NEEDHAM MARKET v. IPSWICH WANDERERS

RIDGEONS PREMIER LEAGUE

TUESDAY 2ND JANUARY 2007

Earlier doubts over the state of the pitch were soon dispelled as the rain had held off and the surface, although heavy and uneven, was perfectly playable. Marc Lowe and Ricky Martin were on the bench whilst Lee Owen and Paul Betson were given a start.

As has been the case in previous encounters between these teams, this was a spirited affair with both sides ‘up for it’. Deacon won a tussle for the ball with Mark Goldfinch and laid it off for Snell whose shot flashed across the face of the Wanderers goal. A corner, taken by Barber, was punched clear by Jamie Stannard and Rene Swann picked this up and got the better of Barber as he raced into the Needham half. He squared the ball to an unmarked Dean Tournay-Godfrey who, with time to set himself, instead put his shot over the bar. Then, with 12 mins gone, a corner from Lee Owen was cleared by Tracey but put back into the 6yd box where Rene Swann headed over from under the bar. For Needham, A Jones wasted a good opportunity when he blasted a free kick into the Wanderers wall, but then Banham released Snell from the halfway line and he outpaced Neil Shade but Mark Goldfinch got back to send his cross for a corner. Jamie Stannard was under intense pressure as he came for the ball and was adjudged to have been fouled.

Paul Betson showed strength to win the ball from Banham in the corner and then earn a free kick, having been brought down just outside the area. Lee Owen’s  kick was met by Sean Bell at the near post but was just too high. Gareth Jones had a powerful shot saved by ‘keeper L Jones at full stretch and then Thorogood took the ball to the byline at the other end and got a cross in despite the attentions of Louie Farrington. Deacon was unable to stop his run on the slippery surface and he was one pace in front of the ball as it passed the far post.

Needham were looking dangerous every time they attacked, breaking quickly down the flanks but Wanderers were having equal possession although not so much lick in front of goal.

On 26 mins, Thorogood had the ball in the back of the net after Tracey had headed down Barber’s free kick with Jamie Stannard struggling to get across his line in the muddy conditions. However, the assistant referee had flagged for offside and the jubilant celebrations were cut short. After 34 mins, Needham completed their spell of pressure and Wanderers took over with a series of corners and free kicks. Lee Owen’s dead ball kicks were providing the Needham defence with all sorts of problems but Wanderers were unable to get the final, vital touch to turn them into goals. Then, on 38 mins, Bailey set off on a run down the left touchline and crossed into the box where A Jones stepped over the ball, allowing Snell the chance to shoot. The ball rebounded of the legs of Neil Shade and into the path of A Jones who hammered home from close range.

Needham upped the ante, buoyed by their goal, with Jamie Stannard under pressure from A Jones’ corner as the ball was headed out of his hands as the home side did not let up. In the final minute of the half, Rene Swann created room for himself in the area and sent a shot searing millimetres over the bar. Then Paul Betson sent over a cross which L Jones plucked out of the air as Wanderers pushed forward.

Needham Market 1 Ipswich Wanderers 0

It was end to end stuff at the start of the second half with Needham looking dangerous on the ball when going forward. Deacon brought Jamie Stannard to his knees to save a rasping shot and then the visitor’s ‘keeper saved comfortably from Snell after he had run all of 20 yds without being challenged. Sam Banya had replaced Dean Tournay-Godfrey up front for Wanderers and had a good shout for a penalty as he was tackled by Bailey in the act of shooting. Deacon was left one on one with Sean Bell but waited for support to arrive and then chose to shoot rather than square the ball to either of two unmarked team mates, this after Needham had broken quickly as Wanderers were slow to get back. On 66 mins, Rene Swann was tackled as he was about to shoot, having put in a splendid solo run past 3 defenders, and then, minutes later, brought a great one handed save from L Jones as he broke through the defence again.

The game changed on 72 mins when Sam Banya was sent off for making abusive gestures towards the home supporters and then Neil Shade was substituted, with Ricky Martin adding width to the attack. Mark Goldfinch advanced into Needham territory and was brought down by Bailey but Lee Owen’s free kick, deep to the far post, was cleared without threatening the Needham goal.

Needham then found the large gap that had been left in the Wanderers left back position and this was exploited to the full by Evans, in particular. On 76 mins Evans broke from the halfway line and sent over a cross which Louie Farrington cleared, but only as far as Snell whose shot landed in the top netting. Then Mark Goldfinch brought down Evans in the box and, as the referee waved play on with everyone appealing for a penalty, Snell picked up the loose ball and hit it into the empty net.

Wanderers were now struggling, with their 10 men, to contain the home side as Needham attacked in waves. Snell’s shot from distance was saved by Jamie Stannard but he could do nothing about Evan’s effort when the Needham substitute picked up the ball that had come off Mark Goldfinch and reacted quickly to slam the ball home in the final seconds of the game.

Losing a man and then playing the last 15 mins with a defender short were the undoing of Wanderers in what had, until then, been an excellent, competitive game.

Needham Market 3 Ipswich Wanderers 0