Match 45. Cuffley v Letchworth Garden City Eagles

Saturday 24^th May 2014 @3pm

Herts Senior County League Premier Division

CUFFLEY 4-2 LETCHWORTH GARDEN CITY EAGLES

King George V Playing Fields (Cuffley), Northaw Road East, Cuffley.

Admission: free

Programme: free (4 page folded A4 sheet)

Attendance: 50 h/c

Refreshments: Guinness: £3.50. Crisps 50p, Mars bar 70p

Cuffleys ground is 10 minutes’ drive from the A10 junction at the M25, passing Broxbourne Borough and Goffs Oak football grounds en route. I parked in error at the Tennis Club car park (sat navs fault) but walked through to the football club, which has its own ample sized car park.  The pitch is railed on all 4 sides apart from a gap on each halfway line supposedly for dugouts, and in front of the changing room/club building behind the top goal. The pitch slopes from top to bottom but is well grassed. The club building has all the facilities including a small bar. Hot and cold drinks and snacks were available but no hot food or rolls. The programme was available behind the bar.

Considering this was a game with nothing riding on it, the entertainment and commitment was commendable.  Letchworth played a lot better than the previous Saturday thumping by the League champions. However there was a bizarre nature of how both sides notched up goals in the first 48 minutes. I was getting warmed up as a ball boy for the first 15 minutes before the rain settled in for the next hour, as I watched the rest of the first half in the dry of the clubhouse executive window.

The first goal for Cuffley arrived after 3 minutes.  A cross was caught by the keeper 3 yards out but he preceded to drop the ball into his own net, almost in slow motion.  Letchworth equalised on 9 minutes when the yellow booted no3 crossed from the right for no10 to slide in and direct the ball in from 6 yds. The hosts went back in front 2 minutes later when no14 thumped a back pass under no pressure to the advancing keepers left and into the net.

After the break it took just 3 minutes for the comedy of errors to continue. A cross from the right was intercepted by the half time substitute no14 who slid in and diverted the ball over the defence into the far corner to make the score 2-2.  He was then fortunate a few moments later to stat on the field after some handbags with the Letchworth no10, both escaping with a booking.  On 65 minutes a shot just inside the penalty box beat the keeper to regain home advantage. The final goal arrived when a corner was connected by no10 without any decent pace, but the keeper proceeded to bend down and let the ball through his hands and then legs into the net.  This was a moment after he produced an outstanding save over the crossbar from a belting shot from 25 yards!

As I chatted alongside some non-playing first team members, the home no4 had bet his teammates that he would score today or face having #utf (up the Cuffs) tattooed on him, he then fell to the ground hiding his face at the final whistle as his excited team mates prepared the strategy of getting him to the tattoo shop before 5.30!!