Seasiders Leave It Late To Snatch Point - Felixstowe And Walton United vs. Thetford Town

A soggy, tree lined Goldstar Ground

After glorious weather while on holiday for the previous week or so, it was inevitable that the rain would come when I started to watch football again. I had intended to watch US Portsmouth in the vase but the weather put me off and the first game where I heard there was no issues with the pitch was Felixstowe and Walton vs. Thetford Town in the Premier Division of the Eastern Counties League. I had been meaning to visit Felixstowe for a little while since reading about the town and the team on the excellent Cold End website.  I also enjoy a game by the sea so it was a perfect first game back. The home side were having an OK season and were in sixth position at the start of play while Thetford were closer to the bottom of the table. Felixstowe had played a 120 minutes in mid week in a Suffolk Premier Cup defeat against Conference North Lowestoft Town.

Opening seconds of the match

Felixstowe have an early half chance when a diagonal ball finds the forward in space but he takes too long and the keeper has an easy save in the end. Thetford come closer with their first chance as the forward powers through the defence and they are relived as his shot hit the underside of the bar and out to safety. Felixstowe then have a couple of half chances and the best of these come when the winger gets to the byline but his cross is hacked away for a corner which ultimately comes to nothing. Thetford's next chance is from a free kick from close to the touch line which forces the home keeper in to a good save. The Felixstowe keeper is soon beaten as he collides with two of his own defenders which leaves the Thetford forward with the simple task of tapping the ball in to an empty net. Felixstowe manage to claim an equaliser just before half time.

Felixstowe on the attack in the first half

The Felixstowe forward is played in during the opening stages of the second period but the Thetford keeper is alert to cut the ball out. The home keeper then almost gifts the visitors the lead but he gathers a free kick at the second attempt. It then the Thetford keeper's turn to present an opening to the opposition as his poor goal kick is seized upon by Felixstowe and he redeems himself with a good save from the first effort before the second effort is put wide. The game is really open now and the Thetford forward puts the ball wide when clean through. Felixstowe's next chance comes after a ball to the back post which is eventually poked wide. Following a substitution, Thetford take a throw on the half way line which goes to the winger who in turn plays his forward in and he slots his side back in the lead. Felixstowe now flood forward looking for the equaliser and it isn't long coming. The Thetford keeper makes a great save from a close range header but he is powerless to stop the rebound. The home side have a late chance for a winner but the forward blocks his own players shot in injury time.

A Felixstowe ball in to the box

There are no direct trains from London to Felixstowe. You have to take a train from Liverpool Street to Ipswich where you change for a train to Felixstowe. Unfortunately for me my train from Ipswich was cancelled but the station staff did an excellent job in arranging taxis for everyone. Minus taxis, the journey takes around an hour and forty minutes. The seafront is about a ten minute walk from the station. On the seafront is The Cork which offers sea views. In between the seafront and the ground is The Grosvenor which had BT and Sky Sports for the early kick off. The ground is less than ten minutes walk from the station. The club house outside the ground has a good selection of drinks and also had Sky Sports. While I was waiting for my train I went to Chuffers which was my favourite bar in Felixstowe.  

Areas of cover at The Goldstar Ground