Needham Market 1, FA Carlsberg Vase Quarter Final Referee : C.J.Berry (Cheam, Surrey) Attendance : 601 After a week waiting to find out if our game with Needham would take place the call came at 9.40am saturday morning to say that the game was on.
Needham had hired a machine to draw the water off the pitch and as long as there were no further downpours all should be ok. Radio Norfolk were very good in updating its listeners that the game at Needham was on and also that our reserve game was off due to a waterlogged pitch.
As we started out for Needham the rain started but we thought we would keep going and hope for the best. The rain got worse as we went along and when we were about 10miles from Needham it was torrential. I then rang Jimmy who was already there with the team and asked him what the chances were of the game being played. He asked me why and I told that we had had nothing but rain since we left home. He said keep coming as we have had no rain here. When we arrived the pitch looked well and we could see a lot of hard work had been done by the Needham helpers. It looked very heavy in certain places but we were very pleased that the game would take place.
Wroxham started very well and had a couple of quick corners in the first five minutes which came to nothing. Wroxham were still pressing and it was at least 10 minutes before Needham could get out of their own half. It was then Needhams turn and they went on the attack and had a corner which was well cleared by the Wroxham defence.
Needham were now getting more into the game but the Wroxham defence were doing a sterling job ,coping well with the pressure. It was then Wroxhams turn to cause problems in the Needham area but this all came to nothing. The ground was now cutting up very badly and another Needham attack found Hilton with a good chance at goal but he put it over the top.
A few minutes later Needham went very close again when Sparks had only the keeper to beat but a great save by Howie put the ball wide. Needham , at this stage, were looking the better side and when Wroxham did have their next break Spriggs had a good shot at goal but this was saved by the keeper. At the other end Hilton won a corner but this was well cleared.
In the 25th minute Cook was on a good run when he was brought down in the area and Shaun Howes stepped up to put the ball into the corner of the net.
Straight from the kick off it was Needham who had the next chance, when Hilton made Howie bring off a great save and within minutes it was Hilton again, with a good scoring chance, went just wide of the post with only Howie to beat.
At the other end McNeil had a great chance with a header from a corner but the ball just skimmed past the post. As half time arrived both teams deserved their 15 minutes rest.
Half time 0--1.
At the start of the second half Thrower came on for Sparks. Wroxham had a quick corner with came to nothing.
The sun started to shine ( was this a good omen for us?) In the 50th minute Spriggs was on one of his runs, with only one defender to beat, but was clearly brought down well inside the box but the ref only booked the offending player with a yellow card.
Wroxham had another good chance when Daniels broke through but could not finish. Hilton again was busy in the Wroxham box and went close with another header and
Needham were pushing hard at this stage when Thrower had a good chance but put the ball over the top. Wroxham were lucky when Howie went up for a corner. The ball rebounded off his chest and back into play which caused a goal mouth scramble involving 8 or 9 players in the area and it was Pauling who managed to get the ball clear.
In the 60th minute Needham had a goal disallowed for off-side. Needham brought on substitute Dennis replacing Smy.
Damian Hilton was now in the mix of things again in the Wroham area and was brought down in the box resulting in Needham being awarded a penalty which ex-Wroxham boss Hilton put well past Howie.
With 20 minutes left it was Needham who were on top at this stage and it was Hilton who was well involved. Wroxham did eventually break out and a long ball to Cook (who beat 2 defenders ) put over a low cross finding Steve Spriggs waiting at the far post who wacked it into the net. Simpson and Daniels were replaced by Eastaugh and Wines .
Thrower then had a good chance for Needham but his shot was just wide of the post. The game was now end to end with lots of tired legs, Howie was having a terrific game (as was every other Wroxham player)
Cook was working well with Spriggs and in another Needham attack Howie made another terrific save from Thrower. Needham then had a corner and at this time sent everybody forward, including the keeper but the Wroxham defence was taking everything that was being thrown at them.
Pauling and Challen both took heavy knocks with 10 minutes to go which gave Pauling a chance to get some more oxygen into him while Challen, had to go to the bench and get his head bandaged up after a clash with Hilton. White was the next one down but all three were soon back on the pitch.
With only minutes left it was all backs to the wall and after 8 minutes of added time we were all relieved when the final whistle went, and the sun went down.
This was an absorbing game to watch with our lads giving their all and I'm sure all the supporters of both sides could be very proud of their teams efforts.
Could it be our year? On merit we have beaten 2 of the best teams in the competition being Armthorpe and in Needham who have not lost a game at home all season.
We all await the draw on monday which is 2 legged affair, home and away.
Submitted by Kenny Cooke
Full report to follow. FT : Needham Market 1, Wroxham 2 |
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Thursday 9th September 2010
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