City to City

Even the weather gods had come out in support of Cambridge City. After a few weeks of freezing weather and torrential rain it seemed that winter had departed for a short break in Lanzarote, and we had returned, however briefly, to the season of mists and mellow fruitfulness. Thermals and waterproofs had been temporarily returned to their storage space, and we were even getting a glimpse of sunshine. All we needed now was a match as momentous as the day- and the day was, indeed, rather momentous. Cambridge City had a home of their own once more. 

After eleven years of ground sharing at Histon and St Ives Town, the opening of the new ground in Sawston, seven miles away from the city centre, had been long awaited. The new facility, the FWD/IP Community Stadium, looked impressive from every angle. The work wasn’t entirely finished- the internal structures inside the main stand were still being built, and will soon house a restaurant, bar, meeting facilities and the like- but the ‘important’ bits were all completed. The stand is a fabulous construction, function rooms underneath, and at either end and along half of one touchline are tiered, covered terraces, so the sight lines are exceptional from every vantage point. The burgers, by the way, were excellent, the sound system superb, the pitch beautiful. Anyway, we’ve included lots of images so you can see for yourself!
 

On the pitch, City’s season so far had been rather up and down. In honesty, that’s a description which could be applied to almost every season since they departed their old Milton Road ground. Relegation from the Southern Premier was not really a surprise when it arrived in 2016-17, and since then City had played in Southern Division One East, Southern Division One Central, were in our North Division for the two covid-abandoned seasons and then ended up in Northern Premier Division One Midlands for three seasons. Not only do they need a home of their own, they need some continuity. Here’s hoping that, unless they win promotion- at which point we suspect they’ll be heading in a Southern direction once more- the FA allow us to enjoy having them around for a while!
 

Promotion may not be a pipe dream, although it’ll take some work if they are to be involved in our forthcoming end of season party. Under manager Jamie Cureton they have built a side which should be further up the table than their current sixteenth place, and which, on occasions, has looked formidable. Their four-two win at promotion chasing Witham Town last weekend perhaps set a marker for what they are capable of, and with the upward momentum which often comes with a new stadium they’ll certainly be expecting to be a match for most of the sides who come their way. 

 

If they were to deliver a fairytale opening to their new facility we suspected they’d need to be at their best today, as fourth place Tilbury headed their way. The Dockers had, on occasions, been quite scintillating to watch this season, the form of Sam Bantick and Alex Hernandez a particular highlight, but they had hit a bit of a bump in the road, having taken only one point from the last nine available. Actually, bump in the road perhaps described things rather mildly, as last weekend they hit an extremely large pothole which rather damaged their suspension, Waltham Abbey hitting them for seven. There would be a great determination to quickly demonstrate that that result was an anomaly, and to spoil City’s party.
 

At three minutes to three, and accompanied by a dancing panda- yes, really- the sides arrived. City were in panda colours, the Dockers all in red. The sun began to sink behind the stand, a cool breeze to whip from end to end, and an air of expectation descended, accompanied by the smell of fried onions as it was blowing from the ‘burger end’. The sides changed ends, and the supporters were still doing the same when City got us underway, to a chorus of “I can’t help falling in love with you,” sung by a gaggle of Cambridge Elvis impersonators, who then opened their Newky Brown and gave us an East Anglian version of Blaydon Races. Only one of them resembled Andy Capp. They also barracked the p.a. announcer- “we know where the bar is, Glen.” The evidence backed up that assertion. Later they told Glen that he was gorgeous, but sadly we can’t comment on that either way. 

 

It was a lovely surface, but in the opening stages the ball spent little time in contact with it. Tilbury had most of the play, and in the fifth minute the first shot, but Lindell Stewart’s effort posed no danger as it drifted wide. 

In the tenth minute some City pressure led to their first chance, but Jack Thompson’s effort cleared the bar. An injury led to a rather early change, Cameron Brodie off, Sam Carter on for the visitors, and then Alex Warman’s effort was even further over the bar. The best chance so far arrived on eighteen minutes, and it went to the visitors, but it was difficult to tell whether Stewart’s effort was a shot or a cross. In the end, whichever it was, it went straight to James Philp in the home goal. We reached the midway point of the first half with plenty of endeavour but little excitement, defences very much on top.

The game livened up, attacks breaking down at the edge of the box at both ends, but both keepers remained under employed. On twenty nine minutes we had the first corner of the match, Tilbury exerting pressure, but before the ball had reached the box the referee had blown for a foul, which perhaps summed up what we’d seen so far. Jamie Reynolds talked himself into the first yellow card. 

Eight minutes before half time the visitors came close, and Philp had to earn his wages, tipping a shot from Hernandez around the post. It was a rare moment of excitement, but the corner reverted to type, clearing the box and going out for a goal kick. A refereeing decision they didn’t like led to a rendition of “It’s all about you” from the home fans, McFly fans to a man. And woman. 

A minute before the break City earned their first corner. It led to the first goal. The ball came in, the players scrambled to control it, and Shane Temple swivelled and fired home, whilst the ground erupted. “Worship the Temple,” they sang. It was worthy of worship. 
 

Goal: Cambridge City 1 Tilbury 0, Shane Temple, 45 minutes. 
 

A minute later and Tilbury equalised, only they hadn’t. The linesman’s flag decided otherwise. It looked close. “ We like you now, referee,” came a shout- not that the ref had much to do with it. That was the last significant action of the half. 

Half time: Cambridge City 1 Tilbury 0

There was a sense of urgency about the Dockers at the start of the second half, and it was only a minute old when a fine cross ended with a disappointingly tame header. They dominated the early exchanges, but, that chance apart, with little end product. On fifty three minutes Hernandez curled a free kick over the wall from twenty five yards, and the ball curled towards the top corner, but at a pace that allowed Philp enough time to take a selfie before saving, had he been so minded. Perhaps it was a warning, though, and on the hour Stewart charged through, took aim, and…fired well wide.

Immediately we were up the other end. Temple chipped the ball over the keeper, followed it in, and somehow was it cleared off the line. So close was it that we’d written “2-0” and had to delete it. We look forward to the highlights, so we can get a closer look!
 

On sixty five minutes the visitors got a penalty. Hernandez chipped the ball into the box, Philp and Kieran Jones converged on it, and down went both, as the referee pointed to the spot. From our vantage point it appeared that the keeper had got there first, but the referee was considerably closer. Hernandez made no mistake.

Goal: Cambridge City 1 Tilbury 1, Alex Hernandez, 67 minutes

Two minutes later Tilbury put a free kick into the box and there were more penalty claims, but this time the referee was unmoved. The Dockers were, however, completely dominant, and the previously noisy home contingent was almost silent.

The crowd was confirmed as one thousand, four hundred and fifty nine. 

Into the last fifteen minutes, and the hosts began to venture forward once more, and began to press- but Tilbury looked threatening on the break, Hernandez continually influential. There were chances at both ends, creating much excitement but testing neither keeper. 

Into the last five minutes, and the Dockers put the ball in the box. Up went substitute Bantick, headed goalward, and Philp clawed it away, but was it behind the line? The referee decided it was, and the away fans were jubilant. The home fans displayed rather a different emotion, as you can imagine. 

Goal: Cambridge City 1 Tilbury 2, Sam Bantick, 87 minutes
 

“Hello, hello, we are the Tilbury boys,” sang the contingent behind the goal. The game went momentarily flat, and then, as we moved into added time, City roused themselves. A corner was cleared, a free kick wasted, and then another free kick was awarded on the right, twenty five yards out but close to the touchline. Unfortunately for the hosts it cleared the crowded box and went out for a goal kick.

Four minutes into added time, another City corner. Was this the moment? Excitement- and then a Tilbury free kick. The ball back at the visitors end. A long throw, inaccurate. And then, that was that.

Final Score: Cambridge City 1 Tilbury 2

With wins for all of the top five, the Dockers stay fourth. City are sixteenth, and they will be disappointed, yet they should be proud. After more than a decade of trial and tribulation, homelessness and survival battles, they’ve build a facility to be proud of. Today’s attendance shows their potential, and, on the field, there was certainly enough to suggest that they’ll soon climb the table.

City are back in their City. And, despite the result, that’s a rather joyous statement.