LONDON COLNEY 6 v. IPSWICH WANDERERS 3

FA VASE 2ND ROUND

SATURDAY 19TH NOVEMBER 2005

Before this game you could have had a safe bet on Colney, having lost their last 3 league games against bottom of the table sides and with a goal difference of -10, losing again against a Wanderers side who had won four of their last five games, those four being with a clean sheet!

It was a gorgeous afternoon with a clear sky and bright sunshine warming the backs of the small, but expectant, crowd.

Manager Jason Dozzell started with an unfamiliar 3-5-2 instead of the tried and tested 4-4-2 which immediately allowed Colney to score their first after just 2 minutes through Jowle, unmarked at the far post, after Chris Tracey had been brushed aside in an aerial challenge with Parkinson. Wanderers played themselves back into the game with Lee Smith bringing a spectacular save from Milner with a long range shot before the scores were level on 13 mins when Keith Hetherington struck a powerful shot past Milner.

Almost from the restart Jamie Stannard had to save bravely at the feet of Flain and then Hull was inches away from notching Colney’s second when the ball sped across the face of goal from Jowle’s cross. At the other end Rene Swann had a shot saved by Milner’s legs as the game became more competitive.

Flain put Colney ahead again on 24 mins with a header from Deacon’s free kick and the decision was made for Jason Dozzell to step up to midfield and to revert to a back four. This stopped Colney scoring again before half time but, with Keith Hetherington going off injured, to be replaced by Dean Tournay-Godfrey, Wanderers attacking options became limited. Jamie Stannard was under pressure as the Wanderers defence looked vulnerable and always on the back foot; Alan Mills carrying an injury from midweek and the others looking out of sorts.

London Colney 2 Ipswich Wanderers 1

The second half started as badly as the first for Wanderers, despite Jorrell Hurd replacing Jason Dozzell at the interval, when Ross increased the Colney lead with a close range header. Chris Tracey reduced the deficit 2 mins later with a header, almost unchallenged, from Baker’s free kick.

Ross was proving a handful as the stocky midfielder bustled around the pitch but Parkinson, a thorn in Wanderers’ side all game, scored with a shot on 64 mins after evading Mark Goldfinch’s tackle and storming into the area. Jorrell Hurd almost pulled one back for the visitors with a point blank shot at Milner after Dean Tournay-Godfrey had flicked on Jamie Baker’s cross.

Flain made it 5 for Colney on 70 mins when gifted the ball from a rebound off Chris Tracey’s legs in the area as the defence went walkabout. Jamie Stannard was having to plug the gaps in his defence as Wanderers seemed to have no answer to a rampant Colney side who could not believe their luck. On 85 mins Jamie Stannard had to save smartly at the foot of his near post from a shot by Parkinson and then watched as Wanderers got their third on 87 mins when Bradley Barber’s corner bounced around the 6yd box until Rene Swann stabbed it home.

In his anxiety to get the game going again, Alan Mills received his second booking, and his marching orders, for a bit of pushing and shoving with the ‘keeper and Colney rounded off their afternoon with a sixth goal which Parkinson slipped under Jamie Stannard’s body with the referee about to blow for the last time.

The statistics were turned well and truly on their head as Wanderers were beaten in all areas; strategy, commitment, determination; you name it, Colney were better at it.

The coach journey home was endured in virtual silence as all reflected on the events of the day and of what might have been!