Bishops Stortford v Ebbsfleet Utd

The Prokit (UK) Stadium

National League South

February 6, 2016

Ground No 185

 

IT'S easy to be spoilt when things are going swimmingly well isn't it?

 

Take the Ebbsfleet fan who walked past me with 15 or so minutes of his side's match at the Prokit (UK) Stadium to go.

 

The Fleet are flying high at the top of National League South - eight points clear before kick-off and were 2-1 up away from home going into the closing stages of a match they did eventually close out to stretch their advantage to 11 points.

 

But, with the home side not unexpectedly applying a reasonable amount of pressure, Angry of Kent wasn't impressed. A brief look up as he passed some fellow Fleet fans revealed a stern face as he turned to them, muttered "What a nightmare" then continued on his way.

 

Clearly he didn't come close to the enthusiasm shown by the Pretend Commentator at Southend Manor a week earlier but at least he had a nightmare 2-1 win to celebrate along with the large contingent of travelling supporters.

 

What Mr Downbeat wouldn't have cause to complain about is how to find the ground.  Despite Stansted being known as The Airportmen, Bishops Stortford's home is actually closer to Stansted Airport. Just the other side of the M11 services the floodlights and main stand peak over the light industrial units and a nice, big sign points the way to the entrance and sizeable car park.

 

The stadium is neat and tidy with room for 4,525 fans and has been home to the club since opening in 1999 - in time to earn it the honour of staging the last league game in England of the 20th century.

 

Entrance is either side of the brick-built, 300-seat cantilever main stand which sits in front of the bar (big stage and dancefloor but no real ales on handpump although the keg Old Speckled Hen wasn't too shabby) and function room.

 

Also on that side is the food bar which served a very tasty bacon cheeseburger and had my mate rubbing his hands with delight at offering Bovril for only a quid.

 

Covered terracing is situated behind each goal while a small seated stand, video gantry perched atop, straddles the halfway line opposite.

 

It's new, it's functional rather than quirky and it's unspectacular. But the Prokit (UK) Stadium has plenty of room and with more than 500 enthusiastic fans inside, produced an entertaining match on a surface probably described somewhere as "difficult" and a vibrant matchday atmosphere. What a nightmare, eh?