Felixstowe & Walton United FC

 FELIXSTOWE & WALTON UTD  2 - 1  GREAT WAKERING ROVERS

 Canfer at the double as Felixstowe win in the Buildbase FA Trophy

Felixstowe & Walton United progressed to the second qualifying round of the Buildbase FA Trophy with a 2-1 home victory against Gt Wakering Rovers. A second half brace from Ollie Canfer was enough to secure a home tie on 17^th October against Westfield, a team from Woking who play at step 4 in the Isthmian South Central league.

The Seasiders supporters who braved the horrendous weather conditions witnessed a debut for Leon Ottley-Gooch in midfield, with Henry Barley and Lamell Howell also returning to the starting eleven against a side that had held Felixstowe to a goalless draw last Saturday in the Isthmian North opener in Essex.

For the first 58 minutes of this game, a repeat of that score line looked a distinct possibility. Neither side creating much in the way of chances and both teams struggling to make any real impact in the final third.

After nearly an hour of uneventful stalemate, Ollie Canfer broke the deadlock with a fine goal, meeting Stuart Ainsleys pinpoint cross with a stooping header that he diverted past the goalkeeper. The goal certainly livened up the home side and two minutes later it should have been two, great running from Henry Barley set up Miles Powell in a central position but his shot was straight at the keeper. On 62 minutes it was Barley again causing problems for Gt Wakering, crossing for Ollie Canfer to head towards goal, only for a defender to pop up and clear off the line. Canfer was again close to increasing the advantage a minute later as he saw his curling effort from the edge of the box sail a foot wide of the far post, but he was not to be denied his second goal of the afternoon on 69 minutes, firing into the bottom corner from close range after Henry Barleys effort was well saved by James Scamell.  Felixstowe were having all the chances and it could have been all over on 73 minutes, a scramble in the area led to some frantic clearances from the visitors defence as they struggled to contain a lively Felixstowe side.

As often happens when a team is well on top, a lucky goal for the up-to -now subdued visitors was then to change the complexion of the game.  An 82^nd minute Martin Tuohy shot taking a cruel deflection off a Felixstowe defender to wrong foot Robinson and reduce the deficit. Nervy moments were ahead as Gt Wakering sensed an equaliser and a penalty shootout. A free kick on the left was whipped in and Tuogy could only watch on as his excellent header cannoned off the Seasiders post. That was the closest Rovers came to levelling the tie and it was Felixstowe who held out for the win, their first ever in the Bulidbase FA Trophy.

Speaking after the game, Seasiders boss Stuart Boardley was delighted with the win, but not so much with the performance. “A good win today, but we are less pleased with the performance, we showed our battling qualities and game management today, although perhaps could have been a bit better towards the end, and our football wasn’t as good as we played last week against the same opposition. The goal settled us down and then I felt we really got hold of the game and we were comfortable for a long period, probably until the last ten minutes when they scored and then of course it gets a bit nervy, but that period in and around our goals we were really comfortable and we controlled the game and should have been probably three or four goals up before they scored. “

Felixstowe are back in action this week with a quick-fire league double at the Goldstar Ground, AFC Sudbury the visitors on Tuesday evening, followed by Coggeshall Town on Saturday afternoon.

Match report by Stuart Daynes

Photos by David Francis

Team Line-Ups Here

Photo Gallery here