CLACTON TOWN v IPSWICH WANDERERS

RIDGEONS PREMIER LEAGUE

TUESDAY 12TH SEPTEMBER 2006

Wanderers gave their all-yellow away strip its first airing for this visit to a resurgent Clacton on a warm, still night, ideal for football and mosquitos! With a full squad to choose from now that most suspensions are over, the only change from the Saturday victory over Norwich was Lee Owen replacing an absent Jamie Baker.

Wanderers were quickly into their stride with Dean Tournay-Godfrey feeding Danny Smy down the right, who cut into the area and shot against the foot of the post. Clacton, not to be outdone, made a quick break and Hillier’s shot was comfortably saved by Jamie Stannard. The Wanderers ‘keeper had to remain alert as he was required to save at the feet of Watson on the edge of his area.

Slack marking, but clever interchange play, set up the opening goal for Clacton on 6 mins. From a throw in, Hillier cleverly back-heeled to Hawkins who, with plenty of room, ran two steps and fired home. Wanderers continued to press forward with both sides battling hard in midfield to gain the upper hand. Carmichael was forced into a back pass that lacked pace and Dean Tournay-Godfrey nipped in but his hurried shot was beaten out by Fleming. One of the best passing moves of the game came on 21 mins, started by Matthew Cunningham on the halfway line and finished by Lee owen with a cross from the byline, via 5 one-touch passes in between. This set up a series of corners for Wanderers but they were unable to find a way through the Clacton defence. Danny Smy was finding plenty of room down the right and his powerful run into the area resulted in Fleming having to react sharply to save, low to his right.

Then, from a quick break on 25 mins, Dunkley was left all on his own on the Wanderers right flank and, although Jamie Stannard got a hand to the shot, he could not stop it bulging the back of the net. Wanderers ploy of pumping high balls forward was not paying off as Gibson and Carmichael were dealing with these quite comfortably. Matthew Cunningham’s free kick was volleyed by Dean Tournay-Godfrey but well saved by Fleming, by far the busier ‘keeper this half, and Marc Lowe just failed to squeeze the rebound in at the near post. Lee Smith brought down Dunkley near the touchline on 32 mins but the free kick was poor and easily cleared. Hillier then jinked his way past three defenders and brought a great save from Jamie Stannard as Clacton enjoyed a spell of pressure, but it was Wanderers who dominated the last 5 mins of the half with first Danny Smy’s fierce shot from Lee Owen’s pass, Lee Smith’s cross from the right which was just too high for Marc Lowe’s head and, eventually, Rene Swann’s goal, right on the stroke of half time. Simon Hyde hit a long cross field pass to the Wanderers striker on the edge of the Clacton area. He had no trouble in beating Eldridge and hitting his shot underneath Fleming as Gibson challenged.

Clacton Town 2 Ipswich Wanderers 1

Dean Tournay-Godfrey shot from distance as Wanderers carried on where they had left off and Danny Smy continued to give Mack a torrid time down the right wing. Clacton were still able to mount quick breaks from defence and, on 50 mins, Hillier forced Neil Shade into an error, and then a foul, to give away a free kick 20 yds out. The kick was deflected by a defenders boot and Watson was the first to react but could only launch the spinning ball over the bar. Wanderers piled forward in search of the equaliser and won a series of free kicks and corners which Clacton repulsed until Lee Owen relieved the pressure by blasting a free kick wildly high over the bar. The resultant goal kick was knocked back into the box where Rene Swann was onto it in a flash but could not beat Fleming from a narrow angle.

Ricky Martin, just as he had been on Saturday, was mown down on almost his first touch since coming on, on 62 mins and then went on to have a hand in his sides equaliser several minutes later. Matthew Cunningham’s long free kick, from his own penalty area, was picked up by Ricky Martin and his shot was parried by Fleming. Simon Hyde was on hand to head home the rebound.

Then it was all one way traffic as Wanderers piled on the pressure and camped out in the Clacton half, trying all they could to get the winner, which seemed an inevitability with 25 mins of the game still to play. However, the Clacton defence was stubborn and even the introduction of Clacton old boy Keith Hetherington did not change Wanderers’ fortunes. Lee Owen shot from 35yds that Fleming could only fist away but Ricky Martin was unable to control the rebound to get in a shot. Despite having their backs to the wall, Clacton always looked likely to break quickly and, with Hawkins and Hillier urging them on, they looked dangerous in and around the Wanderers area.

Lee Smith’s deep cross found Marc Lowe’s head but the bar saved Clacton with Fleming beaten; Simon Hyde found Rene Swann in the area, surrounded by defenders but he still managed get in a shot from an acute angle that came off the post. Fleming was not able to get a moments rest, whilst his opposite number had been a mere spectator for most of the game. In the last few minutes, Dunkley put a pass inside Lee Smith and Hawkins shot, first hitting the post and then into the net. However, the assistant had flagged for handball during the second attempt, but it was a warning for Wanderers. Rene Swann had the last shot of the game, turning in the area to shoot just wide with Clacton desperately hanging on to their point.

Wanderers had played some good football, had showed courage to comeback from the early 2 goal deficit but had just not shown enough inventiveness to overcome a resolute and determined Clacton side that must have been grateful, in the end, to have come away with a point, but disappointed to have let their 1st half lead slip away. As for Wanderers? A point gained or two lost? The view in the bar afterwards was two lost but it was an exciting game fought by two enthusiastic teams giving the sizable crowd value for money.

Clacton Town 2 Ipswich Wanderers 2

1 Jamie Stannard

2 Lee Smith

3 Sean Bell

4 Neil Shade (c)

5 Matthew Cunningham

6 Daniel Smy (sub 60)

7 Simon Hyde

8 Marc Lowe

9 Rene Swann

10 Dean Tournay-Godfrey (sub 74)

11 Lee Owen

12 Ricky Martin (sub 60)

14 Keith Hetherington (sub 74)

15 Ben Miller

16 Terry Layton

17 Mark Goldfinch

Goals: Swann, Hyde

Bookings: Tournay-Godfrey, Smith