IPSWICH WANDERERS v. LEISTON

RIDGEONS PREMIER LEAGUE

TUESDAY 29TH AUGUST 2006

Manager John Clarkson made several changes to both personnel and formations from the heavy defeat at Kings Lynn. Ben Miller was dropped from the squad, Simon Hyde was re-introduced and Dean Tournay-Godfrey, recently back from holiday, was given a start. The Leiston side contained a fair sprinkling of ex-Wanderers players, including Jason Dozzell who was on coaching duties, and it was good to see them back at Humber Doucy Lane. Earlier rain had dampened the pitch which left a slippy surface, but otherwise the evening was fine with little wind.

Wanderers were early into their stride with Lee Smith sending over a free kick which Ricky Martin just failed to connect with. But then the pacy Hammond was stopped in his tracks inside the Wanderers area by a timely tackle from Mark Goldfinch. The ‘keepers at each end saw some of the action intermittently, but mainly, for 10 mins or so, the action was contained to midfield. Then, on 17 mins, Lee Smith was robbed of the ball on the half way line and McGlone raced past Neil Shade and his lob was inches over the bar.

Wanderers took the lead on 19 mins when a clearance error by Moyes, in the Leiston goal, fell to Simon Hyde who headed forward for Rene Swann to shoot home past an out of position ‘keeper. Wanderers kept up the pressure with a Dean Tournay-Godfrey shot from distance and then the same player flicked on for Rene Swann to get to the byline but the cross was cut out by Moyes before Ricky Martin could pounce. At the other end, Hammond was outpacing the defence and Jamie Stannard had to gather the ball at the edge of his area on more than one occasion. Then, on 28 mins, ex-Wanderer Barber found himself in acres of space in the middle of the park and he ran, unimpeded, into the Wanderers area before passing out wide. Childs’ cross rebounded to Barber but his shot was misdirected.

Wanderers seemed in control, with Leiston wasting their passes in the final third and making little impression on the opposition back line. On 32 mins, Dennett, who was demonstrating pace down the left, turned Neil Shade in the area and only Jamie Stannard’s legs saved the equaliser. The ‘keeper still had work to do when he cleared the resultant corner with a punch under pressure. Danny George then found some space and released Dennett with a good pass, but the move was ended by the offside flag. It was 2-0 on 37 mins when Dennett’s free kick was cleared upfield to Dean Tournay-Godfrey and his square pass went to Simon Hyde who beat two defenders and the ‘keeper. Leiston ended the half with a series of corners which turned into a free kick for a foul by Sean Bell on Hammond on the ‘D’ but Dennett’s kick was into the wall. Then Lee Smith wasted Wanderers last chance with a shot that he blasted over the bar for Tim Davey to chase into the field.

Ipswich Wanderers 2 Leiston 0

Normalk business was resumed in the second half with Dean Tournay-Godfrey and Rene Swann neatly interchanging for the latter to shoot wide from a narrow angle. Then Ricky Martin’s corner was headed on by Simon Hyde, for Sean Bell to shoot wide. Then, on 53 mins, the complexion of the game changed entirely following a Leiston free kick from the edge of the area. Barber’s shot was deflected for a corner and, as Jamie Stannard went up to gather, with no real pressure, he uncharacteristically let the ball slip through his hands to the waiting McGlone to gratefully put the ball into the back of the net from point blank range.

Leiston now had their tails up and had a period of sustained pressure which the Wanderers defence did well to resist. Then Simon Hyde took an opportunistic shot from 30 yds that went wide but a defensive error let in the home side for a corner that was eventually cleared. It took 10 mins for Wanderers to regain their composure and then a further 5 before Lee Smith robbed Childs of the ball and puuled it back from the byline for Dean Tournay-Godfrey to flick on to Rene Swann who blasted over. Marc Lowe was booked for a tackle on Barber and Donald George headed the resultant free kick over.

Then, completely out of the blue, on 76 mins, Leiston scored the equaliser, which, at first sight, looked a bizarre goal. Dennett crossed from the left and, with an unmarked McGlone seeming to lose his balance, the Leiston managed to get in a header which looped over the ‘keeper but under the bar. Leiston were cock-a hoop but it did not last long as, almost equally out of the blue, Rene Swann nipped into the Leiston area and shot through a number defenders legs to catch Moyes off guard.

Leiston now surged forward as both sides made substitutions but it was only 5 mins after the visitors had first equalised that they did it again. With another attack down their left, McGlone and Hammond tussled by the near post with Mark Goldfinch and Neil Shade with the former managing to get a foot to a clearance. However, Driver was on hand to steer the ball into the net and embark on a celebratory run, the like of which has not been seen at HDL for some while.

Marc Lowe received a second yellow card, deep into added time, for a foul on Saker and trudged off to contemplate his one match suspension, 21 days hence.

Definitely 2 points lost by Wanderers but 2 more than gratefully received by Leiston. Battle will be rejoined in 4 weeks time for the reverse fixture and it will be interesting to see what lessons will have been learnt by each side.

1 Jamie Stannard

2 Neil Shade (c)

3 Sean Bell

4 Lee Smith

5 Alan Mills

6 Mark Goldfinch

7 Simon Hyde (sub 90)

8 Dean Tournay-Godfrey (sub 79)

9 Marc Lowe

10 Rene Swann

11 Ricky Martin (sub 84)

12 David Grimwood (sub 90)

14 Jamie Baker

15 Lee Owen (sub 84)

16 Terry Layton

17 Danny Smy (sub 79)

Goals: Swann (2), Hyde

Bookings: Tournay-Godfrey,

Sent Off: Lowe (2 yellows)