Eastern Senior League Division One South
Memorial Ground, Little Oakley
Admission : £5.00
Programme: £1.00
Attendance: 70 (estimate)
I had been saving a visit to Little Oakley for one of the warmer and longer days of the season, and with blue skies and sunshine forecast along with temperatures nudging 20C, today was the day to tick off my last ground in the Eastern Senior League Division One South.
To get to the ground, I decided to alight at Wrabness train station and embark on a thoroughly enjoyable 3.6 mile walk along the Essex Way footpath, following the bank of the River Stour with lovely views across to the Suffolk shoreline, through the woodland of the RSPB Stour Estuary Nature Reserve, then across farmland, passing by a disused windmill and then through the small village of Ramsey, before the footpath eventually leads right into the car park of the Little Oakley Memorial Club. The clubhouse, with a small patio outside, is located outside of the football ground, and to enter the ground, spectators pass around a small caged 3G pitch, before handing over the admission fee at a kiosk. Facilities have been steadily added to since the club's elevation from the Essex and Suffolk Border League to senior football in 2017, to what was then just a roped off field with dugouts. Along one length beyond the dugouts there is a green metallic stand with four rows of seating inside, which blends in quite well with the trees behind, and with club coloured blue and black seats inside, whilst just to one side of the goal at the clubhouse end is a similar looking but smaller stand with four steps to stand on. Hard standing is available along these two sides, whilst there is just grass to stand on along the other two sides, although the area behind the goal was marked as out of bounds for spectators. The ground has a leafy, rural and peaceful backdrop, and has a real village community asset feel to it. Apparently today's programme will be the last to be printed by the club, as from next season it will follow the disappointing trend of clubs at this level only publishing programmes online. Today's 24 page programme was a decent one, glossy and with some colour, it contained more than enough stats and facts to preview the game.
Both clubs have had decent seasons, and should finish comfortably inside the top half of the final league table. Little Oakley came into this game in seventh place, following 17 wins and seven draws from their 33 league games. Frenford, in their first season of senior football, were in ninth place in the 19 team division, following 14 wins and eight draws from their 34 league games. Little Oakley would surely be seeking some revenge today, as when the two teams met in the reverse fixture back in late October, Frenford comprehensively won 7-0.
On a warm afternoon, Little Oakley had the better of the opening exchanges, forcing two good saves, before taking the lead on 24 minutes. An initial shot was blocked but with the keeper now out of position, Brandon Rusby passed the ball into the net from a slight angle. Frenford had a good chance to equalise on 29 minutes following an excellent drive through midfield with the eventual shot parried, whilst a minute later, Little Oakley had a great chance to double their lead when the ball was crossed low from the right, but in a central position the ball was ballooned high and so wide the ball did not go out of play. On 38 minutes, Frenford got back on level terms. The ball was looped high to the back post before being struck home from a slight angle by Aaron Hunwicks. But just before half time. Little Oakley went back in front, a free kick was sent over from the right wing and Lewis Wood got up well to powerfully head the ball over the keeper and into the net.
Just two minutes after the restart, Frenford equalised again with a lovely curled shot from the edge of the area into the top right corner by Larry Asare. Frenford were having the better of things now and on 74 minutes they were awarded a penalty, which Billy Whatling converted, striking the ball low into the bottom left corner, sending the keeper the wrong way. Little Oakley never really threatened to salvage a point after that, as too many of their players seemed to wilt in the sun, perhaps with an end of season feel to their play, and so it was Frenford who secured the double over Little Oakley this season. The walk back to Wrabness train station completed a most enjoyable and relaxing day out in the countryside, which felt like some reward after enduring the many days of cold or wet conditions over the winter months.
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