|
No.21 - Sat 13th November 2014; Cambridgeshire County League Division 4A; 2pm at Trumpington Recreation Ground; Anstey Way; Trumpington; Cambridge; Cambs; CB2 2JJ |
|
Matchday images (58) https://picasaweb.google.com/footballgroundsinfocus/CambridgeAmbassadorsFC
Cambridge Ambassadors (1) 4 Clare Town (1) 2 'Hosts turn tables in grudge match' 'How do you plan your journey to get to football these days? Are you still using paper maps and the trusty road atlas or have you converted to the joys modern technology? I must admit that after many years of travelling to games by car (99.9% of the time to be precise!) with the aid of an A to Z guide book (or two) tucked away in the glove compartment and a hastily scribbled list of directions obtained from a helpful club secretary, I have finally succumbed (over the last two years) to the wonders of satellite navigation. Like many people of my age who are understandably resistant to change I felt at the time a little bit reluctant to abandon my lovely collection of maps in favour of a plastic box you simply stick onto the dashboard or wind screen. Well you would, wouldn’t you? However I’m glad I did now. To be honest having the knowledge that I will actually get to a game within a prescribed time and without my blood pressure going through the (car) roof has been one of the best things to have happened in my hopping career. It has certainly added to my enjoyment of travelling (literally) and created hassle-free driving particularly on the last stage of a journey when finding a ground in an unknown place is all important. Today I’m heading towards the outskirts of Cambridge for my chosen game. It’s only a short journey and takes me to the village of Trumpington, a rapidly growing conurbation characterised by modern apartment blocks inhabited by the many workers employed in IT at the nearby technology park (referred to locally as Silicon Fen). It’s situated a few miles to the south of the city centre. Despite knowing the area fairly well I can honestly say that I have no idea where the ground is before today. By half past one I’m travelling along the village High Street and (according to my Sat Nav) have only a few hundred yards to go before reaching my destination. Serena (my chosen default voice setting for the trip!) tells me to turn left into Anstey Way and follow this into Byron Square. Incredibly I’m taken into a massive estate (hidden from view) where the housing follows a large extended oval around the perimeter of what is an oasis of green in the middle. At last I’ve found the Trumpington recreation ground! Phew! The ground plays home to Cambridge Ambassadors Football Club who has set up home here since moving from Coldhams Lane (next to the Abbey Stadium) a few years ago. According to the club secretary Paul Absalom it was founded back in 2005 when the side played (as a boys team) in a local churches league. After the competition lost its appeal they made a successful application to join the Cambs County League. Many of the original players still turn out today – some for the first team and others for the club’s Vets (over 35’s) side. A smart pavilion with several function rooms makes an immediate impression on the neutral visitor. The club however uses separate changing accommodation provided by a number of brightly coloured portakabins which are positioned at a right angle to the pavilion. The main and only un-roped pitch is marked centrally on the playing field. As expected there’s no spectator cover or dug outs here. Today’s game sees the visit of Clare Town to the recreation ground for a Division 4A league fixture. It’s billed as a bit of a grudge match following a bad tempered game when the sides first met back in September. On that day the team from Suffolk prevailed by a walloping 9-1 score-line. The tables are thankfully (for the hosts) turned this afternoon though. Much to their joy the Ambassadors gain sweet revenge coming from a goal down after five minutes to draw level by the break and then run out well deserved and comfortable 4-2 winners in the second half. Tempers get flared as the visitors are reduced to ten men in a match that ends in near darkness as ten minutes of stoppage time are needed to complete it. For the record only six people are in attendance and there are no programme or refreshments. The joy of discovering those ‘difficult to track down’ grounds continues. A trip to Byron Square in Trumpington comes highly recommended. For more details about the league including fixtures check out the competition website at the FA Full-Time link shown below. Have fun following your hopping sat nav wherever you decide to go!'. FGIF Match Stats Scorers: (H) Orriss (21, 90+1), Jenkinson-Dix (67), Bubb (78) and (A) Spittle (5), Davis (90+6) Attendance: 6; Admission: Free; Programme: None; Match rating: 4/5; Ground rating: 3/5. Links http://full-time.thefa.com/Index.do?league=7984801
|
|
edited on 14/12/14 |
