Up the A1

Tuesday 17 March 2026, Newark and Sherwood United 3 Wisbech United 0 - United Counties League, Premier North, Fruehauf Stadium

Do not be fooled by the score, this was a very poor game. 0-0 at half time and not sure either keeper made a save, Newark at least started to get chances on target in the second half, the first goal was from the penalty spot after a handball on 66 minutes then a header from close range on 77 minutes for the second goal. A third goal was added on 83 minutes then a Wisbech player was shown a straight red card for a bad tackle on 89 minutes.

Wisbech spent far too much of the game throwing themselves to the floor whilst too many of the home team seemed to want to referee the game rather than play football.

Newark do well to survive on such low crowds and not even playing in Newark! They do seem to have a good set of volunteers, which does help. Stand and covered terrace plus good social club are all OK for this level, pitch is in poor condition, but with two teams using it, not a surprise.

Chose this game as it was my closest new tick and had been thwarted twice this season, first time by an accident then a frozen pitch. Easy journey up but 3 diversions on way back put a further 45 minutes on return trip.

Leicester Double

Saturday 7 March 2026 - 1230pm - Ipswich Town Under 18s 3 Leicester City Under 18s 1 - PL 2 U18, Playford Road Training Ground - then:

3pm - Ipswich Town 1 Leicester City 1 - Championship Portman Road.

First of all the main game in the afternoon, Without trying to sound if I am just moaning again about poor officiating- Ipswich are quite a placid crowd and our Manager hardly ever shouts - but today their was uproar at the end of the game - in fact, not seen a Ref get such abuse for over 50 years at Portman Rd, last time was early 70s when Colin Harper was (wrongly) sent off

The Under 18 game - Ipswich bottom of the league and City near the top but it was Ipswich who came out on to - scored after 6 minutes then a long delay when Ipswich keeper injured his back or neck, the Sub keeper was playing on the other Training Ground for the U16s, so a 10 minute wait till the change was made. Ipswich then added a second goal.

The half time was almost 20 minutes as we could not start the game till the ambulance returned from taking the Ipswich keeper to hospital. City got a goal back late on but Ipswich secured a rare win, with a further goal in injury time.

Playford Rd (First team training ground) being used by the U18 team as their pitch on the Bent Lane site is being re-laid.

Took a while but another good win!

Tuesday 3 March 2026, Ipswich Town 1 Hull City 0 - Championship, Portman Road

Took a while, but we got an incredible goal to beat Promotion rivals, Hull City.

Mental Hospital site

Sunday 1 March 2026, Witnesham wasps 4 Claydon Athletic 0 - Peter Cocker Senior Cup, St Audry's Sports and Social Club

One of my rare visits to watch Sunday football, chose this game as thought it would be a bit more than a park pitch. It was - on the site of the old Mental Hospital, Woodbridge Town did think of moving here. Poor pitch but railed on one side, concrete dugouts. Large cricket pavilion/social club. One further football pitch the other side of the cricket square.

Witnesham got off to a plying start and were two up within the first 10 minutes, then continued to dominate the half. Second half, was far more even, but Claydon could not get a goal back and then on the break, Witnesham added a third on 75 minutes and a fourth goal, 3 minutes later.

Witnesham keeper then stepped up to take a penalty on 83 minutes- but missed!

Much needed win

 Saturday 28 February 2026, Ipswich Town 3 Swansea City 0 - Championship, Portman Road

After the two defeats at Wrexham, a good win was needed to follow up the good result, mid-week at Watford

Town youngster shine again

 Friday 27 February 2026, Arsenal Under 21s 0 Ipswich town under 21s 1 - PL2, Boreham Wood FC

Another good result for this young Ipswich team, and a chance to see the young England/Arsenal superstar Dowman in action. The Arsenal youngster coming back from injury but showed enough in the 45 minutes he played to see why he is so highly rated with a couple of strong runs leaving Ipswich players in his wake.

However, Arsenal did not have much else to offer, in the end they just seemed to have one attacking plan- the long throw!

Ipswich scored early on and could have had two more before the break, Arsenal did have more of the ball in the second half but only had one real scoring chance, and that was in the final minutes of the game.

An Arsenal player got a red card in injury time not that many of us in the crowd realised at the time!

Visit was worth it for the ground, but not the football on display

 Tuesday 24 February 2026, Bath City 0 Weston-Super-Mare 0 - National League (South) Twerton park

A very poor game, only highlight - a Red card! But what a ground, a 'must' visit on any football fans wish list.

The combination of stands, the old terracing, the press box, gantry, stuck amongst houses on a very hilly side of the city - close to the city centre in distance but millions of miles away in architecture and design - but both worth a visit.