Dragons smell defeat against ‘Gas’ By Martin Brooks |

Starting line-up: Adam Wilding; Tim Dennis; Jake Hearn; Dave Coe; Joe Batterham; Ben Millard; Jonathon Carr; Ryan McGibbon; Markel Greenidge; Marcus Spindler; Luke Payne

Substitutes: Lewis Ayton; Lewis Fairweather; Ben Fowler; Wayne Hughes; Jake Proctor

Regrettably, and as the score line suggests, there is not very much positive to say about this performance from a Wivenhoe perspective. Gas Recreation belied their smelly, grimey but evocative industrial name and played some very attractive football against what was effectively a Wivenhoe reserve eleven with a very light sprinkling of regular first team players and a smattering of players with first team experience.

Gas Recreation were a goal up inside three minutes and two nil up after ten minutes, with a third goal coming on thirty five minutes. For Wivenhoe Markel Greenidge was always very lively, although he often failed to link up successfully with his team mates and therefore gave a bit a one man show. Markel had the Dragons’ first shot on goal on sixteen minutes; the Gas ‘keeper couldn’t hold it and gave away a corner; one of four earned by Wivenhoe in the first half. Jonathon Carr was also quite lively and he stung the ’keepers hands with a swerving snap shot ten minutes before the interval.

The second half began with several changes being made but Gas added to their tally just before the hour with a far post header. Six minutes later Gas hit the cross bar with a header before they went ‘knap’ on seventy-six minutes with a low firm shot from ten yards. The scoring was completed three minutes later as Tim Dennis lost possession just outside the penalty area and with substitute Lewis Fairweather out of his goal, the ball was rolled in from just inside the box.

Wivenhoe had two notable goal attempts in the second half, the first following an excellent ball down the line from Jonathon Carr, which gave Marcus Spindler a clear run on goal; unfortunately Marcus pulled his shot wide of the far post. Markel Greenidge had the other shot, a direct free-kick from the edge of the box that he hit powerfully, but directly at the keeper.

It was unarguably a heavy defeat, but for the most part Gas Recreation had a team of older more experienced players, many of whom could and should probably play at a higher level. With three games this week it was never going to be possible to field full strength teams in all but there is plenty for our coaches to work on.