Eastern Counties League Match
at Hadleigh United FC
Thursday 10th January
The Suffolk U18 team started this match in 3rd position in the league – with 4 points from 2 games - while their opponents had 2 points from 2 matches.
Suffolk started brightly, and had 2 early chances when Garnham fed a through ball to Gammon, but keeper Fowler spread himself well to deny the forward, then Smith’s header from a Douglas free-kick was well saved by Fowler. For much of the remainder of the first half, there was little to choose between the teams – with both playing fine attractive football, but without a good final ball to unlock their opponents defence. The best move in the half came 10 minutes from the end when Sargent, Henderson and Douglas combined well to release Douglas to run at the Essex defence. He jinked past the first defender, but could only win a corner off the second. This apart, it was Essex who had the better of first 45 minutes and looked more likely to score. Russ would have done so in the 40th minute, but for a goal-line clearance by Bailey. In the final minute, Suffolk nearly opened the scoring through Henderson –– and then did open the scoring through Henderson. First, he was denied when Fowler dived at his feet, then he seized on a half-chance and his snap-shot went in off the underside of the bar and a defender. So, rather fortunately, the home team went in at half-time with a slender lead.
Suffolk started the second half with a more positive attitude and Read broke through the visitors defence in the 1st minute, but delayed his shot and the chance had gone. 2 minutes later and the Suffolk lead was doubled when Henderson used his pace to get beyond the defence and his angled drive across the keeper was judged to perfection. The game had now opened out and both sides created chances; Bloomfield tried his luck from 20 yards, after a corner had been headed out to him, but his shot faded just wide of the far post. Then 2 Essex free-kicks came close; Barrington chipped his over the wall and just wide of the near post, then Wilson drove his directly on goal, saw it punched out by keeper Stacey to Eldridge whose header was goal bound until stopped on the line by Bailey. Just past the hour and the home side went further ahead through Smith, whose close range header followed good work by Douglas. First Douglas drove a free-kick at the wall, then took the rebound and floated a fine cross to the far post for Bloomfield. With the game surely won, Suffolk players relaxed and allowed Essex back into the game – to such an extent that they could have pulled back all 3 goals. Ward cleared off his line after a great shot by Russ had beaten Stacey. Then Russ met a free-kick with a powerful header which Stacey did well to save. Russ turned provider, flicking on a corner from Gilbey for a team mate, whose close range drive struck the upright and was scrambled clear.
The Suffolk players were not completely out of it, however, and a 20 yard drive from Middlebrook was just wide, while a snap-shot by Bloomfield from close range struck the base of the upright. The final 2 minutes saw both sides finally find the net, as first Essex scored from a penalty awarded for hand-ball – Eldridge despatched confidently – and then Seaman restored the 3-goal margin when he took advantage of a defensive slip and guided an angled drive just out of reach of Fowler.
A final score of 4-1 undoubtedly flattered the home team, for whom a combination of desperate goal line clearances, good keeping, the woodwork and lady-luck conspired to keep their goal intact until the 88th minute. It does however, put them clear at the top of the league, but they still need 4 points from their remaining matches at home to Bedfordshire and away to Hertfordshire to be sure of retaining their title. Meanwhile, there is the little matter of the quarter-final tie in the National FA County Youth Cup on the 26th January to come – away to Sussex.