The office – 17:00
The promised rain hasn’t really arrived. The office is surprisingly full for this time of day but nobody notices that I’ve changed into my newly delivered black-and-gold Lewes shirt, writes Mike Wallis.
I’ve brought my waterproof trousers and the waterproof cover for my bag. Once a Scout, always a Scout, be prepared, etc.
London Bridge to Sutton train – 17:45
Buy a pasty for £7. London prices.
The train is late, the rain has started, the pitch lights are on at Millwall FC.
The train trundles very slowly through South London, stopping at every shed on route.
“Please take care when alighting from this train as the platform may be slippery,” says the auto-announcer on the train.
A tram heading for Wimbledon – 18:30
I’m going to be very early. 19:45 kick offs in South London sit awkwardly with a convenient finishing time for work.
Imperial Fields – 18:45
I’m the first through the gates. I remembered correctly that there isn’t much cover. Pitch looks ok, rain isn’t too bad.
The referee wanders around the pitch, giving the muddy patches a prod with his boot.
A bar has been located, but I can’t find it.
Kick-off – 19:48
“Haven’t you got anything better to do?” sighs Richard. Is the answer not obvious?
It’s one of those games where you can count the attendance for yourself.
Lewes break quickly from a Wimbledon attack and force a corner. Maddie Brant tries to run past a defender and the ball stops in the mud.
One man is very enthusiastically supporting Wimbledon from behind the wrong goal.
A mistake puts Leah Lane through, the ball bobbles and her shot skims wide.
A series of sliding tackles fires the sparse crowd up. “WOMBLES AGGRO” shouts our new friend.
Leah Lane has a shot, saved. Dani Rowe has a shot, saved more acrobatically this time.
Recent goal machine Sydney Schremaier has a shot. By has a shot I mean a defender cleared the ball straight into her, forcing a save from the keeper.
A tactical time out just before half time. Why?
Half-time – 20:35
Bizarrely the ref tells all the players he’s going to blow for half-time as soon as the corner is cleared. Paula Howells gives us behind the goal a “what the f***” look.
The ref duly blows for half time. We should be at least 3 up. We aren’t.
All the sensible people head for the bar, where there is a resident cat.
Second half – 20:54
Chelsea Ferguson turns… and shoots… and the ball dribbles wide.
Hannah Godfrey tries an overhead kick.
“It’s going to be one of those nights” says Phil.
Wimbledon have a free-kick from miles out.
Wimbledon score from a free-kick from miles out.
Sydney Schremaier clatters one of their players and gets booked… eventually.
Wimbledon player has a go from miles out.
Wimbledon player scores from miles out.
Lewes almost scored, but don’t. Somehow a combination of keeper and defender keeps Liv Carpenter’s shot out.
Scramble in front of goal and the keeper finally misses one. We think Kayla Ginger got the final touch. Still time.
Liv Carpenter has a snap shot and the keeper makes yet another save.
Wimbledon’s plan now involves hacking the ball clear or out for a throw or anywhere away from goal. It’s not pretty.
An agricultural hack on Schremaier gives Lewes one last chance. Somehow the ball ends up going back to Emily Moore.
Full-time – 21:46
Wimbledon win 2-1. I’ve missed the tram I wanted to get. We’ve battered them… and lost.
Mitcham tram stop – 22:00
The tram is five minutes away. We’ve got 30 minutes before the Lewes train goes from East Croydon.
East Croydon station – 22:30
Phil finally gets some food from the man in the Co-Op who is on a go slow. We make the train, just.
Despite the football, it’s been a good trip.
General agreement is that we’d rather Wimbledon stay up than Gwalia anyway.
Lewes: Moore; Trewhitt, Godfrey, Priest, Brant; Howells, Schremaier, Rowe, Lane, Carpenter, Ferguson (Ginger 68).
POTM – Dani Rowe