Tonight at the Unwin The Robins saw local rivals Mildenhall Town arrive for an important league match. The Robins had won only one league game in the last 10 and the visitors were also having a poor run winning only one in the last 7, so the three points up for grabs were very much needed by both teams. This was a big local derby for the two teams so it was a very very big disappointment to find that only a paltry 56 paying customers were at the ground. It was a cold night but this is a poor indictment for local football.
The pitch was a bit boggy and bumpy so football on the deck was always going to be difficult and that was the way it went for the evening. Dave Wilson was to start a league game for the first time since his pre-season game injury. Ely were the first to get away, an attack down the left with Porky Claydon getting a head on it but with no power, a defender cleared but only to Liam Bolton 25 yards out. Unfortunately Bolts effort was always rising and it easily cleared the bar by a distance. The Hall went forward a couple times but the Robins got the first corner after 5 minutes. Pope in the visitors goal dealt easily with it as he did with most during the night. It was fairly even for the first quarter of the game. On 25 minutes Lee Pacey had to be alert to get down low to his left to hold a shot and then 6 minutes later Luke Parkinson got away down the left, his cross was deep to the far post, Chris Sterecki came galloping in from the right and managed to connect with the ball but Pope diving to his left managed to make a very good save.. This was followed by another left wing attack, the cross this time was to the near post, but was poked wide by Taz Chisango from close range.
It was now Mildenhall who should have taken the lead, on 34 minutes the Ely defence was static against midfielder Paterson’s run into the box but his lob was just wide. Three minutes later it was striker Wood who got away down the middle, as he raced into the box Pace came out, Wood rolled his shot past him but Sam Parkinson did excellently to get back and hook the ball off the line. The end of the half saw Ely finish on two consecutive corners but again they came to nothing and the break came with the game goal-less.
Ely started the half with two more corners but it was Mildenhall who would strike first. In the 48th minute a ball went out to Wood on the right, the Ely players appealed for offside but the Assistant did not raise his flag like he should have done (I was level with Wood but the Assistant was not ). Wood cut into the box and shot just inside the near post from 12 yards. Ely continued to appeal but the Ref allowed the goal to stand 0 - 1
Ely went on the attack and a cross from the right saw Luke Parkinson head wide. Not to be denied the Robins got the next goal on 53 minutes. They were awarded a corner on the right, this time it was much better, it went deep to the back post, Ben Lawrence got up and headed it back across goal and Adam Murray headed it powerfully home past the stranded Pope. 1 - 1
Two minutes later another Ely corner, this time from the left, headed goal wards, cleared towards the right, Taz put it back into the mix, a bit of head tennis before the ball went out for a goal kick. Another two minutes and another Hall ball out to the right, the player made ground and put in a teasing cross which beat the retreating defenders and Blake was able to slide the ball into the net from close range. 1 - 2
After this it was mainly Ely possession but the Mildenhall defence stood firm. Ely huffed and puffed, put in a lot of effort but did not really carve out any real clear chances. On 75 minutes Josh Curry came on for Bolts. A minute later, again a corner on the right but this time Mussa under pressure from the keeper and a defender headed wide. The Hall still looked to break quickly but did not put Pace’s goal under threat. Ely were still getting most of the possession and trying to get into the box from long throws and set pieces. On 85 minutes Kenny Smith came on for Dave Wilson but although Luke Parkinson had a fierce drive go just wide in the 90th minute there was no more score and it was Mildenhall who pocketed the points.