Already rocked by the confirmed departures of Player/Manager Tom Ward and Captain Charlie Ward on Tuesday afternoon, the Greens also had to contend with a string of other injuries and absentees as Interim Manager Graham Watkins was forced to name four of the clubs reserve side players on the bench. Despite that though, the 4-1 scoreline was not a total reflection of the contest that was presented on the night and the Greens will feel that such a reverse was a harsh outcome after a battling and committed performance in challenging circumstances. The Greens may well have fancied their chances to upset the odds midway through the first half when Billy Gillies had rifled the visitors level – but in the end goals from Sam Murphy, Charley Sanders and Elliot Foster pulled the hosts clear of a tiring Greens side as they recorded their first league win of the campaign.

Interim Manager Graham Watkins was forced into five changes from the 3-0 victory over Kimberley Miners Welfare on Saturday afternoon – the obvious trio of Tom, Charlie and Max Ward all dropping out alongside the absent Joe Smith and the injured Kegan Everington. Those enforced adjustments saw returns to the starting line-up for Harrison Ainslie, Kyle Watkins, Sam Greenwood, Tom Waumsley and Ollie Fields while there were places on the bench for a quartet of reserve team players, Ben Glendenning, Andy Whalen, Casey Kemp, and Kieran Wiles all apart of that. Hosts Wisbech Town meanwhile were defeated 3-0 by title-chasing Eastwood Community at the weekend and they made three changes from that side themselves, Josh Balding, Max Mattless and Oliver Williams all dropping out of the side, Charley Sanders, Sam Murphy, and Danny Setchell the men to come in.

The Greens made the worst possible start to the contest, conceding within three minutes of the first whistle. It was a totally avoidable goal too, Sam Greenwood playing Jake Henderson out at the back and into pressure, Toby Allen stealing into to first nick the ball away and then fire smartly beyond Flitton to bag the opener. The Greens settled well after that start though and began to create opportunities of their own, Billy Gillies bringing the first save out of William Lakin from the angle before Finlay Armond was twice denied by the Wisbech keeper, the second save particularly handy to deny the Greens man on the rebound.

The Greens continued to push, Tom Waumsley feeding Jake Henderson to fire into Lakin’s hands just beyond the 20-minute mark – and the Greens wouldn’t have to wait long for their leveller either. It arrived in spectacular fashion too when the ball fell to Billy Gillies some 25-yards out and he unleashed a wonderful drive from range that dipped and swerved over the despairing dive of Lakin to bring the Greens level in deserved fashion. The game quietened down somewhat, and the Greens were more than competing until Wisbech found a second goal in rather controversial fashion when Ethan Wilson was set free down the right – despite a distinct whiff of offside – and he crossed for Sam Murphy to bundle home the hosts second to rampant disagreement from the Greens.

A steady end to the first half gave way to similar in the second half – Josh Parker firing over Lakin’s goal within a minute of the restart the only real effort of not from either side until Danny Setchell tested Liam Flitton with a freekick just after the hour. Threats of a third Wisbech goal were growing in evidence and Liam Flitton was alert to tip away Amir Ward’s sweeping effort before the hosts did indeed find a killer blow – Charley Sanders finding the bottom corner with a lovely looping header from a Wisbech long-throw.

To their credit, the Greens continued to plug away and could have found a route back into the contest had it not been for a fantastic save from Lakin to deny the onrushing Josh Parker before Sam Harris was in the right place to hook the rebound off the line. Tom Waumsley will then feel he could have done better with a header from Andy Whalen’s cross than head over the crossbar while Liam Flitton was twice in action, first to deny Amir Ward before playing his part in seeing Elliot Foster stab Charley Sanders cross wide of the post.

Foster was to have his joy in stoppage time though when the hosts added unfair gloss to the scoreline when he broke into the box and blasted an effort beyond the helpless Flitton and into the bottom corner – a 4-1 scoreline that didn’t reflect the full story of the contest.

Words: Oliver Atkin