NORWICH UTD  v. IPSWICH WANDERERS

F A VASE 1ST ROUND QUALIFYING

SATURDAY 9TH SEPTEMBER 2006

Manager John Clarkson had to reshuffle his lineup, with four players suspended and one returned to university. Wanderers were looking to make progress in this Vase competition, especially as they had been bundled out of the FA Cup the previous weekend by Tiptree Utd. The starting 11 looked man enough for the job, with Danny Smy getting a start in midfield and Jamie Baker taking over the wide left role from Ricky Martin.

For the first 10 mins, both sides were sizing each other up but it soon became obvious that Norwich, who had yet to win a game this season, would be struggling against a Wanderers side who were looking more their old selves. However, Norwich put the visitors under pressure early on when Neil Shade’s clearance kick was charged down by Cook and the home side earned a corner which was easily cleared. Then, Wanderers pressure saw them win a series of corners, started by Rene Swann giving Youngs no time to gather inside his area, and with Jamie Baker and Dean Tournay-Godfrey combining well to set up Simon Hyde through a sea of defenders before Youngs closed play down.

Rene Swann opened the scoring on 12 mins, unusually with a header. Danny Smy and Dean Tournay-Godfrey cleverly swapped passes before the former sent over a cross from the right touchline which the Wanderers front man flicked on, over a surprised Youngs’. Norwich replied with a quick break up field and the ever-dangerous Hunton outpaced Matthew Cunningham but was forced wide and could only shoot into the side netting. Play was then restricted mainly to midfield until, on 26 mins, Danny Smy received the ball from Jamie Baker’s free kick and put over another pin point cross which an unmarked Dean Tournay-Godfrey had no trouble in heading home.

Most of Wanderers’ attacking threat was down the right with Baker and Cunningham, on the left flank, only getting into the game sparodically. Danny Smy seemed to be relishing his midfield role and, along with Lowe and Hyde, was running the game.

On 34 mins, Lee Smith found himself in unfamiliar territory as he pushed up into the Norwich half, harried Romano into an error and then carried the ball into the area. His first shot was parried by Youngs but he was no more successful with the second off the rebound. Norwich ended the half with a brief spell of pressure, Atteridge taking a free kick from 30 yds out which Jamie Stannard plucked from just under the bar.

Norwich Utd 0 Ipswich Wanderers 2

Norwich’s Marsden wasted a free kick from a good position at the start of the 2nd half but Cook brought a save from Jamie Stannard who was at full stretch. A Hunton corner looked dangerous but was eventually cleared as Wanderers rode out this early pressure. Rene Swann showed his pace by leaving two defenders in his wake as he sped down the right but there was no-one in a good enough position to make use of the cross. Jamie Stannard brought a gasp to the travelling Wanderers supporters when he sliced a clearance kick for a corner. He made amends from the kick by gathering the ball with aplomb and setting up the next attack with an astute throw to Matthew Cunningham on the left.

A newly introduced Ricky Martin was scythed down by Smith, on 54 mins, as he was making a terrific run down the left and the referee produced a yellow card. The ‘bench’ was incensed at what they saw was a lenient penalty and an altercation between the technical areas had to be broken up by the referee and his assistant.

An injury to Atteridge, shortly afterwards, delayed play as the Norwich player was stretchered off, and then it took a few minutes for the players to get back into their rhythm. On 72 mins, Danny Smy was in a good position to put over another cross for Rene Swann and Simon Hyde but he tried his luck from distance and the ‘keeper saved. Simon Hyde soon had the Wanderers supporters happy when he curled a quickly taken free kick into the far corner of the goal on 76 mins to put the game out of reach of a now hapless looking Norwich.

Keith Hetherington was given a chance to stretch his legs and showed some skill by shaking off his markers on 84 mins but ended by shooting wide. Norwich were providing very little opposition now with the defence looking weary, the midfield devoid of ideas and the attack woeful. They did, however, have a brief resurgence just before the end when Skipper got the better of Neil Shade but his square pass across the box was behind Hunton and, although the Norwich winger managed to get a shot in, it was weak and lacked direction.

A vastly improved performance against a weak opposition and encouraging to have confirmed that the squad can withstand the temporary loss of several key members. The defence would have been pleased withe their first clean sheet of the season and the duo of Rene Swann and Dean Tournay-Godfrey were looking as sharp as they ever have been.

Wanderers now entertain Long Melford at Humber Doucy Lane on 23rd September in the 2nd Round Qualifying.

Norwich Utd 0 Ipswich Wanderers 3

1 Jamie Stannard

2 Lee Smith

3 Sean Bell

4 Neil Shade (c)

5 Matthew Cunningham

6 Daniel Smy

7 Simon Hyde

8 Marc Lowe

9 Rene Swann (sub 79)

10 Dean Tournay-Godfrey (sub 90)

11 Jamie Baker (sub 52)

12 Ricky Martin (sub 52)

14 Keith Hetherington (sub 79)

15 Ben Miller (sub 90)

16 Chris Sadler

17

Goals: Swann, Tournay-Godfrey, Hyde

Bookings: Lowe

Reported for misconduct: Mick Lowe (physio)