RAMBLINGS FOR MATCHES PLAYED IN AUGUST 2004 (& End of season 2003-2004)
Tues.31st.August Suffolk & Ipswich League (Division 1) – Mendlesham Kings Head 0 Stowupland 1 (Att: 59; no programme)
Nearly September and probably one of the last of the early evening kick-offs. Thankfully the weather was fine and allowed a full 90 minutes (and that in spite of a home defender suffering a broken ankle which led to an inevitable delay in the second half). This was a local derby and each tackle; offside and refereeing decision was scrutinised by both sets of supporters in attendance. With few clear chances for most of the game, a goalless draw looked the likely result. But it was a late flurry and spectacular free kick which finally saw Stow clinch the points in a very scrappy match. The club is based at the Mendlesham Community Centre in Old Station Road. Although sponsored by the Kings Head pub in the village the club is nearer to the Fleece public house. The entrance and driveway is found next to a children's playground; car park and floodlit tennis court. The pitch is roped off on the near side with hedges and trees bordering the left goal and far side. A smaller pitch to the right runs at ninety degrees from this. A very large tree stands between both pitches and dominates the site. No cover exists. Refreshments and programmes were not on sale. The club may issue on Saturdays only - they did last season. I reached the ground by taking the A1120 (Yoxford Road) from the A14. After passing through Stowupland village take a left turn (in effect travelling straight on) on a sharp bend sign-posted Mendlesham. Follow signs for the village (by passing Mendlesham Green) which is about 5 miles from here. Approaching you can see a large telecommunications aerial to your right The local primary school is adjacent to the ground and obviously is a useful landmark. The gnats had a field day biting everyone in sight - my arm came up like a balloon afterwards. Beware!
click the links for a map of the area.
Sat.28th.August Herts County Senior League (Division 1) – Hertford Heath 3 Croxley Guild 0 (Att: 24; programme)
Lucky to get to this one after heavy August Bank holiday traffic caused long tailbacks on the M11. The club is based at the local rec found tucked away at the end of a cul-de-sac in the village. A narrow driveway leads onto the playing field which is bordered by trees and gardens from part of the housing estate. Car parking is allowed on the field if there is no space in the road side. Facilities are fairly basic. The changing rooms are situated in a building some 100 yards from the pitch next to a small children's play area in one corner away to the right. The pitch is roped off on three sides and there is no cover at all; the portable dug outs were not used for the game. A small area behind the goal to the left contains a mini practice pitch. The £1 entrance fee included a photocopied six page fold-out programme and doubled up for the next game v Cuffley (no team line ups!) and included club history; a player profile and past match reports.. Refreshments were not available. After the game I gave a couple of travellers a lift to Hertford station - this is some 3 miles down the road and would be within walking distance if you are feeling energetic and don't mind up hill climbs! You can easily reach the ground by car coming from the A10 and taking the B1197 London Road. Travellers may be interested to know that the club have three consecutive home games coming up: 4/9 v Standon & Puckeridge; 11/9 v London Road (St.Peters) and 18/9 v London Lions (Aubrey Cup).
to view a map click here
Sat.21st.August Leicestershire Senior League (Division 1) – Anstey Town 2 Bardon Hill 0 (Att: 21; programme)
Mr Sloppy and I travelled up to Leicester for this one after a phone call revealed the club has started issuing programmes again. And so with a neat 20 pager placed firmly in the rucksack we relaxed in warm sunshine to watch a decent game unfold. Town overcame their Coalville rivals by scoring twice in the first half to record a victory on the opening day of a new season. The ground is found at the end of a narrow entrance off Leicester Road in Thurcaston (the village next to Anstey). The driveway leads to a small changing area and clubhouse with veranda at the end behind the nearside goal. The pitch which slopes by a drop of eight feet from end to end has a post and rail surround with dug outs by the half-way line. A small practice pitch is beyond the bottom goal. A range of rolls and hot drinks were served from the clubhuse during the game. To reach the club by car come off the M1 at Junction 21a following the A46 (Newark) to Anstey. Keep right taking Cropston Road towards Thurcaston . Turn left into Leicester Road and pass over the bridge before coming to the main entrance on the right. A friendly, well-run club.
to view a map click here.
Wed.18th.August Cambridgeshire League (Senior B Division) – Castle Camps 1 Debden 0 Att: 16; no programme)
First cock-up of the new season! Forgot to phone up the secretary to check if the game was on and arrived a day early. So it was a swift return the following evening with old mucker Sloppy for the club opener in the Cambs League, kicking -off at 6-15pm. The gods were in a foul mood as the weather suddenly took a change for the worst. From bright sunshine it started to chuck it down on reaching the ground. Quite surreal too as both 'hoppers sat in picnic chairs dressed in T-shirts, shorts and flip - flops under brollies next to the half way line. The ref was about to stop the game as a flash of lightening and rumble of thunder passed overhead.
Minutes later back to bright sunshine and a cracking rainbow. The hosts took the lead from a corner. Missing several chances to see the game off Camps battled to hang on to their lead in the second half as Debden countered. On balance a fair result as they say.
The ground is found about 3 miles from Haverhill just inside the Cambridgeshire border. The village is sign posted The Camps off the A1307 near Linton and approached along the Bartlow Road . As you enter the village the ground is just past the T--junction with the High Street on the left hand side (in Park Lane). A narrow entrance leads to a gravel car park with the rec. next to the village hall. A floodlit tennis court runs alongside the pitch which is roped off . The ground is bordered on three sides by trees and this can cause problems when the ball goes out of play. No charge was made for admission and the club don't issue programmes.
END OF SEASON RAMBLINGS 2003-2004
Wed.18th.May Nationwide League Division 3 Play-off – Huddersfield Town 2 Lincoln City 2 (4-3 on aggregate) (Att: 19467)
And finally to the last mad dash of the season. Plenty at stake here with City leading after the first leg. I could sympathise with both sets of supporters after travelling down to Yeovil a couple of weeks earlier and witnessing first hand the tension, nail biting and watch gazing.
Cracking game for the neutral and evidence that the play-offs can be a great end to the season in terms of entertainment (try convincing the runners up). I don’t remember being inside a ground this early before the start of a match but as some ticket holders had a chance to sit where they liked, the seats soon filled up – it was a case of crossing your legs until half-time if you wanted to keep your place. Lots of goals and a result which avoided the dreadful penalty shoot out. The whistle went, home fans ran onto the pitch and I escaped with the Imps fans wondering what might have been. And so as the end of another season was drawing to a close I was left with red notebook in hand to reflect on my travels (which incidentally started back at the Wharf - Radcliffe Olympic 5 Sheffield City 0 - on a sunny Saturday in August and witnessed only one 0-0 throughout) – hey, but never mind it will soon be Euro 2004!
Sat.15th.May Essex Inter League – Rayleigh T 3 White Notley 0 (Att: 40)
It’s getting towards the end of the season and only a few opportunities left. This was a crucial game for both sides as they propped up the division. And it wasn’t difficult to see why as both teams wasted chance after chance; shots on goal were plentiful, high, wide and not so handsome! The home side showed superior fitness (or maybe less of their players were seen puffing away when they took to the pitch) and took the points. The ground is out of Rayleigh and near to the Chelmsford by-pass; a long narrow driveway leads to the main entrance. To the left is a tea bar with a clubhouse on the right. The pitch is some fifty yards beyond – it is fully roped off with long stakes strong enough to lean against should the game lose its way!
In fact many fans wandered over to watch cricket being played on an adjacent pitch or was it the lure of cheese and cucumber sandwiches. No cover, programme or charge made for this one.
Fri.14th. May Women’s International – England 1 Iceland 0 (Att: )
My first taste of women’s footy .A couple of quid to get in and a decent programme it was a smashing game of football played just up the road – well London Road Peterborough. The national side were cheered on by a vociferous and appreciative crowd. Literally a game of two halves with coach Hope Powell making nine changes at half time – where have we seen that before? Interestingly the visitors surnames all ended (apart from one) with ‘dottir’ much to everyone’s delight when the teams were being announced!
Sat.8th. May Kent County League – Cray Valley 7 Beauwater 1 (Att: 30)
No gnashing of teeth, clenching of fists and thumping of a steering wheel this time!! It was good to get this one done and dusted after a previous attempt four weeks earlier had ended in disaster and having to sit in the Megane listening to sport on five from the M25/A2 junction (along with hundreds of others stranded because of overturned vehicle). Plenty of goals to whet the appetite and on a pitch that stood up well to heavy rain the night before. The clubhouse next to the entrance of the Badgers Sports Ground sold refreshments but what a wait! Despite being front of the queue it took almost 15 minutes to get a cuppa and a cheese roll. No cover but there is hardstanding on the car park side of the ground. Programmes had not been issued much to the annoyance of several travellers; a mass coronary was averted though when a sympathetic committee member produced some old copies from the boot of his car. After the dust had settled I could see that the kind official had survived the stampede descended upon him.
Wed.5th.May Peterborough & D Lge – Emneth Seniors 1 Ortonians 2 (Att: 10)
Another Fenland visit and a devil to find as the signposts to Emneth Hungate seem to vanish into thin air or do I need an eye test! Arrived late but so did the home team which meant a 7pm kick-off. Ortonians who had apparently been warming up for ages were eager to get the points and get their hands on the League trophy to lift the title. And so a really bad tempered game followed with the visitors sneaking a winner in the dying minutes. The locals were not too chuffed about this as they had spent most of the second half retrieving the ball from a fast flowing stream which ran alongside the pitch. Although there was co cover, a decent clubhouse in the corner could have offered shelter. Emneth did not issue a programme
did not have refreshments or charge to watch but hey it was a good tick. I hope Peter found his way back to March ok.
Sat.1st.May Nationwide League Div.3 – Yeovil T 1 Hull City 2 (Att: 8760)
Gut wrenching stuff this! Just for the record Tigers made heavy weather of things but earned the result to clinch promotion at last. Much praise goes to the faithful supporters who had made the long trek down to Somerset. Great atmosphere and tasty pies!
Wed.27th.April Anglian Combination League 3 – Morley Village 0 Southwold 4 (Att: 21)
Found just off the A11 near Wymondham. The club play at the Derek Daniels Playing Fields and adjacent Morley Village Hall which boasts an impressive clubhouse with balcony. Only the dressing rooms below were open and consequently there were no refreshments on sale.The club don’t issue programmes. The game itself started late (6.51pm) but the pleasant weather allowed a full 90 minutes. Southwold got the point they needed to win the League (and still had games to play) on a daisy covered pitch that was roped off. A large dug out on the far side also provided seating for spectators.
Sat.24th.April Essex Inter League 2 – Debden Sports 4 Sandon Royals 1 (Att: 50)
Careful how you approach this one as the nearest access from the M11 is for northbound traffic only. And so after turning around ar Redbridge we finally reached Chigwell Lane in time for kick-off. A small car park fronts an old clubhouse and two large playing fields at the back; the first team use one of two pitches on the nearest site whilst the vets play on a pitch in the field beyond this. The roped off surface was hard and bumpy and hadn’t seen a lawn mower for weeks. No cover exists at present. Debden secured the title with an emphatic victory and received the league trophy at the end of the match. Although snacks were available, the club didn’t issue a programme or charge spectators for admission. The dog also enjoyed his visit with plenty of opportunity to roll in the long grass!
Wed.21st.April Peterborough & D League – Parsons Drove 0 Silver Jubilee 3 (Att: 26)
This Fenland venue near Wisbech was a real pain to find. Eventually locals directed me to the main entrance situated off Main Road and it resembled a large building site with the construction of a new Clubhouse facility. The first few minutes were viewed from the home dug out as locals (who were brave enough to leave their cars) huddled for cover from a mega thunderstorm and torrential rain. Both teams sat at the top of the table and so naturally play was tight and at times bad tempered. The home crowd didn’t help either and realising their side had lost hope resorted to taunting the rather rotund striker with chants about eating pies! The pitch was roped off and hot drinks were served from a portakabin at half-time. There was no programme nor charge made for attending.
Mon.19th.April Anglian Combination Lge – Horsford 4 Stalham Town 0 (Att: 59)
A short trip to Norwich up the A11 and then snaking along a few windy roads. Amazingly arrived early at the Community Centre in Holt Road for the 6.30pm kick-off and took advantage of the local chippy. Sat in the car and washed down steak & kidney pie, chips and mushy peas with an ice cold Dr.Pepper – yuk. The rec used for matches is just behind the car park and children’s playground. It is roped off on all sides but has no cover. Horsford had their sights on a promotion place and with games in hand eased the pressure following a comfortable 4-0 victory. Several youngsters at home on holiday from Uni made the difference showing some great fitness and skill. There wasn’t a proggy and a donation was made in the second half to cover for admission.
END