North Walsham 0 - 2 Loddon Utd Sat 12th April 2025 2.15pm ko
Scorers: Chrissy, Lewis
Assists: Serg, Chrissy
Loddon: Dan Loades; Tom Blythe-Bartram, Bailey Hill, Jack Tipple, Alex Kounnas; El Hannant (c), Josh Knights; JJ Godfrey; Harvey Johnson, Chris Husband,
Tom Sergeant.
Subs: Matthew Webster, Lewis Hill, Matt Ayre.
Manager: Andrew Zagdan Asst: El and Max Lino: Jack Cook

For some reason I don’t like going to Walsham, probably because all we seem to get there is cold and wet and little in the way of results. Sharpey doesn’t like it either so Zaggy took the reins. We had a chat and Zaggs promised me the boys would get something out of the game, even if it was only winning the toss…and I had the odd feeling that he might be right…. as the teams changed ends before kick off such that the capless Dan had the sun in his eyes.
Walsham had an early effort go high and wide after some aerial head tennis in our half. El received a Bailey clearance and moved the ball onto Chrissy. He slipped by a couple of defenders before toeing the ball just wide of the on-rushing keepers’ right hand post. We were able to cope defensively and on 12 minutes Serg won back possession, found Chrissy, who slotted home under the keeper. 0 – 1
Town immediately went on the attack and Dan had to make three good saves in quick succession to stop an equalizer. Good possession in the opposing half won us a couple of corners but we were unable to capitalise. Alex K and Bailey made sure Town’s counter attack failed. Great workrate from JJ helped us to dominate the midfield and Town’s frustration was showing with their in house bickering. Serg got back to defend after Alex was beaten and Harv did the same helping out on our right. Chrissy made ground with the ball and found Knightsy in support but his drive was off target. Chrissy was held back which produced a yellow card for the defender, but El’s free kick only found the home keeper. Tipps had his shorts ripped and almost removed but the ref played ‘advantage’ before Tipps and Max did some quick ‘cross dressing’ on the side. Knightsy had a decent shot charged down and Town fired a low ball across our goalmouth which Alex cleared. Chrissy was shown yellow for pulling back a defender’s shirt but how that is any different to Tipps’ shorts, which wasn’t punished, I have no idea…
A lovely 1:2 between Knightsy and JJ put Serg away, he crossed to Harv who crossed low and hard (might have been a shot) and Serg slid the ball home only to see the flag raised and the ‘goal’ disallowed; wrongly in my, and everyone else of Loddon bias.
Knightsy played Chrissy in ‘over the top’ but his touch left him. Hopefully it will come back soon. JJ played through to Harv and a Walsham lad came off worse in his challenge and had to be subbed. A goalkick was awarded but it could just as easily have been a pen…..HT
Knightsy’s first touch put Chrissy through but as his touch hadn’t returned yet, he only got a corner, which came to nowt. Town responded with an attack down their left and a crisp volley fired wide. Serg was thwarted by the keeper after being gifted by him. Town had come out for the second half with more about them, no doubt having had a halftime ‘teamtalk’. Tipps blocked a shot, and another was scuffed wide. Knightsy received a home clearance and fired a neat drive just wide. Chrissy closed Town’s no5, got the ball, but his tame effort was no threat to the keeper. Again Chrissy took too long after receiving Serg’s pass and only won a corner following which, Alex was booked for diving when contact was clearly heard… in Aylsham! Tipps blocked a bullet of a shot without wincing (typical Tipps) before heading away the next cross in. Bailey blocked and we attacked, but they broke back and Bailey made a superbly timed tackle to stop the threat getting through to Dan.
With 20 mins to go, Serg moved to right back in place of Tom BB, Lewis came onto the left, and Webbo came on to replace JJ with Knightsy moving forward slightly into JJ’s no.10 position. I suppose I could draw a picture with lots of arrows ‘n’ shit but…
This produced instant results and controversy with the lino again. Serg played forward to Harv and he inside to Knightsy who then found Chrissy. His touch obviously returned with the other subs ‘cos he controlled and shot towards the near post. The keeper went down but did not hold, and great anticipation by Lewis allowed him to nip in and toe the ball home from close in. The flag was up but no way was anyone offside and after ticking off the lino the ref agreed with us and we had a two goal cushion. 0 – 2
Town tried a lob which Dan watched drop onto the top of the net. Town then hit a post with a free kick, Tipps was beaten for once, but Alex covered brilliantly.
With 7 minutes remaining Zaggy sent on Max for Harv, Lewis moved to the right and Chrissy left. Knightsy even had a shot blocked by Max! A delightful 1:2 between El and Max in the box raised a smile but El’s shot was blocked. Overall we managed the game through the midfield dominance of El and Knightsy with Webbo… ‘hanging’ in there somewhere, hitting Max with longer balls and solid defending across the back four to maintain a clean sheet for Dan and a rare win at North Walsham. Woohoo

Pretty good all round but Knightsy was the pick for the Musker supporters MoM from the travelling posse, so Joshua, that’s a pint for me and a half for the fixtures secretary if you ever find the bar!! Do you ever find a bar??

Big thanks to Jack Cook for making the trip to run the line, very much appreciated!

Mutford and Wrentham next….JC