It was warm and sunny with very little breeze as Debenham LC FC took the field to play Long Melford FC in a Ridgeons Football League First Division clash. The home team opened the game in positive fashion with Liam Bevis making himself busy in midfield and the Hornets earned an early corner kick that Jack Severy sent into the box where a Long Melford player appeared to handle the ball but the appeals were ignored by the referee. Debenham forced a couple of corners  but no clear chance came from them and Long Melford had a good interchange of passes that ended with Dan Cann shooting over the bar from distance .
Adam Rickwood was playing his usual energetic game at centre forward and he slid a ball across the six yard box after 24 minutes but alas there was no colleague following up to put the ball where it needed to go.
After 25 minutes the home fans at last had something to cheer as Liam Bevis sent in a cross from the right side that the defence failed to clear allowing Kevin Barker to send a short pass to NATHAN VINCENT who controlled the ball before spinning and shooting with his left foot past the keeper who seemed rooted to the spot as he watched the ball nestle in the corner of the net.
Debenham stemmed to gain confidence from taking the lead and looked more relaxed as they started to play their way up the pitch. Jack Severy’s cross was deflected for a corner which was cleared and Rob Kemp made his way upfield and exchanged passes with Marc Wake before pulling the ball back for Adam Rickwood whose shot was saved by the Melford keeper.
Long Melford played well in the midfield area but their forward play was not earning clear chances and they were restricted to shots from distance which were too often high or wide of the target. A late period of pressure on the Debenham goal saw a corner kick and a free kick for the visitors but the half ended without any more goals and the Hornets were pleased to be in front at the interval.

Half Time         Debenham LC FC     1                       Long Melford FC    0
                       Vincent  25

The second half started in the middle of a torrential thunderstorm that almost caused the referee to take the players off the pitch but as the downpour eased a fraction the game started in very slippery conditions. In fact the conditions didn’t seem to affect the game too much and Adam Rickwood was unlucky as he chased a through ball and was clear in on goal but the keeper raced from his area to clear the ball.
Jack Severy made progress down the left wing before his shot at goal was beaten out by the visitor’s keeper and then Long Melford’s no 11 Paul Walker got in a good shot at goal that forced Liam Jones to make a good save. Two substitutions for Long Melford after 65 minutes were followed by Liam Smith replacing goal scorer Nathan Vincent and Melford were presented with a free kick just outside the box when Lee Bloom was adjudged to have handled the ball but the kick was wasted when Dan Cann sent the kick high over the bar. Lee Bloom nearly made amends by getting up for a corner kick after 80 minutes but he sent Jack Severy’s kick wide of the post with a diving header.
On 82 minutes Adam Rickwood was replaced by Jack Minns and the change had a huge influence on the game just eight minutes later in the last minute of the game when Liam Bevis burst through the centre and passed to Jack Severy who shot for goal but the ball was half cleared past the right hand post where JACK MINNS was running in to smash the ball under the keeper’s desperate dive and into the far side of the net to make the score 2-0 to the Hornets. The game ended with Debenham on top and forcing the game to the visitors’ goal area with Marc Wake and Ed Cussons both having shots at goal blocked and a corner kick for the Hornets ended the game to the delight of the fans who applauded the players off the pitch with three points in the bag.

Final Score       Debenham LC FC     2                       Long Melford FC    0
                       Vincent  25
                       Minns  90

Attendance                75

Referee                      Mr D Keeble    Assistant Referees    Mr J Gibbons   Mr D Mason

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

Long Melford FC      Wood Waterfield Wilson Shipton Durell Thomas Daw Skeggs Harrison Cann Walker                                   Substitutes   Westcott Swallow Williamson Flack