El Clasico of the East
.... or something like that.
Last night saw the first local Derby in the Eastern Counties League take place when Newmarket were the visitors to Ely City's Unwin ground. I use the term 'El Clasico', as a bit of a tongue in cheek statement, but in some ways it was an apt description of a performance that probably typified what it's like following Ely City.
The Robins started off in the ascendany against a Newmarket team who are pointless so far this season. Tom Beech had a header cleared off the line on 3 minutes and 6 minutes later Chadwick was clear through and he should have scored but scuffed his chance. Chadders turned to the hero on the 11th minute when he made the best of a defensive error to put the ball in the back of the net.
It looked like it was going to be a walkover for Ely and at 1-0 they continued to press. That said though it also felt like some of the build up play was 'hit and hope' with the best chances coming from set pieces, with a Kenny Smith freekick which was nearly converted by James Wallis on 21 minutes being the pick of the bunch.
Newmarket on the other hand didn't look like creating anything, with ex-Robin Stephen Bell's play on the left wing being an isolated area of creativity. On the 28th minute it definitely seemed as if the Jockeys were dead and buried when Adam Wallis made it 2-0 after beating two defenders to place the ball into the goal with some style. It could have been all over just 5 minutes later when Chris Strecki tousled with a defender in the Newmarket box, it looked like he might have been brought down, but a free kick was given against him. The Ely onslaught continued and shots from Tom Beech on 35 minutes and one from range by Chadwick on 37 came close, but not close enough to extend the lead to 3.
Newmarket got back into the game during the last 10 minutes of the half as Ely started to relax a little and created 2 good chances, which both ending up wide of the mark. So at half time it was Ely 2 Newmarket 0.
The second half started as the first half finished with Newmarket edging their way back into the game during the first 10 minutes. Ely started to wake up a little then though and started to get back into the swing of things. Beech came close on 61 and on 64 he had the ball in the back of the net, but the chance was ruled to be offside. Chadwick then had a header cleared off the line on 67, but at 2-0 Newmarket were still in with a chance.
The Jockeys created a great chance on 74 minutes and finally seemed to be getting back into the game and then on 84 minutes the inevitable happened: after a bit of a defensive mix up Newmarket scored, which led to a nervy last 6 minutes, but luckily Ely weathered the storm.
So that's why it was a classic if not classical Ely performance, a lot of chances against a poor team who with a bit more luck would have been dead and buried by half time and then a late goal for the opposition that gave them a chance and us heart attacks for the last few minutes. A wins a win though, but there will have to be a better performance put in by the team if they want to get past Needham Market in the FA Cup on Saturday.
Last night saw the first local Derby in the Eastern Counties League take place when Newmarket were the visitors to Ely City's Unwin ground. I use the term 'El Clasico', as a bit of a tongue in cheek statement, but in some ways it was an apt description of a performance that probably typified what it's like following Ely City.
The Robins started off in the ascendany against a Newmarket team who are pointless so far this season. Tom Beech had a header cleared off the line on 3 minutes and 6 minutes later Chadwick was clear through and he should have scored but scuffed his chance. Chadders turned to the hero on the 11th minute when he made the best of a defensive error to put the ball in the back of the net.
It looked like it was going to be a walkover for Ely and at 1-0 they continued to press. That said though it also felt like some of the build up play was 'hit and hope' with the best chances coming from set pieces, with a Kenny Smith freekick which was nearly converted by James Wallis on 21 minutes being the pick of the bunch.
Newmarket on the other hand didn't look like creating anything, with ex-Robin Stephen Bell's play on the left wing being an isolated area of creativity. On the 28th minute it definitely seemed as if the Jockeys were dead and buried when Adam Wallis made it 2-0 after beating two defenders to place the ball into the goal with some style. It could have been all over just 5 minutes later when Chris Strecki tousled with a defender in the Newmarket box, it looked like he might have been brought down, but a free kick was given against him. The Ely onslaught continued and shots from Tom Beech on 35 minutes and one from range by Chadwick on 37 came close, but not close enough to extend the lead to 3.
Newmarket got back into the game during the last 10 minutes of the half as Ely started to relax a little and created 2 good chances, which both ending up wide of the mark. So at half time it was Ely 2 Newmarket 0.
The second half started as the first half finished with Newmarket edging their way back into the game during the first 10 minutes. Ely started to wake up a little then though and started to get back into the swing of things. Beech came close on 61 and on 64 he had the ball in the back of the net, but the chance was ruled to be offside. Chadwick then had a header cleared off the line on 67, but at 2-0 Newmarket were still in with a chance.
The Jockeys created a great chance on 74 minutes and finally seemed to be getting back into the game and then on 84 minutes the inevitable happened: after a bit of a defensive mix up Newmarket scored, which led to a nervy last 6 minutes, but luckily Ely weathered the storm.
So that's why it was a classic if not classical Ely performance, a lot of chances against a poor team who with a bit more luck would have been dead and buried by half time and then a late goal for the opposition that gave them a chance and us heart attacks for the last few minutes. A wins a win though, but there will have to be a better performance put in by the team if they want to get past Needham Market in the FA Cup on Saturday.
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