On Our Way

On Our Way

It’s not glamorous at the best of times, away days in the Isthmian South Central, but away to Staines on a wet and windy October afternoon seemed particularly charmless as we set out from Clapham Junction. Armed and pocketed with a couple of train beers for the journey, we felt fairly comfortable we’d be able to grab a couple more between Staines station and whatever their ground was called. Our esteemed match secretary had been in touch in advance and told us that Staines Town had no bar for the day, which for the travelling Bog End was not going to cut it.

As we left Staines station, we bumped into some of the Tooting faithful on a similar search to ourselves. Matt and Mitchell, of “SambucaGate”, led the way and as we got closer to the station, hopes of a bag of cans diminished. We were walking through residential suburbia in Staines Upon Thames. We went past a South African grocers and a number of expensive-looking new builds, but not a single offies. And then Mitchell burst into song. “WE’RE ON OUR WAY…” he chanted, triumphantly, as a sign emerged through the blustery rain in the middle distance “OFF LICENCE”, it proclaimed. We donned our masks, and took turns to file through the shop. Guinness, lager, Jamesons, happy days. It was something of a crumpling of our spirits when we were told to put our spirits away in the ground, but I guess when a football club is operating in part as a council venture, one has to toe the party line.

Staines have a brilliant main stand and the opposite side is pretty well-appointed, but either end is uncovered. The travelling Bog End, of course, took their traditional position and bore the brunt of the elements. Chatting with Bard Partlett, I learned that Daryl had been chatting with the ref before kick-off, leading some to believe they had previous of some sort. This normally augurs poorly for the Stripes, as our relationship with referees hasn’t always been a positive one. Whatever the truth of that exchange, I was delighted to see the ref brandish an early red at a Staines player. I wasn’t close enough to ascertain whether or not it was a deserved red, but it was definitely a deserved red. With a majority of the game to go, Tooting had a man advantage.

We did not squander it. We were patient in the face of resolute Staines defending and calm in their forays into our end. We got our reward on the 21st minute, Troy Walters continuing his glittering form by nudging the ball over the line from close range, despite Joe Williams’ effort to keep it out. In a slightly reshuffled back three, Sambuca George played on the left and was brilliant. Mark Waters, as we have come to expect, and may already even take for granted, was everywhere. Another captain’s performance from Daryl, who marshalled the side wonderfully.

Having been told to swerve the “sauce and cardboard” burgers at half time, I went hungry and swapped ends. Second half was great. Staines tired, understandably, as Tooting went to the bench and brought on the returning Eli Simpson and Jake Rose. The winning goals soon followed, first from Eli and then Jake. These goals went down very well amongst the travelling Bog End, including some Fulham and Man Utd fans who had found their way to Tooting away. Some had been to IF before, others were planning to- but they were our fans. Joy unconfined after Eli’s strike, then joy totally confined after Jake’s. Dan Williams scored on 90. Of course he did. He’d only had an assist so far, and the match isn’t the match without Dan Williams scoring at least once. He’s brilliant, Dan.

Tooting won the match 4-0. 4-0 against a bogey side. That bogey has been picked, rolled and flicked into the stratosphere. The stain is gone. Great when that happens and great when you venture to a different county and your support constitutes about 25% of the gate. In the words of Mitchell Roots;

“WE’RE ON OUR WAY…” 

Up the Stripes

📸 Photo by Sam Conquest/@iamsam28

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