The Robins returned to the ‘Unwin’ to take on our friends from Suffolk, Haverhill Rovers. It was a very cold, wet, breezy and miserable Tuesday evening. Unfortunately the quality of the football to be played, on a very wet and spongy pitch, would not actually warm up the evening much -- but the result would !!! Ely were to start with more absentee’s, Ben Lawrence (ill) and Liam Bolton (unavailable} were missing from Saturdays lineup but at least we had one player back in Nick Impey. Imps slotted into central midfield in place of Liam and Josh Curry went into central defence in place of Ben. This was a very unusual position for Josh C but it must be said that he made a very good job of it. Ian Walters stepped up from the reserves to join Taz Chisango on the bench.
Ely kicked off with the wind in their faces and it soon became evident that it was going to be a dire game, the first half would be so especially. There were a huge amount of long balls going from one box to the other and causing hardly any trouble to the defences. Heads were turning back and forth as though watching a tennis match. The first shot towards goal, came in the 10th minute from full back Kenny Smith, he collected a throw out on the left made a bit of ground and had a crack from about 25 yards. It went wide of the right hand upright but at least it was something for the hardy 64 spectators. (I know it was a nasty night but this is a miserly crowd for a game between these two teams, I think its time for the City of Ely people to get behind the team a lot more)
Straight away Haverhill decieded to have a shot from distance but this went straight in to the arms of home keeper Lee Pacey and then a couple of minutes later he had to come well out of his area to slide the ball away from a Rovers attacker. On 18 minutes Porky Claydon laid the ball off to his left, Richard Chadwick got a low shot away but it was well saved by the visitors keeper, with his legs. Ten minutes later, the only other notable event of the half, a good shot coming in, from distance, from the right, this had Pace diving away to his left to turn the ball behind. The half time whistle blew with no score. This saw everyone very well pleased to be able to get a hot cuppa inside them.
The second period started in a similar vein to the first, long balls and not a lot of constructive work. It was to be one of these long balls that would be the cause of the opening goal and it would be Haverhill who would score it. Again down the centre the ball was sent with the ever willing Rovers front men after it. It appeared it would cause no trouble as Pace slid out to collect, somehow the ball struck his body and rebounded slowly away from him straight to Haverhill’s Elkins. He was able to slip the ball home from 5 yards, from a narrow angle, into the empty net. 0 - 1
It was obvious that Ely were disappointed but after a few minutes they got their heads up again and started to get the most of possession again. On 70 minutes Kenny Smith limped off and was replaced by Ian Walters. The better possession was to pay of in the 72nd minute. Good work done down the right, after the Robins won the ball on the halfway line, Austin Diaper got away and hit a long, very deep cross to beyond the back post, Chads rose well and headed the ball back across the goal and Porky was there to head home from 6 yards. 1 - 1
The game was livening up a bit more now. There was a bit more passion out on the pitch but neither team was really able to string many passes together. On 75 minutes Rovers had a free kick out on the left which found one of their own players but his shot was deflected for a corner on the left. It was swung in very deep, bypassing everyone in the centre, going dangerously towards the back post. Ian Walters went to it to head away and he was grateful to see it hit the outside of the post and go for another corner but it was a ’phew’ moment. The second corner went harmlessly straight into Pacey’s gloves. Taz Chisango then came on for Richard Gammon. Ely were a bit more in the ascendancy but it was to be the 88th minute that saw Imps magic to win the game for the Robins. They were awarded a free kick just inside their own half, this was taken by Lee Pacey, it dropped to Imps. He was about 10 yards outside Haverhill’s box facing his own goal, he brought the ball down well, spun away to his left and lashed a low shot from 20 yards, across the keeper, hitting the inside of the far post and streaking into the net. 2 - 1
The game finished with Ely going forward at the end, Josh B won the ball in the cnetre laid it out to Taz on the right, he did very well and got to the byline before cutting it back to the onrushing Josh, but a defender was able to take it off his toe just as he got to it and the whistle blew for full time.
Yes, it was not a good game, but for a change Ely got the break of the win with a late goal but know how Haverhill feel after suffering the same fate last Saturday but lets hope this win will lift confidence with next Saturdays game to come at Woodbridge.