutes before the end saw the rain intensify and I feared for my
walk back to the station. The home side had taken the lead but were pegged back
by the visitors to claim a deserved share of the spoils. I believe it would have
been harsh for either side to have lost. Amazingly, the rain had stopped as I
left the ground and my walk downhill to the station was swift and dry.
For a full set of photographs click here
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