Dereham Town defeats Ipswich Wanderers in FA Cup clash

Dereham Town won 2-1 after extra time, providing a cup classic for the 298 in attendance. 

The hosts began in the ascendancy, maintaining a nice tempo in possession, but just unable to penetrate a resilient Wanderers back line.

A first glimpse of the events to follow occurred when Robbie Sweeney collected the ball in the pocket before threading a near-perfect through ball to the advancing Michael Campbell, however the Scotsman was unable to get on the end of the pass. 

Dereham Town in action against Ipswich Wanderers (Image: Dereham Town Football Club)

One man causing the visitors serious problems down both flanks was Jordan Buttle, the wide-man setting his stall out early against the Wanderers full-backs, weaving through challenges from all angles and getting the Magpies into some dangerous areas with his mazy runs. His blistering pace proved to be an eventual 120-minute-long issue that the visitors could never really deal with. 

Despite Parke’s side holding the lion's share of possession and getting into some promising positions, Ipswich began to work goalkeeper Coombe in the Magpies net with a couple of low drives which were comfortably saved. Before Kie Dyer fastened, the most notable chance for either side, with a rasping left-footed effort destined for the top left corner had it not been for a strong two-handed save from Coombe. 

The visitors' pressure eventually came to fruition when Jordan Lake was deemed to have fouled a Wanderers player outside the box, the resulting free kick being excellently dispatched into the top right corner by Tom Maycock. Leaving Coombe rooted to the spot and leaving more work to do for Parke’s side to do going into the interval.

Dereham provided the response necessary in the second half, once again dominating possession and slowly forcing Ipswich to sink deeper into their half. However, for a large portion of the second half Dereham once again lacked that real quality to trouble Wanderers number one Craig Brand. 

Harry Pitcher provided the first spark of the half, 10 minutes in picking up a loose ball on the right-hand side, driving inwards before unleashing a driven effort just wide of the post. Other than that, it would prove to be a half of nearly moments for the Magpies, with a Wanderers body seemingly in front of everything they tried. 

The contest came alive in extra time, beginning when the home faithful thought Mac Gee had got them the equaliser they deserved as he arrived late at the back post from a Pitcher cross, unfortunately unable to divert his header goalwards, instead just inches wide. 

There was a feeling building inside Aldiss Park that there was going to be one more chance for the home side, and there would be when Jordan Buttle would drive down the left flank once more, skipping in between the Wanderers defence before firing a low drive goalwards, taking a deflection of the toe of the defender before rolling behind a helpless Brand to send the home fans into raptures and taking the tie into extra time. 

Once extra time was underway, Coombe was called into action almost immediately, a fierce effort driven goalwards and forcing a smart stop from the former Fakenham man with his feet to divert away. 

That save proved vital as mere minutes later Robbie Sweeney, fresh off a home hat-trick a week earlier, was set free down the left-hand side before driving inwards and finishing expertly on his left foot into the bottom right corner. 

After that, Dereham was able to exert some dominance once again before riding a wave of Wanderers crosses into the box, the back 5 and ‘keeper Coombe responding expertly every time. 

One final scare was in store for the hosts when the Wanderers full-back fired just wide on the half volley towards the top right corner, a whisker away from sending the tie to a penalty shoot-out. 

The Magpies eventually held on to book themselves a spot in the next round, where they will face Ware FC away on the 2nd of September.