Eastern Counties League Premier Division
Summer Road, Walsham-le-Willows
Admission: £7.00
Programme: £1.00
Attendance: 69
When my partner announced that she would like to come with me for a day out today, I chose Suffolk as one of my "go-to" destinations for a nice day out in pleasant, scenic and friendly surroundings. And so I planned a drive up the A12 and A14, a three and a half mile walk on arrival around the peaceful village and surrounding countryside (a guide to which can be viewed by clicking here), a stop for a lunchtime pint, and before taking in this game in the afternoon.
Walsham-le-Willows is a small, sleepy and picturesque village, with the football ground a ten minute walk northwards from the village centre, out in the open countryside. The football club is part of Walsham-le-Willows Sports Club, whose facilities straddle either side of a country lane. To one side, there are a couple of football pitches, a caged 3G pitch, a tennis court and a car park, whilst to the other is the senior football ground, with its pitch used as a cricket outfield during the summer months. Entrance is gained in one corner, paying admission at a smart wooden hut, from which programmes are also available. Immediately inside the ground is the complex's clubhouse, with a bar that is quite warm and cosy inside, and a large patio with picnic tables on to the front. A separate adjacent but similar looking pavilion building houses the changing rooms some distance behind one of the goals, with a tea bar hatch located in the front wall of this building. Straddling the half way line is a decent stand, with four rows of seating inside and good elevation between the rows and no obstructing pillars. Either side of the seating area inside the stand there are a couple of shallow steps to stand on, with team line-ups posted on the back wall. Immediately behind the other goal there is quite a spacious stand made of corrugated sheets. Due to the field being shared with the cricket club, the remaining length is grass but with railing, except for the cricket square area straddling the half way line. The old pavilion is still in place on the far side of the cricket field. In summary, the ground is neat and tidy, blending in well with the rural surroundings. The 32 page programme was a very good publication, with a colourful and eye catching cover, all of the necessary stats and facts, and some interesting articles to read about the home and visiting clubs, and football in general.
Walsham-le-Willows are having a steady season so far, coming into this game in 13th place in the table following seven wins and three draws from their opening 20 league games. It has been a strange season for them so far. They were in decent form, winning their last two, and five of their last seven league games, and have lost just two of their last 11 league games. That steadied the ship after a very poor start to their season, when they lost eight of their opening nine league games. After a two season stay in the Isthmian League, this is Norwich United's second season back in the Eastern Counties League, and after finishing eleventh last season, they came into this game in sixth place, following ten wins and three draws from their opening 17 league games, six points adrift of second place. They were in good form, scoring a total of 14 goals in their last three league games, although those three games stretch back to late November. When the two clubs met in the reverse fixture back in September, Norwich United won 2-0, and although Walsham-le-Willows won 0-1 at Plantation Park in the League Cup in November, the result was subsequently overturned due to Walsham fielding an ineligible player.
On an overcast afternoon with a very chilly breeze blowing, this turned out to be a game mostly controlled by the visitors, as the hosts just never seemed to get going. Norwich United took the lead on 12 minutes following a quick break down the middle, with the ball laid off to Liam Jackson, who struck it low under the keeper. On 36 minutes, Norwich were awarded a very soft looking penalty, Finlay Barnes falling to the ground after a defender's push, and a Walsham player was sent to the sin bin for his protests. Jackson then drilled the ball from the spot into the bottom left corner.
So, a comfortable looking lead at the interval, and that rarely looked in any danger throughout the second half, which Norwich United controlled for long periods, creating the vast majority of the chances, although Walsham did also create the odd half chance towards the end of the game, as Norwich started to give the ball away a little more. But the final score was a fair reflection of the game, a win which sees Norwich United rise to fifth, still six points adrift of second place, while Walsham dropped to 16th, but remaining ten points clear of the one designated relegation berth this season.
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