With no senior fixture scheduled manager Jason Pettit had the services of four first team squad members at his disposal, allowing him to utilise his favoured 4-3-3 formation. Hardwick slotted in at the back with Johnson, Hambling and Barker.  Cridland, Plummer and Captain, Nathan Smith in midfield with Severy, Minns and Liam Smith across the front.
Walsham kicked off and in a furiously paced opening Debenham settled the better and when Liam Smith chipped ahead for the overlapping Hambling, his low cross was met by Nathan Smith to knock home on 6 mins. 1-0.
On 15 mins Walsham forced two corners that were somehow kept out, the chest of Chilvers saving the day. From the breakout Debenham quickly got the ball into the opposing area and spectacular half volleys from Severy& Liam Smith across the face of the goal left the keeper transfixed, but neither managed to find the net.
Play continued to swing from end to end with Walsham coming closest as shots and headers narrowly eluded the target. On 27 mins their persistence was rewarded when the no. 11 fell on a loose ball in the area and slipped the ball under Chilvers. 1-1.
Both teams were trying to play the ball about, Debenham in particular working the flanks well, with Severy merlinesque on the ball.
An opportunistic lob was pushed onto the bar by Chilvers and from the resultant corner Debenham turned defence into attack with L Smith being denied by the bar on the stroke of HT.

Half Time    Debenham LC FC Reserves 1             Walsham le Willows FC Reserves      1

Debenham began the second half well and when Severy’s low cross was struck first time by Hambling, the crowd were on their feet, but the keeper was well placed and moments later it was Chilvers chance to shine with a superb diving save low to his right.
On 58 mins a direct free kick for handball was dealt with under pressure by Johnson, followed moments later by Barker under similar circumstances. Four mins later Bowler & King replaced Cridland and the excellent,but exhausted Hambling. Bowler was soon to see action when Minns weaved his way through the defence to set him for a curling effort that narrowly cleared the bar.
With play becoming more frenetic, tempers inevitably spilled over, but a sensible approach by the referee calmed matters. From the free-kick the ball found its way to Severy unmarked on the left. Some 25 yards out, his first time strike although not the cleanest or perhaps as he intended, lofted nicely over the despairing keeper. 2-1 with 75mins gone.
Severy was on target 10 mins later this time capitalising from a free-kick won by the elusive Minns on the edge of the area as his strike bounced enticingly in front of the keeper deceiving him with both pace and lift to his right. 3-1.
Seccombe joined the action, replacing N Smith on 90mins. Walsham continued to press but were well dealt with, Johnson, Plummer, Barker and Hardwick all standing firm. The latter a little too firmly, when needlessly conceding a penalty and earning himself a yellow card well into injury time, for a push on the Walsham no. 4. The spot kick was neatly dispatched by the no. 11 picking up his second of the game. 3-2. With 97mins on the clock the referee finally brought the match to a close, sealing a well-deserved victory

FullTime    Debenham LC FC Reserves    3             Walsham le Willows FC Reserves     2

Report from Club Member Dave Smith