Undefeated - some feat

Saturday 18 May 2013 - Gas Recreation FC 4 Haverhill Sports Association 1, Suffolk and Essex Border League

Gas Rec as they are better known finished the league season with a win (against the second placed team) but more importantly it meant they had gone through the whole season undefeated winning the league plus two cups.

Bromley Road is a playing field that has seen better days and it is planned to build homes on the site but keeping one pitch and that will see Gas Rec play at an improved home.

Whereas Haverhill are to make the step up in leagues, Gas Rec will remain in the Border League - and probably dominate again next season, but if the club does not have the facilities to go up at least half the team should be playing at a higher level- and you would have thought local clubs like Wivenhoe and Stanway would have offered some of the Gas Rec players the chance to move up the pyramid.

But you often find clubs like this where players remain loyal to a lower league club - but often it is because they just like to win trophies and may not wish to play at a higher level but for a struggling club.

But Gas Rec, with improved facilities should look to move up themselves- just under a hundred fans watched the game today, a crowd that would be welcomed by many clubs playing in the league above.

Passion missing?

Tuesday 14 May 2013, Bury Town 2 Lowestoft Town 0, Suffolk Premier Cup Final - Portman Road

A few years ago a match like this would have been played in front of a packed crowd at a non-league ground on a sunny bank holiday Monday - ( does not happen anymore, and not just on about sun on a bank holiday)

The final then moved to Portman Rd, still full of passion and often over the top aggression as local players got a chance to play at Portman Rd and bragging rights as crowned top team in the county.

But this year, a low crowd and no passion but some good football - why?

Possible because a large number of players from both sides used to call Portman Rd home- at least 3 having played in front of 20,000 crowds for ITFC. But maybe it comes at the end of a season where both clubs have played each other twice, Lowestoft suffered play off defeat (again) and Bury had not played for a few weeks - but I still think the final should stay at Portman Road.

Cheap day out

Saturday 11 May 2013 Wickham Market FC 2 Leiston St Margaret's 5, Suffolk & Ipswich League, Senior Division - The Playing Fields

No senior non league football locally this Saturday so a drop to a Level 11 (Step 7) game and a trip up the A12 to Wickham - and a good choice as seven goals, no admission charge, a free programme and a beer in the clubhouse at half time - hope to see more games at this level next season.

No bottle!

Wednesday 8 May 2013, Suffolk Senior Cup Final, Whitton United 1 Ipswich Wanderers 1 (Wanderers win 3-2 on penalty's) Portman Road


I like a bit of non league football but sometimes get annoyed when many journalists use the non league as some great example to the professional game. Pretending that all in the non league game is great.

Now this final had some pluses, a good crowd, local rivals and plenty of goalmouth action but also highlighted that not all is rosy in the non league garden.

Arguments between fans and stewards (not helped by a number of jobsworth stewards) arguments and threats from committee members from one of the competing clubs and then quality forwards not having the bottle to take a penalty in the shoot out and leaving the task to two 16 year olds!

Then we had a terrible refereeing display - hardly spotted a foul but then ended up sending off a Whitton player in extra time - but I am still glad I went and will be at the Premier Cup Final next week.

Football season almost over

Saturday 4 May 2013, Burnley 2 Ipswich Town 0, Championship - Turf Moor

We were already safe so a relaxing trip up north via the scenic rail link from Leeds to East Lancashire.


Welcoming locals with cheap food and beer at Burnley Cricket Club, so as the football season comes to an end and the cricket is starting - how fitting to be at a ground where both sports sit next to each other