Reports 03-04

Toss in the fact that this was a local derby, and add the fact that Paxtons ex manager Duffy was with Hemingford, and that Gareth Bridges was in goal, and that the three points were vital to both sides…this was always going to be a hum dinger of a game, that neither side could afford to lose.

The game started cautiously with both sides not wanting to give too much away, but gradually Paxton started to get on top, however they could not take advantage of having the upper hand and against the run of play Hemingford took the lead. A somewhat speculative cross from Bevan deceived Gibbs in the Paxton goal and sailed into the net. This seemed to drive Paxton on and a deserved equaliser came when Chris Hill scored from a Matt Plumb knock down to set up a very tense second half.

Paxton dominated the second half and after several near misses scored the vital second goal. A long ball in fell kindly to Chris Hill whose rasping volley left Bridges flapping at thin air, and the ball nestled nicely in the net. And another super goal was to follow, again it was a screaming volley….only this time it was from Andrew Conway. Paxton could have gone on and won by more, but a Conbynation of good defending and poor finishing meant the score stayed at 3-1. However it did not matter these were three vital points for the whippets…three that could just kick start their season.

Paxton came away from Buckden knowing that they had just thrown three vital points away in their quest for promotion to Senior B. This was definitely a game of two halves with Paxton dominating the first half , and the hosts deservedly winning the game with three second half goals.

It all started very well and early chances were to be had by the Paxton forwards. The impressive Barry Williamson worked himself an early opportunity only to see his shot go wide of the post, and it was Williamson again who saw his header strike the bar. Luke Askanasi and Mark Bak were working good openings on the right, and it was after Luke was fouled that a free kick from Mark Bak found Rob Worrall at the far post, and his header looped above the Buckden keeper and into the net. Paxton continued their dominance and when Ian Terry danced through the Buckden defence to score a second it looked as though Paxton were on their way to three vital points.

However the half time period seemed to do Buckden a world of good, and they came out of the trap very quickly in the second half. A long throw and a well placed header saw Paxton keeper Spavins save well, but it was not long before Buckden scored. A long ball was knocked down and ‘Mex’ strode on to the ball and blasted the ball low and hard past Spavins. Paxton were now on the rocks and Buckden took their chance again and equalised when again ‘Mex’ picked the ball up outside the area a struck a perfectly placed shot into the right hand top corner. Paxton could not get a foothold like they had in the first half and it was not long before Buckden took the lead. Hesitation in the defence allowed Buckden to work a one on one with Spavins and the Buckden striker struck a low hard shot into the net.

Paxton came strong in the last five minutes but to no avail, and Spav and the boys left empty handed when they should have had all three points.

After the previous weeks scandalous result at Hemingford, manager Matt Plumb had a two strokes of luck in being able to re-sign central defenders Rob Seal and Simon Johnson. The difference in the confidence of the team (and the supporters) was noticeable from the first minute. The young visiting team were full of running throughout but foundered on the rocks at the back. The first goal came in the 22nd minute, Adam Swain taking the ball in his stride, cutting past a defender and firing into the far corner. A quarter of an hour later and it should have been 2-0. Swain, now operating on the left, killed the ball, swivelled past a defender and laid the ball into the path of Andrew Conway who hit it on the run. To give credit, Conway certainly got hold of it, and the ball flew, but unfortunately just over the bar.

Three minutes later Conway, redeemed himself. A Mildenhall attack was broken down by Johnson who looked up and picked out Conway with a chip over the defensive line. Conway showed strength, a bit of pace and a cool finish, slipping the ball past the keeper into the corner. It could have got even better before the break when Joe Walsh chipped the keeper but hit the bar.

The second half had plenty of incident without too much goalmouth action but Paxton custodian Pete Gibbs pulled off a fine save towards the end, tipping a fierce shot round the post.

So, Paxton picked up three points and found out later that it was enough to haul them back off the bottom. Roll on Sawston next week!

Manager Matt Plumb was able to put out a side missing only 3 first-choice players and it showed against a youthful Mildenhall. The slope and downhill wind made conditions difficult for the team playing against them as was shown by the goal tally, six at one end and one at the other.

The opening exchanges were all in the Mildenhall half with five decent chances being created and spurned by the visitors. Typically the first time they broke the pressure the home side scored, a twice deflected, 12th minute, shot eluding Dave Smith in the Paxton goal.

60 seconds later it was all square again. Ian Dawkes crossed from the left, Adam Swain beat the keeper but not the post, Adam Mayhew followed it in and finished coolly. There followed, nearly unbroken, 25 minutes of Paxton pressure with Swain, Andrew Conway and others guilty of some chronic finishing. So it was no surprise when the home side regained the lead. A ball over the top, a chase down the left and Smith rushed out to block a shot. His impetus took him through the player after the ball was gone and the Referee was fair in awarding a free-kick and yellow card. Despite a wall (or maybe because of it) the well-flighted free-kick crept inside the far post.

With the advantage of the conditions in the second half Paxton flourished and the some of the chances were taken. Mayhew grabbed his second on 48 with a smart swivel and shot. Two minutes later Swains strong run and pass set up a Mayhew Hat-trick. A further succession of botched gilt-edged opportunities followed before Rob Seal and Conway managed a couple of tap-ins late on.

Strong winds always looked like spoiling this game but did provide the afternoons funniest moment. In the 14th minute the Littleport goalie fly-kicked the ball downfield against the wind. As it rose higher the ball was sent back towards the Littleport goal, bounced in front of the keeper, flew over his head and into the back of the net.

That must have acted as a spur to the visitors because within three minutes they were level, a free header inside the six yard box giving Pete Gibbs no chance. It took till the thirty sixth minute for the next goal to come. A free kick, outside the area, being struck low and hard by Dan Kennedy. But again Littleport came roaring back and they equalised again, this time within sixty seconds, a powerful shot from the corner of the area flying straight into the top corner.

The second half had even more action, within five minutes the visitors took the lead for the first time only for Richard Condi to pull it back to level three minutes later. A 56th minute Lee Clutterbuck penalty regained the lead but Littleport, once again, brought it back to level. With a quarter an hour left on the clock Chris Egan pinched number five but inevitably Littleport equalised within a minute.

Great Paxton claimed their second their second win and second clean sheet in a row with this defeat of fellow strugglers Fordham. Mind you early on it didn't look as if it would work out that way, the visitors started brightly and had all the play in the first twenty minutes. Indeed they should have gone ahead on the quarter hour, only poor finishing and a bit of luck kept them out during a pinball defensive situation.

The home teams first clear chance came after 25 minutes, Adam Swain sprung the offside trap and got one on one with the keeper, Swain should have done better than hitting the goalie and the chance was gone. That was the catalyst for some pressure from the home side and they finished the half well on top.

Apart from some early moments from the visitors it was Paxton who had much the better of the second half but it took till the 70th minute for the deadlock to be broken. Swain crossed to the far post where Andrew Conway rose highest and nodded home the only goal of the game. The best chance after that was an Ian Dawkes free-kick five minutes from time, Dawkes seemed to have got it spot on but the Fordham keeper flung himself across the goal and palmed the ball round his post. Paxton played out time after that for a valuable three points in the fight against relegation

Great Paxton won their third league game in a row to boost their chances of avoiding relegation when they beat West Wratting. Various reasons led to half the previous weeks victorious team not being available to start the game and against a side that has been in the top six all season that did not bode well. However Paxton took the game to their visitors in the first half and should have built a commanding lead before the break. It was not to be, a succession of spurned chances and good saves from the Wratting keeper kept the home side at bay and it was the visitors who scored the only goal after 14 minutes. A free-kick caused some unnecessary panic and despite keeper Andy Oxborough claiming the ball a trip on an opponent by a defender meant the referee awarding a penalty. Oxborough dived valiantly to his right but the well struck shot crashed into the corner.

It looked as if it wasn't to be the home sides day when four minutes into the second half a long punt upfield was met with a toe-poke past Oxborough for 2-0. Paxton battled back and the introduction of Ian Dawkes was the catalyst for a fightback. Joe Walsh scored the first just before the hour, striding into the penalty area and firing a fierce shot into the corner. Within ten minutes Gary Mansfield had equalized, meeting a cross sweetly and blasting the ball home. Seven minutes to go Andrew Conway finished off a nice move involving Adam Swain and Aaron Fairbrass to complete the comeback. There was some back-to-the-wall defending after that but Wratting were kept out and another valuable three points earned.

1st May 2004: Sawston (H) Won 3-2

After a run of six straight defeats Paxton produced their best performance of the season on the very last day. Knowing they only needed to win to cement second place in the league, the visitors came with their best available team but it was to no avail.

The match was only four minutes old when Simon Johnson put the home side in front. Neat work by Lee Clutterbuck before sliding the ball to Johnson on the edge of the area, a crashing shot just inside the left hand post gave the goalie no chance. This rather deflated Sawston who must have been expecting a much easier ride. Paxton certainly had the better of the rest of the half with both Clutterbuck & Ian Dawkes going close.

Six minutes after the break it was 2-0. Andrew Conway and Chris Hill both looked marginally offside when Dawkes won a tackle and set them free. Conway went left and Hill right, Conway then crossed the ball for his strike partner to slide home at the far post.

A succession of first half corners from player/manager Matt Plumb had caused consternation in the Sawston defence without yielding a result but his first in the second half bore fruit. Johnston rose highest to nod the ball home and with an hour gone Paxton were 3 up.

The home defence, so solid for 70 minutes, then went to sleep and the visitors scored twice in a minute to set up a tense finale. Sawston attacked in waves but could so easily have been further punished by four counter-attacks which all fizzled-out.