Tuesday 30th September 2008

Ridgeons League Cup Preliminary Round

MOCO TRAVEL

Web Design

Match Report by Tony Collins

Diss Town travelled to Crown Meadow to take on The Ridgeons League Premier Division leaders Lowestoft Town in the opening tie of this season’s Ridgeons League Cup. The game was much closer than the final score of 4-1 would suggest in front of another large and noisy home crowd. Kevin Leggett came into the Diss starting line up in pace of Ed Cussons as Manager Rob Taylor decided to play five men at the back to try to keep the game tight.

Lowestoft started strongly and took the lead in the 6^th minute. A cross from the left was powerfully headed in as Ali McKenna rose five yards out. Mark Camidge was forced to dive to hold a 30 yard Carl Poppy shot as the home crowd, used to seeing their team win this season, called for further goals. However, Diss were finding that they had more time on the ball than they are used to in Division One and played some good passing football in the last 20 minutes of the first half. Danny Jones was just high from 20 yards after James Wilson won the ball and released Ben Deacon to run at the defence and after Luke Catchpole had beaten two defenders Deacon was narrowly wide with a curling shot. A good attack down the left wing in the 31^st minute saw Brendan Foley force Andy Reynolds to dive to his left to tip a 30 yard shot away for a corner.

Camidge made an important save in the first minute of the second half to keep out a shot from Richard Woodrow after a free kick from Poppy was blocked. Diss counter attacked and Partridge released Catchpole to have a shot easily gathered by Reynolds. Within the next five minutes the game seemed set to turn in favour of The Tangerines as they equalised and Lowestoft were reduced to ten men. Deacon released Luke Catchpole to run through in the 49^th minute and bide his time before guiding his shot past Reynolds. He could only watch on as the ball rolled on to a post and back into the waiting arms of the goalkeeper. A minute later Ben Deacon cut out a weak back pass and rounded Reynolds before slotting home from eight yards out to make it 1-1. Within two minutes The Trawler Boys were reduced to ten men as referee Shon Meale ruled that Dale Cockrill had stamped on the prone figure of Jones near the half way line.

Wilson protested his innocence after the match that although he had jumped with his arms raised the ball had struck his head in the 56^th minute. However, a penalty was awarded and Woodrow made it 2-1 from the penalty kick. With a quarter of the match to go the impressive Deacon was replaced by Osiris Gomes with Leggett pushed further forward. Lowestoft now had more space and exploited it with two more goals. In the 70^th minute Wilson played the ball well short as he attempted to find Camidge. McKenna challenged for the ball near the goal line and having won the tackle was able to walk forward and shoot in from close range. Eight minutes later Bradley Hough burst through from the centre circle and having drawn Camidge forward made it 4-1 with a low shot.

Diss Express Man of the Match: There were impressive midfield displays from Danny Jones and Luke Catchpole but Mark Shadrack looked at home against better quality opposition than he has been used to this season. He used the extra time he was afforded to his advantage to control the ball, look for options and play some fine passes into space. When called upon he was always in position to break up or block Lowestoft attacks.

Diss team: Mark Camidge, Gavin Pauling, Mark Shadrack, James Wilson, Brendan Foley, Kevin Leggett, Danny Jones, Luke Catchpole, Ben Deacon, Danny Partridge, Andy Moody.

Diss subs: Steve Best (for Leggett 83 mins), Osiris Gomes (for Deacon 66 mins), Ed Cussons and Leighton Miller (for Foley 83 mins).

Attendance: 365.

Diss Town Reserves have been drawn away at Cromer Reserves in The Norfolk Junior Cup 2^nd Round tie. The match will be played at Cabbell Park on Saturday 18^th October with a 2pm kick off. Cromer Reserves play in The Dolphin Auto Anglian Combination Division Three. Diss Under-9s have a home friendly match against Wymondham on Sunday (kick off 2pm).