4th May 2024
Old Newton United vs Leiston St. Margarets @ Church Road - Old Newton
Suffolk & Ipswich League - Senior Division (Step 7)
14:30 KO
Free entry
Attendance - approx. 50
Half-time score: Old Newton United 2-1 Leiston St. Margarets
Goals:
Old Newton United: Kawaguchi - 40'
Leiston St. Margarets: Eagle - 43'
Old Newton United: Reynolds - 45'
Leiston St. Margarets: Parker - 59'
Old Newton United: Park - 63'
Old Newton United: Reynolds - 83'
Old Newton United: Oakley - 90'
Leiston St. Margarets: Crush - 92'
Final Score: Old Newton United 5-3 Leiston St. Margarets
With Thetford Town's play-off final postponed and indeed even their place in it under threat, I decided to go and visit a new club, with Old Newton United, near Stowmarket, looking the best option for me. Not fancying the A14 I went the back way through Walsham-le-Willows and past Bacton United 89's ground, some very picturesque Suffolk villages in this part of the world.
It was of course a big day for Suffolk, as Ipswich Town were vying to make it into the Premier League for the first time in 22 years. Being a Suffolk village, the clubhouse was full of Ipswich Town fans as they watched their team bring home a 2-0 win, and with that their place in the Premier League, congratulations all round. Although I support neither Ipswich or Norwich, I now hope Norwich City can make it through the play-offs, who wouldn't want to watch the East Anglian derby in the Premier League, will put the region on the map for sure!
It was a fine and sunny spring afternoon, that saw Old Newton United line up in yellow shirts with blue shorts, with Leiston St. Margarets in red shirts with black shorts.
KEY MOMENTS
ONU = Old Newton United
LSM = Leiston St. Margarets
3' - LSM - The pacey No.9 takes the ball down the left wing and cuts in past the defenders and into the box, the keeper is out quick and the shot at the near-post is saved by the keepers leg and out for a corner.
32' - ONU - A 1-2 between Oakley and Park splits open the Leiston St. Margaret defence and sees Oakley through on goal, but his shot from just inside the area is hit over the bar, opportunity wasted.
40' - ONU - GOAL (1-0) - The hosts get the opener towards the end of the first half. Reynolds is fouled inside the Leiston St. Margarets half and his quick thinking sees him take the free-kick quickly, the defence are caught napping and the through-ball puts Kawaguchi in on goal, in acres of space he takes his time and calmly slots the ball past keeper Kyle Sore.
43' - LSM - GOAL (1-1) - Leiston St. Margarets get a quick reply, courtesy of a very soft free-kick deep along the right flank in the Old Newton United half. Eagle steps up and with his left foot he whips the ball into the danger area, the ball bounces, evades everyone and flies into the far side of the goal. Old Newton United were sure to feel hard done by with that one!
45' - ONU - GOAL (2-1) - Old Newton United make amends just before the first half comes to a close. Kawaguchi finds Reynolds down the right wing, he cuts past the first defender, drives into the box evading multiple challenges before blasting a low left-footed strike into the net from 15yrds, wonderful solo effort displaying great skill and an excellent finish!
59' - LSM - GOAL (2-2) - A strong start to the second half sees Leiston St. Margarets eventually peg Old Newton United back again. A corner ball is cleared as far as Eagle, he drives through the left side of the box with the defenders fearful to challenge or else concede a penalty, this allows him to get to the byline and square the ball across the box, where captain Parker is able to slide the ball in unchallenged at the far post.
63' - ONU - GOAL (3-2) - Similarly to before, Old Newton United are able to quickly reinstate their lead. The No.2 switches the ball to the left, a deft touch from Oakley sees him pluck the ball out of the air and get goalside of the defender, he then picks out Park inside the box who controls the ball, then turns and shoots, his powerful strike beating Sore at his near post.
83' - ONU - GOAL (4-2) - It is end-to-end stuff, the next goal proving crucial, and it goes to the hosts. Park attacks down the left, gets to the byline then cuts back to Oakley whose first time side-footed effort is driven in at the near-post, keeper Sore makes the stop but the deflected ball falls to Reynolds at the far-post for an easy close range tap-in, surely sealing victory for Old Newton United.
89' - LSM - Captain Parker dinks a ball over the back line to release the No.11, he has a go from just outside the box with the outside of his boot as the ball bounces, it is well struck and has the keeper beaten, but it hits the crossbar and down, the wrong side of the line and the keeper is eventually able to collect.
89' - ONU - A fast counter-attack is set-off, culminating in Reynolds hitting a venomous strike from outside the box but it rises just above the bar, on target it would have gone in for sure.
90' - ONU - GOAL (5-2) - Old Newton United are able to embellish the result with a 5th, courtesy of a fine solo effort. Oakley turns and strides forwards from the left, the pitch opens up in front of him and from 20yrds he cracks the ball past Sore and into the side netting, no chance for the keeper!
91' - LSM - Leiston St. Margarets push for a consolation goal to sign-off for the season. Eagle steals the ball deep on the right flank, he has a go from distance and his looping effort is beyond the reach of the keeper and crashes into the bar and out.
92' - LSM - GOAL (5-3) - Leiston St. Margarets get their consolation goal, substitute No.14 lifts a high corner ball just in front of the penalty spot, defender Crush gets on the end and powerfully heads the ball into the net. Moments later, the full time whistle is blown, bringing and end to the 23/24 for these two clubs.
What was a relatively uneventful first 40mins turned into an end-to-end game with goals galore, the Old Newton United attacking force of Reynolds, Oakley, Park and the Kawaguchi proving the difference with some fine goals. The win sees Old Newton United leapfrog Leiston St. Margarets to clinch 12th place. Despite there being not much to play for, both sides really went at it, especially in the 2nd half, and this made for an entertaining afternoon of football. All-in-all, Old Newton United is another great village football set-up, set in a nice large park with an attached clubhouse serving drinks and showing live football on the big screens, I do enjoy visiting places like this. I both teams all the best for the 24/25 season.
Line-Ups:
OLD NEWTON UNITED (alphabetical): Joshua Grant, Arben Kastrati, Joji Kawaguchi, George Knight, Ross Myhill, Alex Oakley, Calvin Park, Samuel Reynolds, Thomas Smith, William Smith, Ashley Thompson. SUBS: Mathew Ager, Christopher Alcock, Jack Bent, William Brown.
LEISTON ST. MARGARETS: Kyle Sore, Jake Addison, Ben Crush, Thomas Mansfield, Jack Dennis, Ryan Eagle, Sammy Lawson, Matthew Dunnett, Harley Mouser, Stevie Parker (C), Thomas Newport. SUBS: Rajiv Forrester, Kyle French, Miguel Silva.
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