Summer sport and shock! It was sunny

Sunday 20 May 2018, Suffolk CC (192 - 7 - 49.4 overs) beat Buckinghamshire CC  (191 all out - 46.2 overs) - Unicorn KO Trophy, 1st Round, Ipswich School

A summer sport and for once in England the sun shone! It looked like it would be over early when Bucks lost 3 quick wickets but they survived to post a decent score but one that Suffolk should reach easy.

But for what ever reason, Suffolk never got going, they di eventually win it but only with a couple of balls to spare, but a nice day, scenic venue and exciting end to the game.

Near the end now

Saturday 19 May 2018, Rayleigh Town 2 Kelvedon Hatch 4- Essex Olympian League, Rayleigh Town Sports Club

End of season but there are always a few leagues that go to the end of the month. Nice set up here, only an hour away (thanks to roads being traffic free- Royal Wedding)

Pitch was in good nick and even being so late in the season both teams had subs - and to make it better - it was a good game with a few good gaols, I am sure I will be visiting this league again at the end of next season.

Big boys v little boys

Saturday 12 May 2018, Ipswich Town U15/16 Academy 1 Tottenham Hotspur Under 15/16 Academy 6 - Academy Showcase game, Portman Road

Not much of a contest, Spurs team looked bigger, faster and smarter.

Second best team in Suffolk

Wednesday 9 May 2018, Leiston 3 Bury Town 0 - Suffolk Premier Cup Final, Portman Road

Not a bad game and Bury played some good football, but in the end Leiston never had to get out of second gear to win this match- At times it was like a game of ex Ipswich Reserves v ex Ipswich Reserves, with Ainsley, Garnham, Lawrence, Dunbar and Hammond coming out on top- and the main loser being Ollie Fenn, who saw red on his return to Portman Road before the break.

Best ballboy in football

Monday 7 May 2018, Ipswich Wanderers 0 Fakenham Town 1 - Eastern Counties, Premier Division, Humber Doucy Lane

Wanderers have had a wretched season and Fakenham have not fared much better, so not sure what I was expecting when 2 of the bottom 3 teams met.

The game was close and Fakenham won it with a late goal just after wanderers had one disallowed at the other end.

plenty of way ward shooting, kept the oldest (and best) ball boy in the UK busy. Lets us just hope both teams are around next season, especially Wanderers, one of my closest non-league clubs, and love the quirky stands, the mass of corrugated iron - and always someone to chat with about football. A real friendly club who today gave everyone who paid to get in a free beer!

Back to being a family

Sunday 6 May 2018, Ipswich Town 2 Middlesbrough 2 - Championship, Portman Road

We may not have won, but for the first time in ages we felt like we were all pulling in the same direction - players, club, manager, fans, and even the press!

Raffle and sun

Saturday 5 May 2018, Chatteris Town 2 Great Shelford 2 - Cambridgeshire Premier, West Street

Bottom v second  but you would not have thought so by the way the match was played, Great Shelford were the better team but both their goals could be put down as keeper mistakes, and in the second half Chatteris did improve.

A low level of football but a decent crowd as it was 'family day' with this match to be followed by games fro the Reserves and the 'A' team. they even has a raffle, trouble was - the lady selling the tickets was chatty and quite persuasive but on the minus side, she did not seem to know what to do with the tickets once you did buy one.

Penalty! 2-2

The ground is impressive for this level, not surprising as the home team were once in the Eastern Counties League.

The stand out features, were the two quirky stands, just the sort groundhoppers love.

Back home?

Wednesday 2 May 2018, 1 Yorkshire Regiment 2 3 RSME 1 - Army Major Units Cup Final, Aldershot Military Stadium

It felt ,like going home, back sat in a crowd of 400 plus soldiers, listening to their conversations, wondering what was in their days sacks - I have not re-enlisted but I was in Aldershot to see the cup final.

The football was not as good as I had expected but the fitness and on field discipline was there for all to see. The army also made us welcome, sit where you want in this massive stand, free admission, free programme and even a free teams sheets.

It was good to be home!

After kick off it was just a short drive into West London and:

Hayes and Yaeding United 0 Cambridge City 1 - SkyEx Community Stadium, Southern League, Central, Platy off.

The old stand at Aldershot was both large and different but here in Hayes it was all shiny new. But not actually finished. The club bar was like a small cupboard! But did like that sitting in the car park was the old stand.

On the pitch, Hayes probably had most of the ball but it was Cambridge who took the lead and then after that they defended brilliantly with both their central defenders winning everything in the air. So it will be local East Anglian club playing the higher division .