On a work day!!

Thursday 29 December 2022, Braintree Town 1 Chippenham Town 1 - National League, South, Cressing Road

Braintree decided to take a risk and kick off in the afternoon on what for some was a working day- did it pay off? Not sure, but great to be able to be home by 6pm and the football was quite poor, so not sure that would have helped us keep warm if it had been an evening kick off!

The ground is still worth a visit, and the club programme shop is a bonus. 

Boxing Day delight

Saturday 26 December 2022, Ipswich Town 3 Oxford United 0 - League One, Portman Road

Great way to celebrate the last home game of 2022.

Hopper fest

Tuesday 20 December 2022, GNG Oadby Town 4 Long Buckby 1 - UCL Premier Division, South, Riverside.

A end of year game that saw the 'Hopper' fraternity descend on Leicester, a club saved by the local Indian Community, and not a bad team!. Easy win for the home team on what is a basic ground, but plenty of room to expand.

Good to meet up with fellow hoppers, just before Christmas.

Celtic links.

Saturday 17 December 2022, Catholic United 3 Larkspur Rovers 0 - Anagram Records Trophy, 3rd Round, Len Forge Centre

The cold spell meant a trip to Kent off a drop to step 7 , and the G4 pitch option- what I also found was a game where both teams wanted to play football and in Catholic Utd a team that was proud of their links to the Celtic family - and to top it all off, they even gave away a superb free programme, which included an article about Lurgan Celtic.

Top of the league - for how long?

Saturday 10 December 2022, Ipswich Town 2 Peterborough United 1 - League One , Portman Road

Top, for how long?

The IP4 Derby

 Saturday 3 December 2022, Coplestonians 2 Ransomes Sports 2 - Suffolk and Ipswich Senior Division, Humber Doucy Lane 

Car issues, meant I could not make the most of an Ipswich Friday game by getting new ground tick in. As I live in IP4, thought I should attend the 'IP4' Derby- and even better a bracketed tick as Cop's play at our closest Step 5 ground.

Ransomes sit second in the league and have not lost a game all season, whilst Cop's sit mid table, An away win looked to be on the cards and within minutes of the kick off, Ransomes were awarded a penalty - however the Ransomes player (also an ex Cop's player), missed - putting the ball over the bar and out of the ground!

However it does not take long for Ransomes to take the lead, what is more surprising is that they then let Cop's back in the game with some poor defending and  we finish the half with Coplestonians in front 2-1, but not before Ransomes are awarded another penalty, same player takes it and same result - over the bar and out the ball ends up out of the ground.

Second half is all Ransomes, even after they have a player sent off ( you guessed it- the ex Cop's player who missed both penalties, also decides to take an early bath!)

5 minutes before the end, Ransomes get the equaliser their play deserved, leaving Cop's to wonder why they could not hold onto a lead when the opponents only had 10 players.

Will we ever learn?

 Friday 2 December 2022, Ipswich Town 1 Fleetwood Town 1 - League One, Portman Road

Could have gone top, but we concede again in injury time!

World Cup attracting fans to non- league

Wednesday 30 November 2022, Rugby Borough 0 Moulton 3 - SSM League, Division One, Kilsby Lane

Argentina on in the club house, Messi has a penalty saved - but once the Ref's whistle goes, the clubhouse is empty! The World Cup and no Premier or Championship football seems to be drawing people to non- league football. Even with some of the best teams and best players in the world on show on TV, fans want their live football fix.

The 99 fans here certainly got their money's worth. Rugby sit in second place but it was mid table Moulton, the visitors who ended up running away with the game with their young Number 11 looking like a player who will not be playing at this level long.

We make the 3rd Round, shock!

Sunday 27 November 2022, Ipswich Town 4 Buxton 0 - FA Cup, 2nd Round, Portman Road

Took a while, but we are back in the draw for the 3rd Round - bring on the big boys!

Closer than expected

Saturday 26 November 2022, Bourne Town 3 Kirby Muxloe 2 - UCL Division One, Abbey Lawn

Youth cup game at Bromley had the kick off changed, so ended driving up the A14 rather than down the A12.

Bourne Town are on a great run of results and were third in the league, and it only took them 3 minutes to get their first goal of the day. Both teams were trying to play a passing game, however Borne looked the far better team and added a second goal at the end of the half.

Bourne were easily in control in the second half and added a third goal in the 64th minute and taht should have been it as a contest, however in the 83rd minute  Lucca Watson-Quilter ran almost the whole pitch avoided a few tackles, a few fouls, kept going and when he got to the edge of the box slotted the ball in the corner of the goal for a great individual goal. Then in the 91st minute he added a second goal from the penalty spot.

So what should of been an easy win, ended up looking much closer.

Like the ground, 3 neat hedges border the pitch on 3 sides and the stand spreading most of one side with standing and seating plus a friendly club house with top Bovril - with pepper added!

Disgrace

Tuesday 22 November 2022, Ipswich Town 0 Portsmouth 2 - Papa Johns Trophy, Portman Road

Worst display since McKenna became manager- not sure some of the fringe players showed enough to be given future chances

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Easy for Slough

Saturday 19 November 2022, Hanwell Town 0 Slough Town 3 - FA Trophy, Reynolds Field 

Loved the ground, combination of various stands and covers - a pop up bar on the  raised viewing terrace by the clubhouse and a kebab tent outside!

Hanwell had most of the possession but not sure the Slough keeper had a save to make, whilst every time Slough caught Hanwell on the break they looked like they would score. Getting their first goal in the first half, a second after 73 minutes and adding a third in extra time, for what turned out to be an easy win.

Campus football

Wednesday 16 November 2022, Essex University Men's 1sts 2 Reading University Men's 1sts 1 - Essex University Playing Fields, Aldi South Eastern Men's Tier 1-1A

My first time watching BUCS football, not a bad game - their 1st teams so standard was quite good, not sure I will be travelling far to see other games, however a good use of a free afternoon in the area.

Large sports field on edge of the campus, just outside Colchester- numerous football pitches, 2 Rugby, hockey, cricket and other sports. Pitches in very good condition. Two other football games on- one Men and one Women.

The game, I watched was played on the pitch closest to the changing rooms and the café (selling hot drinks) - also had dug outs, so guess is main/show pitch.

Problem with Uni football involving South East teams - if M25 involved in trip, games start late! This started 30 minutes late so was getting dark at the end- Ref said it was third late kick off on the trot at Essex..

Football wise - Essex took the lead with a goal that would of been the highlight of any game just as the second half started, Reading hit back from the penalty spot. Towards the end, Essex got a penalty, saved but they put in the rebound to get the win their play deserved.

Easy win at The Doucy

Tuesday 15 November 2022, Ipswich Wanderers 5 Stanway Pegasus 1 - ECL Challenge Cup, Humber Doucy Lane.

Great thing about a game at the Doucy, no matter how much rain you have, the pitch is so good that the game is likely to go ahead - as was the case tonight. Even first half but in the second half it was all one-way traffic and an easy win for the Wanderers.

Could not break the red wall down!

 Saturday 12 November 2022, Ipswich Town 1 Cheltenham 1 - League One, Portman Road

Not sure we would have scored a second goal even with an hour of injury time, combination of poor finishing and great defending.

All over in 2 minutes!

Thursday 10 November 2022, Haverhill Rovers Under 18s 0 Ipswich Town Under 16s 2 - Suffolk FA Under 18 Mid-week Cup, New Croft

For a number of seasons, Ipswich have entered this competition but using a younger side, made up of Under 15s and 16s. AFC Sudbury are the only team to have ever won this competition.

Ipswich scored and hit the post twice in the first five minutes then quickly added a second goal. At that stage it looked like it would be a goal feast - but that was it for the scoring! For the rest of the first half, Ipswich then over played it and wasted chances.

In the second half, Haverhill came more into the game and almost scored on a few occasions when Ipswich got short at the back. the game was fizzling out until with just a few minutes left an Ipswich player was fouled, the Haverhill number 7 then kicked the ball at him as he was on the floor, and we had a 22-man scrum! Results was a player from each side sent off but somehow the instigator stayed on.

Job done - but not easy

Monday 7 November 2022, Bracknell Town 0 Ipswich Town 3 FA Cup, round 1 - Bottom Meadow

We won; we are through- but it was not easy - took to the second half to break down a valiant Bracknell team.

The ground, hard to describe as dark, wet, muddy and also because of all the improvements done to get the game on - great effort by Bracknell and their Chairman - and hopefully the money raised will help them through the rest of the season. 

Poor ref

Victory Ground is a large sports complex in Bury St Edmunds, with both football, cricket and a sports hall. Sporting share the venue with Bury St Edmunds Cricket club, Suffolk also use the ground for Minor Counties cricket games. It opened in 1920, on land purchased by the Greene King brewery to act as a memorial to local workers who lost their lives in World War 1. 

Excellent pitch on the far side of the cricket square, one side railed off and with advertising boards, two sides roped off and behind one goal out of bounds.

Modern pavilion offered hot drinks for a donation and a full bar was open at half time, nice surprise to see a programme available and all that was asked for was a donation.

Football wise, a good game ruined by a ref who locally is getting a reputation for being poor. Both teams played good football, hardly a foul in the game however the Ref sent two Trimley players off and sent a further play to the sin bin.

Trimley looked the better team and after 30 minutes hit the bar then the madness started with the first player being sent off, supposedly for putting his hands on the ref!. 

On 63 minutes, Sporting got a second goal, a header from a corner then on 68 minutes, Trimley had  a second player sent off, straight red for a late tackle and a third player sin binned. Sporting added a third goal on 75 minutes when Trimley were down to 8 players.

This game was not dirty, and just spoilt by a very poor ref. 

A week for goals

Friday 4 November 2022, Ipswich Town Under 21s 2 Reading Under 21s 7 - Professional Development League, Bent Lane

13 goals on Tuesday and a further 9 today - not a week for defenders!

Lucky 13

Tuesday 1 November 2022, Needham Market Under 23s 8 Cornard United 5 - Eastern Counties League, Division One - Bloomfields

Bottom of the table Needham playing Cornard who sat close to the top of the table, played on the main pitch at Needham - who expected this score?? Plus. Needham had a goal disallowed!! 

Misty Yorkshire

Saturday 29 October 2022, Brighouse Town 0 Stockton Town 2 - NPL League, East, Yorkshire Payments Stadium

My first choice for a game today - Littletown in Huddersfield, was off after a waterlogged pitch, so a short drive west and I ended up at Brighouse, maybe a basic ground but a busy clubhouse, a number of away supporters and a chance to see the league leaders meant the afternoon would not be wasted.

Brighouse, will be disappointed that they never got anything from this game as for most of the game they matched the league leaders for effort and skill and in the first half actually looked the better team.

The football, the good sized crowd and the friendly atmosphere made the trip worthwhile, back in the car then a (very) quick and short drive to Halifax for:

FC Halifax Town 2 Oldham Athletic 1 - National League, The Shay

A big crowd, with as many away fans as home making for a good atmosphere with the setting and size of crowd many may think it should be a game taking place in the football league.  however obvious from the football that did take place, both teams will struggle to get back in the Football League, however if they do make it they will certainly attract the numbers through the turnstiles to keep the club owner/bank manager/transfer kitty happy!