FA Vase heartbreak

Long Melford fell agonisingly short of victory at higher league Clapton in the FA Vase – in front of an estimated crowd of 500.

By any statistic applied to football Melford should not have lost this game. But sometimes the games reflect injustice in the result.

The Old Spotted Dog Ground has been transformed since the Community takeover from the Brewery ownership and the birth of a new Community Football Club Last season the Club won promotion to Step5 of the  ladder.

Despite a large boisterous partisan crowd complete with drumming section,  Melford always looked to be the better team. but costly first half misses were to be the ultimate downfall for Melford.

Suddenly the frenetic drumming backdrop was momentarily silent when on 49 minutes a low corner from Jack Graham from the Melford left flank found   JACK BRAME in a ground hugging position to  bravely head home.   

Then as the game wore on Melford went into a defensive  mode and the killer blow came on 98 minutes when the effective FRED TAYLOR fired home from the right wing angle.

Melford immediately forced 4 corners on the trot, with the ball somehow avoiding the Clapton net.

Then the dreaded penalties and Melford lose out 5…4. Rough justice it might be! CHENOBERET

LONG MELFORD: Moye. John, Garza, Brame, Bell, Knights, Graham, Whiting-Noakes, Salisbury {capt), Twinn, Conway,

Subs used: Gledhill, Glover, Oughton