Up the slope

Sunday 27 November 2016, Cray Valley (PM) 1 Tunbridge Wells 0 - Kent Reliance Senior Trophy, 2nd Round, Badgers Sports Ground

South of the Thames for some Sunday football and a ground that I visited last season only for the game to suffer a late call off. 118 in the crowd so playing on a Sunday certainly pulled a few extra fans in - plus a load of groundhoppers. First thing I noticed was how well organised and friendly Cray Valley are- willing to chat, nice clubhouse and plentiful supply of colour teamsheets.

After leaving the clubhouse the next thing was the slope - very noticeable and did wonder if it would make a big differnce in how the football was played by each side in each half.

Cray were the better team but Tunbridge were certainly dangerous on the break trouble for all the good football by mainly the younger players on each side that was wasted by more senior players whos pent most of the game arguing with the Ref who quickly filled up his little black book with many of their names.

Some of the senior players also seemed to be lacking in both skill and fitness- but all in all it was a good cup game but as it started to get colder, I for one was happy that extra time and penalties were not needed.

What a difference a week makes

Saturday 26 November 2016, Ipswich Town 3 QPR 0 - Championship, Portman Road

Reg Varney on the programme cover then  later on the scoresheet - maybe even the man of the match!

East coast cup game

Tuesday 22 November 2016, Feleixstowe & Walton Utd 2 Lowestoft Town 3 - Suffolk Premier Cup, quarter final, Dellwood Avenue

Cracking game that the home side were unlucky to lose - hard to see that there is meant to be a two division difference between these two sides.

At last a win

Monday 21 November 2016, Ipswich Town Under 23s 4 Crystal Palace Under 23s 3 - Professional Development League, Playford Rd training ground

Not often we see any Town side win these days.

Will it get better?

Saturday 19 November 2016, Ipswich Town 0 Nottingham Forest 2 - Championship, Portman Road

Not a great day for the Town!

Village glory

Saturday 19 November 2016, Bramford United 3 Coplestonians 2 - Suffolk Senior Cup, 3rd Round, Acton Rd Playing field

Closest village to Ipswich, and a nice place to catch some football - a full bar (plus hot drinks available) in the club house plus a fully railed pitch and dug outs.

Now into the last 8, will get Bramford one of the Thurlow Nunn sides in the quarter final? I certainly will be hoping they now make it all the way to Portman Road for the final.

No cup glory for the Castlemen

Friday 18 November 2016, Framlingham Town 0 Woodbridge Town  2 - Suffolk Senior Cup, 3rd Round,  Badingham Road

A very cold night but a big crowd out for the East Suffolk derby. Two young teams but Woodbridge just had slightly more experience and that showed as after taking a 2-0 lead they were able to take it easy in the second half without really ever feeling that they were going to lose.

The Friendly Club

Wednesday 16 Novemeber 2016, Peterborough Northern Star 3 Boston Town 0 - United Counties League, Premier Division, Branch Bros Stadium

Some clubs get more fans than they deserve - ( many Premier League clubs) but other clubs do not get the support they deserve or work for and Peterborough Northern Star are one of those sides.

From the minute you arrive at their ground - in the middle of a housing estate you see this is a club well loved by those who volunteer here. From the turnstiles to the quality programme - including free raffle you know you are going to be made welcome.

a nice bar and supporters keen to talk about football and give you their opinions on Peterborough area football.

Even the snack bar has enough food to meke sure the whole crowd could not only eat but have a choice.

Trouble is for all that effort they only attracted about 50 paying spectators last night. They deserve far more

On the pitch they have not only a young team but one with some of the shortest players I have seen at this level of football in fact the only other player who i have see so small was also in the Northern Star side, best bit was that they were two of the best players on show.

Hope to get back again to visit this friendly club - they deserve the support.

East Suffolk rain

Tuesday 15 November 2016, Leiston 6 Ipswich Town Under 18s 3 - Suffolk Premier Cup, Quarter Final, Victory Road

It rained and then rained even more and as fast as the water dropped from the sky the goals were raining in at each end - great game in very wet conditions helped by a superb pitch.

Playing against adults should have benefited the young Ipswich team.

Goal fest!

Monday 14 November 2016, Ipswich Town U23s 2 Charlton Athletic U23s 4 - Professional Development League, Ipswich Town Training Ground

And three of the goals were crackers!

Best game of the season so far

Saturday 12 November 2016, Peterborough Sports 5 Biggleswade FC 3 - FA Vase 2nd Round, Lincoln Road

A basic ground but Peterborough Sports 'The Turbines' are a club going places - top of the league plans for ground improvements and some thought a good chance of making it to the Vase final at Wembley.

Biggleswade, the opponents are only into their first season as a senior club but it quickly became obvious they could play football, so in the end we got a classic and at 3-3 it looked like extra time was on the cards and maybe even a shock as Biggleswade looked slightly fitter than the home team.

But then we had a great individual goal to put 'The Turbines' 4-3 up and then a late goal made it 5-3.

Fantastic game in far from perfect conditions - would not bet against both clubs ending up as champions of their respective leagues come May - but if Peterborough fancy going further in the Vase they will have to improve their finishing.

Breckland Derby

Wednesday 9 November 2016, Mundford 1 Attleborough Town 3 - Anglian Combination Division 1, The Glebe

A rare floodlight game in the Anglian Combination and a ground I had passed hundreds of times - and I was impressed! A good game with five goals with the visitors winning it with the help of a couple of goalkeeping errors.

Cricket pavilion open and bar doing good trade, the tea and coffee was harder to get hold of as just one kettle meant a long queue. A good night of football and home just after 10!

Under the roof

Sunday 6 November 2016, AIK Stockholm 3 Kalmar FF 1 - Allsvenskan, Friends Arena

Morning snow and a visit to the Olympic Stadium, should have told me that there was little hop of watching football today, but I knew I would see a game as the game (one of a number of last day of the season fixtures) would be played under a roof. I had been to stadiums with a roof before but had yet to see an 'indoor; game.

AIK home stadium is impressive, and similar to the London Olympic Stadium with a shopping mall next door, but with AIK failing to ever fill the ground to capacity, how do they survive?

The Arena may survive because it is an all year round entertainment venue, with Monster Truck planned for the following weekend and the biggest crowds so far have been for American pop stars.

The match itself - AIK needed to win to secure second place - was entertaining with AIK having to come from behind to secure the points.

A very low crowd but that did stop the Ultras below me from singing throughout the game with the addition of regular flares. Swedish organisation meant that each flare was met with the arrival of a fireman who waited till the flare was almost out, collected it off the fan and then placed it in a sand pit - very civil!