Hidden behind the garages

Saturday 19 July 2025, Brightlingsea Regent 4 Ipswich Town Under 18s 1 - PSF, North Road

Brightlingsea have moved up the pyramid quite  quickly and have improved their ground, but it is crammed in behind houses and one entrance sits behind two garages.

Good size crowd and most will have gone home happy. Regent started like a train and the Ipswich keeper had to make 3 good saves early on. Ipswich then got into the game and had most of the ball but never realy threatened to home team goal. Brightlingsea then went ahead with a header after 30 minutes and then added a second, also from a header after 43 minutes.

Second half saw Brightlingsea dominate the play adding a third from the penalty spot on 52 minutes then scoring the best goal of the game, with slick team move on 55 minutes. Ipswich scored a consolation on 84 minutes with a great individual goal

Last minute goal

Saturday 12 July 2025, Leiston 2 Ipswich Town Under 21 - PSF, Victory Road 

Regular pre-season game for the young Ipswich side and this year the game was very competitive. For once the Ipswich side was made up of players who will be playing the the Under 21 side with no U18 regulars on show.

Leiston started on top and for the first 5 minutes, Ipswich were unable to get hold of the ball, but they soon took control and wasted a few chances. Against the run of play it was the home side who took the lead on 37 minutes, only for Ipswich to get back on terms 2 minutes later.

Second half slightly scrappier as both teams introduced subs, Ipswich took the lead late on and it looked like an away win till the last minute when an ex Ipswich Town U21 player , Jack Manley got the home side a point with what was the last kick of the game.

                     

Scottish Double - well that was the plan

Tuesday 8 July 2025, Carnoustie Panmure 0 Dundee Reserves/Under 20s 1 - PSF, Laing Park, abandoned at half time

Working close to Carnoustie for a week, so had hoped to get one game in and this was only a few minutes by car from where I was based. Very basic set up, pitch fully railed but no stand or cover, one side of the pitch did have benches. Large changing room block and a tent one one side acting as a tea bar.

Carnoustie started slowly but after the first 15 minutes were on top and had the best of the chances but just before the half time whistle, Dundee took the lead against the run of play.

Whilst sat in the refreshment tent, started to see people leave the ground, on the far side there is grass bank for spectators to watch from, and a young spectator had fell and rolled down and hit one of the posts holding the rail up, so the game was abandoned, about 15 minutes later as I was leaving the car park, the ambulance arrived.

Wednesday 9 July 2025, Forfar West End 7 Dundee Social AFC 1 - PSF, Strathmore Park

Whilst working near Carnoustie for a week had hoped to get one game in but no more as work had to take priority but after the abandonment yesterday at Carnoustie and work today not taking as long as I thought, i searched for another game, hoping this time to see 90 minutes of football.

The Forfar ground was well worth the effort of searching a game out, fully railed pitch, no lights but the ground is also surround by a 6 foot wall and with the pitch also banked on 3 sides, it does give the ground a fully enclosed feel.

The clubhouse was open and selling hot, soft drinks and booze.

With Dundee Social playing at a lower level than the Forfar side it was no surprise that the home side quickly went into a two nil lead after 19 minutes but after that Dundee Social did get back into the game and pulled back one goal after 34 minutes.

Second half saw Forfar easily on top but they could not add to their goal total till the 70th minute but that did open the flood gates and Forfar West End, manged to add 5 goals in the last 20 minutes. 

Hopper fest

Tuesday 1 July 2025, Stanway Rovers 3 Halstead Town 1 - PSF, Spring Lane

Unusual venue for Staway made this a hoppers fest - with hoppers outnumbering Staway and Halstead supporters- hoppers both local and some from further away. They witnessed a competitive game and fitness levels looked good for both teams.

The venue is current home of the Stanway Rovers Youth set up, wooden pavilion/changing rooms, large sports field ( 3 pitches) and a couple of tennis courts, good sized car park. Ground has been used by numerous Colchester based teams in the past.

Ground deserves a team

 Friday 27 June 2025, Abergavenny Town 1 AFC Llwydcoed 0 - PSF, ICI Rifle Grounds (North)

Impressive set up but no longer a First team to play here as it seems the home team Merthyr Saints have had their 1st team pack up, but still run a junior set up and are hoping another team will move in here.

Large changing room building with clubhouse on top, closed tonight but a burger van was selling teas and burgers. Two pitches- North and South. South has a small bit of cover however North has a a more substantial stand, but closed today even thought it drizzled throughout the game.

Abergavenny got a late winner, however the away team should be pleased with their performance. 

Season over, and even got an ice cream

Saturday 31 May 2025, Beacon Hill Rovers 1 Herongate Athletic 2 - Essex Olympian League, Division One, Wickham Bishops Sports Ground

Another Essex Olympian game watched this month, watched Herongate beat the Champions last week (easily) and today they were the away team. Herongate dominated the first half but unlike last week, they could not convert any of the chances they made, a few headers just went over the bar, keeper made a few good saves and the final cross was poor at times.

Beacon Hill did not offer much but worked hard and were always in the game. Second half was more even but Herongate still lacked the final ball, and it was Beacon Hill who took the lead after 55 minutes, it did look like the forward had pushed the defender but the ref waved the protests away.

This upset the Herongate players and resulted a few minutes later, one ending in the sin bin.

After the good result last week it looked like Herongate would end the season with a defeat but in the first minute of added time they got back on terms and 4 minutes later they got the winner. They had probably been the better team over 90 minutes but I for one thought Beacon Hill deserved at least a point.

Large sports field with the pitch close to the car park, roped off on 2 sides and permanent dug outs, small club house selling beer but a sit was a fun day, we also had a number of bouncy castles, food and ice cream sellers and a tent showing boards marking the history of the Beacon hill club, including a copy of their first ever programme from a cup game v Heybridge Swifts in 1949.

Not a great last day as a Senior Club

Friday 30 May 2025, Trimley Red Devils 2 Whitton United 0 - Suffolk FA Senior Cup Final, Portman Road

Whitton United decided to take voluntary relegation and leave senior football, but tonight gave them a chance to go out with a bang - , leaving as Senior Cup winners.

But we had no bang, it was more like a damp squib - Trimley soaked up the early pressure, then went in front before the break and dominated most of the second half and finished the game with a late goal.

It does indicate that Whitton will not find the Suffolk and Ipswich League as a stroll in the park next season.