Thurlow Nunn Premier Felixstowe & Walton 1 Newmarket Town 2 This third consecutive home defeat opened the door wider for the two sides in hot pursuit as the Seasiders failed to make the most of a perfect start after Joe Francis had fired them into the lead from the penalty spot inside the first minute, writes Phil Griffiths.

East Anglian Daily Times: Joe Francis (7) celebrates his penalty goal with Felixstowe team mates. Picture: STAN BASTONJoe Francis (7) celebrates his penalty goal with Felixstowe team mates. Picture: STAN BASTON (Image: Archant)

It was their first game for three weeks and the first at home in over six weeks, and it showed, as they struggled to string any moves of note together on a bitterly cold afternoon against a young Newmarket side eager to gain revenge for a 4-1 home defeat in mid-February.

With the lines painted blue in contrast to the sprinkling of snow that covered the pitch, it took referee Mark Chalkley a couple of seconds before pointing to the penalty spot after Francis had been brought down as he cut inside from the right with a surging run straight from the kick-off.

But after checking, he pointed to the spot and Francis got up to drill home his 22nd goal of the season.

Regan Pelling looked to have doubled the score in the 22nd minute from a Francis corner, but Newmarket’s Ethan Murphy hooked the ball away from off the line to keep it at 1-0, and on the half hour it was all square as Shaun Avis got the final touch in a packed goalmouth to prod the ball past Danny Crump.

East Anglian Daily Times: Felixstowe's Miles Powell (left) sees his goal bound shot cleared off the line by by Newmarkets Jacob Partidge. Picture: STAN BASTONFelixstowe's Miles Powell (left) sees his goal bound shot cleared off the line by by Newmarkets Jacob Partidge. Picture: STAN BASTON (Image: Archant)

The goal lifted Newmarket and they began to take control, forcing Crump into a fingertip save to deny Lambert just before the hour, and a minute later pouncing on a weak back pass with Avis intercepting the ball to round Crump and roll it into an into an unguarded net.

The Seasiders used their full complement of substitutes as looked to get back in the game, with Archer saving from substitute Stuart Wardley’s free kick, and then pulling off a save in the third of six additional minutes to deny Powell.

It was a hard watch for the hardy 200 plus crowd, who had turned out on by far the coldest afternoon of the season, with little to warm them on pitch.

East Anglian Daily Times: Felixstowe's Sheridan Driver shoots under pressure from Newmarkets Jacob Partridge. Picture: STAN BASTONFelixstowe's Sheridan Driver shoots under pressure from Newmarkets Jacob Partridge. Picture: STAN BASTON (Image: Archant)