Big upset as leaders Felixstowe fall to defeat at struggling Wanderers

Ipswich Wanderers' match-winner Paulo Coelhio connects with the ball in a crowded penalty area. Picture: STAN BASTON (Image: Archant)

The home side spent a lot of the game without the ball, but stuck to their task of stifling the free-scoring visitors and on the hour they broke out of defence for Paulo Coelhio to tap the ball into an unguarded net as the Seasiders failed to clear the danger.

A rare sight of a plus 200 crowd at the Doucy, mainly bolstered by the visitors’ impressive following, gave the game a good atmosphere which the home side made the most of, working hard all over the pitch and in the end gained their reward with Coelhio’s goal.

The defeat means the Seasiders have picked up just one point from a possible nine over the Christmas period to see their lead at the top cut to 11 points – with second placed Coggeshall having four games in hand.

While Felixstowe dominated possession, they were too often guilty of taking an extra touch and trying from distance.

Boardley drilled a free kick well wide of Jack Spurling’s post while Chaplin saw his effort comfortably collected by the ‘keeper. Wanderers’ one effort in the opening half came from Coelhio, whose curling effort from the edge of the box was turned away for a corner on the stroke of half time.

The pattern of the second half followed that of the first, with the visitors seeing plenty of the ball but unable to carve out clear cut chances.

And when Coelhio scored on the hour, the writing was on the wall that this was to be Wanderers’ day, and perhaps a turning point in their season.

They will certainly travel to The Wellesley in a more buoyant mood for their end of year game against Great Yarmouth Town, while the visitors face a nervous 90 minutes at home to Gorleston.