Today was to be the game between the birds, The Robins against The Woodpeckers but in the end it would be the angry birds, the anger being directed at a very poor Referee.
The Robins flew down the A14 to the far side of Suffolk, to play Woodbridge Town at Notcutts Park in this picturesque little town on the River Deben. It was a very cold afternoon, there were still bits of snow laying about the edges of the pitch, and although the pitch was obviously wet it was in good condition. It looked like it would be a tight game, the teams were next to each other in the League Table before the game started and this was exactly how it turned out. Ely, down to the bare bones of the squad, changed their shape playing 4-3-3. Richard Chadwick dropped into left back as Kenny Smith is now out for 8 weeks with a knee injury. This saw Josh Bridgeman Josh Curry and Liam Bolts playing in central midfield with Austen Diaper and Nick Impey out wide and Andrew Claydon ploughing a lone furrow down the middle. Ben Lawrence had recovered from illness so joining Adam Murray in central defence with Chris Sterecki at right back.
The game kicked off in front of a sparse 60 odd crowd and as usual Ely went straight on to the attack. The first minute, a long throw from Ben, about 10 yards from the goal line, it goes straight in to the centre of the box as Mussa goes for it he is sent sprawling, penalty!!! - no the Ref waves play on. Another minute, another attack, this time down the left the cross comes in towards Josh B but he fails to get his head on it when he should probably have done better. Another minute, a free kick at the halfway line taken by keeper Lee Pacey, he pumps it up into the left hand side of the penalty box, Porky Claydon gets his head on it, across the goal he nods it, towards the far post, a defender, Trotter, gets underneath it and his header goes into his own net 1 - 0
Ely well on top, going forward, 7 minutes ball into Porky about 15 yards out centre of box, he is brought down, tackled from behind just as he was about to shoot, looks like a penalty!! Well to most people, no play on again. 10 minutes another good move, Imps moves the ball in to Porky in the box again but this time he is unable to get it under control. The clearance sees Woodbridge play a long ball in that Pacey has to make his first save but it is an easy one. Two minutes later the Woodpeckers Gilfedder gets in a good shot but Pace made a good save down low. 17 minutes Tino Diaper and Imps combine well but the home keeper saves well. Chads collects a ball from Porky but his effort from the left is wide. Its now end to end with long balls two minutes later the home teams Hubbard gets on the end of a ball over the defence but he guides his effort wide of the right post. Both teams trying to get the ball long, on 23 minutes an Ely cross from the right out for a corner, this is headed out for a second one which is then headed over by Mussa. Woodbridge are trying to play it out from the back and with only Porky up front they always have a man spare and so they can do it. On 31 minutes Bolts slides in for a tackle on the ground, he is a bit late and catches the home player. The Ref. brandishes a yellow card with all of Woodbridge shouting for red which it was not. The free kick was easy for Pace. 38 minutes Shrecks got in a good cross but Porky was not able to connect. It was 44 minutes the Woodpeckers had a corner out on the left Mussa going to clear comes into contact with Gilfedder they both hit the deck, Penalty says Ref !! looks very soft. Ben Lawrence sees yellow for arguing with the man in black and Scopes gives Pace no chance with the spot kick. 1 - 1 that’s half time
The second half starts, they get in the first shot but its dealt with by Pace, Josh C wins ball in centre circle lays it out to Imps who travels into box but the home keeper does well to turn it round the post for a corner. Tino is the next one to get off a shot but its wide. It was fairly open Woodbridge got away down the left and allow the cross was over Pace the ball was turned away for a throw before it was cleared. On 71 minutes they were awarded a free kick out on the left about 30 odd yards out. Gilfedder got in a cracking strike that flew into the top left hand corner of the net 1 - 2
Ely were going to have to work hard on 73 minutes Josh B was another shown yellow for ‘discussing things with the Ref’ It was 76 minutes and a as good as a goal to equalise as you will see. Tino was put away down the right and he got in a long deep cross, Porky was running along the edge of the 18 yard box. He was actually beyond the left hand post, he rose and got his head to the ball even though he was under pressure from a defender, he looped the header back over the keeper into the top right hand corner of the net, brilliant 2 - 2.
It was quite end to end now Tino was going through the middle and appeared to be brought down!!! No the Ref shows him a yellow card for ‘diving’ 80 minutes. 81 minutes Richard Gammon come on for Bolts and Ely go 4-4-2 Woodbridge break down the left but the shot is saved at the foot of the left post, seconds later, again down the left cross comes in and the attacker heads on to the bar and it rebounds away. On 89 minutes Josh B wins the ball on the halfway line carries it forward plays in Imps but his low shot is saved by the keepers foot as he came out. 92 minutes that’s game over, not a particularly good one but under the circumstances of the way it was handled I should think that a draw was a fair outcome