Looking around for a game to go to on Saturday morning I took inspiration from my daughter, who was happily playing with her Moshi Monsters (21st century version of Weebles in my view) singing to herself about her Heart Skipping a Beat.
“Where should I go today, Bella?”
“I know, let’s all go to Witam!”
I had no idea where she was talking about, unless she was referring to Witton, which of course we all known is just a part of Northwich and home to Witton Albion. So I asked her why she had suggested such a strange thing.
“Oh my Goodness, me and you – the Army of Two – let’s go to Witham! I know you are Busy, and you know I am a bit of a Troublemaker but Please Don’t Let Me Go to Ikea with Mum. I’m wearing my Heart on My Sleeve and I want to go with you”
At this point my eldest daughter came in the room and gave her little sister a round of applause. It appeared that they had a childish competition to see who could get the most song titles from one artist in one sentence. I mean, what a ridiculous game. Who on earth would play a game like that, especially in a national newspaper report (let’s move on quickly). I Still had no idea who she was trying to refer to.
“Dad, you are so square. She is talking about Olly Murs” Continue reading
“Maldon and Tiptree” – home team
After seasons of mid-table performances in the Isthmian league, this year saw the start of something special. The Blues started the season with a bang of gigantic proportions. After draws in two of their first three league games, they went on a winning run of fourteen consecutive Ryman League matches. Their run was only ended in the Boxing Day derby at Heybridge when they suffered their first defeat of the season, and indeed was the first time they had failed to score a goal in ninety minutes. The league title still seemed all but wrapped up. And then for some unknown reason they took the effect of the defeat into the New Year. An unconvincing 3-0 win away at bottom of the table Ilford was followed up by a nil nil draw to Waltham Abbey, the first points the team had dropped at home all season. Surely lightning wouldn’t strike twice with the visit of Redbridge, themselves desperately trying to stay out of the relegation zone? The stats suggested a banker home win. Maldon & Tiptree were a mere 47 points above their visitors, with a goal difference of 90 between the two. 
You cannot fail to go wrong by visiting a town where there is a brewery. Well, apart from Reading that is. And Bury St Edmunds has one of the best. Greene King has been brewing in the town for hundreds of years and is a fine reason to visit in itself. There is also the novelty of visiting England’s smallest pub, the Nutshell. But its football we are here to celebrate and there are few better places to watch a game as the sunsets than Ram Meadow, sitting in the shadow of the cathedral. Located just a short walk from the town centre, but still far enough to get diverted into a number of excellent pubs, the ground is full of charm and well worth the long drive.
Suffolk has a monopoly on great away trips this season in the Ryman League and a welcome addition to Lewes’s list of roadtrips was Leiston. Hard to find on the map, the town/village can be missed in the blink of an eye as you pass by. It doesn’t even have a railway station, the nearest one is in Saxmundham, some 5 miles away. It is close to Sizewell nuclear reactor though, which probably explains the reason why they don’t need floodlights. Adnams is brewed locally and no visit here will be complete without a pint of two in the Engineers Arms close to the ground. The club have progressed through the county leagues at quite a lick but the reason why they are so high up in our list is the hospitality of the club and its staff. Top notch food, excellent beer and a welcome to all visitors in the club house. The model for success if ever I saw one.
After years of toil, political intrigue and bargaining, the Stones finally moved back home in July this year. And haven’t they reaped the success. Going into the Christmas period the club sat proudly a-top of the Ryman League South, averaging crowds of 1,600 in their new city centre Gallagher Stadium. 1,600 – more than some teams in this league get in a season! The stadium has been built for a club on the way up. A decent size clubhouse, serving local Shepherds Neame beer, railway stations within a ten minute walk, decent pubs across the road and of course THAT pitch. The Stone were ballsy enough to challenge the FA and ridiculous rules on the use of 3G pitches and have reaped the benefits. On Saturday 22nd December they were the ONLY club in the Ryman League able to host a game, resulting in a crowd of more than 1,600. But it is the never-say-die attitude of the staff, the entertaining style of play and the ease of watching a game here that makes it our BEST NON LEAGUE AWAY DAY of 2012.
