Downham Town book place in play-off final

Downham Town clinched their place in the Thurlow Nunn First Division North Final following a convincing 4-1 victory over Whittlesey Athletic.

Two goals from Matty Blackford, a thunderbolt from Joe Jackson and a George Watts-Sturrock sealed Downham’s passage into Saturday’s final where they will take on Harwich and Parkeston at the SCL Memorial Field.

The league runners-up controlled affairs from the very first whistle against a Whittlesey side who came into the game on a rich vein of form.

Joint boss Craig Dickson said: “I felt we had a comfortable first half but obviously they looked quite dangerous at set-pieces.

“On the whole I felt they never really caused us too much trouble in general play. I thought in the second half when they came out and pushed us really high they caused us a little bit of trouble for 10 or 15 minutes but our third goal nullified them.

“Credit to them as they have been on a hell of a run theses last six to eight to weeks of the season to get themselves in the play-offs and they’ve got the nucleus of a good squad over there.”

Joint boss Dale Stokes added: “We’re such a different team when we score first and I’d back us against anyone at the minute.

“They didn’t really react to going behind and never looked like hurting us. I thought Pat (Yates) covered really well at times.

“”He got in some really good areas defensively when they put the ball into some really dangerous areas, but he was they to cover every time.”

Watts-Sturrock saw an early long-range effort go wide, while former Linnet Danny Beaumont fired into the arms of visiting goalkeeper Elliot Gale, who was also quick out of his box to deny Jackson a few minutes later.

The opening goal arrived after 11 minutes after Jackson’s shot came back off the post and Blackford was there to follow-up.

Jake Miller’s long throw then fell to Jackson who was thwarted by Gale for a second time before a ball across the edge of the area eventually found its way to Blackford who tucked away his second goal of the evening 13 minutes before the break.

Whittlesey pressed Downham at the start of the second half but failed to really create many clear-cut openings on the home goal.

Downham extended their lead further on the hour-mark after Jackson let fly from all of 25 yards to find the back of the net.

Whittlesey gave themselves a glimmer of hope after netting a consolation through substitute Connor Pilbeam with 20 minutes to go – but it was the home side who had the final say by adding a fourth.

Blackford was flattened in the penalty area and Watts-Sturrock netted from the resulting spot-kick to restore the home side’s three-goal advantage and book the club’s place in Saturday’s final.

Downham: McAnally, Miller, Reeed, Watts-Sturrock, Yates, Bird, Blackford, Franks, Beaumont, White, Jackson. Subs (all used): Gould, Prudence, Rawson, Conroy, Prentice.

Attendance: 250.

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