No.32 - Sat. 13th February 2010; Suffolk & Ipswich League Omnico Cup Quarter Final             2.00pm at Crowley Park, Barretts Lane, Needham Market, Suffolk.

Matchday images (15) >view>  AFC Crowley (0) 0  Ransomes Sports (1) 5 A Memorable Day Can you remember what you were doing on Saturday 15th April 1989? It's quite a while ago now, so you may not immediately recollect the importance of this special day, one that stands out above many others in sporting history. It was on this very day that the face of association football changed dramatically, perhaps forever, leaving a legacy that has been far reaching beyond anything that has happened before. The way we watch the game these days is totally different too. You may have rightly worked out that it was on this day that the fateful events at Hillsborough, Sheffield took place. Who can forget the shocking event when so many Liverpool football fans lost their lives in a stampede crush during the FA Cup Semi-Final against Nottingham Forest. Like you, I can still remember it clearly just like it was yesterday. In fact I was heading back to racing HQ after watching a local game and had just turned on the car radio, when I first heard the live, chilling news unfold. It was a sobering moment and one that will always remain with us. Let us hope such events will never happen again anywhere. Over twenty years have passed since the Hillsborough tragedy and I'm on my way back again to Barretts Lane in Needham Market, the same venue that I attended on that memorable day. My records show that Needham Market played Woodbridge Town in a Suffolk and Ipswich League Division One fixture (result, 0-1). How times have changed since them. Seven years later, in 1996, Needham moved on to pastures new, in fact just over the road at the well appointed Bloomfields ground and, as most of you know, now ply their trade in the Eastern Counties League Premier Division. Parts of the ground at Crowley Park certainly looked familar as I drove up the steadily rising incline that is Barretts Lane and pulled into the main entrance at the top of the hill on the right hand side. The main car park is set on a plateau over-looking the playing fields below. It's a fantastic panoramic vantage point. A couple of buildings incorporating the changing rooms and pavilion are reached by descending a row of concrete steps set into the steep grassy embankment. The main pitch is marked out beyond a smaller training area and a cricket square, over on the far side of the large field. Behind here is a children's activity area complete with various items of outdoor play equipment. As a couple of locals pointed out to me, it appears that the previous pitch used here by Needham Market in their Suffolk and Ipswich League days, ran at ninety degrees to this one although it is not clear whether there is any ovelap of sorts with the new one. The playing area today was roped off by tape inserted through a series of plastic stakes along the nearest touchline and behind the goal running parallel to the road. Interestingly the blue tape, endorsed by the Football Association, highlights the words 'Respect - Football Foundation' which are printed on both sides throughout it's entire length. As you would expect there are no dugouts or spectator cover on site. The veranda on the pavilion may help to provide a bit of shelter but viewing the action would be quite difficult not only because of its distance from the pitch but also by the fact that most of the fans tend to stand along the nearest touchline. Just remember to bring your anorak in case it rains though.     My chosen game today at Crowley Park is the eagerly waited SIL Quarter Final tie between AFC Crowley and Ransomes Sports. It's going to be an exciting encounter as the homesters are the lowest postioned SIL team still left in the last eight of the prestigious competition and they are taking on the reigning cup holders, Ransomes Sports, a side who play some three divisions higher in the Senior section. An earlier check phone call to helpful Sports secretary John Potter was met with a touch of sarcasm and truth when he learned of my interest and asked whether my intended vist (as a neutral) was in the hope of seeing a sensational upset. You bet it was but I didn't tell him that!! After a couple of rather, shall we say, difficult weeks trying to track down matches at new grounds, thankfully normal hopping duties were resumed for your scribe today. Hallelujah!! Despite a bit of drizzle in the air, the conditions were much improved to those in recent weeks and it was refreshing to arrive without the slightest hint of any postponement. How cool is that? Sorry no pun was intended here. A decent crowd had gathered at pitchside before the 2pm kick off and included a large contingent of 'Reds' supporters who had travelled the short distance over from Ipswich on the A14. Amongst their number was fan 'Ian the Horn' who always features prominently during their matches. This popular, elderly gentleman who never misses a game, adds a bit of atmosphere to proceedings by squeezing his cycle horn at regular intervals during matches. If you don't immediately see him you will soon become familiar with his horn (am I allowed to say that?). He's a lovely bloke and is very knowledgeable about the local football scene; having given up his season ticket at Portman Road he now gets great pleasure from watching relatively inexpensive grass roots football. I also spotted a couple of hoppers who had also made the journey here. One of them asked me how far it was to Bloomfields and was planning to take in the latter stages of the ECLP game between Needham and Ely City. I think he must have made his way there during the half-time break as I couldn't spot him in the second half.    Although the club have made a great start to the season, currently lying in third place in Division 3 and having already disposed of Division 2 leaders, Saxmundham Sports in the previous round of the competition, AFC found the going particularly tough today against their higher ranking opponents. Any thoughts of 'David overcoming Goliath' were quickly dispelled as the game unfolded. Ransomes who confusingly (for me) were wearing yellow shirts today took full control from the first whistle and with plenty of good intentions created chance after chance to build a lead. However a bit of last-gasp tackling in the home defence and some poor finshing contributed to the lack of a goal in the opening exchanges. The deadlock was soon broken though when the highly influential Nico Saenz (22) opened the scoring midway through the first half. The diminutive Argentinian (who incidentally used to play in the Spanish League, no less, last season), wearing his lucky blue gloves, converted a penalty after being unceremoniously scythed down from behind in the area by Paul Wicks.   After the break Ransomes continued where they had left off and pressed for a second. It came a few minutes after the re-start when Lyndon Alexander (48), a young lad with bleached locks and, more importantly for the hopper, gifted with great acceleration, chipped the hapless 'keeper Dale Youngs from just outside the box. The ball dropped perfectly under the bar before rolling over the line into an empty net. Within ten minutes Alexander (55) added his second of the game after being put through by Paul Moore. He calmly drew the keeper off his line and was left with the simple task of slotting the ball home under his body. As expected the lads from  Needham struggled to get back into the game as their inferior level of fitness began to tell in the later stages. With less than fifteen minutes remaining it was the classy Saenz (76) who added his name to the score-sheet once again with a deliciously chipped shot from the edge of the box. Back- pedalling 'keeper Youngs was left stranded in no-man's land as the ball escaped his outstretched right hand and could only turn and watch the ball roll frustratingly over the line. Substitute Paul Dodsworth (84) was left to wrap things up scoring with the easiest of tap-ins from three yards out following some great work and a lovely cross from Adam Glencastle on the left. With seconds remaining Dodsworth thought he had snatched another but was adjudged correctly to be in an offside position when put through by Saenz. So a convincing 5-0 win by Ransomes Sports who looked every bit as good as they did when I saw them beat Aldeburgh Town at the Victory Fields back in December. The draw for the Semis, made later that evening on BBC Radio Suffolk, awarded the Reds an away tie at Stanton, a game to be played on Saturday April 3rd. On this showing they look a good bet to retain their title as Omnico Cup winners should they reach the final again (this will be at Woodbridge Town in May). I did feel a bit sorry for the hosts who despite the scoreline gave a really good account of themselves and never gave up during the tough contest. Being knocked out of the league cup, may be a blessing in disguise and allow the club more time to concentrate on gaining promotion up to Division 2 this season. I will note their results with a keen interest. Although the club do not issue matchday programmes, a well stocked tea bar in the pavilion caters for spectators, dispensing a wide range of hot drinks and snacks throughout the game. The enthusiastic band of helpers ensure it's service with a smile here. Thankyou ladies.  A visit to Crowley Park is to be recommended. For me it was a great day out at a lovely, well run club. Having no concerns over the weather, plenty of time to spare before the game started and seeing some superb cup football, the joys of hopping have thankfully returned. Mind you I won't put the anorak away just yet. Have fun wherever you go.     FGIF Match Stats Scorers: (H) N/A and (A) Saenz (22pen; 76) Alexander (48; 55) Dodsworth (84);   Attendance: 57; Admission: N/A; Programme: N/A; Match rating: 4/5; Ground rating: 3/5. Links - http://www.clubwebsite.co.uk/afccrowley/

edited 18/01/10