Wivenhoe Town – 2023/24 Season Summary

Season overview

The 2023/24 season was Wivenhoe Town’s first under the management team led by Kieron Shelley and Lionel Toms. It was also Wivenhoe Town’s first season in the Thurlow Nunn First Division North, following a lateral transfer from the South Division. The Dragons played their final game of the season on Saturday 21st April, with the season finishing for other clubs more than a week later. The conclusion of these games confirmed that the Dragons finished in 12th place with 52 points from 25 wins and 7 draws. A midtable finish in a season of progress which saw the Dragons steer well clear of the relegation concerns of the previous year.

This season’s overall record was better than all but one of the last six since the club dropped into step six for the 2018-19 season, albeit that two of those season’s were curtailed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The Dragons were stronger at home, winning nine and drawing two in the league at the E&L Property Stadium, compared to five wins and six draws on the road.

In the cups there was little progress, with defeats to higher level opposition in Vase and Senior Cups. The FA Vase saw a 5 – 1 defeat in the First Qualifying Round at Brantham Athletic. The Essex Senior Cup a penalty shootout defeat against Ilford at home. In the league cup, Haverhill Borough were beaten 5 – 2 at home but a 4 – 0 defeat followed at Cornard United in the subsequent round.

Results
Wivenhoe played 44 games in all competitions, with an average of 4.1 goals for or against and not a single nil-nil draw. The Dragons biggest winning margin came by 4 - 0 in August against eventual league Champions Great Yarmouth Town as Wivenhoe scored four unanswered goals to secure their first league win of the season. The five scored in the cup win against Haverhill Borough was the highest tally of goals scored by Wivenhoe this season. There were 12 games which saw more than six goals scored by the sides involved, the most in a single game being nine when Wivenhoe lost 3 – 6 at home to FC Parson Drove. The biggest defeat was a 7 – 0 loss at second place Framlingham Town in January.

Goals

The Dragons scored 77 goals this season with 21 different players finding the back of the net. Harry Willoughby led the way with 23 goals in 28 games. The biggest individual Wivenhoe scoring record since the title winning 2015/16 season when Ray Turner hit 30 goals and Adam Hampson 27 goals. Three hattricks were scored this season; Harry Willoughby with two of them. Willo scored his first in a 4 – 3 home win against Dussindale & Hellesdon Rovers. Finley Hughes scored three in a 4 – 2 home win against FC Peterborough. Willoughby grabbed his second hattrick of the season in the very next game as Wivenhoe won 4 – 2 at Leiston U23s. Finley Hughes and Ryan Lewis shared second and third in the scoring charts with seven goals each.

Appearances
This season, 48 players made appearances for the First Team, for 30 players these were debuts. A core of 16 players played over 20 games and made over 70% of the appearances. Tom Ayton’s 40 appearances was the most of any player with 32 starts and eight appearances as a substitute. Ben Gallifant was second, with 39 games, 38 from the start, the most of any player. Whilst Alfie Eldridge was third in the appearance charts with 37 games played. Six players made just a single appearance with 13 players playing less than five games.

Five different goalkeepers featured for the Dragons this season. Matt Brand-Barker (9 games), Alfie Lewis (11 games), Ben Gallifant (5 games), Fin McIver-Jones (5 games), and Gabriel Ruth-Pateman (14 games).

Milestones
The only appearance milestone reached this season was by Ben Parkin, making it to 150 games for Wivenhoe Town before departing the club shortly before the end of the season having reached 151 games. Ben Gallifant remains the highest appearance maker at the club, making it to 192 games for the club.

Under 23s
The Under 23s led by Jeff Welsh, Adam Bethell Elliot McIver- Jones, finished the inaugural season of the Thurlow Nunn U23s Division in 7th place. A hugely promising development this season the further progression of the Dragons U23s into the first team, many of whom have grown up playing much of their youth football for Wivenhoe Town. Zane Richards became a first team regular, playing 28 games and scoring his first Senior goal. George Horrocks added nine more appearances to his first team record and scored two goals. Gabriel Kerr built on some fine form for the U23s when he scored twice as a second half substitute to dramatically secure three points for the Dragons at home against Needham Market U23s. Mitchell Goddard, Ben Thomas, Mackenzie Luckham, Josh Dennis, Luca Keep, Oskar Powell, Lenny Bethell and Sam Welsh all contributed when stepping up to the First Team.

And finally...
Thank you to all our sponsors and supporters for their backing this season. Thank you to all players and coaching staff for their efforts this season for the club. Thank you to our committee and volunteers for keeping the club running off the pitch.

The Dragons will return for 2024/25 aiming to build on a season of promise.