Scene and Heard

The best ground in the Ridgeons League!

Friday, March 12

YOU KNOW how when something is built up to be the best thing since sliced bread you often end up feeling disappointed?

After hearing so much about Dereham Town’s ground Aldiss Park I was looking forward to making my first visit there last Saturday.

And you know what? I think it is fair to say that I was hugely impressed to the extent that I can say it is the best Ridgeons League ground I have visited.

And what’s more, from the moment that we pulled into the car park to be greeted and shown where to park by three stewards to when we left three hours later, the hospitality was absolutely first class.

The ground, which was opened 13 years ago, has an excellent, spacious clubhouse and a playing surface to match.

But what really made my day was the way we were looked after by club officials.

The spread of food laid on at half time was so impressive that I jokingly asked Simon Barnes, the Dereham chairman, what had happened to the bride and groom as it would not have looked out of place as a finger buffet at a wedding reception!

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AFTER seeing your side lose at home to a visiting team without a league win since last October, you could be forgiven for feeling down in the dumps.

But if Dereham chairman Simon Barnes was disappointed he certainly didn’t show it after seeing his club lose 2-0 at home to Hadleigh United last Saturday.

He was very gracious in his comments towards the visiting officials afterwards, admitting that Hadleigh – who entered the game without a win in 13 league games – deserved to take all three points.

When I enquired as to why Dereham are not doing better in the Premier Division this season, Mr Barnes said that they are having “one of those seasons” that clubs experience from time to time.

Dereham, who were expected to challenge for the title this term, currently occupy 11^th place in the table and Mr Barnes said that perhaps they used up their share of luck last season – a very down-to-earth, honest assessment indeed.

He explained that as a club Dereham are enjoying arguably the most successful campaign in the club’s history, with the reserves and ‘A’ team both top of their leagues and the club’s teams also doing well in various cup competitions, so there is much to be positive about at Aldiss Park.

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HOW often do you see four, yes four, disallowed goals in the same game?

Hadleigh United and Felixstowe & Walton United saw two goals each chalked off at the Millfield during their 1-1 draw on Tuesday night.

Both sides had cause to think they deserved to claim all three points, although the visitors will no doubt feel most hard done by after Luke Read, their best player on the night, tucked away a rebound deep into injury time only to be given offside.

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THE non-league grapevine was working overtime on Tuesday night as news was breaking about the latest goings on at Wivenhoe Town.

In case you had not already heard the Essex club have been locked out of their Broad Lane ground following a dispute with the trustees, who claim the club owes them £10,000.

Whatever the rights and wrongs over that, it will be interesting to see if Wivenhoe are able to fulfil their remaining Ridgeons League fixtures.

And, if they do, all eyes will be on whether they can haul themselves off the foot of the table, especially in the wake of their 4-2 victory over Newmarket Town last Saturday which moved them to within one point of Woodbridge Town.

If Wivenhoe fail to see out the season Woodbridge will be left breathing a huge sigh of relief after finishing ‘bottom’ but not being relegated – and I wonder how many times, if ever at this level, that will have happened before?

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Who will win Ridgeons League Awards?

Friday, March 5

THIS week is an opportune time to launch my Ridgeons League Awards for the 2009/10 season.

With just two months (hopefully!) of the season remaining, there is still plenty of time – and games – for me to consider who will be in the running for my awards.

The main categories will be as follows:

Goal of the Season – featuring my top ten goals

Save of the Season – recalling my best ten saves

Game of the Season – selecting my outstanding match of the season

Young Player of the Season – picking the youngster who has made the biggest impact

Player of the Season – choosing the player who has caught my eye more than any other

Team of the Season – my Select XI chosen from all the players I have seen

There will also be various other awards, all of which will be revealed as the Ridgeons League season draws to a close in early May. Watch this space.

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THE past week has been a barren one in more ways then one.

I was away from the area last weekend, and so was due to return to action on Tuesday night, but a bout of tonsillitis laid Garnham Junior low and I decided against making the long journey to Mildenhall.

Instead I was hoping to take in a match closer to home and watch the Needham Market versus Leiston game at Bloomfields, but this was called off following a morning pitch inspection.

Just as I was left disappointed recently when the Leiston versus Hadleigh match was called off on a day when the sun was shining brightly, so I was surprised to hear that this eagerly-anticipated match had been postponed ten hours before the scheduled kick-off, especially in view of the fact that it was a local derby with minimal travelling involved.

Presumably the Bloomfields surface had taken a pounding during Saturday’s FA Vase tie against Wroxham, just as Leiston’s pitch had three days previously against Debenham LC.

The bottom line is that after all the bad weather we have had this season, it is very frustrating when the conditions on the day appear near-perfect for football but the surface is anything but…

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SO ANOTHER season passes without a Suffolk winner of the FA Vase.

By all accounts, Wroxham deserved their victory against Needham Market last Saturday, and I am sure all Ridgeons League clubs will join me in wishing them every success in their semi-final tie and now be backing the Norfolk side to reach Wembley.

No doubt Sussex side Whitehawk will provide stiff opposition, but Wroxham’s potential downfall could be the sheer weight of matches they still have to play between now and the end of the season.

I am not sure how many matches they have actually had postponed this season, but at the time of writing they have completed just 19 fixtures – four less than the next lowest, which is the 23 played by Felixstowe & Walton United.

With the demise during the season of both King’s Lynn Reserves and Harwich & Parkeston, that means Wroxham have fulfilled exactly half of their 38 fixtures!

You don’t need a maths degree to work out that with only nine Saturdays between now and the season’s end – two of which they are now going to be involved in the FA Vase semi-finals – the Yachtsmen face a real fixture headache.

And, of course, they have the small matter of a Ridgeons League Cup quarter-final tie at Needham – and therefore a possible semi-final to follow – to fit in as well by Saturday, May 1!

By my reckoning that means they will have 13, possibly 14 midweek matches, to play in nine weeks!

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CONGRATULATIONS to FC Clacton on reaching the First Division KO Cup final.

Clacton, like Wroxham, have played the least number of league fixtures in their division, and if they were to win all their matches in hand would be three points clear at the top of the First Division!

I recall last season they were well-placed for promotion, but playing catch-up after their cup exploits earlier in the campaign proved too much for them and they fell away badly.

I suspect that both Wroxham and Clacton have had more matches called off than anyone, but as a yardstick Halstead Town official Dave Osborne told me this week that they have had 17 games, including one abandoned fixture, called off so far for various reasons.

Come the season’s end it will be interesting to know which club has suffered the most from postponed fixtures and how this has potentially affected how their season has panned out.

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The Ridgeons League's rising star

Thursay, February 25

MARK my words – Josh Mayhew is a rising young star of the Ridgeons League.

How many 18-year-olds can you recall that have scored a hat-trick in the Ridgeons League Premier Division?

Well, on Wednesday evening Josh scored his second treble of the season for Woodbridge Town as they thumped relegation rivals Wivenhoe Town 6-0.

Regular readers of my musings will recall I was singing Josh’s praises (see my blog dated January 8) after he scored a hat-trick against Felixstowe and Walton at the beginning of the year.

And after seeing him net three more against the Dragons, I am predicting a rosy future for the young striker.

Just as I was singing the praises of Stanway’s hotshot Sam Newson last week, Josh more often than not hits the target and works the goalkeeper.

But it is not only his finishing ability that makes me believe he will develop into a top-quality striker at non-league level – Josh has got the ability to turn defenders as well as a good footballing brain.

What makes his achievements all the more noteworthy is that he only returned to first-team action at the beginning of October after dislocating his right knee 15 months ago.

By my reckoning he has now scored 12 goals this season in just 11 starts and five substitute appearances – and that in a side struggling to avoid relegation.

Josh is a level-headed lad, so I am sure my singing his praises won’t affect his future progress, as he has knows he has much to learn in order not to experience frustrating afternoons such as last Saturday when he got no change out of the experienced Newmarket centre back Andy Eady.

The only blot on the horizon for Josh at the moment is that if, as expected, Woodbridge are docked three points for allegedly fielding two ineligible players in that 5-1 win against Felixstowe at Dellwood Avenue, Josh’s first hat-trick at this level will be permanently erased from the records!

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WOODBRIDGE’S match against Wivenhoe was a relegation six-pointer if ever there was one.

It was a match that Woodbridge, four points ahead of their Essex rivals before kick-off but with the threat of losing three of them hanging over them, could ill-afford to lose.

Conversely, a win for Wivenhoe would have put the battle for the one relegation place firmly back in the melting pot.

I expect there were a few raised eyebrows on Thursday morning at the 6-0 scoreline in a fixture with so much at stake, especially as Woodbridge had not won at home all season.

They certainly got that particular monkey off their back as they put the Dragons firmly to the sword on a pitch that held up well considering it was virtually covered in water on Monday.

Wivenhoe had their chances early on, but two goals in four minutes settled the home side and left the visitors with a mountain to climb.

They never looked like turning the game around and a spurt of three goals in four minutes rubbed salt into their wounds as their young side were overwhelmed in the closing stages.

What this result will do for their confidence is anyone’s guess, but I think it will be hard for them to lift themselves off the foot of the table between now and the beginning of May.

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CRC may be top of the league, but they wouldn’t win any programme of the season competition on the evidence of last Saturday.

‘Good afternoon, welcome back to the Abbey, we hope our pals from Dereham have a pleasant afternoon and a safe trip back to Norfolk’ were the opening welcome words in the official match-day programme.

Nothing wrong in that you may think – the only problem was that Suffolk side Hadleigh United were the visitors!

A CRC official was very quick to apologise to the visiting Hadleigh officials, but on closer inspection that was not the only article that may have caused offence to the opposition. The pen pics page was literally that – one page featuring just six players!

It was a shame because the programme was otherwise very neatly and tidy – rather like the performance of the CRC side.

Only a couple of brilliant saves – how many times have I said that this season? – by Hadleigh United keeper Arron Benstead kept the Scholars at bay until 13 minutes from time.

Luke Berry, who for me was the pick of their players, opened the scoring and a second goal five minutes from time ensured a comfortable enough victory.

On the two occasions I have seen CRC – 2-0 home and away wins against Hadleigh – they have not looked to me like a title-winning team. Doubtless they will argue that they won both matches with something to spare, but they didn’t strike me as having that cutting edge that other top teams in the Premier Division possess.

However, they are top on merit – five points clear to be precise – and will take some catching considering they have still not lost since the opening day of the season.

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Sam shows why he's the man

Friday, February 19

SAM Newson is currently the most talked-about striker in the entire Ridgeons League – and after seeing him in action at first hand last Saturday it is easy to see why.

The 21-year-old Stanway Rovers’ striker had scored a staggering 29 goals before the turn of the year, although two of those – against Harwich & Parkeston – were subsequently scrubbed from the records.

However, Sam showed his predatory instincts by scoring twice in Stanway’s 4-3 victory at Hadleigh United last Saturday. It was the first time I have seen him in action since early last season, and so I kept a ‘clockwatch’ on his performance, as follows.

Barely five minutes had been played before he got between the central defenders to supply a crisp right-foot volley from six yards to open the scoring from a left-wing cross.

He was then denied a second goal by a top-class save by Hadleigh keeper Arron Benstead, who arched backwards to tip over Sam’s dipping 20-yard volley, before the deadly striker curled the ball into the top corner from inside the box only for the goal to be disallowed for offside against a colleague in the build-up.

Although Stanway led 2-0 at the interval courtesy of Liam Bailey’s superb free kick (see below) Hadleigh then turned the match around with three goals in the opening ten minutes of the second half.

In a real see-saw affair Sam almost fired Stanway level, bursting into the box from the left wing and seeing his powerful drive beaten away by Benstead at his near post.

After Stanway equalised it was almost inevitable that Sam would score the winner, swivelling and firing across Benstead all in one movement following a right-wing cross to clinch all three points for the visitors.

I made that five shots, five on target, two goals and only an assistant’s flag and two good saves prevented him from adding to his tally.

However, it was not only his ability to find space inside the penalty area and the accuracy and power of his shooting that caught the eye but also his willingness to run the line for his team, never allowing the Hadleigh defenders time to settle.

Sam followed up his double at the Millfield by netting after just 18 seconds at The Abbey (or The Trade Recruitment Stadium if you prefer) in Stanway’s 1-1 draw against CRC on Wednesday night.

However, Sam’s joy was shortlived as he was subsequently injured in a challenge with the CRC keeper, and sustained a foot injury which is expected to keep him out of action for two weeks.

Sam is clearly destined to play on a bigger stage in the not-too-distant future. Stanway’s – and the Ridgeons League’s loss – will surely be someone else’s gain.

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REMEMBER Maynor Figueroa’s stunning free kick for Wigan Athletic against Stoke City earlier this season?

Figueroa, you may recall, scored direct from a free kick just inside his own half in a 2-2 draw at the Britannia Stadium earlier this season.

Stanway Rovers’ midfielder Liam Bailey may not have scored from his own half, but he was only about ten yards inside Hadleigh United’s half when he struck home a spectacular free kick which will surely rank as one of the Ridgeons League’s goals of the season.

Bailey, a former Colchester United apprentice, had already served notice of his ability from dead-ball situations when he struck the top of the crossbar before he stepped up to crash a spectacular shot over Arron Benstead, who was off his line, to put the visitors 2-0 up.

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ONE feat worthy of mention almost went unnoticed last week.

Amid Needham Market reaching the last eight of the FA Vase, Harwich & Parkeston’s withdrawal from the Premier Division and the continuing bad weather came Kirkley & Pakefield’s 4-0 win at Dereham Town.

As if the result itself was no mean feat, what really caught my eye was that all four goals were scored by Chris Henderson.

‘Hendo’ has been one of the rising stars of the Ridgeons League in the last two or three years, establishing himself as a key player for the Walmer Road club.

But what makes the achievement of Henderson, a member of the Suffolk FA County Youth Cup winning side of 2008, even more noteworthy is that he is actually a left winger!

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Match postponed - sun shining too brightly!

Thursday, February 11

THERE I was on Saturday morning looking forward to visiting Leiston’s Victory Road ground that afternoon.

A clear, bright day – the like of which we have not seen too many in recent weeks – meant we were guaranteed a game, or so we thought.

I was particularly eagerly anticipating meeting up with Dave Rees, aka GAG, especially as he had recently accused me (tongue-in-cheek, I think) of not doing the rounds enough on the local non-league scene.

After drawing back the curtains Mrs Garnham, relishing the prospect of one of the shorter away trips on a Saturday afternoon this season, jokingly said: “The game will probably be called off because the sun is shining too brightly!”

She obviously spoke too soon as within an hour the news came through that the Premier Division match between Leiston and Hadleigh United had, indeed, been postponed!

I must admit I was gobsmacked – one of the best day’s weather we have had in the last two months and no game!

In fairness to Leiston, I was already aware that their pitch had taken a real hammering on the previous Wednesday night when they played Debenham Leisure Centre in monsoon conditions and further rainfall in the area on Thursday had left the pitch unplayable.

However, every cloud has a silver lining . . .

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AT LEAST I was not left wondering how to spend my Saturday afternoon.

One match stood out above all others involving Ridgeons League sides on Saturday – Needham Market versus Daventry Town in the fifth round of the FA Vase.

With colleague Mike Bacon covering the match for the EADT and Evening Star I was free to wander round the ground and catch up with a plethora of folk from non-league circles while shooting some video footage for the Green ‘Un website.

The fact that several other Ridgeons League games had also fallen foul of the weather meant there was a healthy sprinkling of support from other clubs in the league – notably Felixstowe, Hadleigh, Leiston and Whitton.

Although Danny Gay’s penalty save was undoubtedly a major turning point – an equaliser for Daventry so soon after Needham had finally broken the deadlock would have put the tie right back in the melting pot – there was one moment in the match that for me typified what Needham are all about.

Kevin Horlock has been there, done it and probably thrown away the t-shirt by now, but the former Northern Ireland international’s desire for success has certainly not dimmed.

Mid-way through the first half the Needham Market left back went into two bone-shuddering challenges one after the other on the half-way line and won them both.

Horlock’s attitude typified Needham’s display, in which he and fellow defenders Lewis Pemberton, Pip Boyland and Rhys Barber were as solid as a rock, and is one of the reasons why they are now only two steps from Wembley.

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IT GIVES me no pleasure to say ‘I told you so’ following the withdrawal of Harwich & Parkeston from the Premier Division of the Ridgeons League this week.

Regular readers of my blog might recall that I warned it may be only a matter of time before another Ridgeons League side followed King’s Lynn Reserves in withdrawing from the league this season.

Back on December 4 I wrote the following:

“WHO’S next? That appears to be the question on the lips of non-league football followers in the wake of King’s Lynn being wound up in the High Court last week.

Word has reached me that a couple of prominent Essex clubs are struggling financially, and it may be a matter of time before they find themselves in a similar scenario.

Watch this space.”

Harwich, who I described as the worst Premier Division side I had ever seen following their 5-1 thrashing at Hadleigh at the end of August (see my posting of September 4) were, not surprisingly, one of the prominent Essex clubs I was referring to.

Having visited the Royal Oak just after Christmas it was plain to see at first hand that the famous old club were struggling, so the news came as no real surprise when it broke on Wednesday morning.

It is sad to see any club struggling, but especially one with such a proud history as the Shrimpers.

I am sure all followers of non-league football will join me in wishing them every success in getting the club back on their feet and rising through the non-league ranks once more.

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Ban Nick Garnham!

Thursday, February 4

OUCH! It seems I upset fans of Wivenhoe Town with my comments following my visit to Broad Lane last week.

Unfortunately, it appears they rather missed the point, failing to distinguish between fact and opinion, and to resort to calling me a k**bhead, suggesting that I should be flogged on the centre circle and for me to be banned from the ground rather backs that up.

That I didn’t enjoy my visit was down to the fact that it was a bitterly cold evening and the game, as I wrote in my match report in the EADT and Evening Star, was, in my opinion, dire.

I subsequently described the first half in my blog as “arguably the worst half of Ridgeons League Premier Division football I have ever seen” and stand by that opinion – which is all that it is.

As for the pot holes in the car park, the clubhouse being plunged in darkness 45 minutes before kick off, the line-ups not being posted up or announced over the tannoy before kick off and the poor state of the pitch – they are all facts.

Regular readers of my blog will know that I write on my experiences, in addition to what I see and hear on my travels, as I attend matches around the Ridgeons League, and on all these aspects the club fell short, on the night, of what you would reasonably expect at this level.

Yes, I know Wivenhoe have had a tough time of it over the last couple of years, which is exactly why I described it as a “rather depressing experience” to see how far one of the region’s top sides have fallen. My remarks were certainly not intended to belittle the efforts of those currently running the club, but as constructive criticism on areas they can hopefully improve on in the future.

I also received an anonymous response, part of which I have reproduced below, to last week’s blog:

“I accept your blog is your opinion but the tone appears to be overly critical and clouded by relatively minor and very solvable gripes considering the massive problems that have been resolved over the last year. Hopefully the club see your article and use it to improve in at least the four areas (ie. the pot holes, clubhouse, line-ups and pitch) I have highlighted above. I hope if you choose to visit Broad Lane in the future it will be far more enjoyable trip.”

That was a far more balanced reaction than from those who criticised me on the Wivenhoe Town website by saying how “negative”, “one dimensional” and “offensive” my remarks were.

Presumably those that took exception to my comments failed to notice that I wrote very positively about the Wivenhoe team, saying that they deserved to defeat Hadleigh on the night.

I had likewise praised the Dragons side when writing (see my posting of September 25) that “their youthful exuberance was a pleasure to see” after they had lost 2-0 in the reverse fixture at the Millfield.

My comments last week were not a knee-jerk reaction to what I had just seen – they were made a full 48 hours after the match had ended – and while I knew that they did not show Wivenhoe in the best of light, were merely an honest assessment of my visit.

So if that makes me a k**bhead and worthy of a public flogging or being banned from Broad Lane then God help us!

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DAVID Rees, aka GAG, has taken me to task over my comments on the recent FA Vase tie involving Needham Market and Kirkley.

After watching what I considered to be the best non-league game I have ever seen, I invited readers to tell me what they thought to be the best games they had witnessed.

GAG, who is never slow in coming forward, was quick to take up my offer and let me know his opinion, saying that the FA Vase tie between Leiston and Daventry earlier this season was a better match.

He wrote: “Leiston 3 Daventry 4 aet – now that was a real cup tie and a whole lot more exciting than the Needham-Kirkley game (I witnessed both). Trouble is, reporters tend to stay in their comfort zone and don't do the rounds enough in my opinion!

“A heavy, greasy pitch at Needham made for errors and hardly edge-of-the-seat stuff as the tie was effectively over with 20 minutes remaining, Kirkley never threatened after the fourth goal.

“For Needham to beat Daventry they will have to be extremely good and a damn sight better than they were against Kirkley.”

Dave may well be right that the match at Victory Road was a better game, but my list was based solely on games that I have seen.

David Cook emailed me to say that he has witnessed more than 750 non-league matches over the years.

He said: “Vase games in particular are my favourite with many classics in Suffolk at the likes of Bury, Sudbury, Lowestoft and now Needham. Essex also have some great Vase teams with Stanway and Tiptree having had great matches recently.”

Among his favourites was the FA Vase tie in which Needham Market lost 6-3 to Nantwich and a 5-5 draw after extra time between Stanway and Broxbourne.

I also received the anonymous reply below from a Needham fan:

“Merstham away and St Ives away two years ago in the Vase along with victory against Vase holders AFC Fylde up in Blackpool last season for me tops last week’s victory over Kirkley & Pakefield.

“CRC in the previous round was a nail-biting 90 minutes. Will say though Kirkley match was the best match I’ve seen between two Ridgeons sides.”

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It doesn't get much worse than this!

Thursday, January 28

TO SAY that I didn’t enjoy my Tuesday night in Wivenhoe would be a massive understatement. From the moment I arrived in the pot-holed car park for the Premier Division match against Hadleigh United to when I left three hours later, I found the whole evening a rather depressing experience.

It is hard to believe that Wivenhoe were once one of the region’s top sides, punching above their weight as they did for several years in the Isthmian League.

The clubhouse was plunged in darkness on my arrival to the extent that I had to ask someone if it was indeed open! After subsequently acquiring my programme from the gateman I enquired where the teams would be posted only to be told that they wouldn’t be.

He kindly informed me there was only one change to the Wivenhoe side printed in the programme, although I was unable to confirm this as there was no announcement over the tannoy – another black mark – prior to kick-off. (Indeed, several minutes into the game I realised that two of the Wivenhoe players had swapped shirts from those I was given!).

I then witnessed arguably the worst half of Ridgeons League Premier Division football I have ever seen on a dreadful surface, which included what amounted to a sandpit in one area of the pitch, in near-freezing conditions.

The second half was an improvement – it could not fail to be in all honesty – but it was still poor fare for those brave souls who had ventured out, and a goalless draw was almost inevitable long before the final whistle put me out of my misery.

Wivenhoe are second bottom of the table for a reason – the club have no cash and are asking boys to do a man’s job at this level. And, to be fair to them, they deserved to defeat a very poor Hadleigh United on the night.

It was only a lack of composure in front of goal and visiting goalkeeper Arron Benstead that prevented the Dragons from recording just their second league win of the season.

Although no-one likes to suffer the pain of relegation, I think it will be for the best in the long-term interests of Wivenhoe to drop down to Division One to continue the rebuilding of the club.

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IT WAS ironic that Wivenhoe were Hadleigh’s opponents on Tuesday night, just as they had been almost four months to the day before in the reverse fixture at the Millfield.

The significance of that match was that it was to be the last time defender Mark Roper would play in a first-team game before being forced to recuperate from a bout of glandular fever. ‘

Ropes’ returned to action only a week ago on Tuesday, as a first-half substitute in the League Cup defeat at home to Newmarket, before being back in the starting line-up for the 3-3 draw against Ely last Saturday. So it is pleasing to report that ‘Ropes’ was, in my opinion, Hadleigh’s best outfield player at Wivenhoe.

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TALKING of the Ely match, it was a nice touch of sponsors T & M Sports Academy to present man-of-the-match awards to players of both teams. All too often sponsors’ award are only made to a player from the home team, which makes a mockery of it when the home team have just been hammered, no-one really deserves it and a player has to sheepishly walk forward to collect it.

Ely’s Robbie Mason, who proved a real handful for the Hadleigh defence and scored a well-taken goal, was the deserving recipient for the visitors on this occasion.

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The best non-league game ever!

Thursday, January 21

ANYONE who read my report from Saturday’s FA Vase tie will know what a superb advert the game was for the non-league game.

Full credit to the managers – Needham Market’s Danny Laws and Kirkley & Pakefield duo Stuart Larter and Jon Reynolds – plus all the players involved for putting on such a splendid show with so much at stake and in difficult conditions.

Needham’s 5-3 victory set me thinking – have I ever seen a better game of non-league football in the last 30 years?

Although I keep racking my brains I can’t think of anything to compete with the fare served up at Bloomfields on Saturday.

I can recall many games I have witnessed over the years – plus a few I would rather forget – so I have come up with my all-time top five, and the reasons why, as follows:

1 – Needham Market 5 Kirkley & Pakefield 3, FA Vase Fourth Round Proper, January 2010. This was an epic cup tie between two very talented teams who went at it hammer and tongs from the first whistle to the last 97 minutes later. It was just a shame one of them had to lose, but that’s what makes cup-tie football so special. I am sure in years to come we will be saying ‘I was there the day . . .’

2 – Woodbridge Town 5 Lowestoft Town 5, Ridgeons League Premier Division, May 2007. This may have been played in the last week of the season, but it was certainly no end-of-season encounter. Lowestoft, about to be deposed as champions by Wroxham, showed their character in a see-saw encounter and Mick Stockwell’s young Woodbridge side matched them all the way. Oh, and Garnham Junior scored his first goal in the Ridgeons League!

3 – Sudbury Town 6 Hungerford 0, FA Vase semi-final second leg, April 1989. This was the day an Eastern Counties League side finally made it to an FA Vase final. I had been on a family holiday near Scarborough all week but was so determined to be there to hopefully witness the occasion I left at 8am in the morning for the five-hour drive back to Suffolk. It was certainly worth it as Sudbury, lucky to draw the first leg 0-0, destroyed their opponents amid a carnival atmosphere.

4 – Lowestoft Town 3 Needham Market 2, LB Group Suffolk Premier Cup Final at Portman Road, April 2009. Lowestoft cruised into a first half two-goal lead as Needham’s defence was pulled apart. Back came Needham in the second period to deservedly draw level and then be denied a borderline penalty decision at the death before Lowestoft won it with a penalty in the dying seconds. Great drama.

5 – Sudbury Town 1 Tamworth 1, FA Vase Final at Wembley Stadium, May 1989. This match creeps into my top five more for the sense of occasion than the actual match itself. It was great to see players like Dean Garnham, Gary Barker, Paul Smith and Bryan Klug, who I knew personally, play at Wembley – every footballer’s dream – in front of the largest-ever Vase final attendance, until the new Wembley was built, that is.

I am sure you will have your own favourites, so why not email them to me at nick.garnham@archant.co.uk so I can share them with readers.

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IF EVER a player did not deserve to be on the losing side it was Kirkley & Pakefield’s Nathan Stone last Saturday.

Regular readers of my postings (see ‘Admiration is set in Stone’ posted on September 11, 2009) will know I am a big fan of the Kirkley striker, who scored two, struck the bar and had the Needham defence at full stretch throughout Saturday’s FA Vase tie.

I had never previously spoken to the man who is nicknamed ‘Gangles’ because of his gangling physique, but did so after the game to get some reaction for the EADT and Evening Star.

When players, as the 25-year-old striker did, use words such as “devastated” and “close to tears” it puts into perspective what the FA Vase and playing in a Wembley final actually mean to non-league players.

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CONGRATULATIONS To Newmarket Town on reaching the semi-finals of this season’s Ridgeons League Cup.

Last season’s runaway winners of the First Division are holding their own in the top flight this season and I saw them for the first time this term on Tuesday night, when they deservedly defeated a disappointing Hadleigh side 1-0 to reach the final four.

It was good to see old hands such as Andy Eady, Colin Vowden and Paul Betson play their part in taking The Jockeys within touching distance of a first appearance in the final since the 1994/95 season, when they lost 3-1 to Wisbech after extra time.

Adam Murray looked a lively customer up front and right winger Stephen Bugg, whose spectacular 15^th minute goal proved to be the winner, also turned in an impressive shift.

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Ridgeons League’s twin trouble

Friday, January 15

IT WAS my pleasure to meet the Newson twins – Ben and Sam – this week.

I met up with the twins, who play for Premier Division side Stanway Rovers, at their East Bergholt home to interview them for a forthcoming feature in the EADT and Evening Star.

Regular readers of my postings may recall I wrote a piece titled ‘Seeing double at Stanway’ back on October 6, 2008 about the twins after watching them play, saying how I couldn’t tell them apart on the pitch.

Meeting them face-to-face for the first time I was struck by what pleasant lads they are, and, without wanting to give too much away, what fun they were to interview.

The Newsons, who have caused twin trouble to many a Ridgeons League defence during the past three years, were looking forward to getting back into action against Norwich United on Saturday, but it became the first of this weekend’s scheduled Premier Division fixtures to fall foul of the weather.

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‘IS that Nick Griffin?’ asked Sam Newson when he returned my call to set up our interview.

I have been called many things (fortunately most of them printable) over the years, but never before have I been referred to by the same name as the controversial leader of the British National Party!

I think Sam just mis-heard the message I left on his mobile phone, but having met him it may just have been his mischievous sense of humour!

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WITH no action to report on, the main talking point off the pitch has been Felixstowe & Walton United’s signing of five players in the past week.

Speaking to manager Glen Driver straight after the game I know how disappointed he was with his Felixstowe side after seeing them thrashed 5-1 at home by lowly Woodbridge.

Little did I realise at the time that he would take such drastic action in the following fortnight, as Felixstowe have enjoyed a very successful season so far.

It will be interesting to see if the new signings – all good players in their own right – can bolster the Seasiders’ prospects over the remainder of the season.

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Who's who of non-league football

Friday, January 8

IT WAS like a who’s who of non-league football in East Suffolk at Dellwood Avenue on Saturday.

Among those spotted taking in one of the few Ridgeons League games to survive the wintry conditions were Kevin Steggles (ex-Ipswich Town), current players Liam Jones (Needham Market), Darius Laws and Scott Wark (both Hadleigh United), James Buckle (Ipswich Wanderers), Glenn Read (ex-manager of Woodbridge Town, watching son Luke now with Felixstowe), Tommy Woodward (long-serving Whitton United official), Alan Middle (manager of Achilles), Kevin Cunningham (joint manager of Grundisburgh), Tony Robinson (Coplestonians official) plus Sean Thacker, who runs the SETEC scheme at Copleston Sports College, former EADT and Evening Star reporter Neal Manning and roving reporter Mick Banthorpe.

No doubt I failed to spot some others who were among a healthy crowd of 176.

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REGULAR readers of my postings may recall a piece I wrote on December 23, 2008 titled ‘Spare a thought for Josh’ on Woodbridge Town’s young striker Josh Mayhew.

The piece was a ‘Get well soon’ message aimed at the then 17-year-old striker who had dislocated his right knee playing for Woodbridge Town Reserves.

Josh, who had scored six goals in just three appearances for the Suffolk FA side prior to sustaining the injury, didn’t play again last season.

Anyone who witnessed his display at Dellwood Avenue last Saturday will know that Josh has made a full recovery from his injury, although manager Mark Scopes has been careful not to expect too much too soon and has nursed him back so far this season.

Although the Felixstowe & Walton United defence were in generous mood, allowing him far too much space, there was no denying the quality of his finishing, especially the 25-yard dipping volley to complete his hat-trick which said much about the confidence of youth!

I believe we will be hearing a lot more about Josh in the future.

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THERE was no time for Grant Monaghan, the Woodbridge Town left back, to celebrate his side’s victory over Felixstowe – one of his former clubs – at Dellwood Avenue on Saturday.

Grant left soon after the final whistle to catch a plane to fly up to Glasgow to take in Sunday’s Old Firm derby.

Jess, Grant’s girlfriend, had bought the Celtic fan tickets to the match as a 21^st birthday present at the beginning of December.

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Who are ya?

Thursday, December 31

MY THANKS go to a certain gentleman for brightening up the most dire match of the season I have witnessed so far this season.

The match in question was Bank Holiday Monday’s Premier Division fixture between Harwich & Parkeston and Hadleigh United.

Regular readers of my blog will know that after seeing Harwich play at Hadleigh earlier in the season I described them as the worst Premier Division side I had ever seen.

After seeing them lose 1-0 against a Hadleigh side with only five first-team regulars in their line-up, I have no reason to change that opinion.

Their performance confirmed what I already suspected – and that is that former Hadleigh United boss Steve Jay, who has taken over as manager at the Royal Oak, has a huge task on his hands.

Harwich look destined for the drop unless Steve can turn their fortunes around in the second half of the season, and I wish him well in his quest to steer the Shrimpers to safety.

So back to the gentleman who brightened up my Bank Holiday lunchtime. He was sat several rows in front of me in the old grandstand and suddenly came to life in the second half with his very vocal and almost non-stop encouragement of the Shrimpers.

Said supporter, who claimed to be a former Harwich player who had not visited the Royal Oak for ten years, took on the role of ‘coaching’ the home team throughout the second period.

I have no idea who he was, but he certainly lit up what was an otherwise uninspiring match with his comments.

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HADLEIGH United secretary Chris Rose was cursing Garnham Junior after he scored the only goal of the game at Harwich & Parkeston.

Why? Because Chris bought a Golden Goal ticket timed at 48 minutes, and the first and only goal of the game came in the 49^th minute!

Chris’ disappointment at missing out on the prize was tempered by the three points – Hadleigh’s first win in seven league games – but when you have waited two-and-a-half years for a league goal the timing of it paled into insignificance.

Garnham Junior has found the net in the Ridgeons League Cup and FA Cup, as well as scoring for Suffolk in the FA County Youth Cup final inbetween times.

However, he last found the net in a Ridgeons League fixture while playing for Woodbridge Town on May 2, 2007 in a memorable 5-5 draw against Lowestoft Town, when Allicion Blake scored a hat-trick and Joe Francis was also on target against the club he has recently joined.

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WHILE most of Monday’s planned programme escaped the wintry weather, it was a different matter altogether on Boxing Day.

Among those fixtures to be postponed on Christmas Eve was Hadleigh’s home match against Stanway Rovers.

I am reliably informed that the car park at the Millfield was like a skating rink, so much so that when referee Carl Fitch arrived to carry out an inspection last Thursday morning he skidded on the ice and came perilously close to hitting one of only two vehicles parked there!

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Finally, may I take this opportunity to wish non-league fans everywhere a prosperous New Year.

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All I want for Christmas

Thursday, December 24

Dear Santa

As a follower of non-league football in Suffolk and the Eastern Counties, may I ask for the following presents to keep me entertained in the coming year?

Yours faithfully

Nick Garnham

Greeenun24.co.uk

1 – A return to action as soon as possible – I am suffering from withdrawal symptoms already!

2 – The winners of the Needham Market versus Kirkley & Pakefield tie to finally provide a Suffolk winner in the FA Vase

3 – Leiston or Needham Market to win the Ridgeons League Premier Division and with it the chance to advance to Step 4 football next season

4 – Lowestoft Town, last season’s Ridgeons League champions, to win Ryman League Division One North

5 – Bury Town, also former members of the Ridgeons League, to gain promotion from Midlands Division One of the Zamaretto League

6 – Woodbridge Town to put a troubled 2009 behind them

7 – Managers and players throughout the leagues to start showing the RESPECT campaign the respect it deserves

8 – All clubs to live within their means to prevent more going to the wall

9 – Suffolk FA, whose side is made up of Ridgeons League players, to win the FA County Youth Cup for the third time in six years

10 – A successful and prosperous 2010 for all Suffolk and Ridgeons League clubs

Referee, you're having a laugh!

Friday, December 18

REFEREES get an incredible amount of stick from all concerned.

Whether it is justified is a matter of opinion, but they do seem to be an easy target for players, managers and spectators when things go against them.

So it is pleasing to report on a referee who clearly enjoys going about his business.

Take a bow Adam Crysell from Braintree, who was the official in charge at the Hadleigh United versus Histon Reserves match at the Millfield last Saturday.

Referees are all too often accused of lacking a sense of humour and not communicating with the players during the course of a game.

Mr Crysell took control with a smile on his face throughout and was clear in his decision-making with both his assistants and players, enjoying some banter along the way.

And he managed to keep his cards in his pocket until the 93^rd minute when he produced a straight red card to send off Hadleigh’s Liam Jennings.

Mr Crysell's approach certainly made a refreshing change from the majority of referees I have seen whose idea of ‘communication’ is to come across as far too officious and not engage in any dialogue with players for apparent fear of undermiming their authority

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HADLEIGH United boss Peter Grant was nowhere to be seen come kick-off last Saturday.

Grant, who is a retained fireman, answered the call to attend a chimney fire in East Bergholt at lunchtime.

Little did he realise that the fire would take so long to bring under control and that he would not make it back to the Millfield in time for 3pm.

Although I didn't see him return, I could hear he was back in the dugout about 15 minutes after kick-off!

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A pain in the groin!

Friday, December 11

EVER heard of Gilmore's Groin? No, me neither - until a couple of months ago.

And then like London buses, two come along at once.

Gilmore's Groin is similar to a hernia, but is slightly different. The condition is named after Jerry Gilmore, the London surgeon who first recognised this syndrome in 1980,and is also known as a sports hernia.

Scott Wark, who played in the Football League for Rushden and Diamonds before dropping down to play in the Ridgeons League, is suffering from the injury.

Scott, who last season was with Ipswich Wanderers, joined Hadleigh this season but was laid low after a few matches with what has since been diagnosed as Gilmore's Groin.

Struggling to play at Premier Division level due to the injury, Scott is currently turning out for SIL side Ransomes Reserves.

Last Saturday I got chatting to Simon Hyde over at Cornard, where I had gone to interview his manager Chris Symes for a forthcoming feature in the EADT and Evening Star.

Hyde, the former AFC Sudbury midfielder who also played for Whitton - ironically last Saturday's opponents - has been sidelined since the opening months of the current campaign by Gilmore's Groin.

He is awaiting an operation which means he is unlikely to see competitive action with Cornard in Division One until next February or March at the earliest.

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WILL Ridgeons League clubs be asked to vote on King's Lynn Reserves re-entering the league next season?

Although King's Lynn have not officially withdrawn from the league at the time of writing, the omens do not look good after confirmation that the Norfolk club have folded in the wake of their recent winding up order in the High Court over an unpaid £77,000 tax bill.

If King's Lynn do withdraw, who would bet against them re-forming in time for the 2010/11 season?

And, should they do so, will they try to regain entry into the Ridgeons League, just as Whitton United did this season?

You will recall that the league's management committee let the member clubs decide at the annual meeting last summer whether Whitton should be welcomed back into the fold.

A lot of people, myself included, felt that the league should have taken responsibility for that decision, rather than appearing to pass the buck.

Allowing the clubs to decide on whether Whitton should be reinstated has set a dangerous precedent that could be replicated at the end of this season.

But, if that proves to be the case, will the clubs be so accommodating, bearing in mind to go down that route again will send out the message to clubs in financial trouble that it is acceptable to pull out in the knowledge that they can start with a clean slate come the next season?

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GOOD to see that Green 'Un correspondent and Kirkley and Pakefield fixture secretary Stuart Baker has not lost his sense of humour despite the club's fixture backlog.

I had to smile at the message placed on the Green 'Un website last week after the Kirkley versus Hadleigh United Premier Division match was postponed.

If you read last week's blog, you will know I questioned my sanity in setting off on the hour-long drive to Lowestoft in the knowledge that the game was almost certain to be postponed.

It was only while reading through the match reports section at the weekend that I spotted a 'report' of the said match.

It read: 'The Lowestoft Canoe Championships are taking place at 10pm tonite as there is four inches of water on the Walmer Road pitch and the match was postponed at 6.45pm.'

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The height of madness!

Friday, December 4

AS A football fan you are entitled to question your sanity at various times.

High admission prices, long journeys and poor performances are just some of multitude of reasons which leave supporters questioning their unswerving loyalty in pursuit of the beautiful game.

No doubt, like me, you have asked yourself ‘why am I doing this?’ on more than one occasion but blindly carried on all the same.

Well you will know what I was thinking as I was making my way to Lowestoft on Wednesday night for the Kirkley and Pakefield versus Hadleigh United Ridgeons League Premier Division match.

After heavy rain throughout the day, I was expecting the game to be postponed before we even got as far as loading up the car but the call never came.

We even left it until less than an hour-and-a-half to kick-off before setting off in case the call came, but still it did not.

By the time we reached the outskirts of Ipswich and joined the A14 to cross the Orwell Bridge the rain was once more hammering down.

It was then that I did something that I had never done before; I missed a turn off – not because I wasn’t concentrating or did not know where I was going, but because I actually didn’t see it as the rain was coming down so hard!

Ten minutes later, and by now back on track, we finally did get the news we had been anticipating – the game had been called off and we were able to head home before we even got as far as Martlesham.

However, my relief was also tinged with a touch of sadness as I love watching the non-league game and had been looking forward to my trip to Walmer Road.

The irony of it all was that the match was originally scheduled for this Saturday, but was brought forward due to Kirkley’s FA Vase tie!

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WHO’S next? That appears to be the question on the lips of non-league football followers in the wake of King’s Lynn being wound up in the High Court last week.

Word has reached me that a couple of prominent Essex clubs are struggling financially, and it may be a matter of time before they find themselves in a similar scenario.

Watch this space.

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MILDENHALL Town have undergone a major transformation since Simon Charlton took over as manager towards the end of last season – and they don’t appear to be any the worse for it.

Some would argue that the club are in a much healthier position, with a younger and more hungry side than that which finished exactly in mid-table last season.

I saw Mildenhall on the opening day of the season when they won 3-1 at Woodbridge Town, and you may recall was waxing lyrical about the pace of Danny Partridge, the striker they signed from Diss Town during the summer.

Partridge suffered an ankle injury after only a few games and is still some way off a return to action, but his team mates have put together some impressive performances.

At Hadleigh United on Saturday they ran out worthy winners in a match where they were reduced to ten men mid-way through the second period.

Mildenhall dug in and, after taking the lead, could have won by an even bigger margin than the final 3-1 scoreline as they caught Hadleigh on the break with the home team chasing an equaliser.

Ryan Foster impressed me on the opening day and did so again on Saturday, while Jamie Thurlbourne caught my eye while playing for first Wisbech and then Newmarket Town last season.

Chatting to Charlton and his assistant Mick Money afterwards they appear to be happy with the progress the club are making, and a top-half finish – and hence an improvement on last season – looks to be within their grasp.