No.8 - Thurs 30th August 2012; Cambs County League Bambridge Invitation Cup First Round; 6.15pm at Great Chishill Playing Field; Hall Lane; Great Chishill; Cambs; SG88SG. |
Matchday images (31) https://picasaweb.google.com/footballgroundsinfocus/GreatChishillFC Great Chishill (0) 2 Melbourn (1) 1 Sharp Chishill carve out victory!
When I flagged up the rare chance to tick off a new ground right on my doorstep it was simply just too good an hoppertunity to miss. Tonight I am travelling the relatively short distance from racing HQ towards Royston for a match in the little-publicised Bambridge Invitation Cup, one of the many organised Cambridgeshire County League cup competitions, as hosts Great Chishill Football Club take on Melbourn in a First Round tie.
For those interested in such matters I am led to believe that the Bambridge Cup itself was originally donated to promote sporting (including football) participation in the catchment area surrounding Wimpole Hall, a country house, situated about eight miles south-west of Cambridge. It was during the 1950's that aristocrats George and Elsie Bambridge (daughter to Rudyard Kipling) resided in and revitalised Wimpole Hall helping to make it into the National Trust property what it is today.
Having followed the minutiae of Cambs County League football for some time now I have as you would imagine ticked off a good number of clubs and grounds over the years particularly those playing in the top three divisions (Premier, Senior A and B) of this extensive (twelve division) competition. However until now Great Chishill FC is one club has not not appeared on my hopping radar.
The club plays at the Great Chishill Playing Fields, a smart fully enclosed venue which shares its facilities with cricket, is found off Hall Lane close to the village centre. 'Goat Meadow', as it is affectionately referred to by locals, can be reached by following signs for some five miles from the westbound A505 to Royston. Access through the main entance takes the visitor along a narrow inclined driveway which turns sharply to the right before leading to a spacious car park.
The adjacent white-washed sports pavilion with its ornate roof top clock incorporates the football club changing rooms. A small veranda in front affords the travelling spectator not only with some essential basic standing cover but also provides a superb elevated vantage point from which to watch the action as well as survey the beautiful surrounding countryside beyond. Behind is the Great Chishill Village Hall, a building used to host a variety of functions used by the local community. A small children's play area with a variety of equipment is laid out alongside.
The main pitch, marked out parallel, drops down sharply away from the pavilion towards the cricket square beyond. A short length of blue twine supported through a number of metal stakes acts as a temporary pitch barrier on the near side only. Space is at a premium behind the top goal to the right where the boundary brick wall and wooden fence almost hug the goal line. Quirkily a small wooden seat (one of many on site) is fixed onto the panelling. Due to the close proximity of local housing club officials are kept very busy during the game retrieving balls from neighbouring gardens which back on to the field of play!
Since gaining promotion at the end of last season the Great Chishill Football Club (also nicknamed 'The Goats' according to their latest Twitter page) now finds itself in Division 1A of the Kershaw League some five divisions higher than their opponents Melbourn who have fallen in recent year down as far as Division 5. With both sides plying their trade in different divisions of the Kershaw League a cup competition like this can often be seen as a David v Goliath contest adding that extra little bit of spice (on paper at least) to the spectacle.
Surprisingly it was the visitors from Melbourn who scored first when tricky midfielder Tom Barton cut inside his marker and laid the ball off for Thomas Walker (27) to side-foot the ball past keeper Charles Fidler from close range. Barton (35) almost doubled his side's lead when a ferocious, low 20-yard drive through a group of players cannoned off the left hand post of the goal frame. The hosts equalised mid-way through the second half when Gareth Edey's (72) cross-cum-shot took a deflection off unsighted keeper Michael Walker. The breakthrough for Chishill came moments later when Lee Smith beat the offside trap to set up substitute Nick Danes (75) with an easy tap in from six yards. Despite creating a couple of late chances themselves Melbourn could not find that vital equaliser. Lucky really as extra-time and penalties may have proved a tad difficult considering the fading light!! I was told afterwards by hard-working and personable club official John Drury that Chishill will now have to wait eight months for that all-important second round tie when Comberton United (bye in Round One) visit Hall Lane next April!!
The match played in bright sunshine and showers attracted a crowd approaching twenty-four spectators at its highest. Amazingly a gathering of hoppers who had travelled here from all points of the compass made up almost a third of the crowd. With the likes of Messrs Buck; Marnorch and Langford present surely there can be no greater recommendation for seeking out clubs playing in Cambs County League football, can there? Come On You Goats!! Have fun wherever you go!
FGIF Match Stats Scorers: (H) G Edey (72); N Danes (75) and (A) T Walker (27) Attendance: 45; Admission and Programme: N/A; Match rating: 4/5; Ground rating: 4/5. Links http://full-time.thefa.com/Index.do?league=7984801 |
edited on 31/08/12 |