Goals and plenty to enjoy

Sunday 4 October 2026, Needham Market Phoenix 3 Ipswich Sports Reserves 2 - Ipswich Sunday Football League, Division 3, Thornhill Rd, Claydon

One of my rare visits to see a game in the local Sunday league, took advantage of the late summer weather, to cycle to Claydon a village just north of Ipswich. The Recreation Ground is on the high ground above the village, the changing rooms and the car park are at the entrance to the Recreation Ground. The pitch is on a lower level, feels enclosed as trees/hedges on 3 sides. Pitch was flat but very hard due to lack of rain.

Impressed to see at Division 3 that both teams had plenty of subs, and it actually turned out a more entertaining game that I thought it would be, a few stupid tackles and verbal's but the Ref kept a lid on it and so just a few yellow cards needed and no red cards.

Needham took the lead on 12 minutes as they beat the offside trap, however a bad back pass meant Ipswich Sports were back on terms 3 minutes later. On 26 minutes, one of the best moves of the day saw the visitors take the lead but a soft penalty conceded by Ipswich Sports on 32 minutes, meant it was all square at the break.

Second half saw chances at both ends but it was Needham who got the only goal of the half and the winner on 56 minutes.

Goals galore

Saturday 3 October 2026, Sudbury Sports 6 Gosfield United 3 - Essex & Suffolk Border League, Premier Division, AFC Sudbury Community Arena

Took me a while but have now ticked the new G4 at Sudbury, a cage but better than most as you can watch the game from the whole of one side, not the 3/4 of a side as at most cages, plus a number of wooden benches in place to sit on.. AFC Sudbury Reserves were home on the main pitch so those of us watching this could use the catering facilities at the main ground. Hope Sudbury look after the G4 better than the G3 pitch in the main stadium, poor condition and now fundraising to replace it.

Football wise, a cracking game, plenty of skill from both sides, plenty of goals and even a red card!

Sudbury Sports took the lead on 14 minutes only to concede on 17 minutes, back in front on 31 minutes before the Sudbury keeper punched into his own goal on 36 minutes, still time in the first half for Sudbury Sports to add two further goals on 37 and 41 minutes.

Second half saw Sudbury add a fifth goal  53 minutes, after 70 minutes they were down to 10 men as the ref sent a Sudbury Sports player off for a deliberate elbow, looked a harsh decision, as none of the Gosfield players made a fuss, and in a game where there had hardly been a foul in the whole game, think a yellow card would have sufficed.

Being a player down did not stop Sudbury attacking as they added a further goal on 74 minutes before Gosfield got a consolation goal a minute later. Great entertainment. 

No penalty kicks needed this time

Thursday 1 October 2026, Woodbridge Town Under 18s 2 Great Yarmouth Town Under 18s 0 - FA Youth Cup, 2nd Qualifying Round, Notcutts

After watching Woodbridge scrape through on penalty kicks in the last round, thought I would see how they got on in the next round. Woodbridge started well but Yarmouth probably had more of the ball in the first half and looked the better team, Woodbridge did find the back of the net after 38 minutes but it was offside.

Second half saw Woodbridge get on top and they had another goal ruled out for offside on 68 minutes but 5 minutes later they were in front and the linos flag could not save the team from Norfolk this time.

The goal did get Yarmouth to get on the front foot and Woodbridge started falling back deeper and on 86 minutes the Woodbridge left back got a straight red card,  thought a yellow would have sufficed, but with 10 men it was Woodbridge who then pushed forward and they got their second goal on 89 minutes to secure the tie.

Very impressed with the Referee, who handle the time wasting by Woodbridge very well.

Local cage

Wednesday 30 September 2026, Ipswich Town Foundation Under 21 Women 2 Oaklands Under 21 Women 5 - National Football Youth League, South Premier Women, St Joseph's College 3G (Ipswich)

​St Joseph's a private school in Ipswich, better known for Rugby Union with a couple of recent England players starting their rugby journey here, but it is football that the girls at the college concentrate on, with a few national titles under the coaching of former Bristol City and Ipswich player Cole Skuce.

About 2 years ago, they put a new 3G Football pitch on top of the hockey astro, still in a cage but no spectator area inside the cage. The 3G is a joint venture with the charity/community arm of Ipswich Town - the Ipswich Town Foundation. The college is only a short walk from Portman Road. You have to watch from the small grass bank between the car park and the cage but unlike many 3G pitches there are not numerous pitch markings on the surface. You enter via the back of the college- Birkfield Drive, car park can get very full.

Game kicked off at 1.35, was meant to start at 2pm! Even start to the game then the visitors, Oaklands Wolves (from St Albans) started to dominate, going in two up at the break.

Start of the second half and it looked bad for Ipswich as the visitors scored in the 50th and 51st minute but Ipswich got one back straight away in the 52nd minute then dominated the game themselves for a while and got a second goal on 70 minutes, but Oaklands came back and got their 5th and final goal on 74 minutes.

The pitch is used by the school and the Foundation but a Suffolk and Ipswich League Saturday side, Achilles used it at the start of this season when their own pitch was unplayable.

All over in 45 minutes

Tuesday 29 September 2026, Needham Market 4 Stamford 0 - Southern League, Premier Division Central, Bloomfields

With Stamford at the wrong end of the table, expected a Needham win and the home team went ahead after 3 minutes and after 24 minutes were 3 up with Ryan Miles claiming a hat trick and then Needham added a 4th on 44 minutes.

Expected a tough half for Stamford in the second 45 minutes, but it did not work out like that with neither keeper having to make a save in a very poor second half, certainly not what was expected after an exciting 4 goal first half. 

Not much quality

Saturday 26 September 2026, Clacton Regent 0 White Notley 1 - Essex & Suffolk Border League, Premier Division, Clacton Leisure Centre

Need to stay local today, so short drive down to Clacton as I visit one of the new clubs in the ESBL, just one more to do now to re-complete the league.

Newish G4 pitch inside a cage, pitch in a very good condition, helped by entry to the cage is only after you have walked through the Leisure Centre. Spectator area inside the cage on one side, the usual 3/4 of a side

. 

Only one goal in the game, however White Notley were the better team throughout most of the game. However neither side had much quality on display.

Should not enter

Tuesday 22 September 2026, Luton Town 6 Ipswich Town Under 21s 0 - EFL Trophy, Group game, Kenilworth Road

Hated it when we were in the Trophy and we had to play U21 teams from the Premier League and hated it even more as a Premier team watching your U21s taken apart by a good Luton team.

Plus point, Luton making it cheap admission and trying to attract more families, those who turned up supporting Luton (the Trophy holders) would be pleased, less so the few Ipswich fans who turned up, especially as diversions on the way home meant still a late night, even with a 7pm kick off.