Reserves Start with Away Point

Its always a challenge going back to your former club, this was no different as eveybody knows you and there's that little extra incentive to take the points.
Melford to their credit gave us a tough match so much so that a point was only secured in the last minute when the predatory LUKE ROGERS latched onto an excellent pass from Phil Brindley to fire past the Melford keeper.

To be honest I think a draw was a fiar result when we both analyse the game. Wivenhoe started well but the better first half chances fell to Melford and they will be dissapointed that they didn't take them. To be fair Matt Groves in the Wivenhoe goal had a say as he made 2 outstanding saves to keep the Melford front men at bay. In between that they hit the bar twice follwed by one of our own when Wayne Hughes, looking a lot sharper as the weeks go by fired via a deflection against the bar with the ball falling to safety.

Tom Horsfall was unlucky not to score at the far post from a delightfull ball from Ollie Patrick but again the keeper wasn't troubled.
The Melford goal came late in the first half, a ball given away in midfield resulted in a few minutes of pressure form Melford that resulted in a ball being lofted over the defence into the path of the away Midfielder to steer the ball past Groves to open the scoring.

Melford deserved the lead but with only 1 goal in the bank the game was still in the balance. After a few words at half time the Wivenhoe team got to grips with the match and started creating more chances themselves whilst defending better against the pacy Melford forward.

Ollie Patrick lined up a delightful free kick and as everybody held their breath, the ball rattled the Melford crossbar and again for us rebounded to safety.

As time was running out it looked like the day would be fruitless but to give the lads credit they kept looking to push on looking for the deserved equaliser. It duly come when substitute Phil Brindley played an inviting pass into the path of LUKE ROGERS. The returning first team hitman only needed one chance and in an instant he turned and fired the ball home to earn Wivenhoe a good point.

Sometimes when you go away to places like Melford you have to be prepared for the type of game you are going to face, the wind was strong and that had a saying on how the match went. I don't think we fully adapted to that until the 2nd half and as a result we were punished in the first. Once the lads were set to the task they came more into the game and got their deserved equaliser that their hard work deserved.

Next week its AFC Sudbury at home which will bring another challenge so we look forward to that.