28th August 2021
Stanton vs Southwold Town @ Stanton Recreation Ground - Stanton
Suffolk & Ipswich League (SIL) Division One (Step 8)
14:30 KO
Free entry
Attendance - approx. 40-50
Half-time score: Stanton 1-1 Southwold Town
Goals:
Southwold Town: Williams - 15'
Stanton: Ward - 44'
Stanton: Tarpley - 65'
Stanton: Peskett - 92'
Final Score: Stanton 3-1 Southwold Town
It had been over a week since I was last at a game due to family commitments not allowing me to travel, and because the Tuesday night Thetford Town home tie against Swaffham Town was called off due to Covid, so I was excited to be back watching live football. I decided to go to my first SIL game of the season, and to see Stanton in action, a team I have been interested in for a while, being only a short drive.
The club facilities make a good impression at this level of football, a decent sized car park, a large building with changing rooms and a bar, a well set-up pitch with railings around the perimeter and not one but two shelters, with the one by the dugouts being a decent size, not something you see all that often at this level. It has to be said that the pitch was a bit dry and bobbly, despite the showers in the morning, but it was more than decent enough for a good game of football. Visitors today were Southwold Town, who are a good footballing outfit, and have a club badge familiar to drinkers of Adnams beers (e.g. Southwold Bitter), the famous Southwold Jack figure with his sword, axe and bell. Stanton were top of the league before kick-off, albeit they had played one more game than Southwold, so this had all the hallmarks of an exciting encounter.
Stanton started the game the strongest, and almost got a quick opener in the 3rd minute, a ball crossed in from Ward finding Tarpley who tried to chip the onrushing keeper, however, the angle and position of Tarpley was too awkward and the effort sailed over. Stanton then found the Southwold defence napping in the 13th minute, a free-kick from Pinyoun finding captain Jackson open in front of goal, but he only managed a tame effort that was saved, it was as if he had too much time.
There was a highly controversial moment on the 14th minute, a Stanton through-ball from Mantle found Tarpley, who ran in on the keeper, rounded him and slotted home, only to be flagged offside. All I will say is that I was in-line with this incident and it looked on to me, and the linesman was a Southwold volunteer. The Stanton players were incensed, and in the following passage of play the ball found Southwold player Kye Williams who ran through on goal and blasted home a powerful high swerving strike from around the edge of the box, 1-0 to Southwold in the 15th minute. The Stanton management team were not best pleased to put in mildly.
Despite the controversy, Stanton almost equalised immediately, a long ball from Jackson fired down the left flank found Tarpley who ran towards goal, but having only an acute angle to work with, opted to strike with his right foot directly at the keeper who parried out for a corner. Southwold replied with a good effort of their own in the 20th minute, the No. 8 chipping an inviting ball to the charging No. 11, however, keeper Reynolds just managed to get their first and intercept the ball.
Both teams battled hard, and the pick of the chances for the remainder of the half all fell to Stanton, who were searching for an equaliser before the break. In the 33rd minute, a corner whipped in from Pinyoun flew through the danger zone, and somehow everyone missed the ball, although Ellis was only centimetres away from contact. In the 38th minute, a free-kick from Ellis himself fell to the No. 5 who was open but unable to get his shot off in time. Finally, a breakthrough was made in the 44th minute, a slick Stanton attack was finished by Tarpley laying the ball back to Ward, who did really well to bring the ball down from midriff height, get it under control and make clean contact to strike the ball home for the much deserved equaliser, an excellent fluid goal from Stanton.
Following the break, Stanton again almost came up with an early goal, good skill from Ward down the right wing allowed him the space to unleash a shot from the edge of the box, but his effort was just wide of the far post.
Both team battled hard in the midfield for the next 10-15mins, with neither side able to carve out any good opportunities until the 60th minute when a Stanton free-kick, taken by Ellis, was headed by Jackson, his effort painfully rolled slowly towards the post, but it hit the outside of the upright and rebounded out, only for a Southwold defender to react quickest. Shortly afterwards, a poor Southwold goal kick went directly to Tarpley, but despite his error the keeper looked to make amends, closing down Tarpley, putting him under great pressure and pushing him out to the right of the box, but Tarpley was able to get off a pass to Mantle who was waiting open in the centre of the box, surely all he had to do was hit the target, but he wildly blazed over, under pressure from the scrambling Southwold defenders.
In the 65th minute, all the Stanton pressure finally paid off, good stength and tenacity from Mantle got him into a good position to put Tarpley through on goal, and this time he made no mistake, slicing the ball across the keeper from the right and in, 2-1 to Stanton.
Southwold reacted to going down, and started to press harder, their best chance coming in the 78th minute, a ball from a corner finding the No. 4 on the left flank, who whipped in a dangerous ball and the No. 14 was open for a free header, but was over-stretching and unable to direct the header on goal, a certain let-off for the Stanton defenders who were caught napping.
In the final minutes, Stanton gained the upper hand and began to launch attack after attack to put the result beyond doubt. In the 85th minute, a cross from Smith was headed by a Stanton attacker who was narrowly wide with his effort. Two minutes later, another pin-point free-kick from Ellis was headed powerfully by Jackson, but an acrobatic dive and save from the keeper managed to prevent the captain from scoring today. The 3rd goal felt inevitable, and came in the 92nd minute as Southwold pressed harder for an equaliser. Clarke ran down the left flank, cut the ball back towards the penalty spot towards Ellis, who cheekily performed a step-over dummy that fooled the whole of the Southwold defence, giving Peskett, who was behind him, acres of time and space and he accurately passed the ball into the bottom left corner of the goal to secure the 3 points for Stanton. As more gaps opened up, Stanton nearly put the icing on the cake in the 93rd minute, a through ball from Smith finding Clarke running through on goal, but the keeper came out of the traps quickly and got down low to make the save.
Overall, this was a great contest between these two different styles of football, Southwold Town being a larger more powerful, yet patient and direct team, and Stanton a smaller faster team who like to play the flanks and testing through-balls to chase. On the day, Stanton were the better team and were good for their 2-goal victory. I heard after the game that this was their first win again Southwold for 3-4 years, so certainly a great performance and afternoon for the Stanton boys. With the win, Stanton maintained their unbeaten start to the season, and the top position of the SIL D1 table. I really enjoyed my afternoon at Stanton and hope to be there again one day. I wish Stanton all the best for the next few games, UP THE REDS!!
Line-Ups:
STANTON: Connor Reynolds, Ethan Huckett, Cordell Jackson, David Fletcher, Ben Lyddiatt, Ollie Ward, Tom Pinyoun, Liam Ellis, Blake Huckett, Karl Tarpley, Connor Mantle. SUBS: Dylan Peskett, Vashon Clarke, Matt Smith, Wayne Proctor.
SOUTHWOLD TOWN (not in number order): Tom Marjoram, Aaron Goffin, Ash Varley, Zak Julings, Mike Marjoram, Ryan Coleman, Aidan Reeve, Rowan Van Tromp, Jake Sewell, Jack Malcolm, Kye Williams (No. 10). SUBS: Reece Cleveley, Ben Cook, Robbie Dawson
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