Due to a number of Under 18s representing the 1st team in the League Cup against Diss, it was a very young squad, including James Fulker & James Churchill, making their debuts as were the Under 16 quartet of Adam Sturman, Jack Lawrence, Jordan Seaman & Ashley Holmes. 

The home team started strongly, whereas Woodbridge were all over the place in the early stages, but Lewis Rhodes made two fantastic close-range blocks & also had his crossbar struck with a header from a corner. There was a half chance for Adam Webster & Churchill spurned a great opportunity to give Webster a ‘tap in’ but he made a hash of his final pass, but it was still the home team who looked most likely to score with Rhodes pulling off two more good saves, while Ted Nichols & Sturman also made vital late clearances.
Despite the overall lack of quality in the Woodbridge play, substitute Lawrence had the clearest chance of the game when he got 1v1 with the Watton keeper, who produced a point blank save, something he repeated from Grant Salisbury minutes later. 

Just when it looked like they would go in unscathed from a terrible 45 minutes, Woodbridge were hit with a double blast! Firstly, Watton counter-attacked from a Woodbridge corner & their extra man landed on a ‘nod down’ & managed to round Rhodes to score, before an injury time corner was inexplicably left by Mo Rahman & the ball ricocheted past Rhodes & over the line.

There was new urgency in Woodbridge’s play from the opening moments of the 2nd half with 15 year old substitute, Jordan Seaman heading a good chance over & fellow 15 year old Lawrence also testing the keeper. Largely, it was Woodbridge in control, although Watton still possessed a threat on the break. Indeed, Rhodes produced one magnificent tip-over & then dived bravely at a striker’s feet. Rhodes was beaten when Watton broke in the 70th minute & although he saved a point blank shot, the ball squirmed over the line.
Immediately, Woodbridge pulled a much-deserved goal back when Rahman & Tatum combined to send JACK LAWRENCE through to side-step the keeper before scoring. This prompted 20 minutes of incessant Woodbridge pressure, which included some mouth-watering quick passing! Unfortunately, Rahman sliced a good chance wide, Lawrence was denied by the keeper’s legs & then by an agile save where the rebound somehow eluded Seaman, while Marsh forced another save from a header & Webster & Tatum wee denied by last-gasp defending.
However, time ran out & the result of a sub-standard 1st half performance & switching off on the stroke of half-time to conceded two goals is all too evident in the league table, which sees last season’s champion, rooted near the bottom! 

Team: Rhodes, Fulker (Holmes 61), Sturman, Webster, Nichols, Marsh, Salisbury (Seaman 46), Tatum, Mayhew, Churchill (Lawrence 24) & Rahman 

It is back to FA Youth Cup action on Monday when March visit in the 2nd Qualifying Round, although the Eastern Junior Alliance Under 18s are in action at Chelmsford City on Sunday.