Despite the long lay off due to snow etc, the appetite shown by the players in this game was refreshing and when combined with the good football they played, the only surprise come the end of the game was that we only scored twice!!

Kick-off had been brought forward and the game switched to the 2nd pitch at Notcutts Park due to the overnight rain but we started well and put our visitors under pressure from the off. Pearce had the first chance with the Debenham keeper spreading himself well to thwart him, but the deadlock was broken as early as the 6th minute when a nice passing flowing move cut through Debenham and was finished off well by Seaman into the bottom corner. Chances continued to rain down with Pearce going close on 3-4 occasions, Baillie at least twice, Heathcote twice and one or two others going begging to the point where I was starting to lose the will to keep jotting them down. To conclude if you have not got the sum of the first half is that the Debenham goal led a charmed life at times in the half and they were relieved to go in at halftime just one down.

Although spirited and dogged, Debenham came up against a side playing well and the pattern of the game did not change much in the second half. Young Cole for Debenham looked isolated at times up top for them and must have looked enviously at the other end of the pitch as we continued to fashion opportunities. Having said that we were indebted to a fine reflex save from Rhodes from close range on 50 minutes tipping over which proved his only save of the game when the score was just 1-0. An equaliser then may have brought about a change of fortune, but it proved to be a nice little warning for us. We then stepped up a gear and we finally got the second midway through the half with a great turn and run from Heathcote seeing him blitz past the static backline before firing high into the net for a nice solo goal. Once more had we been more clinical more goals would have been scored with Baldry going closest having rounded the keeper only to be thwarted by a last ditch tackle by the defender and a stone wall penalty not given on Pearce who was tackled either side by 2 players with neither getting the ball!! Baillie should have scored himself to reward a good individual display but twice shot wide after great individual skill and Seaman was bright throughout and also was denied. A good team display from all and probably the best display of the reserve campaign so far this season. Just a shame they didn’t add to their tally to reward their dominance.
Team- Rhodes, Baalham, Fulker, Clouting, Barton, Hammond (Baldry), Heathcote, Seaman, Baillie (Acland), Nicklin (Smith), Pearce. Unused sub- SMY