Felixstowe & Walton United FC

 MALDON & TIPTREE  3  - 0  FELIXSTOWE & WALTON UTD

 SEASIDERS FALL TO FIRST LEAGUE DEFEAT 

  

 

Second place Maldon & Tiptree ran out convincing 3-0 winners against previously unbeaten Felixstowe & Walton Utd. Adam Vyse was the star man for the Jammers, his hat trick taking his tally to five goals in the last three games. Felixstowe had their chances in a game where they were always second best, but struggled to really test the goalkeeper.

Felixstowe were missing Miles Powell through illness, whilst Sam Nunn and Leon Ottley-Gooch were back in the starting eleven after being rested for the 6-2 Suffolk Premier Cup victory at Brantham in midweek. The star of that evening, four goal George Clarke was again on the bench as he works his way back to full match fitness.

 

The away side were as always well supported at a bright but chilly stadium that managed to avoid the heavy rain that affected other games closer to home during the afternoon. Felixstowe were making a reasonable start to the game, looking quick and lively in a fairly even opening to the match, Henry Barley could have put the away side ahead after 11 minutes, poking the ball past the goalkeeper who was wrong-footed but he managed to correct his positioning and smother the ball. It was the home side who took the lead after 13 minutes, Felixstowe lost the ball in midfield and a neat one two created space for Adam Vyse to strike a sweet finish into the bottom corner from 20 yards. The Seasiders were struggling to make any real inroads into the Maldon defence during the first half and were restricted to mainly set pieces, but unlike many games so far this season, the quality of the set pieces was not sufficient to trouble Maldon’s tight defence. Maldon were close to a second midway through the half when a long range effort was well tipped over the bar by Callum Robinson in the visiting goal. Sam Nunn did head straight at the goalkeeper from a corner but the half ended with a one goal lead for the home side. The talk at half time amongst the supporters was that whilst we hadn’t created too much, a one goal lead for the home side was narrow enough that a way back into the game was possible.

 

Felixstowe did start to create chances in the second half, the best of which came on 52 minutes, Henry Barley with some great play on the wing and crossing for Armani Schaar whose stooping header agonisingly hit the foot of the far post and Lamell Howell following up from close range could only fire the ball over the bar amidst desperate defending from Maldon. The Jammers hit the post from what looked to be a cross shortly after and then effectively made the game safe on 64 minutes when Adam Vyse was on hand at the far post to deflect in a scrappy goal after Robinson had struggled with a swirling cross into the box. There was a hint of an own goal but Vyse was awarded his second goal of the afternoon. He didn’t have to wait long to complete his hat trick, converting from the penalty spot after a trip in the area. Robinson again cleverly tipped a long range strike over the bar as Maldon threatened to move further ahead. Ollie Canfer and Lamell Howell had similar chances as the game petered out, both forcing their way into the box but shooting straight at the goalkeeper on each occasion.

 

 

 

Seasiders Manager Stuart Boardley was disappointed after the game. “We were in the game for long periods but felt we just didn’t show enough character to be brutally honest, it’s a harsh thing to say about your own side but we huffed and puffed and we really didn’t get hold of the game like we would have liked to and three errors led to three goals. Maldon didn’t outplay us, for large spells of the game it was very equal but they took their chances, we made three mistakes and they defended very well. Games in this league come down to fine margins but at the end of the day Maldon were better than us today, sometimes you have to hold your hands up and say well done to them and move on. We could have equalised just before their second goal and that could have changed the game but I just didn’t feel like we showed the character that we have done of late and that was the

most disappointing thing for us.” He went on to say. “We were missing a few loud characters that lead by example and get into people and I think we were a little bit too quiet and a little bit too nice if I’m honest. That’s disappointing because I felt coming into today’s game that we had a real chance here today to turn them over.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Match report by Stuart Daynes

Photos by Thomas Bradford

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Team Line-Ups Here

Photo Gallery here