Tuesday 12th September 2023 ko 19:45

Eastern Counties League Division One North

STANWAY PEGASUS 5 (Booth 6 Kabongu 14 Griffith 35 81 Ager 73)

CORNARD UNITED 0

Att 156

Entry & Programme £7

Roughly speaking I reckon there are three reasons why a groundhopper visits a new ground. One is simply because it’s there, another its because it’s known to be superb, and the third is you need it to complete a league. There can be little doubt the reason I was at Stanway School was the third reason….

I know, its a 3G pitch in a cage, probably at the bottom of any groundhopper’s wish list. But if you want to complete the Eastern Counties League, and I do, you’ll need to find something to enthuse yourself here.

Perhaps it’s the fact that the ground forms part of Stanway School whose most famous alumni was Damon Albarn and Graham Coxon of Blur fame, or that if the groundhopping stars align a double with Stanway Rovers would be easy. I did reflect on that after this game stuck on a never-ending diversion from the A12.

But Pegasus’ home could be so much worse. The fact is that there are two viewable sides, with both cover and seats, and there’s a clubhouse dispensing drinks and hot dogs as fast as anywhere. You’ll find all that you’d expect at Step 6 here, perhaps not with a great deal of character but it is all there.

What Stanway Pegasus do have is a team well worth paying £7 to watch. Here they were given a helping hand by Cornard keeper Ryan Stevens, whose errors gifted Pegasus 3 of their goals, but in Rauf Kabongu and Calum Griffith they have 2 forwards who will frighten any defence at this level. It made for a highly entertaining evening.

In the event my visit was far more enjoyable than I expected, so perhaps the way to look at it is that not every ground can be Glentoran!

Just the 3 ECL clubs left.