Once again we were lucky as the weather was bright but with a slight but very chill breeze that kept us all well wrapped up. Unfortunately the weather had been wet all week prior to the game which prevented any efforts at preparation which really showed as the pitch looked well cut up from last weekend’s game when the reserves played but as they say the pitch is the same for both teams, lets just hope for some improvement over the summer break. Dale Vince sent out what is becoming a consistent team selection with James Heathcote recovering from his sore leg but Liam Smith is still unable to walk on his knee and is waiting an appointment for an MRI scan so he joined the supporters in the Hamilton Smith stand.
A bright start by Debenham saw them earn a corner kick that the visitor’s keeper held comfortably in the first minute and  the play switched from end to end as both teams got to grips with a sticky uneven surface. Brightlingsea had the first chance of the gamin the seventh minute when a corner kick was played into the Debenham penalty area leaving Jake Holman alone in front of goal and he managed to get the ball past Sam Chilvers but as he watched the ball rolling toward the goal Tom Hardwick saved the day by running back and clearing the ball off the goal line. A good run from Ed Cussons led to a corner kick that Ben Green got his head to but the ball sailed over the bar and a free kick for Brightlingsea was wasted when Terry Rymer’s kick went very high and very wide of the goal.
The mood around Maitlands improved considerably after 14 minutes of the match when the ball was played forward by Nathan Vincent to JAMES HEATHCOTE who took the ball into the penalty area, evaded a tackle from a defender, then dribbled the ball around Sam Mansfield in the visitors’ goal and finally shot the ball into the net from an acute angle despite the efforts of two defenders on the line. Another excellent goal from our top scorer, well executed on a difficult surface.
Debenham had their tails up now and we all thought that this might be another victory against a mid table side but Brightlingsea had other ideas.  Debenham did put on more pressure for a while as Ben Green burst forward and his pass into the centre was intercepted with James Heathcote running clear and Ed Cussons put over a teasing cross that was cleared as Ben Green was waiting for a volley at goal but Brightlingsea suddenly started to get some moves going and a ball into the near post was cleared away and a free kick was wasted again as the ball sailed over the bar. It took until the 28th minute for the visitors to get on the scoresheet as ASHLEY SAUKA’s shot from an acute angle was heading for the net as Sam Chilvers got a hand to the ball but it still ended up in the top corner of the goal to make the scores level at 1-1.
Debenham continued to play well with James Heathcote getting into the Brightlingsea penalty area after 30 minutes but he couldn’t get past the third defender and the ball was cleared before the same player was fpouled 30 yards from goal but Liam Bevis’ free kick was straight at the keeper. The 38th minute saw Sam Chilvers goal kick flicked on by Ben Bowler to Ben Green and his pass to James Heathcote saw the front runner’s shot go wide of the mark.
The 41st minutes saw left winger Ricky Griggs take off on a long run down the left side of the pitch and it took a sliding tackle from Nathan Vincent to stop him but unfortunately the referee responded by poiunting to the penalty spot so up stepped TERRY RYMER to shoot the ball into the net past Sam Chilvers who dived the right way but was beaten by the speed of the shot.

Half Time       Debenham LC FC     1          Brightlingsea Regent FC      2
                     Heathcote  14                       Sauka  28
                                                                  Rymer  41pen
Again Debenham started the half in spritely fashion but James Heathcote’s shot when well placed lacked power and was straight at the keeper but Debenham kept the pressure on and a succession of corner kicks saw a number of half chances when we all thought that something might come of the play but nothing materialised and it was Brightlingsea who extended their lead after 59 minutes when ASHLEY SAUKER got his head to the ball at a corner kick and forced it into the net. Brightlingsea were buoyed up by a 3-1 lead and forced another corner that Sam Chilvers cleared with a well timed punch before Tom Hardwick was booked for a vigorous sliding tackle and Terry Rymer had another shot at goal saved.
The 61st minute saw Ben Bowler making progress through the midfield area surrounded by defenders before he was brought down by a late challenge that saw a free kick awarded 20 yards from goal in a central position. The defensive wall arranged itself as Liam Bevis and Ed Cussons discussed the options and it was ED CUSSONS who ran up and leathered the ball towards the goal past the wall and the keeper to flash into the corner of the net leaving the keeper grasping at thin air. A cracking good goal that raised everyone’s hopes that with 20 minutes left we might yet get something from the game.
Both teams made substitutions in an effort to liven up the play but  there were not any clear chances for either. Ben Green was lively and made a number of runs that failed to produce a chance and Ashley Sauker will be disappointed with his effort at goal as he ran into a good position. Debenham saw another free kick awarded just 20 yards out near the end of the 45 minutes and we all hoped for another blockbuster from Ed Cussons but this time he didn’t make good contact with the ball and his effort failed to trouble the Brightlingsea keeper. The visitors did have a chance to extend their lead and settle their nerves after 93 minutes but Jamie Clark’s effort was saved by a brave challenge from Sam Chilvers and the game ended with the Hornets once again held at home by a team that they were hoping to beat.
Not the best team performance after the highs of last week but the pitch at Maitlands certainly doesn't help Debenham’s style of play and the visitors’ game plan worked out well after a bright start from the home team.

Final Score                     Debenham LC FC      2           Brightlingsea Regent FC    3
                                     Heathcote  14                          Sauker  28 59
                                     Cussons  61                             Rymer  41 pen

Referee           Mr A. Pope    Assistant Referees    Mr D Packer   Ms J Withams

Attendance     72

Debenham LC FC         Chilvers, Kemp, Cussons Capt, Barker, Hardwick, Bloom, Bevis, Bowler, Vincent,
                                    Green, Heathcote   Substitutes  Wake, Johnson, Seccombe, Rickwood, Beaton
Cautioned                      Hardwick

Brightlingsea Regent FC Mansfield, Brough, Baker, Wallis, Hughes, J. Holman, Clark, Joseph, Rymer,
                                     Sauker, Griggs     Substitutes  Kelly, Hill, Gould, Webber, S. Holman