No.55 - Tues. 15th April 2008; Suffolk & Ipswich League Division 1                      6.15pm at Bildeston S&S, Consent Lane, Bildeston, Stowmarket, Suffolk. (Att: 18; Admn & Prog: NA)

View matchday images  01 02 03 04 05 06 photos kindly provided by Stephanie Wray via MMS Bildeston Rangers (0) 1  Thurston (3) 5  Six in the sticks!  With the silly season well under way now there were loads of early evening 'hoppertunities to choose from when I looked at the local fixtures. Flicking through the pages of the esteemed Football Traveller my attention was son drawn to the Suffolk and Ipswich League match between Bildeston Rangers and Thurston. I had been trying to get in a game here for a few weeks now but sadly problems with the pitch had forced the club to play their matches 'away' at the Gainsborough Sports Centre in Ipwsich. A quick phone call confirmed that the game was definitely on and was expected to start (at Bildeston) 'no later than' 6.15pm. Bildeston is a very awkward place to reach by car (let alone public transport). However the evening traffic was kind on this occasion and a hassle-free journey from Bury St. Edmunds via lovely Lavenham and 'through the sticks' saw the Wraymobile arrive safely at Consent Lane with plenty of time to spare before the action got underway. Or so I thought. No sooner had I got out of the car and walked over to the pitch then the referee blew his whistle to signal the start of the game. A quick glance at my watch revealed that it was still only 6.05pm -  the match had kicked off a good ten minutes early! Phew! The current league table couldn't hide the fact that Rangers had struggled all season. Before play they had  picked up only a handful of points since last September and remained firmly rooted at the bottom of the league. Everyone at the club is resigned to an immediate return to Division 2 after only one season playing in Senior football. Their opponents from Bury St.Edmunds had, by comparison, enjoyed relative success, occupying a respectable mid-table position. To the neutral then it would appear that there was little to play for. Not a bit of it as I was soon to find out! Within seven minutes of the start Thurston had taken a three goal lead and looked to be cruising. In fact three away supporters who had turned up for a scheduled 6.15pm kick-off, missed all three goals and thought that their mates were joking when they confirmed the score! Despite chances at both ends no further goals were added before half-time. Within seconds of the re-start though it was almost a case of deja-vu. Unbelievably the lads from Thurston found their goal-scoring feet once again and just as they had done earlier netted quickly again at the start of the half - twice this time to take their total to five! It was all breathless stuff. The youngsters from Bildeston didn't give up and continued to battle hard. Thankfully their commitment paid off and they nicked a consolation goal on the hour mark after the visitors failed to clear a corner. This was well recieved by a vociferous group of loyal home supporters who, buoyed by a large crate and several cans of lager, celebrated the feat in some style!!  Bildeston Rangers Football Club play their home matches at the Bildeston Sports and Social Club in Consent Lane. To say that this venue is out in the sticks is an understatement. Tucked away down a narrow track off Church Street, it is found in what has to be one of the most beautiful villages in rural Suffolk. Country pubs with well manicured beer gardens, thatched cottages and duck ponds all contrive to make this an idyllic location, a picture-perfect scene that you would expect to see on any postcard epicting the area. The football ground sadly cannot match this! A small driveway leads to a rough cinder-based car park where the main playing fields are bordered by open countryside. It is a very exposed venue. The changing pavilion stands at the top of a narrow grass embankment and overlooks the main pitch which runs lengthways from here. Access to the playing area is down a row of concete steps built into the slope. On our visit the pitch was still quite boggy in places along the nearside touchline (and this was made after a couple of sunny days), evidence enough that it certainly doesn't drain well at all. It wasn't surprising either to see how much the recent lengthy spell of bad weather had affected the playing surface, causing the club to move temporarily in order to fulfil its backlog of ixtures. Travellers to Consent Lane would obviously be well advised to visit the ground at a (much) warmer time of the year (if that's possible given the vagaries of the present climate and global warming!). Another 'dampner' (pardon the pun!) which could put off some 'hoppers would be the lack of a programme, as the club (unike a few in this Division) do not issue. The club can be reached from the A14 from either Bury St.Edmunds (via Lavenham) or Stowmarket/Needham Market using narrow country lanes or from the A134 via Sudbury. Allow yourself extra travelling time to reach your destination - not just to arrive at the game before kick-off but also to enjoy the beautiful scenery and architecture en route! You won't be disappointed. Ah, the joys of hopping in exposed locations.                                                                FGIF Rating: 3*

edited on 03/05/08