Team: Elsom; Archer; Abdel-Aziz; Christie; Kekwick; Hayward; Dimuccio; Read; Tripp; Church; Portaluri. Subs: Marshall.

Half-time 0-1

Full-time 5-1

Goal scorers: Tripp (2); Portaluri; Dimuccio; Hayward

Woodbridge Town Under 11s (Sunday) secured the league title with three games of the season remaining with a deserved, but hard fought victory over a strong Honington Foxes team. Today was a victory for the whole squad and was particularly pleasing given the fact that the team was without four boys, including captain Ben Hopkins, who between them have scored around eighty goals in all matches. Unavailability meant that the starting line up saw striker Jack Christie drop into central defence alongside Khaled Abdel-Aziz and Giorgio Dimuccio move into central midfield with Laurence Portaluri playing upfront. The team knew that victory would secure the title and began well, but in a closely contested first-half chances were kept to a minimum. Woodbridge played some nice one and two touch football and Laurence became more and more influential as the half progressed, linking well with Harry Hayward, who was to have one of his best games of the season. Caspar Church was also taking up some good positions on the left, but the ball wasn’t finding him as much as was needed. However just when it looked as though Woodbridge were getting control of the game the referee over-ruled an offside flag and Honington’s main striker ran through and finished with power and precision. The boys’ response was magnificent and they never ever let up even though they were not getting the rub of the green.

At half-time we talked about remaining patient and that chances would be shaped by breaking quickly up the Melton slope and early in the second half this was to prove the case. A Honington attack was broken up by Jack Christie, who had a phenomenal game, and the ball was delivered to Laurence, who played a perfectly weighted pass into the inside right channel for Sam Tripp, who had covered some forty yards, to take the ball onto the edge of the area and put the ball by the advancing keeper. Sam, who was ably supported by Matthew Read, was also winning the midfield battle, and he was nullifying the threat posed by another of Honington’s key players in the middle of the park. However the next goal was going to be vital and Joe Elsom made a superb reaction save at his near post to keep the score at 1-1, and Honington had a chance ruled out for handball. The game was certainly exciting and one of the best seen at Melton this season. Joe also made two other very good saves to maintain Woodbridge’s advantage.

Kieron Marshall was introduced to give Harry a breather and he was involved in a move that saw Laurence shoot narrowly wide, but a momentum was building and the passing was getting sharper and more incisive. Giorgio Dimuccio played in Laurence, whose first time shot was well stopped by the opposition goalie, but Laurence wasn’t going to be denied his 36^th of the season and he finished well after good work in central midfield. Suddenly it was all Woodbridge and with Jack and Khaled dealing with everything played down the centre and Ashley Archer outstanding at right-back, Honington began to lose belief and it was no surprise when a third goal was added. Giorgio gathered a fumble by the goalie and showed great close control to dribble around the keeper and roll the ball into an empty net.

This goal gave the boys more and more confidence and with Harry returning to the fray and playing off Laurence and Giorgio moving to left-midfield more chances were created. Sam Tripp, who was obviously delighting in playing against his former team mates then ran onto Laurence’s through ball and sold at least three dummies before passing the ball into an unguarded net and then Harry completed the scoring with a goal reminiscent of many he scored last season.

This was a terrific team performance and although the final score was hard on Honington, who had played some good football themselves, the victory was well-deserved and shows how the whole squad has come on this season. This win was one that shows the belief and the spirit that the team has developed this year. Congratulations boys.