Bramford United 4-0 St Johns
St Johns were the latest victims of Acton Road as they visited Bramford to play a 1st round cup match. Andy and Tony made some changes to the starting X1 that started at Witnesham a week earlier, Joel returned in goal, while Lewie and Pat started in a 4-4-2 formation. Ben Nicholls lined up against Bramford for the 1st time since his loan switch from Bramford to St Johns this week.
The game was a very free flowing and good to watch game of football, both teams played some good stuff from the back, but Bramford showed their class with even when substitute Logan Webb was sent off for a rash challenge on Rossi Crapnell.
Bramford opened the scoring on 15 minutes through George Kirby, some good link up play from Will Gibson and Josh Lea saw George turn his marker and fire into the top corner past the full stretched Jordi Noble in the Saints goal. 1-0.
Bramford held strong and the back four kept St Johns attack very quiet. Pat and Lewie were well on top of Saints portugese winger Dan, reports says he was only released 3 years ago by Benfica in Portugal. Tom and Reece looked solid at centre back and Alex had some good link up play with Grant. And when Saints did beat the offside trap Alex and then Joel were their to clean up.
There was some very iffy decisions from the Saints lino as Josh and George were caugh offside on a number of occassions when they didnt seem to start in an offside decision. The Ref Ian Moore had to have a talk as a long punt from Joel saw George run on to it to go 1 on 1 only to see it ruled offside when he had actually started in his own half.....
At half time Bramford made 3 changes, Gus came on for Pat, Grant came off for Logan and Lewie came off for James K.
It didnt take Bramford very long to get into their stride in the 2nd half, and it took just 3 minutes of the 2nd half for James Knuckey to run on to a through ball from Josh Lea and shoot past the diving Jordi Noble to make it 2-0.
The game settled down a bit after the goal, but Bramford were in cruise control, Joel acting as a sweeper to the back 4, and the midfield of James Race and Will Gibson bossing Rossi and Dan in the Saints midfield. On 64 minutes Josh controlled well and vollied in for his 1st of the game and his 9th of the season. 3-0.
On 70 minutes Logans challenge on the Saints midfielder made him see red, after he had clearly won the ball but clipped him on the way through. Bramford were now made to play for 20 minutes with 10 men, but United dug in and played some good football even with 10 players.
On 76 minutes Wills man of the match performance was capped off with a headed goal at the back post when a Josh Lea corner found him in the box un-marked. 4-0.
A good result for United and we face Bacton 89 away in the next round.
Other Results
Hadleigh Utd 4-4 Eye Saints (Eye Saints win 5-4 in penalties)
Wickham U17s 2-1 Rickinghall Gunners
Wickham U18s 4-8 Sutton Heath
