Big Ben strikes!

Ben Humphreys scored the winner in a hard-fought basement battle against Kirkley & Pakefield.

This was billed as the match that Melford had to win, and they did.

The old description of “kick and  rush” was an apt title, add the ingredients of difficult conditions and some curious decision making from the officials, and you have what was a very poor match.

Both sides lost players to a red card. After what was more like a karate type like challenge to the head of Jake Jackson, the Kirkley skipper Ben George was shown a straight red card by the referee.

After an 8^th minute yellow card, Melford skipper Jacob Brown was shown a second yellow on 77 minutes for a late challenge and then red carded.

Most people lost count of the yellow cards issued, added to by at least two sin bin episodes! Not good to highlight the officials, but that is how the game was, and reporting has to be independent and truthful.

Not very much to report on the football side. Melford had a good chance on 17 minutes when Ben Humphreys was through on goal, but the ball took a right angle bounce at the crucial moment (roller needed!) and the chance was lost.

For Kirkley, Jerrell Barbor fired over the bar and late in the game Kieran Hagan fired in the from the angle with the ball narrowly evading the Melford far post.

From their champagne performance earlier in the week against Woodbridge, and without injured forwards Ryan Gibbs and Harry Brown, one piece of excellent footballing magic won the game for Melford.

On 61 minutes Melford were awarded a free kick inside their own half, skilfully taken by Josh Collins and directed to Ben Judge on the left flank, a good run and cross from Judge and the ball finding BEN HUMPHREYS at the post to slide the ball home.

So a deserved victory for Melford, that hoists them above Kirkley and Ely in the table, and now onwards to the encounter away at Hadleigh  this coming Tuesday at 7.45pm, hopefully Melford will get back to the champagne performance style.   CHENOBERET

LONG MELFORD: Walker. J Gibbs, B Judge, Jackson, Collins, Dongray, Humphreys, Whiting-Noakes, J Brown (capt), Davies, Wingfield

Subs used: C Glover, O Judge, Brennan, Ally   not used: Roy

• Congratulations to the Under 23s who won away at Framlingham 6..1, following an earlier victory of 9…1 against Wivenhoe. Goal scoring machines!

Photo credit: Benie Davies