After the awful sticky conditions of the weekend we were all very pleased to see the pitch at Maitlands looking firm and flat after the dryer conditions allowed the use of  a roller which was used across the width and length of the grass and really improved the quality of the playing surface. The weather was unseasonably mild but with a chilly breeze from the south west.
The Hornets were without the services of Marc Wake who acquired an injury during the warm up for Saturday. Ben Bowler was on the bench as George Johnson was drafted into the right full back slot allowing Rob Kemp to bolster the midfield area.
Debenham started the game looking lively as Ben Green won a tackle and ran for 50 yards with the ball before a tackle near the visitors’ 18 yard line halted his progress and after 3 minutes a corner kick was headed on into the Godmanchester penalty area where Tom Hardwick’s effort at goal went wide of the post.
The crowd was stunned after 5 minutes of play as the visitors took the lead when a cross from Paul Bass was dropping onto the Debenham six yard line for MIKE HYEM to launch himself  into the air and execute an overhead volley that screamed into the top of the net giving Sam Chilvers in the home goal no chance of making a save. A terrific goal if you’re a Godmanchester fan but one that the player will probably not emulate ever again and a hard blow on Debenham who had been playing well in the opening stages of the match.
Play was pretty even for a while as both teams sized up their opponents and it was the home team that gradually began to impose themselves on the game.Ben Green was prominent making ruins from deep into the centre of midfield and James Heathcote made himself space on a couple of  occasions but each time his shot was gathered by Rob Mackney in the Godmanchester goal.
The visitors won a corner kick on 14 minutes that was headed over the bar and 2 minutes later Ed Cussons was forward making a pass up to James Heathcote but he scuffed his shot which was saved.
Debenham were now dominating the play in midfield by their industrious chasing and tackling but were not able to create clear chances in the penalty area where the visitors’ defence formed a strong barrier. Ed Cussons was finding space in his left back role that enabled him to get forward and supply a series of crosses and passes from the left side but nothing would fall for a yellow shirt despite a lot of effort and some nice passing football.
Sam Chilvers was clearing his area well by punching the ball and taking high crosses above his head and in truth he wasn’t troubled by the visitors’ forward line who were also finding it difficult to create clear chances.
On 28 minutes the Hornets had their first real chance of the game when after a good run by Ben Green the ball was fed to Ed Cussons who crossed into the centre of the visitors’ penalty area where Liam Bevis’ shot was blocked and the ball ran clear for Nathan Vincent whose shot at goal was beaten out by a point blank save by the Godmanchester keeper.
A succession of free kicks to Debenham ended with Ed Cussons and Liam Bevis trying their reverse pass routine but the lay off in the box was cleared buy a defender. Kevin Barker was looking very lively in a defensive midfield role making tackles and stopping the visitors getting forward and the half ended with Ed Cussons haveing a shot at goal from 35 yards that the keeper gathered comfortably.

Half Time    Debenham LC FC   0     Godmanchester Rovers FC   1
                                                        Hyem   5

Godmanchester came out of the blocks for the second half and applied pressure to the Debenham defence but the home back line stayed firm and kept them out. A number of corner kicks were dealt with by the Hornets’ defence or wasted by the visitors’ forwards but after 61 minutes fortune, or something like it, smiled on the visitors as they were awarded a penalty kick. A Godmanchester attack was getting nowhere up the left side of the pitch as a forward player took the ball into the Debenham penalty area to be faced by George Johnson patrolling his right back berth. As George made to send the player toward the by-line away from the centre of the pitch there was minimal contact between the two which caused the Godmanchester player to throw himself to the ground as if hit by the proverbial truck and fling his arms in the air appealing for a foul. In any other area of the pitch the referee might probably have ignored the event but in this instance he deemed the appeal valid and pointed to the spot. To say that we were all amazed is a huge understatement as the incident was hardly worth even a free kick, but the referee saw fit to award the kick which was duly dispatched by PAUL BASS to increase the visitors’ lead.
Debenham were stung by their apparent bad luck and began to get back into the game with Ben Green and Nathan Vincent prominent and it only took 4 minutes for the Hornets to reply. On 65 minutes a corner from the right side was cleared to Rob Kemp who crossed into the box only to see the ball headed high up and way by a defender but the ball fell for George Johnson to loft another ball forward. This time it fell to James Heathcote whose shot at goal was blocked by the keeper but he couldn’t hold on to the ball and it ran free for NATHAN VINCENT who reacted quickest to force the ball home and reduce the arrears.
Debenham had the advantage as they applied pressure to the Godmanchester defence but a series of crosses and passes were mopped up by the visitors’ defenders and as if someone had written the script after 82 minutes Godmanchester broke away from another Debenham, attack and fed the ball quickly through midfield to JAMES HALL who ran into the Debenham penalty area on the left side and unleashed a powerful shot across Sam Chilvers that made the net bulge and restore the visitors’ two goal advantage.
Debenham were stunned, after all their effort, but they didn’t give up and it was on 87 minutes that substitute JACK SECCOMBE collected the ball on the left wing before making a run into the centre of the pitch, evading two tackles and as he approached the 18 yard line he sent in a shot that the keeper got his hands to but couldn’t stoip and the ball ended up in the Godmanchester net to make the scores 2-3.
A very good first senior goal for Jack and congratulations to him but alas it was too little too late as the game ran out and it was Godmanchester who ended as the victors to progress to the semi final of the competition.
Good luck to them but it was very disappointing to see Debenham have the major part of the play for long periods but be unable to turn possession into real chances

Full Time      Debenham LC FC   2     Godmanchester Rovers FC   3
                   Vincent  65                     Hyem   5
                   Seccombe  87                Bass 61 pen
                                                       Hall  82

Referee         Mr K Theobald    Assistant Referees   Mr J White   Mr N Woodward

Attendance   81

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

Godmanchester Rovers FC  Mackney, Ling, Hyem C, King, Moran, Hurst Capt, Hyem M, James, Hall,
                                           Bass, Furness   Substitutes   Hurst, Brocket, Adioski