Queen of the South 2 v 0 Stranraer

Saturday 25th July 2015
Palmerston Park, Dumfries
Scottish Challenge Cup 1st Round
Admission: £16.00
Programme: £2.50
Attendance: 1,239
Match Rating: 3

When I was alerted to Virgin Trains selling tickets from London to the north west of England for just £11 each way, I decided to take advantage and make my first trip to Scotland in over three years. There was the added attraction in that I could take in a competitive game instead of the usual friendlies in July in England. With a ticket booked to Carlisle, nearby Annan Athletic was a serious consideration, however I decided that a slightly longer train journey to Dumfries would be well worth it for a ground with a reputation of being a pleasing mix of old school and modern facilities.

Palmerston Park is a brisk 20 minute walk westwards from Dumfries rail station via the town centre, and there is much to like about the place, particularly for this Englishman used to league grounds where any kind of character is getting very scarce in the quest for “safe” modern and mostly all-seater stadia. This is a ground which oozes character and is a throwback to previous generations. Straddling the half way line is an old fashioned tall all-seater stand, with a small amount of open terracing below and to one side. The other side is not used. Behind one goal is a large terrace – apparently the largest still in use in Scotland – with large old-fashioned cover. Behind the other goal is a smaller and uncovered terrace which was not in use today, whilst a modern all-seater stand stretches throughout the remaining length. Four individual, old fashioned floodlight pylons complete the feel of this being a “proper” football ground, albeit slightly tarnished by the presence of a 3G pitch. The 36 page programme was decent – pleasing on the eye, printed on good quality glossy paper and had plenty of interesting material.

For this relatively local derby, the home team would certainly be favourites, although it was difficult to predict how both teams would play this season, both having come agonisingly close to achieving promotion last season and subsequently losing several players. Queen of the South finished in fourth place in last season’s second tier Championship but lost in the playoffs to Rangers, while Stranraer finished second in the third tier League One but lost in the playoffs to Forfar Athletic.

On an overcast afternoon with occasional light drizzle, Stranraer started the stronger but had precious little cutting edge, and that was to be the theme throughout for them. The home side had the first real goalscoring chance on 13 minutes, when a free kick was curled into the danger area, and was headed towards the far top right corner, but the keeper pulled off a good save to keep the ball out. They did take the lead on 20 minutes, though. A corner was needlessly conceded when a defender headed the ball behind when otherwise the keeper would have caught it, and the ball was played to the far post by Ryan Conway, headed back across goal by Andy Dowie and Derek Lyle nodded home from close range. A narrow lead at the interval was a fair reflection on a half when Stranraer looked stronger, but Queen of the South more threatening.

The home side started the second half strongly, squandering some presentable chances to double their advantage, but after the hour mark they went through quite a bad spell, allowing Stranraer to dominate for a while and although generally they still didn’t convince they could score, they really should have done on 67 minutes, when Ryan Thompson headed over from very close range after a deflected cross evaded the defenders -a definite "would have been easier to score" moment. Although the home side weathered the storm, the tie remained very much in the balance until added on time right at the end, when Conroy stepped up for a free kick and drove the ball into the bottom right corner. So it was Queen of the South who progress to the next round with a solid if unspectacular performance, whilst there was much for Stranraer to be pleased about their performance, although their lack of cutting edge would be a major concern.

Eastbourne Eagles 56 v 36 Coventry Storm

Sunday 19th July 2015
National League Speedway
Arlington Stadium, Hailsham
Admission: £12.00
Programme: £2.00
Match Rating: 3

Having returned from my short break in Suffolk late on Saturday evening, I was able to take in the Eagles' first home meeting in four weeks, with a meeting that, on paper, looked like it would be a close event. The reality proved somewhat different, however, continuing the amazing home form of the Eastbourne Eagles this season.

Eastbourne Eagles came into this meeting in fourth place in the table, drawing yesterday's meeting at basement boys Stoke, whilst since their last home meeting they have lost at Rye House and drew at Mildenhall in the National League Trophy, and won the first leg of the National League KO Cup semi final first leg at Kent. Coventry came into this meeting a place below Eastbourne, have raced once more, but all but one of their eight races have been away from home, although they had lost in their previous three meetings. It would be a quite different Eastbourne line-up today to the one I had been used to in previous meetings - captain David Mason, Richie Andrews and Kelsey Dugard all injured, with two replacement riders in their place, with the Eagles using rider replacement to plug the third gap.

On a fairly warm summer afternoon, the start was delayed by 15 minutes, as the Coventry supporters' coach was delayed en route. They still did not arrive until around the sixth heat - not that they had missed much from their team, as the Eagles dominated the opening stages on the meeting, scoring maximum 5-1 wins in the opening two heats. That set the tone for a dominant afternoon for the Eagles, although they were the only two heats where they scored the 5-1 maximum and the third heat was the only one that was tied. Already ten points behind after four heats, Coventry went for their tactical ride, but their designated rider could only finish second, and so Eastbourne's lead was only reduced by two. The heats finished Eastbourne, Coventry, Eastbourne from the sixth to the final heats, apart from just heats seven and eleven, which finished Coventry, Eastbourne, Coventry. And so the Eagles claimed a win by 20 points, to rise a place in the table to third. Standout performers were Eastbourne's Bradley Wilson-Dean and Ben Hopwood - one of the riders recently signed - scoring maximum 15 point hauls.

Unfortunately, this was not a meeting that will live long in the memory, as the result never looked in doubt after Eastbourne opened up a 10 - 2 lead after heat two, and then coasted to a comfortable victory, with a minimum of incident or drama throughout. Indeed, not one heat was halted because of an incident.

Bury Town 1 v 3 Walsham-le-Willows

Saturday 18th July 2015
Pre-season Friendly
Ram Meadow, Bury St Edmunds
Admission: £6.00
Programme: £2.00
Attendance: 300 (estimate)
Match Rating: 2

For my final game during my stay in Suffolk, I drove to Bury St Edmunds to visit a ground that I had always wanted to explore having heard good reviews. with an interesting looking game between two very local teams. It turned out that while the ground certainly did not disappoint, the game rather did.

Ram Meadow is less than a ten minute walk north east from the town centre, handily adjacent to a large car park. One enters through the turnstile behind a goal, there is a greenhouse housing the club shop, followed by a long building housing the clubhouse and tea bar, with overhang allowing a covered area to watch the game from. Straddling the half way line is a very unusual looking stand, which is small, only containing three short rows of seating, and has a roof painting out at a sharp angle and supported by diagonal wooden timber beams. Straddling the half way line on the opposite side is a shorter but much longer stand with three rows of bench seating, whilst behind both goals are stands covering a couple of steps of terracing. Behind the entrance goal, the town's cathedral makes for an interesting backdrop, whilst behind the other, a sugar factory makes less of one, although it is mainly obscured by trees. All in all, Ram Meadow is an attractive ground with a lovely non league feel to it.

Bury Town are in the process of some rebuilding after a disastrous season, finishing eight points adrift and twenty points adrift of safety in the isthmian League Premier Division, and now have a campaign in the Division One North to look forward to. Walsham-le-Willows finished in 15th place in the 20 team Eastern Counties League Premier Division, but only three points clear of a relegation place.

On a warm, sunny afternoon, this match started evenly, Bury probably looking the better and more threatening side, but after both sides exchanged good chances, it was the visitors who took the lead on 25 minutes. The keeper managed to save from Clarke's far post header from a corner, but Josh Curry managed to stab home the loose ball from close range. It was Walsham who looked the better team for the rest of the half, having a couple of great chances to extend their lead, but they will have been happy at half time with a performance that was well organised, whereas Bury were very slow in their place and lacking inventiveness in their play.

Into the second half and, although Bury had a close range header tipped over by the keeper a couple of minutes in, Bury still failed to impress and on the hour mark, Walsham extended their lead with a goalkeeping howler. Receiving the ball from his own player, he tried to dribble around Charlie Webb but failed, allowing Webb to walk the ball into the net. Walsham wrapped up the win on 63 minutes when a ball down the right wing sprung the offside trap, Call eventually crossing low to Andrew Wood, who took plenty of time to compose himself before smashing the ball into the net despite a couple of defender having made it back to cover. It wasn't until deep into added on time that Bury scored a consolation goal when, following some good passing into the box, Sam Reed poked the ball home diagonally low past the keeper.

There was much for Walsham-le-Willows to be encouraged about today, as they looked disciplined and organised, whereas it is difficult to imagine that Bury Town will have learnt much from a lethargic and tepid performance - but at least they have several weeks to prepare for the season ahead.

Hadleigh United 3 v 1 Leiston

Friday 17th July 2015
Pre-season Friendly
Millfield, Hadleigh
Admission: £5.00
Programme: N/A
Attendance: 150 (estimate)
Match Rating: 3

For the second evening of my short stay in Suffolk, I decided to go to a ground that was only about 15 minutes drive from my hotel at Capel St Mary, for an otherwise not particularly enticing fixture. It turned out to be a good choice, however.

Millfield is only about a five minute walk west from Hadleigh town centre and, despite having modern facilities, is very easy on the eye. One enters through a turnstile along one length, to the left of which is the refreshment kiosk and covered standing, whilst to the right is a large building with a sports hall look, containing the spacious clubhouse, changing rooms, and is painted in dark blue so that it blends in quite well with the surroundings. There is also cover in front of this building, which continues the cover from the adjacent stand. Straddling the half way line on the other side is a stand with three rows of bench seating, whilst around the rest of the ground, including behind both goals, is just hard standing. On a summer's evening, it was a really pleasant place to watch football with a pint, with a lovely countryside feel to the ground, augmented with rolling fields behind the western goal, trees around most of the rest of the ground, and a spacious feel. No programmes were produced for this game.

There are two divisions separating these teams, with Hadleigh United finishing in seventh in the Eastern Counties League Premier Division, while Leiston finished in ninth in the Isthmian League Premier Division.

In the opening stages, Leiston threatened to blow the home side away, such was their total dominance, and they took the lead on four minutes when Joe Jefford found the net with a downward header from a corner. Hadleigh weathered the early storm, but it was still quite surprising when they got back on level terms on 15 minutes, albeit they were gifted the goal. A long ball should have been claimed by the keeper but he misjudged it above his head, only managing to get the faintest of finger tips to the ball, and the onrushing Marley Spindler ran onto the loose ball before tapping the ball into the unguarded net. Leiston came close to retaking the lead a couple of times before half time, but the scores remained level at the break.

Into the second half, which started quite evenly before the home side assumed the ascendancy. They went into the lead on 53 minutes, when some good trickery in the box resulted in the ball being pulled back from the byline, and was turned in first time at the near post from close range by Scott Chaplin. Leiston had their best chance to get back on level terms on 57 minutes, when a one-on-one was smothered, but on 68 minutes, Hadleigh extended their lead when a free kick by Danny Thrower from just outside the area was driven low into the bottom left corner. That pretty much killed the game, as neither side never really looked like scoring after that.

This was an entertaining game for a preseason friendly, and one which Hadleigh will take plenty of positives from, while Leiston looked good in patches but paid the price on the night for some rather sloppy patches.