We get the win we wanted - Thank you Liam Delap

Monday 30 December 2024, Ipswich Town 2 Chelsea 0 - Premier League, Portman Road

What a team display and Liam Delap just added a few more million to his worth. 

No goals to celebrate

Saturday 28 December 2024, Ipswich Wanderers 0 Tilbury 0 - Isthmian League, North Division, Humber Doucy Lane

Had to stay local for family events, and you can't beat Wanderers for a friendly welcome - good sized crowd all enjoying the day out.

Bottom against 7th, but Wanderers have improved since new manager took over and only lost 1-0 to the league leaders on Boxing Day.

First half was very even with both keepers making a couple of good saves. Second half was a bit more scrappier with Tilbury dominating for the first 30 minutes but not able to break the deadlock and then Wanderers having the best chances in the last 15 minutes, mainly caused by long throws.

If Wanderers continue to play like this, they have a good chance of pulling away from the bottom of the league .

Defended well, but like Arsenal not much of a threat up front

Friday 27 December 2024, Arsenal 1 Ipswich Town 0 - Premier League, Emirates Stadium

Much better defensive display by Town after the Newcastle fiasco, however we offered very little up front till that last 10 minutes.

Arsenal were possession kings - but without any real threat and so can't see them winning anything unless they get a real centre forward.

Liked the visit, the Emirates is great stadium , top seats, away concourse is too small but what I like the best is when you arrive at Arsenal tube, it brings back memories of visits to Highbury in the 70's with burger stalls and souvenir stalls set up in peoples gardens.

Man of the Match - the (elderly) London Transport man singing Christmas songs as we queued at the tube afterwards. 

'A game of two halves'

Monday 23 December 2024, Colchester United Under 21 4 Bristol City Under 21 2 - Professional Development League, Maldon & Tiptree FC.

This was as the commentators would say - 'a game of two halves' - Bristol City looked a class apart in the first half, with Colchester just managing one chance on the break, rest of the half saw Bristol dominate the game with some sharp passing and creating numerous opportunities, but not managing to convert any.

Second half and Bristol started on top but Colchester were seeing more of the ball, and it was the home team who took the lead after 55 minutes. It only took Bristol 4 minutes to get back on terms but Colchester now had a new found confidence, and added two further goals before Bristol pulled one back from a wrongly awarded penalty on 85 minutes, but Colchester were not to be denied their second win of the season and added a 4th goal after 89 minutes.

Used to watch Colchester at Maldon a lot last season but once they moved to Friday night kick offs this stopped, so good to get back to see a daytime kick off. 

Not good enough - today but are we good enough to stay up?

Saturday 21 December 2024, Ipswich Town 0 Newcastle United 4, Premier League, Portman Road

Game was over in less than 2 minutes, and with Arsenal and Chelsea next two games, will our season be over by the end of 2024.

Locals not entertained

Thursday 19 December 2024, Real Betis 1 HJK Helsinki 0 - UEFA Conference League, Group game, Estadio Benito Villamarin

By looking at the futbology app, I was one of many German and English supporters using the Conference game to tick this stadium, one possibly more popular after featuring in the recent '100 best grounds in Europe' book. Also the attraction may be that it it possible that the stadium may soon be rebuilt on the same site.

Ground is not that basic, good seats, good view, easy to enter and leave but maybe the lack of any cover on 3 sides is the issue but as the crowd today was only just over half full, Betis need to balance building a team and a new ground.

Betis fans were as passionate as I expected, with the singing of the club anthem at kick off, making the trip worthwhile, the supporters also kept behind the team all the game, but afterwards a few boos as Betis had put in such a poor performance.

Not much on this game as Betis were heading for the play offs what ever the results and Helsinki just playing for pride. Betis went ahead after 27 minutes and had most of the play but final ball was poor and Helsinki did look dangerous on the break.

Second half, Betis still had most of the possession but still did not really challenge the Finnish keeper, plenty of subs for both sides, with the Betis subs having a negative effect on the home teams efforts to increase the lead whilst the Helsinki, (young) subs putting more energy into the visitors game, and in the end Betis just held on to the win as Helsinki had a late goal disallowed for offside and had another chance in the last few minutes.

Almost all the crowd had stayed to the end, but still easy to leave the ground and plenty of buses ready to transport us all back to the city centre, where pubs were still busy as it approached midnight.

Would suggest that if you want a not to forget experience, a daytime game against one of the 'big' teams may be a better choice, but to guarantee a ticket, these UEFA Conference games  provide that great opportunity.

Great start then boredom!

Tuesday 17 December 2024, Ipswich Town Under 21s 1 Colchester United Under 21s 1 - Professional Development League, Bent Lane Training Ground

What a start - less than 30 seconds into the game Ipswich were in front, fantastic finish from a tight angle, Colchester hit back on 10 minutes when Kai Martin, who netted a hat-trick for Colchester’s U18s in a 3-2 victory over QPR at the weekend, out muscled two Town players out of the way to score- and that was with Martin looking the smallest player on the pitch!

Ipswich then dominated for the next 80 minutes with Colchester just having two attempts on goal, one from a free kick. Hpowever even with all their domination , Ipswich never really looked like adding to their first minute goal.

Ipswich fielded a very young U21 team today, guessing a few of the usual starters may turn out for an Ipswich Town XI tonight in the County Premier Cup at Leiston.

Excitement all the way

Saturday 14 December 2024, Badshot Lea 2 Harrow Borough 3 - Isthmian League, South-Central, Operatix Stadium

Fantastic entertainment- for a neutral - the young Badshot team were on fire for the first 20 minutes but could not score, then suddenly Harrow seemed to wake up, two quick goals and then a third in first half injury time, It seemed very unfair on Badshot but also it seemed game over.

Badshot started the second half like they did the first, on the front foot attacking with pace and skill and this time they did find the net and got two goals back. It looked like they would get a point, especially after the Harrow keeper got a straight red card, but actually the sending off seemed to wake Harrow up and they held on to get all 3 points.

Badshot have a young team, keep playing like this and they could stay up,  great young skipper and footballer in Kai Allsopp.

Ground is very basic but you get a very friendly welcome.

No cup joy this year

Wednesday 11 December 2024, AFC Bournemouth Under 18s 3 Ipswich Town Under 18s 2 - FA Youth Cup, round 3, Silverlake Stadium, Eastleigh

Did not expect much from this young Ipswich team as not had a great season, but in the end they were unlucky to go out, with the ref being the only person in the stadium who did not see a blatant penalty for the Town that the Ref just ignored.

Impressive stadium and bonus of cracking chicken burger and chips!

For once, McKenna got it wrong

Sunday 8 December 2024, Ipswich Town 1 AFC Bournemouth 2 - Premier League, Portman Road

Kieran McKenna has got very little wrong since arriving at Ipswich, but the blame for defeat lies at his feet today, for once he failed to use his subs early enough.

Not sure we can afford many more home defeats like this.

Where Leeds got booted out of the FA Cup

Layer Road was the home of Colchester United for many years, and the scene of a great giant killing, when the Essex team knocked Leeds United out of the FA Cup.

The ground, is no more- new houses on a site called Turnstile Square, but great to see a physical reminder put in place to remind people that this was once the home of thousands of supporters every other weekend. 

Not sure this is the right place for the second sign spotted! 

Storm Darragh does not stop play

Saturday 7 December 2024, Tiptree Heath 5 Sudbury Sports 0 - Essex and Suffolk Border League, Premier Division, Shrub End Sports Centre

3G Pitch but was always planning to come here today, large sports field with a small changing room block, a large number of grass pitches ( 3 games were under way at 2pm, on the grass) and a G3 cage next to the main building. The whole place is run by the Colchester United Community Foundation, field is just 5 minutes from the old Colchester, Layer Road Ground.

No spectator facility inside the cage, 3pm kick off with the lights coming on after 30 minutes of the game. 19 watching at the start but only 5 at 90 minutes!

Second half was played in horrendous conditions, but both teams still attempted to play football, very few fouls and the officials had an easy afternoon.

Tiptree were one up inside three minutes, scoring straight from a direct free kick, then adding a second goal 6 minutes later, they dominated the half and added a third in injury time.

On 48 minutes, a keeper error, gifted Tiptree a 4th goal and they added a 5th after 74 minutes.

A game no one deserved to win

Tuesday 3 December 2024m Ipswich Town 0 Crystal Palace 1 - Premier League, Portman Road

A poor game, but one we had enough of the ball to win- but struggled with the final ball, going to be a long winter.

Almost threw it away

Monday 2 December 2024, Ipswich Town Under 21s 3 Swansea City Under 21s 2 - Professional Development League, Bent Lane Training Ground

Ipswich started on the front foot and were three up within 14 minutes and it looked like it was going to be a very one sided game, however Ipswich failed to add any further goals in the first half even though they dominated most of the possession.

Second half was also played mostly in the Swansea half however even with most of the play, Ipswich only made one good chance that the Swans keeper had to save.

The Welsh side got one goal back on 55 minutes and then they added a second on 82 minutes, it should never have been this close a game, however Ipswich managed to see the rest of the game out to ensure they got all the three points.

Home at last

Saturday 30 November 2024, Cambridge City 1 Tilbury 2 - Isthmian League, North, FWD IP Community Stadium

I saw Cambridge City play at Milton Road in 2010, 14 years later and they are back playing at their own home after many years of sharing grounds.

The new home is impressive and is still a work in progress, and the club made sure the 1.500 fans enjoyed their first game here, it looked like it would be a fairy tale return home when at half time they were one up, but Tilbury improved in the second half to go back south with all the points.

Another poor display

Tuesday 26 November 2024, Ipswich Town Under 17s 1 Cambridge United Under 17s 5 - PDL Under 17 Group cup game, Needham Market FC

Another poor display by the Ipswich Academy team, three down at the break, did pull one back after 86 minutes only for Cambridge to score two further goals in the last few minutes! 

Just brilliant!

Sunday 24 November 2024, Ipswich Town 1 Manchester United 1 - Premier League, Portman Road

All about the new manager at United, one down in 2 minutes but then the boys turned it on, we should have had all 3 points. 

No swearing?

Sunday 24 November 2024, Playford 1 Northam Celtic 1 - Ipswich Sunday Morning League, Div 3, Kesgrave school G3

A game that seemed out of place on a Sunday morning, no swearing, no real bad tackles and very little arguing - but somehow the Ref still booked at least 2 players, maybe 3!

Sunny but windy, it looked like it would finish 0-0, mainly down to good goalkeeping by both keepers but the home team broke the deadlock in the 83rd minute, close range header after keeper had misjudged the cross from an in-swinging corner.

Old school 3G- looking almost black from amount of rubber pellets, hard standing spectator area inside the cage on one side.

Complex also has grass pitches, and a veterans game was kicking off at 1230 ( time changed from 2pm due to Ipswich being at home.)