Saturday 27th July 2013 @3pm
Pre-Season Friendly
WISBECH TOWN 1-1 EYNESBURY ROVERS
Elgoods Fenland Stadium, Lynn Road, Wisbech
Admission: £3
Programme: None issued
Attendance: Circa 150
Food: Hot Dog £2
Drink: Carlsberg £3
This was my first pre-season game for 3 seasons, due mainly
to the family shopping in Cambridge. The invasion of foreign Scout camps to
Cambridge centre meant I chose to skip lunch and had time for the one hour
drive up to Wisbech for a new ground. My
wife has relatives here and they run the Are You Being Served Cafe in the town
if anyone wishes to partake in a pre-match meal. It is nicer than the hot dog I
had at the ground.
The ground at Lynn Road is one of those built for
functionality with a large club building with all the facilities you need and a
function room that was booked for a 40th birthday disco that
evening. Elgood beer is the choice in the bar, I decided on lager pop as the
weather was rather warm and dry. The
main stand is opposite the club building and dugouts, with full length covered
one step terracing behind each goal, with a few rows of seats added to one
corner presumably to comply with some ground rule.
I watched the game from next to the away dugout as manager Martin
Field (?) provided verbal entertainment as he exasperated regarding his sides lack
of positional awareness. The home side
seemed to have the upper hand through most of the game and despite having more
of the play, had to wait until near the end of the first half before taking the
lead. The right back brought the ball
forward and released the no6 down the right and continued his run into the
penalty area to head the ball in from the resulting cross.
There were 2 penalties in the second half. The first fell to Eynesbury when the tall substitute
Bassett was unnecessarily pulled back while running away from goal. He dispatched the penalty with ease. Within 10 minutes a penalty for handball was given
to Wisbech. Reeds kick was at least 2 metres high and right of the goal. Both sides had chances to win the match but
the game finished a deserved draw.
Luckily, this game was played to a competitive level, and
was pleasant to watch in the nice weather and I found the officials at this
ground friendly and helpful. Les at the Club Shop in particular, helping to
find a recent home programme from the hundreds in the shop.
