My first 3 choices of games, all in the East Midlands - were all off by 11am and then one in Sussex at noon, so it was just a short trip down the A12 to a 3G pitch at Shenfield - was not expecting much, football wise.
Well I got that wrong - basic 3G set up at the back of our school, large car park but no catering- good news, you can spectate from inside the cage with almost all of one side having a railed off spectator area.
But the facilities may have been basic but the game certainty wasn't!
After just 3 minutes a keeper error gave the visitors an early lead but Shenfield were back on level terms after 9 minutes. Shenfield had plenty of the ball but having just 3 at the back meant Stortford benefited from any quick break, adding further goals in the 17th and 22nd minute, Shenfield pulled a further goal back in the 23rd minute but the visitors had the ball in the back of the net, 3 more times before the break, with one being disallowed.
At half time, bumped into a 'hopper' legend, just back from Morocco, spent the second half with him- we wondered if we would get more goals - we did.
Shenfield looked a much better side, hitting both posts and numerous chances kicked off the line but they were still very vulnerable at the back. Shenfield got it to 3-5 after goals in the 55th and 71st minute, and a comeback looked on but the visitors got their 6th goal in injury time and then added a further goal 2 minutes later, only for Shenfield to score from the spot in the 10th minute of injury time.
Still time after that for an all player throwing handbags session - and then the final whistle.
Not as ill disciplined as some of the games I saw in this division last season but still too much verbal abuse from both players and coaching teams, a very young Ref, did a great job in keeping this game under control.
Weather- bloody cold - but with 13 goals to keep us interested, it was no real concern and a quick exit back onto the A12, soon saw us warm back up.
