It’s the first weekend that we have experienced really bad weather in these parts and our hopping plans are in tatters!! As we make our way to the outskirts of Great Yarmouth for our chosen game today the heavens open and heavy driving rain mixed with hail and sleet makes navigating considerably difficult. Soon after turning off the A47 towards Caister an emergency police road block is in place to divert traffic. The banks of the Filby Broad at Filby have been breached and our route is cut off where deep flood water completely engulfs the road ahead. I agree with Mrs W who suggests that, without reliable swimwear, there’s no way through!

We reluctantly turn back and re-set the Sat Nav which brings us out further north along the A149 carriageway towards our destination, Ormesby St Margaret. As we finally reach the village recreation ground in Station Road there isn’t a single soul in sight. Moments later two visiting fans from Diss arrive, take a quck look and without stopping, drive away! Although the sun is shining, the nets are up and the pitch looks in really good condition, the Norfolk Junior Cup game at Catfield FC (v Scole United) is definitely off! Oh dear! 

With local clubs Horning and Ludham (both members of the North East Norfolk League) playing away from home today there’s no time to find a new ground and so we decide to continue on our journey back through the lovely Norfolk Broads heading towards Norwich. After passing through Hoveton and Wroxham we notice that a smart sign board at the end of Skinners Lane informs locals that the Yachtsmen are at home and their game is still on. Despite being a re-visit it’s an hoppertunity too good to miss. Well it is Saturday afternoon after all!

After gaining promotion from the Eastern Counties League, the club has, this season, joined membership of the Ryman League. Their game sees the visit of Waltham Abbey to Trafford Park for a crucial Division 1 North fixture. Since our last visit here some eighteen months or so ago for an FA Vase Semi-Final tie (v Whitehawk) much work has been carried out to meet the necessary ground-grading requirements. The venue now boasts a new wooden panelled fence which surrounds most of the site, two smart turnstile blocks complete with pay booths in the corners closest to the main entrance; extra seating in the main stand and a tidy new covered terraced stand (the Kenny Cooke stand) behind the goal at the far end. As you will see from the album photos it certainly all looks very impressive which helps to make this a real gem of a Broadland ground.

The Yachtsmen seem to be making a habit of gifting goals to their opponents recently. It was only seven days ago that they somehow managed to overcome a three goal deficit to beat Thamesmead here with a late flurry winning by 4-3. It’s a similar story today as the spirited home side come fighting back from two goals down to score twice in the second half. Sadly despite having the chances they cannot find a winner and settle for a point in an entertaining 2-2 draw to maintain their mid table position.

The match, played on a heavily sloping but well drained pitch in continuously changing weather conditions which includes intermittent spells of rain, sleet and weak sunshine, attracts some 140 spectators including several fans who have travelled up from Norh-East London and a fellow hopper, a Canvey Island fan. Locals standing close to me explain that crowds have not been great so far this season (possibly due to the longer distances fans have to travel) but could pick up when local sides Needham Market and AFC Sudbury come to Trafford Park. They all agree though that the standard of football is about the same as the Eastern Counties League, although the pace of the games is definitely much quicker.

To complement its informative website (see address below) the club issue a smart, newsy 24-page photocopied programme complete with colour cover (produced by MK Promotions UK Ltd) for all home games. For £1.50 it’s a decent newsy read and contains recent action photos. Interestingly for neutrals one page is devoted to Bucks Travels a hopping diary written by well-known hopper extraordinare Brian Buck. Nice one mate! A range of hot and cold food and drinks was cheerfully dispensed from a mobile catering van which parked up close to the clubhouse during the game.

So on a day when our hopping plans looked to be in jeopardy things looked a lot better come five o’clock. Thanks go to ace correspondent Mike Latham who told me many years ago that if you ever miss out on your chosen game it’s better to find another one even if you’ve been to the ground before. Wise words my friend! If you haven’t been to Trafford Park yet or fancy a re-visit you’ll certainly enjoy your short stay here and catch up on those terrific ground improvements. We were certainly made to feel very ‘waarlcome’ in this part of Norfolk. The joys of Broadland hopping continue. Have fun wherever you go and always remember to have a backup, just in case.

Upon arriving home I logged on to the Norfolk FA website to find out that six (out of sixteen) ties in the NJC had been postponed due to waterlogging and will played next week. Nearly all the games were somewhere in or around the Great Yarmouth area confirming clearly that it definitely wasn’t the place to be today!

FGIF Match Stats

Scorers: (H) R Durrant (57); R Gordon (76) and (A) J Peagram (21); C Akers (29)

Attendance: 137; Admission: £7; Programme: 24pp, £1.50; Match rating: 3/5; Ground rating: 5/5.

Links

http://www.pitchero.com/clubs/wroxhamfc/

http://www.isthmian.co.uk/