Anglian For Goals - Beccles Town vs. Bradenham Wanderers

View from the trees at College Meadow

I'd been meaning to see a game in the Anglian Combination for a long time but regular works on the line out of Liverpool Street had reduced the opportunities to head out east. There was a break in the works this weekend and so I headed into deepest darkest Suffolk for Beccles Town against Bradenham Wanderers. The first I saw of Beccles Town was the back of the stand while travelling to Lowestoft for a Ryman League game years ago and I always wanted to come back. In all honesty I didn't even know where Bradenham was but after looking at the map, I had been pretty close to it when I've visited Dereham and Swaffham. Both sides were just below mid table and the reverse fixture ended 3-2 to Bradenham so I was opening for a similar amount of goalmouth action.

Kick off under drizzly skies

Bradenham begin work on this early on as they force the ball over the line from a corner although it requires confirmation from the linesman. Bradenham continue to push for the second but they are caught out with a goal from a set piece as a corner is headed in at the near post. Moments later and Bradenham are all of a sudden behind. A long ball is sent forward which the attacker beats the keeper to, to poke his side into the lead. The hosts almost go further ahead when the Bradenham keeper misjudges a bouncing ball but Beccles can't force the loose ball home. The see saw nature of the game continues as Bradenham get back on level terms as I'm taking my money out for the raffle. I do minutes later however see the Bradenham player go down in the box which forces the referee to award a penalty. The spot kick is dispatched and Bradenham end a topsy turvy half three two up.

Beccles score to make it one one

Bradenham come out not wanting to let the lead slip away again and the Beccles keeper has to make a great save to keep an early chance out. Bradenham do extend their lead with the goal of the game. The visitors get in on goal which the Beccles keeper does well again to save this effort but the looping ball falls to the Bradenham player some twenty plus yards out and he smashes the ball in to make it four two. Bradenham get their fifth in less spectacular style as a shot from the edge of the box is deflected past the stranded goalie. Beccles begin to finally get at Bradenham when the visiting keeper makes a great save from a free header. They come close again with another header that is time headed off the line. Bradenham get a late sixth to complete a brilliant introduction to the Anglian Combination.

Beccles come close early on

It's a long old trip to Beccles which starts with a train from Liverpool Street to Ipswich and changing there for the train to Beccles and in total this takes around two and a half hours. It really is worth it however, the town centre is worth exploring and you can see the church where Nelson's parents married. If this doesn't grab you then The Butchers Arms a short walk from the town centre with a choice of ales certainly will. If you'd rather watch the early kick off then The Caxton Arms is a good shout. The ground is less than five minutes from the platform and you have a bit of a view of the pitch from the footbridge. The bar at the sports club had the sports channels as well as a broader than usual selection of beers. From contacting them on Twitter to speaking to people at the ground, everyone was very friendly and I cannot recommend the trip enough.

The wooden stand I saw when I first went past has been replaced but with a similar structure