Waltham Forest embark on their 2011-12 Ryman League campaign this Saturday by travelling to Cambridgeshire to face Soham Town Rangers.

This will be Soham’s first game in the Ryman League after they were transferred from the Southern League Central Division (now Evo-Skick League Southern Central Division) where they finished 17^th with 40 points from 42 games.

Forest have only played Soham once before, and that was in a pre-season friendly before the start of the 2008-9 season. Soham ran out 2-0 winners that day.

Much like Forest, Soham have had a rather indifferent pre-season, beating Chatteris Town and Yaxley, but losing to Holbeach United, Lakenheath and Deeping Rangers. Soham also beat Hadleigh United 3-1, but only thanks to two late goals, in a match that Hadleigh dominated.

Rangers will be a bit of an unknown quantity in the opening few weeks of the season, having come from what is generally regarded as a tougher division.

Saturday’­­s game was still in doubt as late as Monday morning, when the Julius Martin Lane ground was given a final ground inspection from the Ryman League. However, the ground was given the green light by the league, and Forest will open their book along with the rest of their division.

The Beer Hunter’s Guide to Soham:

Soham is uncharted territory for the Beer Hunter, and although the indispensible 
“Beerintheevening” website lists five pubs in the town, it has little to say about any of them except for the Ship in the High Street. This evidently cuts the mustard on both beer and general-ambience fronts and earns a 7 out of 10 rating, so that sounds like the one to make for. If we’re lucky, it might even be offering Gannet Mild from the Earl Soham brewery, one of many which the Beer Hunter enjoyed at the Great British Beer Festival, but don’t be fooled by the name – it’s brewed down in Woodbridge in Suffolk.

Forest on the Road:

Soham play at Julius Martin Lane, Soham, Ely, Cambridgeshire CB7 5EQ. Telephone: 01353-720732.

By Road

Take the M11 northbound and then onto the A11 which joins the A14. Then take the A142 towards Ely. At the roundabout at the north end of Soham (Ely end), turn into The Shade and head towards the town centre. Just past the garage at the end of Townsend, turn right into Julius Martin Lane and follow the road. The ground is 200 yards on the left, where car parking is available.

By Public Transport

Take First Capital Connect train from Kings Cross to Ely. Then take Stagecoach Bus 12 towards Cambridge to Soham, Hall Street (Junction with Julius Martin Lane). Turn left into Julius Martin Lane and ground is on the left ( about 5 minutes walk).

{mosmap width=’705’|height=’366’|lat=’52.34003’|lon=’0.33139’| zoom=’15’|zoomType=’Large’|zoomNew=’10’|mapType=’Satellite’|showMaptype=’1’| overview=’0’|text=’Soham Town Rangers FC’|tooltip=’DWO’|marker=’1’| align=’center’}