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What’s the low-down with Norwich CBS?

Dave Kuzio

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Publish Date: 25/11/2021

Fact checked by: James Leeland

Photo by Tony Incenzo

By Tony Incenzo

I love the Buildbase FA Vase and I spotted a great opportunity to see a match in the competition at a very unusual venue.

Norwich CBS have spent the last four years playing at The FDC, which is a Norfolk County Football Association community facility. However, a major improvement programme has begun there so CBS have moved to a temporary home ground to the north of the city at The Nest in Horsford. This is adjacent to Norwich International Airport and serves as the Norwich City FC Community Sports Foundation’s football hub. With all this in mind, I set off on a 200 mile round trip. Incidentally, the CBS part of the club’s name refers to a sponsorship by County Building Services. They have invested approximately £200,000 over the past six years as the team have risen up from the Anglian Combination.

Where was it played?

The Nest is an extensive 22 acre site with several outside grass pitches. However, this FA Vase tie took place on an enclosed 3G artificial surface. The entrance was via a well-stocked café. There is a spectator stand along one side of the pitch with 120 seats in a single row and room for people to stand behind. The facility is also used by Dussindale & Hellesdon Rovers in the Anglian Combination and their reserve fixture against Poringland Wanderers was taking place this afternoon on one of the grass pitches.

What’s in the programme?

Priced at £1.50p and entitled ‘Talk Of The Terraces’. It has an attractive front cover depicting the club’s logo. The content inside includes comprehensive histories of both teams and good use of statistics.

And the match itself?

An all-Eastern Counties League clash between two clubs who have performed well since joining the league under the recent restructuring of Non-League football. CBS are riding high in the First Division North and Lakenheath sit mid-table in the Premier Division after winning promotion to that level at the end of last season. It was also a battle of the Bailey brothers as Luke Bailey lined up for CBS and his sibling Ross was in the Lakenheath team. The match itself was highly competitive as one would expect in the Buildbase FA Vase. After CBS had a heated penalty appeal turned down early on, Lakenheath took control with a trio of excellent goals from Sam Peters (19 minutes) and Tom Thulborn (37, 49 mins). There was constant background noise during the match with helicopters and light aircraft taking off from the airport and then flying right over the pitch.