Saturday 11th October 2008

Norfolk Senior Cup 3rd Round

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Match Report by Derek Nevitt

Diss and Downham met for the second time this season at Brewers Green Lane and despite both teams scoring early in the game there was no winner for the right to an away 4^th Round tie at Rob Taylor’s former club, Dereham Town, on Saturday 22^nd November (kick off 3pm). It meant a Tuesday replay and the away league match at Gorleston will have to be re-arranged.

The Tangerines were caught cold and with only 52 seconds on the clock a Tim Kavanagh cross got tangled between Brendan Foley’s feet and Danny Foulsham pounced on the loose ball scoring from close in to give Downham a shock 1-0 lead as the Diss supporters were stunned into silence.

 - Mark Shadrack takes a free kick in the first half -

Luke Catchpole had The Tangerines first real effort minutes later when he fired over from 18 yards as the shock of going behind so early seemed to jolt the home side into gear. The equaliser came on 11 minutes when Danny McKail’s superb run down the right from just inside the opposition half saw the Diss wide man square the ball for Ben Deacon on the edge of the penalty box and without hesitation the inform striker shot towards goal. His shot was kept out by a cracking block by Matty Hails. However, with the ball seemingly going to sneak past the far post Andy Moody arrived late and bundled the ball over the line for the equaliser.

Both sides had further opportunities in the first half. Kavanagh watched anxiously as his effort flew over the crossbar, then Deacon sent over a cross for Leighton Miller to challenge at the far post but a clash of heads between the Diss player and Tom Doy resulted in a slight hold up before Wayne Anderson’s free kick from the right touchline was headed just wide of the target by Pat Yeats in time added on.

- Substitute Steve Best goes close with a header just past the post -

The second period would prove to be frustrating for Rob Taylor’s side as Diss threw all they had at Downham. Their resilience was stubborn but it was a Foley free kick that sparked the half into action when keeper Hails lost the ball for a moment in the sun but managed to tip over in the 51^st minute. McKail was beginning to run the show down the right side of midfield and it was his majestic ball into the path of Deacon, whose first touch allowed the ball to run away, and have his shot blocked by Hails. McKail was very unlucky not to score when his deft chip went just wide of the far post. Downham began to back pedal and were looking to defend in numbers but this nearly all went wrong after man of the match McKail’s free kick was headed on at the near post by Steve Wright but with the ball bobbling around Alan Birch almost had an embarrassing moment as the ball deflected off his shin and on to an upright.

- Robert Taylor holds a team talk before the Extra Time period -

With the tie heading for extra time Diss began to throw pretty much everything at the Downham defence and with less than ten minutes remaining Wright missed an unbelievable sitter eight yards out after Danny Partridge set him up after a super run down the left. With time running out McKail’s shot across the area saw Steve Best lunge at the ball but Yeats was able to bundle it away for a corner.

With only two minutes of added time remaining Wright blew the chance of a life time when he got his legs all tied up and failed to put the ball into an empty net from less than four yards out.

Diss team: Ashley Smith, Gavin Pauling, Mark Shadrack, Brendan Foley, Kevin Leggett, Leighton Miller, Danny McKail, Luke Catchpole, Ben Deacon, Andy Moody, Danny Partridge.

Diss subs: Steve Best (for Deacon 72 mins), Steve Wright (for Moody 57 mins), Ed Cussons, Danny Jones (for Miller 93 mins) and George Wilson.

Attendance: 132.

Match Sponsor: A.J. Harvey, Painter and Decorator of Wreningham (phone 01508 488312 or 07742 157128).

The rest of The Norfolk Senior Cup 4^th round draw was:

Fakenham v Loddon, Wroxham v Sprowston Athletic, Gorleston v North Walsham, Sheringham v Thetford, Yarmouth v Acle, Norwich United v King’s Lynn Reserves and Holt v Hindringham.