No.25 - Tues 28th April 2015; Cambs County League Division 2B;                              6.20pm at Estover Playing Fields; Estover Road; March; Cambs; PE15 8SF 

 

Matchday images (30) https://picasaweb.google.com/footballgroundsinfocus/MarchRangersFC

March Rangers (1) 2  Little Downham Swifts (1) 3

'Swifts snatch last gasp win'

'As a traveller it’s not very often that you get the opportunity to see two sides play each other both at home and away in the same season. My early evening hop tonight sees the Wraymobile II wind its way through the Fens to March Rangers Football Club whose first team is entertaining Little Downham Swifts in an eagerly-awaited Cambs County League Division 2B fixture.

 

I’m really looking forward to this game if my recent visit to the Pymoor Social Club was anything to go by. It was in this, the reverse fixture exactly a month ago to the day, that a spirited home side was quite simply merciless in hammering a sad Rangers side 8-1. On that day none of the twelve spectators standing pitch side could really see that result coming especially when the score at half-time was only 2-0. Bring on the re-match. So would home advantage see the tables turned or would the visitors seize the initiative once again and put together another repeat performance?

 

Tonight’s game turned out to be a much closer contest than the last time these sides met. In fact the result was in doubt right up until the end of the game. For the neutral it was an exciting spectacle and great advert for the county league. Although Rangers went behind after only five minutes they made a spirited fight back and levelled matters mid way through the half. But it was soon after the interval when things really started to heat up after Rangers surprisingly took the lead with a headed goal following a corner on the left, much to the delight of those watching from the side lines. It was the stuff of dreams. Well almost. Not to be outdone Swifts continued to press and soon got back into the game scoring from an almost identical goal, a header following a corner, twenty minutes later. Just when it looked likely the game would end in a draw, the visitors nicked all three points with the very last kick of the game when Sam Ashman drilled the ball home from six yards, rounding off what was a superb counter attack in stoppage time. Although Rangers had put it a splendid performance, it was little consolation for their efforts.   

 

The match played in bright sunshine throughout on an undulating, well grassed surface attracted 14 spectators. Whilst standing pitch side I was joined briefly during the second half by a couple of ‘interested’ locals and listened in to their conversation. One was a match official still actively involved in the Cambs County League and the other a local youth football coach. Sadly they did their very best not only to criticise nearly every decision made by the referee but slated the lack of skill and tactics of both teams out on the pitch. Unbelievable! No wonder the number of officials and players is gradually getting less each season. Remaining tight lipped I soon decided after about ten minutes that I’d had enough and moved away. I imagine most hoppers have experienced the same type of thing from time to time on their travels. Surely if you’ve nothing pleasant to say then for heaven’s sake just shut up! 

 

The club plays its games at the Estover Playing Fields found off Estover Road, about a mile and a half to the north east of March. To reach the ground I took the A142 from Ely before joining the A141 at Chatteris and then followed the B1101 through the town centre and turned right down Estover Road.

 

This is one of the most basic set ups in the league (to say the least). A narrow entrance leads to a rough unmade car park where a couple of yellow and blue portakabins used for changing are found at one end of an expansive tree-lined playing field. From here the main pitch (one of several here) is marked out some 200 yards away on the right hand side and runs parallel to the main road. The site is dominated by a large cedar tree close to the corner flag and a number of large wind turbines whose rotating blades can be seen in the immediate distance as you look beyond the hedgerow on the far side. As you would expect there are no dug outs or cover on what is after all public recreation ground.

 

Another great evening’s entertainment and another club ticked off that long list of Cambs County League sides. For more click details on the link shown below. Have fun whichever un-roped field you plan to visit next.

'.     

FGIF Match Stats

                Scorers: (H) Williams (24), Redhead (53) and (A) Careless (18), Ashman (71, 90+2) 

Attendance: 14; Admission: Free; Programme: None; Match rating: 3/5; Ground rating: 2/5.

Links

http://full-time.thefa.com/Index.do?league=7984801

 

edited on 29/04/15