SOHAM TOWN RANGERS v. IPSWICH WANDERERS

RIDGEONS LEAGUE CUP SEMI FINAL

TUESDAY 20TH FEBRUARY 2007

Wanderers travelled to Soham missing Louie Farrington (cup-tied), Lee Owen, Rene Swann and Matthew Cunningham (injured), but welcomed back from suspension Paul Betson. Soham were at full strength with youngster Jordan in goal, following the departure of Greygoose to Bury.

With the ball bouncing back and forth across the halfway line for the first couple of minutes, it did not look a very exciting start but then Dean Tournay-Godfrey got the ball in the Soham half and delayed his pass out to Danny Smy on the right. The good move looked to have ended but the Wanderers no. 10 managed to get the ball to its intended target and Danny Smy cleverly beat Johnson and shot from a narrow angle, with Jordan only able to help the ball into the net to give the visitors and early, and unexpected, lead.

Soham earned their first corner after 7 mins and Wanderers struggled to clear their lines. When they did, Paul Betson raced down the left and sent over a cross that Jordan could only palm away, when under no pressure. Then Simon Hyde worked the ball into the far corner and crossed for Gary Bennett, but his header, from 15yds out, was well wide. Soham had yet to mount a credible attack but they were starting to move the ball more fluently in midfield, with Libam and Furnell both getting in shots that were blazed well over the bar.

On 22 mins, Danny Smy took a free kick, after a dummy from Paul Betson, and it nearly squeezed between the post and ‘keeper’s outstretched hand. As Soham finally got into an attacking rhythm, Wanderers were looking decidedly uncomfortable in defence, typified by an inability to clear the ball cleanly first time. Robinson hit a free kick, from 30yds out, and, with the ball still in the Wanderers area, St Hilaire was allowed a chance to shoot. On the half hour, Paul Westren put Dean Tournay-Godfrey behind the Soham defence but Jordan won the one-on-one, stopping the shot with his legs.

Soham were able to retain possession for some minutes in the Wanderers area until, finally, Furnell got the ball to Robinson, whose shot was bound for the top corner until Jamie Stannard produced an outstanding save. From the corner, Hill beat Simon Hyde to the ball and, again, Jamie Stannard had to be at his best to palm the ball away. The third save, to end the attack, was much more straitforward. A few minutes later, Libam took a quick free kick on the left touchline and Furnell brought another great save from Jamie Stannard and then it was St Hilaire’s turn to be foiled by the Wanderers’ ‘keeper.

Paul Betson floated in a free kick for Gary Bennett to head over just as the halftime whistle went. The first half had developed into a classic cup tie, with end to end action, full-blooded tackling, passion and commitment from all players and lots of goalmouth action and great goalkeeping.

Soham Town Rangers 0 Ipswich Wanderers 1

Soham started the half in determined fashion, hardly allowing Wanderers out of their half for 5 minutes. Then, when the visitors broke upfield, they caught Soham on the back foot with interplay between Paul Betson and Gary Bennett finding Dean Tournay-Godfrey on the right. His sidefooted shot looked goalbound, which it was, with a little help from Simon Hyde, but the rangey midfielder was adjudged offside and the whoops of delight from the travelling supporters were cut short. Then Dean Tournay-Godfrey tried his luck from 30 yds, curling the ball inches away from the post. From a short corner, Gary Bennett got the ball back from the byline and Danny Smy looped a shot which Jordan palmed over the bar.

The pace was fast and furious and fitness was playing a part with the pitch being heavy and sticky. This led to a period of almost pedestrian play on the far side before Turner found himself in space but then found the trees behind te goal with his shot. Simon Hyde then did the same at the other end, however, the trees were further away and not reachable.

An equaliser looked certain on 64 mins when Sean Bell slipped, allowing Libam to bear down on Jamie Stannard but an incredible double save kept the Wanderers goal intact. Wanderers were now under the cosh, with Sean Bell and Mark Goldfinch at the heart of a defence fighting a rearguard action. Soham were dominating possession and territory but Wanderers still looked dangerous in the rare move out of their half.

Hill’s free kick, from inside his half, was headed on by Libam and Jamie Stannard was injured going for the ball. Whilst he was down, St Hilaire blasted the ball high over the bar.

The Wanderers supporters were a bundle of nerves as the minutes ticked away. The Kesgrave End, gathered behind Jordan’s goal, kept up a barrage of song and banter whilst others gathered around the visitors dugout, waiting to share in the hoped for victory, and shouting encouragement at every opportunity, urging their players on to even greater efforts. On 83 mins, Soham’s corner, taken by St Hilaire was punched away by Jamie Stannard but then Paul Westren needed lengthy treatment for an ankle injury, giving his team mates a welcome breather. Soham were bearing down on the Wanderers goal, almost camped out on the edge of the area, with the defence, and everyone else who came back to help out, throwing themselves in front of crosses and shots in a desperate attempt to get to the final whistle without conceding. When a Wanderers player did get the ball, it was hoofed upfield for a moment’s respite before Soham resumed their onslaught.

With the referee adding more than 4 minutes for injuries etc. the sound of his whistle came as an immense relief to all Wanderers. They had held out for 92 mins against everything Soham could throw at them in a total team effort where no-one could be faulted. This was to be the club’s first cup final since the Suffolk Senior Cup in 1997 and was just reward for the cup exploits this season.

1 Jamie Stannard

2 Neil Shade (c)

3 Sean Bell

4 Mark Goldfinch

5 Paul Westren (sub 89)

6 Danny Smy (sub 81)

7 Marc Lowe

8 Simon Hyde

9 Gary Bennett (sub 67)

10 Dean Tournay-Godfrey

11 Paul Betson

12 Sam Banya (sub 67)

14 Gareth Jones (sub 81)

15 Keiron Francis (sub 89)

16 Anthony Johnson

17

Goals: Smy (2)

Bookings: Hyde