football rambles

On Saturday morning we had a look around the docks and museum quarter.

We then got on the metro to Maashaven where our hotel was. It wasn't the nicest of places, but it was OK and we could see the famous skyline and at least it was that close to De Kuip we could see it from our hotel window.

We arrived at Rotterdam Central and had a wander round and saw some interesting stuff. View of the buildings outside the central station Statue outside the station Santa with a butt plug statue Ugo Rondinone's 'Breathe, Walk, Die'.

We didn't really hang around in Eindhoven when we got there. We just got the train to Rotterdam. We did catch a glimpse of the PSV stadium and some bike racks that put Cambridge to shame though.

Last weekend we went to the Netherlands, mainly to see Feyenoord take on Excelsior in the Rotterdam Derby, but also to do some sightseeing and we also got to have a look around Sparta Rotterdam and PSV.

It sounds like this should have been a joyous occasion, but unfortunately it wasn't in many ways. We arrived early and met up in a pub with pictures of the Queen Mother pulling pints - so not your typical Clapton pub and then made our way to the Mile End Stadium. The first half was the usual noisy affair and despite some suspect defending by the Tons they raced into a 2 goal lead at the break. However, Tons' player, Bradley Joseph, who had been complaining of chest pains collapsed on the pitch and had to be given CPR. When the match was finally restarted, although nobody actually knows who wanted it restarted, it was under very muted circumstances. Bengal pulled a goal back, but Clapton went on to add 4 in a half where not many people had much of an appetite for football.

After last week was a complete wash out and our two main options of a Clapton away game and Ely at Needham Market were washed out, it was back to the Unwin for something almos like a Spring's day to see the Robins take on Stowmarket again., this time in the league. The first half was low on quality with neither side getting a grip on the game, but it was Stowmarket who went in at the break in the lead when ex-Thetford hotshot Matt Dixon complete in zorro mask stole the ball to put the visitors ahead. It was clear that in the second half the Robins had to up their game if they were to get a vital 3 points, and thankfully they did. The vistors were penned in in their own half for most of the second half and on 65 minutes Alex Theobold levelled things up with a header. Ely continued to push forward and put pressure on Stowmarket, but it looked like the visitors were going to grab a draw until in stoppage time James Seymour got another headed goal for the Robins to give the home si

Last Friday we went to Haverhill's New Croft, which is also the home of Haverhill United. I've been there for kids' football before. Unfortunately, it was too dark and cold to get any photos. Ely dominated the first half and took a two goal lead in to the break. The second half was a pretty dull affair and the Robins deserved the win.

Last week we had a great day out in Cambridge and the York lads. After a few pints in The Mitre, The Barron of Beef, The Brew House and The Champion of the Thames we made our way to the Abbey Stadium to the match. We went into the home end and they went to the away for the game. The game was better than the previous Cambridge home game, but York offered little resilience in defence and at times it was too easy for the Us. Cambridge capitalised on their early domination and took the lead on 10 minutes with a Jimmy Spencer header and the writing seemed to be on the wall when Josh Couldom doubled the lead on 26 minutes. York were thrown a life line on 33 minutes when a quality strike into the top corner by James Berrett got the Minstermen right back in it.  They weren't able to capitalise though and the teams went in at the break with the home side in the lead.  The Us continued to dominate in the second half with Ben Williamson capitalising on Scott Flinders' spill in goals for t

Last week Sean's team went to Cambridge United v Dagenham. They got to have a look around the stadium, meet the players and have a kick around on the pitch. The game wasn't exactly a classic though. The wind played a big part in spoiling it and the teams were finally separated by a Luke Berry penalty in the 83rd minute.

It's been a couple of weeks ago since this game in the Eastern Counties Division 1 Cup. It was quite a bad tempered game and not a classic with the visitors winning and having a man sent off.

On 23 January we went to Ely v Stowmarket in the Eastern Counties Division 1 Cup Quarter Final and on Saturday we went to Cambridge United v Dagenham & Redbridge. I'll catch up on the posts as soon as I can.

Rather typically after Posh had been scoring for fun and were in fact the highest scorers in the league, when we finally got a chance to go up there the game finished 0-0. Peterborough United were held to a 0-0 draw by Southend United with a stoppage time penalty from Chris Forrester being saved by Southend goalkeeper Daniel Bentley.  Posh started positively enough with Erhun Oztumer forcing a superb save out of goalkeeper Daniel Bentley while Jack Baldwin fired wide from long-range after some nice skill in a tight area.  Ben Alnwick made a routine stop to deny Luke O'Neill after a poor clearance from Michael Smith. Alnwick made a much better stop moments later as Tyrone Barnett met a corner kick from the left, the keeper tipping the ball over the bar.  Conor Washington saw a deflected shot from 25-yards go wide for a corner kick on 21 minutes. Oztumer saw a left-foot shot scooped clear by Bentley after a neat Posh move.  Barnett had the ball in the back of the net on 33 minutes, b

The New Year started off with a win for The Tons at the Old Spotted Dog over their local rivals and lodgers, London Bari. Ely were playing at King's Lynn, but as it is often difficult for us to get to games on time on a Saturday outside of the local area, I decides to get down the Dog. The Arsenal and Newcastle fans hanging around Highbury on the way down don't know what they are missing. The pitch was looking a bit worse for wear, but fortunately playable and Clapton were buoyed by the presence of a proper goalkeeper with Senegelase, Pape Diagne making a welcome return.  To be honest during the game he wasn't called up on too often, but exuded confidence when he was. In fact it was a good team effort all round. Oshin had a very good game, but man of the match had to be Abdeen Abdul at left back. He scored what was to be the winning goal in the first half, and although I don't like giving man of the match to goal scorers, as it seems a bit lazy he did everything. He sna