Willingham Wolves v Alconbury Reserves

Cambridgeshire County League

Division 4B

Thursday 20th April 2023

Kick Off 18.15 Actual 18.17

Willingham Wolves 4 Alconbury Reserves 8, attendance 27

2’ 1-0

5’ 1-1

12’ 2-1

17’ 3-1

21’ 3-2

23’ 3-3

34’ 3-4

36’ 3-5

49’ 3-6

58’ 4-6

59’ 4-7

90’ + 2, 4-8

@ Willingham Recreation Ground

West Fen Road

Willingham

CB24 5LP

No Admission or Programme.

I hadn’t been too keen on coming to this, as I prefer not to watch games including reserve teams, especially when the match involved two mid table teams (9th v 6th) with no chance of making a promotion push. However, I needn’t have worried. I had a quick reply from the home club via Twitter (most clubs never bother replying at all) that the game was going ahead okay. It was impressive that both teams had four substitutes and the pitch, apart from a few undulations, was in superb condition and looked freshly cut and marked out. It was an added bonus that there was a good sized overhang on the front of the changing rooms, which was certainly needed during the early stages as light rain fell and it was a bitterly cold wind. It soon cleared though, making way for blue skies overhead, but never really warmed up that much.

The game itself could easily have finished with both teams scoring double figures. As a neutral it was a great watch. Willingham scored within two minutes, but their lead was short lived as Alconbury levelled after five minutes. Willingham then scored twice to go 3-1 up after just seventeen minutes, but a four goal reply, in a fifteen minute spell, saw Alconbury lead 3-5 and we still had nearly ten minutes to go before halftime. The goals still flowed freely at the start of the second half and by the time we reached the hour mark it was 4-7. The last half hour was end to end stuff, but surprisingly the last goal of the night didn’t come until stoppage time, when Alconbury made it 4-8.