NORTHAMPTON SPENCER 1 v IPSWICH WANDERERS 3

FA VASE 2ND QUALIFYING ROUND

SATURDAY 1ST OCTOBER 2005

Wanderers made the long journey to United Counties Premier League leaders Northampton Spencer hoping to progress to the 1st round proper. Jason Dozzell preferred the centre back partnership of  Chris Tracey and Mark Goldfinch, leaving himself on the bench with Lee Smith retaining the left back berth. Both sides started the game tentatively, measuring each other up, but Spencer created the first threat when Colemen was allowed to cross for Gregory to head from point blank range. Jamie Stannard got his hand to the ball and Lee Smith cleared off the line. Then Keith Hetherington was through on ‘keeper Urquhart but could only shoot against his body from point blank range. Back at the other end Jamie Stannard came out for a cross on the edge of the area and missed the ball but the Spencer forwards were not able to capitalise on this error and the defence cleared the danger. On 19 mins Jamie Baker’s corner fell to Jorrell Hurd in the ‘D’ but his shot hit Rene Swann who, in turn, spun to shoot past the post. Spencer had had several chances to open the scoring but it was Jamie Baker’s free kick, awarded after Jorrell Hurd was brought down whilst in full flight, that put Wanderers in the lead on 22 mins. Jamie Baker took the kick from 25 yds out and curled the ball round the wall into the far corner.

This was against the run of play as Wanderers were struggling against a quicker, more determined Spencer side who got back on level terms on 29 mins when the Wanderers’ defence failed to clear a cross from the right, Layton hit a back pass against Stannard’s legs and Coleman had the easiest of jobs to sidefoot the ball into the empty net. For the next 15 minutes Spencer looked the most likely to take the lead, with Wanderers not getting their play together and earning two bookings as they fell victim to their frustration but it was Wanderers who took an unexpected lead right on the half time whistle when Keith Hetherington’s speculative shot from the left was only parried by Urquhart and Jorrell Hurd followed up to bury the rebound.

Northampton Spencer 1 Ipswich Wanderers 2

Heavy rain greeted the players as they came out for the 2nd half but within a minute of the restart Wanderers had won the game when Chris Tracey headed Jamie Baker’s long free kick past a despairing Urquhart. 2 mins later, Keith Hetherington was through on goal but shot across the ‘keeper and wide of the post. Rene Swann was brought down with the goal at his mercy on 53 mins but Jamie Baker’s free kick curled just wide. Several minutes later Rene Swann had another opportunity with just Urquhart to beat but put his shot wide. Then Chris Tracey was on the wrong end of a clash of heads with Coleman who, whilst Tracey was still on the ground, lobbed a shot which Jamie Stannard plucked from under the bar.

Dean Tournay-Godfrey replaced Rene Swann and Wanderers continued to enjoy the upper hand.Spencer used their 3 substitutes but these did nothing to take the initiative from the visitors although Coleman, Wigley and Bates all had chances.

2 goals, effectively in a minute, either side of half time had taken the fight out of Spencer and, although they kept battling and came close to reducing the deficit, Wanderers held out to the end with a more confident 2nd half display. This was a good test against a side in a league at a similar level and one which Wanderers passed with ease to put them into the 1st round proper.