With a number of players unavailable due to injuries, 1st team call-ups & unavailability it was a very young side that took the pitch, a number of whom figured in the drastic U18 performance & defeat on Thursday evening, but also in the team was French debutant, Ismael Toumi, while Ross Nicklin & Grant Salisbury were also involved in the reserve squad for the first time!
After a cagey opening it was the visitors who took a 12th minute lead with the first real effort on goal of the game, as an inviting right wing cross was headed past Tom Ross from 10
yards.
Ross was quickly called upon to make a full-length diving save to prevent Walsham from going two goals ahead & also suffered a ‘hairy’ moment when he completely miss-kicked a through ball which fortunately led to nothing, but after these scares the Woodbridge response was good, with some typically good passing, which constantly threatened to lead to chances but was always thwarted by resolute
defending.
Jack Severy didn’t get enough power or direction on his shot after the Walsham keeper & defender got involved in a mix-up, while Adam Webster was a constant threat, going close on two occasions & Ted Nichols had an effort blocked following a corner, but Walsham held their slender lead going into half-time.
Without creating the same quantity of chances in the 2nd half, Woodbridge dominated possession, but were constantly frustrated by offside decisions (several of which were dubious to say the least!) & when we did get into goal-scoring positions, some excellent covering from Walsham defenders prevented us testing the visiting keeper.
At the other end, Ross & his defenders coped with most that was thrown at them although there were two big escapes when corners led to goalmouth scrambles, which we somehow escaped from?
The patience of our passing, despite being behind for the majority of the game, was rewarded on 83 minutes when substitute, Josh Mayhew coolly tricked his way into the area & found space to slide his angled shot beyond the keeper & in trying to clear the ball off the line & under pressure from another substitute, Ross Nicklin, a Walsham defender could only bundle the ball over the line for the equalizer!
Both teams threatened to grab a winning goal, but it was the 3rd Woodbridge substitute who made the biggest contribution in the dying seconds when Grant Salisbury made a terrific block when it seemed certain that Walsham would score!
Next Saturday, the reserves travel to Felixstowe & Walton for the opening Ridgeons Reserve League Fixture.
Team: Ross, Nichols, Hammond, Toumi (Salisbury 78), Marsh, Lawrence, Severy (Mayhew 61), Oxbrow, Webster, Tatum & Hutton (Nicklin 61).
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