The last Bank Holiday of the year is over. This is where the football season really starts to take shape. A few game sin, teams are starting to settle and the tables are starting to sort themselves out. So, with the Number 9 Derby out of reach (one of the perils of working down South), I needed to find a more local game to attend. The prospect of a local derby drew me towards Ash United versus Frimley Green in the Combined Counties League Division One. Two sides that I hadn't seen before and a new ground to visit. Perfect.

As I said, this is very much a local derby, with just over 4 miles separating the grounds. Ash United were going into the game unbeaten, sitting fourth with ten points from four games. Visitors Frimley Green were ten places below their hosts, having taken five points from three games.

Since Frimley were relegated from the Premier Division at the end of the 2014-15 season the sides had met six times in the league, with Ash yet to lose an encounter. There have been three Ash victories and three draws. Last season, despite Frimly finishing eleven points and two places above their neighbours, United did the double, winning 3-1 at home and 2-1 at Frimley's Recreation Ground.

Ash's Shawfield Stadium is wedged between the village of Ash and the A331, which divides Ash from Aldershot. There is a decent sized car park at the ground, which appears to have slightly too many allocated spaces for the size of the plot, making it quite difficult to manoeuvre around. There is also ample parking on the adjacent Youngs Drive (although this is a residential area, so please be courteous to the clubs neighbours).
The ground, accessed through a single turnstile off the car park, is a very good example of a stadium for this level of the game. The majority of the facilities are at the car park end, Club house, snack bar and players/officials block. There is a covered standing area (the Paddock) that runs behind the car park end goal. To the right of the entrance is the main stand, a covered seating area that holds just over 150 people. The dugouts are also on this side of the ground. All in all, very good facilities.

​Two further points to make. Firstly, the programme. Last season it was voted the best one in the league and you can see why. Plenty of 
content and statistics for £1. A great effort. The second point is that Ash are one of the clubs that actually put the team lists up on a board before kick-off. For neutrals, visitors, and locals alike, this is an absolute god-send. As someone who travels to a lot of new grounds, I spend a lot of my time trying to find out the teams. If there was one thing that I would wish for, it is that all clubs make the team sheets available or pin them up somewhere in the ground.

Onto the game and, I have to say, this could be a very short part of the blog. It wasn't the most action-packed 90 minutes that I have ever witnessed, although there was an interesting moment just before kick-off. Shawfield Stadium is, as I said, in a residential area. 

Consequently, there are restrictions on the use of floodlights, meaning that evening games kick-off at 7:30pm in order, presumably, to have the lights off by 10pm. It seems that everyone apart from the Frimley Green manager, was aware of this fact. When the 5 minute warning bell sounded in the changing rooms, the Frimley Green squad was still out on the pitch warming up. They had to beat a hasty retreat only to, almost immediately, re-appear for kick-off. To be fair to them, the game only started 2 minutes late.

Maybe the the rush affected the visitors because, within two minutes, Ash should have been ahead. A break down the right and low cross, led to confusion amongst the Frimley back-line and goalkeeper, the ball broke loose in the six-yard box but Fitzgerald and Williams got in each other's way and allowed the defence to recover and clear. It was to be as close as Ash came in the first half though, as 

Frimley quite quickly regained some composure and started to take control of the game.
Twenty minutes in, the away side came closest to breaking the deadlock when Vanterpool got in on the right, but home keeper Jamie Cunningham was quick to come off his line a block the attempt. Two minutes later, Frimley had another good opportunity. This time Dearlove, again in on the right, dragged his shot wide when he probably should have at least hit the target.

Two warnings for Ash, which they didn't heed because, two minutes later, they conceded a corner. The ball was driven into the near post where Zak Horkan was on hand to turn the ball into the net. 0-1.

The expected Ash response to going a goal down never really happened and, although they didn't really look like conceding a second goal, they also didn't really make Harvey Stevens, in Frimley's goal, work either.

HT Ash United 0 Frimley Green 1. Not too much between the sides but Frimley just about deserve to be in front.

​Frimley, presumably to make up for their first-half tardiness, appeared for the second-half well before the bell went off. Maybe, expecting an Ash backlash after a lacklustre first-half showing, they wanted to be prepared for the onslaught. They need not have worried, if so. It didn't happen. In fact, despite plenty of huffing and puffing, not a lot happened in the second-half. Certainly chances, at both ends, were at a premium and Frimley's defence seemed to be coping quite comfortably with anything Ash could throw at them.

That was until the 85th minute when Ash's left-flanker, Kieran Wiliams, burst into the Frimley box and was felled for his troubles. The referee immediately pointed to the spot. Jack Fitzgerlad stepped up and beat Stevens, just about. 1-1.

FT Ash United 1 Frimley Green 1. Frimley are still waiting for their first derby win since relegation, a run that extends to seven games. They must have thought that it was coming this evening, until the late penalty undid them. Still, at least we will all remember where we were the night that Saido Berahino finally scored for Stoke.

Ash United: Cunningham, Kipping, Bale, Hamill, Devanney, Passfield, Nwaubani (c), Whitehouse, Wilson, Fitzgerald, Williams. Subs: Chilton, Holmes, Robertson, Charlton, Cairns

Frimley Green: Stevens, Primett, Rayhan, Trinder, Ward (c), Hamer, Dearlove, Horkan, Jermain, Vanterpool, McKinlry. Subs: Cumner, Mepham, Kemp, Bolstrode
Att: 
Ground Number: 162
Entrance: £5.00
Programme: £1.00

Two days after returning from a week in Provence it was time to banish the holiday blues and head out to watch some more football. This week's chosen location was Bottom Meadow, home of Sandhurst Town. The Fizzers, as they are known, had not had the best start to the new season, losing both league games and going out of the FA Cup to Lymington Town after a replay. Their opponents, Farnham Town, freshly relegated from the Premier Division, were sitting second in the league after winning their opening two games. However, they too had gone out of the FA Cup at the first hurdle, losing 2-1 at home to Step 5 side Binfield.
Sandhurst transferred back to the Combined Counties League at the end of last season, after two seasons in the Hellenic League, the last of which saw them finish in a creditable fourth place.

The sides had last met in league action back in the 2012-13 season, when both sides were Combined Counties Premier League outfits. Farnham won an early season meeting by a goal to nil at The Memorial Ground with Sandhurst gaining revenge with a crushing 5-1 home win in April. The result, however, was not enough to save The Fizzers from relegation that season. Farnham went on the finish in eighth spot.

Bottom Meadow, a new ground for me, is situated next to Sandhurst Memorial Park, where the team played until National Lottery Charities Board money helped them to move next door into a fully enclosed stadium. Parking is available at the ground and, if full, in the Memorial Park car park (note for evening games: This car park shuts, and is locked, at 10pm sharp). The stadium itself is accessed through a large gate, there are no turnstiles. Facilities are at the entrance end of the ground where you will find the club house, which incorporates the tea/snack bar. Looking from the club house end, down the pitch, there is a small covered seating area to the right. This seats 108 people and have the club name emblazoned across the front of the roof. The dugouts are on the opposite side of the ground.

Having disposed of British Airways by a scoreline of 6-1 in their last game, Farnham were certainly favourites at the start of this match. They had also had their squad boosted by the much travelled Eddie Smith, a striker with a very good scoring record for a number of clubs including Slough Town, where he grabbed 98 goals in 150 appearances. Somewhat surprisingly, considering they had scored 10 goals in their opening two games. Smith went straight into the starting eleven. Sandhurst were looking to get their first points and, in fact, their first league goal, of the season.

Given those statistics, it is fair to say that the game started predictably. Farnham were immediately on the front foot and looking confident. They forced a corner as early as the second minute and, when the ball was half cleared, new signing Smith fired the ball back goal-wards. Elliot Cardona stuck out a foot and sent the ball looping over Howells into the net. 0-1.

The goal served to give Farnham even more confidence with the movement of striker Danny Turner causing all sorts of issues to the Fizzers defence. Turner's runs were being picked out well by right-back Max Meaton, who was also looking very composed on the ball. Add to that, the battling, ball winning of defensive midfielder Dean Ellis, and all looked good for Farnham in the first 10 minutes.

However, great credit must go to Sandhurst who could easily have let their heads drop. They didn't. Instead, they steadily fought their way into the game and, after 12 minutes, they got their just rewards.
As with the Farnham opener, the equaliser came from a corner, this time on the Sandhurst left. The ball was played into the Farnham six-yard area where Ashley Ledger stooped to head the ball home. 1-1. Terrible marking by the Farnham defence, allowing an opponent to head in, unmarked, inside the six-yard box.

​The goal seemed to completely take the wind out of Farnham and, seven minutes later, the hosts completed the turnaround. A long ball downfield was latched onto by Paul Rake, he out-muscled his marker and then unleashed a volley, from outside the penalty area, which bypassed Norman and nestled in the far corner. 2-1.
A very good finish from Rake.

HT Sandhurst Town 2 Farnham Town 1. The away side started well but Sandhurst hauled themselves back into it and deservedly lead at the break.

Farnham seemed to have re-grouped somewhat after the break. Ellis was getting on the ball more again and starting to make things tick in midfield. However, try as they might, Farnham couldn't find that killer final pass and, despite more possession, the score remained 2-1. 

Farnham's cause was aided just after the hour mark when Fizzers skipper, Henry Oakley, launched himself into a really ugly challenge on a Farnham striker, a challenge that caused the first of a number of minor altercations between the players. Once the referee had calmed the situation down, he issued a second yellow to Oakley and Sandhurst had to play the remaining half-hour with ten men.

The Fizzers immediately made a substitution, bringing on a replacement defender for Oakley, leaving just the diminutive Ieuan Dimech up front. The extra space allowed  Ellis to gain even more control of the midfield for Farnham but, as before, the final ball was never found.
The game became more and more scrappy. Sandhurst employed every trick in the book to help tick away the minutes, a tactic not lost on the referee, who eventually lost patience with goalkeeper Howells and issued a booking.

The Farnham players, irritated by their inability to get back on level terms, were letting themselves be drawn into confrontations by the Sandhurst gamesmanship (or game management, whichever way you see it). A few scores were being settled all across the pitch and the game was getting more stop-start, which was not helping the Farnham cause at all.

​To their credit, Sandhurst were defending really well, despite being a man light. The aforementioned Dimech, left on his own up front, was running himself into the ground in an effort to stop Farnham building from the back. The Sandhurst defence were doing well, but they owe a lot to the non-stop effort shown by their number 9.

The referee, much to the disgust of the local support, added a fair bit of time to the game, presumably taking into account the number of times that Sandhurst had delayed restarts. However, The Fizzers hung on for their first points of the season.

FT Sandhurst Town 2 Farnham Town 1. In the end, a fair result in my opinion. Despite having the feeling that Farnham would get back into the game, especially when Sandhurst went down to 10, the home side hung on through sheer effort in the second-half. As a neutral, it was a very entertaining watch with no lack of application from either side. 
Next up for The Fizzers is a visit from, currently pointless, bottom side Fleet Spurs whilst Farnham travel to Kensington Borough.

Update: I think I have said before that I don't take notes at matches. I try to write from my memory of the game. The theory being that I capture the incidents that stuck out. Whilst this, in principle, is an attempt at an honest report, it does mean that I do miss things out from time to time. When this happens, I am happy to, in fact expect to, get pulled up on it by players, managers or supporters. Last night was a case in question and I have been called out on it. So, let me just state that The Fizzer's victory owes more than a little to a fine, late save from their big man at the back, Ryan Howells. Sorry, Ryan. Next time, I'll pay more attention. (also, he's a big lad and I don't want to make an enemy of anyone that size).

Sandhurst Town: Howells, Turner, Green, Oakley (c), Barley, Goddard, Ledger, Dimech, Barron, Burrows, Rake. Subs: Barnard, T. Cooper, M. Cooper, Khomsi, Cox
​
Farnham Town: Norman (c), Meaton, T. Smith, Ellis, Conteh, Harlowe, Page, Medcroft, Turner, E. Smith, Cardona. Subs: Horwood, Falvey, Marker, Scurfield, Evans

Att: 
Ground Number: 161
Entrance: £5.00
Programme: £1.00

An early season FA Cup game on a Friday evening, not too far from home. Too good to miss.
I am starting this match blog not with the run up to the game, or a description of the ground. Rather, I am starting with my journey home and, more to the point, the radio programme that happened to be on in my car. I'm talking about Radio 5 Live. Now, I normally focus my match blogs on positives. After all, the whole point is to promote non-league football.
However, what I heard on my way home and, more to the point, the tone of voice with which it was delivered, just got my back up. It's good that the BBC have been playing lip service to the early stages of the FA Cup. Don't get me wrong, I'm happy that they give it some coverage. Two things that really irk me though. First of all, if you are going to talk about the early rounds of the cup, involving these 'little' teams that clearly no-one is that bothered about, at least get your facts straight. Don't announce that the FA Cup, incredibly, starts on Saturday, when there are games being played on Friday (one of which, I was actually driving home from). Secondly, I know that the Haverhill derby is of very little consequence to a BBC commentator who is very busy watching Manchester United, but the condescending way it was referred to as 'the big derby game' and, more so, the tone with which the sentence was delivered, really grated. I am sure that the supporters of both Borough and Rovers were screaming at their radios. I don't know, maybe i'm just turning into an old cynic?

Rant over, onto the game. Winslow United v Easington Sports, with both sides making their FA Cup debuts (fact courtesy of @FACupFactFile). It's not been long at all since I last visited Elmfields Gate but, there has been a change at the ground. A lovely new piece of signage has appeared above the main stand (see photo).

​The game start at a very fast pace. Both sides looked lively but it was Easington who looked most up for it, launching a series of attacks in the opening minutes. Winslow looked a little shaky at the back, giving away a needless early corner when they appeared a little rattled by Sports' good start.
Having said that, it was the home side that possibly created the most promising chance when they had a goal-bound shot well blocked by a defender. A minute or so later, though, they were quite lucky to survive some sustained pressure from Easington, eventually clearing the ball off the line amidst a real scramble in the home penalty area.
It was certainly a very open first 15-20 minutes. After that period, both sides seemed to hold off a little. United had steadied their ship, the defence looked more assured. Maybe the initial surge of energy and Adrenalin had worn off?

Chances were now coming less frequently but Easington did come reasonably close before, on 40 minutes, a fine Winslow effort saw the visitors keeper, Adam Rimmer, pull off a good one handed save to put the ball out for a corner. The right-wing kick was hit deep where Aaron King rose well to power a header over the defender on the line and put Winslow in front. 1-0

The response from Sports was almost immediate. Within three minutes of going behind, they earned a free-kick some 35 yards out on the left. The ball was hoisted to the far post by Convey where Henry Rose got above everyone to head in a fine equaliser. 1-1.

HT Winslow United 1 Easington Sports 1. All square at the break and probably rightly so. The game was shaping into a very good cup tie. We had seen two very well taken headed goals and there was a definite sense of occasion around the ground.

​Looking around the ground at the start of the second-half, there were very few empty viewing spaces around the perimeter fence. It looked like a very good turnout. On the pitch, the second period didn't start with the bang that the first had ended with. You had the sense that both sides had been told to keep it tight for a while. However, that doesn't man that there was a lack of action. King, up front for Winslow, was making a real nuisance of himself, keeping the visitors defence busy. At the other end, the height of Rose meant that he was winning a lot of flick-ons but, as of yet, not quite linking up with his fellow attackers. Easington were, however, starting to look more dangerous when attacking on their right, getting in behind the home defence a couple of times causing the home keeper to berate his defenders.

Just past the hour mark, on 66 minutes to be exact, United went back in front. A ball was played into the right-hand channel for King to chase. He reached the ball as it sat up invitingly, inside the penalty area but at quite a narrow angle. He unleashed a stunning volley, flashing the ball across Rimmer and into the far corner. 2-1. A great finish from King to get his second goal of the game.

The home side had clearly learned from their first-half mistake and, this time, they did not concede and equaliser within a few minutes. In fact the goal seemed to take the wind out of Sports for a while, with the home side looking as if they were going to take control of the game. 
Sports, however, were not going to let their FA Cup run die off that easily. With 79 minutes on the clock, they launched another raid down their right wing, again getting in behind the defence. Goal-scorer Rose drilled the ball across the Winslow six-yard box where it was met by the on-rushing Andrew Stidder to make it all-square again. 2-2.

It was Easington's turn to look the most likely to win now. The home side, however, composed themselves and stemmed the flow of red & white shirts. Whilst I am sure that neither side really wanted, or needed, an extra game at this stage of the season, neither could find a winning goal in the last ten minutes.

FT Winslow United 2 Easington Sports 2. Both FA Cup debutants live to fight another day, and that day is Tuesday. A thoroughly entertaining cup tie between two evenly matched sides. Best of luck to both in the replay. I'm sure that it will be a cracker.

Winslow United:
Easington Sports: Rimmer, Snelling, Fitton, Josh Rose, Robinson, Stidder, Spaull, Henry Rose, Convey, Eyre, Watkin (c). Subs: Pearman, Cramond, Hill, Higgins

Att: 351
Ground Number: Not a new ground
Entrance: £5.00
Programme: £1.00

Heading up the M1 on Tuesday evening it occurred to me that I was on my way to watch Leicester Nirvana for the fifth time. However, this would be my first visit to their home ground, Hamilton Park. Much like my record with Kidlington, I have never seen Nirvana lose, either in the Leicester or Thurnby guise. In fact, their record to date when I have seen them is played four, won four. The previous games were:

Sileby Rangers 3 Thurnby Nirvana 4 (Still one of the best games of football I have ever seen)
Desborough Town 2 Leicester Nirvana 4
Rothwell Corinthians 1 Leicester Nirvana 3
Kirby Muxloe 0 Leicester Nirvana 3
​
I have only seen Rugby play once since starting this blog (although I saw VS Rugby play at Stourbridge a few times many years ago), a 1-0 home defeat to Daventry in Step 4. Interestingly, both of these sides have slipped down the pyramid since then, both finding themselves in the United Counties Premier Division this season.

​Hamilton Park, Nirvana's home, is a newly fenced off facility with a recently built clubhouse. Fencing is tall but you could still watch from outside if you wanted to. Two covered areas, both to the right of the entrance and clubhouse. One seating area, one standing. Dugouts are opposite. Note for hoppers. Parking is very limited at the ground. there is a small overflow car park but this was already full at least 40 minutes before kick-off. So, get there early if you want to park nearby.

There were plenty of Valley supporters milling around when I arrived and they had already put their flags and banners up at the far end of the ground. The biggest topic of discussion in the bar seemed to be their position as favourites for the league. The majority of supporters seemed to think that it was nowhere near as clear-cut as that  and that they would need to work very hard to achieve promotion. "We are in Step 5 for a reason" was the general consensus.

In quite blustery conditions, Rugby opened the quicker and certainly looked the sharper side in the first 10-15 minutes.The game burst into life on 12 minutes when Rugby came very close to opening the scoring. A neat move saw Blythe burst into the box but Chey Carter was very quick to spread himself and block the effort. Within two minutes, Nirvana had a similar opportunity but Hill proved himself as adept as his counterpart, saving very smartly. Nirvana then had a free-kick on the edge of the area which Savjani put just over the Rugby bar

​After 19 minutes, Valley had the ball in the home net when a long throw was flicked on and found its way into the net. However, a hand was used on the way and the assistant's flag was raised almost immediately. Still 0-0.

On 21 minutes Nirvana taok the lead in somewhat controversial circumstances. A quite clear Nirvana push in midfield went unpunished and the home side took advantage of the Rugby players stopping to appeal by breaking down their left flank. Suleman Nassor showed good awareness to slide over a very tempting cross and  Jordan Nelson was on hand at the near post to force the ball home. 1-0

The goal changed the game completely. The belief seemed to drain from Rugby and Nirvana's tails were up. They were the team playing all of the football. It has to be said that Leicester managed the game very well from this point onwards. Some would say gamesmanship, I would say game management. They had clearly spotted that the referee didn't have full control over the game. I don't like to criticise officials, but this game needed a strong man in the middle. It didn't have one.

Nirvana can certainly play good football. They can also mix it when they need to. Rugby allowed themselves to be drawn into a toe-to-toe battle with Nirvana. They allowed Nirvana's tactics of taking their time with every dead ball to get under their skin. It was a battle that they never looked like winning.
Leicester just had too much nous for them, as well as, on the day, being the better football team. 

Rugby did have a penalty claim when Rankin and Carter collided in the area, but it was waved away by the referee and, on this occasion, it looked like he got that decision spot on.

HT Leicester Nirvana 1 Rugby Town 0. A very stop-start game punctuated by plenty of niggles and fouls. The referee needs to get a grip on the game. A red card is looking almost nailed on in the second-half if he continues to frustrate the players with inconsistent decisions.

​Valley started the second half with a clear intention to get back into the game as quickly as possible. Nirvana seemed quite happy to let them come onto them, relying on their pace up front to pose a threat whenever a Rugby attack broke down. The Nirvana back-line was coping well with everything that Rugby threw at them, although long balls down the middle aren't going to trouble that many defences too much. 

An increasing number of flare-ups and stoppages didn't help Rugby find any fluency either. Again, I put this down to Nirvana managing the game better and having more experience than their visitors. They knew that they had their opponents rattled and they took complete advantage of it.

With 16 minutes of the 90 remaining and with Rugby pressing forward, Nirvana hit them on the break down the right flank. This time it is Nassor who is on the end of a low cross, leaving him the simple task of tapping into an empty net. 2-0 and no way back for Rugby now.

FT Leicester Nirvana 2 Rugby Town 0. An untidy game but a well earned three points for Nirvana. The most amazing statistic is that we still had 22 players on the pitch at the end.
Nirvana are a good side and, on this evidence, could be contenders this season. However, they will need to ensure that they keep their discipline. They have some very talented individuals but are far too ready to get involved in a physical confrontation. If they stick to playing football, they could play a lot of teams off the park in this league.
For me, Rugby seemed to find their title favourites tag weighing heavily on their shoulders. Once they went 1-0 down, they never really looked like getting back into the game. However, it's not easy to tell from one game. They looked pretty good for the first 20 minutes but allowed themselves to be distracted from the game, as well as being frustrated by the officials decisions. 

Leicester Nirvana: Carter, Gore, Bahrey, Calver, Harper, Bains, Gonga, Savjani, Nassor, Nelson, Master. Subs: Mudhur, De Lacerda, Brown-Wingfield, Glover
Rugby Town: Hill, Rosser, Thomas, Edwards, Recci, Perkins, Rankin, Bunting, Adams, Johnson, Blythe. Subs: Evans, Holloway, Kavanagh, Blake, Marsden

Att: 112
Ground Number: 160
Entrance: £5.00
Programme: £1.00

An advantage of having a wife who 'gets' my passion for non-league football is that she comes up with ideas like today. As I have pointed out many times, the majority of my live action is midweek. Weekends are family time. However, the opening day of the season is sort of special and my wife came up with a plan to combine family and football time.
The question she posed 'Is there a game somewhere that we haven't been, where we could have a little day out as well as you taking in a match?'. As it happened, a perfect fixture leapt off the pages of the NLP. Ely City v Framlingham Town.
​
You couldn't really find a better one. A new ground for me, a team playing it's first ever Step 5 game (Framlingham). A cathedral (since a recent trip to Wells, my daughter likes visiting cathedrals), it is an historic city with plenty to keep the family occupied and the ground is within walking distance of the city centre. So it was that we found ourselves heading 81 miles East on Saturday lunchtime, towards The Fens and new ground number 159.

​After a brief wander around the city, a visit to Oliver Cromwell's house and then a little bit of lunch in the cathedral cafe, I left the girls to their day and headed off towards the Ellgia Stadium, home of Ely City FC. The ground is situated on the outskirts of the city (remember, it is a very small city), about 25 minutes walk from the cathedral. It is part of a sports complex that appears to incorporate almost every sport under the sun. Ely Tigers RFC, a golf club, tennis club and did I see squash? It is also adjacent to what looks like a very new edition to the city, the Isle of Ely, a village of restaurants, fast food and entertainment. This new entertainment village has also provided a very useful underpass from the city, under the busy A10, and into the entertainment areas. All in all, an impressive array of eateries, entertainment and, best of all, sport facilities. Well played, City of Ely. The football stadium itself is a very tidy, compact ground. Most of the facilities are on the entrance side of the ground, accessed though a single turnstile. Immediately as you enter, on your right is the main stand, which rises quite high above the ground and has seating for 150. Next to this stand is the clubhouse, which has some sheltered areas immediately outside (handy on a baking hot day like today). There is also a small covered area to the left of the entrance, which has a few benches in, but is mainly a covered standing area.

​A little introduction to the two sides in action today. Hosts Ely City, founded in 1885, joined the Eastern Counties League in the 1960-61 season and have played in the league ever since. They have won Division One once in their history as well as being Division One Cup winners once. They have been something of a yo-yo club over the years, suffering four relegations and the equal number of promotions. Since they returned to the top flight two season ago, they have finished 13 and 14th but have also had their best ever FA Vase run (5th Round) and won the Cambridgeshire Invitation Cup for the 4th time in their history.
​Framligham Town, The Castlemen, were promoted from the Ipswich & Suffolk League three season ago, entering the Eastern Counties structure for the first time since their formation in 1887. ​

They finished a creditable 7th in the first season and then obtained promotion to Step 5 as runners-up last season. There are a couple of interesting facts about both the club and the castle of Framlingham. First of all, the club purchased their floodlights from the Sizewell B nuclear plant. Now, I guess they have heard this before, but does this mean that their lights glow even if they don't switch them on? That could save a pretty penny. The second, and not so interesting fact, is that I and my then pregnant wife, visited Framlingham Castle during a East Anglian holiday in 2009.

​And so onto the game and Framlingham Town's introduction to Step 5 football. The recent weather meant that the pitch was dry and hard, through no fault of the club, I should add. It was a very warm, still day. Not the best conditions for a game of football.

Framlingham started really well. They looked sharper and far more threatening than Ely. However, despite having a lot of the ball, they couldn't make the home keeper work. Star striker, Danny Smith looked very dangerous. Quick, and incisive, but he couldn't find that final ball. He seemed to be the one making the chances, whereas Framlingham would probably have preferred him to have been on the end of them.
Most of Ely's play focused on number Jamie Thurlbourne, who was working hard to gain a grip on the midfield and was, certainly in the first half, involved in almost every Ely move.

25 minutes in, and with the score still 0-0, the referee, very wisely, called for a drinks break. I knw that some people feel that this  little bit 'nanny state, but, I can tell you, it was hard work just standing, watching in the sun. I really did not envy these players and they must have been getting seriously dehydrated after 25 minutes of running in this weather.

As the half wore on, Thurlbourne was starting to pull more strings and his team-mates were also getting more into their stride. Ely were definitely coming into the game more as the half progressed.

​Comedy moment of the first half came when Ely were awarded a free-kick for a foul. The Ely player, who had taken a knock to head, was still getting up as they tried to take a quick free-kick, succeeding only in belting the ball into their recently stricken colleague. As the ball ran loose the Framlingham right-back, thinking that the referee was going to make them take the kick again, picked the ball up, only for the referee to award a fee-kick against him for hand ball. What annoyed the Framligham bench most of all was that, if their player had controlled the ball, he could have played in one of their strikers as the home defence was absolutely wide open.

HT Ely City 0 Framlingham Town 0. A good start from the visitors but Ely looking more dangerous as the half progressed. Not a classic but good entertainment for neutrals.

Ely came out for the second half looking to continue their growth into the game. They didn't have too long to wait before their resurgence paid off when a deep cross from the left was met by Deaken Napier, at the far post, who volleyed the ball past the keeper. 1-0 after 51 minutes.

Framlingham heads didn't drop but you sensed they needed to get an equaliser quickly if they were to stay in the game. They were getting noticeably less of the ball than the first half, possibly more because Ely had upped their game rather then Framlingham had dropped their standards. As the clocked ticked past the hour and headed towards the 70th minute mark, an equaliser was starting to look more unlikely. Suddenly, however, The Castlemen sprang into life. A little bit of pressure on the home goal was half cleared to the left flank, Max Willett swung over a lovely cross and there was Anthony Johnson to power home a header. 1-1 after 69 minutes and a perfect time for a second-half drinks break.

​The drinks seemed to invigorate both teams and, immediately after the restart we had some fine end to end action. First of all Lewis Hook's diving header for Ely was touched onto the inside of the post by Sam Chivers, before he managed to grab the ball on the line. Then, in the 72nd minute, less than a minute after Ely had almost re-taken the lead, home keeper Evan Jeckells was forced to make a sharp stop at his near post. From the resulting corner, Jeckells was again called into action to prevent the way side taking the lead.

It looked as if we were heading for a stalemate until, in the 86 minute, the referee had no option but to award a home penalty as Hook (my view was slightly obscured, so it may not have been) was bundled over in the box. Up stepped Lee Reed to send the keeper the wrong way to make it 2-1.
Then on the stroke 90 minutes, with Framlingham somehow finding the energy to press for a second equaliser, Ely hit them on the break down the left, before pulling the ball back for Reed to expertly stroke home his second and Ely's third. 3-1.
There was still enough time for a little bit of 'handbags' before the end, but it only led to a yellow card and was soon calmed down.

FT Ely City 3 Framlingham Town 1. Ely ultimately deserved their win. After Weathering Framlingham's blistering start, they played their way into the game and scored a couple of very nice goals. Both sides worked incredibly hard in what must have been very tough conditions to play football in. This was only my second Eastern Counties League game and, I have to say, I have enjoyed both immensely (the other was Godmanchester v Felixstowe a couple of seasons back). It a shame that the majority of sides in this league are just that little bit too far, especially as I watch most of my football in midweek. I must, however, make an effort see a few more games.
Best wishes to both sides for the rest of the season.

Ely City (All Red): Jeckells, Dalby, Alsop, Walter, Williams, Lee Reed, Napier, Hook, Thulborn, Jeffrey, Thurlbourne. Subs: Brannan, Sam Reed, Heap, Griffin
Framlingham Town (Green & White hoops): Chivers, Poacher, Willett, Thorpe, Johnson, Mayhew, Boardley, Matt Aldis, Smith, Kerridge, Driver. Subs: Evans-Hendrick, Abraham, Borg, Brooks

Att: 81
Ground Number: 159
Entrance: £7.00
Programme: £1.00