With so many regularly first team squad members unavailable it gave another chance for some of the younger players within the club to sample first team football while giving the ones who were out there another big step in readiness for the first league game on August 2nd.

Ash Walter captain for the evening started in a central defence roll while Youth Team keepr Jake Alsop stood in between the sticks for the first time since his clean sheet in his debut last season in the Thurlow Nunn First Division game home against Haverhill Borough.
The bench included Reserve team midfielder Stanford Jemwa and youth team defender player Carson Silvan along with young trialist keeper George Bigg .

The Robins started brightly and unlike Saturday the tempo and work rate was much like a Ely side and out of the two sides Ely kept the ball better and looked very assured as a unit . George Darling had a shot wide while Matty Simpson missed the opportunity when his shot come lobp sailed over the bar. At the back young full back Joe Brannan coped well with Wisbech 's tricky winger Billy Smith and Ash Walter looked so composed centrally and started to get his pin point passes going. It was one of Walter's quality balls out in the 27th minute that found Craig Neal on the half way line and a great first touch by the Neal took him into the Wisbech half. Neal found Matty Simpson just outside the box .Simpsons movement had caused the Wisbech defence to come across to much and when his lay off to Josh Sewell found the feet of young reserve player Dom Hunt on the right he calmly came in side and clip the ball pass the keeper and despite a desperate lunge by the defender on the line he could help but divert it into the bottom corner of the net

For the rest of the half and Wisbech never troubled Jake Alsop in goal and Ely went into the break 1-0 up.

The second half saw Wisbech up their tempo, but is was Ely who went closer to extending their lead when another Ash Walter cross field ball found Craig Neal on the edge of the box and his first time volley into the path of Matty Simpson almost found the ball at the forward's feet. Wisbech did start to have a lot more of possession and did create one or two chances without really troubling the new Ely keeper for the second half George Bigg . Brady Stone introduced Luke Brown,Stanford Jemwa and young Carson Silvain in the second half as part of the overall fitness plan.

Ely looked like they were going to shut out Wisbech for the remainder of the game , but a free-kick on the half way line was sent into the box and a slight push on by a Wisbech player on Dom Hunt sent him pushing another Wisbech player in the back and he fell to the ground. The referee deemed the foul on the Fenman was the first he saw and gave a slightly soft penalty in most of the Ely officials eyes.

With the penalty converted both sides had chances to win with Ely's only real shot on target in the second half falling to Luke Brown, but the keeper saved well. With the game heading for a draw and out of really nothing a midfield ball up to the striker was flicked on and and as Carson Silvain was about to clear the Wisbech forward nipped to slot home.

A cruel end to the night for such a positive display by the young Ely side

Robins Manager Brady Stone interviewed afterwards commented 'I was delighted with the performance, missing eight 1st team players and to go to Wisbech and play like that I am very happy. We just need to keep improving and making sure we keep getting the bad habits out ready for 1st league game. Great to get a lot of players 90 minutes again. Wish Wisbech all the best this year and thanks for the game

FT Wisbech Town 2 Ely City 1(Dom Hunt 27mins)

Line-Up:J.Alsop,J.Brannan,J.Alsop,L.Griffin,S.Saberton,A.Walter,C.Neal,J.Sewell,D.Hunt,M.Simpson,G.Darling
Sus all used ;G.Bigg,L.Brown,S.Gemwa,C.Silvain

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