After a week of uncertainty not knowing whether or not Town would get a team out this week they finally set of for an away Essex premier cup tie at Manford Way with a bare 11 players and 2 subs comprising WBB and an overweight, unfit, greying, 50+ has been. The good news was the return of "The Warrior" Ready the bad news was the absence of Matt Macedo, Ben Stone, Grandy & Taff from the previous week making a grand total of absentees 9 !!!!

Town, for the first time in weeks, started the brighter of the 2 sides and were soon into their stride playing some neat and attractive football. At the back the return of Ready shored up the defence, who along with Flighty & Lodgey looked solid. In midfield young Brad Merrick started superbly and Stuart Dallaway did an excellent job in an unaccustomed role: centrally Mark Neal and Andy Allen established complete control. Up front Cooky held up the ball and brought other players into play superbly and Polley looked lively and dangerous. So things were looking good and Towns first real chance came after 15 minutes when Polley skipped past the last Manford Way defender and was unceremoniously dumped to the floor for a free kick 25 yards out - the referee thought it sufficient to give the defender a "talking to" despite clearly being last man and the free kick came to nothing. At the other end Chris Neal had a couple of awkward long range shots to deal with which he did excellently on a very wet skiddy surface. After 22 minutes Town deservedly took the lead; Brad Merrick played an excellent cross field to Polley who's first touch was instant - he then sent the Manford Way defender about 3 different ways before hitting a stunning right foot shot from fully 25 yards that flew into the top corner - 1-0. Town then nearly added a second when Cooky turned and fired of a shot that was well saved by the Manford Way keeper, and Polley just failed to convert the rebound. Stuart Dallaway then went on a powerful run down the right wing and his cross, come shot, struck the bar with the keeper beaten. Disaster, in the form of yet another injury, struck 5 minutes before half time when Andy Allen, who, along with Mark Neal, had dominated the midfield pulled a thigh muscle and it was obvious he would not return for the second half.

More of the same please was the order of the second half whilst accepting that with the enforced changes and trying desperately to fit round pegs into square holes, this wasn't going to be easy. On a positive note the injury to Andy allowed Dave Kelly (WBB) to make his eagerly anticipated debut and complete his meteoric rise from Assistant WBB to star striker. I am sure there was a tear in his eye and you could almost see his heart thumping with pride as he crossed the touchline for the first time in his snug fitting yellow shirt. The second half started and straight away Town were under the cosh and after 10 minutes Manford Way drew level when Town conceded a needless free kick on the edge of the box. The free kick was neatly placed wide of the wall into the bottom corner -1-1. It was virtually all one way traffic now but Polley then earned Town a penalty when he hauled down from behind but unfortunately his spot kick was saved so the scores stayed level. 10 minutes later Manford went ahead when a ball played into the penalty area skidded on the wet surface and struck Flightys arm for a penalty that was converted emphatically into the roof of the net 2-1. Town were really up against it now and it was difficult to see them getting back into the game but they really didn't help themselves by constantly giving the ball away and just inviting pressure. They then conceded a third when a cross from the half way line found a Manford Way player 10 yards from goal, completely and utterly unmarked, and he scored with a looping header - 3-1. The game ended 3-1 to Manford Way who deserved their victory and we wish them well in the next round.

To be fair to the players the second half was incredibly difficult and its hard to be too critical : against the strong breeze Polley, with a groin strain, was operating at 50% fitness, Cookys (quite clearly a player of real quality) knees were feeling the strain, Headon has many, many qualities but a holding midfielder probably isn't one of them but you couldn't fault his effort, Ready, who after several weeks out needed a more gentle introduction and was visibly and understandably tiring, and then there was Dave Kelly who despite displaying commitment, movement, touch and vision to rival the very, very best was left isolated by poor service from his less illustrious team-mates but should be commended for a Herculean effort and all we can ask is that he doesn't get frustrated by his team-mates inability to provide him with the sort of service he demands. After the game, and his third sausage sandwich WBB proved that fame hadn't changed him when he collected the subs and for this reason he clearly is player of the match this week.

My thanks to Mark Neal & Ben Polley for all their efforts during the week in raising a team and to Cooky for helping us out at short notice.

El Col