To have a record league attendance on the opening game of the Groundhop weekend is a massive achievement for the club, hails Punjab United chairman Chipie Sian

PUNJAB UNITED chairman/manager Chipie Sian hailed the inaugural Southern Counties East Football League Groundhop weekend as a success for his club.

The Gravesend based outfit attracted a record league attendance of 347 for the 1-1 draw against highflying side Stansfeld on Friday night.

“I’d like to say a massive thank you to everyone who attended the game on Friday night,” said Sian.

“To have an attendance of 347 is a massive achievement for the club and is a record high for us in the league.

“I’d like to also thank all our volunteers who helped us out on the day, from youth team managers to the management team themselves.

“I would like to thank them for the hard work they put in to make Friday night a good one.”

Sian added: “We’d also like to thank everyone who worked behind the bar and café as they presented some amazing food for you all.  We hoped you enjoyed it.

“We hope to see you again soon but from everyone at the club we’d like to thank the Southern Counties East Football League and Chris Berezai for setting this up and allowing us to have the opening game of the weekend.”

The League staggered kick-off times on Saturday and Sunday and club’s were given a financial boost as crowds flocked to attend games in the ninth and tenth tiers of English football in Kent.

On Saturday, Staplehurst Monarchs’ game against Rochester United in the First Division kicked off at 11 o’clock in the morning and the 1-0 home win was watched by 331 fans at Jubilee Field.

Bearsted’s 2-1 home win over Fisher in the Premier Division, kicked-off at two o’clock and that attracted an attendance of 229 to Honey Lane.

The five o’clock kick-off in the First Division between Larkfield & New Hythe and Greenways attracted 246 to New Hythe Lane to see Kris Browning’s hosts win 2-1.

Kent commuters suffered from it's eleventh train strike of the year on Saturday.

On Sunday, Rusthall’s 4-2 win over K Sports kicked off at Jockey Farm Stadium at 11 o’clock in the morning and that attracted 344 fans, while 518 people watched the 1-1 draw between Tunbridge Wells and Lordswood across town at Culverden Stadium, which kicked off four hours later.

The Southern Counties East Football League said in a statement: “We hope that everyone who visited these games over the weekend enjoyed the entertainment on offer.

“Over the next five years the aim is for every side to host a Groundhop game.”