IPSWICH WANDERERS 0 v. HISTON RESERVES 1

RIDGEONS PREMIER LEAGUE

TUESDAY 25TH APRIL 2006

This was the third attempt to stage this game, the original being abandoned due to fog on 7th October with Wanderers 2-0 up. For this game, the list of injuries extended beyond those missing for the trip to Dereham last week and now included Lee Smith with Mark Goldfinch sporting a ‘comic-book’ swollen forehead. Marc Lowe and Muzzie Elmer were absent through suspension, which meant that Reserves striker Adam Potter was given a debut with Blaine Burgess and Neil Hayward warming the bench.

Both sides started at a pace but ball skills were at a premium as control and passing seemed to be a thing of the past and the players struggled to get any rhythm going. Wanderers failure to clear from a corner after 5 mins allowed the nippy Flack the opportunity to fire a shot at goal which crept in off the inside of the near post, just out of the reach of a diving Robbie Stannard. Wanderers had the chance to restore the balance a few minutes later when Flitton back-headed across his own area from Paul Westren’s free kick but Mark Goldfinch was just inches too short to make a contact.

Wanderers continued to press but it was by no means one way traffic with Flack, an impressively tall Steele and Ben Saud all keeping the home defence on it’s toes.

Histon ‘keeper Davies was being kept busy, first by Ricky Martin with a shot from 30 yds that was gathered at the foot of the far post after a scramble across the line, and then by Bradley Barber who put a corner under the bar for Davies to fist off the head of Dean Tournay-Godfrey.

On 25 mins Bradley Barber hit a fierce free kick which got as far as the back post without  another player touching it, but a desperate defender’s boot just got to it before it crossed the line. Then Dean Tournay-Godfrey had a shot from 30 yds that fizzed through the air and which Davies only just managed to get his fingertips to. As Histon broke from defence, Robbie Stannard had to be alert to save at the feet of Flack and the half ended with Ricky Martin powering into the Histon area by way of a series of 1-2s off Matthew Cunningham and Rene Swann but then shooting wide.

Ipswich Wanderers 0 Histon Reserves 1

Bradley Barber was added to the list of injuries when he went off early in the second half and it seemed that there were very few 1st team regulars left who were playing in their normal position. Rene Swann should have squared the ball to Adam Potter instead of shooting into the side netting, thus wasting all his excellent build up play, but he almost made up for it minutes later when he was inches away from robbing the ‘keeper as he went to gather a back pass.

Histon were defending resolutely and matching Wanderers all over the park and nearly increased their lead on 54 mins when Flitton headed just over. Then Chick’s swerving free kick was punched away by Robbie Stannard and the Histon no. 3 was called upon to repeat the feat sometime later.

With Wanderers ever more desperate to score the equaliser, the pace of the game increased and there was no lack of incident. A deep free kick from Matthew Cunningham was headed back across goal by Adam Potter and Ricky Martin’s first time shot was bound for the top corner until Davies flung himself full length to push it round the post.

However, try as they may, no more goals were forthcoming from either side and Wanderers had to accept defeat by a determined Histon side in which ‘keeper Davies was outstanding. Some would say that the curse of the home pitch had struck again, and a glance at the home and away statistics would perhaps bear that out but, with 9 clean sheets and only 15 goals conceded at home, it could be that the answer lies elsewhere!