Saturday 29th March 2008
TIPTREE UNITED 2, BLOATERS 0
Yarmouth were left rueing their first half missed chances
after Tiptree rallied in the second half to score twice and thus ensure themselves of promotion to the Premier Division.
After Tom English received his Supporters’ Player
of the Year trophy on the pitch, Tiptree kicked off but it was the Boaters who made the early inroads with three chances in
as many minutes but home stopper Aaron Benstead was equal to the tasks.
Ben Correia’s first touch set Nick Crawley off towards
goal and his pass found fellow-striker Stewart Roach down the left and when he crossed Benstead went down to smother the ball.
Seconds later, young Sam Watts, making his first senior start, found Roach who headed on to Crawley by the corner flag but Benstead
again claimed the cross. The third attack was then halted by a Yarmouth
foul on the edge of the home area.
Tiptree’s first attack on five minutes saw a corner
won off Gareth Palmer whose attempted header back to Elliott Pride was just wide of the post: Richard Manning fired over from
the place kick.
Yarmouth’s good start continued but Benstead kept up his sterling work before Tiptree broke
for Luke Callender to shoot over on the angle. As the leaders attempted to asset some authority, two further
attempts went weakly wide before Callender again put one over after 17 minutes.
On twenty minutes, Steve Taylor won a corner after another
diving save from Benstead but Rhys Darg headed clear. Watts was showing well and forced a
corner in the 22nd minute. The kick was played out to Watts who then crossed only for Benstead to produce a marvellous
fingertip save under the bar; the ‘keeper fell in making the save but recovered to keep out Yarmouth’s attempt to beat him.
A Tiptree corner was then defended grittily by Yarmouth before Taylor produced a wonderful
touch in midfield only for the following pass to Roach being wasted. Watts was then involved again and won a throw from which
Crawley put the ball in the net but the referee blew for a foul that, to say the least, appeared
mysterious from the sidelines.
Yarmouth were certainly more than matching their high-flying
opponents for industry and artistry as Tiptree were coming to terms with a sterner challenge from Yarmouth than they had encountered
at the Wellesley in September. Indeed, the Jammakers had yet to get a shot on target as Gareth Palmer and Toby Gorbould locked
up the middle of the defence.
However, Pride’s big moment was just to arrive as
his 38th minute save from an English free kick was of the highest order; as the ball arrowed towards the top corner
the Bloaters’ ‘keeper leapt across his goal to push the ball over the angle. Just before the break, a Taylor effort had Benstead again scrambling to keep the ball out and
the experienced ‘keeper had to turn smartly to retrieve the half-stopped shot.
HT 0-0
Soon after the restart, 28-goal English, who had had a
quiet first half thanks to the attentions of Palmer and Gorbould, missed a golden chance of opening the scoring, shooting
wide as Pride advanced from goal. But the frustrated Tiptree supporters did not have much longer to wait.
In the 52nd minute, the home side worked the
ball down the right and Callender crossed perfectly onto the head of the on-rushing Jamie Arlick whose flying header from
15 yards beat Pride all-ends-up for a fine goal.
Now, Tiptree picked up their game, started to play like
potential champions and Yarmouth were never the same force
again. Yarmouth picked up two bookings in three minutes but
there was never any danger of the game turning ugly: Adam Sewell was booked rather harshly for a “foul”, though
Johnny Watts was rightly cautioned for spectacularly bringing down his opponent.
Tiptree were now imposing themselves on the game and English
fired wide, but Yarmouth did create a good chance after 65 minutes when Taylor crossed to the far post where substitute Mark
Thompson tried to chip Benstead but the ‘keeper stood firm and clawed the ball down.
Callender headed wide from a Gary Wraight free kick and
all the pressure was coming from Tiptree but Palmer and Gorbould remained strong in the heart of the Bloaters’ defence.
Yarmouth had a rare opening from a Taylor
free kick when Watts’ centre took a deflection but Benstead was
first to the loose ball. Tiptree then wrapped up the points, which ensured promotion, with three minutes on the clock: substitute
Liam Bartley’s enthusiasm gave the ball away in a dangerous area and with the defence already committed English found
himself in front of goal with a chance he could not miss, driving the ball under the diving Pride from 12 yards.
The final chance fell to Yarmouth
but Crawley could not turn a high cross in when well-placed in front of goal.
Yarmouth – Elliott Pride, Johnathan Watt (c), Adam Sewell, Steve Taylor, Gareth Palmer, Toby Gorbould,
Sam Watts (Robbie Oldham 76), Adam Sullivan (Liam Bartley 76), Stewart Roach, Nicky Crawley,
Bruno Correia (Mark Thompson 58). Unused subs: Damon Wise, Carl Hatton.
Referee – A Langsdon (Wivenhoe)
Attendance - 92
