football rambles

Here are a few photos that Sean took at Thetford v Hadleigh

On Saturday we went to see Thetford take on Hadleigh United in the Eastern Counties Premier. It almost looked like a foregone conclusion before we got there with Hadleigh having scored 82 goals in 27 games and having only lost 2 games all season. They are 12 points clear at the top and although Brightlingsea, who have had a terrific run in the vase have 6 games in hand Hadleigh were 16 points ahead going into the game. Thetford have improved and should avoid relegation, but with only 21 points in 25 games, Hadleigh were always going to be the favourites. Hadleigh certainly started the more brightly of the two teams and on 5 minutes Thetford's Martin Carter pulled down Hadleigh's Tes Bramble in a dangerous position. Duane Wright stepped up for the visitors and gave Scott Cruikshank no chance in the Thetford goal and the visitors were already 1-0 up. Thetford unlike a lot of teams against Hadleigh weren't looking to throw the towel in and just 6 minutes later they had a fr...

Every winter there is a period when the games slow down. After a quite action packed December and January, it seems like February is the month of very little football this season. I have had to work the last two Saturdays, but it hardly mattered as the local football has been wiped out by the rain over those two weeks. Ely are supposedly at home next Saturday and the Tuesday after, but with Sid being here from Kiev then, I am expecting to probably miss both of those games. Hopefully things will pick up again in March.

Yesterday we went to the Walks to watch King's Lynn take on Ilkeston in the premier division of the Northern Premier. At the start of the game Lynn were in 5th place and Ilkeston were in 15th, so on paper it looked like the Linnets should bag a home victory. It didn't quite look like it was going to work out like that. Ilkeston were quite a physical side, but they were also very well organised and in the first half they were able to extinguish fairly easily any chances that Lynn created, meanwhile the visitors looked quite dangerous on the counter attack, but also didn't look like breaking down the Lynn defence despite some decent wing play. Therefore both teams went in at half time on level terms. The second half was delayed due to a monstrous storm, but after a few minutes we were back under way, although the pitch in places didn't look playable. The conditions seemed to suit Ilkeston more than King's Lynn and on 62 minutes Tyrell Waite hit them on the bre...

On Saturday, it was back to the Unwin after a few weeks off watching Ely City. The opponents were Felixstowe & Walton, who have been a solid mid-table team in the league since I have been following Eastern Counties football. At the moment though they are riding high in 5th place and with a couple of key signings from Needham Market, it's probably going to be one of their best seasons. On the other hand, I've already documented Ely's short comings this season and the players that they have brought into the first team look like they are there to be utilised in Division 1, if as seems to be likely, the Robins are relegated. Ely started the brighter of the two teams and in the opening encounters Claydon came close to giving the side the lead on 6 minutes and an impressive volley by Diaper on 21 minutes was unlucky not to find the target. Bad luck is really following Ely around lately though and inevitably Felixstowe took the lead on 27 minutes. This came just after Ely we...

The team sheet The teams line up Walsham on the attack

After spending most of the week in luxury in a warm hotel in Malta, it was back to earth with a bump on Saturday. I had acclimatised after having spent the morning seeing Ely Crusaders beat Soham United 3-1. My original plan had been to follow this up with a trip to King's Lynn to see them take on Buxton who I used to follow many years ago. However, the trains fought against me and I decided to spend my afternoon at another muddy field and see Thetford take on Walsham le Willows. Thetford, like Ely, find themselves at the wrong end of the Eastern Counties League table this season, while Walsham are in one of those league places where they don't have to worry about ground upgrades for promotion or being relegated. Thetford were clearly up for the battle though and in the 3rd minute took the lead when a cross / strike from the left by Steve Harley caught out Duncan McNally in the Walsham goal and ended up in the back of the net. It looked from then on that McNally might s...