Easy win, bad defeat

 Saturday 31 July 2021, Stowmarket Town 1 Ipswich Town Under 23s 3 - Green Meadow, PSF

followed by > Ipswich Town 0 Millwall 3 - Portman Road, PSF

Lunchtime kick off and a good win at Stow - nice pitch and even better burgers!! then the opposite at Portman Road, well the pitch was OK, but no burger van and a bad defeat.

Old Town v New Town

 Tuesday 27 July 2021, Colchester United 3 Ipswich Town 3 - Community Stadium, PSF

Competitive game, the 3 ex Town players who scored will be happy, Colchester deserved the draw and Paul Cook might not be that happy about our defending.

Alastair Cook - another master display

Sunday 25 July 2021, Essex 213 - beat Middlesex 212 all out - Royal London, One-day Cup, County Ground, Chelmsford.

The ground may be small, looking tired but the opposite could be said of Alastair Cook - tall, skilled and still able to give a master display of batting- 92 not out

Looking good

Saturday 24 July 2021, Ipswich Town 0 Crystal Palace 1 - PSF, Portman Road

A home friendly against a Premier team, and we looked good - 7 new signings with Pigott and Burns being the stand out players- this could be our season!

Strong, fit and a bit of skill

 Wednesday 21 July 2021, May & Baker 2 Ipswich Town Under 18s 2 - PSF, Parkside

The young Ipswich team looked strong and fit- but also with plenty of skill on show. Boys against men but taht did not stop the young Ipswich players taking on their older opponents. Helped by May & Baker being a team that likes to play football.

All different from a few years ago, when a PSF versus a local non-league team would often see at least one of our young players kicked up in the air.

Where Jack came from

 Saturday 17 July 2021, Letchworth GC Eagles 5 - Broxbourne Badgers1 - PSF, Pixmore

Always nice to 'tick' off a new ground - some hoppers do not count pre-season friendlies but for me they count, rather a competitive game but in the end far too many grounds and far too few games.

The Eagles are part of a larger sports complex, the town sports centre and the Town Rugby Club next door and not far from the County FA Ground. The home club started as just a Youth team, with Jack Wilshere spending some of his youth at the club.

The ground is small, basic but very well looked after, smart clubhouse, fully railed and a small seated stand, a further pitch is on the far side and a nice touch were the shared dugouts.

Football wise, the Eagles are about to start their first season at Step 6 and look like a good footballing side, the Badgers were from the County league and even though they lost, gave a good performance and should do well in their league.

 

Too early to have an opinion then off to see a nice stand and pavilion

Saturday 10 July 2021, Dartford 0 Ipswich Town 1, - PSF, Princes Park then onto Stansfeld 1 Broadbridge Heath 3 - PSF, Queen Mary University Sports Ground

Not a fan of pre-season games, but this was so different as people were just so happy to be at a game, to be able to chat to friends and watch Ipswich play and in this case- win! Too early to say if the massive change in players will work, but plenty of time to find out.

After the Dartford game, it was quick dash over to Chislehurst for another friendly. Stansfeld share a ground with Glebe FC, but work on the pitch means both clubs are playing pre-season games on the large Queen Mary's University Sports Ground next door. The game may not live long in the memory but it was worth the short drive to see the impressive wooden stand, once the home of Old Elthamians RUFC and the impressive cricket pavilion/changing rooms next door.

Inside the Forest

 Tuesday 6 July 2021, Harrow Hill 1 Frampton United 4 - PSF, Larksfield Road

My first visit to a North Gloucestershire non-league ground, and what a setting, surrounded by the trees of the Forest of Dean

Plus bonus of a raised viewing area outside the clubhouse - an enjoyable evening spent in the Forest,

Start with a game by the A12 and Ollie Murs claims a goal

 Saturday 3 July 2021, Coggeshall Town 5 Coggeshall United 2 - PSF, Marks Tey Parish Hall

Great game to start the new season, finished the last at Harold Hill, just off the A12 and srated the next at Marks Tey Parish Hall.

The two Coggeshall teams share a ground, but not available for pre-season so a very rarely used venue was arranged and the hoppers turned up - not that many knew who Olly Murs was!