No.13 - Sat 11th October 2014; Peterborough & District League Division Two;                        2pm at Guyhirn Sports Field; High Road; Guyhirn; Wisbech; Cambs; PE13 4ED

Matchday images (70) https://picasaweb.google.com/footballgroundsinfocus/GuyhirnFC Guyhirn (0) 1  Parkside (2) 8 A Fenland goal fest! 'The village of Guyhirn, situated just off the A47 (Norwich to Peterborough link road), is close to a section of the main carriageway which has been well documented in recent years as a major accident black spot in the area, amongst local commuters and hauliers who reluctantly travel along here each day in their cars and lorries. Plans are afoot in higher government circles to upgrade the road and so reduce dreaded bottlenecks and make it much safer for motorists in the near future. Thankfully there were no hold ups as I headed without any trouble towards the Sports Field home of Guyhirn Football Club who was entertaining Peterborough-based Parkside in a Peterborough & District League Division One fixture. With several reserve sides competing in this division I decided this was one of only a few ‘hoppertunites (against a first team side) that I had to tick off the Fenland club. After a dreadful winless start to the campaign the hosts unsurprisingly sat rock bottom of the sixteen team table.  Their opponents from Bushfield had fared only slightly better drawing two of their opening three games and on this form it was going to be difficult to predict a winner. The match however went according to the early season form book and saw Parkside run out surprisingly comfortable winners by a impressive 8-1 score-line. They looked a good passing side and should on this evidence at any rate be in the top half of the table come May next year. Watched by only eleven spectators the game was played on an undulating surface in mostly dull overcast and windy conditions. Indeed the weather worsened dramatically in the final ten minutes as several large strikes of lightning lit up the skies overhead to create a surreal and somewhat scary backdrop to proceedings. No programmes or refreshments were available on my visit. The ground is very easy to miss. As you approach down High Road look out for the village chapel and slow down to turn left at the adjoining narrow entrance (signed on the opposite side of the road) which takes you along a bumpy and potholed track leading to the small unmade car park and rather dilapidated changing room block situated in the corner of the playing field. Look out for the club name displayed on the back of the pavilion. Surrounded by open land stretching as far as the eye can see (typical in this part of the world) the main unroped pitch runs parallel to a long deep drainage ditch and ploughed field. Surprisingly a small 'heath-robinson-esque'  covered stand made from corrugated metal sheets with upright supports stands behind the half-way line and provides valuable standing shelter for up to twenty spectators. Apart from a number of small trees which border the far goal line the rest of the ground in comparison is much more open. I spent some time in the company of long serving club secretary John Hollis, himself a player back in the 1970’s when the team played in the Isle League. He told me that the club founded almost fifty years ago in 1968 (as depicted on the club badge/logo) has played on the current site since moving from a field belonging to the village school some twenty years ago. Recent success came to the club six seasons ago when Guyhirn won the Cambs FA Junior Cup with a team made up mainly  of local lads. Despite difficulties on the pitch the club has reason to feel optimistic in the future though. John explained that there are plans to re-develop the near side of the ground with proposals to build a new pavilion and cover - the work is pencilled on the committee’s drawing board to begin soon. Watch this hopping space for more details as they say. A visit to this remote but pleasant Fenland outpost is highly recommended!'           FGIF Match Stats Scorers: (H) Kowbas (79) and (A) Alban (14, 60, 69), Markland (45, 64), Payne (49, 85), Boyce (63)  Attendance: 11; Admission: Free; Programme: None; Match rating: 4/5; Ground rating: 4/5. Links http://full-time.thefa.com/Index.do?league=6486466

edited on 14/10/14