The excitement of the FA Vase cup competition was somewhat overshadowed by the midweek news of the Debenham LC FC first team manager Rob Allum resigning from his position thus promoting a lot of speculation as to whom his replacement might be. The popular choice around the ground would see Dale Vince installed but that decision is one that will be taken by the senior club committee members in due course, meanwhile Dale took charge of the team and had Debenham LC FC reserves team manager Jason Pettit acting as his assistant. Dale was without the services of central defender Lee Bloom who has a slight calf strain that needs rest and Jack Severy and Ross Hutchings were absent, so the team had what is becoming a familiar look to take on Team Bury in the Fa Vase.
The day was pleasantly warm and overcast making ideal conditions for football but the pitch at Maitlands still looks lacking in grass and bumpy in stark contrast to the lush pitches recently visited at Ipswich Wanderers and Fakenham Town where the Hornets used the conditions to their advantage and earned two good wins.
The opening exchanges were very even with both teams showing up well in the midfield battle and constructing good passing moves but as has so often been the case both teams displayed a distinct lack of firepower up front. That being said the football was of a high standard and Team Bury got to the by-line just wide of the Hornets goal on 14 minutes but Liam Jones showed his value with a good low save. A major blow to the home team occurred on 23 minutes when Nathan Vincent was injured in a tackle and had to be replaced by Liam Smith. Nathan had been very influential in the play up to that point and his absence certainly upset the balance of the Hornets’ team.
That didn’t stop Liam Bevis though as Debenham were awarded a free kick 35 yards out from goal in a central position after 25 minutes. Liam’s powerful shot at goal fizzed into the penalty area and took a deflection off a defender that took the ball inches past the left hand post with the goalkeeper beaten and flapping at the air, the ensuing corner being cleared by the defenders. Both teams were very busy in midfield with Team Bury perhaps looking the more constructive but being woefully lacking in front of goal with shots from distance lacking power and direction. Debenham also created useful positions but every cross seemed to go straight to the keeper and there was again a lack of quality in the box.
It seemed that we were free wheeling towards the half time interval when the visitors attacked up the left wing and there looked to be little danger as the ball was played to ZEHNN YOUNG on the left corner of the 18 yard box. The Team Bury number 7 looked up and flighted a ball across the goal seemingly towards the far post but Liam Jones had taken one step too many forward and the ball dipped over his head and crept into the goal under the crossbar to give the visitors an unlikely lead.

Half Time     Debenham LC FC     0             Team Bury FC      1

Debenham started the second half brightly with Marc Wake heading a pass to Liam Smith but his shot was deflected for a corner kick that was cleared. On 57 minutes Shaun French tried to shepherd the ball out of play but it was retrieved by a Team Bury forward who forced Liam Jones into another smart save down by his right hand post. Jack Minns was coming into the game after a quiet first half and sent over a number of good looking crosses but again there was to be no end result as the visiting keeper gobbled up all the high balls in his area.
Adam Rickwood engineered himself a shooting opportunity as he turned on the edge of the box but his shot lacked power and was saved then following a corner kick on 82 minutes there was a scramble in the Team Bury six yard box during which a visiting player received what looked like a kick to his head which held up play for a good five minutes.
A number of substitutions for both sides saw Michael Beaton, the club physiotherapist, take the field to make his debut for the Debenham LC FC first team and his all action style certainly livened up the play but as the game ran towards a conclusion no more chances were made by either side and the visitors had two players booked as the Hornets pressed for an equaliser that would have taken the game to extra time but it was not to be and the game ended ion a disappointing one goal defeat.
So no trip to Wembley this season, ah well! Maybe next year!!!  
Another good performance by the defence today, and Liam Bevis continues to demonstrate his importance to the midfield area but the shortage of goal power must be a concern.

Full Time     Debenham LC FC     0             Team Bury FC      1
                                                                   Young   45

Referee          Mr J Block   Assistant Referees    Mr K Batty   Mr R Thurbin

Attendance    64

Debenham LC FC    Jones, Hardwick, Kemp, Barker, French, Cussons Capt, Bevis, Minns, Rickwood,                                     Wake, Vincent   Substitutes   Vince, Beaton, Pettit

Cautioned                    Barker

Team Bury FC      Robins, Key, Peters, Titlow, Hitching, Hall, Young, Curry, Hitter, Ingram, Wales                                     Substitutes   Burroughs, Barker, Howlett

Cautioned                     Key, Young, Curry