I never thought I would go online to buy a ticket in advance for a Mile Oak game.

I certainly never expected that to happen because Lewes v Margate and Worthing v Bowers and Pitsea were already sold out.

Some Albion fans have been seeking their fix of live football around the county as the Premier League lockout goes on.

Hard-working volunteers at the clubs welcoming them have gone to new lengths to get games on and turnstiles open.

Lewes have split the Dripping Pan in half and the £12 tickets I took too long in booking are divided into Pies Side and Fries Side, named after the fare on offer in the respective food huts.

Capacity is capped at 450 but matches can also be viewed via live stream.

The bar is split down the middle to prevent any Fries sneaking into Pies or vice-versa.

All appears to have gone smoothly so far at Whitehawk.

True, there was one complaint to popular bar manager Stella when the draught lager, which isn’t Stella, ran dry.

Explaining that these days you don’t order too much stock in advance, Stella pointed to bottled beer in the fridge and said: “Drink that instead!”

Apparently, the punters set about their task.

Worthing and Horsham have special issues. The former played a ‘home’ match at the latter’s ground on Saturday due to an issue with their pitch.

Still, there were no tickets left online on Saturday morning and the afternoon saw the Mackerel Men win 2-1 to go top of the table.

Given I was heading back to Brighton from out west, Chichester was an option as they hosted Haywards Heath.

But the website they are using for ticket sales did not have the match – or any match, come to that – on its dropdown menu.

It should be added Chi, like other clubs, also use club2app for ticket sales and purchases in the clubhouse. More regular non-league watchers will have that app but I didn’t.

So on to Mile Oak. They had tweeted about their match versus Midhurst and – such is the power of social media – it won them my online fiver (no booking fee).

Payment was quick and easy. The lack of response by email was puzzling but, still, it was only £5.

It turns out they see your name as you book and write it on a list for the man at the gate.

About 20 names were on his list and it would have been easy to just hand over cash there and then.

The Argus:

Social distancing in operation on the terraces at Lewes (picture James Boyes)

Still, advance booking has the advantage of registering you for track and trace and is more hygienic.

“We’ve had a few more here since we restarted,” said Mile Oak stalwart Tony Burnett while watching the second half of a chaotic 2-1 defeat.

Social distancing is marked out on the pitchside path, there is hand sanitiser at the gate and the tea bar and only six players can use each changing room at a time.

Mile Oak don’t have the added complication of a bar to manage and can certainly cope although, like a lot of non-league grounds, one suspects social distancing can be more of a challenge when it rains.

There is precious little cover and that goes for many clubs - with Bognor, Eastbourne Borough (who are still playing behind closed doors) and Worthing being exceptions.

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Lewes advise fans to take waterproofs and umbrellas as they might not be allowed to move from open areas and get under a roof if the heavens open.

Burnett cites a recent away game he played with Mile Oak veterans when they had to change next to their cars.

“You don’t play football in your mid-40s for that,” he said.

What you do play and watch for is pretty much what we saw on a lively afternoon at Chalky Road.

Two first-half penalties, both well struck and both superbly saved by Mile Oak’s teenage keeper Charlie Dartnell, one to either side.

Disputed penalties? You bet they were. Actually, the second award did look harsh.

A goal disallowed for the hosts, who then went 1-0 down about a minute later.

Not forgetting an early shot off the post by Midhurst and a Mile Oak mis-kick in the last minute of an undisclosed amount of injury-time when they should have equalised.

George Rudwick’s brilliant solo goal was not enough for the hosts as Jake Slater and an excellent finish by Marcus Bedford gave Midhurst the points.

It was entertaining stuff. And feisty at times after a shinpad-shuddering challenge early on by home skipper Zach Haulkham set the tone.

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Both teams might have ended the game with ten men in the Premier League.

But this is a different world. In many ways, it is a different game.

Of course it is a game which has always been out there - and will continue to exist and thrive.

But right now it is also offering live football for those whose Premier League season tickets are not being used.