MILDENHALL TOWN v. IPSWICH WANDERERS

RIDGEONS PREMIER LEAGUE

SATURDAY 24TH FEBRUARY 2007

Louie Farrington returned from suspension to face his former club but Mark Goldfinch started his one match ban so it was three at the back, Neil Shade, Sean Bell and Louie Farrington.

Mildenhall kicked off down the slope and were immediately into the Wanderers half, where they stayed for almost all of the first half. The centre circle was heavily sanded and the rest of the heavy pitch soon started to cut up. Louie Farrington brought down Inman after 3 mins but the free kick was wasted.

Mildenhall continued to attack and on 11 mins they worked the ball down the right with Harrold, whose square ball found Foster on the edge of the area, and then quickly on to Wilson who had the easy job of sidefooting home. 2 mins later, Wilson threaded the ball down the left to Foster, who sidestepped an advancing Jamie Stannard and Harrold had the goal at his mercy to put his side 2 up. There was a suspicion of off-side in the move but the assistant was behind play and not able to judge.

The next 75 or so minutes looked bleak for Wanderers if the home side could score so easily, but Wilson’s free kick from 30 yds on 15 mins, blazed wide, was to hint at how the game was to continue.

Wanderers had their first meaningful attack on 18 mins when Danny Smy crossed for Dean Tournay-Godfrey, in front of goal, but Rush got his head to the ball first. At the other end, Mildenhall were winning possession and Wilson put in a shot that was not far wide. Danny Smy earned a corner with some neat footwork and Gareth Jones’ header was fumbled on the line by Nower, but eventually held.

Just before the half hour, Simon Hyde was put through on goal but Wilson was timely with his tackle. Then Neil Shade was replaced by Anthony Johnson due to injury and Louie Farrington was sent from the field to have blood removed from a cut knee while Goddard got on with putting a 25yd free kick over the bar. For the remaining 15 minutes of the half, Mildenhall were camped out in the Wanderers area, but failed to gain an advantage. Louie Farrington managed to deflect Rush’s header, from a corner, over the bar and Jamie Stannard was called upon to end the action by gathering the ball into his chest. Inman then ran free with Paul Betson in pursuit and the Wanderers’ no.11’s lunge challenge was enough to put Inman off so that Jamie Stannard could stop the shot with his legs and then gather Goddard’s header as the whistle went.

Mildenhall Town 2 Ipswich Wanderers 0

Rene Swann started the second half in place of the injured Marc Lowe and, with the visitors now playing down the slope, the play was more end to end. On 52 mins, Danny Smy set up a one/two with Dean Tournay-Godfrey but the ball got caught under his feet in the return. Rene Swann got past Goddard but his pass to Gary Bennett did not produce the desired results as Wanderers were having more success moving the ball on the ground but, all too often the chosen option was to pump the ball upfield where Rush and Eady were in control.

On the hour, Simpson stepped over a through ball which left Foster clear to curl a shot goalward, but it gave Jamie Stannard no problems. Them Wilson set himself to shoot from 25yds but Anthony Johnson got in the way and Nower, who had been a virtual spectator for most of the game, had to race to the edge of the area to deny Rene Swann.

The game was wending its way to a conclusion with Mildenhall looking in no danger of conceding a goal and Wanderers, in no danger of scoring one. Having said that, Mildenhall were having no joy in penetrating the Wanderers back line which had Jamie Stannard in good form.

Sam Banya followed up on a Gareth Jones’ header forward to get to the bal before Nower, but the home ‘keeper got enough on the ball to deflect the shot wide. He was in action again when Danny Smy quickly broke down the left and palmed the shot over the bar. Then Sam Banya and Danny Smy were involved in a move which had the latter a foot away from sliding the former’s cross into the goal. The last action of the game was Wanderers’ as Danny Smy sent a lovely ball over the home defence for Rene Swann to outpace Eady and get a shot in which Nower sent for a corner with his foot.