Finals day - Ipswich and Cambridge

 Sunday 11 May 2025

Portman Rovers 0 Kitchener Taverners 1

Peter Cocker Senior Cup Final

Whitton Sports Centre, Pitch 'A', Ipswich

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Ipswich Sunday Morning League, finals day with the Junior Cup Final being played on Pitch 'B'. A competitive game which was quite even with Taverners having the best chances but after half and hour a Portman Rovers player got a straight red for a nasty challenge. Just before the break Taverners went ahead, with a great free kick from just outside the box, with the ball being curled low round both the wall and the keeper.

Second half, Taverners had most of the ball but could not make the advantage of having an extra man pay. Portman Rovers actually had most of the ball in the last 15 minutes as some of their more experienced players came on from the subs bench and they  really went for it as they attempted to get back on level terms. Taverners managed to hold on for the victory.

Sports centre has 3 pitches, the sports centre is now past its best.

A short drive up to Cambridge:

Jesus College 0 Trinity College 0 ( Jesus win 5-4 on penalties)

Cuppers Cup Final

Grange Road (Cambridge RUFC)

A poor standard of football but this visit was more about the venue than the game. Jesus were clear favourites as they play in a higher division, speaking to a number of the students, they expected an easy Jesus win. However it was Trinity who had the better of a poor game, especially in the second half. Neither team had many chances and the two keepers were probably two of the better players.

Football skill may have been lacking in the game, but we did see some fantastic  penalty kicks, but we then had a couple of misses and Jesus won it with probably the worst penalty of the shoot out!

Cracking venue with a very large wooden stand with bench seating, other side of the pitch is the pavilion/bar and that also had covered seats in front of that and further seats on the roof of the building. A small terrace to one side and some rake seating the other side. before 1970 this ground would have seen some of the greatest Rugby players show their skills off and can imagine there were some quite big grounds.

I have been for Rugby Union before, but very few football games played here and even the Cuppers Cup Final is not played here every year.

Light Blues, no match for the Army power

Wednesday 17 January 2018, Cambridge University Rugby Union Club 10 Army RFU 73 - Grange Rd, Cambridge.

First of this is a cracking ground, maybe not as famous in name as it's counterpart in Oxford, but still plenty of 'old school' charm to be found. Pavilion is a gem, terracing either side, seats in front and on top a small seated enclosure, high in the sky! A good bar with a café also operating for hot drinks and hot food.

Plenty of pictures and artefacts to look at before the game starts, on the opposite side is a 70 metre long stand, with old wooden bench seating, a great place to watch the game from.

The game itself was very one sided, no surprise as the 'light blues' start their long process of getting a team ready for the Varsity match in December 2018, whilst the army are just finishing off their predations for the up and coming tri-service tournament.

The army had far too much power and speed but also plenty of flair, not surprising when you have a number of Fijians in your side.

Well worth a visit and the 'Light blues' have fixtures for the next 4 Wednesday nights, including games v the Navy and the RAF.