After a run of four games without a win, SeedGrowers manager, Graeme Smith made several changes which included leaving the division’s leading goalscorer, Sam Bantick on the Substitutes bench. After an impressive performance on Monday night, attacking wide man, Michael Gyasi made a welcome return to league action having missed a large percentage of the season due to a serious elbow injury.

It was the home start who started the brighter of the two sides and reaped their rewards after just four minutes. As Gyasi dribbled at the Soham defence, he was able to create a yard of space and deliver a dangerous cross in to the box. Fresh from his goal on Monday, Nnamdi Nwachuku arrived in to the penalty area, beat the defender to the ball and placed a glancing header in to the bottom corner of the goal past a helpless Josh Pope, the brother of England Goalkeeper, Nick Pope. After their early goal, Coggeshall looked in the mood to punish their opponents again. George Cocklin let rip a vicious effort from around thirty yards which had beaten Pope, but scraped the top of the cross bar and went over the top of the goal.

Despite their dominance, Coggeshall were restricted to long range or ‘half-chance’ efforts,  with Nwachuku and Ross Wall both trying their luck without any success. As the game drifted on, Soham appeared to grow in to the game and began to win several set pieces however they were wasteful as they failed to test the home side. The next point of note was following a dangerous tackle from Sam Mulready, who’s high boot caught Tyler Brampton in the face. With Brampton lucky to escape serious injury, Mulready was even luckier to escape with just a talking too from the match Referee. As half-time approached, the Town continued to dominate the middle of the park with Syrus Gordon leading the way in what was an impressive performance having been out of the side in recent weeks.

Half Time: Coggeshall Town 1-0 Soham Town Rangers

Just like the first half, Coggeshall started the better of the two sides however on this occasion they began to create several goal-scoring opportunities and somehow, failed to extend their lead. Goalkeeper, Pope was on hand to deny a Jamie Shaw header, which was closely followed by a shot from Nwachuku which again, Pope saved. By this time, Pope was having a fine afternoon and was called in to action again as he made a superb diving save to deny a twenty yard effort from Conor Hubble. From the resulting corner, the SeedGrowers scored their second goal of the afternoon which was more than deserved. The corner was half cleared by a Soham defender, Michael Gyasi was on hand to control the ball with his first touch and then he blasted his effort through a crowd of players and in to the bottom corner, past Pope who was blinded by the crowd of players in front of him.

Minutes later, Coggeshall’s impressive start to second half was capped off with the goal of the game. A quick attack from the SeedGrowers left the Soham defence stretched at the back. Ross Wall passed the ball across the box to Hubble, Hubble teed up George Cocklin on the edge of the box. Cocklin, without a goal all season before this game hit the ball first time with the outside of his left foot and the ball flew inn to the top corner of Pope’s net – two quick fire goals had caught Soham by suprise and it seemed their was no way back for the team in green and white. As Coggeshall began to push forward looking for more goals, Nwachuku challenged for the ball and appeared to be wiped out by Pope and Soham defender, Groves. The game was paused for a considerable amount of time whilst Pope received treatment, in the meantime Nwachuku and Groves were both shown yellow cards by the referee.

With the game looking won, Smith began to make changes and he used all three of his substitutes in quick succession with Sam Bantick, Ayrton Coley and Josh Moore all being introduced for Curtis Haynes-Brown, Syrus Gordon and Ross Wall. With the changes disrupting the SeedGrowers fluidity, they struggled to create any real goal scoring opportunities, however Gyasi did force Pope in to another smart save – had it of not been for the Soham shot-stopper, the scoreline could have been a lot different!

Full Time: Coggeshall Town 3-0 Soham Town Rangers

Attendance: 118

Coggeshall Town:
Danny Sambridge, Tyler Brampton, Curtis Haynes-Brown, Syrus Gordon, Dexter Peter, Jamie Shaw, Michael Gyasi, Conor Hubble, Nnamdi Nwachuku, Ross Wall, George Cocklin.

Substitutes:
Josh Moore, Tevan Allen, Ace Howell, Sam Bantick, Aryton Coley.

Soham Town Rangers:
Josh Pope, Erkan Okay, Will Gardner, Alfie Connor, Lewis Endacott, Jack Mochalski, Jon Kaye, Ryan Auger, Callum Russell, Sam Mulready, Lloyd Groves.

Substitutes:
Ally Conway, Prince Mutswunguma, Jordan Patrick, Michael Baulk.