HARWICH & PARKESTON 1 v. IPSWICH WANDERERS 2

RIDGEONS LEAGUE PREMIER

SATURDAY 26TH NOVEMBER 2005

Injuries and suspensions left a bare 11 of the 1st team squad fit to start so promising Reserve players were drafted in as cover. With Mark Goldfinch missing, Jason Dozzell & Chris Tracey partnered up at the back and Keith Hetherington filled the Jorrell Hurd role down the right wing.

The travelling supporters were wondering whether the team would be playing in ‘League form’ or ‘Cup form’, the two being so dissimilar, and it was not clear which it would be for the first few minutes as Harwich started brightly. Chatters broke through the visitors defence on 15 mins but a quality tackle from captain Marc Lowe saved the day, or at least the opening goal! Ricky Martin’s long range shot on 28 mins was tipped over by Bond and the home ‘keeper received treatment after landing awkwardly. This was the best of the action so far but it was obvious by now that Wanderers had their ‘League form’ boots on and were not going be part of Harwich’s recent revival.

Keith Hetherington was having his best match of the season, finding room down the right, putting in crosses and getting into the box himself. Breaking from defence on 31 mins, he slotted a perfect ball for Dean Tournay-Godfrey whose shot was saved by Bond’s legs. At the other end, on 37 mins, Jamie Stannard was called into dramatic action to punch away Hewitt’s header when under intense pressure and then smothered the ball as it cannoned around the area. Breaking from this defensive position, Dean Tournay-Godfrey laid the ball back to Keith Hetherington whose shot took a wicked deflection off Towse’s outstretched leg and ballooned over Bond’s head into the net.

With this lead, Wanderers now piled on the pressure with Bradley Barber consistently putting in pin-point accurate corners that Harwich did well to deal with. From one of these, Keith Hetherington saw his shot cleared off the line by a forest of defenders legs and then Chris Tracey and Dean Tournay-Godfrey both had attempts.

Harwich & Parkeston 0 Ipswich Wanderers 1

Wanderers doubled their lead 3 mins after the restart following a determined clearance by Jason Dozzell, a surge forward by Rene Swann to pull the ball back for Dean Tournay-Godfrey to stab home from close range. Harwich were now under the cosh as Wanderers poured forward to dominate the game. Barber was more deadly than ever with his corners, and after putting the ball on Chris Tracey’s head on 49 mins, he followed up the clearance with a tremendous shot from 30 yds that the ‘keeper did well to hold on to. Bradley Barber was just as effective with his crosses and Ricky Martin was the beneficiary on 54 mins, getting in a powerful header that Bond saved, diving to his right. 3 mins later, Marc Lowe was alert and quickly took a free kick and saw it curl just outside the angle of the crossbar and upright.

Rene Swann  had his best chance of the game on 75 mins when he outpaced Towse into the 6yd box and Bond saved with his legs. Ricky Martin picked up the ball in the next attack, but his shot went wide. Then, from Bradley Barber’s corner, Chris Tracey headed on and Rene Swann lent on his marker to make room for a shot that ricocheted off the bar, Keith Hetherington picked up the rebound and his shot was tipped over by Bond. The home side resisted valiantly but the result did not seem in doubt and any attempt by Harwich to get back into the game came to nought.

Wanderers’ 9th clean sheet of the season seemed inevitable as the referee took the game into added time but Carmichael popped up with a well taken header, giving Jamie Stannard no chance, as the Wanderers defence stood waiting for the final whistle.