Ely 3 v 3 Peckers
Ely City 3-3 Woodbridge Town
By Rob Binns
Woodbridge Town played out a thrilling 3-3 draw away at 10-man Ely City with all six goals coming in the second half.
Jack Friend and Dean Grogan put Ely in front before an own goal brought the Peckers back into it. Brosnan Jarrett then won a penalty which saw Charlie Congreve sent off.
Luke Mallett equalised from the spot and Evan Bolt put the Peckers in front late on. However, Friend popped up with a stunning equaliser to see the points shared.
The best chance of a quiet first half fell to the home side late on when Ben Smith crossed for Friend who touched it down but dragged his effort wide.
Ely went in front two minutes after the restart when Hamer’s freekick found the head of Grogan. Wilding was equal to his effort but Friend was quickest to the rebound to score.
The home side doubled their advantage in the 55th minute when a lovely cross to the back post required Wilding to tip a header onto the bar but Grogan produced a fancy flick to convert the second ball.
The Peckers got back in it 10 minutes later with a stroke of luck as Schaar’s cross from the down by the corner flag deflected off a sliding challenge and looped over the keeper into the far side netting.
Woodbridge were awarded a penalty five minutes later when Brosnan Jarrett rounded Charlie Congreve and was hauled to the ground which saw the keeper sent off.
Mallett stepped up to take the resulting penalty and slotted it in the bottom left corner to equalise.
The Peckers completed the turnaround after 80 minutes when Callum Harvey broke down the right. His cross was only cleared as far as Bolt who thundered home from 12 yards out.
Ely equalised two minutes later when a long ball out from the back was collected by Friend who checked inside and thrashed an effort in off the crossbar from the edge of the box.
The Peckers had a golden chance to win it in stoppage time when Bolt whipped a brilliant cross to the back post for Harvey who put his finish narrowly wide.
Woodbridge will be hoping to build on the second half performance when they head out on the road again to face Hadleigh United next weekend.
Ely: Congrave, Smith, Tunnell, Harnwell (Cook 86), Grogan, Hunt, Hamer (Drewitt 78), Jenkins, Friend, Mansfield (Key 67), Hida (Castle 86) Unused: Revell
Woodbridge: Wilding, Blackburn (Harvey 78), Mallett, Rea (Jarrett 49), Allen, Bak, Bolt, Southgate, Schaar, Crowe, Keeble Unused: Stannard, Clark