Ipswich Town FC have had an arrangement with Ipswich Wanderers FC to play  some of their lower tier games at Humber Doucy Lane and they have obviously invested in the pitch as the playing surface looked lush, green and even and invited passing football. With a pleasantly mild autumn evening to enjoy the game the Hornets supporters assembled to greet their heroes.
After an even opening the home team won a free kick on the left side on five minutes which was swung over by DANIEL SPENCER into the Debenham Penalty area which was packed with players jostling for position but no-one got a touch on the ball as it flew through the six yard box and nestled in the far corner of the net to give the Wanderers the lead.
We had hardly taken breath when a refereeing decision prompted uproar in the visiting supporters and coloured the progress of the game. Debenham played the ball out of defence and a sweet through ball sent Adam Rickwood sprinting clear of the home defence and heading for the penalty area when Wanderers centre half Jeremy Eason made a cynical tackle as he ran across Adams feet and made enough contact to cause Adam to stumble and fall on the edge of the penalty area. The Hornets fans roared for a dismissal as Adam was through on goal with a clear scoring opportunity but to everyone's dismay the referee failed to do his duty and took the easy option of producing a yellow card for the defender. A clear example of how refereeing decisions can affect and upset a game as the visitors should have played the remainder of the game with a man advantage but all they got was a free kick that Jack Severy sent high over the bar.
It didn’t take long however for the travelling fans to be cheering as a free kick after nine minutes was only partially cleared from the Wanderer's box and when the ball was played back in ADAM RICKWOOD had his revenge by placing a shot high into the corner of the net past a rooted goalkeeper to make the scores level at one goal apiece.
Debenham started to use the excellent pitch to good advantage as their passing game forced the home defence onto the back foot but a clear chance failed to materialise until 22 minutes when a free kick was played across the six yard box where Lee Bloom launched himself to make a full length diving header that flew past the post and wide of the goal.
Wanderers made runs at the Hornets defensive line but were unable to get through and they had to resort to shots from long range as Lee Bloom, Shaun French, Ed Cussons and the impressive Ross Hutchings formed a solid defensive wall. Debenham kept attacking and were playing entertaining exciting football that was eventually rewarded on 40 minutes when ADAM RICKWOOD intercepted a defender’s pass after a free kick and coolly lobbed the ball over the keeper to give the Hornets the lead despite claims that he had handled the ball in the build up. And the fun didn’t stop there as Adam Rickwood burst into the home box again and was tripped by a defender leaving the referee with a very easy decision to point to the spot after 47 minutes. MARC WAKE stepped up to place the penalty kick wide of the keeper’s dive to give the Hornets a deserved three goals to one lead. Just before the break Adam Rickwood again ran clear of the home defence up the right wing and was taken out by a cynical hip-high tackle by the goal keeper who again was very lucky to stay on the pitch and got away with just a yellow card. Half time was eventually called and us supporters retired to the very excellent hospitality of the home club to catch our breath before the second half.

Half Time      Ipswich Wanderers   1           Debenham LC FC     3
                    Spencer   5                            Rickwood  9  40
                                                                  Wake  47

Wanderers wasted a gilt edged chance right from the kick off when Keith Hetherington dived to head wide form a position inside the six yard box when he really should have scored but that would have been against the run of play as Debenham again started to put pressure on the home team with strong running by the industrious Nathan Vincent and the excellent Liam Bevis in midfield. Adam Rickwood got in behind the home defence and laid a ball back to Marc Wake twelve yards out but the striker’s effort at goal was blocked on the line. More chances failed to produce goals and the home team started to put a few moves together but again long range shooting and a lack of penetration was their undoing that is until the 62nd minutes when THOMAS Le PAGE took a pass in the box and fired home to reduce the arrears and a period of pressure from the Wanderers had the Hornets supporters a bit nervous but after 70 minutes a period of free flowing passing football from Debenham  saw the ball run free in the box and it was ADAM RICKWOOD who was first to the ball and sent a lofted cross shot over the keeper and into the far corner of the net for the Hornets’ fourth goal of the night and a wonderful hat-trick for Adam.
A number of substitutions followed as the visitors closed the shop and played the remainder of the game stifling the home teams efforts at getting back but in truth the game was gone and the home players were left frustrated by a very strong much improved game by the Hornets who looked very good in all departments and thoroughly deserved their win.

Final Score       Ipswich Wanderers   2           Debenham LC FC     4
                       Spencer   5                            Rickwood  9  40  70
                       Le Page   62                          Wake  47

Referee            Mr C Fountain  Assistant Referees  Mr J Haynes   Mr R Salmon

Attendance       66

Ipswich Wanderers FC  Reid Welton Beckett Frost Eason Wilson Hall Bailey Hetherington Spencer Tynan                                       Substitutes   Russell Holmes Le Page

Cautioned                      Reid Eason Wilson

Debenham LC FC  Jones Hutchings Cussons Barker Bloom French Vincent Bevis Rickwood Wake                                   Severy   Substitutes   Canfer Minns Smith Hardwick Chilvers

Cautioned                  Hutchings Bloom