'It won't be on. They had a car boot sale on here last week and it doesn't look good. The pitch is in a right mess with all the cars going over it', came the softly spoken reply at the other end of the phone. My enquiry as to whether the important Suffolk Primary Cup Semi Final at Great Blakenham Football Club sadly didn't hold out much hope. Before I could say thankyou, the elderly gentleman steward at the village hall suddenly interjected: 'Wait a minute, something's happening outside. Let me look through the window', he paused for ten seconds, returned and continued, 'Hang on. I think it might be. They're putting up some tape along the side of the pitch. Hold on. The goal nets are going up. Yes it looks as though it could be on. It's a cup match I think. Starts at lunchtime'. Now this sounded much more hopeful. To confirm these sketchy details I then asked the steward if he could possibly give me a contact number for someone at the club. After two minutes the chap (called Derek) returned to the phone, dutifully obliged by reading out the phone number and ended with the words: 'It's for the first team manager. Have a good day. Bye now'.

To paraphrase a well known saying used in one of my favourite all-time popular TV sit com's - I just couldn't believe it. It was all a bit of an emotional roller-coaster really. In the space of only two minutes the prospects of play had suddenly taken a dramatic U-turn and looked far more hopeful than I had originally been led to believe. Despite the terrible forecast set for the afternoon it did seem as though the club was still keen to play the game. Although my subsequent check phone call to the first team manager drew a blank, I realised it was pointless leaving a message on the answer machine. More to the point I really do hate using them. By now it was 12.15pm and I had to make my mind up and do it quickly. Do I stick to my original plan or pull the plug and look for something else instead? Being a half glass full type of person I reckoned we had about an hour to cover the forty or so miles (within the national speed limit of course) down the A14 to our destination on the outskirts of Ipswich. I realised that it was going to be a close call. Still keen to watch my first choice game I obsessively opted for Plan A. I now reasoned that if all else failed then the SIL fixture at Senior Division club Stanton FC (Plan B) would come into operation as a handy back up game. I must be mad!

With a good back wind mission was successfully accomplished as the Wraymobile pulled into the tiny car park at the village hall, a full fifteen minutes before the 1.30pm kick off. As hoped for both sets of players were going through the final phase of their warm up routine prior to heading back into the changing rooms. Before making a note of the teams on my trusty FGIF Match Stats Card, I was suddenly distracted by a young lad standing near to the main entrance holding what appeared to be a box of A4 photocopying paper. Could he possibly be selling programmes? I quickly dived out of the car and made my way over towards him. To my utter surprise and sheer joy the club had produced a one-off programme for the game today. What a stroke of luck! No sooner had I snapped up a couple of these most necessary bits of paper, the players and officials were coming out for the start of the game. Phew!!

Travellers who are not completly au fait with this competition may be interested to know that teams from the lower divisions of the Suffolk & Ipswich League; Essex & Suffolk Border League; Anglian Comb League; Cambs County League as well as the Bury & District and Lowestoft & District Leagues are all eligible to play in it. Last time out Great Blakenham had beaten fellow SIL side Trimley Red Devils Reserves by an impressive 5-1 scoreline. By contrast mid table Lowestoft & District League Div 2 side Mutford & Wrentham reached today's Semi-Final with a 1-0 victory at Aldeburgh Town.

For the record it was Great Blakenham who prevailed courtesy of a twenty-third minute Rhys Stewart header, enough to separate the sides in a close contest played in dull, overcast conditions with spells of showery rain throughout. The sloping pitch held up very well, particularly in the second half when the rain became quite heavy. Credit must also go to Stephen Baldock the referee and his assistants for maintaining law and order as well as showing a bit of common sense in dealing with challenges on what was becoming an increasingly slippery pitch. The game was attended by over sixty spectators the majority of whom had travelled with the visiting team from Lowestoft in a 52 seater coach specially hired for the journey. The game also attracted a couple of Suffolk FA reps as well as a number of seasoned hoppers including Len S from Manchester); Andy M (from Uxbridge) and local travellers Steve and his mate (both from Ipswich). It was great to meet up with you fellas!   

Great Blakenham Football Club is based at the village hall recreation ground. Located only a few minutes drive from junction 52 of the A14, the ground is reached by turning left down Mill Lane (opposite the Chequers PH, the club's main watering hole). It is a basic but homely venue. Space is at a premium here with new housing and gardens from older properties backing onto the perimeter. A modern pavilion, set an angle to the playing area provides changing facilities and a function room inside the modern building. With a larger than normal crowd expected today it was decided by the committee to open the bar. Uniquely there is a self-contained floodlit cycle speedway track beyond this on the left hand side. A couple of permanent wooden benches are positioned close to the hedge on the opposite side. A children's playground and separate basketball zone and post are found behind the goal at the Mill Lane end. Although the one and only pitch does not have a permanent fence a length of blue FA Respect tape passed through some white plastic stakes provides a barrier along the touchline nearest to the club buildings. Interestingly the team line ups were posted on the pavilion wall...a nice touch!

A quick word about the programme. Apparently it is the county FA who invite (not compel) home clubs playing in their semi-finals to produce one. At £1 this one off neatly laid out publication designed by the Gipping Press printers in Needham Market comes with a glossy cover, contains a view from the home manager, history of the visitors as well as news from the SIL Div 2. It also incudes plenty of stats with a check on the latest fixtures, results, players appearances and goals, a table and line ups. There's also a list of previous winners in the Suffolk Primary Cup, currently held by Somersham FC (coincidentally members SIL 2) who beat Gemsford 3-2 last season. For the anorak in you Great Blakenham last reached the final in 1949 finishing runners up to Wortham losing 6-2!!       

When you consider that Great Blakenham Football Club nearly folded back in October due to a lack of players and management to run the club, it is a terrific achievement for the tiny village club to reach the final. Much work is still needed if they are to remain in the division but most at the club would agree that the SPC has been a most welcome distraction They will now meet the winners of  either DK Consultants (top of Lowestoft & District League) or fellow SIL (Div 2) club Benhall St Mary who will play their rearranged Semi-Final in a week's time after their game was postponed due to waterlogging earlier today.

So for the second Saturday in a row the thoroughbred hoppers from racing HQ had experienced another battle against the elements to find a match. And just like seven days ago they saw another cracking game of football. Indeed a visit to Great Blakenham FC comes highly recommended to all travellers. As ace grounds' collector Andy Marnoch rightly states: 'Don't you just love the later stages of county cup competitions!' It's also unbelievable to think that we almost didn't attend the game at all - had it not been for the tiny 'window' of hoppertunity in the village hall and eagle-eyed steward Derek we may well have missed out altogether today. Now that would have been really frustrating! Ah the joys of hopping in the flat country continues...just!!               

FGIF Match Stats

Scorers: (H) R Stewart (23) and (A) N/A

Attendance: 63; Admission: None; Programme: 16pp, £1; Match rating: 4/5; Ground rating: 3/5.

http://www.suffolkfa.com/splash.aspx