Sporting Hackney & St Johns Arsenal Deaf, on the their all-weather modern 3G pitch at Haggerston Park, in the East End.
Not usually a level I would watch, step eight in the non-league pyramid I think, but it was one of an ongoing series of occasional 11.00am kick offs to attract groundhopping types, by this forward thinking league.
This is the entrance to the park.
![](http://lh4.ggpht.com/_8Mqu1wmEwRw/S4VJs99LFvI/AAAAAAAADA0/m_SGbWiNiUk/s400/PICT0019.jpg)
Next to it is the Hackney City Farm!
![](http://lh5.ggpht.com/_8Mqu1wmEwRw/S4VJqsedd0I/AAAAAAAADAw/sByR5Btv5Zc/s400/PICT0018.jpg)
It really is just a 'caged in' all-weather surface, no spectator facilities or dug outs at all. As one person present described the venue on the 'Non League Matters' messageboard: "This was a very pleasant morning out in very good, if a little basic surroundings." A little basic? What on earth were they expecting? It's in an inner city public park for goodness sake!
![](http://lh5.ggpht.com/_8Mqu1wmEwRw/S4VJOu8Bb5I/AAAAAAAAC_4/OCyAOHlUi7Q/s400/PICT0003.jpg)
There were refreshments available outside the changing rooms though, admission was free, and programmes were on sale for £2.
![](http://lh3.ggpht.com/_8Mqu1wmEwRw/S4VJNASR3uI/AAAAAAAAC_0/XGyiU3NiDTw/s400/PICT0002.jpg)
The first half is about to kick off.
![](http://lh6.ggpht.com/_8Mqu1wmEwRw/S4VJLlBasSI/AAAAAAAAC_w/Mx0vbjcxaTs/s400/PICT0001.jpg)
Looking down with one of the touchlines, many of the 82 strong crowd along it.
![](http://lh4.ggpht.com/_8Mqu1wmEwRw/S4VJR6T3DzI/AAAAAAAADAE/27NAHtm_Y14/s400/PICT0005.jpg)
The same side, from behind the goal.
![](http://lh3.ggpht.com/_8Mqu1wmEwRw/S4VJTtb3W6I/AAAAAAAADAI/U8ZJmHT2mzE/s400/PICT0006.jpg)
With a few more standing on the other side.
![](http://lh6.ggpht.com/_8Mqu1wmEwRw/S4VJWNQMldI/AAAAAAAADAM/2q8mQBHMNMY/s400/PICT0007.jpg)
Here we look across the pitch, changing rooms behind, and you can see the spectators stringing down the line.
![](http://lh5.ggpht.com/_8Mqu1wmEwRw/S4VJYjShfGI/AAAAAAAADAQ/B5S0Xxm0bIU/s400/PICT0008.jpg)
This is the opposite side from the more populated one, early in the second half.
![](http://lh4.ggpht.com/_8Mqu1wmEwRw/S4VJdvYYa-I/AAAAAAAADAY/NY3chivGGIE/s400/PICT0010.jpg)
Another angle from behind one of the goals.
![](http://lh6.ggpht.com/_8Mqu1wmEwRw/S4VJhVy3EVI/AAAAAAAADAg/5i6VxR1IV_o/s400/PICT0012.jpg)
Here we're directly behind the post.
![](http://lh3.ggpht.com/_8Mqu1wmEwRw/S4VJjV7guiI/AAAAAAAADAk/ZTQoFZF37zE/s400/PICT0013.jpg)
And back to the side where we started our stroll around the pitch.
![](http://lh6.ggpht.com/_8Mqu1wmEwRw/S4VJl1tlhOI/AAAAAAAADAo/VX_L2pJaeW4/s400/PICT0015.jpg)
St Johns equalised from the spot, to make it 3-3, having been three down, but conceded fourth, to lose in stoppage time.
![](http://lh5.ggpht.com/_8Mqu1wmEwRw/S4VJnsmlu7I/AAAAAAAADAs/djqqWiuxKOw/s400/PICT0016.jpg)
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