East Premier A Harleston Magpies 4 Saffron Walden 3 The game started with both teams camped in the Saffron Walden half, but a failure to convert chances cost Magpies as a fast Walden counter attack led to the first goal.
The game started with both teams camped in the Saffron Walden half, but a failure to convert chances cost Magpies as a fast Walden counter attack led to the first goal.
The home side continued to look dangerous with the ball and scored a well deserved equaliser through a smart short corner routine.
Matt Richardson’s world class delivery was skilfully deflected by Leigh Sitch towards the target only for Thomas Ridley to poach the goal from under his nose, as he finally achieved his first goal of the season.
With the momentum growing, a typically direct Simon Hipwell run saw him collect his own rebound and smash the ball home to give Magpies the lead.
The advantage was short lived as Saffron Walden converted a short corner of their own.
In the second half, against the run of play, Saffron Walden attacked down their right hand side winning another short corner which was converted with another flick to retake the lead.
This did little to change the flow of the game though.
Ridley, coming out of midfield with the ball, found his partner in crime Richard Larkin who, with some typically quick thinking, returned the pass to Ridley to set up the goal of the game – Ridley’s trademark reverse stick hit finish.
With the game building towards a tense finish, Magpies needed to redouble their efforts if they were to come away with all the points.
Just as Magpies were beginning to lose hope, the man of the moment would step up to the plate.
With the umpire playing a good advantage, Larkin was on his toes to react the fastest to a saved Vincent Leruth strike, pouncing on the loose ball to heroically turn home and take the score to 4-3. The drama was not over though, Magpies kept out a late corner and had to play out the last couple of minutes, before getting the result that their play deserved.
Magpies will finish fourth in the league if they can go to Bedford and win this weekend, which will decide where they finish after an up and down season. The team has shown typical Magpies spirit in the last couple of weeks, and hopefully this will be able to get the squad through.
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