11th February 2025
Mildenhall Town vs Newmarket Town @ The Riverside Stadium - Mildenhall
Isthmian North Division (Step 4)
19:45 KO
£10 entry
Attendance - 290
Half-time score: Mildenhall Town 0-1 Newmarket Town
Goal:
Newmarket Town: Lee - 45'+4'
Final Score: Mildenhall Town 0-1 Newmarket Town
This evening saw a big local derby take place, as Mildenhall Town faced Newmarket Town. Both teams are geographically close and both secured promotion from the Thurlow Nunn Premier last season. Whilst Newmarket Town appeared to struggle initially, they have turned their form around and are currently just above the relegation zone. Mildenhall Town have fared slightly better, keeping above the drop zone and occupying a middling 14th position before today's kick-off. I went to a game between these sides last season and it was a cracking game, so I was hoping for more of the same. Before the game it was announced that Josh Lee had returned to Newmarket Town from a brief stint at Maldon & Tiptree, and it must be remembered that he also previously led the attacking line at Mildenhall, so big news!
On the way into the ground I picked up a printed programme for £2 and noticed that this was a rearranged fixture from early January.
Mildenhall are famed for their footy scran, so having missed dinner I grabbed a homemade cheeseburger, delicious, filling and flavourful, very nice.
It was a chilly yet calm evening with a decent crowd in attendance, including a large section of young Mildenhall fans behind the goal, great to see so many youngsters getting behind their local team. Under the floodlights, Mildenhall Town lined up in amber and black with Newmarket Town in their away blue kit.
KEY MOMENTS
MT = Mildenhall Town
NT = Newmarket Town
4' - MT - Mildenhall free-kick deep along the left-flank. Tommy Robinson steps up to take it and goes for goal, the effort is heading into the far-side of the goal but is cleared off the line by Ben Robinson.
16' - NT - Conway is threaded in down the right, he drives into the box and shoots at the near-post, Pope is equal to the effort to make the stop and the follow-up from Joe Robinson is pulled wide.
16' - MT - Mildenhall immediately go up the other end, Thulborn chases a bouncing ball and is in, his effort on the half-volley brilliantly saved by the alert James Young who closed down the space rapidly.
34' - NT - Conway crosses the ball into the box from the left, he finds captain Oscar Dean whose headed effort is directed wide of the goal.
39' - MT - Mildenhall Town awarded a free-kick in a perfect position. Herd takes the set-piece and goes for goal, his effort is sweetly struck and for a moment the ball looks to be heading into the top right corner, but it zips narrowly wide of the mark.
45'+4' - NT - GOAL (0-1) - Newmarket attack, the ball drops to Josh Lee just outside the box, and on his return game he hits the ball on the volley with the outside of his boot, and it loops and dips into the far-side of the goal to leave Pope rooted, incredible strike out of nothing to give the visitors the lead with the last kick of the 1st half.
93' - MT - A tough, battling half, with few chances created by either side. Newmarket with a few half-chances and Mildenhall struggling to break the Newmarket back-line as they played uphill. In the dying moments Mildenhall carve out the best opportunity of the 2nd half, Herd with a cute ball curled into the box, substitute Alfie Connor sprints forward and is on the end of it, he powers in a strong header and it looks like its heading in, but somehow Young makes a fine reaction save to direct the ball just wide of the upright, and in the process securing the win for The Jockeys.
A game of few chances, but nevertheless an enthralling watch as these two evenly matched teams battled it out, but despite the best efforts of the attackers the defenders were largely on-top. The only goal came from a moment of magic from the returning Josh Lee, an incredible strike out of nothing, ultimately proving the difference between the two sides. On balance Newmarket deserved the win, they defended better and carved out more half-chances, and with three more points secured they move further away from the drop zone, so a huge evening for them. Great support from both teams added to the atmosphere, and had Mildenhall scored the place would have been rocking, so it was a shame that this did not come to fruition. All that is left to say is that I wish both clubs the best of luck with the rest of the season.
Line-Ups:
MILDENHALL TOWN: Josh Pope, Jordan Chipps, Johnny Herd, Luke Butcher (C), Joshua Collins, Jonathan Kaye, Ben Nolan, Callum Anderson, Ryan Swift, Tommy Robinson, Thomas Thulborn. SUBS: Adam Capel, Alfie Connor, Seth O'Neill, Ollie Hughes, Darryl Coakley.
NEWMARKET TOWN: James Young, Joe Robinson, Will Gardner, James Chivers, Ben Robinson, Jake Eady, James Moore, Efraim Romanos, Josh Lee, Ally Conway, Oscar Dean (C). SUBS: Jacob Mingay, Clinton Frank, Kacper Brzozowiec, Tom Williams, Isaac Maynard.
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