Cav delivers - again

Saturday 28  October 2017, Day 5 of London Six Day Cycle - Lee Valley VeloPark

Back for the third London Six Day event, and for me my second 6 Day race. last year saw a full house on  most nights thanks to the 'Wiggo' factor. So the crowds were slightly down on last year but they still left happy.

They saw a total domination of the women's event by GB World Champion, Katie Archibald and then the icing on the cake - Wiggo may be gone but his former partner Mark Cavendish was back, this time in an Isle Of Man duo with Peter Kennaugh. They left it late but came on top in the Derny final then followed that up by taking a lap in the last Madison of the night. Great entertainment.

No Hipster football here!

Saturday 28 October 2017, Fisher 3 Snodland Town - Southern Counties East, Div 1, St Pauls Stadium

A few years ago Fisher almost got to the football league, money being thrown at players but crowds never stood up - so in the end the club came crashing down with the stadium being sold - it stayed in place as a builders yard for a number of years.

Fisher then had to share at Dulwich Hamlet, a club with a hipster, left wing following - just a couple of stops down the trainline but the supporters background seemed miles  away as the Fisher faithful were all from close to stadium often lapsed Millwall fans. But they did have a bit in common, both want to see clubs run by the fans. So a fan run Fisher are now back on the Salter Rd, just the other side of the road and 300 metres down from their old ground.

G4 pitch, modern changing rooms, small club house - all very new but it seems to be liked by their fans, many who were introduced to football the 'old' Den - which seems thousands of miles from where we are now with the St Pauls Stadium.

The banner states it is against 'hipster' football, but with Canary Wharf as a backdrop and the trendy flats round Canada Water, maybe the club needs to attract those who would not be offended by being called 'hipsters'. The extra spectators that would bring in plus possible help on other sides of running the club could see the club increase their playing budget and they then could rise back up the pyramid and possible end up playing Dulwich as equal opponents.

Football wise today, Fisher were sitting mid-table whilst the visitors were sitting pretty in third, however the form book was thrown out of the window and the 'Fish' won easily.

I hope to be back at St Pauls, modern ground, good football but you know your in traditional football home when you hear the locals talk about the game - no hipsters here currently but I am sure they could find room for some beard wearing, Bianchi cycling, Canary Wharf working hipsters!

No programme, no points.

Monday 23 October 2017, Carshalton Athletic 0 Greenwich Borough 3 - Isthmian League (Bostik) , South, War Memorial Ground

Delayed on the Dartford Crossing but made it on time after driving the last few miles on narrow, hilly country roads (not what you would expect to find, so close to the urban area of Croydon).

Parked easy, paid got in and asked for a programme - then the shock, "we don't do one anymore, it is now an electric thing on your phone"!

Not impressed, but managed to get a free teamsheet, the club official blamed the league for choosing them to trial the 'no programme' option - but it seems the club may have also been keen to try it. It has put some supporters off plus a number of groundhoppers, however no programme may be an inconvenience but do not avoid Carshalton because of that, you will be missing out a great ground.

The club have a new G4 pitch but they ahve retained the rest of their traditional ground, a cracking seated stand - plus ornate entrance gates to the pitch but it is on the other side of the pitch you have the real star of the place. A terraced stand with roof that stretches the full length of the pitch.

On the pitch, the home side play some neat football but they could not live with Greenwich tonight, the visitors also play good football plus are fit, physical and it was obvious from this display that they have a great team ethic.

So ignore the lack of a programme, get down to the War Memorial ground, you will not be disappointed..

Derby Day woes continue

Sunday 22 October 2017, Ipswich Town 0 Norwich City 1 - Championship, Portman Road

Holding on

Saturday 21 October 2017, Norwich CBS 1 Oxhey Jets 0 - FA Vase, Round 1, The FDC

Was not expecting to like my visit to Norwich CBS, knew the ground was part of a large complex mainly made up of small astro pitches. I also could not understand how a village team that got promoted then decided to change their name and move venue.

But I was nicely surprised, OK it is  part of a large complex, you have to walk through an uninviting door, past a sports centre reception then through a naff bar. But keep going, you will like what you find. walk past the astro pitches and arrive a the entry hut, you are met with a lovely welcome, questions are answered, and everyone is smiling.

Inside the ground, you have a tea hut again with friendly staff and the 'Chairman's Shed' - where visiting officials are entertained, a small but adequate stand and with the high trees and quality fencing you get the real feel of an enclosed ground.

On top of that a decent playing surface and unlike yesterday we had two teams who could put more than 3 passes together on the trot,

Norwich won, but Oxhey will rue the chances they missed in the second half and may rightfully feel that the match officials did not do them any favours. So Norwich move on in the Vase, do not think their football will get them much further in the cup but if they get a home tie, they are sure to make their visitors feel very welcome.

I also  found out that in fact they had not been a village team that long and had originally been called Norwich Union FC, the village helped the team survive but they seem to have made a real home now at the FDC.

No passing allowed

Friday 20 October 2017. Holland 0 Great Wakering Rovers 1 - FA Vase, Round 1, Rush Green Bowl

A poor game where both teams spent most of the match arguing with each other, the opponents and the match officials. Not sure more than 3 passes were put together  in the whole game.

Somehow, we did see 3 goals but not sure other than the last 10 minutes if any of the game was worth watching- certainly will not be a game that I look back with great fondness.

Goals, red cards, penalty saves and light problems!

Tuesday 17 October 2017, Rothwell Corinthians 2 Cogenhoe United 4 - United Counties, Premier, Sergeants Lawn

The game that had it all but at first we thought we had a 200 mile wasted trip. Arrived in plenty of time but the Ref would not start the game as one light was out- it made little difference but he insisted we waited till it was fixed, after 15 minutes it came back on and we started the game at 8pm.

Cogenhoe have no manager and Rothwell are on a good run but it was the visitors who dominated the early play and got the first goal, then a bad tackle, some pushing and shoving and ref who took ages to make a decision. In the end just 2 yellow cards. Cogenhoe then added a second just before the break.

Second half and Rothwell got back in the game, an early goal followed by a penalty. However they were not on terms long as Cogenhoe broke away and re-took the lead.

Then we had two quick red cards for Rothwell players followed by a fourth goal for Cogenhoe, we thought that was it but in the last few minutes, the ref gave Rothwell a penalty that no one else in the ground could believe, even the Rothwell players, another yellow cared and a penalty save.

Great game for the neutral - and Cogenhoe fans.

Thrown away

Monday 16 October 2017, Ipswich Town Under 23s 0 Crystal Palace Under 23s 1 - Playford Road Training Ground, Professional Development League.


88 minutes, improved second half, couple of good moves, some passing for midfield - then caught on the break, needless penalty and another defeat.

Easy start on the path to Portman Road

Saturday 14 October 2017, Haughley United 0 Whitton United 9, Suffolk Senior Cup, 2nd Round, King George Playing Field, Green Rd.

Of all the local non-league cups, it is the Suffolk Senior Cup that is my favourite. The players seem to care about winning this and they all want the chance to play on the Portman Road turf.

The senior teams in the cup are from the Thurlow Nunn, Eastern Counties, Division One, however they have not won it for a couple of seasons and already this year, Suffolk & Ipswich side, Achilles have sent Framlingham packing.

I was interested to see how Eastern Counties side, Whitton United would do against their junior opponents. They certainly were coming into the game in form after winning their last league game, 8-0.

I was impressed with the welcome at Haughley, a full bar, cheap beer and then a mug of tea and a hot sausage roll at half time but they may have made their opponents too welcome on the pitch as Whitton went one better than last week and won this game 9-0.

Will the North West Ipswich lads make it to Portman Road? They have a great chance but they will have far harder tests ahead of them in the later cup rounds.