IPSWICH WANDERERS 2 v. HISTON RESERVES 0

Abandoned due to fog on 67 mins

RIDGEONS PREMIER LEAGUE

FRIDAY 7TH OCTOBER 2005

This game had been brought forward from the Saturday because of the England International and perhaps later events were a sign from the gods that we should not bother in future!

The mist that was rolling over the pitch before kick off had all but disappeared as Histon began the game with Flack sprinting down the right and earning a corner within the first 20 seconds. From then on the game was played at a furious pace as if, somehow with foresight, the players knew that the mist would reappear and wanted to finish the game before that occurred.

Dean Tournay-Godfrey blasted a shot high and wide after Keith Hetherington had muscled his way past Flitton as the game swung back and forth but the ‘keepers were kept busy by mainly tidying up back passes and through balls that were hit too long. Hammond hit a snap shot from the edge of the ‘D’ on 18 mins which bobbled awkwardly for Jamie Stannard but he gathered at the 2nd attempt and cleard to Jorrell Hurd. With Marc Lowe making a run from deep and screaming for the ball, Hurd perfectly weighted a pass to his feet and, with one touch to take him past Mintus and Hulyer, followed the ball into an empty net.

Lambert had a shot on target at the other end and Marc Lowe put a hard, low cross across the face of the Histon goal with Dean Tournay-Godfrey inches away from adding a second. Then, on 28 mins, the floodlight by the clubhouse failed, bringing a halt to proceedings, and Jim Smith and Roger Wosahlo busied themselves to restore the light with numerous torch carriers in tow. A blown bulb was found to be the cause of the failure and the game resumed after a delay of 10 mins.

Jason Dozzell was caught for speed by BenSaud on 35 mins but managed to grab his shorts and then bring him down about 30 yds out. Histon wasted the free kick but minutes later Hammond was given another chance as confusion in the Wanderers defence allowed him to get in a shot. Flack’s corner on 41 mins was taken by Jamie Stannard under the bar as Histon continued to press for the equaliser but it was Jamie Baker’s shot across goal that ended the half.

Ipswich Wanderers 1 Histon Reserves 0

On 50 mins, a foul on Dean Tournay-Godfrey gave Jamie Baker the opportunity to unleash one of his trademark freekicks, this on fairly central from 25 yds, and he placed it with unerring accuracy over the wall and under the bar way out of Hulyer’s reach.

Clever footwork by Turner gave BenSaud, the liveliest of the Histon forwards, a chance to shoot and then Hammond caught the Wanderers backline napping but could do no better than a goal kick. Farrington brought a saving tackle from Mark Goldfinch as Histon turned the screw in their efforts to get back into the game.

And that is when the mist returned, eerily creeping over the ground from either end until the assistants complained they could no longer see the other side of the pitch. Much negotiation from the players and management with Wanderers wanting to continue and Histon hoping to be let off the hook to return another day to try their luck.

Ipswich Wanderers 2 Histon Reserves 0