A Billy Wales cracker set FC Clacton on their way to a resounding 4-1 victory over local rivals Wivenhoe Town at the Rush Green Bowl. Further goals from Karl Andrade and a brace from Aaron Condon saw Andy Taylor’s men take the three points after an excellent first half display.

Unusually given what would follow it was Wivenhoe who started much the brighter, looking sharp and enthusiastic with Markel Greenidge heading over in just the third minute. But despite looking sluggish up until that point it was Clacton who broke the deadlock in the ninth minute thanks to a moment of brilliance from their young midfielder.

There appeared little on as the ball was played forward to Wales just over twenty five yards out but he flicked the ball up and as it dropped hit a wonderful left-footed volley that flew into the top corner to give Adam Wilding no chance.

Just a minute later and the home side doubled their lead as Joe Martin played in Aaron Condon in the left channel. The winger beat his man on the outside, drove into the area and lashed in a fierce drive for a tight angle that beat Wilding for sheer pace.

Unsurprisingly the double strike brought Clacton to life and the rest of the half was virtually one way traffic with Kevin Coyle causing particular problems every time he got the ball. From one such raid down the right the Clacton captain got to the byline and pulled a cross back for Karl Andrade and when his effort was blocked Louie Newland fired the rebound just wide from 18 yards.

On twenty-two minutes it should have been three nil when Coyle’s driven cross saw Martin racing into the area unmarked but he was unable to direct his header back across goal on target.  Two minutes later Wilding had to be alert as a long ball played Coyle in and his first time volley from the edge of the area brought out a good save from the keeper. Clacton did finally get their third just after the half hour mark when Coyle again got to the byline and pulled back for Andrade to finish from close range.

Wivenhoe’s best chance of the half came in injury time as a Clacton throw in was thrown straight to striker Ray Catchpole who exchanged passes with Greenidge before placing his shot a whisker wide.

Four minutes into the second period Clacton found their fourth goal as Wilding appeared to have a Coyle shot in his grasp only to lose it under pressure from Condon who nicked the loose ball and tucked into the empty net for his second of the evening.

At this stage it looked as if Clacton could extend their lead further but the potential goal glut didn’t materialise as Wivenhoe dug deep to try to salvage some pride. Clacton did go close with a spectacular Andrade effort from long range but in the final thirty minutes it was the visitors who finally called Joe Playle into action as had to react quickly to reach a throughball ahead of substitute Michael Schofield, just getting a hand to the ball to take it away from the striker.

With twenty minutes left former Clacton player Ben Connell scored a consolation for the visitors as he scrambled in a cross from the right. Connell was then denied again in the last ten minutes as Playle advanced to block his effort but by then the damage was already done for the Dragons as Clacton eased home to take the three points and move into the top half of the Ridgeons Premier Division table.