IPSWICH WANDERERS RES 2 v. STOWMARKET TOWN RES 1.

RIDGEONS RESERVE LEAGUE

SATURDAY 3RD DECEMBER 2005

THIS GAME AGAIN SAW MANY CHANGES, WITH A BACK 3 PREFERRED TO THE NORMAL 4. BLAIN BURGESS DROPPED INTO CENTRE-BACK ALONGSIDE RICKY WARD AND PAUL ‘ THE EXFOLIATER’ CLOW.  THEY WERE TO HAVE A VERY BUSY AFTERNOON, WITH STOW FREQUENTLY HAVING 3 PACEY MEN UP FRONT. A FIRST START WAS GIVEN TO ADAM POTTER, WITH ‘THE FOX’ DROPPING DOWN TO THE BENCH. NEIL HAYWARD HAD GONE WITH THE 1ST TEAM , SO MATT THOMPSON SWITCHED TO RIGHT WING-BACK, WITH SAM KNIBBS ON THE LEFT. A PLUS WAS THE AVAILABILITY OF ALAN MILLS, UNABLE TO TRAVEL WITH THE FIRST XI – ESPECIALLY AS HE WENT ON TO BE THE BEST PLAYER ON THE DAY.

JIMMY NUNN WAS AGAIN IN A MIDFIELD ROLE  AND IT WAS HE THAT SCORED THE OPENING GOAL, TAKING KENYON’S LAY-OFF AND BRILLIANTLY CHIPPING THE GOALKEEPER.   WITH KENYON AND POTTER STRETCHING THE VISITING  DEFENDERS , AND THE LIVELY VISITING ATTACK BRINGING THE BEST FROM WARD, BURGESS AND CLOW, IT WAS REAL END-TO-END STUFF, WITH CHANCES A PLENTY.  STOW MANAGED TO PRODUCE THE MISS OF THE SEASON AND BRING A FINE SAVE FROM ROBBIE STANNARD BEFORE A DOUBLE CHANCE SAW WARD JUST BLOCK A CERTAIN GOAL FOR THE VISITORS.

HALF-TIME  WANDERERS 1, STOW 0.

THE SECOND PERIOD SAW THE VISITORS AGAIN ATTACKING WITH FLAIR BUT THE DEFENDING WAS RESOLUTE AND STANNARD WAS UP TO EVERYTHING THROWN AT HIM. HOWEVER, PRESSURE TOLD AND THE VISITORS EQUALISED. IT WAS NOT LONG BEFORE  A GOLDEN CHANCE FELL TO THE HOME TEAM. A PENALTY KICK WAS AWARDED , BUT KENYON’S KICK HIT THE INSIDE OF THE POST AND CAME OUT..

IT TOOK A GREAT FINISH FROM ALAN MILLS TO SEAL THE GAME, BREAKING INTO THE BOX AND SCORING WITH A POWERFUL SHOT.

THE VISOTRS PRESSURED AGAIN LATE ON , BUT WANDERERS HELD OUT FOR A GOOD WIN AND COULD EVEN HAD ANOTHER PENALTY WHEN IT LOOKED AS IF RYAN OWENS (AKA THE FOX) WAS BROUGHT DOWN IN THE BOX.

THE FINAL WHISTLE WAS GREETED WITH DELIGHT, A FIRST LEAGUE WIN FOR THE LADS. MY MAN OF THE MATCH WAS ALAN MILLS, CLOSELY FOLLOWED BY JIMMY NUNN.  A WORD OF PRAISE TOO TO JOHN MCROBERTS WHO WALKED MILES TO THE GROUND AFTER A TRANSPORT MIX-UP AND STILL WENT ON TO DO WELL IN THE SECOND HALF.

NO MORE GAMES BEFORE XMAS SO HAVE A GOOD ONE ALL YOU RESSIES!