East Anglian Counties League
at Hadleigh United FC - Sunday 3rd February 2008
This was the Suffolk team’s final fixture of the season, and before the start both teams knew they were out of the running for the title, although victory for the home team would put them top if only for a short while. They started very well, and took the lead in the 5th minute when Hutchings broke through a high defensive line to carry the ball 20 yards before slotting it under the body of Beds keeper, Blower.
This stung the visitors into life, and they missed a good chance only 2 minutes later when Denton rose at the far post to head down for a team-mate to drive high over the bar. Shortly after this another let off for Suffolk as a cross from Risby eluded keeper Noon, but the shot from Meniru at the far post was scrambled off the line by a defender. Beds equalised in the 15th minute through Risby. The Suffolk defence failed to clear a corner and Risby took advantage to shoot home through a crowded area. In truth a high wind throughout the match made it difficult to defend, and the high ball tactic was paying dividends for the visitors.
Suffolk had occasional surges forward and Hunter tried his luck from long range – his effort comfortably taken by Blower. At the other end Noon had to look lively to collect a headed pass-back from Fogg. However, it was the home team who went ahead against the run of play, through Turner. A free-kick from Clark went well beyond the far post but was collected by Hutchings whose angled drive towards goal was turned in by Turner who reacted quicker than the Beds defenders.
Suffolk survived claims by the visitors for a penalty 2 minutes later when Peters got clear of the defence, rounded Noon near the edge of the area, and went to ground under a desperate defenders challenge. The referee waived aside those claims, but not others 8 minutes later, when Risby was sandwiched between 2 defenders and Bewley confidently converted the spot-kick for the equaliser. So, already 4 goals in a fast and entertaining match and with 3 minutes to half-time, there was still time for 2 more chances. Hutchings broke through, after a defensive slip by Beds but shot high over the bar. Then, a brilliant save by Noon, when he dived to his left to turn a powerful header from Peters for a corner.
In the second half, Suffolk tried out their second keeper, Welton, and he was to have less to do than Noon as the home team took much more possession of the ball than they had in the first half. In the 4th minute, a good forward combination between Hutchings and Houston ended with the final shot from Houston going just wide. Then pressure on the home goal was ended when Badham prodded the ball goal-wards from close range. The effort was enough to beat Welton, but the keeper somehow got back to prevent the ball going over the line. After this, Suffolk had the upper hand, but had few opportunities against a well organised Beds defence. They were unlucky, midway through the half, when a close range header from Nugent struck the bar and Hutchings pushed the rebound over the line – only to have the effort ruled offside. Hutchings went close again in the final minutes – driving goal-wards through a crowded area, only to see the ball strike a team-mate and be diverted away from the goal.
In the final minute, Beds went ahead for the first time when Welton failed to hold a rocket shot from Meniru and Badham reacted quickest to the rebound to knock in the winning goal. The result was about right, with the visitors creating more in the first half than Suffolk did in the second. Suffolk can take heart from a much improved performance in that second period. Beds now go above Suffolk in the table.
After the match, Suffolk manager Andy Gould presented the player of the season trophy to Andrew Nugent – who had given a series of fine performances throughout the season, capped by this one in which he played at centre-half for the first time.