Ipswich Wanderers surrendered a 2-0 lead to bow out of the FA Vase in disappointing fashion, losing 3-2 at the hands of Norwich CBS this afternoon.
Wanderers raced into a 2-0 lead inside the first 10 minutes, thanks to deadly finishes by Matt Blake and Teon Leggett.
They were in cruise control until the game drifted away from them, during the final 35 minutes, when Vaulter Rocha bagged a brace of close-range goals, which sandwiched an equaliser from Jamie North.
So from a position of supremacy, Wanderers exited the FA Vase after suffering only their second defeat of the whole season.
Wanderers dominated the first period, played in pouring rain and a strong wind, and should really have been more than 2-0 up by half-time.
Blake broke the deadlock in the fifth minute, beating defenders Daniel Barraclough and Keiran Rose before firing home a low shot across keeper Nathan Pauling and into the bottom corner of the net.
And the visitors doubled their lead just four minutes later.
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Lewis Kincaid began the move with a pass into the danger zone and although Leggett’s first shot was blocked by a defender, the Wanderers front-man was on hand to slam the rebound into the net from just inside the box.
Midfielder Thomas Driscoll tested Pauling with a long-range header which the home keeper comfortably caught on 23 minutes, while at the other end Rocha blazed over the top from point blank range just before the half-hour mark.
It was so very nearly 3-0 in the 35th minute as Leggett’s ferocious drive was tipped away for a corner by Pauling, who was at full stretch.
Wanderers should really have buried the tie early in the second half, before the balance of the game dramatically swung in the other direction.
A goalbound shot by George Mrozek was well saved by Pauling in the 53rd minute, and Leggett then headed into the side-netting from the ensuing corner.
Blake also spurned a good chance when dragging his shot wide, with just Pauling to beat, on 55 minutes.
Just a minute later and the Norfolk club halved the deficit. Keeper Brand blundered by venturing out of his penalty area and completely missing his attempted clearance, enabling Rocha to merely run the ball into an empty net.
And Norwich CBS duly equalised in the 76th minute. North exploited space on the edge of the box before unleashing an angled low shot which fizzed into the net, despite keeper Brand getting a hand to the ball.
The hosts were within a whisker of taking the lead in the 80th minute when Joe Easton’s towering header cannoned back off the bar, and dropped to safety.
But five minutes later and the recovery was complete when Rocha nudged Norwich CBS into a 3-2 lead. The home striker had the simple task of sweeping the ball home from a matter of a few feet out, after Brand had failed to smother the initial angled shot.
There was no way back for Wanderers.
The Line-ups
NORWICH CBS: Pauling, Johnson, Easton, Barraclough, Rose, Horton, North, White (sub Bussens, 71), Bartram (sub Sandell, 83), Gilfedder, Rocha.
IPSWICH WANDERERS: Brand, Speed (sub Folkes, 65), Kincaid, Cheetham (sub Laws, 81), Howlett, Barber, Mrozek, Driscoll, Blake, Leggett, Field (sub Thrower, 73).
Also in the FA Vase, WALSHAM LE WILLOWS thumped Hoddesdon Town 5-1 at Summer Road.
The in-form Willows were 2-0 up at the break, courtesy of goals by Charlie Norman and Kieran Twinn.
Jamie Smith made it 3-0, before man-of-the-match Twinn scored a couple more to complete his hat-trick.
MILDENHALL TOWN were even more emphatic winners, thrashing hosts Whittlesey Athletic 6-0.
But HAVERHILL ROVERS were knocked out, losing 2-0 away at Wellingborough Town.
Elsewhere, NEEDHAM MARKET eased to a 4-1 home win over Three Bridges in the FA Trophy at Bloomfields.
Byron Lawrence grazed a post on 15 minutes, before providing the assist for Needham’s opening goal in the 32nd minute. Lawrence’s initial shot was spilled by the keeper, enabling Ben Fowkes to slot home the rebound from close range.
Three minutes later and Kevin Horlock’s men doubled their lead. Billy Hunt delivered into the danger zone, where Noah Collard ghosted into to divert home.
The Marketmen effectively killed off the tie as a contest when Joe Marsden made it 3-0 in the 47th minute. Marsden poked home from Callum Page’s half-volley.
Three Bridges pulled a goal back in the 55th minute, but Needham restored their three-goal advantage with the last goal of the game on 74 minutes.
Fowkes’ goalbound shot was handled on the goal-line and Marsden stepped up to convert the ensuing spot kick.
LEISTON also won through to the next round of the FA Trophy, following a thrilling 4-4 draw against visiting Worthing and then a 4-2 penalty shoot-out success.
Leiston were never behind in the game, Liam Jackson netting a first-half brace. Jackson tucked home a ninth minute opener after Kyle Richardson’s effort was blocked, and he then doubled the lead from close range on 35 minutes.
Oliver Pearce halved the deficit in first-half stoppage time, before Finlay Barnes restored Leiston’s two-goal lead in the 58th minute.
Back came Worthing with goals by Jesse Starkey (71) and Mo Diallo (75). Barnes put Leiston back in front in the 82nd minute, only for skipper Danny Barker to level it again on 88 minutes.
Successful penalties by Jackson, Josh Hitter, Rob Eagle and Barnes saw Leiston through in the penalty shoot-out, 4-2.
FELIXSTOWE & WALTON UNITED also made progress into the first round proper of the FA Trophy, thanks to a 3-1 home victory over Met Police, in front of a crowd of 322.
Sam Nunn put the Seasiders 1-0 up in the 14th minute. Met Police were reduced to 10 men when Ethan Chislett was sent off for two bookable offences in the 20th minute.
Felixstowe also missed a penalty, and were pegged back to 1-1 at trhe break through a goal by Tom Cursons.
However, Nunn restored Felixstowe’s lead with his second goal of the game in the 74th minute, and Henry Barley made the tie safe by netting the third goal in the 80th minute.
In the Isthmian League North, BURY TOWN were held to a 2-2 home draw against Romford.
The day had started well for Bury, with news that their September fixture at home to Witham Town, which had been abandoned due to fog with Bury leading 5-0 with just seven minutes remaining, would not have to be replayed. The League ruled that the result should stand.
Romford went 1-0 up when Lee Norton swept home a cross by Ridan Asaca in the ninth minute, only for Cemal Ramadan to equalise on 21 minutes by diverting home Ollie Snaith’s shot.
Ramadan and Jake Chambers-Shaw peppered the target as Bury tried to get in front before half-time, in front of another Ram Meadow restricted capacity crowd of 400.
Ryan Jolland seemed to have secured all three points for Ben Chenery’s men on 80 minutes, but Malaki Toussaint netted a late equaliser via a quick break to secure a point for Romford.
AFC SUDBURY recorded an impressive 5-2 home win over Witham Town, also in the Isthmian League North, to complete a good week for the Suffolk club.
Goals by Ben Hunter (15), Emmanuel Machaya (33) and Joe Whight (42) put AFC Sudbury 3-0 up at half-time.
Machaya netted his second and Sudbury’s fourth in the 53rd minute. Witham replied with quickfire goals by Billy Willis (77) and Julian Simon-Parson (79), before Freddie King scored Sudbury’s fifth goal at the death.
In the Thurlow Nunn League Premier Division, WOODBRIDGE TOWN recorded back-to-back wins, after failing to win any of their first eight league fixtures, thanks to a 3-2 victory at Swaffham Town.
Nick Castellan netted both Swaffham goals, with Nick Ingram bagging the Woodpeckers’ first equaliser from Taylor Southgate’s chipped ball, and Kyron Andrews bundling home the second equaliser.
Woodbridge claimed all three points thanks to Southgate’s winner.
BRANTHAM ATHLETIC are up to third in the table, thanks to a last gasp winner in a 1-0 success at Thetford Town.
Matty Hayden’s last minute free-kick was headed into the net by an opponent for an own goal, making it six wins and three draws from unbeaten Brantham’s first nine league games.
NEWMARKET TOWN suffered a 1-0 home defeat at the hands of Ely City, Ryan Harnwell the match winner for the visitors.
In the Suffolk Senior Cup, EAST BERGHOLT UNITED beat hosts DEBENHAM LC 8-7 on penalties, after a 2-2 draw. Keeper Sam Colver was the hero with three penalty saves during the shoot-out.
TRIMLEY RED DEVILS also won a penalty shoot-out, by a 4-3 margin against LEISTON RESERVES, after a 2-2 draw.
HENLEY ATHLETIC won 3-1 against Thurlow Nunn side CORNARD UNITED, but FRAMLINGHAM TOWN eased to a 4-0 win at ACHILLES.
Elsewhere, HAUGHLEY UNITED beat CRANE SPORTS 3-1 at home, and there were also home victories in the Suffolk Senior Cup for Beccles Town (6-4 against Waveney Valley), LEISTON ST MARGARETS (4-2 against WESTERFIELD UNITED), and BILDESTON RANGERS (1-0 against CAPEL PLOUH).
HALESWORTH won 3-1 on the road at OLD NEWTON.
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