Saturday 1st March - Ridgeons League First Division

Walden completed a league double over Downham Town with goals from Sean Anderson and Matt Danbury. Without Injured Club captain Tommy Butchart and prolific scorer Ben Riches the Bloods were slow to find their rhythm.  Aafter a scrappy 20 minutes Chadwick beat his marker to cross to Spike Bel, who blasted his shot over the bar from close range.

Downham’s keeper McAnally was quick to react to save a powerful header from Chadwick and from the clearance some good work by Allibone set up Jason Cook with a volley that beat the unsighted Ed Lewis in the Walden goal. 0-1 (30minutes). 

The game continued into a midfield battle but  the second half saw the Bloods apply more pressure to test the visitors defence.  

Sean Anderson making his first start of the season after a long injury, showed his cool when he latched onto Spike Bell’s glancing header to nod in past the outstretched McAnally. 1-1. (53minutes)

Richardson tried to beat the visitor’s goalie with an overhead scissors kick that McAnally saved, Kevin Vallis should then have increased the goal tally but fired wide of the exposed Downham goal.

Captain Alex Riches free-kick picked out his partner in defence Matt Danbury, who ghosted in behind the Downham rearguard to tap in Walden’s second goal of the game. 2-1 (86minutes). Minutes later Greg Strong had the 167 supporters  gasp when he fired in a long range volley that hit the underside of the bar and rebounded of the line to be cleared by the relieved McAnally.

In the final minutes Strong beat the Downham defence with a header that McAnally did well to hold onto.  2-1 (90minutes).  Captain Alex Riches did well to master the defence and restricted Downham to having only one shot on target in the 90 minutes. 

Team  E.Lewis, M.Clark, R.Cannon, A.Riches (capt), M.Danbury, S.Anderson, K.Vallis (S.Kingham 81), Z.Collins, T.Richardson (M.Clarke 76), S.Bell (G.Strong), R.Chadwick. Subs not Used. D.Pledger. D.Badcock.