Essex & Suffolk Border League

Division 4

Wednesday 22nd May 2024

Kick Off 18.30 Actual 18.28!

Ramsey & Mistley 0 Tendring District 2, attendance 25

2’ 0-1

65’ 0-2

@ Furze Hill Recreation Ground

Shrublands Road

Mistley

CO11 1HS

No Admission or Programme.

I’d received positive replies from both clubs that this was going ahead okay, so it was off to Essex for this local derby, with 11th hosting 10th (out of 13) in the table. I assume they’re both safe from relegation, but you never know these days. It was certainly competitive and both teams gave it 100% throughout. As well as battling each other, perhaps the biggest obstacle was the pitch! It was dreadful. As I arrived, I saw various areas being mowed, but they only tackled the worst parts. The grass was far too long and despite overnight rain, the pitch sounded very hard in places.

Tendring went in front after just two minutes, heading in a corner on the left from a couple of yards out. They doubled their lead midway through the second half, with a cracking long range effort that beat the ‘keeper into the bottom corner. Ramsey & Mistley did have a goal ruled out for offside and Tendring almost added a third late on, when a lob over the ‘keeper came back off the crossbar, but it finished 0-2.

Home to Ramsey & Mistley is Furze Hill Recreation Ground in Mistley. It’s a large expanse of grass with a couple of parallel pitches, one for football, running widthways in front of the buildings and the furthest one for rugby. The football changing rooms are first as you enter the car park, followed by the village hall and then rugby clubhouse, which was open for business, serving drinks, sweets, crisps, etc.