Fulbourn Institute Football Club

On a clear fine sunny evening we gathered for the last evening kickoff of the year which means summer is almost over. Eaton Socon always give us a good game but Fulbourn looked in control right from the start and no one would have bet on a scoreless outcome.

In the first fifteen minutes our keeper hardly touched the ball but to be fair although they had the lion’s scare of the ball, we hardly threatened either. It took 35 minutes for Jake to bring out a good save and at the end of the half Socon came back strongly winning several corners but still no goals. A cast iron penalty chance occurred with Ben being blatantly pushed in the back in the area, but nothing was given.

Matt Glass had a good shot tipped over the bar 5 minutes into the second half and he hit the post a few minutes later. It looked as if it was just a matter of time before the deadlock would be broken as Ben missed a simple chance a minute after that.

A change of personal with Jake making way for Baxter gave the home team plenty of crosses as he flew down the left wing but still we could not score.

Fulbourn had more chances in the second half than most teams get in a whole game but all were squandered.

There was no way through and to their credit the visiting defence smothered every thing in front of their goal and we just lacked the guile to unlock them. This has to go down as two points lost and our lowly position in the league is testament to our start this season.

However there is a long way to go and once we click and start playing as we did in the pre-season friendly matches we should start winning and moving up to where we belong again. (Fingers crossed).

Report by Dave Bradford

It was a bright and breezy afternoon at the Chatteris ground which has obviously seen football at a higher level and has the benefit of floodlights and two small stands.

The teams were fairly equal at first but the home team looked dangerous and it seemed as if there might be goals in this game. Although Chatteris looked the better team it was first blood to Fulbourn when John Milner slotted in a ball which had been pushed out by the keeper from a Glass shot.

Chatteris came back strongly and their endeavor paid off after 25 minutes when the first of three comedy moments gave them a gift after a Lindsey header back did not reach the keeper.

Jake who was buzzing around up front after their keeper allowed us to pinch the ball from him, and we were in the lead again. It did not last long and more pressure from the home team resulted in a corner which they scrambled in.

2-2 looked a fair result at half time but we were ahead once again 5 minutes into the second half when Matt Glass put Fearo through for him to score easily. Shortly after Glass got in front of goal again and after going round the keeper got our fourth goal.

At this point Fulbourn should have shut up shop and closed down the opposition to settle for a comfortable win.

It was not to be and a silly penalty was given away to let Chatteris back into the game on the 25th minute.

Ibby and Baxter came on for Lindsey and Swinton but things were to go from bad to worse. Another comedy goal came when our keeper slipped at the vital moment when kicking out on a surface which had been made slippery by a sudden shower of rain.

4-4, surely we could keep them out until the end and get what would have been a good hard fought draw but it was not to be.

Another mistake at the back let them in to score another and pinch the result which was a real choker and not really deserved. Then to cap it all Jake Wayne was sent off for a second yellow card on what looked like a 50-50 coming together, and seemed a harsh decision by the ref.

It’s going to be a long hard season but to be fair we have not seen our strongest side take the field from the off so far due to absence and injury.

Report Dave Bradford

On an extremely wet evening only the hardcore support turned up at Ely to see if Fulbourn could gain some momentum from Saturday’s hard fought win at Shelford.

As most teams do, Ely tore into us from the start and for 20 minutes it was virtually one way traffic with the visitors hardly able to get into the other half. It was no surprise when the sustained pressure resulted in first blood to the home team and there seemed no way out for Fulbourn. To many sideways passes and a midfield lying very deep gave front runner Matt Glass very little to chase and when a second goal came at 20 minutes half time could not come too soon. Fulbourn’s best chance came from a Mark Abbs free kick which their keeper did well to push round the post. If it had gone in the final result might have been very different.

The rain did not relent and we retook our seats hoping for better in the second period.

Fulbourn looked much improved right from the start and shortly afterwards the double substitution of Jake and Jordan for Mark and Matt improved things even more.

Ben was allowed to play in his more comfortable role up front and Jordan, who is possibly the best centre back in the league, strengthened the defence.

It was all Fulbourn as they pressed forward and numerous chances came and went for the first 20 minutes. Then a Buster free kick from distance was parried by the home keeper and Jordan who had run forward pounced on the rebound and calmly slotted home.

A further substitution of Simon Swinton for Elmo did not really change things and an injury to Smith near the end, though unfortunate also did not affect the final outcome.

Some very debateable offside calls and a fussy and pedantic referee did not help our cause but Ely were perhaps deserving winners on the night which was full of “if only”moments.

Report Dave Bradford

Shelford have seemed to have the Indian sign on Fulbourn of late and we really needed a result this windy afternoon with rain clouds threatening, to get back on track.

Fulbourn looked a bit thread-bare at the back with Ibby and Jordan both missing and Ben filling in at centre back

The first twenty minutes saw the lads slightly on top but neither team really looked like scoring until Fearo latched on to a great through pass from Jake. He rammed home the ball to pick up where he left off last season hitting the back of the net once again. Shelford were stung into action and they came close several times before half time which really belonged to Fulbourn.

The second half started again fairly even with neither team really threatening and the increasingly blustery wind playing a part in the quality of the game. Then Shelford got their big chance when a soft penalty was awarded for what may have been a slight nudge in the back made the most of by the home team player after fifteen minutes.

They took their chance with Fulbourn old boy Kirby slotting home to equalise and it was game on again.

Fulbourn rallied again and Buster scraped the crossbar with a long range effort but he was taken off soon after to allow new boy John Milne who looks a very good signing and who plays the simple passing game so well. He had a good chance to score when he’d only been on the pitch a couple of minutes but he had not had chance to pick up the pace of the game and could not capitalise.

Fulbourn started to press the opposition with the wind at their backs and a well struck corner gave several players a chance to take the lead again but who smashed in through a forest of legs? Yes you’ve guessed it was the irrepressible John Fear who once again did what he does best and we were in the lead once again.

With ten minutes to go a bit of needle crept in to the game which I guess is not surprising when so many of Shelford’’s players are Fulbourn old boys.

Shelford came back strongly and Chris Tovey came on to steady the ship and ensure the final result went our way.

Ben Mhishi should be praised for the way he played in an unfamiliar position and it must be said that he hardly put a foot wrong and would have been my man of match if I were choosing today.

Make no mistake this was a very important result and will do wonders for the lads confidence with two tough away games against Ely Reserves and league new boys, Chatteris Town coming up.

Report Dave Bradford

The first fixture of the season for the Reserves was against the side who were also promoted last season.

Fulbourn had to start without captain Chris Wright who was late but with the returning Rob Scrutton in defence. They weathered an early assault from Melbourn and went ahead after a fortunate rebound left Mark Baxter with an easy finish.

Tom Dance always looked to have goal in him and he proved the case after a neat interchange saw him fire home from ten yards. A penalty was awarded to the home team after Darren Barker was fouled by the keeper and the resulting kick gave a halftime lead of 3-0 to Fulbourn

It got better when ne signing Martin Prior made the score 4-0 after coming on as sub. but further changes seemed to upset the rhythm of the side and they conceded two goals in the final twenty minutes.

This was a very encouraging performance and Joe Bidwell was my man of the match.

Report by Dickie Drage

Two goals from Joe Bidwell and a bizarre keepers goal from John Garner catching the opposing goalkeeper off his line gave Fulbourn a 3-0 half time lead. Waterbeach fought back to draw a game they looked to have lost.

Fulbourn went through t gaining five points from three games and
will play Bottishamin the final.

Report by Dickie Drage.

Another sunny but cool evening for the last game of the season which was the title decider with a win or draw needed.

A strong wind was blowing down the pitch and Lakenheath had the advantage but they were unable to use it, over-hitting their passes forward without much threat.

A slow start by Fulbourn who began to up the tempo after 10 minutes and Fearo got the ball in front of their goal but for once fluffed his shot. We were beginning to look the more dangerous team and the breakthrough came shortly after 30 minutes when Joey put Fearo through and he pushed it into the path of Ben who slid it in. It then began to look as if we would win this game comparatively easily as lots of chances came and went with not much reply. It seemed as if we were a bit over eager to wrap the game up and together with numerous offside’s we conspired to miss them all.

It was just before half time when the frustrated opposition decided that some rough stuff was the only way to beat us and a series of over enthusiastic tackles began to emerge.

Half time came and went and it was still all Fulbourn with our defence snuffing out any foray in the last third with ease and our forwards mounting attack after attack without being able to increase the score. As the game moved into the last 20 minutes Lakenheath, who are always a physical team who like to use the elbow, turned on the hard stuff to try to unsettle us. This together with their unsavoury bunch of supporters trying to unsettle the referee and linesmen by their continual barracking and abuse.

The ref. went over to the bench at one stage to remonstrate with the visiting manager who was being particularly abusive. Unfortunately this all began to sour what should have been a well fought contest and it culminated in their number six completely losing his head and wanting to take on the whole Fulbourn team in fisticuffs. He was duly sent off to more howls of indignation from the loathsome band that calls themselves football supporters and follow Lakenheath.

There was really never any doubt that we were going to get the result and win the game, not having to rely on a draw and goal difference to get the top spot once again.

It was a pity we had to play against such a team of bad losers but at the end they were dismissed and the celebrations could begin in earnest.

This has been a particularly hard fought campaign with Fulbourn having to play sometimes three times a week but their skill and fitness took them through twenty straight wins since February to clinch the title.

Sadly this was probably Dave Abbs last game in charge as he has decide to step down but he will hand on the vastly experienced Chris Tovey. He will I am sure hold the team together and with his contacts even strengthen what is probably the finest squad of players ever to grace the Cambs League

Report Dave Bradford

After Fulbourn’s Saturday goal glut Foxton must have viewed this fixture will just a little trepidation on a sunny but cold evening.

The home side definitely had a spring in their step and when Fearo knocked the first goal in within five minutes it was “hear we go again”. The chances came thick and fast but their keeper looked very sharp and he kept us out until the 20th minute when Ben volleyed an unstoppable second goal. One way traffic prevailed from then on with the visitors rarely straying into our half and hardly troubling Buster at all. Just before half time Matt Glass cut in and made it 3-0 with a close range effort.

The second half was very much more of the same but the Foxton goal seemed to have had a charmed life, together with a very alert and agile keeper who really kept the score down. Dave brought on Tovey Jr, Jake and Jamie Cullen for Ben, Mark Abbs and Glass but there was no way through for any more goals and the score finished 3-0 to us. With no injuries or bookings to our players it was a very successful evening and we go into the title decider on Thursday evening against the very strong Lakenheath. team. We cannot expect any favours from them, and you can be sure they would love to rain on our parade and spoil the party if they can.

I hope and believe that my next report will to say that against all the odds Fulbourn Institute F.C. are once again champions of the Kershaw Premier League.

Report Dave Bradford