El Claptico: Clapton CFC vs Clapton FC.

Images: Tom Stanworth

To call the match between Clapton Community Football Club and Clapton Football Club “El Claptico” is overblown, of course, because this “derby” feels like two teams who will be in different orbits, long-term.

Clapton fans broke away from Clapton FC to form Clapton CFC and it is the CFC who own the historic Old Spotted Dog Ground, which welcomed a gate of 782 on Tuesday night.

For Clapton CFC to get that sort of crowd in the Thurlow Nunn Eastern Counties Division One South is phenomenal and the club’s democratic and inclusive polices will only see them continue to grow.

Clapton FC, meanwhile, play their home games at the Terence McMillan Stadium in Plaistow.

Clapton CFC’s men’s first team coach Geoff Ocran mentioned the journey of this club in his programme notes, after the breakaway in 2018. They stayed true to their principles while playing on 4G pitches during the off-field battle for the Old Spotted Dog.

The match was played to a decent atmosphere and Clapton CFC hearts were buoyed by a two goal display from Noah Adejokun.

A draw seemed most likely after Clapton FC drew level at 1-1 in the death strokes of the game but Adejokun popped up with a last-gasp winner for Clapton CFC deep into added time, to cue raucous celebrations.

“2-1 and we own the ground” was heard from the famous scaffold stand which sums up a symbolic victory for Clapton CFC.

No pasaran indeed.