Half-time: 4-1
Full-Time: 5-2 Scorers: Taylor (4); Portaluri

Elsom; Archer; Thurlow; Christie; Wickson; Stephenson; Tripp; Read; Portaluri; Dimuccio; Taylor. Subs: Baldwin; Church; Hayward

The boys played their final home league game in front of a large crowd and ground out a hard fought 5-2 victory against a well-organised and highly competitive Thurston side, which has been unlucky not to gain the second promotion spot behind Woodbridge.

With Khaled Abdel-Aziz unavailable, Aaron Thurlow was selected to play at centre-half, and when captain Ben Hopkins twisted his knee in the warm-up, striker Jack Christie was asked to deputise in the middle of the defence and although both boys did a good job the defence looked unsettled in the early stages and was struggling to link up with the midfield, who themselves were struggling to compete with Thurston’s central pairing, who were not allowing Laurence Portaluri and Sam Tripp their usual time on the ball. However the team did look dangerous when it moved the ball forward and when Laurence fed Marcus Taylor, he showed his usual composure to dink the ball past the advancing keeper to give Woodbridge the lead. A tactical change saw Matthew Read withdrawn from centre-midfield and the team go 4-4-2 with Jack Christie moving upfront alongside Marcus. Ashley Archer dropped into central defence when he returned to the fray after a knock and Robbie Stephenson dropping back to right-back with Harry Hayward taking his place wide right. This seemed to work and Laurence then added a second with a superb strike from the edge of the area after Sam’s initial shot had been charged down. However Thurston were still pressurising the Woodbridge defence and it was fortunate that goalkeeper Joe Elsom and left-back Ewan Wickson were on song and both boys made several important interventions as the half-progressed. Ewan was also contributing well to attack and his quick throw in the corner found Marcus, who controlled the ball and volleyed the ball into the far top corner. Unfortunately Thurston were given a lifeline, when Ewan and one of Thurston’s central midfielders tangled in the area and although it looked 50:50 when both boys fell, Thurston were awarded a penalty, which was converted. The team were then very grateful to Joe Elsom for a superb save when the opposition centre-forward burst through one on one and Ewan made good ground to stop another break through the middle. Another goal was needed to settle the nerves and Marcus scored his hat-trick goal and his thirty-seventh of the season when he converted a pinpoint cross by Robbie with a brave header. Jack Baldwin then came on at right back to give Robbie a breather.

The half-time team talk made it clear that the boys were somewhat fortunate to be in such a commanding position and that they needed to up their game in the second-half to kill off any threat from Thurston. In fairness the boys did play better and Aaron Thurlow and Ashley Archer grew in confidence and dealt comfortably with the ball through the middle. However the midfield battle was going to be the key and Matthew Read returned with the mission to put in the tackles and harry the Thurston midfield – something he did with his usual relish! Gradually the balance of play was shifting away from Thurston and when Aaron lofted the ball into the area. Marcus challenged the keeper and after Jack Christie’s goal-bound effort was cleared off the line, Marcus was on hand to turn the ball in. Caspar Church was beginning to see more of the ball and he was unlucky to see a shot well held by the goalkeeper. Giorgio Dimuccio came back on and he was linking well on the right with Matty and it looked as though Woodbridge might then run away with things, but this would have been harsh on Thurston, who had competed very well and given Woodbridge one of the team’s sternest tests of the season. In fact Thurston scored a second when the centre-forward headed home a cross from deep on the right and this was probably reward for all their efforts. However Woodbridge had further chances, Jack shot over from close range and Marcus saw a goal bound effort well saved by the Thurston keeper, who had played well all game. However Marcus almost added another when he cheekily back-heeled the ball when nothing else was on, only to see his effort come back off the post – had this gone in it would certainly have been a contender for goal of the season.