Worst cup defeat ever?

Saturday 27 January 2024, Ipswich Town 1 Maidstone United 2 - FA Cup, 4th Round, Portman Road

Magic of the cup? 38 shots to 2? Some players not turning up - one to forget asap!

Scrappy

Friday 26 January 2024, Colchester United Under 21s 2 Ipswich Town Under 21s 3 - Professional Development League, Park Drive, Maldon

5 goals an early red card for Colchester, the 10 men of Colchester getting it back to 2-2 - sounds like it was a great game, however in fact it was very poor,  too many niggly fouls, plenty of bookings and the Colchester Number 9 somehow staying on the pitch after  throwing a punch.

Ipswich were dragged into the scrappy game, rather than taking advantage of the extra man - probably worse U21 game, i have seen this season

Sarmiento is Magic

Monday 22 January 2024, Leicester City 1 Ipswich Town 1 - Championship, King Power Stadium

Not great for the first half, then great subs, injection of pace and 3,000 plus Ipswich fans were left singing "Sarmiento is magic, you know"

Club on the up, team going opposite way

Saturday 20 January 2024, Raynes Park Vale 1 Marlow 4 - Grand Drive, Isthmian League, South Central Division

Club always confident game would be on, and arrived to be made very welcome - a club on the up, even if after a good start to the season, the team is certainly not on the up!

Clubhouse full and an outside bar was also doing well, quality burgers, pitch slopes in a number of directions!

First 5 minutes was end to end at a frantic pace then Marlow took control, their two wingers destroyed the Vale defence every time they broke and they scored in the 10th, 13th and 21st minute. It looked like they would score every time they attacked, then from a corner Vale got a goal back in the 33rd minute.

Second half saw Vale dominate possession, but not really threaten the Marlow goal, the opponents seemed happy to sit back, defend well and not add to their own goal tally. Vale kept going till the end, but right on full time, Marlow added a 4th goal.

Impressed by the Ref, who was helped by two teams who hardly moaned and very little diving or the theatrics that you get at many games. 

Back to winning ways

 Saturday 13 January 2024. Ipswich Town Sunderland - Championship, Portman Road

Great game, great win - keep on dreaming.

Ten better than eleven

Saturday 13 January 2024, Stowupland Falcons 0 Wickham Market 2 - Suffolk and Ipswich League, Senior Division, Churchfields

I had watched a Falcons side before but as that was an end of season game, that was moved to the Common as cricket rules the roost here.

Large playing field with at least 3 pitches and a cricket square, shared with the local school and the cricket club, also on the site a Bowls Club, village hall and changing room block. Clubhouse was open for booze and hot drinks at half time and at end of the game.

Pitch was roped off on 2 sides and substantial, portable dug out's were in place.

First 20 minutes were quite even, however the visitors looked sharper up front and took the lead after 22 minutes before adding a second after 30 minutes. They could have added more as they ended up dominating the half.

Second half , no noticeable change in tactics but Wickham now seemed happy to sit back and try and hit Stowupland on the break.

Stow caused Wickham problems with every cross, corner or long throw into the box but just as it looked like they were going to get back into the game, Stowupland ended up down to 10 players after one of their players stupidly kicked an opponent after the Stow player was pushed over the touchline. Even with just 10 men Stowupland were on top as Wickham seemed happy to see the game out - and they did without much trouble 

Home advantage

 Friday 12 January 2024, Wootton Blue Cross 5 Wootton Blue Cross Reserves 3 - Weston Road, Bedfordshire Intermediate Cup

Spotted this game  and liked novelty of same club having 2 sides play each other in the cup and a ground that does not have too many mid-week games.

Ground is outstanding for a Step 9 side, fully railed, hard standing on 2 sides, low brick stand with seats on back of dressing rooms/club house plus brick dug outs other side, close to all amenities, chip shop right by gate and ground tree lined to give it a fully enclosed feel. Cracking crowd and even with Local Premier side, Luton on the tv in the clubhouse, most people were watching this game and it was a cracker!

1st team started on top but it was the Reserves who came closest to scoring after 15 minutes, this gave the 1st team a nudge to increase the tempo and they went ahead after 17 minutes,  but two minutes later the Reserves were bac level and then took the lead themselves after 33 minutes only to be pegged back to 2-2 after 35 minutes. Hard at time to work out who were the Reserve team, and the tackles were going in hard and goals celebrated like it was a cup final.

Second half was much like the first plenty of chances', some skill by both sides an hard tackle- 1st team went in front after 49 minutes with the goal of the game, but the reserves came back with an own goal after 66 minutes. It was only in the last 10 minutes that the 1st team began to dominate the game and they added the two winning goals in the 83rd and 92nd minutes.

Fantastic game but after Saturday at Cranfield, it must be a Bedfordshire thing, as again had over 10 minutes of added on time in the second half.

Cruising to a win, then throw it all away!

Tuesday 9 January 2024, Ipswich Town under 21s 3 QPR Under 21s 3 - PD League, Bent Lane Training Ground.

Three one up with 3 minutes left then throw it away! Still, it was good game to watch on a very sunny but cold afternoon.

Fancy a Chinese?

Saturday 6 January 2024, Cranfield United 1 Long Buckby 0 - Spartan South Midlands League, Div 1, Crawley Road

How many clubs have a Chinese take-away in their club house! Not sure many ordered during the game but a few tables were tucking into Chow Mein before kick off.

Groundsman did a great job with the pitch, played very well. Cranfield were on top in the first half, scored a goal and always looked strong on the break and also pressed Long Buckby to force them to rush their passes.

Second half saw Long Buckby get more into the game and were probably the better team, but could not get the goal their play deserved, not sure about the Ref who played over 12 minutes of injury time (there was just one injury) and booked a number of players from each team!

Under the flyover

January 1st 2024, Hanworth Villa 0 Metropolitan Police 1, Isthmian League, South Central Division, Rectory Meadow

Very friendly club, stuck away almost under an underpass, down a track to no where!

Hanworth are playing at their highest level ever, and are doing so with low crowds, however they deserve to be here just for how welcoming they are as a club.

They were the better team today, but the Police it was who committed a 'smash and grab' and went away with the 3 points.