football rambles

On Tuesday night Ely played Needham Market in the replay of Saturday's FA Cup tie. The weather was atrocious with heavy rain falling throughout the whole game and as is always the case with a midweek Ely cup game the game went into extra-time. The game on Saturday had been pretty even despite the difference in league standings of the club and the greasy surface was definitely a leveller. The Market Men were the first to draw blood when they struck on 4 minutes. The lead was short-lived though as one minute later Ben Lawrence headed an equaliser. Ely continued to push forward and look for the lead and Josh Bridgeman came close twice in a minute one from a corner on 15 and another from a defensive error on 16. On 17 minutes a cracking shot from Adam Murray went into the back of the net and the Robins were 2-1 up. The pitch was getting greasier and greasier and mistakes were happening all over the pitch. On 26 minutes the visitors were back in it. There seemed to be a bit of miscommun...

Today Ely City took on Needham Market at Needham Market's Bloomfields Ground. The signs before the game didn't really point in Ely's favour. Needham Market apart from being a league above Ely in the Ryman League North have been on fine form, unbeaten in 7 games this season and last week won 7-0; the second time that they have registered this score this season. Ely haven't been playing badly, but despite beating Newmarket on Tuesday the performance wasn't great, and to top it off as Needham wear red they were having to play in the cursed blue away kit. Ely started the game off well enough, but a quite defensive formation with Chadwick chasing shadows as he was up front on his own. The first chance that Ely had came on 12 minutes when Adam Murray, who was playing in midfield rather than in his usual defensive role, headed a ball on to Chadwick who just missed the target. Needham Market's first real chance came on 19 minutes when a beautifully weighted cross was pu...

Today Ely City took on Needham Market in the first qualifying round of the FA Cup. It was a good day out and Ely had a good away following. Pictures and a report to follow.

My fourth visit to Ely City finally led to a victory, well at least a definite victory as it doesn't seem like a decision has been made about the game on Tuesday. It came as a bit of a shock as it came against Needham Market, who finished runners up in the league last season and who won the Suffolk Cup. In fact I was expecting them to get a good thrashing, but the scarf I got in the club shop before the game must be a lucky one. The first half was pretty incident free with Needham dealing better with the Ely attack than they did with the offside trap. On 29 minutes Andy Petit fired Ely ahead from 12 yards, but they didn't hold on to the league for long. Just 3 minutes later Ely's stand in keeper had what is known in Rocester as an 'empty head' moment, he came charging out of the goal and Needham were able to score into an empty net from 35 yards. The second half was a lot more exciting and Ely had the best of the chances. On 73 minutes Russell Flinton scored what ca...