Jason Dozzell put one over his former Town team-mate Mick Stockwell at Portman Road on Friday afternoon when his side team ran out 10-5 victors in this season’s Portman Cup.
The pair, both members of John Lyall’s 1991/92 Second Division championship-winning side, took charge of two teams of fans who had paid for the privilege of gracing the hallowed turf.
The players arrived at Portman Road at 1.30pm to find their kit laid out in the dressing rooms, just as the real teams' would be on a Saturday afternoon. Dozzell’s side, which included TWTD’s Phil Ham, looking to take his Portman Cup win percentage above 20, wore the current home kit and Stockwell’s the white second strip.
Prior to kick-off, the sides were introduced to their managers before taking part in a warm-up on the practice pitch and being given a team-talk.
Current midfielder Cole Skuse, who had been ruled out of the following day’s game at Fulham due to the concussion he suffered in the game against Birmingham, also popped in to wish everyone well.
The game, which was played in three thirds with all the outfielders in the squads playing an hour each and the keepers 45 minutes, got off to a battling start with the teams vying to get the upper hand.
Eventually the high pressing game employed by Dozzell’s side paid dividends with Stockwell’s team forced into errors which led to James Plumtree open the scoring.
Two further goals, both netted by Chris Thompson, a scorer of two previous Portman Cup hat-tricks, followed before first third time.
The second third was dominated by Dozzell’s side with Andrew Seymour (2), Jawa Tacey, Nick Sparkes, an unfortunate away side defender and left-back Simon Niland’s Grant Ward-esque cross-shot seeing them into a 9-0 lead at the hour mark.
In order to make the game more competitive the managers agreed a mid-match transfer for two-goal Thompson, while Simon Milton, who organises the Portman Cup along with the club’s commercial department, briefly came out of retirement playing a libero’s role dictating play from deep.
The changes led to the away side dominating the final third and pulling back five goals through James Lincoln, Connor Peck and turncoat Thompson, who netted a hat-trick against his old team-mates.
It might have been more but for a string of saves from home keeper Paul Baker, while Seymour added a 10th on the break for Dozzell’s side.
Following the final whistle, both squads took part in a keenly-contested penalty shoot-out won by the away side by a single goal with Ham among those to let the pressure get to him from 12 yards.
The victorious home team were presented with the trophy - still broken after last year’s post-match celebrations went overboard - before the teams returned to the dressing rooms to get showered prior to the post-match presentations and a two-course meal in the Sir Bobby Robson Suite.
Dozzell named Simon Niland as the home side’s man of the match and Stockwell Connor Peck as his team’s, while one of Thomson’s five goals across his spells with the two sides was named the Best Goal. Current Blue Andre Dozzell handing over the trophies.
Winning manager Dozzell senior was delighted with his team, believing their pre-match preparation played a big part in their victory.
"When I turned up I went to the changing room, all the lads were looking a bit apprehensive, a little bit nervous, so I went around the room, made my points individually and in pairs, told them what I expected of them and from then on we had a good relationship,” he said.
"We had a great warm-up, all a bit intense, just to get the tension out of them. It was a harder workout than normal.
"But that was the start of it and once we were out there, one to 11 and beyond, they were all outstanding.
"If a team is playing really quickly through the lines, which we did, no team is going to stop that. We played really well.”
Defeated boss Stockwell added: "The boys did really well, to be fair. It was a tough start for us but one transfer and another coming on at the back with not much hair solidified it up a bit and we were much better.
"From there the boys did well, they took a bit of confidence from that and it was a far better game, I think it was 5-1 in the last third. A lot better.
"They had a little bit too much for us at the start and heads started to drop a little bit, but everyone kept going and I think they enjoyed themselves in the end and that was the main part of the day.”
If you’re interested in playing in next year’s Portman Cup, send an email to the club’s commercial department.
Home team: Tom Overbury (GK), Chris Hodges, Simon Niland, Mark King, Nick Woolnough, Ady Niven, Chris Thompson, Nick Sparkes, James Plumtree, Rory King, Phil Ham, Paul Baker (GK), Miguel Marra, Andrew Seymour, Derek Owen, Jawa Tacey.
Away team: Stephen Sievewright (GK), Dan Pearch, Richard Kempshall, David Thorn, James Lincoln, Ed Beeton, Kevin Boyles, Ethan Hackett, James Neill, Luke Heard, Sam Heard, Eddy Cook (GK), Jeff Heard, Connor Peck, Stephen Hackett, Chris Thompson, Simon Milton. Officials: Colin Richards, David Sale, Jerry Thompson, Andy Wilding.
Photos: Ruth Fawcett