SOCCER: Felixstowe & Walton 0 Tilbury 1. Felixstowe & Walton United finished up on the losing side in this friendly against Ryman Division Two opposition, but manager Paul Adams will have been pleased with his side's first half performance.
Felixstowe & Walton United finished up on the losing side in this friendly against Ryman Division Two opposition, but manager Paul Adams will have been pleased with his side's first half performance.
The Seasiders certainly had enough chances in the opening half hour to have made this result look impressive, but they failed to take them.
In the end they paid the penalty when Duff collected a loose ball in the 80th minute and rounded the keeper to give his side an unconvincing victory.
The lively Dean Henry should have given his side a 10th minute lead after Crump had
dispossessed an over-confident Tilbury defender and squared the ball, but Henry saw his shot blocked by Hardingham.
Two minutes later the impressive Crawford saw his shot rise just over the bar from Berry's corner.
Henry had a great chance to make amends for his earlier miss in the 14th minute when he weaved his way past the Tilbury defence to collect Sadler's through ball and he neatly lobbed the advancing 'keeper only to see his effort go just wide of the post.
Jay fired over from Sadler's 40th minute corner as the home side controlled the first half with little to be seen of Tilbury as an attacking force.
After the break, however, the visitors became more prominent as the home side made
substitutions at regular intervals.
Tilbury rarely threatened to open up the home defence despite the changes made by the home
management team until the 80th minute when Duff gave his side the lead.
Ager might well have grabbed a late equaliser but saw his goalbound effort blocked on the line by Worlingham.
While the result didn't go the Seasiders' way the game will certainly have given Adams a good look at his first team squad and with another test on Wednesday night at home to Ipswich Athletic the Seasiders' manager will have the opportunity to test his side again.
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