Wednesday 23rd April 2009 –

Ridgeons League Division One CUP FINAL

(after extra time) at Woodbridge 

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Diss Town 1 Hadleigh United  0

Match Report - Tony Collins

Diss lifted some silverware at the end of a season that Manager Rob Taylor described as ‘a bit up and down’ as a late extra time winner from 17 year old George Wilson secured The Ridgeons League Division One Knock Out Cup at Woodbridge. He was full of praise for his team, ‘the fitness of our players was strong against a team that has been promoted’. Indeed, Hadleigh had completed a league double over The Tangerines, but there was little to choose between the two teams on the night.

The early play switched from end to end with Ben Soanes just wide for Diss and Matty Hill out to block from Pat Fleming at the other end.  George Wilson shot high and a Steve Wright header was kicked away from near the goal line with much of the Diss danger coming from Danny Partridge down the left. Hill collected an on target Dean Tourney-Godfrey shot in the 31^st minute but he was beaten on the edge of his penalty area ten minutes later by a Chris Williams turn. However, the impressive Stuart Jenkinson got back to clear the danger.

Dave Adams was caught trying to control a hurried clearance from Hill in the 56^th minute. Fleming moved clear and his shot hit a post. This seemed to spark Diss into action and they had the better of the attacking play through to full time. Adams was only just unable to reach a flick from Soanes at a 72^nd minute free kick. Two minutes later Ed Cussons had a low 22 yard shot pushed out by Luke Whitwell and he was supported by his defence to scramble the ball away for a corner. Five minutes from time Cussons and Soanes were both on target with shots.

With no goals scored the match went into extra time. Hill was out quickly to block as Chris Dennett took advantage of a slip by James Wilson. It was such a close match that the first substitution came 14 minutes into extra time. Diss made their only change five minutes later when Mark Shadrack, recovering from a deep cut above his left eye, replaced Wright.

Four minutes from time a superb run by Partridge took him from his half of the field, beating defenders and hitting a shot from 15 yards out that dipped over Whitwell and went just a foot too high. A minute later came the winning goal. Shadrack played a perfect pass for George Wilson to take, run forward and hit a perfect low shot from 22 yards out into the right hand corner of Whitwell’s net to start celebrations for the Diss supporters as their team won a trophy for the first time since 2005.

Diss team: Matty Hill, Stuart Jenkinson, Ed Cussons, James Wilson, Dave Adams, George Wilson, Steve Wright, Jake Berry, Danny Partridge, Ben Soanes, Jason Hunt.

Diss subs: Steve Best, Mark Shadrack (for Wright after 19 minutes of extra time), Danny Jones, Terry Minshull and Scott Thaxton.