10-man Melford earn gutsy win

Hassan Ally scored the winner as Long Melford extended their unbeaten home run to 8 matches.

The reverse result to the game at Soham, but a similar pattern emerged with Melford having a player sent off in each match.

After recent performances, the first half display from Melford was really under par.

The visitors Soham were better in most areas, and Melford were thankful that at the half time whistle, there were no goals.

The visitors outnumbered Melford on corners, and from two of them Lloyd Groves placed headers wide of the target.

Midway through the half influential Melford centre back Deklyn Roy was the victim of a late challenge from Dempsey Thomas, who rightly was yellow carded by the referee. And after intensive treatment the Melford defender was able to continue.

Soham continued to edge the game with Ryan Sharman and Aaron Hudson always a threat.

No changes for the Villagers at half time, with early on Groves again flashing a header wide for Soham.

Melford were dealt a blow on 52 minutes when after a tangle with a Soham defender, JOSH COLLINS was adjudged to have been the guilty party and was red carded by the referee.

Ten man Melford upped their game and everyone worked double hard and on 61 minutes the goal came.

A great ball played in Ryan Gibbs, his well struck shot ran loose to HASSAN ALLY on the Melford left flank and from the acute angle he rifled home.

The referee then doubled the burden for Melford on 70 minutes when he sin binned Ben Judge, and Melford were down to 9 men for ten minutes.

Great credit to Melford, the whole team galvanised in the face of adversity, and rose to the task with Ben Judge, Lewis Brennan and Deklyn Roy leading by example.

Back on the field of play, Ben Judge was unlucky when his shot hit the post and ran along the Soham penalty area.

No luck for Melford either when most people in the ground noticed a Soham defender using a hand to control in his penalty area, but not given by the referee who must have been unsighted.

Soham pushed for a late equaliser and Jordan Chipps burst through on goal but Melford keeper Max Boulter was out quickly to clear the ball.

This was followed by a flurry of Soham corners but Melford’s sheer hard work under pressure shone through and they secured the win that takes them over the 40-point mark.

LONG MELFORD: Boulter, Smith, Newton, Jackson, Roy, Collins, Ally, Brennan, R Gibbs, Brown, Judge

Subs used: J Gibbs, Whiting-Noakes, Dende,   not used: Boxall, Fairweather