Felixstowe & Walton United FC

COGGESHALL TOWN  2 - 1   FELIXSTOWE & WALTON UNITED 

Seasiders defeated on the road

Felixstowe & Walton United fell to defeat at Coggeshall in a game of few chances, Josh Hitter will claim his deflected free kick equaliser on the stroke of half time, but the home side claimed their first league win this season with a 79^th minute winner.

Injury hit Felixstowe began a run of three away games in a week as they visited former Thurlow Nunn rivals Coggeshall Town in the Isthmian League North this afternoon. Joe Whight, Jordan Matthews and Callum Bennett were all missing for The Seasiders, Sam Nunn returned to the side after the leg injury suffered at Canvey Island a fortnight ago, Noel Aitkens continued his comeback from injury, whilst new Ipswich Town loan signing Harry Knock started in defence.

The first half set off at a fairly slow pace with neither side able to create too much. Josh Hitter had the first chance of the game on 15 minutes, his lovely volley being tipped over the bar by the goalkeeper before another spell of stop start football, played mainly in the centre of the pitch. There was controversy on 32 minutes when Zak Brown was bundled to the ground inside the penalty area but the referee ignored the appeals for the foul, much to the disgust of the large away following from Suffolk. Three minutes later and Zak Brown was again in amongst the action, this time finding himself one on one with the goalkeeper, who managed to get a foot in the way of Brown’s shot. The home side had their first real chance shortly after, Sam Bantick with a good chance from an angle but the ball was scrambled clear. Lamell Howell saw his curling shot just go over after a good run from Armani Schaar but the it was the home side who then took the lead, Sam Bantick firing home when through on 45 minutes. Just when it looked like Felixstowe would go in behind at half time, an equaliser came in the fifth minute of added time, Josh Hitter curling in a 25 yard free kick, although an apparent deflection led to the home side announcing it as an own goal.

Neither side could impose themselves on the game for the first half an hour of the second half, Felixstowe looking fairly comfortable at the back with Harry Knock in control, and perhaps looking the side most likely to create a chance. As the game entered the final fifteen minutes it was the home side that suddenly sprang to life, Callum Robinson doing well to keep out a sharp strike after a free kick, but then could do nothing as Jermain Francis put The Seedgrowers in front for the second time on 79 minutes. Ollie Canfer saw his header firmly held by the keeper but it was Coggeshall who held out for their first league win of the season.

Seasiders Manager Stuart Boardley spoke after the game. “I’m really disappointed, I felt we were by far the better  side for the first half, missed out on a stonewall penalty and probably should have gone in at half time with a lead, let alone the 1-1 that was the least we deserved. Second half we came out and huffed and puffed and the game looked like it was just going to peter out but a defensive error from our side of things gave them the 2-1 win. We are really struggling with injuries and literally down to the bare bones of the squad at the moment, we’ve just got to get through the next few games and get as many points on the board as we can and then hopefully some of those players will come back to fitness and allow us to push on.” Boards went on to say. “Harry Knock has come in from Ipswich Town and he did very well for a young lad in what was probably his first test of competitive men’s football, he was a shining light and did himself proud in what was a tough game against a good side. We’ve now got a tough game on Tuesday at Hullbridge, there are no easy games in this league and we need to prepare well. There will be a few aches and pains after today but we need to get over that quickly and be as prepared as we can be. We’ll go into the game with the mentality that we will go and win it and hopefully we can get a good result”.

Match report by Stuart Daynes

Photos by Thomas Bradford

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