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No.23 - Sat 10th December 2011; Suffolk & Ipswich League Division 4; 2.00pm at Stowmarket High School, Gainsborough Road, Stowmarket, Suffolk, IP14 1LH. |
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Matchday images (34) https://picasaweb.google.com/footballgroundsinfocus/CedarsParkFC
Cedars Park (1) 6 Felixstowe Harpers (1) 1 It's a stroll in the Park for Cedars... After suitably whetting my hopping appetite last week with a visit to Suffolk & Ipswich League side Ufford Sports Football Club (click on the following link http://footballgroundsinfocus.com/R111222.htm for a full report) I decided to enjoy more of the same footy fare today with a hop featuring the top two teams in Division Four of the competition. The relatively short journey to Stowmarket was successfully completed in good time as I arrived at the Mid Suffolk Leisure Centre for the much awaited clash with current league leaders Cedars Park Football Club welcoming second placed Felixstowe Harpers to their modest Gainsborough Road ground. Game on!! Indeed both clubs have achieved much to date in their relatively short playing histories. Since joining the SIL only a couple of seasons ago their terrific progress has almost been mirrored with each gaining impressive back to back promotions firstly from Division 6 in 2009-10 and then again from Division 5 last campaign. As predicted by many the hosts (who have a superior record over their visitors) so far remain unbeaten in the league having amassed a promising +26 goal difference to stay three points ahead and also have a game in hand. Although both clubs were knocked out of the Touchline Sports (formerly Omnico) League Cup at the second round stage recently, Cedars Park have successfully reached the Fourth Round of the Suffolk Primary Cup. An away tie to St Edmundsbury League side Tollgate Inn FC awaits The Lions early next month. Not surprisingly when both teams met at the Harpers Eastward Ho! base for the reverse fixture back in September Cedars prevailed with a narrow 2-0 win. With so much rivalry between both sides nothing less than a tight game was fully expected today. Despite the bitterly cold weather which had left a few frozen patches of grass in one corner of the field the wintry sun had thawed out the main pitch surface to make it perfectly playable before kick-off. The match attracted only a small handful of hardy fans (all supporting the locals) who huddled closely together with their backs to the sun along the nearside touchline for most of this nail biting encounter. For the first time this winter I must confess that my toes began to feel (unpleasantly) very numb by the end of the game - what a whimp I hear you say!! Although not a classic spectacle by any means the outcome of the game was most surprising. It was the Harpers who, against the run of play, opened the scoring when a hard, low crossed ball from the left saw speedy midfielder Ross Young (4) tap in from close range past the outstretched Thomas Jacobs in the home goal. The Lions equalised midway through the half when Andrew Batley (22) beat keeper Chris Webber in a 'one on one' to the ball and netted from ten yards out. The hosts gradually asserted their authority after the break and established the lead just before the hour mark through Steven 'Mole' Holland (57) who guided Danny Moore's cross home with a subtle touch from a tight angle. But the best was yet to come as lanky centre-forward Tommy Alnutt (affectionately referred to as 'Nut' by his team mates) quickly staked his claim to the Man of the Match award following an inspired hat-trick scored in the space of just ten breath-taking minutes: the first coming from Tommy Lancaster's low cross (59); the second as a result of Webber's poor handling (77) and the third after stabbing home a loose ball from six yards (79) all contrived to stun the visitors into submission. Substitute Craig Tosvisen (90) completed the rout scoring with a cracking volley just seconds from the end of the game to make it 6-1. This victory now extends The Lion's lead at the top of the table to six points and takes them a step nearer to making it three consecutive promotions come next May. Watch this space for more as they say. To reach the ground travellers should come off the A14 at junction 49 (taking the A1308 Tot Hill road towards Stowmarket town centre). After passing Stowmarket Town FC at the mini roundabout take the right turn and follow the brown information signs for the Mid Suffolk Leisure Centre via Chilton Way. There is plenty of space in the main sports centre car park situated off Gainsborough Road. Access to the (adjacent) Stowmarket High School playing fields is through a narrow gate in the bottle green painted metal fence to the side of the centre. With little by the way of player and spectator facilities I must admit that this has to be one of the most basic set ups I have been to in the entire SIL over the last few years. The playing field is partly enclosed by a mixture of fences and hedgerows with the Stowmarket Rugby on Chilton Way (home of fellow SIL club Salvation Army FC) running beyond the furthest goal. The main pitch which is marked on the far side of the field is some 200 yards away from the PE changing rooms (made available to the club through a contact at the school). Although the playing area is unroped a row of plastic training discs is laid out parallel to and behind the nearside touchline to provide a bit of a visual barrier during play. Despite their present humble surroundings at the school Cedars Park is nevertheless a football club with plenty of ambition (after all their motto 'Victoria per Veneratio' does stand for 'victory with honour'). I was grateful to club secretary Craig Abbott for providing much needed match information and directions to the ground before setting out at midday. Upon arrival I was met at pitchside by affable club chairman (and ace photographer)Nathan Muskett who kindly gave me a copy of the club's matchday programme, a regular issue for all home games over the last couple of seasons. Complete with colour cover highlighting the match details on the front, the 16 page publication gives the paper-chaser plenty to read and includes club news and stats, Chairman's notes, a player interview, previous match report, excellent photos (including a SIL Club of the Month presentation awarded for August/September) and a few snippets covering the SIL. Indeed hoppers may be surprised to learn that no less than thirty-one matches have so far been postponed in 2011-12 because clubs have been unable to raise a team. It is a credit to 'Mole' Holland (one of the players) who not only edits the programme but also publishes the excellent club website (see link below). As programmes are (unusually) only available here AFTER the game when the club retreats post match to its local watering-hole at the Pickerel Inn off Stowupland Street, travellers are advised to phone ahead to reserve themselves a copy upon arrival! Thanks to Craig for making this possible for me today. As Nathan enthusiastically explains Cedars Park is probably the only club outside the SIL Senior Division to issue programmes. This pro-active professional approach extends to attracting local advertising partners and merchandising their own branded products including a woollen hat complete with embriodered logo as worn by players and committee members at the game today. He also told me that the club plan to move, in a couple of years, to a brand new Cedars Park community sports development venue. The modern site will provide not only a permanent ground but offer much better social facilities. I for one will watch their future progress with great interest. A visit to this really friendly club located in the heart of Suffolk comes with my warmest recommendation. I have no doubt at all that travellers will be made to feel really welcome during their short stay. With the added attraction of picking up a superb matchday programme and watching a decent game of football what more could the avid grounds' collector want? Ah the joys of hopping in the Sufolk & Ipswich League continue. Have fun wherever you decide to go! FGIF Match Stats Scorers: (H) A Batley (22); S Holland (57); T Allnutt (69; 77; 79); C Tostevin (90) and (A) R Young (4) Attendance: 10; Admission: Free; Programme: 16pp, Donation; Match rating: 3/5; Ground rating: 2/5. Links http://www.pitchero.com/clubs/cedarsparkfc/ http://www.suffolkandipswichleague.co.uk/ |
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edited on 11/12/11 |
