Washed away on the Norfolk coast

Long Melford stay 8th in the table despite falling to their heaviest defeat of the season.

In Nelson’s fair County, Melford met their Waterloo (or should we say the Battle of Copenhagen under Admiral Hyde Parker of Melford!) at the hands of Sheringham, on this the Villagers first visit to Weybourne Road.

With Melford producing one of their poorest displays of the season, the Shannocks had the locals buzzing with some fine football.

Despite a reasonable first half in which Melford hit the bar and post with two headers, and lead by a ratio of three to one on corners, two sloppy mistakes allowed the home team to go in at the interval two goals to the good.

The opener came on 21 minutes, central defender Billy Wenn was allowed to run from the halfway line to the Melford box unchallenged, and his neat pass found TIM CARY to fire into the net.

At the other end Ryan Gibbs and Frederico Dende worked hard but could not find that elusive finish.

Full back Charlie Holmes saved Melford on 32 minutes when he headed off the line a goal bound shot.

Just as spectators moved off for their mug of tea at the end of the half, further disaster for Melford when Jamie Smith chased a loose ball down the Sheringham right flank, Melford keeper David Leader dashed off his line some 25 yards, JAMIE SMITH won the race, took the ball round the keeper and slotted home from an acute angle.

Before the tea mugs had emptied for the second half start and on 48 minutes JAMIE SMITH put the home team three goals to the good. The home team certainly had a game plan in the windy, sticky underfoot conditions long ball achieves over passing, despite the hesitant lines man’s flag for offside, the goal was allowed to stand.

On 55 minutes Melford got a goal back replicating the Sheringham modus operandi, a long ball over the top from Lewis Brennan, and the battling RYAN GIBBS fired home from six yards.

Any hope of a Melford comeback was soon stifled when on 66 minutes the best player on the pitch the much travelled, experienced and excellent JAMIE FORSHAW fired home via the underside of the bar.

On 85 minutes another long ball saw JAMIE SMITH outpace the Melford defence for his hat trick and crown a great day for the Norfolk team.

A day Melford will hope was a temporary blip in a season in which they have generally excelled.

LONG MELFORD: Leader, Holmes, Judge, Jackson, Waugh, Collins, Dende, Brennan, R Gibbs, Brown (capt), Wingfield

Subs used: Whiting-Noakes, J Gibbs, Ally, Newton    not used: Humphreys