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!!