Match 29. Walsham-Le-Willows v Wivenhoe Town

Saturday 1^st February 2014 @3pm

Eastern Counties League Premier Division

WALSHAM-LE-WILLOWS 4-0 WIVENHOE TOWN

The Meadow, Summer Road, Walsham-Le-Willows

 

Admission: Pay What You Want Promotion. I paid £5

Programme: £1

Attendance: 90

Refreshments: Guinness, £3.45. Double Decker, 80p. Cheeseburger, £2.30.

After the rain during the past week, I was surprised that my first choice game was on, whereas my backups in the area fell during the morning.  The ground is found by taking the A143 at Bury St Edmunds and taking the turning after Stanton which brings you to the entrance on the right after 2 miles, before you get into the village.  After paying my donation and getting a programme I parked behind the main stand as the left hand side car park was full already (2.05pm). Cars are allowed to park all along the main touchline which is sufficient for their usual attendance.

The main stand has 5 rows of seats although the cover won’t keep you dry on a rainy day unless the wind is very favourable.  The only other cover is a small standing area right behind the top goal, if you fancy watching through the goal net.  This is a basic ground. Railed on 3 sides and roped on the 4^th, as the cricket pitch overlaps the football pitch.  The club building has a cricket scoreboard at the front and the clubhouse and toilets are found by walking through the corridor. The teams emerge from the back of the building.  The corridor was where I saw most of the second half as the bright sunny afternoon turned windy and cold in the second half. The large windows offer a warm comfort as I had the beginnings of what is now a heavy head cold (or man flu according to my Mrs). Hot refreshments are found in a green cabin to the left on leaving the clubhouse and the burger was niceJ.

The pitch was playable but in conversation with the gateman, it needed a lot of work on it to get the go ahead including 1 ton of sand in the central areas most affected.  The pitch cut up quite a bit as soon as play started so the home side used the channels well, whereas a rejuvenated Wivenhoe tried to play football along the ground.   Walsham had already had 3 shots just off target when on 25 minutes a run into the box by Clarke was stopped by the defender with a blatant trip. The penalty was converted confidently into the bottom corner by Andrew Cusack.  10 minutes later a good attacking move down the right and first time passing allowed McLaughlin to shoot hard and low into the bottom corner.

Wivenhoe had the better first 15 minutes of the second half but Walsham regained control and planned to play out the game.  A 3^rd goal on 89 minutes arrived when a through ball by McLaughlin was finished by the substitute. A 4^th was added in injury time which I missed as I was looking at the results on my phone. I was informed that Andrew Wood scored.

 

This is a basic set up but with very friendly people, as well as the staff being more than happy to hold a conversation, I chatted to the 50/50 winner, a chap from Sunderland now living in Bury St Edmunds, covering everything from Sunderland to FA competitions. It was one of those nice days out.