HARWICH

Harwich under 18's good form continued against what looked to be a very strong Wivenhoe side, with only one change from last week, Lee Peacock returning to replace Reece Harris. Michael Hammond opened the scoring with a very good finish after patient build up play.
Harwich were made to pay once again conceding from a simple set piece a free kick inside Harwich's last third floated into the box with the most simplest header from the unmarked Wivenhoe forward. Harwich started to play good controlled football with the central midfield pairing of Luke Good and Phil Taylor running the game, Dom Warren up front with Ollie Mann worked non stop covering every blade of grass on the Oak to either to make the space he needed or to make gaps for Ollie Mann to run into and that is where Harwich's next 2 goals came from with once again calm finishes from Ollie Mann.
The second half team talk from Phil Harrison and Mick Wildney, was strong and direct they were both unhappy with the often long ball play being used and the idea of personal battles between Harwich & Wivenhoe players were over shadowing the way the team has been taught to play open passing football creating chances and not being embroiled in non football issues. The 2nd half was all Harwich with 75% of the play by the home team, the back four of Lee Peacock, Lee Sharp, James King and Dan Harrison un ruffled by any attack Wivenhoe could throw at them, Elliot Harrison made only one save all second half finger tipping the ball over the bar Michael Hammond and Andy Hammet in the wide positions worked hard, with Luke Good now pushing further on and having the space to mastermind the Harwich attacks, Phil Taylor dropped deeper into his favoured holding role and the supply to the front two increased, but the half belonged to the front two of Ollie Mann and Dom Warren, the latter not scoring but creating gaps for Ollie Mann to run into and that is what he did two more times in the second half completing his second hat trick in a row and then adding his fourth of the game there cannot be a better finisher in the Ridgeons youth league.