Walsham-le-Willows lose home Suffolk FA Premier Cup tie to Ipswich Town on penalties

The fact that two-goal Jack Brame was disappointed that Walsham-le-Willows bowed out of the Suffolk Premier Cup on penalties to an Ipswich Town XI on Tuesday night is testament to how far the team has come in recent months.

Hosting Walsham held their own against the aspiring professionals, the majority of whom make up the Championship club’s Under-18 side.

Twice Ipswich – managed on the night by former England international Kieron Dyer – took the lead during the second half, but on both occasions a spirited Walsham pegged them back thanks to leading marksman Brame.

A shootout was the least Trevor Newman’s men deserved for their exertions, but that was to be the end of the road for the sixth-placed Thurlow Nunn League Premier Division side.

Ryan Gibbs was first up for the home team and saw his penalty saved by Ipswich goalkeeper Toby Egan. The next nine players to step up all converted, meaning it was the visitors who advanced through 5-4 to the quarter-finals.

Nevertheless, the Walsham players were applauded off by the healthy crowd inside the Moorish Stadium – an acknowledgement of how impressive the side had been, both defensively and offensively.

There was an acceptance from the first whistle that Ipswich were going to dominate possession, with Walsham wisely opting against deploying the press until the ball had made its way into their half.

They remained organised throughout, with goalkeeper Steve Fenner having a quieter night than he had perhaps anticipated.

And when the chance to attack presented itself they did so in positive fashion, with the pace of wingers Gibbs and Kehan Whitby giving the Ipswich full-backs food for thought.

It was a performance that captain Brame was proud of, yet there was still a little niggle that it could have been accompanied by a famous victory.

“Losing is disappointing because we played well enough to win the game, but penalties are a lottery,” he said.

“It is always a horrible way to lose, but the lads have given everything.

“Those Ipswich lads are a good side and they play every day, whereas we have been at work and come straight here.

“We kept going, even when we could have folded late on at 2-1, and got our rewards.

“We are a close-knit team and always look to be brave on the ball, getting it down and pass it when we can. That is the way we want to play and we have shown tonight that when we do get the chance, we can move the ball well.

“We have gone to places like Stowmarket and won, battered Histon but were unlucky to lose in the last minute and here we have pushed Ipswich all the way.

“There have been plenty of games this season that in the past we would have lost, but we keep going now and like at Framlingham recently, we are getting wins that previously would have been defeats.

“Years ago we would have folded on a night like tonight and been in the bottom of the table in the league, but we are better than that and finally we are showing it.”

For the first 20 minutes Ipswich sprayed the ball around positively, which in particular dragged the Walsham midfield out of position.

During that period Fenner did well to deny Bury Town loanee Tommy Hughes and Conner McKenzie, while the lively Armando Dobra rattled the underside of the crossbar from distance.

But after weathering that storm, Walsham visibly grew in confidence and had a couple of chances of their own before the half was out.

Both fell to Brame, who saw his half volley from 20 yards out parried to safety by Egan and then moments later his acrobatic attempt was deflected over.

The skipper had been a willing runner throughout the first half and within 60 seconds of the restart his tenacity almost paid off.

A through-ball from Lee Hammond sent him clear, and although Egan initially blocked the route, an attempted clearance cannoned against Brame and was goalbound until a retreating Luca Vega got back on the line to clear the danger.

Yet, within six minutes of that near miss Walsham were behind. Kai Brown was afforded some rare space and got to the right byline, from where he sent in a low cross that was smartly flicked in by Ryley Scott.

The danger now was that life had been sucked from the Walsham display, but instead they rallied and got themselves level just five minutes later.

Brame pounced on a loose ball in-field before riding a sliding challenge and then calmly slotting a low shot beyond the reach of an advancing Egan.

The tie toed and froed from this point onwards, although it looked like the Ipswich youngsters had struck the killer blow nine minutes from time when a low shot by Tyreece Simpson from the edge of the box squirmed into the bottom corner Fenner’s net.

But this Walsham team are made of stern stuff and as with the first goal, they were level again only five minutes after falling behind. Ross Marshall was adjudged to have handled inside the area and Brame made no mistake from the spot.

And the home team could have snatched it in the 88th minute when an opportunity opened up for Gibbs, but with home supporters ready to celebrate, he fired just wide of the target.

Walsham: Fenner, Warren, Peters, Saffrey, Cusack, Hammond (Sim), Whitby, Twinn (E Spampanato), Brame, Nurse (J Spampanato), Gibbs

Express Man of the Match – Jack Brame: It was a great team display but Brame’s goals were key

* Walsham, who drew 2-2 with Newmarket Town on Saturday (Brame and Nurse), travel to Ely City tomorrow (3pm).