Downham Town 2-1 Walsham-le-Willows match report: Two goals from Dylan Edge earns hosts promotion to Step 4 via Thurlow Nunn League Premier Division play-offs
There was to be no fairy tale ending to an impressive Thurlow Nunn League Premier Division campaign for Walsham-le-Willows after they lost this afternoon’s play-off final at Downham Town 2-1.
The visitors, who also enjoyed a club-record run in this term’s FA Vase, took the lead early on at the Memorial Field but a goal in either half from the hosts’ Dylan Edge ensured that it was Downham celebrating promotion to Step 4 come the final whistle.
With so much at stake, the start of play-off finals are often tight, cagey and tense affairs with neither side prepared to give the other an inch. However, today's clash bucked that trend as both teams came out and looked to get on the front foot from the off.
Walsham's Matt Glover signllaed his early intent with a swerving effort from distance in the ninth minute that caused problems for Duncan McAnally, who awkwardly shovelled the ball away from the target.
And Downham did not heed that warning because within two minutes Glover had fired Walsham in front from a similar position. With the hosts backing off, the midfielder unleashed from 20 yards out and his effort flew beyond former Walsham keeper McAnally to give the away side the lead.
But that would only last for four minutes as the hosts responded in positive fashion. Lagshan Sivakumar – a late call up to starting line-up after Dylan Kirk failed a fitness test – found Edge with a left-wing cross and after taking one touch, the forward powered a shot past Walsham goalie Ryan Dunne from around 18 yards out.
With parity restored, it was Downham that carved out the better of the chances before the half-time whistle.
Jake Miller volleyed over after Dunne had clawed out a corner, while Edge's close-range effort was cleared by Kyran Cooper from almost on the goal-line after good work in the build up by the lively Charlie Royle and Eoin McQuaid.
It was McQuaid that then squandered Downham's best opening to go in front before the break in the 43rd minute. The move started back with McAnally, who bowled the ball out to Edge after he had come and collected a Scott Chaplin corner. Edge, in turn, played a pass forward for Sivakumar and the winger quickly shifted the ball on for McQuaid, but he was unable to keep his effort down from 10 yards.
The pre-match anticipated tension seemed to take hold at the start of the second half, although that did allow Walsham to wrestle back an element of control.
And it was they that carved out the first big opportunity after the restart. Ethan Garcia threaded through a pass for George Bugg but McAnally was quick off his line and made a smart stop to thwart the Walsham attacker.
It was certainly Walsham’s best period of the game in terms of possession, but with the pace of Royle and substitute Artur Visocanskis, Downham remained a real threat on the counter-attack. And it was the latter that came up trumps in the 73rd minute as the home side took the lead for the first time.
Visocanskis – on for the injured Sivakumar – lost his balance as he advanced into the Walsham half but the winger did well to regain his footing and break into the box, where he was tripped by Reece Lanchester. Edge took the responsibility from the spot and he made no mistake with a low shot that sent Dunne the wrong way.
The goal halted Walsham’s momentum and appeared to knock the stuffing out of their performance. They did manage to muster one late chance through Lanchester, but his shot was eventually cleared to safety after McAnally’s initial stop.
Downham Town: McAnally, Miller, Reed (Gould 84’), N Castellon, Bird, M Castellon, Sivakumar (Visocanskis 63'), White, Edge (Murkin 84’), McQuaid (Watts-Sturrock 55'), Royle
Walsham-le-Willows: Dunne, Cooper, McKenzie-Vince, Collins (Hubbard 63'), Lanchester, Moss, Chaplin, Glover, Garcia, Bugg, Twinn (Huckvale 76')
