SOHAM TOWN RANGERS v. IPSWICH WANDERERS

RIDGEONS PREMIER LEAGUE

SATURDAY 11TH NOVEMBER 2006

Wanderers were forced into many changes for the game, Paul Westren, Simon Hyde, Neil Shade and Danny Smy were missing, but Dean Tourney-Godfrey passed a late fitness test to take his place in the starting 11.

Wanderers kicked off in perfect conditions, but Soham started the strongest looking to avenge their 4-0 loss in the FA vase.

After 3 minutes Ben Miller won a corner on the left after a pin point pass from Lee Owen, the corner was cleared to Dean Tourney-Godfrey who fired well over the bar, a few minutes later the same player lobbed over the bar after good work between Ben Miller and Rene Swann. This prompted Soham to start putting pressure on Wanderers and a misunderstanding between Jamie Stannard and Terry Layton gifted Soham their first of many corners.  Soham showed their intentions after 10 minutes when St Hiliare fired over after Lee Owen partially headed clear a free kick.

Soham took the lead in the 11th minute when Wanderers gave away possession in midfield and Libam latched on to a through ball and slotted home.

Wanderers tried to hit back straight away but Dean Tourney-Godfrey fired over from the edge of the area. Wanderers were trying really hard to gain an equaliser but they were only able to fire long range ‘hopeful’ shots.  After 25 minutes St Hilare burst into the Wanderers area but a good sliding tackle by Mark Goldfinch resulted in a Soham corner which was headed over.

Marc Lowe was unfortunate not to equalise for Wanderers after half an hour when his diving header hit the post after good hold up play by Dean Tourney-Godfrey. It’s the second time in a week that Lowey has hit the post from a diving header, surely his luck will change!!

Soham then went onto the attack straight away and Jamie Stannard tipped the ball around the post from a shot by Simpson after a deft flick on by Libam. After 35 minutes Soham won a corner, it was cleared as far as Jones and his shot was cleared just in front of the goal line by Terry Layton.

Soham were starting to have all of the play but the tide was turned three minutes later when Fabio Botti and Dean Tourney-Godfrey combined to put Rene Swann through on goal and he fired in the equaliser. Straight after the goal Soham won a corner and another chance went begging as they missed a good chance after Stannard missed his punch.

Half Time: Soham Town Rangers 1 Ipswich Wanderers 1

Wanderers came out in the second half and showed their attacking intentions, by winning two consecutive corners, the second was headed over the bar by Marc Lowe.

After 48 minutes Rene Swann flicked on an Alan Mills cross but Fabio Botti couldn’t find the finishing touch after chesting the ball down.  Greygoose then pulled off a superb save after Rene Swann passed through to Dean Tourney-Godfrey, who might have thought he should have scored.

Soham then won a corner in the 55th minute but Simpson fired over the cross bar, Wanderers hit back when Lee Owen played in a lovely ball to Rene Swann but he shot tamely at Greygoose. In the 65th minute Wanderers made a double substitution with Lee Smith and Ricky Martin replacing Ben Miller and Fabio Botti.

Both teams were applying the pressure on each others defence but Soham regained the lead in the 72nd minute when Libam was put through on goal, and he finished with ease passed Jamie Stannard, the Wanderers players were livid that the Assistant hadn’t raised his flag for offside against Libam but the goal was awarded.

Once again this spurred Wanderers to attack and Dean Tourney-Godfrey burst into the area and fired in a shot at the near post when it may have been better to square the ball across goal. There was a scare for Wanderers in the 78th minute when Jamie Stannard miskicked and gave the ball on a plate to Libam but he made amends and recovered to dive at his feet, when really Liban should have had his hat-trick.

Wanderers had a great chance to equalise in the final minute when Dean Tourney-Godfrey burst through and shot on goal, Greygoose must have got a slight touch on to it as the ball slowed and looked as though it was going in, Claydon slid in to make sure it didn’t go in and collided with the post He had to be replaced as he came off the worse after his meeting with the upright.

This was the first of three consecutive corners and on the final corner Wanderers loaded the area and Mark Goldfinch’s bullet header from Lee Owens corner crashed off the bar. As usual in football matches when a team is pushing for the all important goal, Soham broke straight away and Libam found Simpson, who drilled in Sohams third goal and killed off the Wanderers.

Full Time: Soham Town Rangers 3 Ipswich Wanderers 1

It was definitely a remembrance day not to remember for the players and Wanderers faithfull, Soham looked very strong and Hill won everything in the air at the back for Soham, who definitely wanted to gain revenge after their 4-0 drubbing in the Vase.

Hopefully soon the missing key players will be back and now Wanderers have two very difficult games next week with an away trip to Bury Town midweek in the Club Colours Suffolk Premier Cup and the ‘big’ game next Saturday against Brimsdown in the Vase. I think it would be wise to get this game out of everyone’s minds, after the great winning run came to an end.

1 Jamie Stannard

2 Terry Layton

3 Sean Bell

4 Mark Goldfinch

5 Alan Mills

6 Fabio Botti (sub )

7 Lee Owen

8 Marc Lowe

9 Rene Swann

10 Dean Tournay-Godfrey

11 Ben Miller (sub )

12 Lee Smith (sub )

14 Ricky Martin (sub )

15 Gary Bennett

16 Ricky Dunne

17

Goals: Swann

Bookings: none