Ellistown & Ibstock United (Wednesday, July 16)

WEDNESDAY JULY 16

Ellistown & Ibstock United 1 Gresley FC 5

AFTER a meeting in Peterborough, I decide that Leicester isn’t too far a diversion for a match, completely forgetting that
I will be travelling at rush hour along the crumbling back roads of rural England. Thankfully, I am parked up at Ellistown & Ibstock United’s ground just before 7pm for a 7.30pm kick-off.

These two clubs have recently merged, playing the first-team home games at Ellistown’s Terrace Road and the reserve matches at Ibstock’s Welfare Stadium. Tonight’s tie is a Coalville Charity Cup quarter-final. I pay £5 to the man standing by the little table inside the entrance.

Several Gresley fans who follow me in are annoyed at the lack of a programme. Now two clubs have merged, one hopes someone will step forward who can be bothered to put a programme together, as per League rules. Leicestershire is notorious as being a programme black spot, with Ibstock being serial offenders.

The clubhouse is most unwelcoming: a really odd shape, dark and a tiny bar. Unsurprisingly, no-one seems to be lingering inside. Outside, I chat with the friendly ladies in the tea hut while waiting for my burger and chips. I then set about trying to find shade on this searingly hot evening.

There is no cover behind either goal, just open fields and the seats opposite the main entrance have no roof. Sunlight is flooding into the main stand by the clubhouse. I’ll just have to sweat it out until the sun goes down.

There is more dissent in the first five minutes of this match than at the whole of the ongoing Women’s Euros so far: nothing will change until the toothless FA has a proper crackdown.

Gresley look like they mean business from the off and take apart the young host side in an entertaining tie. Their keeper finally takes pity on Ellistown in the last minute and obligingly punches a corner into his own net!

I have to ask why more Leagues don’t play cup tournaments in pre-season instead of trying to jam them in during winter? It surely isn’t rocket science.

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