Home defeat to Woodbridge

It is rumoured that some four leaf clover plants are being brought to the Skyline Networks Stadium, as to date Melford Manager Liam Joyce, has scored zero on the scale of good luck and fortune.

Again injuries played a part, from the game at Hadleigh the previous Tuesday night, superb young keeper Jayden Smith was ruled out with a dislocated shoulder sustained at Hadleigh, central defender Harry Stoneham was ruled out with a knee injury and the influential Ben Judge was abroad on a family holiday.

Keeper Harrison Crowther came in from Bishops Stortford, and in defence Tiwa Odafuye joined The Villagers.  With striker Ryan Gibbs still on the injury list, Errol Stewart came in to make a promising debut. On the bench was promising 18 year old Sujah Orridge, who was playing until recently in the West Indies.

It was a good game of football with each team playing at a fast pace.

The powerful long throw of Melford defender Greg Birch caused some early problems for Woodbridge,  but at the other end after nine minutes, Joe McNeil was close with a rasping shot.

On sixteen minutes Woodbridge scored but it was ruled offside Melford forced several corners and twice Errol Stewart came close.

On the restart from half time Melford kicked towards Meetings Field end with the breeze at their backs. Within two minutes they had an excellent chance when Stewart found space but fired over the Woodbridge crossbar, an excellent chance.

The game fluctuated from end to end with the Woodbridge  wide men always a threat to the Melford defence

The game was at a  zero scoreline  until the 60th minute when, the world came tumbling down for Melford.

Melford defended very well and when  McNeil latched onto a through ball twin central defenders Campbell and  Adeyemi tried to halt his run. The tackle by Campbell brought the Woodbridge player down, and initially the referee deemed it to be a free kick just outside the area. Then upon consultation that was upgraded to a penalty and the unfortunate Campbell (from the Melford perspective) was then red carded by the referee.

The penalty was then converted by LIAM ABLITT. Not many people round the ground were convinced that this was correct decision by the official, but this scribe will leave it to others to debate those points.

It certainly impacted upon Melford and they yielded two further goals,  a free kick from  LIAM ABLITT after  73 minutes and a third goal  minutes from the end  from  LUKE MALLETT with an angled drive from the Woodbridge left flank. Funny old game Football!  CHENOBERET

LONG MELFORD: Crowther, Fenton-Jones, Odufuye,  Birch,  Campbell, Adeyemi, Jackson, Chinnery,  Stewart,  Brown (capt) O’Byrne

SUBS: Ayiteyfio, Pheby, Charway Jnr, Humphreys, Orridge