Feeling like Bucharest in - Cheshunt (FC Romania)

With my dad now doing goalkeeper coaching at Takeley I can easily get to and from different grounds in The Essex Senior League when Takeley themselves are playing, since I was at my dad's for the week, I decided to go with him to Takeley's away match in Cheshunt against FC Romania.

If you're not familiar with the Essex senior league, you're probably thinking "Romania?? That's a country, not a non league team on the outskirts of london??" Well it's both, the club originally started as a pub team formed by Romanian Immigrants, who are now good enough to play Step 5 in the football pyramid, and even had a good fa cup run last year making it from the extra preliminary round all the way to the second qualifying round, when they faced famous conference south side Sutton United. The team therefore is filled with different nationalities including Romanians, Bulgarians and a few English.

Apon arrival my first thoughts on the ground was "WOW!!!" it seriously did look epic for the step 5. The reasons for this are that FC Romania ground share with Cheshunt FC who play Step 4 in the Ryman division 1 North. And secondly the club recently made the ground much more modern very recently. The ground has two seating stands one which is a newly built stand on the side opposite the dugouts, the other is a fairly old stand behind the dugouts, however since the renovation of the ground there is now a massive gap between the pitch and that stand, and you're view is blocked by the dug outs if you sit there.

The space between the older stand and the pitch. Wouldn't be surprised if they knocked it down soon.

It's a great ground!!

Because I didn't have any dinner before we left, I decided to get something whilst I was there, decided to get Burger and Chips, the cost was relatively cheap but the quality of the chips were fantastic!!! Much better than the pie at Chester I tried the weekend earlier. If Romania do ever get their own ground they should absolutely be servicing Romanian Cuisine in the kitchen, it would be brilliant. 

Chips were awesome. Burger wasn't bad either.

The teams finally emerged from the changing rooms and I took my seat with everyone else in the newly built stand. About 40 to 50 people had turned out for tonight's match.

 Instantly from the get go it felt like we were in Bucharest, Romania were fighting for every ball that came their way and often left the Takeley players in the dust due to there original quick pass and move style of play. Romania instantly had very early header from which went wide of the left post.

Teams Emerging from the changing rooms.

Along came yet more chances for the Romanian Boys, which included a 1 on 1 shot from inside the area which hit the right post, and a speculative long range shot from the left hand side of the box which almost curled in, but a magnificent save was made by the Takeley keeper.

The goal did eventually come though for Romania when the sticker easily ran ball around the Takeley keeper inside the box tapped it in the net to go 1-0 ahead before the break.

HT: FC Romania 1-0 Takeley.

During the first half I managed to get talking with some managers and executives for both Cheshunt and FC Romania, they invited me back into the stylish new club house complete with great facilities (except it did have a security alarm that wouldn't stop making annoying noises) They offered me a coffee in which I gladly accepted and asked if they had any FC Romania scarfs. I was hoping they had a few in tonight because I really would like get one. Unfortunately they had placed an order for a few to be arrived in time for their FA Cup game the coming Saturday, but they hadn't arrived yet, I decided instead then to get a very nice Cheshunt scarf instead for about £7/8.

Cheshunt scarf and FC Romania Programme.

The second half began again with FC Romania's work rate still being immense, still going for every ball.

Takeley still looked half asleep and were punished by a ball through to the FC Romanian striker on the left hand side of the box, who shot over the Takeley keeper from a 1 on 1 chance and into the back of the net.

FC Romania Selfie

Shortly after came another Goal, and it really was an unfortunate one. A hoof up the field caused the Takeley keeper to miss time a heavy and dodgy bounce outside the area, he tried to header it but unfortunately went over his head. It was left then for the FC Romania player to put the ball in an open net. Really felt sorry for the keeper to be fair, because he did make some class saves during the game, but he is always going to remember his mistake in this game rather than his other class saves.

FT: FC Romania 3-0 Takeley.

Takeley team talk at the end.

Overall a really nice and friendly club, with a very good team and a good set of players. A return might be on the cards when Clapton play them away. Would have liked a few more Romanian Flags to be flying round the ground though, but that's a bit much to ask for a Step 5 team...

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Dairylea Dunkers at - Chester FC

When the fixtures for the Vanarama National League finally came out in July, I was pleased to see that our first game of the season was in Chester, a ground which was on my mind to go to. Mainly because there was a few Chester mates who I wanted to meet after speaking online.

I got a lift up to Chester from with fellow Braintree fans Ben, Garry and Richard. We left at about 9:30 and our first stop on the road was at Corley services, where we met another car load of Iron fans. Including Dan Turner who's been on this blog previously.

Believe it or not but also at Corley, I just happened to meet fellow ground hopper Steve Alison and his two boys Luke and Teddy, we met in a Facebook group online and bonded over our love for the Essex Senior League. Today they were heading off to watch their beloved Millwall away at Shrewsbury.

Braintree and Millwall unite at Corley!!

We kept heading up to Chester and eating the food that we had stocked up on, it usually involved all 4 of us eating about 3 packs of Dairlylea dunkers, we couldn't get enough of the stuff!!

We finally made it to the ground 30 minutes before kick off, unlike our supporters coach which was still making its way up the M6, we took the smarter decision of taking the A roads to avoid traffic. The did make it just in time for kick off though.

We had to walk round the ground to get to the away end, This was interesting because it meant crossing the Boarder between England and Wales. You could tell which part of the ground was in Wales because as soon as we walked around, you could smell some sort of Animal Faeces coming from the fields behind the stand.......

Grounds in the National League fit into 2 categories, Grounds which can easily be football league grounds and ones which cannot. Chester City was a football league club until their club died and reformed in 2010 under the name "Chester FC". The 4 stands are all relatively the same height as each other. 3 of the stands are all seater including the one we were in except for the other stand Being a nice terrace behind the goal. Where the Cesterian Ultras were chanting, singing and making a nice atmosphere.

The game started with everyone enthusiastic, but immediately after about 3 minutes Chester got one in from curled shot from outside the box on the left hand side which our defence should have easily closed down....

We did have a few breaks after that though, the problem was however Danny Cowley decided to leave Simeon Akinola up front on his own, now don't get me wrong Akinola is one of our best players, but leaving 5ft 10 Simeon on his against 6ft 4 defenders is not the right idea.

HT Chester 1-0 Braintree.

At second half I felt a little hungry and decided to pay £3 for the "Chester Pie" which chicken and ham, it was ok I have had better, also Chicken and ham isn't my favourite The Chicken Balti is where it's at!!!

Chester selfie with Dan and Maurice

We basically dominated the second half with more possession and more runs on the wing, Sean Marks came on as well, but we still counldn't find the equalising goal..... Mainly because we had some good crosses into the box from the wing but no one could get their heads on it. Furthermore we had about 3 penalty claims, none of which were given. That's how the match finished though 1-0 to Chester.

After the game I went to meet Connor and Corin and managed to get a few pics and have a chat. Really nice bunch of lads who gave a me a few Chester stickers as well.

Selfie With Corin

Overall a good day up north in Chester, would liked to have seen a Braintree goal though.

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Lady Pies at - The Women's Fa Cup Final (Wembley)

The first Wembley trip of the season arrives near the end, April/May time. Usually a play off final or an Fa Vase or Trophy final. However I managed to get cheap tickets about a month back to the Women's Fa cup final at £5 per person, so an early Wembley trip was on the cards.

My mum was willing to go with me and my brother because she wanted to go to the Wembley outlook shopping centre, Therefore we arrived fairly early. 

When we entered the outlook centre, I spotted a few Jacksonville Jaguars american football stuff, they were promoting the team over here since they are playing an international series game in October, which I am attending.

 Personally I'm a Washington Redskins fan, and by chance on the day I was wearing my Redskins home jersey. So I had a go at the inflatable course with my brother, which burned 1 or 2 calories before the game started. I also got a few freebies including pens, wristbands and a poster.

 With my mum purchasing some new shoes and my brother a new school bag we headed over to the stadium after having some lunch.

 I had a brief chat before the game with a Chesterfield fan by the Bobby Moore statue who I'd met before in Braintree's fa cup 1st round tie against the spiretes last season he was there with his wife and two kids and were sitting in the Notts County end.

 We were sitting in the Chelsea end but I opted for buying a Notts County scarf as I went in, instead of the horrid half and half scarfs or the leftover Wycombe and Southend play off scarfs. I was going to supporting the underdog this match. Also because the Notts County ladies team produced one of the best free kicks in the modern game. Very cheeky and clever thought out. (Video at the end)

Chelsea were the team who looked the more lively in the first half, having a few shots from outside the box and a few runs down the wing. 

Notts County did put some balls through to there players as well, but the problem was there was hardly any support from other team mates so 1 County striker faced the task of trying to get past 3 or 4 Chelsea defenders.

The deadlock finally came for Chelsea when the ball was played to forward Eniola Aluko who made a run into the box, and in my opinion was given too much room to run at the Notts County defence, who then passed it to midfielder and South Korean international Ji So-yun who managed to get it round the County keeper.

HT: Chelsea 1-0 Notts County

The attendance was pretty good considering that this was the first women's game to be played at the stadium. Later on we actually heard we had broken a new record for attendance for a women's cup final, it originally was 25,000 in 2008 but this time around it was around 30,000.

Futhurmore it wasn't just Chelsea and Notts County fans in the crowd. I was in fact sitting next to a few women who had made the trip to the final from the midlands. a few of them had Birmingham City and Aston Villa shirts on.

 They were rooting for Notts County as well, sometimes you heard one of them shout "LADY!!" And the rest return back with "PIES!!" This was a reference to the teams nickname "The Lady Magpies"

 Much like the Chelsea men's team, the blues decided it would be best to park the bus in the second half they did have a few breaks down the wing but they were always intercepted by County defence.

County themselves had a few breaks but unfortunately couldn't get pass the bus. 

Full Time: Chelsea 1-0 Notts County Player of the match was awarded to Eniola Aluko which I agreed with, and Chelsea won the cup.

Overall a good day at Wembley Here's the free kick video: http://youtu.be/BbtDLPe1I9k 

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