SIL Championship: Cockfield United 2-1 Witnesham Wasps

2nd May 2026

Cockfield United vs Witnesham Wasps @ Great Green Playing Fields - Cockfield

Suffolk & Ipswich League - Championship (Step 7)

14:30 KO

Free entry

Attendance – approx. 20

Half-time score: Cockfield United 2-1 Witnesham Wasps

Goals:

Cockfield United: Stewart – 2’

Cockfield United: Bryant - 17'

Witnesham Wasps: Horton - 37'

Final Score: Cockfield United 2-1 Witnesham Wasps

I like to use this time of the season to visit new grounds, particularly in the Anglian Combination, SIL and Cambridgeshire leagues. This week, the closest ground that I had not yet visited was Castle Acre Swifts, but as the away team could not field a side the game was called off. The next closest was in the SIL again, at Cockfield United, mid-table in the SIL Championship, hosting a Witnesham Wasps side going for 3rd place in the table, so I headed down the A134.

The pitch was set in a large triangular green in an idyllic Suffolk village setting with thatched cottages and a pond. Whilst the pitch itself was basic, there was a small facility serving drinks and with a TV, a very pleasant setting to take in a game of football.

It was a perfect sunny day, with blue skies, perhaps a bit too hot for the players but perfect for the spectators. The teams lined up against each other, with Cockfield United in a smart all-navy blue kit, with Witnesham Wasps in red and black stripes.

KEY MOMENTS

CU = Cockfield United

WW = Witnesham Wasps

2’ – CU – GOAL (1-0) - The captain Bowyer with the ball on the left, a sudden burst of speed sees him sprint past the defender and he whips the ball into the middle, to find Stewart who drives the ball into the net from close range, a very early goal for the hosts about 100 seconds in!

11' - WW - Witnesham attack down the left, the ball is sent in and a couple of efforts come in, both blocked, it is then laid back to James Kincaid, and from the edge of the box his powerful side-footed effort is palmed wide by Harrod.

17' - CU - GOAL (2-0) - The hosts take an impressive early two goal lead, Cockfield win possession, the ball drops to Bryant who turns and powers in an effort from 25yrds that flies just wide. From the goal-kick they quickly win possession back, Bryant is found in space 20yrds out, and having had his sighter about 20 seconds earlier, he makes no mistake this time and lashes the ball into the inside of the side-netting, fine finish, no stopping that one!

18' - CU - Bowyer causing mayhem down the left flank again, using his pace he gets past the defender and into the box, drilling in a powerful strike that is tipped over by Kingham-Jones.

19' - WW - A long-ball is pumped forwards, captain Claridge beats the offside trap and is through on goal 1-on-1, keeper Harrod meets him half-way and the strikers effort is saved by his feet, Claridge gets a second bite of the cherry but pulls his cross-goal effort wide.

24' - CU - A big challenge comes in from Stewart on the right flank, deep in the Witnesham half, the ball spins up and looks to be looping into the top-right corner, but at full stretch Kingham-Jones is able to catch the ball, heart in mouth moment there for a second for Witnesham.

26' - CU - Some great battling from Stewart through the middle, he squares the ball to Bryant but his effort is blasted over the bar.

33' - WW - Obute with an attack down the right, he cuts in and fires in an effort, Harrod palms it way, the ball pings about a bit until it drops to Claridge 6yrds out, but perhaps surprised by the ball dropping to him, he pokes his effort wide.

37' - WW - GOAL (2-1) - A corner ball is whipped in by James Kincaid, arcing in at the far-post where it finds centre-back Horton and his bullet header ripples into the onion bag, and the visitors pull one back.

52' - WW - Cockfield are dispossessed and a quick ball splits the defence and releases captain Claridge, he is through on goal again but somehow guides his effort wide of the post, big let off for Cockfield.

61' - CU - A quick break from Bryant who controls a ball over the top, he drives through to the edge of the box and squares it to substitute Hardiman, he takes a touch and is about to pull the trigger when Kingham-Jones dives in with the boot to dispossess him, glad he got the ball and not the players leg as he came in at full-force.

61' - WW - SIN BIN - Witnesham goalscorer Horton is sent to the sin bin for 10mins for dissent.

63' - WW - A loose pass at the back is intercepted by Claridge, he battles hard to get in a position to shoot, but is harried enough to put him off and his effort flies over.

67' - CU - Drakard slips Bowyer in down the left and he squares it in to substitute Brown, he steps back and curls in an effort, but he cannot keep it down and it goes over, shame as that was a nice attacking move.

77' - WW - A high ball into the box, substitute Stephen Brown (I think - it was the No.15) stretches out a boot to flick it over his shoulder, he then turns and shoots and his effort crashes into the bar and out before being cleared to safety, almost a great individual goal.

83' - CU - French on the right, he finds Hardiman and his looping effort has Kingham-Jones beaten, it looks to have crossed the goal-line but substitute Brown comes in and heads the ball, to me it was after the ball was over, but the touch from Brown was from an offside position and the flag goes up, and sadly the goal is disallowed.

86' - WW - A ball is crossed in from a deep position, the No.15 substitute is on the end of it but directs his effort over the bar.

A great entertaining game was served up, in a beautiful Suffolk village setting in the sun, and with chances-a-plenty for both teams, what more could you ask for? On the day Cockfield United were more clinical in that first 20 minutes and were good for their win, against a Witnesham Wasps team in a rich vein of goal-scoring form, having scored 10-goals in the two games prior to this. I enjoyed my time at Cockfield United and they had some good players, Stewart, Bryant, Bowyer, Drakard, Monk and Page all impressing me, particularly the young Ryan Stewart who was putting 110% into every challenge. Hopefully they can build for next season and make a bid for promotion. Witnesham looked a more experienced side, dangerous from a long-ball and in dead ball situations, and Cockfield done well to limit the chances. All-in-all a great win for Cockfield United, I wish them all the best next week, but more importantly for next season.

Line-Ups:

COCKFIELD UNITED: Connor Harrod, Matt Snape, Sam Monk, Callum Drakard, Travis Page, Louis Webb, Ryan Stewart, Charlie French, Mitchell Bryant, Rocco Runce, Liam Bowyer (C). SUBS: Callum Brown, Tom Golding, Jack Hardiman, Dan Parkington, Rhys Taylor.

WITNESHAM WASPS: Luke Kingham-Jones, Luke Moss, Charlie Guy, Dan Horton, David Barker, James Kincaid, Frazer Moran, Victor Obute, Darryn VanOene, James Claridge (C), Jacob Turner. SUBS: Liam Kincaid, Jay Nokes, Owen Cornwell, Stephen Brown, Jerome Laidlaw.