Here is the cover of the programme:
Here's the page with Sean's matches covered:
And here he is in action:
Sunday, May 12, 2013
Cambridge United Tournament
Last Monday was a bank holiday and what better way to spend a glorious sunny day than at a football stadium. Sean was playing for Ely Crusaders Blue in the Cambridge United Under 8's tournament. They won 2 and lost 2 and he got 3 goals, which isn't bad for a defender.
Here is the cover of the programme:
Here's the page with Sean's matches covered:
And here he is in action:
Here is the cover of the programme:
Here's the page with Sean's matches covered:
And here he is in action:
Catching up on the most pointless match I have ever been to
It's over a week since last Saturday, when I went to see Ely Reserves take on Fulbourn Institute. That's quite a long time to catch up, but to be honest it wasn't great and then last Sunday I went to Yarmouth and on bank holiday Monday I was at a tournament at Cambridge United. I didn't go to a game yesterday, well if you don't include Littleport Rangers v Ely Crusaders in the under 8's league, but I watched Villa v Chelsea and Wigan beat Man City on the TV.
Anyway, back to that pointless game last Saturday. The weather was nice, the beer was nice, the football from Ely wasn't. Ian Walters who has been playing for and doing well for the first team was present as was Taz, who came on as sub. The rest may as well not have turned up. In fact if they had been playing in a kick around on the park they may well have been told to do one by the other players.
They started off well enough, but Fulbnourn were clearly a stronger team and should have been awarded a penalty in the early exchanges. On 11 minutes Fulbourn hit the crossbar and on 14 the Fulbourn Centre Forward deservedly put his team ahead after slotting home from a long clearance. On 22 minutes Ely could have got back in the game, but they messed up a guilt edged chance to equalise. Then 2 minutes later the inevitable happened and the Fulbourn Centre Forward claimed his personal and his team's second. It could have got worse on 27 minutes when Ely cleared off the line. Thommo was gifted another chance on the half hour mark to get the Robins back in the game, but again they missed. It was almost a hat trick for the Fulbourn Centre Forward on 35 minutes, but the goal was judged to be off side. He did get his hat trick before half time though when the Ely defence failed to clear and he pulled off a fine finish to make it 3-0.
Ely looked a bit better in the first 10 minutes of the second half and things looked like they would get better when Taz came on. It was refreshing to see Ely have an attacking player on who actually understands the offside rule. However, shortly after the hour mark the pesky Fulborn Centre Forward was at it again and another fine finish saw him take his and Fulbourn's tally up to 4. He hadn't finished though, as 2 minutes later Fulborn were awarded a penalty and he made it five from the spot. You'd have thought Fulbourn would have had enough but with 5 minutes left the tubby Fulbourn right back tried his luck from the half way line. His luck was in and it was 6-0 to Fulbourn.
The game and probably the season came to a disappointing close and by then most of the Ely contingent were in the bar checking on the mathematics of the Premier League and Championship.
Anyway, back to that pointless game last Saturday. The weather was nice, the beer was nice, the football from Ely wasn't. Ian Walters who has been playing for and doing well for the first team was present as was Taz, who came on as sub. The rest may as well not have turned up. In fact if they had been playing in a kick around on the park they may well have been told to do one by the other players.
They started off well enough, but Fulbnourn were clearly a stronger team and should have been awarded a penalty in the early exchanges. On 11 minutes Fulbourn hit the crossbar and on 14 the Fulbourn Centre Forward deservedly put his team ahead after slotting home from a long clearance. On 22 minutes Ely could have got back in the game, but they messed up a guilt edged chance to equalise. Then 2 minutes later the inevitable happened and the Fulbourn Centre Forward claimed his personal and his team's second. It could have got worse on 27 minutes when Ely cleared off the line. Thommo was gifted another chance on the half hour mark to get the Robins back in the game, but again they missed. It was almost a hat trick for the Fulbourn Centre Forward on 35 minutes, but the goal was judged to be off side. He did get his hat trick before half time though when the Ely defence failed to clear and he pulled off a fine finish to make it 3-0.
Ely looked a bit better in the first 10 minutes of the second half and things looked like they would get better when Taz came on. It was refreshing to see Ely have an attacking player on who actually understands the offside rule. However, shortly after the hour mark the pesky Fulborn Centre Forward was at it again and another fine finish saw him take his and Fulbourn's tally up to 4. He hadn't finished though, as 2 minutes later Fulborn were awarded a penalty and he made it five from the spot. You'd have thought Fulbourn would have had enough but with 5 minutes left the tubby Fulbourn right back tried his luck from the half way line. His luck was in and it was 6-0 to Fulbourn.
The game and probably the season came to a disappointing close and by then most of the Ely contingent were in the bar checking on the mathematics of the Premier League and Championship.
Friday, May 3, 2013
Playlist for April
If the jukebox below doesn't work the songs can be found here:http://grooveshark.com/playlist/April+2013/86095488
1 Рубль – Время водка
Rubl were a new find for me this month. A band fronted by Leningrad's Sergei Shurov making rude but witty songs about drinking that have got them banned from performing in several places in Moscow. To give you a flavour this one is called Vodka Time.
2 Wax Tailor – Where My Heart's At
A bit of French trip hop that has helped me keep my sanity at work recently
3 Ляпис Трубецкой – В платье белом
A band from Belarus who were popular, and who I saw live in Moscow when I lived there. This band really helped me to learn Russian. This is one of their songs from that time with quite simple lyrics. This one translates as In A White Dress.
4 Orbital - Stringy Acid
I got back into these techno pioneers from back in the day when they release their latest album, Wonky, last year. The single with the same name was a song I listened to a lot last year. I've been listening to some older stuff by them recently, but this track comes from that album.
5 Echo & the Bunnymen - The Killing Moon
I was up in Liverpool earlier in April and I had a great time, so I've been listening to a few Liverpool bands since then, this is the first one of a few in the monthly playlist.
6 Mogwai - George Square Thatcher Death Party
There was something to celebrate at the start of April. The clue to what it was is in the title to this song, which I had on almost continuously for a couple of days.
7 Ундервуд - Чехов это я
These 2 doctors from the Crimea have had a lot of plays over the last few months. Last time they appeared in a monthly playlist they were singing about Gagarin, this time it's Checkhov.
8 The Coral - In the Morning
One of those bands that I've been listening from time to time for a long time and the second Liverpool band to feature in the playlist this month,.
9 Ленинград – Без тебя пиздец
Sergei Shnurov's old band. A bit more ska and a bit more reggae than Rubl, but still as controversial. I should have probably chosen a different song than this one though!
10 Ocean Colour Scene - The Riverboat Song
Before they made it big(ish) me and Macca were once the only 2 people to turn up to one of their concerts when we were still at school. They are another one of those bands that I listen to now and again, but never really go overboard with.
11 Billy Bragg - An Accident Waiting to Happen
I've had quite a political month, so nice to see Billy get on the playlist.
12 Frankie Paul - Pass the Tu-sheng Peng
You have to have a bit of proper reggae now and again.
13 I'm from Barcelona - The Painter
Well, the sun has finally come out and there is no better band to listen to when the weather is good.
Tuesday, April 30, 2013
Back to Earth with a bump
On Saturday morning I was busy with Crusaders at Stretham and after clocking up game 42 on Monday night I thought I might not bother with a game in the afternoon. With the time I had there were probably only 2 matches I could make it to. Cambridge City had their last game at Milton Road before joining up with Newmarket for a ground share and Soham had a chance of making the playoffs. As you may have noticed I am not a big fan of Cambridge City and I thought that going to two Soham games in a row wouldn't have gone down well with the regulars at the Unwind.
In the end though I couldn't resist going to a game and I realised that even more locally the Ely Reserves were at home to Lakenheath, so for the second time this season I descended down to Step 7 for a Cambridgeshire Senior Premier game.
The game started off brightly enough and it had the added interest of having a linesman that I work with, although I fought the temptation to heckle him! Ely whose reserves have had a terrible season and who had lost to the visitors just 3 days before got off to a great start, although it was all thanks to Lakenheath. The left back tried to put the ball out, but just managed to hit his own post. The rebound unfortunately for him hit his knee and Ely were 1-0 up after just 6 minutes.
The game was entertaining enough and full of end to end stuff with Lakenheath having the best of the play. However, there were no further goals until 75 minutes when the visitors got a well deserved equaliser from a headed corner.
Ely weren't finished though and on 80 minutes they made the most of a defensive error to regain the lead. It wasn't to last though, 3 minutes later Lakenheath were awarded a penalty for a handball and struck the ball home. A draw would have probably been a good result, but another corner on 86 minutes was expertly chested down by the Lakenheath centre forward and the left winger drove it home to give the visitors a win, which on balance they probably deserved.
But why back to Earth with a bang? Well, while we were there it came through that despite the heroics on Monday night the first team went 8-1 down at Gorleston. Is that the season done and dusted though? I hope not!
In the end though I couldn't resist going to a game and I realised that even more locally the Ely Reserves were at home to Lakenheath, so for the second time this season I descended down to Step 7 for a Cambridgeshire Senior Premier game.
The game started off brightly enough and it had the added interest of having a linesman that I work with, although I fought the temptation to heckle him! Ely whose reserves have had a terrible season and who had lost to the visitors just 3 days before got off to a great start, although it was all thanks to Lakenheath. The left back tried to put the ball out, but just managed to hit his own post. The rebound unfortunately for him hit his knee and Ely were 1-0 up after just 6 minutes.
The game was entertaining enough and full of end to end stuff with Lakenheath having the best of the play. However, there were no further goals until 75 minutes when the visitors got a well deserved equaliser from a headed corner.
Ely weren't finished though and on 80 minutes they made the most of a defensive error to regain the lead. It wasn't to last though, 3 minutes later Lakenheath were awarded a penalty for a handball and struck the ball home. A draw would have probably been a good result, but another corner on 86 minutes was expertly chested down by the Lakenheath centre forward and the left winger drove it home to give the visitors a win, which on balance they probably deserved.
But why back to Earth with a bang? Well, while we were there it came through that despite the heroics on Monday night the first team went 8-1 down at Gorleston. Is that the season done and dusted though? I hope not!
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
Pictures Post final
Here are a few pictures from the cup final. My camera photos are usually bad, but due to the excitement they are specially bad this time. Apart from the one nicked from the Ely Standard obviously.
Some lads with a flag. Sorry to the Ely Standard for mixing this with my own poor photos which follow.
Waiting to get the cup
Collecting the medals
Lifting the cup - oops
Lee Pacey with the cup
Some lads with a flag. Sorry to the Ely Standard for mixing this with my own poor photos which follow.
Waiting to get the cup
Collecting the medals
Lifting the cup - oops
Lee Pacey with the cup
How to win the cup part 2
Last year Ely City beat Soham in a breathless final to win the Cambridgeshire Invitation Cup. On Monday they had the chance to retain the cup after reaching the final again, this time Cambridge City stood in their way.
Ely went into the final as the underdogs and although Cambridge City have slipped away in the play-offs of late they are still 2 steps further up on Ely. Most Ely fans didn't expect a victory for the Robins and it would appear that none of the Cambridge City lot thought the trophy would be going back up the A10 again either.
Cambridge City have never endeared themselves to me, so at least it was a chance to wind them up a bit, as they definitely can give it out, but can't take it. Little did we know that apart from being easy to wind up they are also bad losers.
The opening half hour was pretty evenly balanced, but Ely looked more threatening and the other City looked adept at falling over themselves, but they were cancelling each other out during this period. All that was about to change though. On 33 minutes Ely were awarded a penalty. Chadders stepped up to take it. The Cambridge keeper saved it. Their fans were cheering. Chadders got the rebound. 1-0 we were cheering.
After this Ely seemed to grow in confidence, but it was still quite tense and the game was fairly evenly poised, so it was a big relief when it was still 1-0 at the break.
Ely came out firing on all cylinders and on 51 minutes a bullet header by Austen Diaper put the Robins 2-0 up. Cambridge's tempers were being tested and Pepper saw red after an atrocious foul on Chadwick. Things were about to get worse for the team in black and white though, as on 56 minutes a deflection some how went in from David Wilson. I didn't even realise it was a goal until I saw it in the back of the net. The underdogs were now 3-0 up and the job was done.
Cambridge as you would expect had the better chances in the last half hour, but Ely were able to hold them at bay and apart from hitting the bar they never really threatened Lee Pacey's goal. So it finished 3-0 and the cup will be spending another year at the Unwin.
Sunday, April 21, 2013
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