IPSWICH WANDERERS v. NEEDHAM MARKET

RIDGEONS PREMIER LEAGUE

SATURDAY 3RD MARCH 2007

Rene Swann was given a starting place and Matthew Cunningham returned to the team following a prolonged absence. Marc Lowe was on the bench and Dean Tournay-Godfrey was missing altogether. Plenty of other Ridgeons games were lost to the weather but the Wanderers pitch was looking in good condition and had only needed some brief attention to the goal areas to remove any doubts of postponement.

The difference in the performances of Wanderers in the league and the various cup competitions is quite startling. So far in 2007, 11 games have been played; 4 in cups, 7 in the league. Only one defeat in cup games, that being the Vase, but 5 lost in the league, with one draw (Dereham) and one win (Newmarket). The performance in losing to Needham Market clearly typified this difference.

Needham started the brighter with Andy Jones, on the left flank, starting as he meant to continue, causing Louie Farrington plenty of problems with his direct running and tricky footwork. As early as the 2nd minute Jones got in a low cross that Snell stooped to flick on with his head but Jamie Stannard gathered cleanly. Then the Needham no. 11 was gifted the ball by a poor clearance but his shot was weak and wide.

Wanderers had begun to get into their stride when a 3 man move down the left, started by Jamie Stannard’s thrown clearance from a Needham corner, helped on by Danny Smy and finished off by Rene Swann who brought L Jones to his knees to save the shot. Then Sam Banya interchanged the ball with Gareth Jones, who got to the byline and squared the ball onto the head of Rene Swann for the opening goal. However, it was only a few minutes later, on 20 mins, that Mark Goldfinch made a rare slip, allowing Thrower though on goal and he sidefooted the ball past Jamie Stannard and it rolled into the far corner.

Danny Smy and A Jones had a set-too as the Wanderers defending became a bit desperate and the tempo of the game increased now that Needham had equalised. The referee was content to issue a reprimand to both players without showing a yellow card and play resumed in a determined, but less passionate fashion. That man Jones, again, got in a low cross that slipped through Jamie Stannard’s hands and Needham had a great chance to increase their lead but there was no-one on hand to put the ball into the net. At the other end, Matthew Cunningham sent a cross over the head of Tracey but it skimmed off Rene Swann’s head when a better contact could have yielded results.

Needham took the lead on 32 mins when the thorn in the side of the Wanderers defence, Andy Jones, crossed into Snell who flicked on to Buckle who took advantage of the ‘keeper being wrongfooted to sidefoot home. Wanderers came back just before half time with a move down the right and, after being closed down in the box, Rene Swann got the ball out to Danny Smy, but the Wanderers wide man was too enthusiastic with his shot when in clear sight of the goal and the ball flew over the bar into the trees. Snell and Thrower had shots struck wide at the other end before Paul Betson’s square pass was stepped over by Rene Swann in the area but the was no other Wanderers player in the vicinity.

Ipswich Wanderers 1 Needham Market 2

As in the first half, Needham started the stronger, although they did not threaten the Wanderers’ goal. On 50 mins, they advanced up the pitch via a series of free kicks and ended with a corner that was easily dealt with. Then Barber set off on a promising looking run from just inside the Wanderers’ half but his final pass was wayward. On 56 mins, Wanderers made a double substitution to bolster the midfield, taking off Matthew Cunningham and Gareth Jones and bringing on Marc Lowe and Lee Owen. The home side had not got near the visitor’s penalty area this half and Needham looked in control. They increased their lead on the hour when, you guessed it, Andy Jones was allowed to get to the byline and his cross found Snell unmarked, so he smacked a volley into the back of the net.

The game then became disjointed by a series of injuries and substitutions, Gary Bennett coming on for Rene Swann, and when play resumed, Wanderers had a spell of pressure in the Needham area. They got a goal back on 70 mins when Lee Owen did what he does best, flighting in a free kick which went over the Needham defence and Simon Hyde headed the ball across goal where Gary Bennett was on the back post to head home.

It was only after this that Wanderers showed flashes of the football that has served them so well in the cups this season, passing to feet, splitting defences with accurate through balls, gritty defence and solid, no nonsense, midfield. Wanderers now looked the most ambitious side, but Needham still had the ability to put the home defence on the back foot. On 80 mins Wanderers had a prolonged spell in the Needham last 3rd, keeping possession and forcing corner after corner, but to no avail, and then A Jones broke down the right, evaded Mark Goldfinch and headed for goal. The Wanderers’ defence supremo recovered to get in a tackle and pull  Jones to the ground just outside the area and, with the referee seeing no reason to blow for a foul, the danger was cleared. Back at the other end and Danny Smy worked the ball onto his left foot and Gary Bennett flicked the ball on with his head, but wide of the goal. Wanderers kept up the pressure with time running out and the elusive equaliser looking ever more unlikely. Needham were slowing the pace and seemed in no hurry to get the ball out of their half, thus achieving the double in this local derby withing the space of 8 weeks. Lee Owen and Mark Goldfinch added to the defeat by verbally persuading the referee to put their names in his book with only a few seconds left on the clock!

Ipswich Wanderers 2 Needham Market 3

1 Jamie Stannard

2 Louie Farrington

3 Sean Bell

4 Mark Goldfinch

5 Matthew Cunningham (sub 56)

6 Danny Smy

7 Simon Hyde

8 Gareth Jones (sub 56)

9 Rene Swann (sub 64)

10 Sam Banya

11 Paul Betson

12 Marc Lowe (sub 56)

14 Gary Bennett (sub 64)

15 Lee Owen (sub 56)

16 Keiron Francis

17 Anthony Johnson

Goals: Swann 16, Bennett 70.

Bookings: Owen, Goldfinch