Wanderers begin the new year with a win.

Mulbarton’s first game following the winter beak was a home tie vs Mattishall. Based on meetings in recent seasons it promised to be a competitive battle and this game did not disappoint. It was Mulbarton that came out the stronger side, visibly seeming to have benefited from training conscientiously throughout the Christmas break. Simpson looked particularly enthused in the early stages throwing himself into some 50/50 challenges, almost as if there was someone he was trying to impress in the crowd. This early domination of possession and territory was rewarded within the first 10 minutes when Danny Self’s corner was met by Scott Woodgate, making his first start for the Wanderers, who’s initial header was blocked only to be hooked goalwards by Ben Thompson to be diverted past the goalkeeper by the unlikely hero Danny Bland. How much Bland knew about it is open to debate but there seems no doubt that the ball deflected off him.

This goal seemed to be the wake up call our visitors needed as they then grew into the game. The rest of the half was a fairly evenly contested affair with a lack of any clear chances. Mulbarton appeared content to take the one nil lead to half time and Mattishall looked unlikely to create anything to change that.

Half Time: Mulbarton Wanderers 1 - 0 Mattishall

The second half started much as the first had ended with Mulbarton well in control of proceedings with the tireless Gibbons dictating the midfield, isolating the Mattishall front line to be ably dealt with by Self and skipper Mark Sutcliffe. Before long Doggett and leading goal scorer Eliot Altay were introduced from the bench, both keen to impress with competition for places never higher, particularly in forward areas. Before long the two subs had combined and Doggett was released down the right wing, only for his cross to flash across the six yard box unmet. The game then took a turn with around 25 minutes to play when Gibbons went in to another 50/50 challenge with a Mattishall defender only for a second Mattishall player to come sliding in from behind. The referee deemed this to be a dangerous tackle with no intent to play the ball and sent the wide midfielder off as a result. This opened the game up and the already dominant Wanderers began to make the extra man tell. Within a few minutes Thompson had been brought down cynically when running towards goal and this gave Self another opportunity to whip a ball into the box. On this occasion it was met directly by the head of the prolific Bland who nodded calmly into the bottom corner. Wanderers then had the opportunity to put the game well and truly out of Mattishall’s sites when Jack Guyton was clumsily bundled over in the box. Guyton stepped up to take the resultant penalty himself, only to see his driven effort ping off the top of the crossbar and land somewhere in Bracon Ash. In his defence it might be the first time since his arrival that any whiff of a lack of composure has been evident.

The final 10 minutes of the match was much of the same with Mattishall looking to get the ball into last years league top goal scorer Xavier Huckle’s feet for him to work his magic, which he undoubtedly possesses at times, but on this chilly afternoon he was never able to clamber himself from Sutcliffe’s clutches. Mulbarton were looking more and more dangerous, particularly when they were able to work the ball into substitute Jamie George’s feet, and this was telling when George and Charlie Aulert combined fantastically on one breakaway which was just a well positioned defender away from a certain goal.

The final telling act of the match again came in Mulbarton’s attacking third when a corner was cleared out to Guyton only for him to fizz it back out wide on the right to Doggett who was one on one with an onrushing defender. With a quick step over Doggett cut back onto his left foot and whipped a sumptuous ball towards the back stick, straight on to the head of Altay. He powered the ball straight at the keeper who could do nothing but rebound the ball back into the danger area. Fortunately Sutcliffe was on hand to hook the rebound in to get the goal that his commanding display had deserved and to round off a comfortable, if not electric team performance. Wanderers will have seen this as the perfect warm up to ready ourselves for the highly anticipated top of the table clash with league leaders Harleston Town next Saturday. Bring it on.

Final Score: Mulbarton Wanderers 3 - 0 Mattishall

Man of the Match - Mark Sutcliffe

(Report by Dom Doggett)