Where has summer gone?

 Saturday 29 August 2020 

 Reigate Priory 1 AFC Ewell 2 at 11am  - Netherne Amateur Sports Club, PSF

Saw this opportunity of a double and decided to make an early start to go south of the Thames - Reigate may be playing at Step 9 -however they are one of the oldest clubs in the world and were one of the 14 teams to enter the initial FA Cup. A good as reason as any to give them a visit.

The 1st team are playing at Netherne till October (because of cricket their usual home ground) but after that the clubs junior teams will continue to play here. It is basic! But pitch fully railed, and small piece of cover and brick dugouts. Pitch is in good condition but rest of ground looks like a ground that has up to recently been very overgrown.

Football wise, Ewell were much the better team, scoring on 37 and 49 minutes, Reigate did get one back on the 81st minute but they never looked like getting back on terms. After we left at 1pm to head to Kent, there were further two Reigate games on the same pitch

Snodland Town 3 New Romney 1 at 3pm - Potyns Sports Ground, PSF

Easy drive over to Kent and arrived with a hour to spare, Snodland is a basic ground, but clean, neat and looked like a new stand which has new changing rooms and possible club room at back of stand - stand was open but new changing rooms and club rooms not open till next week.. Good news was that the tea hut was open ( most locals were just buying Foster's!) So we got a tea and then sat back in the car till kick off as it felt more like November than August.

Football wise, easy to tell Snodland were from a higher level league, however New Romney had their moments - the home side did go in front from the penalty spot on 12 minutes but looked like a dive to most in the ground, but they added further goals in the 16 and 66 minute, New Romney kept trying but it was not till Snodland lost control of the game through numerous substitutions, did Romney get a goal back, however it was probably the best of the game. Just as we thought we would get a close finish, a New Romney player was sin-binned, so the game  was left to fizzle out.

A club with ambition

 Saturday 22 August 2020, Halesworth Town 4 Walsham-Le-Willows Reserves 2 - Dairy Hill, PSF

A change of plan saw us head up the A12 to Halesworth, an opportunity to complete the Suffolk and Ipswich league, Senior Division plus look at newly promoted Halesworth.

What i saw on the pitch makes me think Halesworth will have no problem surviving in the Senior division and may even challenge those at the top, however what i also found was a club with ambition- a club official told me that they wanted to be in the Jewson league in 2 years and they certainly have the room to build a ground for promotion and also the crowds to make sure enough money comes through the turnstiles. A club with ambition that the whole town seems to want to get behind.

 

Real village football

 Wednesday 20 August 2020, Coddenham Athletic 1 Tiptree Jobserve 0 - School Road, PSF

Rained throughout most of the first half but do not stop this from being a very competitive game, a few 'tasty' tackles and a bit or arguing- mainly from the two central midfield players for either side.

Lovely rural setting, with an enclosed feel thanks to the high hedges and tees- and a cracking two substantial, homemade wooden dug outs.

Summer rain

 Saturday 15 August 2020 - Long Stratton 1 East Harling 1 - Manor Road, PSF, Attendance- 26 

Both in top division of Anglian Combination, but as a village playing field not possible to play behind closed doors.

Pitch in very good condition, pitch has rail and hard standing on 2 and half sides. Behind one goal is skate park with a children's playground behind the other goal. A modern pavilion/changing rooms slightly off set next to a small car park. Two portable dug outs by the side of the pitch.

Competitive game which was kept under control by the game having 3 neutral match officials. 0-0 at half time and would not have been surprised if it had stayed like that but Harling went in front on the break after 70 minutes with the home team managing to equalise with 3 minutes left on the clock, past the 16 year old keeper making his Harling debut. Most of the second half was played in heavy rain - but still warm!!

Forest setting

 Wednesday 12 August 2020, Ufford Sports 2, Benhall St Mary Reserves 1 - PSF, Ufford Recreation Ground.

Lovely forest setting, pitch not railed off but feels enclosed as 3 sides of pitch are surrounded by high trees/forest. The one open side behind the goal has a small car park, modern clubhouse (bar opened at half time), tennis courts, children's playground.

Pitch was very hard and bare! Not helpful for great football - Both sides are in the Suffolk Ipswich League, Ufford in Division 2 and Benhall Reserves in an intermediate division. This was a very competitive game with the ref not keen on using his whistle - Ufford were more organised and went in at half time two up. Benhall improved in the second half and got one back from a close range header with 5 minutes remaining.

UIfford are a very well organised side - and this is a decent set up- expect Ufford to be pushing for promotion. Ground just off the A12, north of Woodbridge. Game was due to kick off at 6.45 but started at 6.50 - so at least the players had a break from the heat.

One rule for football no rules for anyone else!

Saturday  8 August 2020, Bacton United '89 0 Elmswell 8, PSF - Brickwall Meadow

With the new rules for football from the FA- ( Seems cricket safer than football!) that only clubs at Step 8 or below can let fans watch- we ended up toady at Bacton- great set up and an unexpected result. 

Nice set up here, very modern changing rooms and pavilion (not open today) 3 pitches ( 2 full size and one junior)  - good car park.

Main pitch has some fenced off wooden dug outs, will be replaced with perspex in next few weeks, and new wooden dug outs will be built on reserve pitch.

Pitch, in great condition and flat. A wooden fence on same side as dug outs with advert boards attached to part of it.

Good track and trace procedure in place, hand sanitiser and queuing system in place for toilets- obvious a well run club.

Bacton reformed in 1989 and have had some decent success in recent County cups, they are in Division One of the Suffolk and Ipswich League whilst Elmswell are in Division 2.

Bacton started off well and were dominating but against the run of play in the 7th minute, the visitors broke and scored. Next 10 minutes were even but that is about as good as it got for Bacton. Elmswell then looked a class apart and went in four up at half time.

They then added 4 more in the second half as Bacton players started to argue with themselves and the ref. Elmswell looked a good team whilst Bacton looked a shadow of the team that made a County Cup final last season.

A good set up- worth a visit- safety of players and supporters seems to be their number one priority.

Over 4 months - but to a return to football

Satrurday 1 August 2020 - Leiston St Margarets 2 Ufford Sports 4

Pre-season friendly

Junction Meadow

Welcome to football in this new age of social distancing - arrived, hand santised and left contact details in case needed to trace us if one of those present - guess with players and crowd about 100 - was found to have the virus.

Was impressed with Junction Meadow, not just how organsed they were (but that did impress and also give supports confidence that clubs were taking this issue seriously) but it was the ground, was not expecting how good it was for Step 7.

It was the only ground I needed to complete the Senior Division of the Suffolk and Ipswich League, however still need one more as Halesworth Town have also been promoted to the Senior Division over the summer.

The ground is fully enclosed, the pitch fully railed and also brick dug outs- even a decent clubhouse, if quite basic and only cans for sale - but far more than I expected.

Football wise, would have thought Leiston were favourites as Ufford sits tow divisions lower in the league, however Ufford came back from being one down, missed a penalty but in the end won quite easy with all 4 of their goals being impressive. Woudl think they should be favourites for Division two this year.